Rosario's ComidaMex & Bar — Restaurant in San Antonio

We are visiting San Antonio for a third time in 5 years being in Texas. Never been to Rosario’s until today and the visit was based on a recommendation and looking at the reviews.

I cannot help but compare the place to the other regular eateries 250 miles north of here where we go more regularly; chain corporation brands and family run businesses.

I’ll keep this objective and start at the beginning and run thru it to call out positives as well as the improvement opportunities: It’s a popular place, so do plan ahead They have a good system for wait list management. You check in on arrival with the host and they send a text to confirm, and another text when your table is ready. It works very well. The bar/waiting area could be very busy like it was when we arrived. There was space at part of the bar to stand, and there was a sign saying no bar staff serve there. I thought, no problem, I’ll go to the other side and bring my party of 3 drinks over. But a waitress said we cannot wait there, which was not what the sign said but hey-ho whatever. Drinks we’re good. Soda very low fill on the glass (12oz maybe in a 16oz glass… how expensive is Diet Pepsi syrup really?) They did refill later without charge. -An hour almost waiting. Not a complaint. They were busy. Well managed waiting list process. We we’re seated in the “back” area which is a bit of a plain overflow room. we were given one menu for three of us. There was a QR code but that opened a web page an it is not very clear where to go after that (north/south restaurant?)

Asked for help what menu we should look at. They brought us extra paper menus. Unfortunately mine had pieces of food stuck on it. Not great!

We ordered and waited. Salsa very nice although it was served in a plastic pourer that had a white line on the inside - either a crack (unhygienic) or some deposit on the inside?

Tortilla chips served in a small bowl for 3 of us but was replenished when asked. Queso very tasty. My second or third favorite queso in the US!

Opened my silverware napkin to find it had paper stuck to it. None of the silverware looked really clean but I think that’s “Hard Water” causing that. Requested exchange which I received after a bit of a wait.

-enjoyed my Chicken/Polo a la Maria up to a point. The sauce (pumpkin seed pesto I think, was fantastic) but then I poured remaining queso on my chicken and continued to enjoy it until I found I was struggling to eat something and it was a reasonably large piece of clear plastic. About 2 inches long, between 1/4 and 1/2 inch wide. I left the remaining third to half of chicken and queso.

We decided to call it a night and not consider dessert after all.

Pico de gallo was fresh and tasted great

When the check was presented they had not removed anything at all, not even the tortilla chips or queso with plastic ingredient (normally chips themselves are free at other restaurants we dine at north of San Antonio near home, but they were good and the menu did show a cost when we ordered them)

I actually feel pretty bad for not leaving any tip/gratuity. It’s not something I’ve done for the over 6 years we’ve been in the US. I did tip at the bar for drinks we had waiting , but honestly, it was a poor experience at the dining table and not like the many good reviews we saw that lead to us visiting here tonight.

Do give the place a try. Everything says they are usually good. Maybe tonight was an exception.

Pictures attached of the good food. Including the free food stuck to the menu! I did not take a pic of the plastic. The server said it was probably from the queso, as that is supplied in bags. Really should not be served to customers!!

Edit: My mother in law did add that the female restrooms were not clean. We did not visit the mens’ restroom so can’t comment what...

We had a party of 20, celebrated our daughter's 25th birthday. We put in more of a NOTICE THAN A RESERVATION days ahead, so theyd know we'd be there. No problem. They even called us to see if we were still coming. We were on the way when they called. Everything seemed fine. When we arrived, they wouldnt seat us until our entire party of 20 got there. When they arrived, we STILL had to wait 25min before we could be seated because our tables werent ready...😐

We brought our own cake...We were told ahead of time that there would be a $25 charge to bring our own cake. No problem. To add to that, we would have had to bring our OWN UTENSILS for the cake. We COULD NOT USE THEIRS IF WE NEEDED IT. (WEIRD... BUT OK) I would mention the dumb logic behind the fee, but I don't want to get anyone in trouble but it is by far the dumbest thing I have ever heard for a restaurant. The customers are basically penalized for bringing their own desert...

We order, everyone gets their food, everything was great. Food was delicious, our server Leo was great, had some laughs; good times. Then it gets even more weird; I wanted to order something to go, I couldn't. The reason: simply put, MANAGEMENT FROWNED UPON IT😆

Bill time: I added my receipt photo. We were charged (ALL OF US) WERE CHARGED THE CAKE FEE totalling $25. All of our party was charged anywhere from $1-$4 extra on their bill; on a tab that already has a forced gratuity on to it.

Then there's that extra cake fee... when charging your card, the option to tip comes up... so if you tip during this time, aren't you tipping the server more on top of what was forced?

We knew we would get charged the cake fee but what WASNT TOLD TO US was that it would be divided amongst the party. We invited our party to celebrate with us, we didn't want them to have to help pay for a fee they had nothing to do with!

The logic behind the cake fee The NOT BEING ABLE TO ORDER TO-GO BECAUSE OF IT BEING FROWNED UPON AND THE RULES OF THIS PLACE PERIOD AND HOW THE CAKE FEE WAS DIVIDED AMONGST US (WHICH SEEMED ALIL FISHY) Made this an experience that... i ultimately ended up being disappointed in.

It ruined an otherwise good dinner with my family.

It's a shame because our food really was pretty darn good. Atmosphere... good. Leo... good.

It really seemed like the restaurant was trying to get over on you because you didn't purchase THEIR DESERT.

I wish I could say I would return... but unless they change MANAGEMENT or MANAGEMENT changes their dumb logic... I won't return. Neither will the rest of us.

My low score for service had nothing to do with our server....

Finally made it out to thier new facility it is nice yet to begin wid PARKING it is horrible what's the deal guys what's the sence bigger building and parking is aweful inconvenient best off parking at your old facility that was bad but from bad to worse is this place. 2nd the food give it props still tasty taste same assuming you have the same cook which is a plus we ordered the plate as usual asado de puerco and it's outstanding but what is more outstanding is the $$ you went higher I was kind of shook abt that it was pricey then. But now, it is pricier for tourists wow! From the way y'all used to be really mellow now, yea. Being popular makes it right to be how you are. Eh! No. Anyways, what's with the Avocado now that made me laugh.. change your menu as in how you describe it. Ok, everyone knows Guacamole is all prepared, bu it seems yall call that mashed Avocado. And what doesn't make sense but cracked me up was for extras to put tomato, onion,& Chile (as an original guacamole should be ) you charge $2.00 extra? So it is for that small dish $14.00 for Avocado. Seriously, your old menu was cheaper and no nonsense over that. Come on, if you're gonna put Avocado, don't name it, Guacamole. Just say mash avocado plain or the real- "Chile real Guacamole" idk the fact that you charge an extra $2.00 technically I'm sure you have pico de Gallo in the back and you scoop 1 or 2 table spoons of it into the "Guacamole" and mix it. It's just not right. And being charged for 2 scoops Yes, I'm calling you out. most customers won't see that. But I did. Look, food is good, but you hyped it for the same serving, nah! So as far as ambient your old facility was alot more welcoming. This is big, yet the vibe was not there as it used to be. It's all about the $$

Old Building Past tense reviews... I've been coming here every chance I get. I come from out of town about 4 1/2 hours and always worth coming. Food is always consistent well the dish I order " Puerco asado en Chile cascabel" through the yrs. Yes, prices go up and up. They used to give you complimentary chilies w chips now they charge. Kinda sad, but it is what it is. Guacamole is a bit too pricey looks big but, they put lettus on the bottom of the bowl, and to me, that's a rip-off. If I ordered Guacamole, I expect the whole dish, especially for the $10.00 come on now. As far as my dish, they hyped up prices, too. Abt $15.00 anyways they serve with flour tortillas and corn but preferably flour. The waiter I got was good and friendly. I do recomend to go food is good. It just depends on...