Inside Naperville’s Fun New Taqueria With Mexican Seafood Bar

In Naperville, where city officials have craved to create a restaurant row of their own, Fat Rosie’s is growing up. The Mexican restaurant opened four years ago, the fourth location — Frankfort opened in 2015, and Lincolnshire and Schaumburg followed. The Naperville location opened four years ago. On Thursday, staff moved across the street to a larger location with a new menu helmed by venerable Mexican chef Dudley Nieto.

Nieto, who curated Pilsen Gourmet (which takes place Friday), joined the operation about a year ago in anticipation of the move. Scott Harris — the same Scott Harris behind Mia Francesca and who was also involved in the Purple Pig — founded Fat Rosie’s, catering to a suburban crowd mostly interested in boozy and sugary margaritas and chips and salsa. To be fair, it sure sounds a bit like Andersonville.

The space is three times as large as the restaurant across the street.

But, now seven years later, many Americans, even those who live outside urban areas — sorry Chris Chelios — are demanding more. Nieto developed a new menu with an Ensenada bar, channeling the Mexican coastal city. The bar will serve consome de camarón, cachetona de pulpo y camarón, oysters, ceviche, and more. Nieto says the seafood experience will be unlike any other in the area.

The restaurant, now open, is named after a donkey Harris allegedly saw at an agave farm in Mexico. Take a tour through the space below.

Fat Rosie’s, 22 E. Chicago Avenue, Suite 111 in Naperville, hours not posted.

Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago