Las Vegas Restaurant Prepares 4,000 Tamales for Holiday Season

Tamales La Reina in Las Vegas is preparing for its busiest week of the year, expecting to produce about 4,000 tamales for the holiday season. Dec. 24 remains the peak day, when orders surge beyond pre-season estimates, and walk-ins line up early. The shop, located at the corner of Bonanza and Mojave, is already making 700 to 800 tamales a day and anticipates selling out as Christmas approaches.

Owner Everardo Mora said the rush reflects more than demand. “We will make about 4,000 tamales this season, which is Dec. 24, our busiest season, we have orders for approximately between 2,500, but then people come on the 24th,” Mora said. He noted that the labor behind each batch underscores why holiday tamales remain a treasured tradition passed down through generations.

“Tamales take a long time to make, as you can see in the back, we have lots of sauces that we made today for tomorrow,” he said. Tamales La Reina prepares multiple fillings and sauces daily, part of a process that keeps families returning each year when homemade tamaladas are not feasible.

For many customers, tamales serve as a cultural anchor during the holidays, especially for those far from their hometowns or extended families. “Having tamales is like remembering our traditions. Tamales during Christmas, especially in this country, it's a way of remembering our tradition, where we come from, which is Mexican, Latino,” Mora said.

Mora also views the business itself as a symbol of perseverance. “It's like the American dream after so much effort, having made the effort to start from a garage, from home, from the kitchen at home, to now have a restaurant, to have 16 employees that we have working here, thank God,” Mora said.

As Christmas Eve nears, Tamales La Reina continues accelerating production, expecting another year in which every tray sells out and long-standing traditions find their way to holiday tables across Las Vegas.