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Rosita's Armory Cafe
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
12 reviews for Rosita's Armory Cafe
My friends, family, and my self love, love, love Rositas. We have been eating here for as long as I can remember ( I'm 37 years old ).
As high school kids, my friends and I would have dinner here after a long night of skateboarding.
I really don't know why I ask for a menu when I come in. I always order the number 1. Cheese Enchilada, Chile Relleno, Shredded Beef taco, rice and beans -- PRO TIP Ask for cheese on your beans.
Many years ago, there used to be a small container with a couple hot peppers in vinegar. You can still get it just ask.
I love the Red salsa. I like the green too.
Everything is good on the menu. One of my buddies R.I.P. Pear used to order the fried chicken, fried shrimp, or the cheeseburger every time we went here. Bless his heart, but I'll stick with what got them here, killer Jalisco region Mexican food.
My daddy loves the "chicana" meal, sisters like the chile colorado, uncle likes the flautas.
Rositas is the standard by which I judge all other Mexican food places.
I have never had anything but exceptional meals at Rositas. Keep it going!
I also love the little pitchers with the crushed ice they bring you if you drink cola.
I have brought many of my east coast co-workers here and every one loved it and wants to go back.
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I have been going to Rositas since I was a small boy. Not much has changed since, still just as good and consistent as ever. I remember the small bowls of jalapenos on each table also. They are located in a old building downtown and it can get a little cold in the back room.
There is nothing fancy about the food or atmosphere but I have always enjoyed everything I have ever eaten here including the Lengua. Other people have commented on the atmosphere and some seedy looking customers but these things do not bother me. Maybe because I'm seedy looking myself! Try one of the combination plates. I think you will like it.
I seem to find myself in the area around Salinas once every couple of years or so. Whenever we get within twenty miles of the town, I insist on stopping at Rosita's, no matter what.
The place is very old-fashioned - like most of Salinas. It features comfy, squishy dark vinyl booths and a tin ceiling. The walls are replete with black and white and old color photos of the owners, friends and family on all of their hunting escapades, complete with deer hanging from racks, braces of water fowl, fish - anything that can be hunted has, and will be, hunted by them.
Getting on to the food - I am a big fan of their huevoes rancheros, which are served all day. Their carne asada is amazing - creamy pork with just a little chewiness at the ends where the tasty charred bits are. I approach their salsas very gingerly, since I scorched my taste buds there the first time I went on the habanero salsa. I now show it a lot of respect by avoiding it completely.
Rosita's tortillas are generally my favorite part of the meal. The kitchen is constantly patting them out and they are fresh as can be, pillowy with a little chew to them. You can get a package to go if you ask nice.
Check it out next time you're going through Salinas - you will not be sorry.
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I've been going to Rosita's ever since I moved to Salinas in 1987. The food is consistently good and prepared in traditional Mexican style and not the "Americanized" or TexMex stuff you get at most other places. My favorite dish has always been the Chile Colorado burritos; they give you lots of meat and the sauce is wonderful.
The last couple of times I came here I ordered the Carne Asada tacos; although I have had better (Taco's Choice is probably the best in town), they were still quite good and very reasonably priced and came with rice and beans.
If you like Margaritas, ask for a top shelf Margarita on the rocks....it will knock your socks off!
I have been eating at rositas since I was 5 years old, I remember being a little kid and loving there beans and rice. Now that I am 28 I have to say that I still havent found better beans and rice!! I order the same thing every time I am there.. A beef burrito covered in Chile Verde sauce cheese, and rice and beans on the side... If its a hang over day, I am on top of the Caldo De Rez!!! it comes with my fav rice and beans, and is soooo soothing...Not to mention there is a bar attatched so you can wash it all down with a cold beer or a bloody mary!!... I love Rositas !!
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After reading online reviews we thought this would be a safe and tasty place to have a meal. Yes, the interior was cool and totally retro. I guess I stop there...
For dinner we ordered two entree specials. One was overcooked from what appeared to be too much time spent waiting in the oven for the other plate which arrived cold. It wasn't exactly that what showed up tasted bad. It just didn't really much like anything, especially the Mexican food I know and love in the area. My girlfriend and I agree that the Salsa Verde served with the chips was great. (In all fairness.)
As we sat at the countertop in silence eating our meals. I couldn't help but notice the unique and earthy characters filtering in behind us. My first thought was this is some place I would take the guys from work. Not my girlfriend.
Finishing in record time, my girlfriend communicated without words that it was time to leave. After getting the check, and having the check adjusted because the seemingly high total reflected the fact the someone else's dinner had been tacked onto my bill. After signing and saying goodnight, all plans for the rest of the evening were cancelled. As I am now home with a gastronomically distraught girlfriend.
When I am in Salinas for work, I often stop in at Rosita's for lunch. It is near the courthouse and downtown so is convenient and I have never had trouble finding parking during the day. It is generally busy but quiet ... It is exactly as it should be. The interior is old and funky but clean, well maintained and comfortable. I hope they never change anything so that I can keep going back to enjoy a nice relaxing lunch forever. The food is basic old style Mexican restaurant food. Possibly plain by today's taquaria, tex-mex standards but this is the food I recall from my childhood and youth - before Mexican food was trendy. The flavors are mild and not too spicy but everything is absolutely wonderful. The meats are cooked tender and flavorful, the sauces are satisfying. There are even a few interesting things like tongue tacos available. The staff is efficient, attentive and pleasant.
A happy, rejuvenating place - California soul food.
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My wife is latina and she is a pretty mean cook. Rosita's is the only place she gives the enchiladas the two thumbs up. And i would have to agree.
I cant vouch for anything else but the service is decent, prices are good and they serve cold beer. Can you ask for anything more than that?
I have been here three times, and have ordered the machaca plate each time! I can't stay away from it
When you sit down you get chips, red and green salsa, and glasses of water. The service is perfect! Parking can get a little hectic, as usual for downtown Salinas.
The interior is a older, but the food and service is good...and that's all I need for a delicious mexican lunch.
Thanks Rosita's!
so i'm another one who has grown up on rositas food, and I must say enchilladas and chiles rellenos don't get much better than this. Carmen (the owner) makes the best enchillada sauce ever. I must say after a meal at rositas you will almost always be stuffed and sometimes it doesn't have the best after effects on your stomach but all in all it still gets 5 stars from me!
and just a clarification I believe the "application for change in ownership" is due to the owner passing away
Ah, Rosita's. I'd normally give a place like this four stars, but I grew up on this food, so I have to throw in an extra star for the fond memories. Mmm, over the years I've stuffed my face with many a cheap and delicious cheese enchilada, bean burrito, and chicken taco. And of course I always use the tortilla chips to scoop up the beans and rice. Rosita's is definitely one of those places where you don't go for healthy Mexican food -- it's all refried beans and pretty much everything is cooked with lard. But that just means it's cheap and amazing. Try the two cheese enchilada plate with rice and beans (and dig in on those chips).
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What a dismal place to eat ! Good points: it's clean, and service is friendly. Bad: just about anything having to do with the food. The food is boring, it doesn't taste homemade, and it's not cheap for the tiny size of portions. We tried two kinds of burrito, two kinds of enchilada, the chile relleno, as well as the rice and refried bean sides. (They forgot to bring the salad which should have been part of the combo dinners, but no loss - it's barely more than a little bowl of lettuce, as we saw from the neighboring table.) Only the relleno was better than frozen TV dinners. In fact, the relleno was great. Sadly it's not available ala carte, and I cannot imagine wasting money on one of their bad combo plates ever again. I think people who have rated Rosita's highly must be stuck in a rut not realizing that there is better food at a better price available nearby.
Note: there is an official "application for change of ownership" sign in the window, so is today's poor food a result of this pending change ?
In any case, life is too short to waste time going back to Rosita's. The only reason it got as much as one star is because it's clean compared to some of Salinas' other restaurants. But if that's the only thing, you might as well play it safe and go to McDonalds or Jack In The Box.
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