This review comes with a major caveat: while not as poor as Sweethearts next door, if it weren't…read morefor a commendable bar experience, the review would be a two. The tacos I tried were mostly better than Taco Bell, but, that is not a very high bar.
For drinks, I tried the Last Last Word, and a Call Margarita. The Last Last Word was wonderful. It was well balanced, appropriately boozy, with just a hint of floral notes and smoke. Quality ingredients combined with love and care. The only reason I didn't immediately order another one is a matter of personal taste. The Call Margarita was a similarly great drink - not much commentary beyond the fact that it's a well-executed and balanced margarita.
Before getting into the food, let me mention the service. The barstaff was attentive, friendly, and personable, and they are one of the factors that made my experience a positive one. My bartender was especially wonderful in that he helped me with the chips and salsa. I wanted some to munch on, but didn't want to devour a portion designed for a table of four. He was able to call in "Extra chips" which gave me an appropriately small portion (at no cost). The salsa's were $2 a piece, which one could argue is high, but ancillary revenue, and all that good stuff. I want to recognize, though, that these salsas were great! The Tomatillo Crudo was bright and fresh, and the Pineapple Habanero had just enough heat and sweetness to be enjoyable without going overboard. I'd also like to award points for chips that tasted homemade, as opposed to something from a bag.
Unfortunately, I cannot be as gracious with the rest of the food. I ordered the Taco de Panza (August Taco of the Month), an Al Pastor Taco, and a El Dorado Supreme Taco. For dessert, I went with the Churro Bites.
The Taco de Panza had some good qualities, and was one that I ordered twice. The Mango Pico, and Crema added a little sweetness, tartness, and savoriness, with the cabbage bringing brightness and freshness. The meat, however, as less inspiring. As far as belly goes, it was overdone to the point of being crisp, though to be fair, not tough. Turning a protein that can just about melt in your mouth into this feels like a massive oversight and waste of flavor. I would grade the Al Pastor taco below the Panza, for it felt poorly executed. Rather than roasted pork with small amounts of pineapple, the taco was instead strips of very heavily sauced pork with large chunks of pineapple. The sweet sauce, together with the sweetness of the pineapple, overpowered anything else the taco had going on. It might as well have been pineapple bbq pork, and I'd be none the wiser. The last (and unfortunately the least) taco was the El Dorado Supreme. This felt like you're classic, Taco Bell-esque American Taco. Beef, cheese, some fixings, and a crunchy tortilla. While it wasn't horrible-terrible, it was wrapped in foil, and felt as though it'd been made an hour or more prior. Except for some fast food, when dining out I'd hope food to be made (or at least assembled) fresh. For a proper, sit-down experience, food wrapped in foil as though I went to a picnic is unacceptable. Finally, I didn't skip dessert and ordered the Churro Bites. These were pretty average: while not crisp like mass-produced variants, they lacked that soft, warm slightly gooey consistency a great churro has. Ditto for flavor: not terrible, but a little more cinnamon would have gone a long way. What I did appreciate about these was the three dipping sauces: a berry, a milk-based, and a chocolate - these were unique and interesting, and perhaps better than the churros themselves (which, I feel says more about the churros than the sauces).
Finally, there is the vibe: the bar is long and thus perfect for solo diners. The space is bright and inviting with loads of plants and natural light. I also love that it wasn't crowded, and when lively one doesn't feel like they're on an El train.
Final verdict: Lonesome Rose's food is forgettable, so much so the sauces are better than the food being dipped into them. The drinks and overall bar experience are much better, and when combined with their excellent service, offers some redemption.
Would recommend?: For a solid bar experience, especially for lovers of Mexican-style cocktails, yes. For food - no.
Would return?: No. Food is an important part of the experience for me, and what I tried here wasn't agreeable to me. That said, if I was meeting a group for drinks alone, then I wouldn't necessarily be opposed.
