Rosa Madera — Restaurant in Sacramento

First off we went to this restaurant around 7:00 p.m. on a Sunday, and when we got to the hostess counter, they told us it was going to be a 2 hour wait. So we already knew that they were slammed. What they did tell us at the counter was we could go to the bar as it was open seating and enjoy cocktails and our dinner there. Luckily, there were two seats available, and so we took it

The experience at the bar did not start off very well. We were definitely looking around scoping out the atmosphere and Vibe of the restaurant while taking in some of the food that others at the bar had ordered and using that to help influence a little bit of our decision on what to get. After about 8 minutes, the bartender finally acknowledged us and told us that he still needed more time and that he would be with us shortly to help us out. So again, we were waiting to get something, and what I mean by that we had not even gotten menus by that point to look at what our options were. After waiting about another 7 minutes, we finally asked again to at least see some menus as we were waiting. From what my husband saw, the bartender gave a little bit of an eye roll when we asked for this.

So after we had our menus it was about another 9 minutes before a server came to us and asked us what we wanted, and by that time we had already decided what we wanted to drink and eat which was good because we needed to order everything at once considering the amount of people in the restaurant

Regarding the two margaritas, the lime one definitely had a nice flavor to it. You could tell it was a classic drink, and it was done well. The Cucumber one was also very refreshing, and my husband added a little bit of jalapeno to it, which gave it a nice kick.

Now, for the food itself, I will definitely have to say I was underwhelmed and disappointed with the ceviche. The main reason for this was the fact that a lot of the pieces were overcooked. What I mean by that is as I bit into it, the shrimp was a little gummy, and it felt slightly slimy because, again, the acid from the citrus had really gotten into the protein. I would also say that the flavor was not as strong, considering that it was meant to be a little bit more spicy. I asked one of the servers, passing by if I could have a little bit of salt, and even then, I did not get that. I ended up using the salt that was on my margarita glass in order to give it a little bit more seasoning.

As for the Bistec, the meat itself was generally well seasoned. The accompanying sides, which were the rice and beans, were okay. The rice had good flavor, but you could tell there was too much water used because it clumped together on the plate in different parts. The beans themselves were good, but they definitely needed a little bit more spices.

The last thing I will comment on is definitely the service. Again, I am framing that it was a very busy night, but it was the lack of hospitality that really made the experience poor for me. We were sitting at the bar, and the bartender that was closest to us really did not engage because they were busy talking to one customer the entire time we were there. The other bartenders were sort of interacting with customers, but again, it was very infrequent. I called this out because usually, to bring that sense of fun and hospitality, you would choose bartenders that typically have a personality type that will engage a little bit more often with the client. And I do think it was funny as one of the bartenders compared this restaurant to another one in the area called Pig Latin saying that they were much better, and I've been to that restaurant as well the reality is they are pretty much the same. Both of them struggle with consistency, quality of service from the staff, and being able to handle a large number of people coming in all at once.

Overall, I was underwhelmed by the experience and the food here. Again, considering the timing and how busy it was, the recommendation I give is to try during a weekday or 3 months from now when they have had some time to Iron...

Yelp has been nagging me like Miranda Priestly in a bad mood, demanding to know if I recommend Rosa Madera. Chill, boo, I’ll talk when I’m ready!

Yelp is like “By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.” Fine, Yelp, here’s the tea—hot and spilling.

Rosa Madera is like the Andy Sachs of the restaurant world: she has the potential to be the “it girl,” but right now, she’s still awkwardly fumbling her way through the fashion closet wearing that frumpy cerulean blue sweater. Sure, she’s serving Michoacán-style food with immaculate vibes and decor—the kind of artsy, festive atmosphere that screams, “Look at me, I’m fabulous!” And she is… visually.

But beneath all the Prada, there are issues. Our seafood molcajete was delicious, fiery, and bold... but the steak we got... Overcooked, chewy, and tough. It had good flavor, but if I wanted to work that hard for my meal, I’d hit the gym first. Queso Who? It showed up after our mains while the queso had already cooled off, stiffened back into a block of disappointment. By the end of the meal, it felt like the queso and service both needed to be melted down and reimagined.

Now, let’s talk about the serviiiice. It took 30 minutes to get a basket of chips, and water, and that was after we had to wave someone down like we were in the middle of a desert screaming for water. Tables seated 20 minutes after us were already swimming in drinks and appetizers while we sat, chipless and yearning for a cocktail in a pit of despair. We had to get up three times to remind them we existed. Please sir, I mean ma'am... Seniorita Madera, may I have some... something, anything.

Oh, and the chaotic birthday situation... The server almost lit the birthday girl on fire with a sparkler (talk about adding heat to the party), which led to her freaking out, dropping her margarita, and glass shards landing next to our table. The cleanup crew was a broom and a prayer. Glass was swept under our feet like they hoped we wouldn’t notice the danger zone they left behind.

And yet… I’ll say this: Rosa Madera’s vibes are immaculate. Walking in, you feel transported into a vibrant, artsy, and lively world where anything seems possible—until you’re still waiting for chips. If the food and service matched the decor, this place could easily be Miranda Priestly-level chic.

Verdict? Rosa Madera is almost there but still needs a runway glow-up. She’s got the looks, but she’s not quite ready to strut down the catwalk of my favorite restaurants. Would I come back? Maybe, but only if she traded in her TJ Maxx cerulean sweater for something truly...

I waited a few weeks before posting this because I was so bothered by how my family and I were treated by our waitress, and wanted to make sure this was not a review written out of anger. This spot was recommended to me by my best friend who normally doesn’t disappoint when it comes to recommendations it’s unfortunate that we experienced different things.

Reservations are encouraged or join the waitlist through google. I have tried doing waitlist via google in the past at other restaurants and haven’t been able to add my name so I didn’t try when I came to this restaurant, that was on me, they were however able to accommodate. They had a live mariachi and that was wonderful. Where it gets disappointing is in the service from our waitress. The entire time it felt as though we were inconveniencing her. My mom had asked for water and no ice with lemon, and she responded short and annoyed and said “ they all come with lemons”. When she came with the waters, they all came with ice and no lemons. When I asked for a glass of water with no ice and a lemon (just for my mom) she returns with the glass of water with no ice and a lemon with so much aggression that the cup wobbled on the table and spilled on the table, but turned away before we can get a chance to say anything. We pushed it out of our minds hoping to have a more pleasant experience but were disappointed when we ordered our appetizer and when we asked for plates she said “I know they’re washing them and as soon as they are clean I will bring them out” again seeming bothered that I even had to ask. Shorty after that the rest of our food was brought out and still no plates. By the time we finished our meal she came around asking if everything was ok and I said yea but we’re still waiting on our plates, which by that point we were done eating our main meal, and then proceeded to return with wet plates. Couldn’t even be bothered to wipe them down first. The entire experience with this person was completely disrespectful.

I’ve experienced many levels of dining from “whole-in-the-wall” restaurants to 5 star, Michelin award winning restaurants, but the service we experience here was by far the most disappointing. We won’t return or recommend...