Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Delivery
Take-out
Mexican
Catering
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Changed ownership at the end of 2011 and has different owner and food as the former Mama's Hot Tamales Cafe. Open Tue-Fri 11:00am-6:00pm, Sat-Sun 10:00am-6:00pm.
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2124 W 7th St (at opposite Mac Arthur Park), Los Angeles, California, USA, 90057
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Last update on 06 Aug 2020 by Passittowill
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23 Reviews
First Review by Chia
whyage
Points +68
Excellent home style Salvadorian food - Edit
Yummy vegan versions of traditional Salvadorian food, prepared by a mother-daughter due plus other family members. Good selection of Mexican dishes as well. They have a fully vegan menu in addition to the regular one, not just a few options. They are proud of their vegan creations and understand what plant based means, unlike other restaurants with vegan options but not lt much sympathy to vegans.
Read morePros: Food, Atmosphere , Price
Cons: A bit on the greasy side
Guest
AddyRSonda
Points +203
We loooove the cheesy jalapeño tamale! - Edit
We loooove the cheesy jalapeño tamale, the loroco pupusas are my favorite, but my sister loves the beans and cheese one, and the jackfruit one is good too, but the cheese is a bit overpowering for my taste, so it doesn’t really let the jackfruit shine. When you eat there they give you a gigantic bottle of delicious curtido (cabbage and vegetales with vinagre and aromatic leaves) and tomato sauce (can be spicy or not). They serve award winning empanadas: pastelitos. They are great too. The flan was a different style than I’m used to (Mexican) but it was good and refreshing.
Read moreCons: Not fully vegan, A bit pricey
Guest
swrobel
Points +244
Incredible - Edit
Can't miss if you're in the area! Everything we had was incredible: tamales, jalapeño & cheez pupusa, pastelitos & yucca frita - all vegan! 😋
Read moreGuest
vagovegano
Points +5407
What a find… - Edit
This is a definite must try if you’re in the Los Angeles area. It’s a bit of a hole in the wall, but the food is excellent. They have a good selection of vegan items on their vegan menu. I tried one of their vegan pupusas paired with their vegan pozole. I was quite impressed. I also pre-ordered some vegan tamales which were quite literally the best vegan tamales I have ever had. I will definitely be making another order for Christmas. I highly recommend.
Read morePros: Great tasting food , Great service
Cons: Restaurant space leaves much to be desired , Street parking is tricky
Guest
DavidPTRZL
Points +156
Five Stars A+ - Edit
I’d give it 5 stars if that was permitted by HC. Verrry good. There’s an extensive separate 2 page vegan menu (pictured). I don’t usually like tamales but I loved these. Mole vegan tamales A , vegan pozole A . Restaurant is friendly, good vibe. Sketch neighborhood across from MacArthur Park, but it seemed just fine when I was there for lunch.
Read morePros: 2-page vegan menu, Superior, fresh tamales, pozole, Good friendly vibe
DavidPTRZL
A should be A+
Read moreGuest
UnhealthyVegan
Points +106
Best Vegan Torta - Edit
I love that they have an entire vegan menu and the staff is knowledgeable. I would easily give them a 5 star review if I could and they are better than some of the all vegan places I've been. Their pupusas are great and their breakfast dishes like the plantanos but thier Asada and carnita tortas are the best out their right now! I've had a bunch of tortas and neither one comes close to these. They are a must order every time I go now. The horchata is also really good if they have it. But sometimes it is sold out because it is that good. One of the best places in LA and I will recommend to anyone who ask about best vegan dishes in Southern California.
Read morePros: Customer service, A full vegan menu
Cons: Parking, They close early
Guest
SamSilva
Points +463
Vegan pupusas - Edit
I never thought vegan pupusas would be an option. This lovely family owned establishment is worth the visit for vegans and nonvegans alike. They offer separate menus, are kind, attentive, and genuinely care about their guests. I got the revuelta pupusa with agua fresca de tamarindo and a picadillo empanada, all vegan and very delicious. I learned how to properly eat pupusas, I've been doing it wrong all this time. I really enjoyed the curtido, fresh salsas, and savory fillings. I believe they use follow your heart cheese. They even had vegan flan. Unfortunately, I was too full to partake in dessert. The Vegan picadillo empanada was perfectly crispy from being fried, and the filling was a traditional picadillo filling minus the beef with potatoes and carrots. The tamarindo agua Fresca was so refreshing and perfectly sweetened. I love the variety of salvadorian vegan options. I can't wait to come back one day.
Read moreGuest
ktmoney
Points +128
Wonderful vegan tamales and pupusas - Edit
I saw their tent at a vegan pop up and am so glad I went! I got a jackfruit tamale and a bean and cheese pupusa. Both were so good I went back for seconds! They were fresh and well made and delicious. I am planning on going to their brick and mortar location soon because I need more!
Read morePros: Great prices, Wonderful vegan options, Friendly staff
Guest
TheeHighLife
Points +21
Delicious and authentic - Edit
the food is really good, there is a lot of options and they even have vegan flan
Read morePros: friendly staff
Cons: water taste bad
Guest
KelceySaunders
Points +78
Wish I could give them five stars! - Edit
The pupusas are incredible! I couldn’t believe they were vegan! I would come back to LA just to eat here
Read morePros: Tons of vegan options, Delicious, Gluten free options
Guest
frankinjection
Points +1074
Slamming!! - Edit
It’s rare to find vegan tamales and pupusas in NY, so I had to make a stop here as I passed by this run down neighborhood, and glad I did!
Read moreThe waiter was beyond accommodating, attentive and lovely. They push the vegan menu first although they have non-vegan items making me believe they really stand behind their vegan dishes most, and most of all the food is slamming good and mama-made fresh!
The jalapeño cheese tamale was one of the best tamales I ever had! (Don’t tell my mom)
Guest
Cookster1
Points +72
Delicious pupusas - Edit
I had the 2 tamales combo with rice and beans. I had the cheese with jalapeño vegan tamal and the other one was a jackfruit tamal. The tamales were good. I had to take one of tamales to go because it was to large of a portion for me. Overall, I had a great experience.
Read morePros: Good vegan options , The pupusas and tamales are delicious
Cons: Street parking
Guest
MegganAnderson
Points +314
Some Of The BEST Vegan Food In Los Angeles! - Edit
I absolutely LOVED Mamma’s International Tamales! The food was awesome, authentic AF AND they have vegan cheese, sour cream, jackfruit etc. I will probably become a regular! Highly recommend 👍🏻
Read morePros: DELICIOUS food!, Friendly and knowledgable staff., Fast service with good prices!
Cons: I honestly can’t think of one.
Guest
VeganCheesehead
Points +119
Great vegan wet burrito! - Edit
Everything was excellent, I left stuffed but also looking forward to my next visit. Stephanie was nice and offered us even more vegan options than were available on the menu. I would give 5 stars if this place was all vegan. I will be back again and again.
Read morePros: Great vegan options., Vegan cheese!!!!, Great friendly service.
Guest
Passittowill
Points +3425
Perfect Tamales! - Edit
Mama knows best! All of their vegan food is delicious. Seriously, you need to try their tamales!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options
Cons: Odd hours
Guest
R-MV
Points +323
Pretty Good!!! - Edit
The food here is pretty good. I use to love pupusas when I was a meat eater so theirs is pretty good but not too crazy about the cheese they used. The tortilla soup was pretty good as well. I never had a green tortilla soup before. I prefer green over red anything (ie salsa, sauces, etc)
Read morePros: The food is pretty good, The customer service is pretty good , Prices for the meals are pretty good
Cons: Hard to find parking
Guest
LoneCrone
Points +222
Not bad at all. - Edit
I'm extremely particular about tamales. I'm not impressed by the majority I've had. I tried Mama's fully prepared not to like them, but I was pleasantly surprised. It always helps when fresh ingredients are used.
Read morePros: Fresh ingredients , Good recipe
Guest
ThomGustavsson
Points +26
great vegan options - Edit
Looks like what a place called mamas should. It still exist in contrary to other reviews and the vegan tamales were excellent
Read moreGuest
KarlaO
Points +254
Best vegan tamales - Edit
They had a stand at the Eat Drink Vegan Beer and Food Fest in Pasadena. They were dozens of vendors and Mama's had the longest line of customers, and of course we were intrigued. They have super awesome tamales, especially the corn tamales, they were out of this world. My non vegan friend declared them the best tamales he's ever had. On a second trip to LA I visited their store and bought 10 dozen tamales to go, they're that good. The people there are super friendly. They are a non for profit organization helping people get jobs.
Read morePros: Great food, Very friendly staff, Helping others succeed
Guest
khatch
Points +20
Excellent spot - Edit
Very good vegan tamales and vegan horchata, and particularly good vegan papusas: the dough is nice and thin and the bean and cheese filling is perfect.
Read moreThere are three vegan tamale options and two vegan papusa options. They have a range of aguas frescas, including two types of vegan horchata: Mexican and Salvadorean. I'd never tried Salvadorean horchata before: it's thicker and more flavorful, a bit smoky.
Aside from the food, the restaurant itself is a nice place to sit down and have a meal. The people who run the place are very pleasant and advised us that a full vegan menu will be introduced soon, one that will include vegan ceviche.
Pros: Excellent food., Pleasant service, More vegan options to come
Guest
gpwp23
Points +30
Mamas is awesome! - Edit
This place is great! I just moved to the neighborhood a few weeks ago and I've already been here 10 times! Great place to take you non-veg*n friends when you want to stuff your face too!
Read moreGuest
Ryan MTB
Points +477
Delish Tamales! - Edit
Mama's makes excellent vegan tamales- just make sure you ask which one's are vegan, since the restaurant is not. Too many tamales out there, restaurant or store bought, consist of a mass of cornbread and two strips of soggy onion inside. This place finally does tamales justice. Had the black bean tamale & chocolate tamale. Both excellent. Guacamole was disappointing. It was a pile of chopped tomato & onion, with a little avocado mixed in. Where's the avocado? Plantains were OK, but I've had much better. They were definitely on the dry side. The black bean soup served with them was good though.
Read morePros: Great tamales, Friendly staff, Clean and inviting
Cons: Sketchy hood, Parking is a challenge
Guest
Chia
Points +3635
Yummy Vegan Tamales - Edit
Had read about this place on HappyCow and finally made it out to this part of Los Angeles. Here's my Mama's Hot Tamales Cafe review.
Read moreWas just here a couple days ago for lunch. It's situated directly opposite Mac Arthur Park in/near downtown Los Angeles. Parking is on street only.
The tables and chairs inside were all painted Mexcian-style with lots of lively colors of flowers, plants, and vegetable. It did seem a bit stagnant and grungy to me, though.
The chalkboard menu lists the tamales on offered that day. Of the six, 2 were vegan suitable (I asked): beans & herbs and spinach & mushroom. I got a bit of hot salsa to eat with the tamales, which were both quite delicious. I would definitely return to get the vegan tamales.
I also got a serving of the fried plantains, served with refried black beans (without the sour cream). While sweet, the plantains were too much charred (blackened) for my liking.
I would come back for the espresso as well, because the Americano I had (espresso + hot water) was quite good. Who knew a tamales restaurant would offer good coffee?!
Pros: authentic Mexican, good espresso
Cons: interior a bit grungy
Guest
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