Rosa Madera — Restaurant in Santa Ana

Nice for a bit and then you get kicked out. We went to celebrate my moms birthday (party of 9) and we went with the expectation to be there for the whole day (but obvi consuming throughout the entirety and leaving a good tip) We got there at 1pm and got told there was a wait time of 2hrs. We saw this place on IG and wanted to try it so we waited. Prior to arriving we tried calling ahead to make reservations and they have no reservation system for large parties which makes the wait times ABSURD. Btw those two times throughout the week I called and no answer. Anyways, we waited those 2hrs and BEFORE we sat down we asked the usher if there was a hour limit and she said that there was a 2hr limitation BUT that they did NOT enforce that and as long as we would be consuming food or drink that it would be okay. Therefore, we proceeded to sit down and order. Again, we planned to stay for a while since we wanted to hear live music. We sat down and had a nice time for those 2hrs when one of the MALE workers (who wasn’t a manager but was not a waiter either) told us to wrap up and leave because outside there was a 3hr wait and they needed the table. He proceeded to tell us that they have a 2hr hour that is strictly enforced. To which we told him what his front house usher told us, and he told us to leave or else he’d charge us $400 because apparently that’s what a table would cost us. We told him that we had just ordered more food and drinks (that we were waiting on) and that we were waiting for the music (which btw we had waiting for 2hrs at this point it was 6:30 and we knew the music would be on at 7). We wanted to stay longer to be able enjoy the music, but he was persistent and ruined the whole vibe. We then asked for a manager since we realized he was only a second hand man and not the actual person in charge. His approach was condescending and we asked him if we could just stay to finish our drinks (we had a cubeta de chelas left) and he’d said he give us only 30min max and that after he’d charge us $400. Our bill at that point was $600 and we kindly asked to be able to let us stay since we were celebrating my mom’s birthday and we planned on consuming more since the food and drinks were good.He refused. A female manager came and her approach was very different. She agreed to let us stay since she saw we had already spent a grand amount and were planning to consume more. She listened to my brother who explained the situation and was very professional about her approach. She let us stay for another hour and we ordered more items until the waitress told us that we were cut off (we were not drunk this was a family dinner) so we had no other option to leave. Instead of what could have been a nice place for me and my family to visit for multiple birthdays and celebrations to come, ended up being a bad and sour experience that we would never go again.

Takeaways: -Don’t plan on going unless you’re staying for 1HR or less. Any time after 2hrs you get kicked out by the rude and condescending male house usher (not a manager) who offers no solutions, tries to charge you an unnecessary $400 fee (not stated in the menu or policy), and tells the waitress to cut you off without last calls for food or drinks. He did not greet us with his name either (no name tags either) so too bad I couldn’t blast his name on here. But he’s short and skinny black slick hair. His lack of people skills need to improve especially if he’s the one dealing with consumers, otherwise he should not be in this field of work when you’re interacting with multiple consumers a day. No reservation system makes hour times usually 2hrs or more (when we left the wait time outside was 3hrs and this was 7:44pm) Music is advertised as all day with a genre in the morning and another in the evening. But there should be EXACT TIMES listed for people to know when to arrive (especially if they can’t wait around because you get kicked out) The actual non-live music that is playing is great until you been there for a while and realize...

A great first experience and I will definitely come back!

My girlfriend saw this place on Instagram and bookmarked it a while back. We decided to give the place a shot yesterday and added ourselves to the very long waitlist online (190 minute wait). We kept ourselves occupied until we were around 10th in line and made our way to the restaurant. By the time we arrived it was our turn to be seated.

We walked in and noticed how large the restaurant is. The decor was nice and felt warm and welcoming. The bar was pretty. There was live music going on. We approached the host and let her know we received the text that our table was ready. We got seated shortly after.

After seating we glanced through the menu and ordered the following: Los Favoritos, Baja Tacos, Flautas Michoacanas, and El Botanico.

How was it?

Los Favoritos: A large plate with Flautas De Tinga, Birria Chimichangas, and Nachos Al Pastor. The flautas were very good, they had a light crisp and were packed with flavor. The chimichangas were also very good. The nachos were also very good, the chips were thick and crispy, and the pork had a little crunch also.

Baja Tacos: Two good sized tacos with a side of rice and beans. You have a choice between shrimp or fish, so I chose fish. They were delicious. The cabbage and everything else on it was really good. The pieces of fried fish were big. The beans were OK, a little bland, and the rice was OK. The tacos were the main dish so I didn’t mind.

Flautas Michoacanas: This was my girlfriend’s dish, and also came with a side of rice and beans. They tasted similar to the flautas on the Los Favoritos plate and were pretty good. Beans were the same as with my tacos, but the rice was different (red) and was alright.

El Botanico: This drink had gin, orange liquor, hibiscus flowers (jamaica), pomegranate, rosemary, lime, and red roses. It was a very pretty and tasty drink. You can barely taste the presence of alcohol which made it more enjoyable.

Rather than chips and salsa, you receive pinwheels (chicharrones de harina) drizzled with Valentina. Delicious.

Service was good. Our server checked up on us frequently and being as busy as it was, was able to cater to our table and get everything taken care of in a timely manner.

The place gets packed, at least yesterday it was. Live music and plenty of people makes the place somewhat loud, so do expect to be talking louder than usual. It is great for groups/families.

Parking isn’t an issue, the lot is very large.

I highly recommend adding yourself to the waitlist before going to the restaurant.

I’ll be returning...

I am disappointed with the focus on aesthetics, marketing, and social media gimmicks instead of the quality of the products and service offered, such as the food and drinks.

Firstly, the queso was served cold and stiff. Although the overall flavor was decent, a larger portion of chips would have been appreciated.

The alcoholic drinks were gimmicky and overpriced. Serving cocktails in wine glasses seemed like a questionable choice, perhaps due to a shortage of cocktail glasses.

As for the food, I ordered Tacos Dorados with carnitas. The only positive aspect was the rice, which was actually really good and one of the best I've had in a while. However, the carnitas were not just cold, but it seemed like they were taken from the fridge, microwaved without proper mixing, and plated. The outer part was warm, but the inside felt almost frozen to the touch.

I brought this issue to the attention of the staff, and they took it back to the kitchen, probably to reheat it in the microwave. They then served it back to me with a lukewarm temperature and a bunch of cabbage on top, hoping I wouldn't notice (which I did).

Usually, in such situations, the management would offer some form of compensation. However, I received my check at full price. Only after I pointed out the mistake to the manager did she give me a 50% discount on my plate. It felt like a half-hearted attempt to address the issue.

Furthermore, the aguas frescas tasted like they were made from powder, and charging $15-20 for drinks made with bottom shelf liquor and mixers seems excessive.

I hope you take these concerns into consideration and make the necessary improvements to provide better quality and service to...