I love the location, across from the Gallery Place metro stop and a block from the Shakespeare Theater. I really love their food. And I absolutely adore their Shrimp and Crab Guacamole. Their Shrimp and Crab Guacamole has become my go-to dish whenever I go there. The underlying Guac is fresh and flavorful. By itself, it is amazing. However, for a few dollars more, they add a heaping portion of crabmeat and a bunch of good-sized (and tailless) shrimp. It can be, and for me, frequently is, a meal in itself. Add a couple of cold beers, and I'm a happy camper. read more

Worked a full day, and didn't eat lunch. I was looking for a nearby Happy Hour. I found this one online, and that their HH started at 3. Perfect timing! This is Directly across from the Chinatown Metro, F /7th St NW. TACO Tuesdays, are $4.50 on HH (compared to $6 HH tacos) I tried the Pescado (fish) and Camarones (Shrimp). The Shrimp was the BEST!!! I also ended up getting 2 ALITAS ($2 each) Marinated wings. SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD! And the DE LA CASA ($8) good! and Ponche De Lola ($8) Refreshing!! Tables outside. Bar was clean. Hostess was very nice! Bartender was helpful and nice, answered all of my questions I will be back! read more

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We were here to celebrate one of our friend's birthday. Glad we reserved the time around the Wizards game as this place wasn't crowded much as the game was going on. Parking can be hard to find in the area during the game days. I recommend taking the metro or bike if you live in DC. The ambiance was great. The service was great as well. The server recommended some of her favorite apps to start with. Highly recommend the freshly made quac and hot salsa with the chips. So good. One of the best hot salsa in the city. For entrees I ordered the chicken fajita and my husband ordered the birria tacos. The tacos did not come with the sauce. We thought the birria tacos was suppose to come with the sauce. When we asked the server she said you have to order it separately. Well that's mostly why I am giving them 4 stars and also the chicken in my fajita was pretty dry. I had to dip it in the hot salsa to make it nice and juicy. read more

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The service was excellent, friendly and attentive. We ordered Un Poco de Todo, which was a selection of its most popular bites. The portion was incredibly generous at an amazing price. We were pleasantly surprised. I will definitely come back for more. read more

Mi Vida - Un Poco De Todo - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The ambiance and decor are super cool! The service was great--prompt, friendly, consistent, and pleasant! I ordered a margarita at the bar, which was tasty and prepped with a salted rim and made quickly but barely had any alcohol in it. Why not just call it a mocktail? For my meal, I ordered the deviled eggs, vegetarian nachos, and cornbread, which is a weird combination, I know, but it all tasted great! The cornbread was in the shape of corn and came with a hard block of brown butter. The nachos were a big portion. I asked for habanero sauce, and it was the mildest habanero I've ever had. I also ordered birria tacos to go that were not good at all. They weren't shredded as I expected but rather giant hard unseasoned blocks of meat. Definitely avoid! Overall, read more

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This was my first time at Mi Vida gallery place location. There is a Taco Tuesdays and weekday happy hour menu until 7pm which we took advantage of. We stopped by ~4pm on a weekday and were seated immediately without reservations, but after 5pm it started to get a little crowded so dinger reservations might be better. I got the carne and camarones (shrimp) tacos which were really good. The carne came with a sauce that had a little hot kick so something to be aware of. There were also a number of happy hour drink options although none of us indulged in them. Great spot for a quick drink or lunch or dinner alone or with friends while in the area. Service was good but became a little slow as the restaurant got busy. Would recommend! read more

Mi Vida - Carne Camarones Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ultimately, this was a disappointing experience. The food wasn't anything to rave about. The drinks didn't make up for it either. One of my friends kept saying his fish had more breading than fish. After trying it myself, I agreed. The taste was awful, and I was honestly surprised he didn't send it back. If they had toned down (or properly seasoned) the breading, it might have been decent. My other friend said her tacos were fine, but the price point didn't match what she got. My burger was okay, nothing special. The best thing I had all night was the chips and salsa. I also ordered a glass of wine, and the glassware wasn't very clean. You could clearly see streaks and scratches on it, which didn't help the overall impression. I wouldn't recommend this as a first date spot or really a date spot in general. I will say, they were clearly going for a certain ambiance, and I can appreciate that. Unfortunately, the arena's large LED sign shines directly through the top windows at night. If you're seated facing it, it's almost blinding. Adding a shade or darker tint to that upper window would make a big difference. Oh and bathrooms were horribly designed. It was dark walking up the ramp (which is a trip hazard) and signage was nonexistent until you got up to the door opening. I regret recommending this place to my friends, but hey at least we can say we tried it. I wouldn't return to this location. I'd suggest going to the Wharf location instead. read more

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The food was great and the service was great. It's the perfect spot for good food before a caps game. They get you in and out in no time and are friendly all along the way! The inside was very nice and food was delicious. read more

Mi Vida - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Looking for a happy hour that starts at noon?! Well this is the place! I didn't arrive at noon but closer to 3. Not sure if that's a new thing but I'm not mad at it. The bar gets crowded pretty quickly. I enjoyed the rose on the happy hour - it was $7! They have great specials. Woot! read more

Mi Vida - Happy hour wine - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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After visiting the DC holiday market, we stopped in to Mi Vida. There was a hockey game going on at the arena so the wait was about an hour. The food was definitely worth the wait. - The guacamole was really good with a hint of spice - the plantains came with sides of a cream and queso Fresca similar to what you would place on elote. It was a pleasant surprise. - the quesadilla was flavorful but the presentation was lazy. I also asked for jalapeños in the quesadilla and instead they gave me a whole charred jalapeño which was not ideal. My friends also enjoyed their meals. The decor was cute and gives a romantic vibe. I could see this as a cute date night and still has the space to be a good girls night out spot as well. read more

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My friends and I had dinner here after the theater and it was a most enjoyable experience. The staff were very friendly and hospitable. The food was delicious and prices reasonable. It was very busy so I'm glad we made reservation. Two of us had the Carne tacos with sweet potato fries and one had the fish tacos with street corn. Very delicious! Drinks were also good. We plan on coming back when we're in the area. The district manager came by our table to see if we were happy with our service. The restaurant was brightly decorated and facilities were clean. read more

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10.10.25 I made dinner reservations on the OpenTable app for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, October 10 to celebrate my husband's belated birthday. We had plans to see the Dave Chappelle show across the street at Capital One Arena, and the restaurant was understandably packed with other patrons heading there as well. My husband checked us in, and we were told there would be a brief wait. Around 6:38 p.m., our table was ready. Our server, Jason, greeted us promptly and took our drink order. We ordered a bottle of still water, a Pepsi for me, and a beer for my husband. The still water was refreshing, but the Pepsi tasted flat. For our appetizer, we ordered the queso fundido. The portion was smaller compared to other Mexican restaurants we've visited, and we both agreed that we've had better elsewhere. For our entrée, we shared the Pasilla-Coffee Marinated Ribeye, which was served with melted cheese, sautéed peppers and onions, flour tortillas, cornbread, guacamole, crema, and pico de gallo. It also came with two sides--we chose rice and beans. The dish, priced at $79 and meant to serve one to two people, was outstanding. It was easily one of the best fajitas I've had in a long time. The only disappointment was the cornbread, which was hard and dry. When my husband stepped away to use the restroom, I mentioned to Jason that it was his birthday and ordered the citrus tres leches for dessert. Jason brought it out with a candle, which was a lovely touch. We shared it, though my husband wasn't a fan of the citrus topping. I, on the other hand, enjoyed it--the cake was moist, as it should be, and I loved the addition of sliced almonds, which complemented the texture perfectly. The restaurant features a bar, patio seating, and two dining areas. We were seated in the dining area nearest the restrooms. My only critique concerns the ladies' restroom. There are two sinks, but one was inoperable and lacked soap, while the functioning sink had such low water pressure that it was more of a drip than a stream. This is an inconvenience, especially for guests dining before events at Capital One Arena, when time is limited. I hope management addresses this issue promptly. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience with excellent service from Jason. I highly recommend splurging on the ribeye fajitas--it's well worth it! read more

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Pricey but good! The restaurant is gorgeous inside (we had the best table in the house!), even the bathroom was stunning, and the food was really good. Also the staff was amazing, everyone we interacted with was super friendly and attentive, even though we had to wait awhile for our big table. Unfortunately the big thing I did not like was that the chips and salsa costs extra, but everything I did have was great. I also had one of the best margaritas I've ever had here, that was fantastic and I will definitely try and recreate it at home as best I can. read more

Mi Vida - Tacos Camarones - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had a good solid meal here. We were a large group and there was a little confusion with the dishes ie, which one has less cheese? I had the birra which has always had a dipping broth. This one didn't have it and when I asked, they said they could bring me one, but it never came. The food was good though. The restaurant itself is beautiful, different rooms all well decorated with lots of natural light. The hostess was especially delightful and she brought us to our table even though we were early and they told us before we arrived that we needed the entire group before we could sit. read more

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Came here for a bite and drink after walking around a museum all day and had an overall good experience. Ordered the chicken nachos and the dish was somewhat small but tasty. Also had a few wings off their happy hour menu and they were definitely the best thing we tried. For my main meal I had a couple of tacos, shrimp and fish, and they were both delicious. My partner got the birria and wasn't a fan. 1 star off bc the margarita was mostly mix, I couldn't finish it. Overall, nice vibe, attentive service, and tasty food, would recommend for casual night or even date night. read more

Mi Vida - Shrimp and fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Came here for my bday brunch and loved it. I've been for happy hour but hadn't checked out their breakfast and I loved the pan Frances. If you're a fan of banana, you def should try it. Also our server was so so amazing. Super kind and helpful and I absolutely had a blast celebrating here read more

Mi Vida - Pan Frances - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Excellent service from the moment we walked in the door, very accommodating and considerate of our delayed arrival from our reservation time! Reservations are a must especially during peak hours. Loved the atmosphere, from the bar area to main dining area and there is outside seating. The drink menu had a lot to choose from, with seasonal options added and the drinks were very good. I highly recommend the chips and salsa and guacamole to start, with the quesobirria appetizer. The main menu had a lot of options. The chicken fajitas were excellent! read more

Mi Vida is a fun restaurant to enjoy happy hour in the bar area or full service sit-down dining experience in their large dining area. My husband and I were taking a break from the downtown DC holiday market just across the street from Mi Vida and enjoyed a round of happy hour at the bar prior to sitting down for a full meal in the dining area. The happy hour menu is fairly diverse and we easily found a cocktail and snack to try. The spicy mezcal cocktail was probably my favorite. I love the smoky flavor of mezcal. The appetizer and entree selections are very expansive and should satisfy any crowd. The portions are also huge. My husband and I realized we should have just ordered on entree to share...lol. Anyway, everything tasted amazing and the staff were all helpful and friendly. We will be back. Thank you and happy holidays! :-) read more

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everything was amazing. I can't wait to go back. Even though I live in Frederick, I am looking forward to the day. I'm able to get back there and enjoy another meal. all of the food came out fresh and tasty. Our waiter is very familiar with the menu even gave us a few drink suggestions. everything about this restaurant was amazing. Everything was clean and as the sun went down the restaurant indoor lighting just got better and you were able to really take in the aesthetics. this place is located right across from Capitol one Arena, which makes it very convenient because it's also near the Gallery Pl., Metro stop and during the month of December and maybe January it's also across from the DC holiday market. The shrimp and crab guacamole was so fresh and seasoned to perfection. If nothing else I'm going back just for that and the margarita was amazing too. read more

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This review is for happy hour only. Happy hour is solid and I recommend dropping by. Their website is easy to navigate and clearly shows the menu. Overall a solid experience with a few caveats. The mezcal margarita was well-balanced and flavorful, definitely a highlight. The queso fundido was good, though I'm not sure if the tortillas were homemade. My only real complaint was the service. Not the quality -- the staff was friendly and doing their best -- but there just weren't enough servers covering the bar area. It took a while to order, otherwise good vibe. That said, I'll definitely be back for dinner -- curious to see how the full menu holds up. read more

Mi Vida - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Really enjoyed the tacos and the atmosphere. Went with a group of friends and we tried a bunch of things on the menu. It didn't take long to get seated and it wasn't very loud. read more

Mi Vida - bathroom - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Happy hour on a Saturday? ...YES PLEASE! This wine was crisp and perfect. We didn't get any food but the service that we did reviewed was wonderful. The ambiance of the this place especially with walking to the bathroom. Come here with your gal pals! read more

Mi Vida - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This came highly recommended by our hotel concierge and it definitely did not disappoint. Walkable from our hotel on New Jersey Avenue and conveniently located near the Capital One Arena. I was half expecting crowded restaurant on Mother's Day, but it was relatively empty. Don't let the emptiness discourage you. I ordered the rotisserie chicken and it was a generously sized portion, practically half a chicken. It was flavorful and really tasty. The chips and guacamole were great too. The staff is friendly and helpful. I normally don't like franchise Mexican restaurants, but this one was very good. Definitely worth checking out. read more

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Upscale Mexican food with great decor to match are here at Mi Vida. The carne tacos were a hit with my dining partner. Chips and guac were also good. Stay clear of the chicken tacos as they were texturally off. We arrived at 5:15 and got seated immediately in a fairly empty restaurant. The service was surprisingly slow for the number patrons in the restaurant. Definitely an area of improvement read more

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First time here, had the enchiladas with mole and wings. The food was good but the portion sizes were on the small side.

We stopped here for lunch with work friends as we visited DC & we enjoyed the ambiance, the food, the drinks & the friendly service. We ordered the Enchiladas de mole, tacos de shrimp, tacos de carne & taquitos with some sides. We enjoyed everything but the black beans were too spicy for me (typically they don't have any spice) but everything else was great. We also ordered a pitcher of ponche & it was really good. The only thing I was very upset about is that their doors are NOT handicap accessible. My friend wouldn't have been able to get in because the doors are so heavy & there isn't an automatic door opener button read more

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The atmosphere here is fun, young, and vibrant. They have a bar, outdoor seating, and indoor seating as well. It's a pretty large and open space. We chose to sit outside and found it comfortable. We started with the chips y salsa and they were so good. The tomatillo salsa was amazing. It was tangy, with a little bit of heat, and just perfect with the chips and on my carne tacos I got! Next I got the pollo taquitos. They were crispy and the sauce was fantastic. I didn't love the chicken in the middle, but it was still pretty good. For my entree I got the three carne tacos that come with black beans. I wish they would have had more flavor, more lime juice for them, and maybe some Salsa verde instead of the red salsa they were served with. The steak was also a bit chewy and hard to eat. I don't know that I'd go for this dish again. My friend for the enchilada and enjoyed them. The service was great. Our waiter was kind and helpful. The food came out quickly and was fresh! All and all I would probably be open to eating here again. read more

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Service definitely could've been improved with the prices they're charging... We really only saw our waitress when we ordered and then as she brought our check (didn't even fully stop to drop it off, kept moving lol). Maybe she had a lot of tables? Just felt very impersonal for a sit down restaurant experience. Otherwise great restaurant. Very beautiful inside. Food tasted great. Queso is served with tortillas not chips. So it's like quesadilla thick cheese. Don't expect your traditional queso with chips to dip. It was still great, we just didn't expect this. read more

Mi Vida - Queso and Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The drinks were good and all of the appetizers we had were all very tasty. The restaurant is lively and very clean. read more

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Mi Vida came through for us in a pinch on Christmas Day. We stopped by Mi Vida to kill some time before going to the movies, and Mi Vida was one of the few bars (well restaurant with a bar) that was open. This will be a partial review because we only had a couple of margaritas, so we did not have a chance to try the food. Overall, our bartender took good care of us and made our margaritas very well. If you like margaritas that have a bit of a kick (i.e., spicy), then I would highly recommend the Cielo Rojo (the red sky). The blend of watermelon, tequila (of course), and spices gives this beverage an interested and refreshing taste. The dimly-lit restaurant is beautifully decorated and really contributes to a fine dining (or in our case drinking) experience. While we did not have food, I'm sure the food is just as delicious as the other location's. read more

Mi Vida - The Red Sky - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The service was slow. The food is ok but not great and it's too pricy. We ordered a salmon and it was under cooked. We waited far too long to have another one brought in. The express lunch was a small serving. A little disappointed in such great location and ambience. read more

Unfortunately I used to love Mi Vida especially as somewhere with gluten free options but we were denied outdoor seating if our entire party wasn't going to order an entree. There were already patrons outside so I don't understand limiting the service out there to those who can only all get entrees. Seems silly to me to lose out on business in that way. read more

Came here for happy hour before a show. Tacos were cool. I wish it was a little more flavorful but I liked it. Frozen margarita was good. Ambiance she service was great. I'd come here again read more

Mi Vida - La Frozen Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great for happy hour!!! I come here often. This location is within walking distance from my job so it's very easy to drop by and get a quick bite to eat during lunch or even after work and to get drinks. The restaurant itself is BEAUTIFUL and spacious, staff is usually very nice.. will continue to come back. My fav things to get are the birria tacos of course, the crab empanadas, the shrimp and crab guacamole and the wings. A ponche de Lola on the side always seals the deal. read more

Mi Vida - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This spot had been on my to go list for a while and I decided to come here for lunch today! Ambiance was great-- loved the tree decor. Service was fast and great. - Guacamole and chips: 10/10 (Guac was fresh, not too citrusy, and very flavorful) - Chicken enchilada: 8/10 (the sauce was good. Chicken could've been cooked a bit too much-- it was a bit dry. But overall, not bad.) read more

What an absolutely wonderful Mexican restaurant with creative drink menus and even better food. The service was remarkable from start to finish. The entire staff was very attentive, patient, and helpful even as the venue increased in patrons. The portion sizes were just right for an average American and the price for a restaurant in Penn Quarters is very reasonable. Awesome place to come and relax or have bite before a big show or game at the Arena. You'll actually be paying a bit less than the food inside anyway so I highly recommend visiting here. Will return. read more

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Great food just across from Capital One Arena. We had the fish tacos, which were crispy and spicy, but not too hot. It gets super busy during Caps season, so make a reservation. The staff are very helpful and friendly. Setting is casual. read more

Loved the overall experience at Mi Vida on a Friday night. I got seated quickly with my reservation and my order was taken by the server soon after I was seated. We ordered the Alitas Adobadas (wings), pecado tacos, camarones tacos, and 2 drinks. The drinks were delicious as well as the food. The wings had a nice amount of spice and the tacos had good flavor. We also got a free bite to try from the manager. The only downside of the restaurant is that it is dark inside and the bathroom is dark too. If you don't like a dark restaurant or a dark restaurant, then I wouldn't suggest the restaurant. If the bathroom was better lit, I would give this place 5 stars. No complaints on the food though! read more

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Stopped here for happy hour with some friends. They have plenty of options from food and drinks to choose from. I got the rolled tacos off their happy hour menu and a mango tajin frozen marg. Both were really good. A friend of mine got their burger and sweet potato fries and those also looked tasty. This location is right by the capital one arena so a great pre or post game place to stop. They have tons of seating to accommodate big groups as well. Service was attentive and the food came pretty fast. read more

Mi Vida - Mexican Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ray john and Jordan took care of us at the bar. The restaurant had been a must visit establishment on our list while visiting Washington DC. It was such a fulfilling experience. The ponche de Lola delicious along with the Rollos and the sauce so great to share. We enjoyed the queso fondito with the fresh tortillas!!! And the one person we have to also shout out to was Joe! Can't miss him with dressed to the 9's so approachable and knowledgeable! We can't wait to come back and visit everyone again read more