Tamales Veracruz Y Mas: Banana Leaf Tamales Until 11 PM

Tamales Veracruz Y Mas serves banana-leaf tamales at 5200 Melrose Avenue, with the official site listing 11am to 10pm on Sunday and Monday and 11am to 11pm Tuesday through Saturday. That late schedule makes it a useful Hollywood-area answer when a tamales near me search happens after the usual breakfast window. The menu identity is explicit: Veracruz-style banana-leaf tamales and empanadas, with a broader Mexican restaurant format around them.

Banana-leaf wrapping changes the first impression. Instead of the familiar corn-husk presentation, the tamale arrives with a softer, more aromatic wrapper and a different visual cue at the table. Do not judge it by the size of a husk-wrapped tamale from another shop. Open the leaf carefully, let the steam escape, and taste the masa before adding sauce. The point of choosing this restaurant is the Veracruz direction, not a generic tamale comparison.

The Melrose address puts the stop between Hollywood and the neighborhoods west of Downtown, so it can work as dinner before a movie, a late meal after an appointment, or a planned food detour. The official site identifies the Los Angeles location and the full weekly schedule. Because the later closing time is concentrated Tuesday through Saturday, check the day before you set out; Sunday and Monday have the earlier 10pm close.

A first order should stay narrow. Choose one banana-leaf tamale, add an empanada if you want to understand the restaurant's second specialty, and then decide whether a larger order makes sense. The combination gives you a better read on the kitchen than ordering several similar tamales. If you are sharing, cut the tamale into sections after it rests for a minute. That keeps the filling in place and makes the leaf easier to fold back.

The service window is the main practical advantage. Tuesday through Saturday closes at 11pm, while Sunday and Monday close at 10pm. I would arrive well before the final hour for a large order, especially if you need several portions for a group. The official site does not publish a reliable phone number in its contact block, so use the current online ordering or contact options on the site rather than relying on a number copied from an older directory.

Restaurant etiquette here is simple: treat the tamale as a composed dish, keep the banana leaf on the plate or in the wrapper area, and ask what comes with the order before reaching for extra sauce. If the room is busy, avoid spreading a group across multiple tables while one person orders. One clear order is easier for the kitchen and for the next guest. The late hours are a scheduling benefit, not an invitation to arrive at closing with a complicated catering request.

The signature order is a banana-leaf tamale, but the best bite may be the one that lets you compare texture. Ask whether the day's fillings include a red or green option, then choose the version that contrasts with the restaurant's sauce. Empanadas make sense as the second item because the official site names them alongside tamales. I would skip adding too many sides on the first visit; the wrapper and masa deserve attention while they are hot.

The room makes most sense at an early dinner or a late-but-not-last-minute meal. If you are coming before a show, leave a buffer for traffic on Melrose and order at least 45 minutes before curtain time. If you are coming after an event, use the Tuesday-to-Saturday 11pm close as a cushion, but do not assume the kitchen will accept every order until the doors close. Sunday and Monday need a tighter plan because the restaurant closes at 10pm.

For a neighborhood walk, use Melrose as the connector rather than inventing a long route around a single address. The corridor offers storefronts, small galleries, cafes, and nighttime traffic, while the Hollywood setting gives the meal a more urban rhythm than an Eastside tamale counter. Keep the walk short in the late evening and make the restaurant the anchor. A warm banana-leaf tamale is more memorable than a long detour that lets it cool.

Tamales Veracruz Y Mas is a good fit for diners who want a focused regional signal but still prefer a full restaurant setting. It is not only a holiday pickup or a bakery counter. A solo visitor can order one tamale and an empanada, while a group can build a table around several fillings. That range is why the name matters: the restaurant promises more than a single generic version of Mexican comfort food.

When the tamale arrives, pause before unwrapping it completely. The leaf carries aroma, and opening it too aggressively can tip sauce or filling onto the table. Use a fork for the first bite, then decide whether the masa needs more seasoning. If you take food home, keep the leaves intact until serving. The wrapper protects the texture and makes reheating less messy than transferring each tamale to a container immediately.

There is an honest trade-off. The regional focus is the reason to choose this Melrose address, but the broader menu means the experience is not a laboratory-style tamale tasting. I would visit for banana-leaf texture, late hours, and the chance to add empanadas; I would not choose it if I only wanted the cheapest dozen in town. The late schedule is valuable because it expands when you can eat, not because it guarantees an empty room.

A workable backup is to order one tamale and one empanada first, then add more only after you have tasted the filling. If the room is crowded, switch to takeout rather than abandoning the stop. If traffic makes the late dinner too risky, arrive on a Tuesday through Saturday evening earlier than you think you need to. The restaurant's schedule gives you flexibility, but your best meal still comes from leaving enough time for the first bite.

Practical Notes: Tamales Veracruz Y Mas is at 5200 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. The official website lists banana-leaf tamales and empanadas, with hours of 11:00am–10:00pm Sunday and Monday and 11:00am–11:00pm Tuesday through Saturday. The site does not publish a dependable phone number in its visible contact details, so use its live ordering or contact tools for same-day questions. No price is included here because the official page does not provide a stable menu price.

Use the Melrose address exactly when navigating. Older listings can carry a different business name or a different weekly schedule, while the current official website calls the restaurant Tamales Veracruz Y Mas and displays the 2026 copyright line. That is enough to establish the active Los Angeles location, but it is still wise to check before a late visit. The 11pm close is Tuesday through Saturday only; Sunday and Monday finish at 10pm.

My verdict is clear: pick Tamales Veracruz Y Mas when banana-leaf tamales and a late Melrose meal are the point. The order should begin with one tamale and one empanada, not an oversized menu sweep. Arrive early enough to eat without watching the clock, keep the leaf intact until the plate reaches you, and use the restaurant's Tuesday-to-Saturday 11pm schedule as a real convenience rather than a reason to wait until the last minute.