The food and service was amazing. Unfortunately, we were unable to have a couple drinks. Due to the fact we were traveling. Definitely will recommend coming here. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Bacon Wrapped shrimp - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Great place for happy hour or Sunday brunch. I love the margarita flight and their selection of tapas. The food and drinks here are consistently good and at great prices. I appreciate that their margaritas are solid not super sweet. If I lived closer, I would probably be here a lot more often! The ambiance is relaxed and I appreciate some of the more modern touches in the otherwise natural feel of the restaurant. Service can be a bit slow at times, though I tend to not mind when I'm there catching up with friends or having a slow Sunday. The servers are generally very nice and caring. read more

I think it's pathetic that they charged 4 drinks that were not ours. They need to do better.

Was there this past weekend an let's just say ..It's changed a lot when it comes to food quality.. down grade big time ..Had the fish tacos burnt more like Gordon frozen fish on a tortilla ..the shrimp tacos had 3 tiny an a lot cabbage idk why would they down grade on food .. a this place was good .. service was great tho .. just the food was fail read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Seafood Torre - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Went for happy hour and was not disappointed. Always looking for another to add to our happy hour rotation: Eureka, yard house, flame, Valle, etc and think we found one. All of the food was flavorful ceviche was fresh with a great amount of acidity. The service was friendly and efficient. Maybe only downside was there were several lights not turned on and it was quite dark. read more

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Buena Vida Tapas Lounge is such a relaxing place for dinner! Went after a big exam and had a relaxing beer at happy hour. We got the street tacos, and fish tacos. This fish tacos are perfect! I will back for those tacos however the asada street tacos were not the best and I cant recommend them. But don't let the street tacos discourage you (im also picky about my street tacos). The waiter accidently poured the wrong beer so they just brought me both beers and that was perfect way to start me evening. The staff is great and responsive and beer is cold. read more

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This place is such a vibe! We came in for brunch on a Saturday and it was busy! We were seated quickly tho. The staff is attentive and fast too. We were a party of 5 and order a couple of the Mexican paleta shots, those were so good! Also the horchata colada was really tasty. Food portions are huge. I ordered the tropical ceviche which has mango and only finished a 3rd of it. We also ordered the steak and shrimp skewers, pasta al ajo, and shrimp tacos. The hallway leading to the bathroom has photo ops and the bathroom was also nicely decorated. Had me feeling like I was back in Cancun :) read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Menú - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Having an old fashioned @buenavidatapas. Great drinks great service great atmosphere. One of the few places in my neighborhood to get at drink and late night eats. Come grab a drink and some great food. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Best bartenders in town - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Another fantastic meal at Buenavida Tapas. We enjoyed happy hour margaritas and appetizers, as well as two main dishes for the three of us. We arrived in time to catch a birthday and Sunday Night Football on the big screens with excellent service and a tasty meal. read more

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The food was really good! I'm obsessed with the salsa flight! The mimosa was delicious! The service was on top of their game! I will definitely be returning to try more foods at Tapas! read more

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Our third time at this spot at the old Chuy's. Decorations kind of modern Latin cookie cutter but a fun vibe. We liked our food and had fun. I liked the (spicy) Aquachile verde and queso fundido. My dad had the salmon a la plancha (I didn't try it but he liked it), I tried my mom's sopes de tinga it was "ok". We wished they had some more vegetarian/plant based options such as flor de calabaza, veggie enchiladas, more salads. My spicy mezcal margarita was really good! Our service was good; our waiter was patient with us deciding on our entrees and answering questions. Important to note this place is LOUD for dinner, both from the people and loud music. Not relaxing and hard to have a convo but it's super fun, good place for a fun dinner, birthday if you're not trying to have intimate convos, drinks at the bar with friends etc. read more

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Came for happy hour and left sad. Happy hour prices are great but hindered greatly by the abysmal service. We waited 30min before being served after being seated. Then between ordering drinks we had to flag the waiter down, who also kept forgetting what we ordered, after waiting another 30min. Drinks arrive and food preset was taken. Waited another 45 minutes before food. By that time happy hour was over and they no longer would honor happy hour pricing. Food was barely warm and tasted of soap. Lacked any real flavor. The drinks were good. Ambiance is kinda unique but feels somewhat slapped together. The chairs were uncomfortable and felt like they were going to break. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - A mango and a guava margarita. Potato tacos. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Appetizer not cooked thru...& u order & waiter comes back 3 x & says they're out of that too....1st & last time I'll go there....Wouldn't recommend for food ....Maybe drinks.... read more

This is my favorite place for happy hour! We eat here at least once a week- everything is delicious, they have great portions, the staff is attentive, and the drinks are so good. The music is always on point and they have a live band on Sunday evenings. read more

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Everything was AMAZING Service was fantastic, drinks tasted great, and every plate we ordered couldn't have been better. We will definitely be back! read more

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This spot is located where the old Chuy's was at on new stine rd, It's pretty easy to miss if you're driving by and don't look over into the shopping center. I happened upon Buena Vida after doing a quick search on Yelp. The Margaritas were delicious, to be honest everything we had was on point. The service was exceptional as well as the food. They have happy hour specials that we took advantage of and we're not disappointed by the selections offered. The décor inside reminds of being in Mexico it's really nice and there's plenty of seating for big parties. I would definitely recommend getting the margarita flight with a bowl of Ceviche or taquitos de papa it will not disappoint. read more

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My wife and I stopped in for lunch this afternoon and had a great meal. The ambiance is boho casual and trendy. We shared some Queso Fundido with Chorizo which was spicy and delicious. I ordered off their specialty menu and had their tropical ceviche with pineapple and mango. It had a bright clean flavor and was served with chips and corn tortillas. My wife enjoyed the Tacos de Tuetano. She loved the smoky, buttery flavor of the bone marrow and the juicy ribeye taco combination. Service is always top-notch. One of our favorite places. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Tacos De Tuetano - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Great brunch menu, happy hour menu, and regular food menu. Drinks come with a generous pour. It is clean and upscale(-ish.) I recommend the carne en su jugo, ceviche, and enchiladas suizas. We also like the pastor ribs. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Pasta Al Ajo and Costillas Al Pastor - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

This place is awesome! Second time stopping by and it was equally as good as the first time I stopped by. Consistency for me is what matters so they seem to have that down. Service has been great the two times I have came by. The design of this resteraunt is also super cute so it's a nice vibe once your in there. Their happy hour menu is awesome. Very good prices for the portion of food you are getting. If your an early dinner kinda person like me, this is PERFECT. I've had almost everything off the happy hour menu and it's all SOO GOOD. Some honorable mentions are the Nachos, Taquitos de pollo, tacos de papa, the ceviche and the street tacos. All of it is very good and I highly recommend you try some of these items. Overall, I am very happy to live so close to this place. I know if I'm craving some good Mexican food, this is where I'm coming especially for happy hour. Make sure to check them out if you haven't already, you will not be dissapointed. read more

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At this point I'm a regular here. These are two different times we had the same thing and the flavors always impress me. The molcajete is sooo flavorful but also very spicy! I come here just because of how spicy it is. They come with two tortillas and they're very good quality, you can of course ask for more. Recently we became obsessed with the pollo con rajas, it's not spicy at all but the flavor is insane. It's so creamy, the chicken is cooked to perfectly and seasoned. The only thing is there always seems to be a wait, but the servers are always so so nice. The music is always so good, a good amount of loud, you can celebrate birthdays here as well!! read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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We just had a Fantastic dinner at Buena Vida Tapas Lounge off of New Stine and Wilson (the old Chewy's location). We had the Queso Fundido, Ceviche bowl and Costillas de Elote to start. Ribeye tacos, Taquitos Dorados, Pozole Verde with Chicken, and Brochettes de Ribeye and Camaron. Everything was Excellent! The Margarita flight was on point. Our server and took excellent care of us. We will definitely be back and recommend them to everyone we know. Great Local place!! read more

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First time here, ambiance super chill for a Saturday brunch. Food was very delicious and im shocked I never came here before. Our waiter was super kind and patient with us because we had our toddler with us. The albondigas was delicious light and not heavy feet, my gf had some caldo i dont remember but she loved it too. This will be definitely a spot for Saturday brunch's from now on. Drinks were good, we hand coffee and jaimica, i say you get a good amount of food for the price. We thoroughly enjoyed it, i have become a return customer. read more

Finally made it to the others side of town to try the Buena Vida and all it's glory! The place is adorably decorated in bohemian style and cute quotes around perfect spot for a mini photo shoot. Francisco took very good care of us ! He was super sweet and super duper fast! He brought us our happy hour street tacos and ceviche bowl each for $8 such a good deal! We also had the cantaritos double shot that were exquisite. It's was so good that we already planned our return! Next time we are trying the margarita flight and the shooters, Francisco recommended the one called piña para la niña. read more

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This is a really fun place. Nice decor, nice bar, a lot of neon. The waitress was kind enough to let us sit and chat even the the restaurant is not open yet. The drinks are cool, the margarita flights my friends ordered looked like a good time. The appetizer are also innovative. I ordered the octopus, is was cooked well, but it is a tapas place so the portion was on the small side. Overall everyone had a good time. read more

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Caesar is a dawg. 10/10 service. everyone vibe is tremendous. Yall need to vibe out here. Love my new spot !!! Caesar is a dawg. 10/10 service. everyone vibe is tremendous. Yall need to vibe out here. Love my new spot !!! read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Drinks - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

My friend and I went here for brunch. The mimosa flight is good if you want to try more than one mimosa and something sweet. They were a little too sweet and not cold enough for me. The tapas we had and shared were pretty good. The service was alright, just was a little slow for being not so busy. The inside is beautiful. It doesn't feel like Dirty dusty bakersfield, so that's always a plus. read more

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10 out of 10 recommend this place I came here before a nail appointment and it really hit the spot, especially during happy hour And very cute and aesthetically pleasing read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Inside - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Stopped by with a few friends after our night shift, (10pm) we wanted food but the kitchen was closed :( We settled for a few margaritas and shooters. The House Margaritas were surprisingly delicious! The tequila used didn't have too strong of a bite, and the mix wasn't too syrupy or sweet. Just right. A+ The shooters however might be designed for 21 year olds just learning to drink. Extremely sweet. Tasted like pina colada & was fun Nevertheless. Place looked cute, only 2 bathroom stalls tho The waiter was tired and ready to go home & that's ok- we understand & we still had fun and will be back! read more

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The food was great! A lot more to try! Francisco was a lot of help explaining food and drink. The inside is amazing I would definitely recommend this place if you're trying to catch a brunch. I have yet to go experience when they have music playing. Also they have a little area where you can take pictures. read more

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We live close by and our first couple of visits were fantastic.great service,great portions . Came back after a while noticed the menu had expanded and menu items were added . We ordered the aguchile ribe eye which is usually fire this time more about half of is was fat. Also ordered their molcahete 30 $ and the portion was so small it made the molcajete look like an almost empty bowl and to top it off I only got 2 tortillas. Where a minimum of 3 or 4 is expected and have gotten in the past . Not to mention never been to a Mexican restaurant that doesn't have complementary chips and salsa.very dissatisfied and disappointed. This used to be my go to place . Yall need to get it together!!! We spent almost 100$ for 2 and left the restaurant hungry stopped by and got tacos right after read more

I visited this establishment on a Saturday evening. My wife and I called ahead to see if they were taking reservations. The hostess informed us that there were no more reservations available for the evening but that there was currently no wait time when we arrived We were seated quickly, the establishment itself was pretty full and they did seem a little shorthanded on waitresses. But their service was still fantastic even with being shorthanded. My wife ordered the grilled octopus being that you don't see that on many menus. The presentation was beautiful. Everything tasted fresh and made to order and I didn't get the sense that anything had been sitting around for a while. The octopus was excellent. It was served with grilled Brussel sprouts tossed in a sauce on the side. It also had fresh sliced avocado, pickled onions And Mexican cheese all on the side. My wife did make the comment that she did wish that there was at least one item on her plate that was crunchy just to add some substance. I ordered the chicken taquitos Dorados. Again the presentation was beautiful. The taquitos were perfectly crispy. It was topped with Crema and Mexican cheese, and served with freshly made guacamole on the side. Everything was excellent, and again tasted very fresh. We also ordered the salsa flight which had four different types of salsa, and what tasted like freshly made in house. Chips three of the four sauces were excellent. The only one that we did not care for was the pineapple salsa. It seemed just a bit too watery. For drinks we ordered the margarita flight which was pretty good considering it was only $20. The ambience of this place was pretty loud. They did have music playing in the background. I would say this would be a good spot for a first date. They also had multiple TVs with different sports on which was nice and a nice open bar. My wife and I did find ourselves having to speak a little louder than normal to be able to hear each other. So if you're looking for a quiet sit down restaurant, I would definitely look elsewhere . Overall, it was a nice experience, and I would definitely return read more

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Somehow I forgot to review this place on our first trip. It's the highlight of an old strip mall in the Southwest part of town (formerly Chuys). The outside looks aged and not so welcoming but, once your inside it's a very nice place. The staff are friendly and generally very attentive. The food is great and always made fresh when you order. They have a variety of different appetizers to choose from and they are all quite affordable during happy hour (3-6:00 pm daily). On this particular trip we had several of them starting with Asada Nachos ( they were so good I forgot to take a pic), Asada Tacos, Chorizo & Bean Dip. All of which were hot and flavorful. The Salsa Flight is a must! I'm a huge fan of the Pina Salsa, it's cold, has a refreshing citrus flavor and just the right amount of heat for an old white guy . read more

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I am so excited about this place and it's location. I definitely plan on having some after work cocktails here. The ambiance is spot on. Cute and modern decor! Definitely inspired by Tulum, Mexico. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and made some great recommendations. My friend and I ordered several dishes and decided to share several plates. We started off the guacamole con chicharrón - delicious! It was seasoned to perfection! We also ordered the: chicken taquitos, shrimp tacos and the green pozole. Every single dish was amazing! The green pozole had great flavor and I loved that nothing was overly spicy. In fact most dishes were on the mild side. I ordered the flight of margaritas and they were all delicious, but I would definitely order the hibiscus margarita on my next visit. The drinks come w fresh squeezed juice and ingredients! A huge plus! I hate bottled mixers. These guys are doing it right! Service is fantastic! Clarissa was our server and she was on point! The owners greeted us and checked on us. Can't wait to return!!! read more

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IF YOU LIKE BLAND FOOD DONT COME HERE! A friend of mine told me about this place and decided to take my wife on a date here. Decor was very nice and the food made we wanna go to the kitchen and slap whoever momma was back there cookin. Didn't get a chance to have any drinks because my wife is pregnant and didn't want her to feel left out but they looked great! Our server was Ariella (I probably misspelled that) and she was awesome despite her working like a Hebrew slave with all the tables she had. She looked like the only waitress there at the time. We'll be back read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - Pulpo - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

WE LOVE CEASER!!. let me tell you Bakersfield is the most boring place ever... but caesar makes it fun! this is place to go to and escape the summer heat with a nice mojito. DONT FORGET THR JOLLY RANCHER SHOTS HAVE FUN QUICKER read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - passion mojito and jolly rancher shot - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Came here for my sisters birthday and they did such an amazing job handling a large party of people! This place is super cute and very clean! The food and drinks were so good! I wish I lived in town because I would definitely come often here! This place is great for date night or a large crowd! read more

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I finally got to visit Buena Vida and was not disappointed. The restaurant is lively and colorful. There are many places to take fun photos inside . I came in to try the happy hour menu. I highly recommend because the prices are reasonable and allow for you to try many different things . The staff inside are very friendly and attentive.I ordered a tamarind margarita and also the house. The drinks are delicious and fruity. I also ordered the bean dip. It was so good with huge chunks of chorizo. I enjoyed my time here tremendously. I'm very excited to return and try more items on the happy hour menu . read more

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Ribeye was overcooked and burnt. Also ordered the ribeye tacos and it was the same.. burnt. Not to mention the amount of steak in the tacos was a joke lol. I don't mind paying a high price for a decent meal but this was overall disappointing. What was more discouraging was the service. When we made the waitress aware of our concerns she was very dismissive. She just picked up the plates and walked away. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge - 2 Ribeye tacos - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Bakersfield, California

This place is awesome!! Went here for a quick Taco Tuesday bite. $6 super delish margaritas! $2.50 tacos! And it's not just your average street tacos...they are amazing!! The employees here are awesome!! Always get great service!! The place is decorated so cute. A few places to take selfies. Great music playing! read more

Cute love what they did to the place! Love the music and vibes, we ordered the green chicken pozole. It was pretty tasty the only thing I would have liked to see was some oregano, chili peppers on the side and have it be a bit more hotter. It cooled off very quickly and didn't come out very hot. Other than that great flavor. I'd come back again. read more