Rosie's

"Ever watch a random movie on a plane? Usually it's something harmless, a romantic comedy with bright colors and attractive people. Maybe you laughed a few times. Afterwards, you thought, "Well, that was 'cute' enough." It wasn't anything particularly memorable, and somewhere deep down you held on to the sense you could probably have made better use of you time. But with a glass of alcohol in your hand and nowhere else to be, you felt fine about things. This has been our experience at Rosie's, a big Mexican restaurant in the East Village: it's a perfectly OK place to have a good time, but relatively unmemorable overall. On multiple visits, we didn't walk away feeling like we needed to order anything we'd eaten again. Most of it wasn't bad, it was just not all that exciting. The restaurant is the newest project from the chefs behind Cookshop and Vic's, but it has more in common with the nearby "well, that was definitely fine" Vic's than it does with the original "that place was actually great" Cookshop. The space is big and open, decorated with what are essentially glorified string lights, giving the whole place kind of backyard party on Pinterest vibe. If it's warm out, the doors are all open to the street, and there's an outdoor seating area that makes 2nd Avenue actually feel pretty nice. It's a good space in which to drink tequila and eat some guacamole, just don't expect to be wowed by the majority of the food. Put it this way: is this a restaurant you should go out of your way to make a reservation at? No. But if you end up here because your friend booked it for their birthday party? (And someone is inevitably going to book it for their birthday party). You'll be fine. Food Rundown Coctele De Mariscos This was pitched hard to us, and it's essentially Bloody Mary mix with some seafood mixed in, in a root beer float glass, with Saltines on the side. Sure. We didn't love the thick sauce, and would not endorse ordering this again. Tostada De Salpicon De Dorado These are crunchy tostadas, but ones the size of chips, topped with some very fishy mahi mahi. We'd do an extra order of tacos over these. Pescado Taco A very respectable fish taco. We're not handing out awards here, but this does the trick. Al Pastor Taco Again, a solid taco. Not the best, but a decent al pastor. Tacos are the move here. Pescado En Su Jugo A whole porgy, in a tomato/chile/orange sauce. The fish was light and tasty for a few bites, but nobody wanted to finish this. Carne Asada A sliced marinated skirt steak is usually a good order. That's the case here: it's one of the better entrees. It comes with some onions and guacamole. Churros Yep, these are great. All churros are good. The churros that the lady sells on the L train platform are probably good. Anyway, churros. Get 'em." - Hillary Reinsberg

"This sprawling spot from the veteran restaurateurs behind Cookshop offers a veritable index of Mexican regional cuisines. The menu effortlessly hops from ceviches to tlacoyos to carnitas to a Oaxacan mixed-meat grill-up. Many of the antojitos, reinvented by chef Marc Meyer, are whipped up in an open kitchen smack dab in the middle of the open-sided restaurant." - Robert Sietsema

"Say you’re in more of a tequila and guacamole mood than a vodka and guitar mood, you can bop across the street from Anyway Cafe to Rosie’s. This Mexican spot is taking reservations for their outdoor tables ahead of time online, and they’re open for dinner on the weekdays and brunch and dinner starting at 1pm on weekends." - hannah albertine, matt tervooren

"Considering New York's reputation when it comes to Mexican food, it's possible that Rosie's was actually transplanted here from LA. Even the décor feels a little California, with pale-green, geometric chairs, string lights hanging above the bar, and sliding doors that open the corner space to the street in warm months. The menu has all of the classic craving-satisfiers, including tacos al pastor, queso fundido, and a tart, lime-ey margarita. The easy vibe makes it the kind of place that's great for feeding a big group without a fuss."

The East Village & Lower East Side Guide

"At East Village restaurant Rosie’s, María Fuentes and two co-workers press out between 600 and 700 tortillas on a busy night." - Lesley Téllez