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    La Vida Cantina

    3.6 (1.9k reviews)

    La Vida Cantina Photos

    Business Info

    LA VIDA CANTINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Happy hour specials
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - La Vida Cantina

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    Michelle Z.

    Enjoyed a refreshing Pineapple Piquante Margarita with salsa, guacamole & chips by myself. La Vida's outdoor atmosphere makes you feel you're on vacation, even if it's momentary or for a few hours. Cedric was attentive and very personable. He made the experience to come by myself fun. People joined in and the experience was even better! Tacos, rice, and beans to take home. Food was fine but ambience and staff were even better! Please consider getting fresh tortillas from Northgate Gonzalez Market if you're not making your own. Their chips and tortillas are delicious!

    Patio is dog friendly
    Noba N.

    A dog friendly Mexican restaurant count me in! I visited a buddy out in Irvine and was desperately looking for places that welcomes pups. We got sat outside on the patio. I got some chips and guac and some taquitos. Both were super good! You can get chicken or beef or one of each for the taquitos. I got one of each and both were yummy. The waiter was also very kind. There was an accident where a strong gust of wind flew and our parasol flew up. We got very lucky because the lights caught the umbrella and we were able to grab it before someone got seriously hurt with that thing. Maybe as visitors we should make sure to ask the waiter if the umbrella is properly locked in X.X The restaurant staff were quick to apologize and fixed everything. Watch out on windy days!

    Bay M.

    The perfect spot for after work happy hour. Monday - Friday from 3PM to 6:30PM ALL margaritas & appetizers are 50% off. Clearly our team was famished that I only snapped a photo of the guac, but we had an entire spread of all the appetizers. We got everything to share. Our favorites were the taquitos (beef & chicken), the buffalo wings are a must, ceviche de camaron was good, the asada quesadilla & the carne asada fries are also delish. The margaritas were good and strong. Lol. Our favorites: watermelon mint, the passion, pomegranate, La Vida (Cadillac), & the Tito's mule. They sat us al fresco, which got a little chilly but they were kind enough to turn on the heaters. Fun place especially for a big group. Great service. Good food. We'll be back for our next happy hour.

    Nachos
    Ann V.

    I like the vibe of this place but the food wasn't that great. I thought the service was decent and even though we were a large group our food didn't take that long to arrive. I liked that they have a lot heaters for you to be comfortable outside. I wasn't a big fan of poblano pepper in my fajitas instead of bell peppers and the Margarita flight was okay. The nachos were delicious and the buffalo wings. Winter is low season for them not too busy compare to Tuesday.

    Cadillac margarita
    Anabel B.

    Came here to meet up with a few friends for drinks. We ended up staying and shared a few dishes between us. I don't remember the food being this tasty actually. The refried beans and salsa were great. The beef nachos also was a highlight. The place is mostly outdoor but well heated.

    House Margarita
    Genesis L.

    Sergio was a great server and took very good care of us. He made our night. Besides the great service, I was disappointed to learn that I had to pay extra for salsa for my tacos. How does an establishment sell tacos and not include salsa?!? That's like ordering a hot dog and being asked to pay extra for the ketchup. Totally ridiculous. The drinks are good and the vibes are always on point. I just wish they'd rethink some of these decisions.

    Rose H.

    The manager mark is so sweet, so genuine and caring about customer service! Ordered a marg it was amazing!! Tacos were perfect!

    House Wines
    Adam A.

    Pretty chilled spot, staff were nice and attentive, food was ok. Not recommended for a full blown dinner, but more of drinks and some appetizers to munch on, we went on a windy/cold Thursday night, but this place has plenty of heaters all around so that was not an issue, plenty of seating. I liked this place for its coziness and will definitely be back.

    Mixed Fajitas (steak, chicken, and shrimp). All of the meats were seasoned nicely. The chicken was not dry. Great!
    Simon K.

    The Fajitas were great. I got the Mix which comes with steak, chicken, and shrimp. All of the meats were seasoned nicely. The chicken was not dry. It also comes with a side dish of beans, rice, guacamole, sour cream, and diced tomato salsa. I usually like to ask for an extra side of their regular salsa as well. Watching UFC here is a great experience. They have TVs everywhere, including a bunch inside. If you're sitting at the outside bar and you want to hear the commentators, then sit at one corner under one of the TVs. They nicely turn up the sound when the main event begins.

    Huevos con Chorizo 3/5 for me
    Rica R.

    Food - 3/5. It's not tasty. It's our 3rd time here and tried few items off the menu and the only thing that's good is their buffalo wings and salsa. everything else is just tasteless and okay for me. Service - Pretty good, not too bad. Just seems like they always have new people. Ambience - It's chill. The crowd isn't too rowdy or boring.

    Fabio E.

    Are we charging extra for ice? $2 per drink? I would like an explanation for this. And 3% for the service and maybe you expect tips too?

    Enchilada plate
    Van C.

    Upon walking to the front I was greeted immediately. Asked where our groups table was. And was directed towards it with good direction. I ended up getting a booth next to the bar for the four of us. It was great seating. Let's move onto the food. One cheese and chicken enchilada. Cheese was melted perfectly. Chicken was well seasoned. Enchilada sauce was pretty good. Nothing too explain about. Asada street taco plate. Rice and beans were made well. However the steak was a bit tuff. Not very tender and not marinated properly. Chicken quesadilla Like I said the chicken is marinated well so this was a good classic quesadilla. The guacamole with it was excellent as well. So overall would I return? Yes. The only reason I have it 3 stars. Is the place needs a cleaning. Bathrooms do too. And leaving the door wide open during a cold night with rain was also not ideal for your customers. Waitress was working her ass off with to many tables. Seemed they were under staffed that night. Unsure of what was going on. I'll return again and give it another chance in the future. Since the food was fairly decent.

    Margarita tower
    Carolina C.

    Came here for dinner. Ash was our server. She was so attentive and sweet. Can't wait to be back!

    Me and my mimosa

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    1 year ago

    Ash was the best server. The service was amazing and I love coming to La Vida. The food and drinks are great.

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    1 year ago

    W server named Chloe. came here for our friends graduation and music was very good. House margarita is pretty bomb too

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    My server Ash was not only the sweetest but took the best care of myself and my girlfriend. Absolutely will be back again

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    Page 1 of 48

    La Vida Cantina Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - La Vida Cantina

    Do you allow kids?

    Yes. However Tuesday, Friday, and Saturdays after 9pm is 21+

    Is your brunch a buffet or off the menu only?

    It’s an a la carte brunch off the menu

    Do you guys have music playing Sat/Sun during brunch?? Looking for a fun place for brunch this weekend with good music playing out in the patio!

    We play music both days, and sometimes, Sundays we have a live DJ

    Do you guys know still doing speed dating at La Vida Cantina?

    We do not

    Hello do you guys do brunch or bottomless mimosas?

    Brunch is Saturday/Sunday from 10a-2pm Mimosas are Friday-Sunday from 10am-2pm

    What are your taco Tuesday specials?

    Crispy tacos (beef, chicken, potato) $3 Mahi taco $6 Corona/Corona light/bud light $5… Read more

    Is it causal wear? Or do guest have to dress up clubby?

    Casual is perfectly acceptable

    Im celebrating a birthday next month and 2 guests are under 21 is there a certain time they are not allowed in?

    Hello. If it’s on a Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday, the cutoff time is 7pm. If it’s any other day, we remain all ages from open to close. I would call again to make sure we don’t have a special event as we get closer to the date

    Is there an age limit on Thursday nights after 9pm?

    No age limit

    What is the time limit for brunch?

    It's from 10am to 2pm

    What kind of music is played on Sunday's nights? More specifically this Sunday night memorial weekend

    This Sunday 5/29, we’ll play a lot of Latin/Reggaeton/Dance Music

    Any vegan options?

    Yes. Be sure to ask server for recommendations

    Can a party of 11 come and order bottle service?

    I don't know about bottle service, but they sure let you have as many in your party as you want.

    Do you play music on Tuesday nights?

    Yes, from 9pm-1:30am

    Is there a age limit after certain hours of the day on the weekends?

    Yes, it’s 21 and over after 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays. We also have special events that are 21 and over, so I advise you call ahead to confirm whichever day you choose.

    Has anyone ever found the bottom of your bottomless mimosas during Saturday or Sunday brunch?? Can I be the first?

    Are you allowing dancing with bottle service in July?

    We don’t have a specific dance floor, but people dance around their tables all the time

    Is there gonna be a second location soon?

    Maybe in couple years…we’ll see what happens with covid

    Are you taking reservations for Sunday brunch?

    We don’t take reservations any day... everything is first come first serve

    Is there a taco Tuesday?

    Yes! There's even a Taco Thursday where we run the Tuesday specials again on Thursday.

    View All 57 Questions

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    Our group visited Plums Cafe early in the morning, so it wasn't too busy when we went. All the food…read moresounded so good that we had trouble deciding even with the help of Yelp pictures. We knew for sure we would be getting the Dutch baby to share, but it was the separate entrees we couldn't decide on. Our waitress was super patient while we went through the menu. Boysenberry, Bacon, and Brie Grilled Cheese - If you like boysenberry, this dish will not disappoint you. It was extremely generous with boysenberry jam on it. So much that I actually removed some to try with the Dutch baby. This works very well if you can do sweet and savory flavors together as the bacon brings out a bit of saltiness. Vietnamese Pork and Egg Bowl - My cousin ordered this so I only got a small bite. The pork was so soft and tender. I love grilled pork too, so this tasted amazing. Dutch Baby - We tried a bite of it plain. We like things more on the lighter side, so we were okay with how little sweetness it had. Then we squeezed lemon over it and added powdered sugar like our server recommended and man the lemon was the magic. It's like biting into two completely different things. As plain, it's like a soft and super thing pancake. With the lemon? It really brought out a strong citrus flavor complemented by something fluffy and light.

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    Came here for a graduation party and the food didn't disappoint!…read more It's a great location off of the main road with easy and free parking, which is sometimes hard to find in some Newport spots. Hamid & Milad were very hospitable, friendly, and made sure we got everything we needed. The wings were super crispy, but juicy on the inside and the fries were solid as well! The mains were great as the chicken was moist and so flavorful that we didn't even need to add any extra sauce to it. They have an indoor and outdoor portion and was a great spot to host an event as they also had a sound system and TVs inside and outside.

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    OEB Breakfast - Newport Beach

    OEB Breakfast - Newport Beach

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    (803 reviews)
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    It's not very often that I say this but I'm going to say it now. I may have had one of the top…read moredining experiences of my life. And it came from a breakfast joint, which is super rare in and of itself. Having lived in Southern California for many many years, I thought I had seen and experienced just about everything in the way of good places to eat. As I was driving around looking for some breakfast, I stumbled across oeb breakfast. And I am so glad I did. For starters, when you walk through the door, the place is bright and Cherry and has just the right amount of whimsy. It's neatly laid out and everything is in full view. It only took a moment my server to come get me at the front and direct me to a table. Let's talk about the service. Having been in the food service industry, I know what it takes to have a great dining experience. Caesar, who was my waiter, took care of me in a level that I have not seen in a very long time. Personable, gracious, accommodating, and helpful are just a few of the words I would use to describe my experience being served by him. I asked for coffee and water and within moments it arrived on my table. Side note, the coffee is off the chain! It is a brand called Umbria and it is amazing. After scanning the menu, I opted for the beef bulldogi Benedict with the beef Tallow fries. I asked for the fries extra crispy, and ask for my milk to be served with breakfast. If you've read any of my Yelp reviews on breakfast places, you know that that is one of my litmus tests for the accuracy of the order. If I have to ask for my milk after the meal's been delivered, they're not doing their job. Not that I'm picky, for me. It is just a way to determine how good of a listener the server actually is. It didn't take long at all for the food to be delivered. The presentation was absolutely amazing, as we eat with our eyes. First, I have to say that the way the food was plated was definitely a work of art. Once the food was dropped off half of me was going. I wonder if they will remember... And before I could finish my thought Caesar showed back up with the milk. Home run! The food itself was absolutely wonderful, I cannot remember when I have enjoyed a breakfast as much as this one. All the flavors were there, it was perfectly balanced, and was just a pleasant dining experience overall. Bragging on Caesar again, as I was sitting there, the restaurant started to get very busy, he handled himself with such Grace and poise and didn't let the mounting tension frazzle him. Again, I wish this place was in my hometown so I could come here more often, but you can bet that I will be back here multiple times. Bottom line? There aren't many places that I would tell friends they definitely absolutely had to go to. But oeb breakfast is now on the top of the list for me to recommend to my friends.

    Came in on a busy Mother's Day morning. Service was really friendly, but our server forgot to give…read moreus more chocolate milk after giving us only 1/4 of a cup worth and charging us half off for it. (Did not take a picture of it) Korean Bulgogi Benedict: 7/10 Some parts of the meat wasn't fully marinated from what I tasted. Some of my bites of the meat were flavorful. A little weird to have 2 pieces of spinach as a garnish. Never seen that before. Potatoes were really good. Can't go wrong with those. Short Rib bowl: 8/10 everything in that bowl were amazing together. Banana Cream Pie French Toast: 4/10 this was a miss for me. Nothing amazing about it. The custard part was off for me. Maybe if it was more of a banana pudding, it would be better with the cream. Didn't really taste like a banana cream pie. Green Machine: 10/10! So good and refreshing Chocolate Milk: needed more chocolate. They gave us a cup with it 1/4 filled because they ran out of milk since it was so busy and never came back with more. I didn't want to bother them and ask them about it, but checked the bill and they only charged us half for it... so we just paid for it and left it as is.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
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    Belgian Waffle
    Smoked Pastrami Benedict

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