CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The wait is over, Chicago. You no longer have to search for the Tamale Guy throughout bars in the city - you can now just order straight from his new restaurant!
Chicago’s famous “Tamale Guy", Claudio Velez, opened Thursday his first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Ukrainian Village.
The restaurant, located at 2018 W. Chicago Ave., will be open Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Walk-in orders will be accepted, but pre-ordering online is encouraged, Velez’s business partner and co-chef Pierre Vega told Block Club Chicago.
A post shared by Tamale Guy Chicago (@tamaleguychicago) on Aug 8, 2020 at 4:52pm PDT
The website, www.tamaleguychicago.com, also went live Thursday, Vega said.
Velez, and his business partner, Vega, leased a storefront near the corner of Damen and Chicago avenues in July, after fans came together and raised more than $34,000 in a GoFundMe fundraiser.
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Velez has been selling tamales out of his red and blue coolers to bar patrons on the North Side for nearly 20 years.
“I am very excited, especially with everyone who helped make this dream possible,” Velez told Block Club in Spanish. “This has always been my dream.”
A post shared by Tamale Guy Chicago (@tamaleguychicago) on Aug 12, 2020 at 9:21am PDT
In addition to tamales, Velez plans on expanding the menu to include traditional Acapulco dishes, such as his mother’s braised beef taco recipe.
Vega's wife, Kristin, will run the front of the house. She said the restaurant will offer indoor seating, but in an effort to limit customers’ exposure to COVID-19, the tamale shop will initially only allow seating in the back patio. She said she expects a rush of orders upon opening and hopes customers will be understanding as the small team begins cooking. Ordering ahead, either by phone or online, will be helpful, she told Block Club.