Had a great Friday night at Buena Vida in Arlington! The rooftop bar was the perfect spot to kick off the evening, with a great atmosphere, delicious cocktails, and music that kept the energy going. The rooftop has such a fun vibe, especially on a Friday night. It's a great place to grab a cocktail, enjoy the music, and relax with friends. Definitely a spot I'd come back to for another night out! read more

Buena Vida - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

If you asked me where I've had the best mayonnaise nachos I've ever had in my life, I'd answer Bueno Vida. Why? Because I've never had them anywhere else in my life. If you asked me where I've had the worst nachos in my life, well, same answer. I have so many words and so few at the same time, I think it's best I punctuate... . read more

This place was just a block from our hotel in Arlington, so we went to check it out! The place was upstairs, and it was small, but pretty (also filled with Cherry Blossoms decor)....with these big, open windows with a great view. Sadly, it was SO sunny that the booths by the window was too hot and bright, so we decided to sit away from it. If only we came for dinner when the sun wasn't so bright? So that was a bummer. I'll also mention that when we stopped in (early Saturday), the place was all but empty, but the host would not let us sit at these plushy booths (for 4 or more people), saying that there were reservations. However, these booths stayed empty the whole time we were there...and as we left! That sorta ticked us off. Another thing that ticked me off was that there was this item on the menu that wasn't available. As it was, their brunch menu was really small. BTW, we had the option to go with their AYCE Brunch or a la carte...we chose to do the latter. I resorted to ordering Shrimp Gobernador, and my husband got Huevo Ranchero. The Huevo Ranchero looked really good...and my husband seemed to really enjoy it. My Shrimp Gobernador was OK at best. It was a lot like Shrimp Tacos, but the ingredients inside was smothered and a bit greasy. Not my cup of tea. For the price point, I thought my shrimp dish was really underwhelming. Also, the service was SLOW. It took forever to get our drinks...and we were the only diners in there for awhile! Overall, I felt that the foods were overpriced for what they were. Ambiance was pretty, but we weren't able to even sit by the window because of the glaring sun...and the service was mediocre at best. I just thought it was an OK brunch...but am glad my husband enjoyed his favorite Mexican breakfast! read more

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My sister and I are visiting this area. We came in late and they were finishing up for the night. We were seated and served. They were very nice and we enjoyed the experience a lot. The food was amazing. My sister got some chicken enchiladas that had an amazing sauce and she loved them. I got the Carne Asada plate. It was so good. The meat was cooked perfectly. All the accompaniments were delicious. I especially enjoyed the tortillas and the salsa. I really liked this place a lot and wish I could come back and visit again and try some other of their delicious food. Our waiter was excellent. I highly recommend this place. did I mention the drinks were epic! read more

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My party was located on the top floor. It's a pretty cool spot. It's very open and it looks like there's also potentially like a roof opening in the summer. I was there in the cooler months. It was a super busy night, but it only took a few minutes to be able to grab the bartenders attention and order a drink. The bartender is super friendly and I was able to ask him a few questions about the menu. I didn't order any food, but the menu did look like it offered a lot of different options that catered to a lot of different food needs. I ended up ordering one of the spritzes and then later had a margarita. Both were pretty good, pretty standard of what you would expect. I wouldn't say that either were exceptional, but they were decent. Overall I would say this is like a really easy spot to have a large group of people just because it's such a large space and it's very easily accommodating to a lot of different variety of needs. I should add that despite being how busy it was everyone was super nice, super friendly, and extremely helpful. I I would not mind giving this place a second chance on the Service alone. read more

Buena Vida - Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I've Been Here For Various Occasions From Rooftop Parties To The Bottomless Brunches. From The Perspective Of The Party Rooftop It Definitely A Great Place To Celebrate They Do The Bottle Service & The Music + Vibes Are Always Immaculate! Although It Does Can Pretty Packed Inside Best To Have A Table Or Be Ready To Be Close To Others & Long Waits At The Same Gender Bathrooms. As For The Brunch Aspect Foods Were Good & Drinks Were Flowing Thankfully As For The Place Is Multiple Levels With Plenty Places To Take Photos & Have A Good Time! read more

Buena Vida - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I imagine there was a former glory days for this place but it isn't that anymore. There used to be an all you can eat 90 min brunch loaded with fusion & texmex faves but these days the portions are quite literally tiny, everything is overcooked, and the flavors are super bland. I'm really disappointed at this place but the staff was nice. They originally in an empty restaurant tried to seat us in these extremely uncomfortable booths and refused to move us to a larger room eve though we would be subject to the 90 min policy and by the time we were done no one had been in that room. We ended up in a larger table in the center of the dining room for more space, but the initial food order was fast and every other order was super slow so its really important that you over EVERYTHING you want the first go because its impossible to get them to come back to re-order and the food takes forever. I imagine there are most definitely better brunch spots in Arlington. read more

We hosted my daughter's baby shower for 33 guests yesterday 3/21/26 We were set up on the rooftop venue with our own bar and extra seating. The Mexican inspired brunch was so fresh and delicious! And the staff was so attentive keeping the food refilled and the guest tables cleared The manager Marcos Crisostomo went out of his way to make sure he and his staff made the event perfect in every way. I highly recommend hosting an event at Buena Vida. Guests had a great time and we received so many compliments about the food and venue! read more

Buena Vida - Baby shower on rooftop - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The picture window views make for a charming and aesthetically pleasing dining experience. The food is a culinary success. They have you covered from the savory to the sweet. The chorizo hash comes out piping hot in a cute mini skillet. It's an excellent balance of egg potatoes and the star of the show chorizo. Of their waffles the berry one was my fave. The chicken slider oh my heaven!! So good the black bean spread with the kick of the jalapeño is a genius sandwich. Cristina our server was a sweetheart and the runners kept the food coming. The libations were also a hit. I recommend the rosè sangria but the raspberry mint margarita was also quite tasty. read more

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I think any mexican resturant that does not have free chips and salsa for the table is instantly not a good mexican resturant. We came here on a Saturday and it was empty so that should be a sign in itself. The prices are expensive for the food which comes with the territory but the portions do not help justify the cost and the food itself it just ok. I got tacos and the al pastor was good but I got to try the pork belly and chicken were just ok. They also have a rooftop but it was closed for a private event so that was also upsetting. The service was not helpful and even though there were probably two other tables the whole time we were there on the floor they were super slow. I would say maybe come here for a drink for happy hour but for a meal I would avoid especially since there are better places to eat in Claredon. read more

Absolutely nobody there on a Saturday at 11pm. Also, strange rules regarding their employees and using the elevators with guests that sounds weirdly hostile and accusatory towards their own employees. Posted very publicly (picture attached) read more

Buena Vida - Elevator - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Santi and all wait staff were fantastic! Host downstairs rushed up to say he'll be right with me. Great service, good food and good vibes. read more

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It's a little confusing, but Buena Vida is on the 3rd floor of the building so keep heading up! I was also meeting friends for happy hour, but we were told that the happy hour deals were only available at the bar but by then we were already seated at a table. All that aside, the steak and cheese tacos were delicious, and they certainly didn't skimp on the meat! The rice and beans side dish was meh but the tacos were good so I was happy. One of my friends ordered the enchiladas which we found to be pretty flavorless so I'd stick with the tacos or something else on the menu. read more

Buena Vida - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Food was just ok. Came here with the girls and the decor is beautiful, but service was slow. During brunch hour, you have to do their all you can eat at 32/per person and cannot do a la carte. The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of the green pig restaurant. Enter and go up the elevator to the 2nd floor. The whole restaurant was super hot and humid with no ac on a 95 degree day. Bill for one person with 1 non-alcoholic drink and brunch all you can eat is over $47 after tip. That's expensive for one person - I personally would pass on this place. read more

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Just love the food in this restaurant. I went with my family and friends. We had excellent service, attentive and friendly staff, who were well-experienced. The atmosphere was lively and relaxing. We started with appetizers, which included Chicken Nachos, Corn Ribs, and Mussels a la Diabla. For drinks, we had beer, house lemonade, and coffee. In the entree, we had Chicken and Steak Fajitas, Acapulco Salmon, Shrimp and Crab Enchilada. The flavors in each dish we ordered were amazing and perfectly balanced, and the ingredients tasted incredibly fresh. In between our meals, the manager and the chef came to ask about the food's experience. For dessert, we ordered Cheesecake and Pina Colada Tres Leches. While I am writing, I still can feel the taste in my mouth, it was so yummy. I will definitely recommend it to my friends and family. read more

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We visited the rooftop for happy hour and it was ok. The rooftop itself was very cute and had a great vibe! The food was just alright- the pork belly tacos felt kind of like a salad there was so much watercress on them and I think they forgot to put the pico de gallo on them. The nachos were nothing special and just ok. The waiter also disappeared and there was about an hour where no one checked in on us. We ended up having to walk up to the bar to order more food read more

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I actually really enjoyed this spot! Located in Clarendon right next to Ambar. The inside is super cuteeee! There's a parking garage and street parking available (at a cost). They don't validate parking. I had booked a reservation for a fairly large group of 8 of us. We were seated upstairs. This is a great spot for large groups. The staff took foreverrrrr to take our orders which was my only complaint. The food didn't take super long to come and the staff were at least very kind and accommodating. The food was feugo!! They have a really good mix of dishes. We ordered the: Steak & Cheese tacos 8/10 Al Pastor tacos 8/10 Crab Queso dip 9/10 All tacos come with a side of beans & rice which was yummyyyy !!! Overall, I would definitely come back here. Such a great vibe and good food. Doesn't get better than that: read more

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I had an event here on the rooftop level. The atmosphere is beautiful, light, spacious, and of course botanical. The food and drinks were excellent. Crowd favorites included the shrimp tacos, margaritas, and hot churros. Everything ran smoothly. Management was very responsive and flexible in helping me to plan my event, even as guest count continued to change. They even let me use one of the booth tables for a display I created. The servers were super helpful and always present. While my event was for an Arlington military funeral reception*, this would be a great space for engagement parties, large birthdays, family reunions, or even a small wedding reception that is gorgeous and delicious without breaking the budget. I would happily plan future events there. *This was the perfect location for honoring my dad, who was a botanist specialized in central American flora, loved margaritas and sangria, met my mom in Korea, got married in Hawaii, and was stationed in Okinawa. While this restaurant is considered Mexican, I felt the cherry blossoms over the bar and then bringing in my own Hawaiian orchids really represented our family. The space was sunny and heavenly, which is the opposite of lame cold funeral home vibes. Even the name, Buena Vida, made it perfect for honoring a life well-lived. read more

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Had bottomless brunch on the rooftop and it was a great experience. The service stood out right away. Our server, Phil, was friendly, attentive, and clearly knew the menu well. He gave great recommendations and kept everything running smoothly without ever feeling rushed. The passion fruit margarita was excellent. Balanced flavor and not overly sweet, which can be hard to find with passion fruit drinks. The brunch menu was filling and well portioned, so it actually felt like a full meal rather than just small plates. The rooftop atmosphere is a big part of the appeal. Even with cooler weather, it was still a fun spot to spend a few hours. I plan to come back when it is warmer to really enjoy the full rooftop setup. Great service, good drinks, and a lively brunch spot in Arlington. Phil made the experience even better. Definitely returning. read more

This place is a scam. Read the edit Edit: after receiving the check, we were surprised that the brunch special didn't include drinks. Apparently this fee was to give us the RIGHT to buy mimosas at a discount (44 to18), rather than giving us unlimited drinks as advertised. This was on top of the $40 charge for the brunch. Moreover, we were charged full price for pitchers of sangria. Discount sangria was available by the glass for $2, but apparently the PITCHER was not on discount. We were charged $44 for the pitcher. In what world does a pitcher hold TWENTY TWO glasses?? This place is squeezing it's patrons, and I think it's because they're on their last legs. There's no way anyone would come back. If they closed within a year I would not at all be surprised I came with a group of 9 for unlimited tapas and brunch drinks for $39.99 which sounds like a decent deal. We've came here since 2020 for brunch and dinner but maybe there's been a change in manager and the kitchen crew cause the quality has definitely been going down. Loved the high energy vibe and Instagram-worthy interior. Our service was great, very attentive, and food came out very fast. The food was quite bad. On paper and in pictures, they look quite yummy but everything was either too sweet or too bland. Pork Belly Taco- one piece of pork fat with maple syrup...why? We had such high hopes for this but it was such a disappointment. Caesar salad- soggy lettuce Salmon toast- very little salmon, very salty, dry, and tough but the toast was soggy Bacon, Egg, & cheese-small bacon bits, barely any cheese, mainly just egg Taco de chorizo verde -again just egg Chorizo Hash- the only decent dish with a good amount of chorizo and over easy egg Blueberry/Banana Nutella Waffle/- tasted very wet & soggy with cheap artificial store-bought icing Quesadilla Gringa-bland chicken read more

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I've been here a few times and finally getting around to write a review. I've only been for the unlimited brunch, because, why not? The food has consistently been good. The benedict, pork belly tacos, jalapeño corn bread, Nutella waffle and steak and cheese torta are some of my faves. The portions are small enough to where you can try many items on the menu. The interior is definitely Instagram worthy with the bohemian aesthetic. read more

Buena Vida - Upstairs - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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PROS: Beautiful restaurant with lots of space, including indoor and outdoor seating. Bottomless brunch. Who doesn't love that? My favorite dishes were the shrimp gobrenador tacos (So many plump and juicy shrimp with lots of ooey-gooey cheese!) the berry waffle (they really need to bottle and sell that berry sauce; I would buy it by the gallon!), and the plantains over black bean sauce drizzled with crema. The portions are really small (tapas style), which I appreciate because it gives you the opportunity to taste a lot of different things without having to commit to a large portion of a particular dish. There are a handful of different flavors of mimosas available. I had the watermelon as well as the pineapple hibiscus. I liked the pineapple hibiscus more, even though there was no pineapple flavor in it to speak of. The food came out very quickly. The staff were incredibly attentive and proactive at refilling water and clearing away unused dishes. CONS: The hostess could use a bit of customer service training. Her entire approach made us feel very unwelcomed from the second we walked in the door. When we arrived, the waitress greeted us with, "May I help you?" in a way that felt unwelcoming and out of place for a restaurant. It gave the impression that she was surprised we were there, rather than expecting guests who were coming in to dine. A more inviting greeting would have made the experience feel much warmer and set a better tone for the meal. We told her that we were here for brunch. She asked if we had a reservation. We told her no. In response she asked, "Oh, do you think you'll be done by noon?" (It was just after 10:00 a.m.). On each brunch menu, it states that guests without a reservation are allowed two hours to enjoy bottomless brunch. What she could have said instead was something like, "Okay, thanks for letting me know. Since you don't have a reservation, you are entitled to two hours of bottomless brunch. Let me show you to your table." For Mexican restaurant, I was very surprised at just how much of the food was unseasoned. Every dish we had with chicken on it, the chicken was unseasoned, including the chicken chilaquiles, the chicken milanesa torta, and the chicken and waffles. The butternut squash hash was also unseasoned. All of the vegetables lacked both seasoning and flavor... incredibly surprising for Mexican or Mexican-inspired cuisine. There was also a lack of attention to detail with some of the dishes. We asked that the eggs in the huevos rancheros be fried hard, and mentioned to the server that we do not like runny eggs. Unfortunately, our request was not honored and as a result, the dish end up being wasted because the first forkful flooded the dish with runny egg yolk. We also received several "steak and cheese" tortas with no cheese. There was also no crisp or crunch whatsoever in the chilaquiles. The chips were so soggy we had to eat them with a knife and fork. The watermelon margarita had a nice flavor but no bite whatsoever... To the point where I question if there was any tequila in it at all, or if we just paid $9 for watermelon juice with a splash of sour mix. read more

Buena Vida - "Steak and cheese" torta (they forgot the cheese), chicken chilaquiles, and jalapeno cornbread. - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Came here for a happy hour with friends after work. The pitcher margaritas were a great deal - we did both classic and mango! Our waiter was incredibly attentive and kind. I also loved the rooftop vibe. Definitely recommend for a happy hour or date spot! read more

Buena Vida - TG - Guacamole, Chips & Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Came here to celebrate a friends birthday party. Happy hour menus all over the counter. We order drinks and food but when we get the bill, we were charged regular prices. When I asked the bartender why, he says it's Cinco De Mayo and no happy hour. I tell him that makes no sense and point to the menus they had on the counter. Menus we ordered from right in front of him. Naturally, I didn't want to argue so I paid the tab and didn't tip. He proceed to escalate and call me cheap. I was livid at that point but left without further confrontation On the way down another woman told me she had the same exact experience Will never set foot here again and will make sure others I know do the same read more

This is definitely one of those places that puts a lot of effort into the aesthetic of the restaurant and serves bland food, so you're really just paying for the ambiance. I saw an instagram video about the bottomless brunch here and decided to take a friend. When we first walked in to the place, we were greeted by a nice host and we were taken to our table upstairs right away since we had a reservation. Immediately we noticed how cold it was in the restaurant and there was a table of people near us who made the same comment. Because of this, all of the food that was brought to us was cold. But because we ordered the bottomless brunch, we wanted to try as much as we could. Our waiter that was helping serve us seemed to be either really busy or incredibly rude. He was very dismissive & difficult to communicate with. He did try to do his best when accommodating my dairy allergy sometimes. Other times, he would quickly wave off any hesitation I had when I was skeptical about a food having dairy in it. We kept ordering new menu items in hopes that it would get better, but all of the food tasted beige. No flavor, cold, no creativity, just lazy and plain. After an hour & a half of making the best of the situation and ordering a round of drinks, they finally turned the heat on AND opened the windows near us. Counterproductive, but it made a huge difference. So huge that about 10 minutes later we were all SWEATING. They need a better system of regulating the temperature in the restaurant. After we finished eating and paying for the bill, we took a quick survey on their POS system. Of course we gave them a thumbs down which apparently notified the restaurant manager, because she quickly came over to our table to discuss whatever issues we had. I was pleasantly surprised by this, and she did hear us all the way out as we described our experience. She invited us back for dinner on the house, but honestly would never go back there because the food is awful. Chips & Guac -- 2/10 meh Chicken & Waffles -- 3/10 meh Jalapeño cornbread -- 4/10 meh Chicken sliders -- 5/10 Sweet potato hash (ordered w no crema) -- 6/10 Breakfast tacos -- 6/10 Banana nutella waffles -- 7/10 Sweet plantains (comes with black beans) -- 6/10 Mango margarita -- 1/10 Sangria -- 8/10 Mimosa -- 4/10 how do you ruin a mimosa :| read more

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Do not go to this restaurant. We took my son here on 30 Nov for his birthday and the food was horrible! It was a table of ten people - over $1000 was spent!! I called the restaurant multiple times, spoke to the supervisor, general manager trying to get someone to apologize and compensate us for such tasteless food and as a final resort wrote to the corporate office to no avail. They all kept passing me again, saying let me call u back, let me check into it. Etc., As of today, I never heard back from anyone. Oh and did I mention that the kitchen was poorly staffed. And it took forever for our food to be served and we were the only ones in the restaurant! Additionally, I had made reservations for the rooftop and when I made the reservations, no one told me that the rooftop was closed! We found out when we went upstairs and the restaurant was pitch black/closed! Omg! Who has thot kind of money to throw away! Oh I can hear the comments now, why didn't u say something then, why didn't u leave! Why because back in the kitchen is a bitch...some of you may get that when you wake up! read more

Our rice and beans were cold and when we let them know they sent us another plate, and it was also cold. The fajitas did not sizzle and was rather lukewarm. Service was slow as well. Not an enjoyable experience for the price point read more

Truly so disappointing! If I could rate 0 stars I would. I've been here multiple times previously, and this was a truly awful experience. There was no communication on where you could order happy hour, and we did not receive menus for clarification. We didn't even get water. When the check came, there was a huge debate as to how it was going to be handled as apparently "we didn't order happy hour". Do NOT visit the restaurant going forward. I've worked in food service in the past, and work in customer service now. I'm very understanding when it comes to service work and do not like to leave negative reviews, but this experience was so bad. read more

Food is not good. Over priced. Don't waste your time. Small plates. Brunch is not all the same plates. No variety.

Updating my review to account for both my original dinner experience and my recent weekday lunch here, which was abysmal. Same person was with me both times. We had a dinner here around a year ago where we were not super impressed with many of the items we received but the cocktails were solid and we were so floored by the quality of the enchiladas that we felt they made up for the lackluster components of our meal. My advice would simply have been to come back and just get cocktails and enchiladas, and skip the other stuff, and you'll be good. But a few days ago we came by for lunch and...yikes. My fiance got the chicken enchiladas. They were $22, which is pricey for enchiladas with just rice and beans on the side. But we remembered how good the enchiladas were last time. And my fiance said the flavor was again good this time but the portion was offensive. Like two small taquitos drowning in sauce. Meanwhile the rice and beans were completely flavorless so they contributed little to the meal. I ordered Buffalo shrimp tacos. The menu said the tacos were $5 and served in pairs. I asked if I could mix and match and was told no. My waitress also told me that it came two tacos to a plate with rice and beans. When my plate arrived there were no rice or beans and I asked about it and she said it did *not* come with rice and beans. And I said but you said it did. And she said no I said it doesn't come with them. After she left my fiance turned to me and said I hears the exact same thing you did. Whatever they would have been bland anyway. In fact, anticipating that two tacos here wouldn't be enough I also ordered guacamole, forgetting that last time the guacamole portion was hilarious. I paid $12 and they brought like...a spoonful of guacamole that wasn't even fresh or good. I guess they justify it by serving it alongside salsas and chips but at every other Mexican restaurant salsa and chips are free, these salsas were bland and had no spice, and the chips were flavorless and stale. So I paid for bad chips when most places give you tasty fresh ones on the house. At the end of our meal, we were both starving. It turned out that it was actually $5 for both tacos, which was a surprisingly good value, and I wish my waitress had explained that to me to begin with because then I might have ordered another pair before asking for the check. However, I am struggling, then, to understand why my two shrimp tacos were $5 in total when my fiance's bite-sized chicken enchiladas were $22. Overall, this was really disappointing and there is plenty of other Mexican around. I do think our dinner here was way better than this lunch so maybe lunch is just in particular an afterthought, but don't charge us $22 for an appetizer portion of food and bland rice, and $12 for a spoon of mediocre guacamole and stale chips. read more

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This was my second time coming for bottomless brunch with the girls. The food was good but many dishes tasted very similar and my taste palette got sick of it pretty quickly. The drinks were hit or miss; espresso martini was very strong and not the traditional drink usually like. My friend's Bloody Mary was also a let down as it tasted bland and watered down. Overall it was good vibes and decent food for a bottomless brunch... read more

Buena Vida - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Came here for the first time over the weekend to enjoy some time with out of town sorority sisters and settled on Buena Vida for brunch. It's $39.99 for unlimited small plates - I had the steak and cheese tortas and the Berry Jocoque with a mango margarita. I really enjoyed the steak and cheese torta and give it a 4/5. I give the Berry Jocoque a 3/5 because I felt the sauce really overpowered the little bit of yogurt there was on the plate but the large strawberries given helped salvage it. I'm not sure if it was because they were only $3.99 and apart of the brunch option but the mango margarita was extremely weak to the point where I couldn't taste any alcohol at all. It did taste refreshing but I thought it could've been just ever so slightly stronger, a 3/5. Very metro accessible and I was told there was rooftop but we did not know, maybe next time! The service was super friendly and patient as we were a table of 6 and I enjoyed there green, tropical decor that I felt as we walked in. read more

Buena Vida - Berry Jocoque - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Although the venue's very nice - we were on third floor rooftop - and servers were friendly, overall experience was a little disappointing. The menu says they make homemade tortillas- if they do, they look and taste exactly like the supermarket ones that come out of a bag. My son said it was like what should become a chain Mexican restaurant. Tacos were ok, churros pretty good (but missing cinnamon sugar which my son missed). We didn't drink so could see this might be a great place for young people to hangout, drink and be seen. But not the place for a great Mexican meal. read more

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This place is just average. The food, atmosphere, service was all average. However, the drinks were horrible. My spicy margarita had so many small pieces of jalapeño in it that it became impossible to drink. I couldn't finish it. The pieces of jalapeño kept getting stuck in my straw. Bartenders use strainers for this exact reason and I'm not sure why the bartender thought this was a good drink to serve. It made the entire dinner a frustrating experience rather than relaxing. read more

Buena Vida - Spicy margarita - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Had been eyeing this place out for a while after visiting its sister restaurant across the street, Ambar, a few times. Came for brunch menu. Had a reservation which is highly recommended as the place seemed pretty packed. Lots of options on the menu to choose from for a fixed price, but I will say my favorite was the pork belly tacos and the white omelette with bacon. The service was a bit slow, and while our server was courteous, he did apologize a few times because he had a few tables to attend and couldn't come check on us quicker (I'm never a fan of that excuse). We ordered mimosas and sangria. I can say that they were pretty watered down but can't ask much for the price $1 each on brunch special. Lots of plants in the place giving it a home feel and Latin music that makes you feel like you are at a spot in a foreign country. read more

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Solid spot to grab brunch with lots of people. But felt a little underwhelmed with the food. The best item was the chicken chilaquiles. Good crunch and solid amount. The tacos were meh, but the Nutella waffle and steak and cheese torta were tasty. We got different pitchers of mimosas and they tasted refreshing. Ambiance was okay, lots of house music. And you gotta pay for parking (garage or side street) which sucks. Service was solid though, and if I came back, it would probably be for a single entree or something. read more

Buena Vida - Pork belly taco - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Cris was a great bartender super nice and welcoming! The vibes were beautiful will definitely need to come back for the roof top. Loved the barría tacos ! read more

Came for the happy hour... will still give a second chance but this was not great. The pro: happy hour, thirsty Thursday pitchers of margaritas deal. The drink was delicious! The service was great. Food came out quick and our server checked on us a lot. As for the food: I don't think I liked anything. We got the chicken nachos, corn, tacos, and quac. It was all forgettable. I will be coming back to try the unlimited brunch. Whenever I walk by and see the plates they look good, so my review will be updated but I'm skeptical. read more

Buena Vida - Happy hour spread: Grilled Street Corn, pork tacos, chicken nachos, quac - Mexican Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Located in Clarendon, this place offers a quick and easy experience if that's what you're looking for. There's some parking nearby, but would recommend taking Metro, (Clarendon) and/or try finding any open spots along the street. Server was efficient, and listened to instructions. Would recommend to friends. read more

"The strawberry lemonade was refreshing." That's about the only positive takeaway from my family's experience at Buena Vida for Mother's Day. We made a reservation several weeks ago but were never informed that the only menu available was a fixed price all-you-can-eat small plates brunch menu. Fine. The menu mentioned "small plates curated" for taste and enjoyment. Better restaurants would have sent some type of confirmation ahead in case there was nothing on the menu one can eat, but it is what it is. We also sat down, it was Mother's Day, and we didn't think we could get another reservation anywhere else. My wife is a vegetarian. The lunch menu at Buena Vida has several options for vegetarians. For an all you can eat small plates brunch, there were three or four choices for vegetarians. When I asked the waiter if the chef could make a few of the dishes without meat he asked and was told no. Wow. After ordering our drinks, and placing our food order, we waited for about 10-15 minutes before the small plates began coming. To say they were small plates specially curated for maximum flavor is an overstatement. My son ordered a Latin-flair chicken and waffle dish. It was literally a quarter portion of a larger dish that likely saw three pieces go to another table. This dish was not specially curated. It was a quarter of a main. My wife ordered a butternut squash and egg skillet. No salt. No seasoning. No flavor. Mush. I ordered breakfast tacos. No salt. No seasoning. No flavor. At this point, discouraged and a bit annoyed, we ordered essentially everything on the limited menu: shrimp gobernador, breakfast potatoes, salsa roja and salsa verde, as well as guacamole. I swear the quality felt like someone went to a fast food restaurant and emptied packets into a small dish. The salsa roja tasted like ketchup, the salsa verde tasted like something from a midwestern grocery store, and the guacamole was paste. Just plain awful. I've never left a restaurant angry, so this was a first. If anything, anger is directed at a server or a person-to-person exchange and not at the food. But I left this place angry at the food. It was quite simply the worst prepared food I've ever paid for. I was embarrassed that I took my wife here for Mother's Day, and I have no idea how an executive chef signed off on any of it. Buena Vida's Mother's Day brunch was flavorless, uninventive, mass produced, texturally abysmal, and just plain insulting. Service: look our waiter didn't control the menu and he was attentive and tried to ensure we got orders, drinks, and the like on time. When the servers brought food, however, basic service practices were not followed: lots of thumbs in bowls, fingers on the service side of a plate, just plain lacking in good sanitary practices. Ambiance was hard to establish because the food was just awful. I will never recommend nor patronize this restaurant again. The Chef really needs to sit down and try the dishes on this menu and do some soul searching. read more