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    VivaZ Cantina

    4.1 (34 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

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    Burrito
    Abiba S.

    I finally checked out VivaZ Cantina at 161 Park St in New Haven. Loved the décor with its whimsical, colorful art and reclaimed touches from its Viva Zapata days. I ordered the burrito with added beef, which cost an extra $9, but the meat portion was disappointingly small and didn't feel worth the price. Two friends with me felt the food was just okay and not as flavorful as we expected. That said, the ambiance is charming, the staff is friendly, and the overall vibe is lively. I also tried the tres leches, which had a slightly bitter taste that reminded me of alcohol, but staff confirmed it's made without any. Overall, I'm glad I tried it to satisfy my curiosity. Great for the atmosphere, less so for the food value.

    Nachos
    Nachogirl1 ..

    Nachos: Alright I admit, I've kind of lost it. I'm terrible at change, so I stick to routine like gum on shoe. Like going out and ordering a large plate of nachos in a brand new town. See other people, they go make friends. They go walk around. Me? I look for the nearest Mexican joint and order a mountain of nachos like it's a religious experience. And let me tell you something. Every good kitchen runs on Mexican hands. We'd be nowhere without them. We'd starve to death. Anyway. I've been in this town four months. Four months and my taste buds are on life support. My god damn soul too. I feel like a hamster on a wheel. The nachos were alright. Sizzling hot, got it all. Melted cheese dripping, jalapeños stacked, sour cream and guac sliding down the sides like they're trying to make a break for it. I wasn't in love though, it wasn't speaking to me. I don't think I'm in love with this city just yet either. This city it does things to you, messes with your head. The people? theyll size you up and gut you. I see folks walking around with their heads so far up their own asses they could bite their spines. Some town. I sat there staring at the plate like it's gonna talk to me, like answers got buried somewhere under the chips. We're in a bubble here. I'm looking for some meaning in all this noise, but there's always some loudmouth stampeding over the moment. Nobody around here ever shuts up long enough to think. They're so damn sure of themselves they'd dig their own graves before stopping to ask why. All else: bartender was like Houdini behind the bar. Made me a hell of a drink while I watched Gordon Ramsey tear someone up on TV. I respect the rage, I need to channel it more often.

    Margarita and Al pastor taco
    Lanasha R.

    I stopped in quickly on a happy hour hop and it was just okay in my opinion. I loved the wooden interior and hidden cultural touches like the figures in the bookcase and art on the walls. The service was very attentive and friendly. Our bartender made the margaritas super quick and we didn't have to ask for water (!!!). The margarita was good, not great. Maybe if I had gotten a flavor, I'd like it a bit more. I did not like my taco. In my opinion, Al pastor is always a gamble so maybe that's on me for only getting that one. Usually when I'm trying tacos from somewhere new, I'll start with chicken or steak. I didn't feel like it had any flavor even with the lime and salsa which was disappointing. There are so many great reviews and I even ran into peeps I know while at the bar, so I'll have to give it another try.

    Chilaquiles verdes

    Food is good with great portions. Service is subpar. Servers and hostess were inattentive. Exaggerated upcharges for simple modifications.

    a margarita with a slice of lemon
    Ali R.

    Taco Tuesdays are something that I'm always down for and this place does it very well. The service was great as well. The bartender, Nicolas, was always available when I needed him. The food came out at a very reasonable time. For one person, 3 tacos instead of 6 would have sufficed. I was being a bit overindulgent. Everything tasted super fresh and I had some of the best churros I've ever had in New Haven. The decor was amazing. Made me feel like I was walking into an authentic Mexican spot that was gonna serve authentic Mexican items and I was not disappointed. Will be back.

    Frank P.

    Had the best time! Ariana is an amazing server and made sure my table had a great end to our week! Drinks and food all came out at a great time, was hot, and tasted amazing! I liked the lighting of the space -added an intimate and elevated mood to our dining experience. I don't usually write reviews, but our server, Ariana was super kind and I just wanted to shout her out!

    Steak & Shrimp Fajitas!

    10/10 highly recommend for casual Mexican dining! The food is AMAZING (as are the drinks) and the portions are large. Just be prepared to wait for your food. But honestly, the food was worth the wait... clearly fresh and very well seasoned. I got the steak/shrimp fajitas, and others at my table got a rice bowl, tacos, and the birria quesadilla. Everyone loved their food. The staff was also really nice and attentive. My only negative would be the uneven seat cushions, but the food makes you forget all of that.

    Guacamole

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    2 months ago

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    6 days ago

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    5 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    9 months ago

    This place is AMAZING. Waiter was nice. I like the interior. Food took a long time BUT IT WAS WORTH IT. Will come back again

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Fantastic food. I got the fajitas steak and shrimp. Everything is fresh!!! Drinks were also very good. Highly recommend

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Poor attitude/service with the bar tender with tattoos. The food is fine and not terrible, but the service definitely needs improvement.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great food and it was nice to learn that their tac Tuesday specials and happy hour specials could also work for take out

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    4 years ago

    Nice and friendly staff, and the food is delicious. Fun atmosphere. Been multiple times and will be back many more.

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    Ask the Community - VivaZ Cantina

    Review Highlights - VivaZ Cantina

    I got the steak/shrimp fajitas, and others at my table got a rice bowl, tacos, and the birria quesadilla.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    3.9(1.5k reviews)
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    Clams on pizza...this sounded interesting enough to try. So we ventured out to the long venerated…read more(or so I understand) joint (some lady's name Pizza) only to find the line around the block. Clam pizza? Interesting but not that interesting. I had scoured Eater's New Haven section earlier that day and seen BAR mentioned for where to get apizza. We traveled into the quaint-ish New Haven core and parked on the street. Luckily, they had just opened, so we were seated upon arrival. We got two pies: the Clam Casino and the Portrait of New Haven. The PoNH was good. The ricotta was a nice contrast to the sausage and red peppers. The Clam Casino was worth the journey by itself, however. It turns out clams on a pizza is a great idea. Large whole clams and bacon with cherry peppers? Damned right. I wasn't familiar with New Haven brand ("apizza" as I've now been told), but the char on the bottom from the wood-fired oven is crucial at holding some topping combinations to a higher echelon than others (where it deflates others): see the other-worldly good Clam Casino versus this-could-be-better-without Portrait of New Haven. Regardless, the Clam Casino would be a go-to if I lived anywhere near here. The inside is huge. We sat in the main barroom. It was warehousey, but a pool table and picnic tables for large parties gave it a cool vibe. I enjoyed watching the bar staff have to hunch under the bar opening, which doesn't hinge up, as we waited for our discs 'o dough.

    Food: three stars We got two specialty pizzas a mashed…read morepotato and a New Haven. Both tasted okay and don't expect too much if you're visiting from New York. The portion was big considering the price (~$25 each). Service: one star Service was bad. The staff didn't introduce the food for us they just put the pizza on our table and walked away. Ambiance: one star We visited during Friday afternoon and there's no wait. The table was sticky and shaky. Menus were dirty with spills from drinks or sauce. Would give higher stars if service is better. The pizza itself was not bad.

    Photos
    BAR - Back bar

    Back bar

    BAR
    BAR - 32 oz can (very silly looking)

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    32 oz can (very silly looking)

    VivaZ Cantina - mexican - Updated May 2026

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