Rosa Mexicano — Restaurant in Paradise

I was not expecting such a bold PINK color for the exterior, but when reading the name of the restaurant Rosa Mexicano, the name and color pair well. In Las Vegas, upon entering, you will notice the solid and blue decorative floor tile, which brought back memories of traditional interior home decorations in some of Mexico’s residential dwellings. Upon standing at the entrance and looking inward toward the dining area, my thoughts slightly transitioned to an ¿artistic? art gallery atmosphere. Why? Well from the giant murals on the back wall, the hanging artistic welded lights, giant look-a-like sugar skull, and decorative ceiling tiles, this set up reminded me of the Dia de (los) Muertos display at the Detroit Institute of Art in October, and small bits of wall mural display from Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico. Yes, long shot on Palacio de Bellas Artes, but that was my first thought. Next, mixing in modern furniture with traditional cultural ambiance, the booths are not your local “cantina” style wooden booths, but upgraded with decorative designer backing and leather seats, and table chairs resemble that of invested dinning home furniture. The pink private room in the rear is so eye catching, and yes, I would register to rent out the room for a meet up. Plateware was a traditional, thick brown decorative clay style dish, with stamped indentation on the handle for non-slip handling. Menus for spirits and cuisine were distinct and well presented. Chips were “PINK!,” and service was fast and attentive. Hostess wore pink ties, suspenders, pink tops, pink shoes and or dresses, combined with black pants, shirts or black shoes. Awesome uniform combination! Any thoughts of using Orange for the festivities in October/November? Unique For you Mojito lovers, I’d highly recommend the Spirit-Free Cucumber-Mint Refresco. This beverage will trick your taste buds, and convince you, that you are sipping on a well make alcoholic Mojto! YES! It’s that good! The men’s restroom reminded me of awesome night club in a major city or of a fancy hotel.

Yet, why I gave this place a 4 star review, was because of missing broth in our Chicken Tortilla Soup, along with the Guacamole making presentation experience.

First up, we dined at plenty and various Mexican eateries, yet our Chicken Tortilla Soup was missing more than half of the broth. My wife and I looked at each other and mentioned the following, did someone sip the broth from the bow, did the chief run out of broth, or did our host ger or order incorrect? Shortchange on the broth Rosa Mexican (shortchanging you on the “O” (in Mexicano) in return). Yes, that’s how we felt as well. Second, our guacamole host made an awesome classic fresh tableside guacamole dish, presented in the Molcajete (mortar) bowl, but we did not agree on how the host removed the remaining guacamole from the pestle. Perhaps, our host was in a rush, but when removing the guacamole, our host rammed the knife towards/against the end of the pestle, almost like sharpening the knife technique, my wife and I looked at each other in concern, as well as having laser f eyes focused on the pestle and knife action, wondering if any shiny metal shavings would join in (into) our dish. YIKES! We did take an extra step and examined the top of the guacamole mix, and relief, no metal shavings from the knife found, and or no small chunks of broken pestle stone! The metal/wooden spoon would have been a better option, and a gentle scrape around the pestle would be preferable, not a forcefully sharpen removal! In all, for our Saturday lunch experience, this place stands out, on its own, from your traditional south of the border dinning experience. A very unique combination of modernity, art, traditional Mexican culture with an awesome Mojito spirit! Will come again. Thank you for this experience, Rosa Mexican! Ha ha ha . ....

It’s hot here in Vegas. We were looking for something within walking distance and somewhere that we didn’t have to leave the air conditioning for long to get to. Also, something with gluten free options. We kind of stumbled upon Rosa Mexicana. It checked all of those boxes and then some.

My first good impression was when I approached the host stand and they were actually knowledgeable of the menu and gave suggestions of everything gluten free. Often times the reply is “ask your server.”

Once we were seated they brought water, chips and salsa. But, not just any chips, they were pink!

As the server approached the table, he asked if it was our first time there, which it was. He said that most of the food is prepared from scratch and the color in the chips is from beet juice. I’ve done that with pasta, but had never thought of that for the chips.

He was very knowledgeable of the menu and was able to be quite descriptive with the dishes such as “just the right amount of acidity” not the usual “oh, it’s a popular seller.”

I try to keep my expectations realistic for service in general let alone in a touristy area. But, did I just meet my doppelgänger? I have been teaching cooking since 1998 and waited tables off and on since 1995. Our servers knowledge and passion made the meal.

We ended up getting the queso appetizer. My mom had the Birria Quesatacos. I had the duck carnitas tacos. I was intrigued as I rarely see duck on the menu at a Mexican restaurant. The pineapple-jicama salsa was so good. It added a seasonal freshness to the dish. The surprise of the day was the fajitas en molcajete that my sister ordered. I think we are all used to how fajitas typically come to the table. This came out in a stone similar to what the table side guacamole is made in. Don’t let the price deter you. She took more back to the room for lunch the next day than what some restaurants serve to start with. The shrimp was seasoned really well and tasted like it was cooked on a grill. It also came with rice and beans.

At the end of the meal the server brought out some churros for my mom’s birthday.

Also, if you are with HGV, you get a discount.

I wish other servers at other restaurants could take note of the knowledge and attentiveness of our server.

Two additional things that impressed me is that he gave up a six top to another server realizing the language barrier and the other server would be better able to assist them. (For those of us that have worked in the industry, we hate giving up 6 tops because that is auto- gratuity.)

The other thing that impressed me was noticing him give recommendations for dessert elsewhere. What? I thought that was only in that old Christmas movie that you sent the customer elsewhere. While they did a great job accommodating dietary restrictions, when nothing caught the eye of the table behind us, he gave a recommendation for dessert somewhere else. I am more appreciative of your honesty, knowledge of your menu, the menu at other establishments and wanting the customer to have the best possible meal rather than pushing your own desserts. That is the type of service that will win my loyalty. It isn’t often that I repeat going to a restaurant during vacation. But, we’ll be back in a few days. I really want to try the shrimp, lobster,...

Colorful Vibes & Tasty Bites at Rosa Mexicano

Our recent visit to Rosa Mexicano was a mostly positive experience, earning a solid four stars. While it wasn’t without its hiccups, the vibrant atmosphere and unique culinary touches ultimately won us over.

Starting with the downside, our day began with a bit of frustration. Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait to be seated, as guests were being taken in on a first-come, first-serve basis. This organizational hiccup was disappointing, as it somewhat dimmed our initial excitement.

However, things quickly improved once we were seated. The striking decor was all about pink—pink tortilla chips, plates, napkins, you name it. This fun, vibrant theme gave Rosa Mexicano a unique and playful charm, making it feel like a truly special spot for dining out.

To kick things off, we ordered fresh guacamole. While it was enjoyable, we couldn’t help but note that we’ve had more memorable guac elsewhere. It was well-prepared, but perhaps it didn’t quite reach the wow factor we had hoped for. On a brighter note, the Mimosa Flight we ordered for drinks was refreshing and added a celebratory vibe to the meal.

We moved on to our appetizers and entrees, starting with nachos and veggie quesadillas. The nachos were satisfying with great texture and flavor, and the quesadillas delivered on taste with their melty, well-seasoned filling. Next, we tried the jackfruit fajitas, which came with rice and beans. These were a unique and tasty option, though they leaned a bit on the sweeter side—a twist we didn’t entirely mind but one that might not suit every palate.

A lovely surprise capped off our evening: the restaurant brought out fresh chorizos as a complimentary treat to celebrate my birthday. This thoughtful touch was greatly appreciated and left a lasting impression.

Overall, Rosa Mexicano offered a memorable dining experience. While there is room for improvement in managing reservations, the vibrant ambiance, unique pink-themed details, and satisfying dishes make it well worth a visit. If you’re looking for a festive meal that delights both visually and tastefully, Rosa Mexicano is a great spot to...