A few days ago, we made our second visit to Rositas, part of our family lives in Iowa, so it mutual site. Our first visit was excellent, our server was a young lady who could not have been more accommodating. The food was enjoyed by all, even memorable according to our niece. This last visit was virtually 180 degrees of inattentive service, almost to the point being rude. My chicken enchiladas had no sauce but was topped with CHEDDAR CHEESE. I enjoy some Mexican heritage and never was offered cheddar cheese. My niece related that there is a sign Please wait to be seated. My brother in law, is 89. When he saw the unoccupied table, where we sat the last time, he went to it. Evidently, our surly waitress took exception to this. This happened on Tuesday at noon, there were a few table occupied. So what's the issue? We will try Rositas again but it will probably the last time. There are a lot of food venues in this college town. We dont need to drive hours for bad food and equally bad service. read more

Cute restaurant in Dekalb. My mom used to come here on date nights with my dad back in the day so we stopped in while in the area. Comfortable outside seating. Our waitress Jenny was so sweet. Food was ok, queso could use an update. Prickly pair margaritas were so pretty and tasty! Enjoyable time! read more

Rosita's Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Dekalb, Illinois

Modelo and Dos Equis Amber on tap, lent specials, lunch specials, plenty of options to choose from with enough flexibility to do it your way. Seemed like a solid option, the food was decent, and the service was friendly. Plenty of room inside with multiple seating options and parking in front, side or back are all options. Venga Aqui! read more

See all

Checked out this long time popular Mexican restaurant in DeKalb. It certainly has been here for quite awhile and is one of the many restaurants in this part of town. Rosita's has been getting NIU students drunk and fed tacos for years. A lot bigger than it looks from the outside with enough room for big groups. The prices aren't that bad plus there's big portions. Basically there's quite a few Mexican restaurants around here. It's probably the best one because it has been around longest. This is family and locally owned. A lot better than the corporate chains. It's about $6 for a House Margarita. Add a buck to get another flavor. They also have massive ones. It's about $13 for an entree. The Numero 2 comes with a lot. It's an avocado tostada, and a beef and bean burrito. We substituted a bean burrito in place. Makes a vegetarian friendly option. This also comes with beans and rice. Good place as far as Americanized Mexican food. It's closed Mondays. They have tons of good specials. read more

Rosita's Mexican Restaurant - House Margarita And Numero 2 - Mexican Near Me - Dekalb, Illinois

The food was pretty good, no complaints there. This is the first Mexican restaurant where I've had to pay for chips. It was about $3.80 for one average sized basket of chips, no refill. Just so strange for a Mexican restaurant. Felt like they prioritize making extra money over customer experience. The service was a bit slow, but it was Saturday night. read more

We sat in the outdoor patio. There was a couple across from us and a couple directly behind us. We were the only three tables to be served on the patio. The hostess brought us menus. While a waitress came out approximately 5 times and attended to the couple behind us and a waiter came out twice and attended to the table across from us, no one came to our table. We waited about 15 minutes and then got up and left. On the way out I told the hostess that no one came out to wait on us. She said, "Really?" and that was it. read more

We have frequented Rositas for many years. Great spot for a bite before theatre at Stage Coach next door. Big servings. Hand made salsa. Seems authentic enough to me and they don't give any pushback on changes to a dish. A great choice in Dekalb. read more

See all

Our reservations were at 1pm with 3 kids under the age of 3. We did not get out of there until 3 pm. Little long for lunch with children. So, let us start with the service, service was VERY POOR! Our waitress was Grace A. Apparently, she does not know how to prioritize her tables. She had told us a couple times that she would be back to take our order. We finally had to ask her as she walked by our table, after taking orders from new customers as they arrived after us. That is when we noticed an attitude from her. Food was horrible. Rice was dried out, beans had no flavor whatsoever! 2 of us ordered chimichanga with ground beef and we got fatty shredded beef. Kids meals were very bland. Steak tacos had no flavor as well. Very sad that 1/2 of our party drove 1 an 1/2 hrs from Morrison and the other 1/2 drove about an hour from Glen Ellyn to come to this restaurant for our mother's day lunch. Super disappointed with the whole visit. Never again will we go there for any meal! read more

By far the worst experience I've ever had eating Mexican food. Me and my buddy from Aurora came there. Server was very nice but the food was absolutely awful. Got 3 chorizo tacos that had 0 seasoning and was tan meat. He got chicken tacos. We both took one bite and now an hour not even later both of us feel sick. Absolutely the worst I've ever had. If you care about your stomach. Don't go here read more

Great service, food on point, and atmosphere very comfortable. Great people serving our neighborhood for a long time. Keep up the great work. read more

My fave Mexican restaurant. Excellent service. Food is great, love the choice crispy vs soft tacos. Queso is awesome and margaritas perfect!!! read more

Food is far from authentic fine dining mexican food. Lots of yellow cheese and sour cream. Service great and place is clean. Reminds me of a Perkins not really a mexican restraunt read more

Excellent food, friendly and accurate service, and a great vibe here! John Balli keeps things happening here, and always a fun dinner (or lunch) here- thank you read more

I've been eating here for more than 42 years now. They are everything I want and everything I expect. Rosita's is one of my favorite restaurants in the world. read more

The michelada was disgusting, it came in a small cup. I requested a modelo and was given a corona instead. We ordered the fajitas and when it came out the sides for it were more of a meal then the actual small plate of fajitas. The chicken quesadilla had barely any cheese and the rice was bland. Overall this place is ridiculously overpriced. read more

Don't know about other reviews but our party of 5 were treated very well. Casey our server could not have been any nicer, or more attentive to our requests. The food was more than ample and delicious! We plan on going back again soon. We have family "meets" between Chicago and Iowa, the DeKalb site is good. My mother always said you can tell how clean the restaurant kitchen is by how clean the restrooms are; Rosita's are spotless!!! read more

Always delicious. It's been 10 years since I've been back to my hometown and they never disappoint. Service was the best. Very cold and windy but had my little dog so we sat outside. Bless the waitress for serving us and with a big smile read more

The food is very good. Large portions though chips and salsa are not free. The Juantons appetizer is very good filled with a lot of cheeses. The avocado dipping cream it came with was excellent. read more

Terrible service and very rude. Food was very bad and under cooked. Just a terrible experience overall I don't recommend it

It's been about 20 years since I've been here as I just moved back from SoCal. The quality of the food is still amazing! The prickly pear margarita- nice mix of the prickly pear and the tequila. Food, service and ambiance still unsurpassed read more

I went here recently to celebrate my girlfriend's sister's birthday. I don't go here too often for Mexican food as I feel like there are better options. But this place is ok. The staff here are always very nice and attentive. Their margaritas are pretty good, too! However, I feel like the food is just alright. I asked if they have horchata and they unfortunately don't have it. How could you call yourself authentic Mexican restaurant when you don't carry horchata? It's one of my favorite drinks and I almost always order one. I ordered the number 6: 3 beef enchiladas topped with melted cheese. The cheese was absolutely caked on the enchiladas. There was so much, I had to scrap some of it off of the enchiladas to even try and taste the other ingredients. The amount of cheese sort of ruined it for me. The enchiladas itself tasted ok. I probably wouldn't order this again. read more

Rosita's Mexican Restaurant - Number 6: 3 beef enchiladas with melted cheese, refried beans, Spanish rice, lettuce and tomato. - Mexican Near Me - Dekalb, Illinois

I keep coming back to this place, there are plenty of other places of all kinds where I don't return. Good location, plenty of parking, outdoor patio for the nice days Good dependable food, is it Mex high cuisine ... no. Could the recopies be tweaked, sure but then they won't be liked for another reason. In general all is good in moderation, there is such a thing as too much mayo or cheese etc. Owners should read the feedback good and bad, and make changes accordingly if they agree or want to experiment. Maybe eat at a few competitors, and see if there is anything they like. read more

Good atmosphere, good service, affordable, and the food was okay. I had the fajitas with shrimp, it was decent, but the food was good.

Rosita's service is always good and the food is enjoyable. It's the best place in town to have lunch with a friend.

Rosita's has some of the most comforting food ever! The Mexican food always gives off a soft, family-like ambiance. The service is great and the price is cheap. Great place to take the family when you're in DeKalb. I love Rosita's! read more

When the hostess seated us she said nothing. There was no hello, come with me, nothing. She waived menus and pointed. We had Jennifer as our waitress whom ignored us for the first 12 minutes, was unfriendly and rushed us to order. No complementary chips and salsa either. Who charges for chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant? When our food came out it was cold. The meat was slightly warm but beans, rice and the plate itself were ice cold and unedible. The burrito was rolled to the size of a quarter. Literally nothing in it. Carne Asada meal was so undercooked it was bloody. Absolutely disgusting. Jennifer never came back to refill our drinks or ask how our meal was. Very disappointing especially since we waited 30 minutes to be sat. I'd never go back or recommend this restaurant. read more

Hometown Favorite! Friendly waitstaff, tasty salsa, and a smooth and refreshing Cadillac Margarita. Try a Cheese Crisp or the Steak Taco's. Wow, now I'm hungry! read more

I ordered delivery to the hotel Where I was staying through an app that misdirected the deliverer. She and I figured it out by phone. Even with the hiccup, delivery was fast and the food arrived plenty warm. I've eaten a lot of Mexican cuisine, mainly in Chicago, and found Rosita's to be second to none. The chicken enchilada was delicious as were the rice and beans. Their customer service was outstanding. read more

we went there last Thursday night. god it was terrible. the taco and enchilada meat was watery, greasy and extremely over-seasoned. we had no time to eat our nachos because they rushed the food right out. everything was covered in what I think is American cheese, cheap stuff. the steak tacos tasted dry and salty. chicken verde was enjoyed by my wife but the plate was a mess, cheese and sauce dripping off the plate. It was a mess. I keep giving this place a chance and the continually disappoint me read more

Ms T and I stopped in DeKalb on our way home from Chicagoland to have lunch with an old friend. I know he and his wife are regulars at Rosita's so we met them here. I had eaten here once about ten years ago while on business. It is a fairly typical family style Mexican restaurant with perhaps just a little more sophistication. We did not eat a lot of chips and salsa, since we were busy catching up. The salsa was thin but with decent flavors. Ms T had a ground beef tostada. The beef was mildly seasoned and she said it was good. Often ground beef in these places is pretty boring. I ordered pork tacos. They were served with cilantro and a sprinkle of queso Chihuahua. I was happy that it was not drowned with raw onion. The pork was juicy with mild spice and good flavors. I guess they were trying to mimic al pastor a little although not advertised as such. The meat was sweet with pineapple juice. I found it too sweet, but with a squeeze of lime and some of the salsa, it was good. From our limited sampling I would rate Rosita's about average for small town family Mexican restaurant. read more

This place has grown on me over the years... I started out hating it because it's not "real" or "authentic" Mexican food... But it's pretty durn good Tex Mex! read more

I've been frequenting Rosita's for my entire life, and I have to agree with the previous reviewers who said that it isn't an authentic Mexican restaurant. If any of those people had bothered to check Yelp before going, they would have already known that. This fact does not detract from the simple truth that this restaurant is amazing. Nachitos are a family favorite- these are not authentic nachos, they are something different entirely. I personally prefer the tomatillo pork enchiladas as the main dish, though I often get an order of the Nachitos Ole for my meal (this is actually much closer to authentic nachos). Bottom line: It seems to be too confusing for people to figure out the difference between an authentic Mexican restaurant and an American restaurant built and operated by a Mexican family. Rosita's falls deliciously in the second category. read more

This is our second time coming to this restaurant, and we were very disappointed. The beef enchiladas and nachos had too much cheese, and it tasted like American cheese. Definitely more cheese than beef. It was at the point it was inedible. One person in our party had 2 completely empty waters and the waitress brought another person their drink and didn't come back to give another water. We also asked for more napkins and we were only given 2. Very disappointed in this restaurant, it was not authentic at all. read more

Went here for lunch after calling ahead to make sure the beans are lard-free (they are). Had the "Juan-Tons," which are cream cheese and pico de gallo in egg roll wrappers. They didn't mention that they also include cheddar, which was a surprise. The rolls themselves weren't that impressive, but the guacamole dip they came with was really good; nice bit of onion without being overpowering. My companion liked his chile relleno; I had the green enchiladas with cheese. The enchiladas were OK; the refried beans were really good, and the rice was pretty blah. Fried ice cream for dessert was tasty but not actually fried; it was a cornflake crusted ball of fairly good vanilla ice cream hidden under chocolate syrup and a bunch of whipped cream. The food was fairly mild; the plastic jug of salsa on the table was good though and permits one to turn up the heat if desired. I was very disappointed by the "Mexican hot chocolate" that is obviously from a mix (I asked, and the waitress confirmed they use Nestle's) - the menu says it is "Sweet Mexican chocolate spiced with cinnamon" - no cinnamon in evidence. Very spacious; the occupancy sign says they can only seat 509 (!) people. Full bar. read more

One word. Meh. I don't get why people want to go here, the food is nothing special and not authentic. So many other choices in DeKalb.

Not the best food. DEFINITELY NOT AUTHENTIC. Probably the least authentic Mexican Restaurant I've ever been to. Also I was served enchiladas with no sauce? When in the description there was sauce? Which is a big reason I ordered them, because I really like that specific sauce, and then was told I had to request it for extra money?????? Nah. I ain't comin back. read more

I have recently eaten here frequently, while waiting for family members rehearsing for a show at the nearby theatre. I'm not sure what other reviewers ordered that was "the worst" or so terrible they had to give a negative review, since they didn't really specify, but I have tried nearly a dozen menu items and they were all pretty excellent. I have NOT tried standard basic fare because.. frankly, if I just wanted a taco, I wouldn't bother going to a sit-down restaurant for that. I have tried their specialty items like the Pollo Azteca and the Tomatillo Pork Enchiladas and they were excellent. Delicious! The chicken, labeled spicy in the description, actually WAS. (Let's be honest, many places says something is spicy when it's barely a "medium" on the heat factor.) It had a wonderful chipotle flavor and was just the right amount of fire. No, the restaurant doesn't automatically throw a basket full of chips on your table, but if all you wanted was chips and salsa, why did you go out? You can order them OR many entrees come with them. The additional charge is so minimal, why complain? Their in-house hot sauce is definitely hot, a nice touch (no watered down, tomato sauce called salsa). This stuff is good. People who called it "salsa" in their reviews were mistaken. It's hot sauce. A condiment. Definitely not salsa. The entrees are very reasonably priced, the drinks are great and the waitstaff is very pleasant. We have had good service every time and I have been here on both slow and busy nights. Their recent special for lent of Baja Fish tacos.. wow. So good. I ordered it a couple of times I liked it so much. I will also post a photo if I am able. The kids menu was fine and even offered FUNNEL CAKE for a dessert option. YUM. I would recommend this restaurant for families, date nights, casual meet-ups with friends or anyone who simply wants a great mexican meal at a great price. read more

Rosita's Mexican Restaurant - Rosita's Baja Fish Taco with guacamole & chips in the background... mmmm! - Mexican Near Me - Dekalb, Illinois

Margaritas are fine. But, I got a taco salad, asked to substitute shrimp. They did, 6 shrimp for $5.99 on top of the $9.99 for the salad itself. Lettuce was shredded and topped with chopped tomato, a HUGE scoop of sour cream and AMERICAN CHEESE cut into strips....... the salad was VERY small. It also said that it came with tortilla strips on top which I did not receive.... We also ordered nacho tow with jalapeño they came topped with American cheese.... all in all very disappointing experience. We came for a group going away party and just received disappointing service all together. Definitely not authentic Mexican food. read more

Been coming here for years. This location has amazing cheese enchiladas. A must stop location in Dekalb.

Our go to hangout for girls night...yummy margaritas, guacamole and salsa! And DAVE, our favorite bartender!