Christmas Eve in Washington comes with a serious tamale craving. At one family-run shop, thousands of handmade tamales have been known to fly out the door in a single day. Santa might need to trade his cookies for corn husks.
The secret starts with corn milled right on site, then turned into fresh masa. Every tamale is wrapped by hand, which makes those holiday numbers even more impressive.
That’s a lot of folding before anyone opens a present.
The family even earned a James Beard America’s Classics award. Who knew a corn husk could carry that much prestige?
And when the Christmas Eve rush hits, the line becomes part of the tradition.
The only wrapping you’ll want to undo early this Christmas is a tamale.
One Family Recipe Turned Into A Washington Legend
Some legends start with a big idea, but this one started with a sister’s recipe. Los Hernández Tamales opened in 1990, founded by Felipe and June Hernandez.
The recipe came from Felipe’s sister, Leocacia Sanchez.
Decades later, that same family know-how still shapes every tamale leaving the kitchen.
Felipe’s family moved to the Yakima Valley in 1957 from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. They came to work in agriculture, like many families in this part of Eastern Washington.
That background matters here. The shop grew from real roots in the valley, not from a marketing plan or a trendy menu idea.
Today, the work still stays close to home. Felipe and June make tamales by hand alongside their daughter, Rachel Wilburn, and her husband, Dion Wilburn.
Family businesses often change as they grow, and this one has expanded too. Still, the people folding the husks share the same last names and stories as the founders.
That gives every order a little extra meaning. You’re eating a dish that has traveled from Coahuila to Union Gap through one family’s hands.
Not bad for a recipe that started in a sister’s kitchen.
Pork Or Chicken? You Never Have To Wait For Either
Year-round reliability is a beautiful thing when tamales are involved. Pork and chicken tamales stay on the menu every month of the year.
That’s the core of the whole operation. The shop focuses almost entirely on tamales, so these two classics get full attention.
Each one is handmade fresh daily. That means the pork tamale you grab on a Tuesday was made recently, not pulled from some forgotten back shelf.
Fresh tamales come out steaming hot, ready to eat right away. You can also buy tamales frozen to enjoy later.
Choosing between pork and chicken can feel like a tiny family debate. A simple solution is getting both and letting everyone at the table decide.
Planning a party or holiday gathering? Ordering a few dozen of each flavor keeps both camps happy without anyone fighting over the last one.
Frozen packs also make a smart move during busy weeks. Stash a few in the freezer, and dinner gets a whole lot easier on a cold night.
Honestly, it’s tough to call that anything but a win. Classic flavors, made fresh every day, available all year long.
The Masa Starts With Corn They Grind Themselves
Plenty of tamale makers buy their masa ready to go. This shop takes the longer road by milling its own corn.
The masa is made from corn ground in-house using a stone mill, which gives the family control over the base of every tamale.
When a dish is mostly dough, that choice makes a real difference.
Here’s a fun bonus for home cooks. You can buy the masa itself in 5 lb. bags, in plain yellow or white corn.
It comes fresh or frozen, so you can pick based on your plans. Fresh works great for cooking soon, while frozen gives you more time.
The shop also sells corn husks, called hojas, in bags of 120 pieces. That’s plenty for a serious tamale-making afternoon with family or friends.
Making tamales at home can be a fun group project. Someone spreads the masa, someone adds filling, and someone folds the husks.
Grabbing supplies from a James Beard honored shop feels like a nice head start. Your recipe might be different, but your masa will have impressive roots.
Just don’t expect your first batch to look perfect. Tamale folding takes practice, even with great ingredients in your hands.
Christmas Eve Here Is A Whole Different Level
Thousands of handmade tamales. Christmas Eve has historically brought exceptionally high demand for Los Hernández Tamales.
Tamales are a huge holiday tradition for many families. Around here, this shop sits right in the middle of that tradition every December.
Beyond the Christmas rush, the shop has another popular seasonal tradition in spring.
It is especially known for its seasonal asparagus and pepper jack cheese tamales, typically available during the spring asparagus harvest.
The asparagus tamales are generally available from April through June, depending on the local harvest. Check which seasonal tamale varieties are available before planning your visit.
Big orders need a little planning too. For two dozen or more, the shop asks customers to call at least an hour ahead.
During the holidays, giving yourself extra time is simply smart. A tiny shop making thousands of tamales by hand has a lot going on.
Frozen packs can help here as well. Buying a few half-dozens early means your holiday table is ready before the biggest rush hits.
Picture all the folding, steaming, and wrapping behind that holiday rush. Every one of those tamales passed through careful hands before reaching someone’s holiday plate.
A James Beard Award Changed Everything For The Shop
In 2018, a small tamale shop in Union Gap earned one of the food world’s big honors. Los Hernández Tamales received a James Beard America’s Classics award.
That award celebrates restaurants loved for quality food, local character, and lasting appeal. It’s not handed out to flashy newcomers, which makes it even sweeter.
The win made a real impact. After the award, business doubled, according to reports about the shop’s growth.
That kind of jump would challenge any small kitchen. So the family moved production into a new facility three times larger than before.
They also hired more staff to keep up. Even with all that growth, the tamales are still made by hand.
Years earlier, in 2015, The Seattle Times already called them destination tamales. The award basically confirmed what tamale fans had been saying for a while.
The shop’s guest book has held notes from visitors from places like Argentina, China, and England. That’s quite a reach for a tamale counter in Central Washington.
Fame didn’t turn this into a fancy restaurant, though. It just meant more people discovering what the family had built since 1990.
Paper Plates, Simple Tables, And Zero Fuss
Fancy dishes won’t show up at your table here. Food arrives on paper plates with plastic forks, and honestly, that fits the mood.
The dining room is cozy and simply decorated. It feels casual, with the focus staying squarely on the tamales.
Tamale plates come with meat tamales, rice, and beans. That makes a filling, easy lunch without a complicated menu to study.
Salsa fans have options too. The Fresh Garden Salsa uses tomatoes, jalapeños, onions, and spices.
The Green Salsa brings tomatillo, jalapeños, cilantro, and a secret spice blend. Both come in half-pint, medium, and pint sizes for taking home.
Grabbing a container of each is a smart move. Your frozen tamales at home will thank you later.
Dine-in, takeout, and delivery are all available. Since the space is small, takeout can be a handy choice on busier days.
Eating here feels refreshingly simple. No dress code, no reservations, just a plate of tamales and a fork that might bend a little.
An American Flag Flies Out Front Every Day
Every day, an American flag goes up outside the shop. Felipe Hernandez puts it there himself.
It’s a small detail that says a lot. The story of this shop is also the story of one immigrant family building a life in Washington.
The business shows care for its community in other ways too. It makes an effort to hire mothers who need flexible working hours.
That kind of choice doesn’t always make headlines. Still, it matters to the people balancing jobs and family in the valley.
Knowing these details can make a visit feel more personal. You’re supporting a family that supports its neighbors right back.
Next time you pull up, take a second to notice that flag. It tells part of the story before you even open the door.
Tamales feed the body. A business built with this much heart feeds a community too.
Plan Your Stop On Main Street In Union Gap
Finding this place is easy once you know where to look. Los Hernández Tamales sits at 3706 Main St, Union Gap, WA 98903.
Union Gap is right next to Yakima in Central Washington. That makes it a handy stop during a road trip through the valley.
The shop is open daily, but visitors should check its current hours before heading out.
It may close on Easter, so check ahead around that holiday.
Hours can shift a little, especially around busy seasons. Calling before a long drive is always a good idea.
Big orders deserve extra planning. For two dozen or more tamales, call at least an hour ahead so they’re ready.
Bringing a cooler is a clever trick for longer trips. Frozen half-dozen packs travel much better when they stay cold.
Mixing fresh and frozen gives you the best of both worlds. Eat a hot plate now, then enjoy more tamales back home later.
During the holidays, give yourself plenty of time. Thousands of tamales leave this kitchen, and yours deserve a spot in line.