Rosa Mexicano — Restaurant in New York

This is used to be one of my favorites. I'm posting this about 5 weeks late, but I wanted to give Rosa Mexicano a chance to get back to me. And they did not...

I decided to go to Rosa Mexicano on 18th st, to celebrate my niece's 23rd birthday, instead of their UWS location that was much closer to me, because I know and work in the area.

What a mistake!

I admit the place is nice on the inside in terms of decor, ambiance, and menu selection but who cares about these things when there are roaches literally crawling around you!

I went to move my seat and noticed two roaches crawling around beneath me. One scooted off under the table and other somewhere else.

I afterward discreetly told the manager on duty about the situation because i didn't want to ruin the nice vibe my family and friends had going. I really didn't even want to say anything at all but I was seated next to the host stand, proximal to the main vestibule and thought he should know about it.

He told me he "apologizes about that and that the building is being fumigated and the roaches are stirring around."

He then told when I came back to Rosa Mexicano he would "take care of me and my family."

Now, Why Would I Want To Come Back!?

Especially after what happens next.

After the manager leaves and I try to play the situation off to the other 10-12 people with me, I attempt to enjoy eating my food but all I can think about is the roaches.

Then to the left me about eye level with me is another roach crawling up the wall.

This must be a regular thing because the manager came back over after i notified the hostess and casually discounted 20% off the bill and gave us a free dessert, and included "Bugs" as the reason for the discount. The entire time the manager seem annoyed with me because I informed him about roaches.

Afterward, I thought the entire bill probably should've been on the house after noticing and eating in the vicinity of 3-4 roaches.

*Who knows whats in the kitchen, storage, behind the bar???

I didn't want to write this review and it's actually my first time reviewing a restaurant but I felt compelled this time to say something.

*People's health can be at stake or you can be embarrassed like me for suggesting a place to your friends and family only to find out it is probably infested with roaches and other pathogenic critters like fruit flies, mice, rats, etc...

I gave Rosa Mexicanos corporate office a call and even stopped by, because I live only a few blocks away, to let them know about my experience in what used to be one of my favorite Mexican restaurants.

I basically was ignored on both accounts so yea Ill no longer be eating at any Rosa Mexicanos or their affiliates and will be sure to suggest the same to others.

It is not the first time I've seen roaches or critters in a restaurant, but it is the first I've seen them walk around like they own the place.

Don't eat at Rosa Mexicanos on...

I am going to start out by saying, The food is amazing and the aesthetics of the restaurant is Gorgeous. Very upscale vibes. As far as the customer service .. ah it’s not consistent. I work three blocks from this location. Maybe about twice a week I order my lunch from here. The staff at the bar is always so accommodating and sweet. As far as the weeknight and week staff .. it’s a different experience. I’ve had numerous encounters with the staff at night. The night staff at the bar , as make me feel like I am a burden. I always have to ask for water , sliver etc. I am always uncomfortable asking a question about the menu because it’s met with distain. The few times I was treated this way , I brush it off as having a bad day. I work in customer service , so I completely understand . Yesterday, I treated my co worker to a late lunch. When we realized she won’t have time to eat in , I ordered to go. She left because she had a client. The hostess, very sweet young lady told me I could hang out at the bar and wait for my food. It was happy hour, it end in 17 minutes. It took me a moment to get the attention of all FOUR bar tenders! It wasn’t busy. I kept waving and they looked at me ignored me. When the bar tender Diego l finally acknowledge me, I tried to order two items from the happy hour. He said I cannot order because happy hour is over . I informed him I was sitting there for. more then I0 mintues being ignored and had already order food to go . He said that he could honor the food price and not the drink. I told him that was ok and I placed the order. I saw a person bring out a bag and headed to the bar tender . It was placed on the counter. I waited for over another 15 minutes waiting for the first order. I finally spoke you and asked when was my first order. 3 minutes later my food was brought out. I am still missing the chicken. When the chicken came out the server handed me the plate. I asked the server to please give me a to go box because I waited so long. The server took the plate and went in to back. I was confused. 10 minutes the server handed Diego l the bag . Diego says , you can’t order happy hour to go. I told him that was my intention but everyone seem to take there sweet time and I had to go. He threw the back and me I just left because I was extremely late for work! I was beyond infuriated. When I got to work I called to speak with a manager and no answered.I called corporate and there wasn’t an option to speak to anybody. this location has gray food and a beautiful atmosphere and it’s a shame that your night staff is so disgusting to his clients. maybe the day staff can...

This is specific to the Union Square location. I've been to the 2nd Ave location in the past and had good experiences so I said, "Oh, I know Rosa Mexicano, let's go there." Wrong. Bad drinks, bad food, bad service. Three strikes in a row.

Every restaurant has an off night, but Rosa Mexican Union Square seemed to go out of their way to make sure everything was wrong. We ordered clarified margaritas at $19 each. What we were served was definitely not a clarified margarita. I've had clarified margaritas in other establishments. I've made clarified margaritas. It would be generous to call what we were served in RM a margarita. $19 for Sysco too-sweet-fluorescent-green margarita mix and some tequila. I called the server out on it, "I ordered a clarified margarita." only to be gaslit "Yes, yes, it's a clarified margarita." I know what a clarified margarita is, don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining. To their credit, I sent it back and they replaced it with a Paloma, but shame on them for trying to pass that dreck off as a clarified marg. Strike one.

Google includes in their summary of RM "known for tableside guacamole." Ordered guac; we've done it before in the 2nd Ave location and it is indeed made tableside. Not at Union Square. First there was the upsell attempt: "Ine order isn't enough for the people at your table; you'll need a double order." I'm not going to blame the server for that, she's just doing what she was told to do. But we stuck to our guns and kept it a single order and it was more than enough for all of us. But tableside? Nope. I saw some guy making the guac literally all the way on the other side of the restaurant thinking it was for another table then watched in surprise as he walked it over to us. Strike two.

That leaves the food. Again, I've had good food at RM, maybe the B-team was on this night, but everything was bordering on inedible. The chile relleno was an undercooked pepper stuffed with overcooked mush that had no taste. Two bites and left the rest; not worth eating. The tacos were ho-hum. I've had far better tacos from the back of a bodega in Hell's Kitchen for 1/4 the price. Two requests for "una salsa que pica mas" ignored. Strike three.

That's my $0.02, for what it's worth. As usual, your mileage may vary. Clearly there are happy campers here. 4.2 stars on 4K reviews makes a statement. If you order a clarified margarita, though, and it comes to your table glow-in-the-dark green, strap in...