Rosita's Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Seattle

Came here at the recommendation of a co-worker "Best happy hour in town", they said.

We felt confusion, both within our party and from the staff at the restaurant. From the greeter who knew they could seat our smallish party but couldn't quite figure out where (after an unprofessional semi-argument with another staff person) to the person who brought chips and salsa and couldn't speak to the spice level of either bowl of salsa ('they make it different every day'), it seemed like everyone struggled with a major aspect of their job, there seemed to be an unseen chaotic force at play. Immune from the cloud of chaos was the person making tortillas from scratch, those tortillas were very good.

The server asked us maybe four times in the first three minutes of sitting at the table if we were ready to order (obviously not, I would have thought given our rustling with the menus) and then did not disclose that EVERY item on the menu had onions in it when one of our party members asked if their item had onions. We asked about happy hour deals - "No, happy hour is at the bar only!", how do we know that? Where was the warmth, the welcome, the introduction to the experience?

Food was fine, decent portions, though cold by the time we finished it. "Too much cheese" someone said about the Chile Relleno, and I saw a big old pile of onions set aside on another party members plate. Everything felt very matter-of-fact, from the mechanical check-ins to the delivery of the food (they awkwardly pulled the plate away from me when I reached for it rather than saying 'don't touch, it's hot'). Other tables seemed to be facing the same service. I would not recommend this for either small or medium sized groups.

If you are looking to take a chance, skip the restaurant, but come in for the happy hour, which is at...

Wow. Sorry, I mean W-O-W!!! How have we lived here 6 years and never came in here?!?! I want to travel back in time, risk ripping the fabric of space-time apart and sending us all down a (slightly different) apocalyptic future where Biff is running everything instead of Trump just so I can smack myself in the head and say, "Go to Rosita's Mexican Grill Immediately Yo!". I find anyone who ends a command with "Yo!" to be particularly persuasive.

On to the review:

My family of four and I tried to go to a different restaurant but it was closed for repairs and we checked out the surrounding area and saw Rositas had good reviews. Being from South Texas I'm almost always deeply unimpressed by the Mexican food here in Seattle. Rosita's is a wonderful exception. it was a very busy Saturday night yet our family was still seated within 10 minutes and during that time we were treated to the most delicious freshly cooked corn tortillas imaginable with the delicious pad of butter and some salsa crafted by the gods themselves. I briefly considered a plan to have all of my nutritional needs met by these amazing corn creations for the rest of my life but others beat me to it (don't worry Marco, your secret is safe with me).

Anyway, Rosita's is prepared for kids and treats them so wonderfully. The service is fast and friendly. The portions are huge and delicious. The veggies are quite varied and crisp. The beans and rice are vegetarian and the prices are quite reasonable. My only disappointment was with the flan. However we had to order it to go and I ended up eating some of it 2 days later and it was meh. It's from a local shop in Bellevue and tbh I've never been a huge flan fan but this was fairly bland.

Still that's trifling! Go here!! Eat, drink (lots of margaritas!)...

Rosita's Mexican Grill & Cantina in Green Lake, Seattle, Wa

Rositas definitely feels like a homey family run operation that may look a bit like your average neighbourhood Mexican local, but like the uniqueness of the Green Lake neighbourhood, Rosita’s is full of charm and flavour. The menu is full with plenty on offer to please anyone with a craving for a South of the border meal. We ordered the Chile Verde which was rich and full of flavor with just the right amount of heat and blended spices. Ample chunks of tender, melt in your mouth pork were enrobed in the delicious sauce which was also accompanied with Spanish rice, refried beans, and a refreshing coleslaw. In addition we ordered the “Platos Pequenos” or small plates version of the chicken Chimichanga. This dish is served with one (deliciously) crispy flour tortilla with an option of either the chicken or shredded beef and topped with green onions, tomatoes, sour cream, cotija, and guacamole. The chicken option we ordered was rich in flavour and incredibly moist within a crackling, crunchy deep fried shell. This small plate selection was also served with the Spanish rice, refried beans, and coleslaw. In all honesty the ‘small plate’ wasnt that small and probably more than adequate for most without having to have a to-go box. We also enjoyed fresh, complimentary chips and salsa (both red and green) as well as ordering tasty frosty frozen strawberry margaritas. Don’t let appearances fool you—the outside appearance may look dated in comparison to the new and flashy buildings which surround, but then that's what gives Rosita’s so much of its...