Our Lady of Guadalupe

Across the street from Southside park. Sundays only they serve authentic Mexican food from tacos, tamales, bacon wrapped hot dogs and much more!

Coming here completes my Sunday! My partner and I will ride our bikes here and hit up the taco stand and tamale lady. The chorizo taco is one of the best items and hits the spot for morning breakfast. If you get there late morning or afternoon, during mass time, you will have longer wait times and the tamales tend to be dry because they have been steaming longer.

I park along side of South Side Park whenever I visit the Sunday Farmers Market and would always see families and people walking towards the park with white bags of what appeared to be «hot» food. Most of the time these families would stop at a picnic table to eat.
I decided to investigate what it was that they had so I meandered along the walking path up to T street and crossed over to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. In the breezeway between the church and the rectory there were several tables set up with food vendors, whom I believe are members of the church. The smells wafting through the air made my mouth water and my stomach growl. I walked About halfway through breezeway and stopped at a tamale table with a sweet plump little woman who smiled and asked if I wanted to try some. So I tried a sample…
I must warn you that I’m extremely picky about tamales as my family has been making them for generations. In other words I know good tamales from quickly thrown together not-​so-​good ones.
Quite frankly I was blown away at how good these tamales are!!! The Masa is not plain and doughy. It is lightly salted, and firm – not dry and crumbly. The cheese flavor was made with real Mexican Acedero (white) cheese and had green chili mixed with it to compliment the flavors with a little spice. The green chili has a flavor that falls between that of a jalapeño and an Anaheim Chili pepper.
I then was offered a sample of the chicken tamale. Wow! This tamale was filled shredded perfectly seasoned chicken. The chicken looked like breast meat and was not fatty or greasy. The spices were complimentary to the chicken. I was offered a sample of red homemade chili sauce and crema (a white cream sauce that is mixed with real cream.) The chili sauce was served piping hot from a large pot and it was yummy and the crema was unbelievable.
I noticed a line of people had formed so I had to stop sampling and place my order. I bought 1 cheese and 1 chicken and didn’t get a chance to try the beef. Which means that I will have to return to this vendor booth next time I come to the farmers market.
Added bonus: Being that this food court of vendor booth’s are located directly across the street from South Side Park gives everyone an opportunity for a picnic in the park. What a great find this breezeway by the church is. I hope you try them!

Super cheap yummy Mexican food and snacks. Tacos, corn, tamales, chips, bacon wrapped hot dogs, and now one of my new favorite drinks mangonadas! This review is really about the mangonada, it’s actually across the street. There are two guys on both sides of the church that sell them, but I went to the one with more people.
That’s how I found this stand, I saw a ton of people waiting for something and my crowd mentality kicked in and I started waiting too. Had no idea what I was waiting for until I got a little closer and saw the guy packing shaved ice into cups and putting mango slivers and that yummy spicy tamarindy sauce into cups. I was so excited, hadn’t had one of these for months, there’ve been a few places opening lately in Sac, but I hadn’t made my way out to get one yet. I got nervous as I got closer as everyone was ordering in Spanish and I was obviously the only person who did not know Spanish in the group. Luckily the guy realized this and spoke to me in English and was nice! Yay! This is actually by far the best and cheapest mangonada I’ve ever had (I’ve only had two though, one in San Diego and one in San Jose), the mango was cut into slivers so it would come up through the straw (and the mango was perfectly sweet and ripe), instead of cubed or in chunks like I had before I think this made all the difference.

So I attended mass here for the first time and I really enjoyed it, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about. What I’m here to talk about is the yummy food sold after mass. Honestly when I was younger that would be my motivation for attending church FOOD! And I’m a bit ashamed to admit it but it still is and this church doesn’t dissapoint. They have tacos, corn in the cob, tostadas de cueritos, mangoneadas, bacon wrapped hotdogs, are just a few yummy mexican treats you will find. Anyways even if you’re not catholic this place is worth a visit for the snacks. (Don’t tell the Vatican I said this)

I have attended mass (spanish) a few times and have enjoyed the sermon. I have also stopped by on a few occasions and just enjoyed the peacefulness of the Sanctuary. On Sundays the parish sells food and my o my was it was good. Tamales were delectable and the asada tacos were pretty good. Had some horchata and I was good to go. Next time I attend Sunday mass I will be sure to have a bigger appetite!

Come outside this beautiful church on the weekends to find several vendors selling a variety of delicious Mexican food. Some yummy treats are the fresh churros, street tacos (large choice of meats), yummy tamales, papas frittas, to die for corn on the cob and much much more. There is also vendors selling things and usually music and partying throughout the park. The prices are cheap and a great place to pick up a quick snack or meal for the family.

Why is a chino reviewing a Mexican Catholic Church??? Because they have the best tamales in Sacramento. Be sure to ask the nice women behind the table to put the red sauce and crema on top. They even take the tamales out of the husk for you. Besides having tamales like your abuela used to make they have freshly made churros, bacon wrapped hotdogs, and horchata.
They also have a wide variety of tacos. If you’re lucky they’ll have the carnitas or adobada, which I wish they carried more often. The constants there are the steak, chicken, chorizo, and lengua. I’ve tried them all and they’re all tasty. Give them all a shot and decide for yourself.
They’re open every Sunday from early in the morning to I think 7 at night. I typically like to go to the Farmers Market a few blocks away then hit this place up for lunch and eat in the park. Bring $ 5 and get stuffed.

I haven’t been inside this Church in many, many, many moons… Will they even let me inside anymore, or will I sizzle? I’ll try next Sunday.
I really, really hate that they painted this once awesome donut/​pepto pink building into another boring beige block. Isn’t pink supposed to be a lucky color?
Anyway, I go here for the food — tamales, bacon dogs, elote, churros, tacos… aye caramaba! Mama ain’t cookin’ on Sundays no mo!

Yes the food can be great and the champurrado (not chamurrado) is a bit watered down but rather than focusing on the food and events it’s about the services there. We have been parishoners for almost 40 years. The services are the best, the priests only the best there is! The bad… they are pricey! To get married there it costs thousands of $$ and they refer to it as a «donation» yet they have a set price? Also, the requirements to hold services are outrages. Mind you, I used to be a catechism teacher for this church for over 12 years and prepare students for their First Communion. I was constantly required to pass the failing students and when I would express concern, they would say, the parents paid. Crazy right? Still with all of their demands I continue to follow the word of God at this church and will continue to do so for many more years to come. I go there to hear the word of God and not for the food or events.

**I attend this church because I take my elderly mom there every Sunday. My earthly reward is the food after wards**
The tamales sold by the church ladies of Our Lady of Guadalupe are a thing of legend. They are tender, moist and divine. As someone who grew up with tamales I have to say that this is as good as it gets. My mother, a Mexican life long tamale maker, has given up making them at home because she says ‘they make them as good as mine and I don’t have to go through all the trouble’. So there you have it. An authority on tamales has spoken.
Other than tamales they have chamurrado (Mexican spicy hot chocolate), churros, tacos, tostadas, Mexican style hot dogs (bacon, grilled onions, etc), and other amazing Mexican foods. Authentic Mexican street food usually sold outside of churches. God bless them!

I’m not Catholic, I’m not Latino, and I’m not a churchgoer. That said, this church hosts a fantastic food fair/​bazaar on Sunday mornings, with fresh-​made tacos, soups, bacon-​wrapped hotdogs with chiles, tamales of all sorts, fresh-​fried churros. This is a great place to stop after the farmer’s market for a terrific home-​cooked meal. Very kid-​friendly and totally OPEN TO THE PUBLIC — everyone is welcome! — there are snowcones and desserts too and lots of happy kids running around.