Met up with my best friend who was in town for a wonderful dinner at Vecina, and we had an absolutely fantastic meal! If you are up for it, their happy hour features amazing deals on signature appetizers and drinks running right up until 6:00 PM. The restaurant provides the perfect, lively setting to catch up with family and friends over a shared meal.  We started with the Papas Verde, a brilliant, crispy mix of fingerling potatoes and savory chorizo topped with a vibrant tomatillo salsa. This quickly became our favorite appetizer of the night, though the velvety white bean purée paired with tender short rib was a very close second! For the main highlights, the Wagyu tacos were an absolute standout, featuring melt-in-your-mouth beef elevated by a kick of spicy peppers and a zesty green salsa. Honestly, you can't go wrong with any of their taco options, but make sure to save room for the empanada, which offers a unique and delicious twist served over a sweet orange marmalade. read more

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Always a good choice, I recommend getting plates and sharing amongst your group so you can try more things! Favorites: White bean purée Chicken karaage Ceviche Pork belly & salmon tacos When the weather is cooler sitting on their patio is lovely! Give yourself a moment for parking! read more

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Amazing food!! The service was good and friendly. I was surprised to see multiple children there as I heard it was a more upscale establishment, but it was fine. Every thing we ordered was absolutely delightful. I didn't even get a picture of those chorizo potatoes they have as a shareable because they were that dang good. The Brussels sprouts were also amazing. It was all amazing!! Go! read more

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10/10 recommend! Outstanding food, ambiance, and service! Had the elote, cerviche, empanada, pork belly tacos, and banana bread dessert. The cocktails were delicious and unique. Definitely added to my favorite places to dine! read more

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As my friend said, the white bean puree here is a non-negotiable. It was my FAVORITE menu item. Only complaint was...give me another flour tortilla - ha. We ordered a bottle of wine and went to town on: White Bean Puree * Crispy Short Rib | Herb Salad | Flour Tortilla: Karaage * Aji Amarillo | Citrus Gastrique | Togarashi | Lime Elote * Chorizo Butter | Lime Creme Fraiche | Toasted Chiles Romaine * Buttermilk Dressing | Mexican Sriracha | Parmesan | Noble Bread Breadcrumbs Gambas al Ajillo * Wild Shrimp Co. Mexican Shrimp | Paprika Garlic Butter | Serrano Cruda | Garlic Noble Bread - this was the only dish that was not my favorite. SUPER flavorful but I wanted a more.. 'traditional' tapas Gambas al Ajillo flavor aka less paprika please. Saudero tacos (a brisket confit suadero tacos with a chile jam, aguacate, serrano cruda, toasted sesame, fresnos and micro cilantro) We sat on the patio for a wonderful AZ spring evening. The service was great. I also enjoyed their extensive tequila and mezcal menu. The only downside is the parking -- it's pretty small and shared with Lou Malnati's next door! read more

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Not much choice for vegetarian chips and rice are also not veg. Tortillas so thick. Service is good.

Hidden gem alert! I like that it's tall. Pork belly taco. Delicious. Good bartenders. Great spot for people in the neighborhood. Comfortable chairs. Air conditioned. Food is delicious. Carajillo! I bounced off the walls because I couldn't stop drinking them read more

Small, dimly lit space but comfy with a nice vibe. Good amount of seating on a cute patio available too. The bar is nestled in next to the dining tables on one side. Everything our party of 5 tried was delicious; some favorites were Shaved Brussels salad, Karaage, Ceviche. Even the chips with a trio of sauces/salsa tasted great ... very light and fresh. Some of the prices were high; others reasonable but the presentation was beautiful. Upon first glance, the menu options seemed slim but actually there was a nice variety of choices. The server suggested 2-3 dishes per person since they are meant to be shared but I think two per is plenty. We ordered the perfect amount of food for our group. Overall, the food was great so if you develop favorites i can see coming back again and again. read more

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We sat at the bar and waited a little over an hour for two of us without a reservation. Service was quick and attentive once we were in. The bartender made us tequila espresso martinis that were delicious and well-balanced. We also ordered the salsa trio, which was excellent with a great level of heat and flavor. This spot leans a bit more toward higher-end Mexican food, but for the espresso martinis and salsa trio alone, it's definitely worth it. read more

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Finally made it to Vecina and wow, the food did not disappoint. I had the Happy Hour Margarita and the Skirt Steak Tacos, both were absolute standouts. The margarita was crisp and refreshing, and the tacos? Chef's kiss. Perfectly seasoned steak, bold flavors, and a beautiful presentation that made it feel like more than just happy hour bites. The atmosphere was stylish but relaxed, and the service kept pace with the vibe, friendly and attentive without being overbearing. Only reason it's not a full five stars? Just saving that for my next visit when I dive deeper into the menu. If the rest is anything like those tacos, I'll be upgrading soon. read more

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The best barbecued meats I have ever had in my entire life - every single time I go to Phoenix in the future, I will most definitely be eating here! If you're vegetarian, I would still recommend this restaurant, but I'm not sure that it would still be a must-go. I cannot remember the names of the dishes that we ordered, but I would get every single one of them again!! Oh, and I got the dessert with banana bread and peanut butter moose - very impressive, I'm so glad that I ordered it (I often do not order dessert). PS - the waitress was extremely visibly very high and wasn't really present the entire time. We were the last table to get seated that night, so I am hoping she was not high her entire shift, but things like that (when folks are so visibly not present while at work) make me worried about food safety at a restaurant read more

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My wife and I were visiting from California for just a few days, and we tried Vecina out on Valentine's Day. Right off the bat the hostess was very nice and welcoming. When we were seated, our waitress walked us through the menu and how the plates are small and meant to be shared. We ordered the chips and salsa, the ceviche, the salmon tacos, and the pork empanada. For dessert we got the concha. All the items were amazing. The ceviche was some of the best I've had, and I've had a lot living in California my whole life. They spaced the food coming out perfectly. The overall vibes of the restaurant were great too. Overall, food and restaurant wise, Vecina was the highlight of our trip due to the amazing staff, service, and food. read more

Beautiful restaurant great food and friendly service. Have been wanting to try for a while now glad I stopped in for dinner yesterday. Parking lot gets packed but they allow you to park in the dentist parking lot next door which was helpful. The white bean puree with the short rib was a top 5 favorite dish I've ever had omg the tortillas here are amazing. I then had the mussels and the empanada. Would skip the mussels next time but would get the empanada again. Will be going back soon and for sure get the white bean app again and then I'd do tacos afterwards for sure. Spicy margaritas are great too! Highly recommend read more

Vecina Arcadia - Mussels - Latin American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Cute spot with great food. They had a great selection of tequilas and mezcals. I really enjoyed the time and a half cocktail, it was delicious and unique. For food we had the white bean puree(the short rib on it was SO good), the Brussels, the ceviche, the salmon and steak tacos, and the pork empanada. They were all really good! read more

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I was really impressed with everything here. The inside was dim and quaint. The service was great. The waitress was super nice and very attentive. I wasn't sure what to order. Initially I was going to order off the happy hour menu, but I saw salmon tacos and I had never had that before. I ordered the tacos and the featured drink: Hamilton White Stache Pineapple Daiquiri...I loved this drink. It was not frozen which was perfect. The salmon tacos were excellent. The salmon was so fresh and all the toppings made it pop with flavor. This dish was refreshing and light. Definitely going to get those again. read more

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Arizona has an under-seasoning epidemic but Vecina has comfortably beaten the allegations. Flavors were all on point and as expected from the components on the menu, which doesn't happen often in Phoenix. The Papas Verde had an addicting tang from the tomatillo salsa but were brilliantly balanced out by the chorizo and asadero cheese. The shaved brussel salad could have used a little more date and chile to balance out the vinegar but I was pleased either way. The elote was probably the only thing that fell short execution-wise as I didn't get much of the chorizo flavor, but the cook on the corn itself was perfect. The Gambas al Ajillo are absolutely a must-get. Juicy, sweet shrimp with an unexpected kick from the butter sauce and unsurprisingly great bread from Noble. The Tlayuda was a little heavy on the lettuce, but the smoked pork and bean puree combo were so flavorful that it helped balance out the richness with texture and freshness. I also loved the crispy contrast from the fried tortilla. We ended with the Concha and Mango Sticky Rice ice cream which sounded pretty simple but was quite impressive in its own right. The ice cream was a touch too frozen, but it ended up working out well with the crunchy cornflake coating and lightly warmed, pillowy concha to make a really satisfying ending to our meal. Service was excellent and the patio was well-lit and had heaters ready for colder weather. Vecina is on the pricier side for sure, but you will not be disappointed. read more

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My friend brought me here for the first time and I feel like this spot is over rated and over priced for the quality. We came in for a walk in. The front ladies told us that we will be seated as soon as there is an opening. However, the group of guys after us also came in without reservation, and they got seated before us, wtf.,,,,,,,,,??!!!?? Food: Salsa trio: pretty good but you can get the same tasting from a lot of spots in Tucson that's equally fresh Elote: I would say, this is the only truly unique dish here. It's really good and fresh. It's not creamy done like traditional one but very good Steak taco: keep in mind, this 2 tacos cost $26. When I tried it, the meat was a bit overcooked and way tooo salty. It's like eating salt straight up and empowering the flavor. Fish taco: the fish was very soft and well done but again whatever coating on top was too salty and empowering the flavor of the taco Beef belly taco: it was good with peanut but the belly was also not soft enough to melt in your mouth. Service was good and server was attentive However, overall, I think this spot is mediocre for the price and food quality. I had way better food quality for better price and more fair seating. I don't think I would want to come back here again. read more

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Went with a group for happy hour and essentially ordered one of everything. Every dish was phenomenal and had some really unique flavor combinations. Our favorites were the papas, salmon tacos, and steak w/white bean puree. I do wish the portion sizes were larger and would recommend multiple of each dish if sharing with a larger party. The bar in the center of the restaurant has a rolling ladder to access the plethora of beverages. Our waitress was attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. The ambiance in the room was intimate with soft lights behind the booths and in the walls. read more

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Such a good find. I tried this place with my friend and we came in for a walk in dinner on a Sunday night and it was amazing! We shared a set menu during Arizona's Chef week, and ordered a couple extra things to share on top of it. I ordered the spicy margarita and it was super light and refreshing. Loved it. The set menu $66 included: - a jicama mango salad: had a kick of spice to every bite. Super refreshing - seared black cod: so tender and flaky cod with this delicious cream sauce to pair with - rice pudding dessert with a yummy crispy honeycomb crisp on top with some fresh fruits - bourbon and rye cocktail: good! We ordered along with the set menu: - elote: loved this one; had a delicious butter sauce on it; perfect char - skirt steak tacos: solid tacos Loved this place and the vibe. Our waiter was so nice and helpful and gave great recommendations and checked in at perfect timings! We had a blast here. read more

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First - Nicholas (Nick) was an awesome server. He really new the menu and guided us well. We ordered five items and three of us shared all the dishes. The drinks were fun (maybe a little pricey). It's small and dimly (but intimately) lit and a 5:00 reservation meant we found parking in the very small shared lot and had a table. The white bean puree with crispy short rib, crunchy but still tender and juicy was a nice starter. The pork belly tacos were outstanding, melt in your mouth good and the toasted jam was the perfect tangy topping. The shrimp was spicy (Nick warned us) and my daughters favorite. Everything was delicious, can't wait to go back. read more

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We ate here for a friend's birthday & it did not disappoint! It's a smaller place, so definitely more intimate. But the vibe can go casual or a bit more depending on the occasion. The food we had was amazing, especially the papas verde & karaange. Huge bonus for me: almost everything can be made or just is already gluten free. Our waitress was also kind & made sure we had everything we needed while dining. Can't wait to dine here again soon! read more

Vecina Arcadia - Gluten free options - Latin American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

My favorite place is the valley..if not ever! Everything on the menu is 10/10. Every staff member is 10/10. Every time we have family/friends visiting, this is the place we go. My mom comes back into town requesting Vecina every time. We can't wait to try the new location. Also, Rhianna is the best!! read more

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Really great atmosphere, great service from Ana. Our apps were amazing.. mussels were some of the best we've ever had. The white bean app was delish. (Forgot to take a pic) Entrees were an 8/10. The Hamachi Collar was pretty soft in texture and very simple in flavor. The texture seemed a little undercooked, but maybe just my personal taste. The ribeye flavor was awesome, however our cut was pretty gristly. For $84, we would have liked to not have to discard a 1/4 of the steak. I'm a ribeye gal, so was prepared for some. Also, they say it comes med rare but it's def on the rare side! Drinks were great! read more

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Stunned by how amazing every dish was! I had their ceviche, pork belly tacos and their special tuna tostada and they were all unforgettable. A must have for sure! read more

Vecina Arcadia - Ceviche - Latin American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Just a wonderful meal at Vecina. Service, drinks, food, it was all excellent. We started out with the salsa trio and added guacamole and all three salsas we amazing as was the guacamole. We moved on the the white bean puree with crispy short rib and the elote. Again, delicious. We shared pork belly and salmon tacos for the entree. We will definitely make it a point to go back. read more

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Everything about Vecina we loved. Service was excellent , ice tea and water glasses were never allowed to empty. The appetizers of the guacamole & white bean braised beef were incredible. Dishes of salmon and pork belly tacos were out of this world . Can't recommend Vecina more. read more

This is a great spot to grab delicious happy hour snacks or a nice dinner. Some of my favorites are the salmon tacos and I could drink the habanero salsa in the salsa trio. I really enjoy sitting at the bar where the space is open and airy. The service is fantastic and the bartenders make great recommendations when I am indecisive on what I would like to drink. read more

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Last minute reservation for a quick bite. Everything exceeded our expectations !!!! Service was incredible. We told them we were in town for a quick honeymoon. We got a complimentary toast! Service was super attentive and created a shellfish free menu for my allergy. Quality of food was great! If we lived here, it would definitely be our local go to read more

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this is easily one of my new fav spots for dinner or even grabbing a small bite with a drink. sitting at the bar was so nice and the place has a very nice vibe to it - big windows and moody lighting. Bartender was very nice too. Can't go wrong with the salsa trio and salmon tacos. None of their drinks miss. read more

When we drove up, we were amazed at how little parking there is for these two restaurants on the corner of 56th St & Indian School. We found the one; the only parking space left. We entered the restaurant, it was very dark (it reminded me of a neighborhood bar). The hostess podium was very small, there were a few people standing there talking. It took a few minutes for anyone to acknowledge us (it was the manager chatting with the hostess). When they did, I told them we had a reservation. They looked up the name, explained our friends were already here and showed us to our table on the patio. I was not very happy, the table was so small and right behind the door where servers and guests are coming in and out constantly. I asked the hostess if we could be moved, she said she would ask the manager. A few minutes later the manager came over to explain he had other reservations and we couldn't move. The manager was very good tho about helping me with my food allergies. We ordered our drinks and dinner. I was very surprised when the food came my plate had two tacos on the plate, no garnish, just 2 tacos. I noticed that is how every plate came. Surprising as this makes each taco $11.00. The taco was good, tho I had to remove the pickled onions, way to vinegary it over powered the pork belly taco (way over priced). After dinner we were relaxing and catching up with our friends, the server came over and told us we had to leave because the next reservation had just checked in! I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! Who does that?!! I say go some where else, there are a lot of really good restaurants who don't have a time limit on your stay, their food is as good or better, and a better value!!!!! read more

YUM!!!!' First time there tonight & I cannot wait to go again. Chips & trio, white bean puree, papas verde, shaved Brussels & romaine salad, ended on pork belly tacos, EVERYTHING was amazing. Plus the vibe & energy of the place was so good! Staff was so friendly and attentive. LOVED!! read more

Parking is very tight, you may want to park on a side street . We were seated promptly but we had reservations. The restaurant is dimly lit and noisy. We tried many dishes but liked the pork belly tacos the best and the short ribs . This restaurant is nit your typical Mexican restaurant but a lot of variations . We liked the vibe we suggest getting there early. The server was friendly and explained the menu read more

The food is amazing! Every dish we tried had unique flavors. Very small dining area and a bit noisy but the food and friendly staff more than make up for it. read more

Vecina has been on my list for SO LONG and we finally made it last night to celebrate our anniversary. I tried to make a reservation mid afternoon (last minute I know!), but they do not accept them within two hours. I was beyond that window, but I know they opened at four, so figured that may be part of why. Regardless, we thought we would go for it, as it was just the two of us and we were feeling lucky on this weekday night! They do have a less than ideal parking situation, as they share a very small lot with their neighbor, but do also permit parking across the street, which we were able to take advantage of. I always appreciate when businesses list additional options for limited parking, and as they are in the Arcadia area, this was definitely to be expected. I am not sure exactly what the wait was, but we were able to snag two bar seats, which worked out perfectly! The space itself is beautiful. They have an amazing, colorful floral mural on the wall with lots of wood accents and pops of blue. The bar itself was also comfortable enough even though every seat was taken! The bartender promptly got our beverage order and we opted for two of their specialty house cocktails: Eat a Peach & Peruvian Pan Flute. The Eat a Peach was a whiskey forward with beer float and the Pan Flute was more floral with pisco. Both were very good, but neither were stand out or repeats for us. I definitely look forward to trying some of their other cocktail offerings, or if you prefer wine, they had an extensive wine list being a Latin influence tapas bar. Now to the food. Every single dish we had was phenomenal, truly. We opted to share the: White bean puree with short rib, Spanish chorizo mussels, hiramasa ceviche and their pork belly tacos. The quality of ingredients, the flavors, the presentation, all of it was 5/5. We equally loved everything and would order it all again. Honestly, everything from the flour tortillas to the jalapeno lime broth in the mussels to the crunchy bread from Noble, the peanut crusted pork belly, it was all insane. I do not think I have any other words to describe it. I did not think it could get any better, but then we got the banana bread for dessert. I did not know banana bread could be SO GOOD. It had a mezcal caramel with a pistachio coconut cookie crumble paired with a peanut butter mousse. It was so buttery and delicious, I will be dreaming of it. In addition, the Vecina team perfectly timed everything so we were not overstuffed with plates and we were able to indulge and enjoy each dish. They were so friendly and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. This will definitely be on our rotation for date night moving forward. read more

Vecina Arcadia - Cevixhe - Latin American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We met friends at Vecina for happy hour and dinner tonight. Our previous experience was not great and I was apprehensive today to give them another chance. It is with true joy that I can report, WOW, what a turn around. I left with a smile, great food and unique flavor profiles that will have me returning. The place was packed, bustling and a bit loud with enthusiastic diners. Our waiter share information when asked, helped is with portions sizes and gave us his favorites. He was spot on. The dishes here are meant to be shared and that was perfect as we tried several different dishes. We started with the white bean puree, crispy short rib, flour tortilla and an herbed salad. This was unique and great flavor. The shaved brussel sprouts, dates, cotija cheese, bacon and a roasted chili vinegarette was memorable. I am not a brussel sprouts fan, but I've never had them served like this. They were delicious, crispy and easily could of shared another order. The Faroe Island salmon tacos with citrus , pink peppercorns, flour tortilla and yuzo aioli were good but not the group's favorite. The Hiramasa cerviche was another great flavor combo with grilled pineapple, coconut cream and a flour tortilla. The skirt steak tacos with cascabel salsa, avacado relish, cotija and corn tortilla was our least favorite. It lacked any real flavor profiles other than a meat taco. The taco arabe with Iberian pork, cashew dukka, chipolte crema, pickles and arabe flatbread was flavor packed, delicious and and favorite. Our final selection was the tlayuda smoked green chili pork with black bean puree, romaine, mahon and tomatillo nam prik. Again, a homerun! I am glad we gave Vecina another chance. The food was delicious, flavorful and unique profiles. My only concern was that menu does not display many ingredients, thus making it hard to reproduce at home. The problem is easily solved, I have to go back. To the kitchen at Vecina, thank you and GREAT JOB! read more

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Absolutely fantastic!!! We were int town visiting our daughter and she wanted to try Vecina! So incredible. Service was fantastic! Atmosphere was great, we sat outside. Flour tortillas I could eat every day! The drinks were great, food even better, followed up with the banana bread dessert! Thank you!!! read more

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I have been wanting to try this spot and we were finally able to get a reservation! The parking lot is small so if you can Uber, I'd recommend that. Very cozy, intimate environment. Our server was incredible - I think his name was Brian (not positive). He gave us recommendations on food and drink, stirred us away from anything that he didn't feel like fit with the other items, and coursed our food perfectly. There is a full bar and cocktail menu but the wine list needs to be highlighted! I was in awe with how many wines, the regions, and types they had by the bottle and the glass. Our favorite items were the mussels and the empanada! The mussels were so fresh, large in size, and came in a sauce that was a bit spicy. The empanada was perfectly cooked and the meat inside was so tender. The only item we didn't like were the wagyu tacos that were on special. The meat was way overcooked and slightly burnt. But other than that, we had a great experience. Highly recommend! Would definitely go again. read more

Vecina Arcadia - White bean - Latin American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Vecina is a great little spot on Indian school and 56th. Parking is limited but we got lucky and found a spot right at the front. I had a glass of rose that was a bit darker in color than typical but really bright and fresh. We started with the chips and salsa trio. 2 of the 3 salsas were really good and the 3rd was ok. I'd probably get something else next time. The shaved Brussels sprouts salad was crunchy deliciousness. The papas verdes was good although it had a lot of asadero cheese on it which made it a bit salty. My husband had the salmon tacos which he said were good but not amazing. The star of the show was the Gambas al Ajillo. The server wanted to make sure I like spicy when I ordered which I do. It was SO good! The perfect amount of spice for me just at the verge of being too spicy. Great flavor and came with 4 huge slices of noble bread to sop up the sauce, which I gladly shared. I forgot to take pictures until I was almost done with the shrimp. It's a cozy restaurant with a small patio. Lively but you can still carry on a conversation. And attentive, friendly service. Add it to your list if you haven't been! read more

Vecina Arcadia - Gambas (shrimp) al Ajillo - Latin American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I had to update my review for Vecina to 5 stars after this past visit. I went to celebrate a new job and the staff were above and beyond amazing! They brought us some champagne to toast without us even asking - they had just overheard us chatting about it. I also tried the ceviche, which was fabulous, the gambas al ajillo, also stellar, and the adobo pork chop which was the best cooked pork I've had in forever. The pork belly tacos are still soooo fantastic I literally crave them. This is such a great spot for a special occasion. The food is truly a step above and the staff make you feel like they genuinely care. It is a tight fit, so I recommend this place for parties of 6 or less unless you make a special reservation. It also gets pretty loud as well because it is a small space, but it's super intimate and I love the lighting. The drinks were also better than I remember this time around so def don't skip a marg. Thank you, Vecina! I can't wait to come back for more pork belly tacos. read more

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We went a couple weeks ago and had a great time. Foods and drinks were great. Service was quick and helpful. read more

Vecina Arcadia - Good wine! - Latin American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona