Rosa's Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Hermosa Beach

I grew up in LA, have lived in both Phoenix and Houston and to add too this, my wife is Mexican, so I know Mexican food, no tourist food here!

I asked for a real Mexican place whist staying at the HEI down the street, specifically mentioned I was looking for authentic, lengua, carnitas...and was directed to Rosas.

I was very optimistic when I walked in, they actually had horchata and other real drinks.

I ordered a plate that had a chili rellano and taco, and ordered an extra taco with carnitas.

Salsa was good, needed a touch of salt but reasonable heat and pleasant flavor. They do not actually give you chips per se, it's three fried corn tortillas you break apart yourself.

I'm enjoying my horchata when dinner arrives. I missed lunch so the first thing I attacked were the beans which were neither bad nor exceptional. Next I started on the chili rellano, hmm, whats this? I almost seemed like there was a tortilla over it, and they seemed to cook the chili less than I'm used to, maybe they like a little firmer texture. After a few more bites I can see that the shredded cheese inside is well...still shredded cheese, the things, way undercooked!

Next the taco that came with the meal. Anyone remember that strange meat that used to be in Jack in the Box tacos? Someone said it was kangaroo, but the meat in this taco was exactly the same consistency, finer than even ground beef, weird.

The carnitas taco looked great and the first bite was fine because it was mostly the lettuce and tomato. As I got into the meat more, it too was disappointing, none of the flavor you expect with carnitas, more like chunks of pork off some unseasoned roast.

Wow, what a letdown. I believe everything must come precooked in boxes or bags, simply reheated, or partially reheated in the case of chili rellano.

I...

Came in on a Thursday around 8 pm. Chose this restaurant due to the exceedingly high reviews. When we pulled up, the place was pretty slow but that didn’t deter us from going in based on the high reviews. The service is absolutely 5 stars. We had a gentleman as our server. He was so friendly and attentive.

The food was incredibly underwhelming. I was surprised because I was expecting something so different, again based on all the reviews. The salsa that came with the chips was just so-so. There was some flavor, but I found it more on the bland side compared to other salsas I’ve had at other Mexican restaurants.

We ordered guacamole to go with the chips. I was again surprised by how bland it was. There was no onions, cilantro, tomatoes or any other Ingredients that I could tell. It was missing that “kick”

I ordered the chicken and steak tacos. The chicken was also bland. I was surprised. It was a very good amount for chicken which was great, but it didn’t seem to be sautéed or marinated in any sort of flavoring or spices. The steak was better. It was a bit of a smoky taste to it. But, overall, I’ve had better tasting protein in my tacos in other Mexican restaurants. I was a little disappointed, too, as I asked for extra onions and cilantro on my two tacos and didn’t get that. It’s ok, no biggie but it just added to the underwhelming factor of my tacos. The flour tortillas were great, though. It was just toasted enough the way I like it.

The rice and beans that came on the side weren’t bad. The rice could have had more punch to it. The beans were great.

Overall I’d say I’ll come back and give this place another try, but for my first experience dining here, I walked away feeling pretty average...

Great Dinner Experience with Excellent Salsa a... I stumbled upon this place while searching for an affordable dining option. The online menu suggested that the entrées would cost between $12 and $14, but the actual prices were a bit higher. It was just me and my son for dinner, and we both enjoyed our meals. I also treated myself to a Corona. The highlight of our meal was definitely the salsa and chips. They were so delicious that l'd consider returning just for those and a Corona. I was in the mood for a sit-down Mexican restaurant that served chips, and this place hit the spot. The food was fantastic. I had the chili rellenos and a taco, while my son tried fish tacos for the first time. He enjoyed the fish and the taco separately, but not together. However, that was just his personal preference and not a reflection on the restaurant. As I'm currently saving for an upcoming trip, I won't be dining there again soon. However, I would recommend it to others, keeping in mind that it's a bit on the pricey side. But given its location in Hermosa Beach, that's to be expected. The salsa is simply out of this world, and I absolutely loved it. The service was also top-notch. The staff was so attentive that I'm sure if I had dropped a chip, someone would have picked it up before it even hit the floor. It was a truly...