I was super excited to come to Viva Mexico - having looked at the menu so many times, but never quite making it in (as it always goes with me, it seems), but overall, I found it disappointingly average. Service was painfully slow, and it didn't seem to be particularly busy to warrant the length of time it seemed to take to get anything from a glass of water to a meal (ok, meals I am ok with on the timescale, things have to be made, not reheated). The tortilla soup was standout for me - first time I've tried it, and i was ablet o get past my own personal yuk factor of corn chips in soup (much much better than I thought it would be). I followed it up with the potato and chickpea burritto - I haven't had a burrito since leaving the States, and this was disappointing in comparison. Not awful, but the potato had an oddly runny consistency that made the meal slightly unpleasantly odd. The boy, an ardent Mexican fan, just looked disappointed. I wished I had stuck with the fajitas. I really wanted to like Viva Mexico, hoping that it would have brought a little injection of Mexican sunshine into a wintery Edinburgh, but I was left wanting overall. read more

My disclaimer: I'm biased when it comes to Mexican food thanks to growing up cooking and eating the home cooked variety as well as being surrounded on the West Coast by fantastic Mexican restaurants. That being said, this place was decent. I have to give it some credit as I wouldn't expect actual authentic Mexican food in Scotland. Tired of the pub fare, I decided to try this place with my husband. The menu looked promising as well as their drink selection. I had a strawberry Margarita and their chicken enchiladas. My husband had their fish and rice dish with a local beer and then a shot of tequila. For a starter we had guacamole and salsa with chips. The guac wasn't bad at all and generous, considering the avocados have to be imported. Their salsa had a nice amount of kick. The chips tasted a bit soggy, however. When we got our main dishes, I found the enchiladas were okay. The jalapeños helped give it some spice while the refried beans were tasty. The rice I had had a bit of an issue with as it was undercooked (needed about two more minutes). The flavor was good despite being a bit crunchy to eat. My husband seemed to enjoy his fish and rice. For dessert, besides flan, don't expect the dessert menu to be ethnically correct. I had went for their caramel apple pie and ice cream while my husband had their chilli chocolate pie. Both were delicious but not authentically Mexican. What I do give them merit on is effort. The interior is joyfully decorated with Gods Eyes, piñatas, and pictures of famous Mexicans (i.e: Emilio Zapata). The walls are colorful and vibrant while the tables have fun placemats and paper flowers. The food gives a Scotsman's nod to the Mexican culture and tries its best to offer an authentic taste. Can't beat down the gringos for trying in this corner of the world. read more

Located on the very interesting Cockburn Street just next to the Royal Mile, this Mexican Restaurant was a pleasant and refreshing surprise. It offers a very good lunch deal offering Sopa del Dia(a type of bean soup) with a main of Burritos or Chimichanga or Tacos Del Pollo or Enchiladas with a choice of chicken,beef,pork or vegetable fillings all for 5.50pounds! And the portions are very satisfying as well. Its a very colourful shop, with tall walls covered in mostly Zapatistas photographs. In the evenings, the downstairs room is available which is a little more cramped but a little more romantic if you get a window seat.(overlooking New Town). Book before hand for a Saturday night if you are a group. The staff are super friendly too. read more

So we'd been in the British Isles for over two weeks, having more than our share of fish and chips, shepards pies, and hamburgers. By night number sixteen, who wouldn't want... Mexican food? Well, we certainly weren't going to pass up on the idea, if for nothing else than the irony. It was located just a few blocks from our hotel, and there wasn't anything else ringing our proverbial bell, so we acquiesced. The night was cool, with a layer of fog enveloping us, setting the mood to be more London than Tijuana. Nonetheless, we were greeted by their sign in front which advertised "With Real Mexicans" (In your face, Donald Trump!). We were asked if we had reservations. While we did not, we were quickly seated anyway, by a white woman. We witnessed to other gringo employees, with nary a Mexican in sight. We should've sued for false advertising. As it was, I had to have a shot and a beer or I was going to fill completely unfulfilled. To soften the load on me tummy, I had a fish burrito, and I'm happy to report that I did not get sick that evening. Wife also enjoyed the meal, but pointed out that the meal really wasn't authentic Mexican. As we were in a festive mood, we elected to have dessert - for me it was a chili chocolate pie, expecting it to make me yell out "DYNOMITE". It didn't quite have that effect, but it was sweet enough. So, if you're looking for something unexpected, Viva Mexico certainly fits the bill. And if you're looking for something that'll fill you for a not unreasonable price that tastes decent, it will also work. Just don't expect it to be like something you'd get in San Francisco's Mission District. For that, you have to go to San Francisco's Mission District. read more

Pay heed to the previous reviews - the servings at Viva Mexico are SMALL! Other than that, I was pretty impressed by Viva Mexico. Upstairs was busy, but there's a good sized area down the stairs, which has windows onto the back of the close, not dark and dingy at all like I was expecting. And the entire time we were there they played Bob Dylan, marvellous! Lunch time meant that we had a slightly more limited menu to choose from, but there was still enough to satisfy me and my vegan friend. I had the beef enchiladas, my friend had the vegetable fajitas (minus the sour cream and cheese, obviously). Enchiladas are something I really enjoy, but hadn't ordered in a restaurant since the time in Amsterdam where the woman at the table next to me threw up all over the table.... But rest assured, these enchiladas were very nice and not at all vomit-worthy (not that the Amsterdam ones had been either mind). And my friend was suitably impressed by how many peppers were in her fajita mix, as she's a bit of an onion hater. But, like I said, the portions were small. They weren't remotely spicy either, but that bothered me less, and I enjoyed the rice that was served with them too. My enchiladas did only cost me £5.95, so I wasn't expecting anything huge for that price, but given you can get monster-sized burritos elsewhere in Edinburgh for the same price, Viva Mexico really do need to work on the portion sized. Oh, and as others have said, what's with the lonely salsa?! Still, I enjoyed my lunch. I was still hungry at the end of it, otherwise there'd have been a 4th star, but what I did eat was pretty tasty. read more

I'll start off by saying that I'm an American with American standards when it comes to Mexican food. Add to that list that I'm also originally from Texas and half Mexican and boy does that make me a picky eater. :) I've yet to find any Mexican food in Scotland that has lived up to my standards but decided to give Viva Mexico a shot! My friend and I spent the day a few weeks ago in Edinburgh touring the Castle and taking in the sights. After passing a few random cafes that served the same ol' stuff, I noticed Viva Mexico and with slight suspicion, decided to take a look at their menu. Being vegetarian, we're usually put off by loads of meaty meals, but at quick glance, we noticed a wide variety of veggie offerings and decided to try it out. I was immediately happy to see the colourful flare the restaurant had with all Hispanic memorabilia. We were taken downstairs to the lounge area and handed menus. We ordered Sonoras and Nachos to start and then order a veggie burrito and chick pea and potato enchiladas for our mains. I was bummed when I forgot to order rice, because in my mind, if the rice is bad, there's no hope for any other food on the plate. It was to my surprise that my meal came with rice and it was DELISH. My friend and I were amazed at the fresh ingredients, the taste of spices in each bite and the quickness at which the food was served. To top that off, we ordered the Chili Chocolate Cheesecake! Let me just tell you that you HAVE to try this dessert. It was amazing and spicy....but not too spicy. It was a perfect combination of flavors and it was the perfect ending to an otherwise perfect Mexican meal in Scotland. Even though the train ride to Edinburgh is 13+ pounds one way, it's so worth it knowing that Viva Mexico is there to greet us! read more

I was really excited to experience my first mexican restaurant as I have only had Tex Mex before. We were sat downstairs and I loved the colourful decor and pictures in Viva Mexico which I would give 5 stars to. Our several jugs of margaritas went down really well and although, there was quite a bit of ice in them watering them down, they hit the spot for me. The corn chips and dips to start with were great and I could really taste the freshness of the guacamole. For my main, I had Enchiladas de mole - shredded chicken in wraps with chocolate sauce, refried beans and mexican rice. I asked for cheese inside the wraps too - wasn't sure if it would go well with the chocolate but I really wanted cheese which they were happy to do. When my meal arrived there was a healthy spread of chocolate on top of my enchiladas and I was excited to try this out. However I'm glad I asked for cheese as I couldn't taste the chocolate at all - I expected a nutella kind of flavour. The chicken was moist and delicious but the tastiest thing on my plate ended up being the mexican rice. I'd need to try other Mexicans to know if this is how general Mexican flavouring goes. Overall the meal satisfed our hungry bellies however we felt it was quite pricey for what we had. read more

We were looking for place,to eat and just happen to walk in, place was packed on main floor so we asked is they had seating...expecting to get a reply of...will be a little wait....low and behold, they have a lower level and while still pretty full we were seated right away. And we were,luck to have been. Food was great, service fast and friendly. Margaritas were good...as the menu says, they are not sweet....on the bitter side...very traditional and fresh... I like them very much. Food was good all around. Quite flavorful, meat fresh and moist. We all enjoyed, kid friendly so that was nice. Portions for kids a pretty good size. I would highly recommend. I give it a 4, just because we like our Mexican food being from the states and have good points of comparison. I would this locally...this ranks as a 5/5 in the Mexican category.... read more

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Arriba!! Arriba!! Mexico has landed in Edinburgh with Viva Mexico, one of the best Tex Mex places I have had the pleasure of going to. The staff are great, the décor brings all the vibrancy I expect when I think of Mexico, and the food is amazing. During the day you can choose from their lunch menu which is surprisingly generous, offering the Sopa del Dia (soup of the day), with a choice of (chicken / beef / pork / veggie) burritios, tacos, enchiladas and chimichanga. The burritos are awesome, definitely go for them but the other stuff is really good as well. Moving onto the evening, it is a good idea to book a table, as it fills up quickly. I was always a bit sceptical of Mexican restaurants, as I thought I could just make it myself but Ay Yay Yay!!! how wrong I was. Well I can make Mexican food but just nowhere near as good as these guys. The camerones (king prawns) in chipotle sauce are de puta madre! (lets translate that as absolutely spiffing darling), and the fajitas are pretty damn fine as well. The atmosphere is really good here, it is always vibrant and the staff are really friendly. It is pretty good value as well for the quality of the food on offer. If all Mexican food is as bueno as this then definitely Viva Mexico!!! read more

Good Mexican spice Hmm, free salsa but no crisps? Is top in Scotland read more

Can be a tight squeeze if the place is busy both upstairs and downstairs. Well worth booking a table in advance as it can get busy, however, I have also gone in on a whim and been accommodated. Pleasant waiting staff who are happy to chat and make recommendations. Nice bright decor and general pleasing aesthetic really add to the ambience. A lovely place to spend a relaxing evening. Food was delicious and a good portion size, it was also inexpensive despite it's central location. I particularly recommend their refried beans and guacamole delicious accompaniments. Nice variety of drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Highly recommended read more

Undecided between 4 and 3 finally I am giving a 3 stars. Somehow it failed to impress me and I have been to a number of mexican restaurants in several countries. I must say that the prices are high for mexican food and I am not used to that. The spiceness was not really rich and food was decent to quite good , but not special at all. I happened to see the cooks inside the kitchens and they were british-looking youngsters. The starters mix was pretty good buy costed 1 pound per small bite! The mains were nice, but half filled with salad (75% shredded letuce, and ocassionally a cucumber slice, peas, and cheap grocery things) Not even a piece of jalapeno or a chili pepper. On the other hand, the steak and chicken were great and the sauces were very good (but not very spicy despite I ordered a medium not mild spiceness). The waiters and their service was excellent, and the Sangria pitches was very nice. The room (floor down) was smally giving a quite atmosphere and the lights were dim and golden. It was very comfortable and warm, so the experience was very good. All in all it is an OK Mexican restaurant, and you would get a mexican type of food, but it failed to impress me compared to the mexican restaurants I am used to. I would give it another try in the future. read more

Good atmosphere, really good tasty food and good portion size. 10 of us all dressed as Mexicans, Donald trump and a bottle of tequila! What's the worst that could happen? read more

Viva Mexico - Dan Williams stag do! Great food. - Mexican Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Ordered soup for myself & the rest of my family had chimichangas & burritos My husband also had ceviche. All very tasty. Our waiter Cameron was super- so accommodating & extremely friendly- LOVED him! The 2 desserts we had- the flan & the chocolate chili cheesecake were AMAZING!!! I HIGHLY recommend Viva Mexico! read more

Viva Mexico - Great, homy & authentic ambience - Mexican Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Guacamole was ok, chips were a little thin in comparison to real Mexican chips. Calamari was fat and soft and did not become chewy quickly which was great and the burritos and chimichanga were amazing. Food display was also very well done. Would recommend main courses over starters and sides. read more

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I was really sceptical about coming here, but I was pleasantly surprised! I have heard the worst things from my husband about Mexican food in Edinburgh, but I have been craving Mexican and talking about it for days. After reading the reviews on yelp, we decided to try and it and we were both very happy with our meals. We tried the ceviche, veg plato national, and a quesada with chickpeas and potatoes. All were awesome. I wish the food had been spicier, but compared to the other food in this city, it was awesome. We will definitely be going back when we have our next Mexican craving. read more

We ended up going there one day after walking out of another restaurant for bad service, and had a lovely time there. The fahjitas are a good price, and you get your moneys worth. It has a very relaxed atmosphere and you don't feel rushed into having to eat and go like you do in other places. It could do with a bit more room between tables downstairs though because it can be a bit of a tight squeeze if the place is busy. read more

The best (and oldest) Mexican restaurant in town... I just dropped in for a quick lunch as I heard that they had a good lunch menu, well priced and perhaps a bit different from all the other dull lunches on offer around the city centre. I had the Tortilla soup followed by chicken enchillada. I had a cappuccino before eating. I was blown a0way by the soup - Jamie Oliver has recently been on TV talking about how good mexican soup was and this was definitely the case, absolutely delicious. The coffee was great too. Lots of Edinburgh eateries let themselves down by their coffee - this place does great coffee!!! I found out that the beans come freshly roasted from a specialist local coffee place. And of course I have to compliment all of the staff (I was served by three different people throughout the meal) and they were all attentive, friendly and knowledgable. Last but not least look out for the cool (and very traditional) model mexican market stall in the restaurant window - lots of people were taking photos while I was there. 5 * review and I will most certainly be visiting again! Ian (Edinburgh) read more

Salsa verde, cilantro, pork crackling. You can't ask for anything better. Surprisingly dioecious authentic Mexican food. Excellent drink and food selection. Having grown up on Mexican food, this is certainly up to standard. Good ambiance, too. read more

Viva Mexico - Mexican Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The food here was amazing!! We are Mexicans from America and felt at home with this delicious food. The chef is definitely one of the best ever and the workers are so friendly and welcoming. 10/10 would recommend if you are craving authentic Mexican food. The margaritas are amazing!! read more

Well, this is hard to rate frankly. My man was falling off his chair practically in ecstasy over his first taste of Mexican food the entire meal. So for that, they get some stars. It also has the required cheesy Tex-Mex ambience factor and it's a convenient Royal Mile location. Now, me? I am from California. As pasty as I look, I am half hispanic. I can make pretty much anything on the menu if they sold the dang ingredients anywhere convenient in the UK for a reasonable price (mission impossible!)... so you can guess where this is headed. To me, this is watered down Tex-Mex faire. To an American reader, I would liken this to something you might find in the midwest or a strip mall somewhere... not horrible, but not exactly good. Definitely nowhere in the neighborhood of authentic. Not even a distant cousin of authentic. And *so* not worth the price....UNLESS you are stranded in Scotland and craving something resembling Mexican food and this will do. Particularly, I have to say the sangria really let me down. I don't know what the other reviewers are talking about. Insert Mexican sad-face here. It impressed the man, who'd never had it before... but I found it to be not so bueno. Anyhow.. the bill came, it was pretty large for what would have been about 30% of that in the states (and tasted 300% better) but the man was thrilled with the experience so it wasn't a total loss. read more

If, like me, you've endured many a wintry day strolling around the sites of Edinburgh and find yourself yearning for scrumptious finger food, ample amounts of cerveza, and the inviting warmth of a rustic candlelit environment, you can do no better than to venture up the quaintly cobbled Cockburn Street to find Viva la Mexico. Although the notion of authentic Mexican cuisine in the middle of the Scottish Capital sounds...well, a little far-fetched, wait until you've dipped some crispy calamares into a spicy chipotle mayonnaise dip and lapped it up with a chilled Modelo Especial, then the idea of authentic Mexican food in Scotland won't sound so outlandish! With some truly cracking enchiladas and equally tempting sizzling fajitas, Viva La Mexico is a sure bet for a flavour packed evening with friends and family alike. Unless your planning on dining with a large group (6 and above), in which case I would advise booking via phone, its usually possible to get a table on an adhoc basis. An average meal (Food and drink) is around 20£ per head, so it shouldn't be too hard to rally some amigos, huddle around a table and savor the delights of some Mexican food that packs a flavoursome punch. Oh, and make sure you order extra re-fried beans, a trusty accompaniment for any wholesome Mexican dish! read more

Viva Mexico - Mexican Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Recommended by a friend, and he can stay my friend because this is really, really good. Portions are huge, taste great, and the service is lovely. I recommend ignoring everything else on that street and getting yourself there. Its small, but if you go early enough (I was there around 6:30), you won't have a problem. read more

Good service, great food, only been once but we were a fairly large group and we all had fantastic food. The Chilean chocolate cake was fantastic, I didn't need it though after a huge Taco de puerco... read more

Excellent food and great service, all around a great place to visit for authentic Mexican food

Went here last month before going to the Real Marys King close. Nice location and décor but that is where the good points end for me. Staff where friendly enough and the food came out quickly but in one word it was : bland! No real Mexican flavour in my point of view. Been to better Mexicans in Edinburgh. read more

Having lived in Texas and New York City, I was beyond pleased with my lunch at Viva Mexico. We got into Scotland a wee bit early before our hotel was ready and found this gem across the street. The food and service were amazing. And you can't beat the prices. Whatever you do, get the Sonoras. read more

If you're craving good Mexican food during your European vacation, this is the spot. Excellent salsa, both the hot and mild. Very good nachos with good guacamole. The cabo style fish tacos were a solid '8' and the chickpea potato enchiladas were a pleasant surprise. Mexican owner married a scot and they run the place. read more

I am NoT a fan of their food.. The chipotle spicy is used way to much in their dishes! I think they even put it in their salsa! Their Chips tasted a lil like fish.. i'm guessing they use the same deep fryer. read more

The food was excellent. We tried the vegetarian enchiladas and burritos, and it was yummy. The staff was soft spoken and nice. Also, don't forget to get the student discount! read more

I am a mexican and I loved the food!!! I had some tacos and the chicken with chipotle. The sauces were very good, the tacos alright. I love the deco but I wasn't thrilled with the rice. I thought it didn't tasted enough like mexican rice. I wanted to have flan but they were out of it :( Hope I will be back for some flan soon. read more

I like this place. We went there for a late dinner. We both ordered burritos one with the veggie filling and the other with potato and chickpea filling. They both came with refried beans and rice. The one with veggie filling was good, the potato chickpea one was totally yummy! The service was decent also. I would eat here again read more

I had a bad experience at Viva Mexico in the late 90s. At least I thought I did. It's now lost in the mists of time and alcohol inhibited brain function. It now occurs to me this 'incident' may have been imagined. For years, I have moaned about Edinburgh's chronic lack of decent mexican restaurants. Often someone would pipe up that we already had one in Viva Mexico, and I would launch into a tirade about painfully average mexican fodder slopped out to the uninitiated masses who hadn't savoured the true beauty of real Aztec dining. Recently, my friend and frequent dining partner McChan had suggested I was barking up the wrong tree and urged me to give it another crack of the whip. I decided to take his advice, more in defiance than expectation, and book for a work meal I was organizing. I calculated that any food related disappointment could be quickly washed away upon a sea of tequila and santa themed merriment should I be proved wrong. The restaurant has a cheesy but effective mexican themed decor with black and white prints of the likes of Pancho Villa adorning the walls. Split over two floors it's a wonderfully weird and idiosyncratic shape with lots of little alcoves and rooms downstairs. Seated upstairs next to the impressively stocked bar full of different types of Tequilla we quickly made ourselves comfortable with a jug of Margarita (£16.95). Served with Rock salt around the rim, these were amongst the best I have tasted. The Cointreau and tequilla were expertly measured with just the right amount of fresh lime giving the drink a real vim to go with its natural kick. Using rock salt rather than table salt is a revelation and will now enter my rules of culinary fulfillment alongside the likes of never drinking cappuccino after 11am. It really does lift the whole drink. We were soon brought our menus by the friendly, efficient and helpful staff. The classic way for a foodie to spot quality is in the size and scope of the menu. The bigger the menu, the less fresh the food and the more sloppy the chef. It's a guaranteed formula. Here the menu is small with quite a few dishes outside of the traditional mexican comfort zone of Burrito's and Fajhita's. So far so good. For starter(pictured after a few had already been nibbled!) we ordered the deep-fried squid rings served with spicy chipotle mayonnaise dip and a wedge of lime(£4.95) and a plate of cheese stuffed jalepenos with a sweet chilli sauce(£4.95). The squid was perfectly cooked and very tender in a lovely soft batter. The chilli mayo was simply to die for. The Chipotle has long been my favourite of the chilli family thanks to both its 8/10 Scoville heat and its very distinctive smokey flavour. Infusing it into mayo makes a perfect blend of creamy, smokey and spicy to dip your calamari in. Lovely. The stuffed chilli's were not in the same league. Slightly overcooked they could have benefited for a little more cheese, I suspect some of it escaped as part of the cooking process. The dip was once again the highlight of the dish. Less a traditional sweet chilli sauce than a thick, spicy jam it perfectly complimented the creaminess of the cheese. For mains we went for the Cabo Style Fish Tacos ( £11.50). Served in traditional, small flour warps rather than the hard tortilla shells people often associate with Taco's in the UK, this dish was just terrific. The breaded fish was perfectly cooked, fresh, and incredibly moreish. Covered in spicy, crunchy breadcrumbs it resembled a posh fish finger but the taste wasn't in a different league, it was in a different sport! Adding to the flavour was a homemade cabbage coleslaw and white sauce made from yoghurt, mayo and those lovely chipotle chillies! Messy to eat, this dish is amongst the finest mexican cuisine I have tasted. My only criticism would be that the rice on the side tasted like it came straight out of a packet. Replace it with a nice fresh side salad and the dish is a 100% winner. Fantastic. All dishes were served with homemade spicy salsa on the side at no extra cost. It's lovely but go easy because it has a kick. Well priced, with an average 2 course meal and a drink costing around £20, Viva Mexico is a gem. If you can get hold of a corporate Snapfax you can enjoy 20% discount on all food and drinks which makes it even more appealing. Value for money is matched by quality food and I can definitely see why the restaurant has lasted for 28 years at the sharp end of Auld Reekie dining. I won't be leaving another ten years between visits! read more

Enjoyed it. As a visiting American, I eat Mexican food quite often, and this was very tasty and enjoyable. I still struggle with no free refills for a glass of soda. The cup was small and not nearly enough for around £2. We had guacamole dip to start with; fresh and delicious. Pork tacos was my main course, again fresh, decent sized portion, that I thoroughly enjoyed. The wife had chicken mole, which again was great. The chef knew how to cook Mexican/texmex food. I recommend. read more

I have to give them 5 stars since they sat us 10 mins prior to closing! I'm very happy a restaurant is this hospitable.

This was surprisingly good. We decided to get our Mexican food fix before heading to the Scottish Highlands and this place did not disappoint. read more

Can be pretty busy, especially after 6 pm. We haven't had lunch there, but dinner has always been good. Staff is friendly despite the place usually being packed. The salsa tastes pretty authentic (not out of a jar) which I appreciate, and their fajitas come with freshly made pico de gallo. Does cater to large groups, so don't go there if you don't like crowds. Surprisingly good food for a heavily tourist area. read more

Just popped in for lunch when passing. Really good food and polite staff although if they had been more attentive I would have scored them 5. Nice atmosphere and environment read more

I decided to celebrate my birthday at Viva Mexico based on all the good reviews it has received, over and above that of other Mexican restaurants in Edinburgh. Initially we were really impressed, the decor was fun, service was excellent and the waiter was keen to recommend some of the Mexican beers on the menu which was appreciated. My criticism is regarding a lack of attention to detail with the food, it was like there was two people in the kitchen and one of them just couldn't be bothered. Highlights of the meal were the chipotle mayo which was decidedly moreish, the fresh salsa provided at the start of the meal and my incredibly tasty mole sauce. My brother also opted for the steak (rare) which was a big hit, really well flavoured and well cooked. The other meals though....massive disappointment and all the same complaint. We had a slow roast pork with salsa verde chimichanga, Tacos and Enchiladas de Mole. The meat in all of the dishes was well cooked but had no flavour whatsoever, the chicken in my enchiladas could not stand up to the mole sauce at all. The sides were similarly unappetising; refried beans which tasted like they'd been initially overcooked and then reheated and rice which was colorful but again, overcooked and bland. A big giveaway, I thought, to the malaise in the kitchen was the side salad; tasteless and dried up. As someone who works in a kitchen it tasted as though they'd prepped it two days ago and then left it sitting out the fridge every night since then. We didn't clear our plates and left with the food sitting heavy in our stomachs, all in all a massive let down. I've been really interested in Mexican cookery of late and this appeared to be the most authentic place to experience it in Edinburgh. Although there were flashes of flavour in some sauces the rest of the meal was lackluster, heavy and without any flair. I hope this complaint is the result of a temporary staffing issue and is not the new order of things at Viva Mexico. read more

Who would have known that Scottish-Mexican fusion could be so delicious!? I shared a plate of the haggis nachos with a friend for a meal and they were both filling and scrumptious! Some of the best Mexican food I've ever had! read more