Viva La Vida Spanish and Mexican Restaurant

The food was good, service not so much. But worst of all they charge 3.00 for a soda which was a glass full of ice and they don’t give free refills. We waited 20+ minutes for a check that we had to ask for. We won’t be returning.

I have been coming here for over 15 years and we have never had a bad experience. The food is always fresh and prepared and presented in a timely matter. Great lunch menu specials. EXCELLENT SERVICE!!!
* I recommend a reservation on Saturday night because it can get very crowded.

I have been here many times and the food is average and inconsistent. It is reasonably priced Mexican food and the service is good. The drinks were good but like the food the quality inconsistent. At times the food is spot on then the next time it is too salty. I try to stay away from the specials because although they sound good they are usually better on paper than on your palate. It’s a reasonably priced average experience.

Always a pleasure coming to viva la vida. Order the guacamole as a tapas. It was delicious but could have been spicier. I ordered the flautas for dinner and they were good, could have had more filling. My dad ordered the ceviche and it was tasty but lacked the amount of seafood you would expect in a dish like that. The atmosphere is great for family dinners or date nights it feels like you are in mexico.

Food was really good. Service was lacking, our server walked past our table 2 while my empty drink was front a center at the edge of the table. He was moving so fast I couldn’t get his attention. All in all it was an ok experience until the bill came. $ 30 for soft drinks because they charge $ 3 a peice and charge for refills. This was never disclosed to my party, even when we ordered our refills. The managers response was «It is what it is.» That sealed the deal, I won’t go back. And I will make sure every one of my friends knows not to either.

This place is ok. They have a lot of options, especially for vegetarians. I’ve been here a few times, mainly because of its location close to my mother in law. The food is just ok. Sangria and margaritas are great. Guacamole lacked salt. The nachos are little individual chips with meat and cheese. Salsa is good. Overall, if I want mexican and I’m in Oakdale I’ll go. However there are better places.

Food was delicious! That’s where the romance ended. $ 3.00 per Ice Tea is outrageous and also never brought up when reordering. Manager said «It is what it is». I also happen to be in the beverage business and know this is ROBBERY!!!

Great food, but horrible customer service. Feel free to call for a reservation that won’t hold any clout once you get to the restaurant. You can always wait at the bar, but the bartenders are cranking out orders for tables not the actual patrons waiting for their reservation that was passed over. All in all, the food doesn’t make up for the horrid customer service. Properly staff and manage your location because service will always be what people remember long after they have digested their food.

We love it here and have been loyal customers for years. Joel is the nicest man to ever own a restaurant. These guys have become like our family. Try the vamparita with salt. Yum.

I have been to Viva La Vida 3 times now. All different days and for all different occasions. First time was «good», second «eh», third «wtf was I thinking». Being the only Mexican style restaurant around the area, they do pretty well so plan ahead. I would make reservations if it’s a special day. What’s so bad about this restaurant you ask? Well, let’s start with what’s good. The complimentary chips and salsa is good. Tableside guacamole is good. What is bad? Prices are fairly high for the quality of food. Non complimentary refills of fountain soda is not acceptable when you’re serving a small cup. Service is not that good as they are so busy that you’re kinda treated like a check as they hope you order quicko, eat fast and get out for the next customer. This place will never seem to go away and I will probably end up trying it again one day. Hopefully things get better… Place has a lot of potential to be better than just ok.

Went to lunch had shrimp in a garlic sauce very flavorful. Margaret was yummy.

The food was delicious and it came out fast. The service was outstanding and the sangria was to died for. I will definitely come again.

We went to lunch here. They have a lunch special menu. It includes a soup or salad, entrée and dessert. I feel it is a very good deal. We had the tortilla soup. It was very good with a nice portion. Then we each ordered a burrito, one chicken and one beef. They were very good and a big portion.
Soda refills are not free so take care.
Dessert is flan or fried ice cream. I had the fried ice cream. It was yummy.
The waiters gave excellent service and kept my water glass filled.
All that for $ 12.95 per burrito entrée
There is a certificate for $ 15 off $ 30 on
which makes this a great deal.
Highly recommend

The service here is pathetic! We had Jaime as our waiter. Offered absolutely no assistance on menu choices, desserts or drinks.
The Mole’ tasted old and sour. The drinks watered down on top of the jerk Jaime.
Pass on this place. Taco Bell is fresher!
Went back, like fools.
This food is garbage!
My belly still hurts from cat food quality chicken to canned chipotle sauce!
Please!

Oh Viva! What a great place. Food is always good and service is impeccable… maybe because they know us LOL Me and my bestie go here often. Their chips and salsa are so awesome… keep it coming!
We always get red sangria and then we have to get picked up or walk home. It’s pretty strong (I am a light weight).
Food is great… I think I’ve had everything by now. Last time we got the sampler which is $ 45 dollars and you can pick out of two different ones. It was good for two people. We couldn’t finish it. Usually we get their fiery dessert which is awesome. I love a good show!

Love this place. Nice place with great staff.
Don’t miss out on the guacamole! Amazing sangria and great tapas. Would also recommend the avocado salad

Food is ok. I wouldn’t call it authentic Mexican food. I recommend paying in cash — if not, better keep an eye on your credit/​debit accounts. They charged me more than what I signed off on, which is shady. Apparently they thought it was funny.? They probably assumed that I never check my account and thought they would get away with it. 20 $ extra in his pocket. No.
Got my money back in cash. They didn’t ask to see my receipt so, they knew. Shady, shady, SHADY! Karma will bite them in the butt.

I ordered take out last night. The only complaint I have is being charged $ 10.00 for a side of sliced avocado & beans and rice were plain tasting.
The chicken fajitas were delicious. The chicken tacos Mexicanos were good too.
The salsa tasted sweet and had good flavors would have liked a little more spice.

Okay… so since our last visit to Viva La Vida I was hoping to come in here and be able to add another star or 2– especially since I cannot stop coming here because my husband likes it and I will never hear the end of it and really, the food is decent enough that I do like it… I do.
Here are some of the things went on during todays meal:
–Last time I was mad that the calamari was mushy and burned (yes simultaneously both) this time the Calamari was lite and crispy and yummy. However it was a super tiny portion. It almost caused a butter knife duel between the husband and I but he waved the white dinner napkin and I ate the majority. Not much there but good.
–along with the calamari, we got our other favorite shrimp Ceviche. Man am I mad about this but, IT HAD 2 shrimps cut in half within the ceviche (4 halved pieces total) and they were floating in the tomatoe, lime onion base like a cold tomato soup with a shrimp garnish that fell in. No Joke. So now I am seeing a theme here today– they are being VERY stingy with their meats so far. That made me mad since I also noticed all the prices went up by a dollar.
–our entrees tasted good. My husband got carne asada and was delighted as always. I got the steak fajitas (which came out sizzling and smelled great) until I realized that the steak was mighty skimpy– was enough to line a single row of meat in 2 of the 3 small four tortillas before it ran out.
–I was feeling gipped.
This salad dressing they made in house was frikken amazing I have no idea what it was but it was slightly redeeming.
I also absolutely LOVE the homemade salsa they put on the table with the freshly made tortilla chips and had ordered 2 additional little cups if it to have with our food.
at the end we were charged ELEVEN DOLLARS EXTRA FOR THAT. Redeeming qualities out the window.
You know, we really like this place and the food but are you kidding me with the corner cutting? Please Viva la Vida… please stop skimping on the very patrons who keep your business running with their loyalty because nice location is not enough and fans are fickle. I literally paid 75 bucks today for tons of condiment and almost no meat. If you stop into casa vieja restaurant in brentwood and order shrimp ceviche you would cringe in embarrassment. They actually use shrimps in theirs and it is not $ 11 it is less. The more I think about what you served to me today the more pissed I get. Im sorry to see you going out this way. I don’t think I will be back again anytime soon because I have had enough and I learned how to make the Micheladas for my husband at home. I am so sad about this really.

We were in the mood for some Mexican food and someone suggested we try Viva La Vida. We were sat right away and handed a specialty drink menu and food menus. It was so dark in there I had to use my mobile phone to light my menu.
They took our drink orders pretty quickly and before the drinks arrived, someone was taking our food order. That was at 6:06pm (i know this because i was in the middle of an important text when I ordered) We didn’t order appetizers. I ordered 3 Cheese Enchiladas off the vegetarian section and my husband ordered the Burrito Grande with Beef under the Mexican Specialties Section.
At 6:50 pm our food came. We waited 45 minutes for our food. The place wasn’t busy. There were waiters everywhere.
When we FINALLY received our food the plates were so hot my husband burnt his hand however, our food was cold.
I took my 1^st bite of my 3 Cheese Enchiladas (ordered off the Vegetarian section) and there was chicken and pork in my enchiladas. I used my phone to inspect the food (again dark in there) and one of the waitress came to check on me. I explained that the order was wrong and she offered to take it back. I declined. I didn’t want to wait another 45 minutes for my food. The Enchilada sauce was heavy and flavorless. The dish comes with rice and beans, there was hardly any on my plate and what was there was bland.
My husband dug into his Burrito Grande with Beef which oddly came with potato chips (when the menu clearly states all mexican specialties come with rice and beans) and he hit a bay leaf. I don’t mind a bay leaf, to me it means they took the time to make something from scratch. Then he hit another, and another, and another. We counted 5 bay leafs in one burrito. The flavor of the burrito was «okay»
Pros:
Drinks were delicious, I had the Vamparita and it was awesome.
Water was always refilled.
Cons:
Slow service
Incorrect order
Too dark
5 Bay Leafs in one Burrito
No hot sauce on table