Introducing the not-so-happy hour at Rosa Mexicano in Hackensack

At Rosa Mexicano in Hackensack, the terrific guacamole is prepared from a single avocado at your table ($14), but during happy hour you can get unlimited refills. 

The restaurant makes fresh corn tortillas in the dining room.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

For Christmas, my wife bought me a $100 gift card to Rosa Mexicano in Hackensack, a fine-dining favorite of ours where almost everything is made from scratch.

We decided to drive there today and use the card during the restaurant's happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (and all day Sunday).

During happy or cantina hour, bottles of Mexican beer are only $4, appetizers are discounted and you can get unlimited refills of the terrific guacamole, which is made with one avocado and costs $14.

Happy hour scratched

But not today.

When I walked in with my wife and mother-in-law this afternoon and told the hostess we were there for happy hour, she said it was cancelled for the holiday.

I said the restaurant's Web site didn't mention that; she asked another employee, then said she was sorry she couldn't accommodate us.

The bar was about half-full, and the experience was embarrassing, to say the least.

Silent Web site

I looked at Rosa Mexicano's Web site this morning and saw the happy hours listed, as well as special happy hour drink and food menus.

I saw nothing about the happy hour being called off, because Rosa Mexicano is serving a special New Year's Eve menu for $45 a person with unlimited margaritas, beer and other alcohol for another $28 a person.

If one person wants the special holiday menu, everyone at the table has to order it. Ditto for the drinks; I drink, but my wife and mother-in-law don't.

In addition, the menu includes chicken, sausage and Mexican doughnuts (churros), none of which I eat.

Paul the manager 

When we got home, I called and reached the restaurant's manager, who identified himself as Paul.

I mentioned the Web site's silence on happy hour being cancelled for the holiday.

He said I should have asked to speak to him, but also noted "he just got in" to work. He also said he wanted to make things right.

But I said the Web site should be updated, and he should train his hostess to be more flexible.

Then, I wished him a Happy New Year and hung up.