Rosa Mexicano

Reviews 4

DA

Daniel Burton

I was searching for a decent Mexican restaurant in the District, and Rosa Mexicano was near the top of the list in a Google Maps search. With its lofty 4.1 star rating at the time of this writing, and its many positive reviews, it seemed like it was going to be a sure thing. Appearance/Décor: The restaurant is located on the corner of 7th and F Street, directly across from the Verizon Center. It has a spacious and modern interior and a significant amount of outdoor seating on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. When you walk in, the restaurant is split between the bar area to your left, and the dining area to your right. There isnt anything unique or special about the appearance - its simply decent. Food: Per the other reviewers, we simply had to try the "tableside guacamole." You can request one of three levels of spiciness when you order: mild, medium, or spicy (determines amount of jalapeno added). It is prepared fresh, and then served in the molcajete (stone bowl) that it was prepared in for authenticity. The guacamole was quite good; definitely better than many other restaurants that Ive had guacamole at. Guacamole aside, the menu isnt overwhelmingly large and offers a nice variety of unique choices. I chose the tacos with pork belly and diver scallops. While quite messy (the corn tortillas fell apart), they were tasty. Overall, the food is good. I wouldnt describe it as the best food Ive ever had, or even the best Mexican restaurant Ive been to. Maybe it would be best to call it the upper-end of average. Service: This is the area that Rosa really fell flat. The service provided by the staff was underwhelming and at times poor. Our server did not effectively communicate with us regarding our dining choices, and presented themselves as almost inconvenienced by our presence. It is important to note that we came during happy hour specifically to take advantage of discounted margaritas (half off the already pricey $10 small, low-end margarita). The hosting staff communicated to us that the bar and outdoor area were eligible for happy hour prices. We sat outside, and when we received our check we were initially charged full price for the drinks. We indicated to our server that we were specifically told that outside was eligible for happy hour; again, the server seemed irritated by this and commented that we had to "request" this at the beginning of our meal. They did change the check, but it reflected miscommunication among the staff, and poor customer service. Overall, this restaurant was alright (average décor, good food, poor service). I will not be going back.

CA

Carrie Giardino

While the food itself was quite good, the service all around was terrible and really killed the entire experience. Our waiter was not familiar with gluten allergies and when asked if certain items were gluten free or prepared in areas separated by gluten he admitted he didnt know but needed to be prompted to ask the kitchen after we explained it was a legitimately an allergy and not just a preference. He seemed pretty flustered throughout the meal and at the end we handed him two credit cards to split the bill. He attached a signature sheet to each but I realized that he had charged my friends card twice. We called him back over to explain and he started to make excuses as to why it had happened. I suggested it might just be best if we spoke to the manager directly and he left. Instead of the manager coming to the table to explain he was taking care of it, we sat there waiting an additional fifteen minutes until the manager, Hector, came over and explained that it would be "too complicated" for him to actually void one of the charges so instead he reduced one of the charges by $1 and then made the other bill $1 and then he could charge the other card for the difference. HUH??? Just void the charge that was wrong. He also gave his card to my friend and said she could reach out to him if there was a problem with the charge noting that as it was a Friday she would have to wait until after the weekend because the charges would be pending to her account. SO not helpful! Additionally, if there was a problem with the charge at that point it would be between her and her bank and not Hector some random manager at Rosa Mexicano. To top it off, he acted very put out with us when we didnt understand at first what he had done. Instead of offering to comp some guacamole or send over another drink, he simply acted exasperated and combative that his method was not intuitive even if it was "easier" for him. Thanks but we wont be visiting again.

A

A Private User

Some reviewers say this place is a waste of money, this is because they were expecting $10-$16 plates of regular enchiladas or tacos. This isnt the usual Tacos, Rice, and Beans place most people expect. Its hard to describe what kind of food Rosa serves but it is definitely upscaled. First time I went there I ordered the tableside Guacamole which was absolutely delicious, the best Ive ever had in a restaurant. It is pricey but worth buying at least once and make sure you memorize the ingredients and try making it at home. Anytime Im invited to a party people ask me to make the same guacamole. My main dish was the Filete con Hongos, this is two filet mignons cooked to order with a sauce made with three wild mushrooms cooked in tequila cream sauce. I eat Filet Mignon everywhere and for most places its just another filet cut but this dish was like eating July 4th in my mouth! I was so happy and full but I couldnt wait to see how good the dessert was. I had the Pastel de Queso, this is a rich cheesecake with cajeta sauce which is a mexican carmel made with goat milk instead of cow milk. The dessert was to die for! If you like mushroom at all, I recommend this meal. I love this place so much I bought Rosas recipe book and I cook from it on special occasions and have never disappointed my family or guests. The recipes take forever to cook though, a simple Swiss Enchalada recipe takes me 3 hours to cook but it is the best enchilada Ive ever had and Rosa doesnt even have it on their menu in D.C.! Anyway, 5 stars because it is beyond average and it doesnt compare to any other mexican places, this is a new level of mexican food. Rosa, if you read this please move to Salt Lake City, Utah!

AL

Alex DiCaprio

The prospect of paying more than 10 dollars for mexican is a tough sell -- but if you are willing to give it a shot, rosa mexicano offers a nice atmosphere and with great staff, but marginal food (for the price). As almost everyone says, get the guacamole -- they made it fresh at your table and you are able to customize it to your liking. Be careful though, its very filling. Bonus: they will keep replenishing chips to further expand your gut. We ordered the budin de pollo (which was alright -- but I am not sure I would recommend it) and the salmon poblano (which was slightly dry but the kale below it was amazing). Our friends ordered the flank and the shrimp which they both liked. All came out in huge portions with enough sides to satisfy the table While overall the food was okay (better the day after) I was slightly disappointed in the quality of the food (the dry salmon and lackluster chicken) for the price. If the chef was paying attention, the salmon could come out moist and flakey, but instead it was overcooked resulting in a dry meat which required the sauce to moisten it up. Part of me felt like I have had better mexican at a local shop then what I got a Rosa Mexicano. A final nail in the coffin what that even our Sangria came off tasting a bit like sprite. The atmosphere is gorgeous and our service was quick and attentive. This is what saved me from a more disappointing review. With such a beautiful location and wonderful staff, I hope they can start paying attention to food quality -- otherwise I would recommend looking elsewhere because the price didnt match the quality of the final product.