The Rose Café is some of the greatest, authentic Mexican food that Santa Barbara has to offer and is extremely popular with locals. The restaurant has been family owned and operated since 1947 and developed a huge following in town, mainly due to their reasonable prices and giant portions of home-cooked favorites. Particularly on Fridays, the wait for a table can be brutal as hungry diners pile up on the Mesa sidewalk and gaze longingly through the window.

The menu at Rose Café is pretty standard but runs the gamut of California-style Mexican favorites from great burritos and tacos to killer guacamole. Combination plates include generous sides of beans and Mexican rice for about $8-10. Traditional Mexican menudo (tripe soup) is $6 for a giant bowl and the Tacos Guadalajara are hard to pass up when you get regular tacos smothered in homemade guacamole. Many of the breakfast choices are served all day and there are several choices for youngsters at discount prices. Everything is served in heaping portions and prices are reasonable considering what you get. Top it off with a cool Negro Modelo for $4 or margaritas by the glass or pitcher.

The restaurant itself has some old school charm. The Mesa location is little more than 20 or so tables, some traditional décor, and feels very homey. The chatter is constant — sometimes deafening — and the busy, congenial atmosphere makes for very pleasant family dining.

The Rose Café has an additional location downtown at 424 East Haley Street and either is worth visiting for a great balance of quality and quantity. Catering and special events are available thanks to popularity. For over 10 years, Rose Café has been a leader in local polls for best Mexican food. After a long day of surfing or trawling the stores along State Street, the Rose Café will fill a hungry belly and then some. Try to get there early and avoid a long wait for a table.