Rosa's

What a rip-off. Visiting daughter in Spitalfields and had impromptu meal there as we like Thai. Food good, but service rude and unfriendly. Very basic surroundings, more like a cheap diner, not very comfortable. Prices a rip-off, we objected to the service charge being added and it was removed, but on examining the bill again later, we had still been overcharged. Needless to say, no tip was left and we won't be returning and our daughter will tell her numerous friends not to go there again.

I went to Rosa's yesterday and I must say I was most disappointed. As soon as we were seated, the waitress informed us that we had 1.5 hours because after that they needed the table for someone else. The table service was too quick- as soon as we sat down they asked us what we wanted to drink- without actually having looked at the menu. Then the main arrived 10 minutes apart, before the starter. The spring rolls as a starter were good, but the plate was whipped away before I'd finished. The Red Thai curry was nice, but the papaya salad was really below par- there wasn't actually any papaya in it, and the prawns were tiny- they were clearly dried.

After an hour, before we'd finished our food, another group entered and the waitress asked us to hurry up so that they could have our table. Very bad service. The dinner was only saved by my delightful, hilarious friend. I wouldn't go back there and would discourage others from doing so.

I have been eating at Rosa's in Spitalfields for nearly 3 years and the standards have dropped drastically, and the prices are way higher than before. I went there just yesterday, and being a Sat, I booked on the phone. They were really rude with me like they do not like bookings and commented twice that we just had 1.5h to eat. When arrived there, we noticed the restaurant was not that full as usual. We needed to wait 15 mins for one of our friends to join us, so they were checking on us every 2 mins asking us to order. And reminding us that they needed our table by 9. Finally we had the staters (the forgot to bring us the plates, I had to ask for them!) and the main. The thai green curry I had was not bad but was average compared to the food they were serving just last year.

Then the rudest waitress came and showed us the bill (without us asking for it) telling us we have been warned we needed to leave the table by 8:30. We obviously complained we had been promised the table until 9 and that we wanted a sweet rice pudding, so she left saying no puddings are served on winter and she would have checked the times with her manager. She never came back, so that we had to ask for the bill 10 mins later. A high one, £125 for 6 mains and 5 starters and 7 drinks! Like the other comments I read, it's like they are doing us a favour serving the food. And the service charge is now included in the bill so you cannot do much. It's a real shame, Rosa's used to be so good, but they really changed since they opened the new branch in Sono.

I went there with some friends las night and just like the person who wrote the previous comment, we were told that we only had 1.5h to have our dinner which really put me off (even in fine dining restaurantes the turnaround is 2h))). The waitress was very rude and acted like she was making us a big favour just being there. Once the mains arrived the question "are you done?" was popping every 5 minutes. Instead of relaxing and ejoying the food, which wasn't bad, we felt like some school kids at the head teacher's office.
I haven't had such a bad experience in a very long time and definitely won't go back.

Terrible service. I went to Rosas last week and had the most unhospitable welcoming in my life - as we sat down, not even a hello - they told us right away we only had one hour and a half to eat. The rest of the meal we were rushed throughout - very patchy service. Do not go there- service is severely flawed.

Went last night, and whilst the food was good I thought the service was really patchy - had to ask several times for the rest of the main course, and also several times for the bill. Also my main wasn't very hot...

Not sure I'd recommend it as highly as others have!

I have to say I am now (after about the 3rd week of coming once a week) a regular at this certain Thai , not just because of the fact i live near but because though to an astonishment on my behalf, towards some of the comments below me, it actually is very good. I always try to vary the dishes i order , some i must say are the same thing I've tasted elsewhere; nothing special but that doesn't dwindle from the fact its a safe bet when your craving some thai food. The thing is i have to say is that the penaeng curry is outstanding, plus the green curry made traditional unlike most restaurants (In answer to the comment below the green curry on the menu state they make it traditionally and not thickened up with corn syrup) the starter are all superb especially the tom kha soup, the curries are great , the rice is well….Rice and the char grilled selection is absolutely fantastic from what i have tried; I still have a lot to go.
The safe bet for most of us is the pad thai which has now officially given me cravings close to the point where i believe they have copied cokes original way of hooking customers by adding …well coke to coca cola…maybe there is a thai drug called pad?
On a final note most of the dishes i have ordered (alot) are very good some are average and some blow my head of its so spicy and thats why i have given 4 stars.
The service was polite and kind which makes my experience a lot more satisfactory ontop of the great food.
To conclude this restaurant is unique in the fact that it doesn't go onto the 'Western' Thai food restaurants you usually get , but is in-between the traditional thai ( having lived there myself for 5 years) and 'Western' thai, i guess why its a fusional modern thai restaurant that I love.

Came here last Sunday after not being there for nearly 2 years and the standards have dropped drastically. Starters arrived in 30 seconds, and main course about a minute later. There previously good reputation seems to have made them believe you can churn customers in and out within 30 mins with sub standard precooked food heated up in a microwave. What a shame, they were once so good !!

Checked the web and found the restaurant closed at 10.30. Arrived after a fifteen minute cab journey at 9.55 and was told the kitchen was closing as it had been 'dead all day'. The place was packed.

Went to Rosa yesterday and I have to admit the food was quite bad and over-priced. The classic green thai curry was watery and bland. The pad thai noodle was slightly over-cooked. We won't go back again.

The walls are not pink they are white!!

Brick Lane is best known for the plethora of Curry houses, each and every one somehow boasting ‘Curry house of the year' but I have discovered a great little Thai place in Hanbury Street, off Brick Lane. Booking is essential, we have tried a couple of off the cuff attempts and it is always full. The staff are efficient and friendly, the interior is quite basic with long wooden benches. It is more of a functional restaurant than a romantic one, but the food is worth the venture. Having been there a few times, I can thoroughly recommend the following dishes: Poo Nim, the soft shell crab is wonderful, very aromatic, with a crispy exterior and a fabulous spattering of fresh chilli and herbs over the top, Rib Eye Yang is a succulent portion of chargrilled beef, with a tangy, sour and spicy accompanying sauce, Hoy Shell Pad Pak is a favourite dish, a stir fried plate of scallops with yellow bean paste, expertly cooked scallops, soft inside, crunchy outside with a spicy aromatic sauce. The dish which puts this restaurant above all other Thai’s is the aubergine – Pad Makhuea. A stir fried aubergine dish, cooked with yellow bean, chilli and sweet Thai basil. The texture is beyond fabulous, it seems to dissolve on the tongue, incredibly aromatic and succulent. I would go there for this alone. I think many London Thai restaurants get it wrong in over-doing the oil content of dishes,over use of the deep fat fryer and clouding dipping sauces with gelatinous generic sauce. Rosa’s does none of these things. Attention is paid to each dish that comes to you, each one expertly flavoured with fresh sauces, excellent use of aromatics and well cooked meat. Tasty. http://itrustcowsmorethanchemists.blogspot.com/2010/06/rosas-great-little-thai-place-off-brick.html

Went to Rosa's this weekend. Food was great but service leaves a lot to be desired. Would it be too much to ask to get new cutlery for your main course after you have used the first set for your starter? If I put my used knife and fork on my plate and put my used napkin on top of it, it means "take it all away" not lift up the knife and fork and shake the napkin back on to the plate before placing the used knife and fork onto the table! And if I ask for a clean napkin, it would be nice if the waiter/waitress just did so rather than get a surly face on. These things should just be standard - you shouldn't have to ask for such a basic level of service. We reduced our tip accordingly.