Vivo Austin

Great Tex Mex! In a strip mall but don’t let that device you. Enchiladas were tasty!

Wow! Great find near our hotel! Best margaritas and shrimp tacos ever! Our server, Kat was so great to recommend them when I was undecided between 2 dishes. The sauce and tortillas are perfection. The tortilla was slightly chewy yet crispy with the ideal amount of cheese. I had the spicy Serrano margarita and my mom had the muddled strawberry and basil. Simply amazing. The atmosphere was gorgeous and candlelit. I have no idea what the «too bright» reviews are referring to. I highly recommend Kat but everyone was very friendly!

Nothing on the menu I haven’t seen or eaten at Tacqueria for a LOT less money and equal taste. NOT kid friendly. No kids menu or entrees, no child drinks like lemonade (closest was «virgin» margarita that was too sour — she spit it out. Restaurant was too warm and music too loud.

Mmmmm! This place is awesome, worth every calorie! ! My goodness the Pollo Vivo I think I could eat it every day!

Being that I am from San Antonio I was used to amazing Mexican food all of the time. I just recently moved to Austin and luckily my sister discovered this place.
It’s a bit of San Antonio in Austin in the authentic Mexican food department.
Their margaritas are spot on and are only 5 dollars during happy our. SCORE.
I always judge whether a Mexican restaurant is going to be good by their chips and salsa initially. They most definitely past the test with their flavorful, roasted, tasty, spicy salsa.
I had shrimp enchiladas. So yummy. I finished my whole place. Came with a tasty creamy sauce and I’m pretty sure the corn tortillas they used were homemade. Yummo.
Their $ 5 happy hour menu items and tacos are also great. So yes I highly recommend this place. Great food, great service, cool happy hour, great margaritas.

Food is nasty and dry with no flavor very disappointed the only thing good here is the margaritas

Finally a tasty puffy taco in Texas! Courteous and friendly staff, very accommodating, pleasant atmosphere. The food presentation was aesthetically pleasing. The best chips and salsa town in town. The only downside was that it is a little pricey and it didn’t appear as though you could order the tacos ala cart.

Great happy hour, it’s from 4 – 7 pm Monday — Friday. I really enjoyed the carnitas tacos. My boyfriend had the enchiladas verdes and kindly shared them with me. They were also pretty tasty, I liked the flavor the green salsa has. They new location is not bad and the bartender said they are going to have a nice patio area coming soon! Of course it’s not going to be as nice as the old location, where they had a beautiful garden but I’m sure it going to be beautiful.

Oh, wow, no thanks. This food was unbelievably bland. What I had:
— Salsa — Seasoned tomato paste. I guess it’s not as bad as a watery pico de gallo, I appreciated how thick it was, but I couldn’t get on board for it. However, my co-​workers liked it.
— Pambazo — It’s described as a Mexican sandwich dipped in guajillo paste, stuffed with beans, crumbled sausage, and cubed potatoes. Lemme tell you, it is not only ungodly messy to eat, but it is UTTERLY bland! It has a little smoky spicyness but «mildly spicy» doesn’t pass as real flavor.
This wasn’t just a matter of being unremarkable, but was straight unpleasant. I have no desire to come here again.

If you’re looking for a date spot with the prettiest of margaritas and tastiest of salsas, then this is your place. Tucked away in a strip mall in this north Austin area is the gem of Vivo. I’m so glad my friend and I got to try the delicious Mexican food and margs in this beautiful atmosphere!
The complimentary chips and salsa were tasty with some spice. Definitely order a margarita (definitely order a size regular too) and get a beautiful flower with it. Portions are also very large, so you will get your bang for your buck with the food here! I was very pleased with my taco salad with shredded chicken. Hearty and somewhat healthy, and full of good authentic Mexican flavors. The taco shell was probably the best part– super buttery and delicious.
For a decent price, my friend and I enjoyed a girl’s night with pretty– not to mention fresh and tasty– margaritas, yummy food, and a nice atmosphere. The restaurant was quite crowded also, but this didn’t stop the service from being very accommodating and friendly. I will continue to rave about this restaurant to my friends because Vivo deserves it!

I feel like this has become a trendy Tex mex place. I do love their beef fajita salad. A little more pricey than the authentic places but clean, good service and nice ambience. I only come here during lunch because my job is nearby.

My coworker and I had that unsettling margarita craving that creeps up on you when you least expect it, so we decided to head over to Vivo because she raved about their frozen cucumber margarita.
The place is cute, I like the large pillars of melted candles and wax at the entrance, it makes it feel more, homey? It was a bit crowded when we went, not like there were full tables everywhere crowded, but we were seated along the wall with tables on either side of us that had larger busty women sitting at them and I couldn’t even get into my chair kind of crowded. I had to awkwardly ask the woman behind me to scooch forward so I didn’t have to yoga my way into my seat, same went for my coworker.
The chips and salsa were OK. What is it with all these restaurants in Austin and their paper-​thin chips? The salsa was good, but the chips disintegrated in my hands. As far as food goes, we both ordered the chalupa compuesta, one beef and one shrimp. These were ‘eh.’ At first glance it looked like they had handed us two plates of shredded lettuce, that’s literally all you saw. Once we dug through the pile we eventually saw the slice of tomato and meat and maybe some beans (?).
Our waitress was also training a new waiter, so I’m not really sure who our go-​to person was but they were both awkward.
My coworker was right though, the cucumber margarita was on point. But perhaps not enough to make me come back anytime soon.

Great shrimp tacos! I also forgot my credit card and they waited a bit after they closed for me to pick it up once I realized I forgot it. That’s what I call customer service! (Didn’t get the staff members name)
Highly recommend!

Really tasty food and drink options, and for the pescatarians, they have some great options. The Shrimp Relleno is really yummy! The ambiance is nice, bathrooms are clean and beautiful and family friendly :). I’m definitely coming back for brunch :)

Go during happy hour! (last longer than most…7pm)
$ 5 margs and 2 tacos for $ 5…
Their margs surpass the rest, not only are they pretty but they are potent! (They are a little pricy during times outside of happy hour but well worth it)
Their pollo vivo is an all time favorite of mine, but really anything is good… chips and guac are a must (don’t be surprised if you finish a basket or two… these chips are highly addictive)
The only reason why I had to knock a star off is because the undesirable location… a little out of the way than it’s previous one… That being said I would drive great lengths for these margaritas!
Happy Eating!

Vivo is one of my all time favorite Tex-​mex in Austin! The margaritas are delicious and strong, the queso is amazing, and the shrimp tacos always round out our meal nicely. We love the staff here too! Try out Vivo! But don’t kick us out of our regular bar spot :)

I love this place !!! But they have to bring back the paintings!!! They made atmosphere all that more Austintacious!!! Please, please, please bring back the paintings!!! plus the Red head waitress sucked

Yum! I’ve been here a few times — loved the nachos and would definitely recommend. This place has some of the best chips and salsa. The salsa is complex, delicious, and perfectly spicy. The chips are salty, and crispy. Super delicious.
I’ve always had great service here. I like that often when you go in they’ll bring little pitchers of water so that you can refill your own glass as needed.
I have had the salad (new year) the chicken was well cooked, but I wish I would have gotten the shrimp, because my friend’s looked even better. I had a special menu lunch special — mole enchiladas which were complex and tasty. It’s a place where I’ll even eat the rice because I can’t help it.
The drinks are not only gorgeous, but delicious as well! They don’t use any unidentifiable tequilas — so even the house margaritas are great.
Location — easy to park, and surprisingly beautiful inside décor and atmosphere given it is in a strip mall.

Probably the best Tex-​Mex (taste-​wise) i’ve had, since living in Texas. Super delicious food here & the house margs are amazing… in fact, those and the queso are probably the best thing they sell. AND the CHIPS~! excellent!
The service is top-​notch, also. We were there on a busy night and were attended to regularly by the waitstaff. They knocked it out of the park, service-​wise.
I had the vegetarian puffy tacos on corn (of course), queso and 2 house margs — rocks w/​salt.
Excellent corn tortillas, nice earthy corn flavor to them and didn’t fall apart at all. the vegetarian filling in them was outstanding (bean, cabbage, tomato, avocado, cheese)…my only gripe about them is that they are TINY! like, REALLY tiny… i devoured each of mine in 3 bites.

The new location is pretty awful compared to the ambiance of the old location. No roses at the door, ladies. No rose petals over ice in the bathroom sink. And good luck finding the place. The shopping center and google maps aren’t friends.
The food was not great. Dry carnitas, okay salsa. As for wine selection, you can choose between two options: a Chardonnay and a Shiraz. Full bar, two wine choices. Wtf.
Lastly, and this is pretty subjective in its irritation level, my friend and I met for her birthday and as she unwrapped her gift, tissue paper caught fire from the candle burning on our table. We tried to blow it out but I ended up throwing on the concrete floor and stomping out the flames. My chair flipped over, we were yelling, it was quite a scene. But no one came by to help, not the hostess or the bartender or anyone. I don’t expect other diners to help, even though I would have. 20 minutes later our server came by asking if we were okay, «I heard there was a fire! Are you okay?,» she asked laughing. Ashes were still all over the floor and our table.
Maybe this happens a lot at Vivo?
PS I am visibly pregnant. Would you sit back and watch as a pregnant woman stomps out flames in the restaurant where you work?

My family and I decided to come here for my sisters birthday dinner last night from the recommendation of one of my coworkers. She kept raving about the orchids that are served in their margaritas, and the long stemmed roses that you get with your receipt. So my family and I went there thinking this would be an appropriate place to spend the birthday modest celebration.
We were seated within a few minutes, and our server was by for our drink order in another few minutes. Of course I had to order one of their signature drinks with the orchid in them — a cucumber Margarita. It was delicious! I loved the creativity of the drink and it was gorgeous. I only wished that for nearly $ 10 for one drink it would have been a little stronger on the alcohol.
All of our dinners were visually appealing and they tasted just as good as they looked. I ordered the shrimp enchiladas knowing that the shrimp could be either hit or miss. Unfortunately I could tell that the shrimp was overcooked and not fresh. It didn’t ruin the meal, but I definitely expected a different taste and texture from the shrimp. Everything else about the enchiladas had great flavor and again the visual appearance was fantastic.
Our server was very nice too, she didn’t rush as (the time we were there was approaching their closing time). And although we didn’t get the long stemmed rose with our receipts like I was expecting my sister was served a decadent birthday chocolate cannoli. We all had to share! Maybe next time we will see the rose :-).

I could literally exist off Vivo chips, salsa, puffy tacos and margaritas.
4 stars because I’m not a huge fan of this location — strip malls aren’t my thing.
But seriously, the puffy tacos. Vegetarians rejoice, because their bean and avocado ones are the best thing since sliced bread.

Vivo makes amazing food. With so much on the menu, we had a hard time choosing just one thing. So we ordered a little bit of everything. There were 5 of us and the amount of food we received was perfect for our group. Vivo kept the drinks coming, and the chip basket full. Happy Hour is already a special time and Vivo helps elevate that experience.

I give Vivo 3 stars with a heavy heart. It was exciting news to hear that they had reopened. Granted in a bizarre location, nevertheless open.
Usually I try take pictures of the interior plus the food for most reviews.
The lack of any for Vivo is evidence of how lack luster it all was. Decoration underwhelming and food just meh.
HH prices may make a trip worthwhile but let’s face it, this is Austin, we know how to Happy Hour!

We can here with a recommendation from a friend. She said they had the best tortilla chips ever! Now while I completely do NOT agree with that statement, the food was good and the service was excellent.
We ordered the queso (which was pretty much just melted cheese — delicious though) and it came out promptly. Our service did an excellent job of keeping our waters filled while we were there — which I really appreciate it.
The portions were good and my fajitas tacos had a generous serving of steak — although it did lack flavor. I just added some salsa and it was good.
We would go back to this place. It’s in a very unsuspecting location though and took us a few minutes to find.

They do have some great prices vs. portion sized lunch specials and ample parking!
Good: The salsa was amazing, they refilled chip baskets without us asking and the drink refills came quickly. The beef in my puffy taco plate was juicy and well seasoned! The jalapeño’s on the taco’s were fresh and the flavor was spot on. The service was seamless!
Bad: The queso basically tasted like melted Velveeta and we had to add salsa to it to fix it. It was just ok after that but, edible. I ordered the puffy taco plate on their lunch menu for $ 8.95. I ordered one shredded chicken and one beef taco. The chicken was extremely dry and I just wasn’t a fan of the puffy taco shell. This is more of a personal preference so, I didn’t reflect that in the number of stars this review got. The rice and beans were just ok and nothing special.
Also, be aware that when you order a soft drink they bring you a canned soda so you will be paying for each refill.

Believe it or not I actually prefer this place at it’s new location. I mean, the one on Manor was located well and attractive, but I felt the food had kind of gone downhill. Now, at the new location near Highland Mall, the food seems better than ever. I’m a huge fan of the little happy hour tacos, and the salad.
The décor is still super cute, and the margaritas are as good as always. The restaurant itself can be a little noisy when it’s crowded, and the keep in really cold in there. I do kind of miss being able to sit in the patio, but it looks like they are working on some outdoor seating. Too bad it will face a parking lot, but whatever. I’m sure they are saving tons of money in this location vs Manor Rd., so it is what it is.
Vivo is a great place for Tex Mex that’s a little less greasy. Everything tastes nice and fresh. I recommend you try it!

So… I came back with my sister to grab some late lunch… and ritas. It was her first time. she enjoyed it immensely. I got an chicken enchilada plate that was divine. and those chips. that salsa is meant to be enjoyed by the gallons. my go– to spot.
On a side note. there was this dude saying he was choking [if your talkin you’re breathin] but I digress… he had a friend do some sort of heimlich maneuver on him… while he was giving directive. had he was was seriously choking id would have done the real thing… and yes ribs generally break with it. but it saves lives…

I’ll be honest I came here for the margaritas pictured on the website. The frozen margaritas are beautifully presented with a lime and flower topping them. After one and a half margaritas I contemplated wearing the flowers on my head. Then I began clapping to some magical music that wasn’t playing. I’m sure this is a sign that they pour an adequate amount of tequila in their drinks. Needless to say this was a start to a great evening.
After a few strange looks from the others in my dining party I decided to order something off the menu. I went with the puffy tacos I wasn’t sure what a puffy taco was but I decided that this was the night to find out. It was something very similar to a regular taco but the tortilla is thicker and puffy similar in some ways to a gordita. I found it tasty, the beans and rice are good and I ate every bite. After the successful dinner I decided to move onto dessert. I requested flan ;a square piece of flan with very little sauce was presented to me. It was a large serving and I found the taste to be good.
Now I’ve rated this place 3 stars it’s not the best Tex-​Mex food I’ve had but it’s not bad, the service is good the food is filling, and the margaritas are beautiful and tasty.
I would rate this place a solid 3 ½ stars. The problem is Unilocal won’t Allow me to give 3 ½ stars.
I would return again for the happy hour and the frozen margaritas.

I love me some yummy Tex-​Mex and a mean margarita so I was excited to try out VIVO.
I’m a big fan of their exceptional in house fresh salsa. I ordered their delicious house marg with 100% agave, their puffy beef taco (think a taco that’s extra fluffy & also extra crispy at the same time) with jalapenos, lettuce, tomato and cheese. I only ordered one but after finishing I was regretting not ordering 2 — so good. I also tried their fiesta salad with lime vinaigrette — large portion and fresh ingredients.
Our waiter was so super helpful in giving us popular plate suggestions and his favorite dishes to try.
VIVO is a great place to get quality and yummy Tex-​Mex.

Oh Vivo… where have you gone? I have to compare you to the old Vivo… lively, cool location… great drinks… now… it’s a swing and a miss.
The reason I came to Vivo to begin with was the frozen cucumber margarita… which now cucumber is an add-on…so my old favorite is $ 11… which would be great except that when I first ordered it, the server got it wrong and made a non-​frozen one… then when it was corrected to frozen… the ice tasted like that ice that had been in the freezer for weeks and tasted like everything that had been in the freezer with it… just skanky… and that depressed me.
This place stinks in comparison to the old one… the vibe is gone, the energy isn’t there… it’s not — so Vivo anymore. God bless them for reopening… but it’s a big meh from me… and how can you screw up a frozen Margarita that comes out of a machine…
I’m leaving here depressed that something awesome just isn’t anymore.

So what makes this place different from the 700 other Tex-​Mex restaurants in Austin?
1. I think it’s the best salsa I’ve ever had in a Tex-​Mex place.
2. I think it’s the most unique collection of art I’ve ever seen in a Tex-​Mex place.
Now aside from the salsa and art, I’m not sure what else here was all that extraordinary. But Holy Puffy Taco, Murciélago-​man, I love a restaurant that thinks differently, with maybe a touch of humor. We expect a beef or chicken option in Tex-​Mex fare, but tofu? And what’s with the red walls adorned with all that booby art? If it’s some sort of owner or cultural homage, then forgive me, I really didn’t know.
I also have no idea what the original Vivo Austin on Manor was like, but it’s here in Lincoln Village now, and it’s convenient for lunch or dinner. And on Sundays and Mondays, you’ll get a separate brunch menu from 11am-​3pm. I’m guessing somehow brunch is better on Mondays, rather than Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
A full bar, an efficient staff, and a whole bunch of two-​tops crammed for capacity rather than comfort — I probably could’ve gone with meh or an easy A-​OK for this place. But when they brought us that second bowl of killer salsa — without asking — they got themselves «fanned.» I say «Bravo, Vivo Austin, Bravissimo.»

Vivo… I’m glad you’re back, but it’s not the same :(. Located in Lincoln Village, it’s a lot more convenient for the northsiders now.
We came here after Blue Genie Art Bazaar, practically next door. We weren’t super hungry, so this initial review will only be for drinks & appetizers.
The salsa is just blah. I don’t remember the salsa being this blah. The chips were nothing special. My friend ordered a chalupa & she liked it. In fact, she wished she had ordered two. I ordered the queso and it was ok. Not great, not horrible. The margaritas were pretty good and were presented beautifully with a purple orchid on top. But at $ 10 apiece for house margaritas, they should have knocked my socks off. Oh — I wasn’t wearing socks. My shoes did nothing.
I would try it again for dinner, but I would probably wait until they’ve been open a bit longer. I have great hope that they have the potential to be as great as the former 620 location was. I can’t comment on the Eastside location because I was never there. It was nice to see similar funky artwork as their former 620 location.
Kudos to the manager who came by to chat with us… very nice touch. They also said they would be adding a patio. Where and how I don’t know, but that would definitely improve the ambiance.