Cooking tamales in an apartment feels oddly personal. You’re not watching from the sidelines; you’re working with a chef and a small group, learning a few different ways to roll, steam, and sauce Mexico’s most famous comfort food.

I like that it’s taught hands-on by a professional chef in the chef’s own apartment, so the steps feel practical and doable at home. I also like the mix of styles and the fact you’ll eat what you make, with traditional corn tamales plus salsa verde and salsa roja.

One thing to consider: the experience depends on the host showing up on time. I saw mixed feedback around a host named Arturo, including a report of no-show, so if your schedule is tight, it’s smart to message the day before and keep your confirmation handy.

Key things I’d remember before booking

• Chef-led tamales in a home apartment: you learn the process, not just the story.
• Multiple regional styles: you’ll practice versions described as Oaxaca-style and Mexico City style.
• Drinks during prep: choose Mexican wine or craft beer, with alcohol limited to age 18+.
• Rooftop meal at the end: you get a change of pace before you sit down and eat.
• Small group size (max 7): more hands-on help, less standing around.

Tamales on a schedule you can actually enjoy

This is the kind of class that works even if you’re not trying to cram in ten “must-do” activities. You start at 1:00 pm and you’ve got about 3 hours 30 minutes of guided cooking, tasting, and eating before you’re back at the meeting point.

The format is simple: you meet near Liverpool 61, Juárez (Cuauhtémoc, CDMX), meet your chef and group, then move into the apartment kitchen. From there, the event turns into a friendly cooking workshop with a real payoff: you leave having made tamales yourself, plus you’ll sit down and enjoy them together.

The best part for me is that tamales here aren’t treated like one fixed recipe. You’ll learn different ways to make them, including the authentic oaxaqueños approach and styles associated with Mexico City. That variety helps you understand tamales as a flexible dish, not a single rigid template.

Where you start: Liverpool 61 and a small-group vibe

Your meeting point is Liverpool 61, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 CDMX, and the tour ends back at the same place. That matters more than it sounds. It keeps the logistics simple in a big city, and it reduces the chance that you’ll lose your bearings during the last 30 minutes when you’re hungry.

This also has a maximum of 7 travelers, which changes the whole feel. In a class that small, you’re less likely to be stuck as “observer with a notebook.” You can ask questions while you’re working, and the chef can correct technique without rushing everyone.

It’s offered in English, and you’ll get a mobile ticket. Service animals are allowed, and the meeting area is described as being near public transportation. So, if you’re planning around transit, you’re not doing a deep-city hike just to start cooking.

What you’ll make: tamales, Oaxaca-style, and Mexico City versions

The core of the experience is tamale-making with a professional chef in their apartment. You’ll learn how to make one of Mexico’s iconic dishes, and you’ll also learn context—history and how different regions shape the final result.

Practically, here’s what that means: you’ll prepare tamales in more than one way. The program specifically mentions learning tamales, oaxaqueños style, and Mexico City style. While the exact differences aren’t spelled out in the details you provided, the goal is clear: you’ll understand how “tamales” can mean different combinations of method and flavor direction depending on where they’re made.

You’ll also get to enjoy the meal you produce. The sample menu lists traditional corn tamales served with salsa verde and salsa roja. So even if the classroom portion covers multiple styles, you’re still guaranteed a satisfying plate at the end, with both classic green and red salsas.

And because this is taught by a chef in an apartment, you’ll likely notice the little workflow things that are hard to guess from videos—timing, texture, and how the kitchen moves once steaming starts. Those are the details that turn this from a “fun evening” into something you could actually recreate later.

The chef’s role: technique, pacing, and real questions

A professional chef isn’t just there to supervise. In an apartment setting, the chef’s job becomes teaching technique at kitchen-speed: clear instructions, fast feedback, and a pacing that keeps you from getting lost when you’re halfway through a step.

You’ll hear about the history of tamales alongside the hands-on work. That may not sound like the reason you bought a cooking experience, but it changes how you pay attention. When you understand why certain approaches exist, you stop treating the process like magic and start treating it like craft.

The experience also has a built-in group element: you prepare and then sit down together. That’s useful for two reasons. First, it keeps energy up in the longer middle portion of cooking. Second, you can compare what you made to what you’re eating, which makes the whole thing feel cohesive instead of scattered.

One more note: the host is named Arturo in the feedback you shared. Most comments about Arturo are positive—friendly, helpful, and clearly able to explain what to do. But there is one serious reliability complaint, where Arturo didn’t show up at the confirmed time and didn’t cancel. I can’t fix that for you, so treat it as a real consideration: if you’re booking with a tight schedule, do quick follow-up messaging before the start time and keep expectations flexible.

Drinks while you cook: Mexican wine or craft beer

One of the nicest details here is that the class includes a drink or two while you’re cooking. You can choose Mexican wine or craft beer (or your choice of what you like, from what’s offered).

There’s an age rule: alcoholic beverages are only provided to guests age 18+. The data doesn’t say what’s offered for under-18 guests, so if that matters for your group, confirm what the non-alcohol option is.

Timing-wise, this kind of add-on is great because it matches the mood. You’re doing hands-on work, you’re likely standing and sitting in turns, and the drink helps keep the group relaxed. It also turns the session into an actual social event, not just a “cook for yourself” workshop.

If you’re bringing kids, the drink policy likely affects what the table looks like. Still, the experience is described as working well for families in the feedback you provided—specifically for kids around 8 and 12 who stayed engaged during the cooking and ate what they made.

The rooftop meal: a change of pace at the end

The cooking part is done in the apartment, then you move into a relaxed eating moment. The program’s highlight mentions a rooftop setting, and the feedback you shared calls out that the rooftop helped make the whole experience feel special.

This rooftop shift matters. You get the best of both worlds:

• You practice the hands-on cooking steps in a real kitchen
• Then you stop, breathe, and enjoy the food you worked for in a different setting

It also helps with the most common class problem: fatigue. Tamale-making has a rhythm, and it can take longer than people expect, especially if everyone is learning as they go. A rooftop meal gives you a visual reset right after the work, which makes the end feel like a reward instead of just an arrival to lunch.

Timing and flow: what the 3.5 hours usually feels like

While the exact minute-by-minute agenda isn’t listed, you can expect the session to follow a logical flow:

1. Meet and settle in at the address near Liverpool 61.
2. Chef instruction on tamale basics and the idea of regional variations.
3. Active cooking as you work through several tamale styles—rolling and preparing in the ways the chef teaches.
4. Salsas and serving: traditional corn tamales with salsa verde and salsa roja.
5. Eat together on the rooftop, with your group and chef sharing the end of the class.

This kind of structure is ideal for anyone who wants to learn but also wants a clear end point. You’re not committing to a full day, and you won’t feel like you’re trapped in the kitchen until the evening.

It also helps to plan your day around it. Start at 1:00 pm, so you’ll want a light lunch or a hearty morning snack depending on what time you ate already. Since tamales are filling, going in hungry is smart, but you don’t need to overdo it.

Family-friendly if your kids can handle a cooking session

The feedback you shared points to strong family appeal, especially for families with kids. One positive note specifically mentions that Arturo was lovely and knowledgeable, and that children aged 8 and 12 enjoyed the cooking and stayed engaged.

So, if you’re traveling with kids and want something more active than a museum, this can fit. The keys are:

• Kids who can sit still long enough for instructions
• Kids who enjoy hands-on tasks
• A willingness to spend the time while the tamales steam

If your kids are the type who hate patience, any cooking class can feel long. But with a small group and a chef working with you, there’s a good chance the time will feel productive rather than boring.

Price and value: what makes this worth your money

You didn’t share the price, so I can’t tell you if it’s cheap or expensive in dollars. But I can tell you what you’re paying for, which is the real value math.

This experience includes:

• Chef instruction in an apartment kitchen
• Learning multiple tamale styles (tamales plus Oaxaca-style and Mexico City style)
• A meal that includes corn tamales with salsa verde and salsa roja
• Drinks during the prep (Mexican wine or craft beer)
• A small group limit of 7, which usually reduces wait time and increases real guidance

If you compare that to a “food tour where you only taste,” this offers more skill and more food. If you compare it to a private cooking class, it’s built for a group setting, which often makes it more affordable while still giving you real hands-on time.

To get the best value, treat it like a skill-building meal. Ask questions while you cook. Pay attention to texture and timing. Then the evening becomes not just dinner, but a technique you can repeat later.

Practical tips before you go

A few practical things can make your 1:00 pm start easier:

• Bring a light layer. Apartment kitchens can cool down after prep, especially once steaming begins.
• Plan to stay present. This isn’t a drop-in tasting where you can wander around. You’ll be working during key steps.
• If you want alcohol, be ready with your age proof. Alcohol is only provided to 18+ guests.
• If you’re booking through a platform, double-check your confirmation and keep it on your phone since the tour uses a mobile ticket.

And because the feedback includes a serious no-show complaint involving Arturo, I’d add one extra habit: send a short message the day before (or the morning of) to confirm start time and that you’ll be met at Liverpool 61. It’s a small step that can save the evening.

Should you book this tamales making fiesta?

If you want a true hands-on food experience in Mexico City, this is a strong choice. The rooftop meal makes it feel like a full evening, and the focus on different styles—Oaxaca-style and Mexico City style—gives you more than one simple “tamale night.”

I’d especially recommend it if:

• You like cooking classes where you actually make the food
• You want an authentic local apartment setting, not a restaurant demo
• You’re traveling with family and your kids can handle a guided cooking session

I’d hesitate only if:

• Your schedule is unforgiving and you can’t afford any risk around start-time reliability
• Your group needs a very strict alcohol-free setup (the rules are clear for alcohol, but non-alcohol details aren’t provided)

Overall, if you can add a little flexibility to your day and you’re excited to roll, steam, and eat your own tamales, this is exactly the kind of Mexico City evening that turns into a real memory—and not just a photo.

FAQ

Is the experience offered in English?

Yes. The tour is offered in English.

How long is the tamales making experience?

It lasts about 3 hours 30 minutes.

What is the maximum group size?

The experience has a maximum of 7 travelers.

Where do we meet, and when does it start?

You meet at Liverpool 61, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 CDMX, Mexico. The start time is 1:00 pm, and it ends back at the meeting point.

Are drinks included, and can everyone drink alcohol?

You’ll have a drink or two during the cooking, with your choice of Mexican wine or craft beer. Alcoholic beverages are only provided to guests age 18+.

Can I cancel and get a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.