La Buena Vida

This place was underwhelming at best. Save your time and money. I came for a friend's birthday dinner. She told me it was a vibe and it was loud. It was definitely both but far too loud to actually enjoy one another's company. I won't knock off points for that though because I was warned. The service left much to be desired. First, I had to ask three times for a soda before she finally remembered to bring it. Second, they have very limited options for vegetarians and were out of nearly everything. I told her I was a vegetarian and asked for recommendations only for her to suggest a meal with refried beans that are made with lard (I had to ask if their beans were vegetarian and then she said no and looked at me like that was a confusing question given that she just suggested I eat them after stating my restriction). 3. When placing orders, the waitress walked away before even getting the fourth person at the table's order. When flagged back down she did not apologize for the oversight but seemed annoyed. 4. When it was time to pay, they hovered over each of us watching us tip, which was very uncomfortable. Then once I got home and reviewed the receipt, I realized that they had added auto gratuity without mentioning it (that's on me but also a bad look in my opinion to stand and watch someone doubly tip you and not confirm with them that they saw that). Overall was really disappointed in the quality of service. And then the food. It was okay. Nothing was bad but nothing left me wanting to come back for more either. Not a great spot in my opinion.

This is not just a restaurant, it's an EXPERIENCE! They play music and the waiters dance and play music all through the night. Every drink is crafted by different ingredients and a fancy disruptive "cup". This is a must visit multiple times but make a reservation, they get crowded fast.

Ahhhh some places have the vibes, some have the food. This, ladies and gentlemen has both. La Buena Vida has somehow mastered a brunch ambiance that can balance mocktails and shot planes, birthdays and great music. This is about my 4th time here and I can tell you the food is consistently good and we always have great service. Special shout out to our amazing server Patty for taking such good care of our large party. Service was smooth, and the food was timely! I also hear they have live music on some evenings so I'm gonna check that out in the future. Hopefully we can snag Patty again!Gracias por todo!

I've heard nothing but great things about this place! We arrived and parking was a nightmare. It was completely packed. After finding parking the inside was super packed and dark. Although it was a lot of people the wait wasn't long. The menu is not overwhelming and prices are reasonable. Our waitress was amazing and kept checking in on us! The drinks were great and served so cute. They were selling don Julio shots for $38....crazy. Our food was basic and I was mad that they didn't give us free chips and salsa lol

It was my friend's birthday and she wanted to come here. I went on Yelp and saw mixed reviews, but this is where she wanted to go. I tried to make reservations but nothing was available for Saturday night at 9:00. Me and two other friends from the group decided to go early to reserve a table. (Yelp reviews stated a 60-90 mins wait) We arrive there that 8:00 and wait is 45 mins. It is very loud, I feel like it's a club atmosphere that is also a restaurant. They have a 90 min limit on eating in, even though it took 20 mins to receive your drink.The waitress came and said "There is a 90 minute limit and you have been here for two hours, I'm not sure if they told you that up at that front" it had been an hour, and that's counting the 30 min wait for food and drink. I ordered the asada tacos with rice and beans, it was okay. I wait that long and it should be hot, it was lukewarm. I would take some people there for the music and vibe & grab some drinks and eat elsewhere.

Oh, La Buena Vida...a new favorite restaurant added to the list! I found La Buena Vida via an Instagram reel and was amazed by the wild festivities at night! I happened to be driving to another restaurant and saw La Buena Vida's building THE SAME DAY I saw the reel. So I decided, no...we're going there instead and turned around and let me tell you!! That was the best decision I could have made because this place is everything!! It was honestly too good to be true that I watched the reel in the morning and just so happened to pass by the restaurant in the afternoon, it was a sign. La Buena Vida is beautifully decorated with plants everywhere, marble flooring, neon lights, beautiful paintings on the wall, and the perfect amount of lighting to set the tone. Fun music played in the background throughout the meal. The atmosphere is *chefs kiss.* The food, though! It's authentic Mexican food! None of this Tex-mex you get here in NC with all of that cheese sauce. No no no...the food here is made with LOVE, my friends. It's delicious and memorable, makes you want to come back (or even indulge even more while you're already there). Now, I'll be honest, the real reason I was interested in trying La Buena Vida is because of their bathtub with a rubber ducky drink. And let me tell you!! The drinks don't disappoint either!! Deliciously made, enough alcohol to have your S.O be the designated driver, and fun containers for every drink! Ever since we visited La Buena Vida, I've been raving about it to my friends and coworkers. I don't think anyone has gotten the hint that "I think we should hang and get some good food and drinks." Did I mention the service was spectacular? Our waitress was so incredibly helpful and informative...and quick! Also, don't forget to use the restrooms because they're marbled and have chandeliers. Classy if I do say so myself. TLDR: What are you waiting for?! Go to La Buena Vida and get your grub on!!!

My friend held a Birthday Dinner here. La Buena Vida is very lively and entertaining for those who love this type of scene over dinner. Probably one of the most entertaining and happening places in Midtown that's open til 2 AM. The staff here are enthusiastic and a fun bunch. There was an excessive wait, as they didn't take reservations. Very Poor communication. I feel they skipped over our party. When finally seated we were off in a corner. Seemed like bad seating to my friend but I was grateful for a little peace while having dinner. Things I saw here from some of the customers were pearl-clutching, to say the least. I ordered the Birria Rolls and Brussels sprouts. Delicious! The Brussels sprouts were piping hot as food should arrive. They were bursting with flavor and had a kick of spice. The rolls needed to be piping hot. The food for me was an overall, 4 out of 5 all the way. The No Gym cocktail is a no for me. The French 75 from the bar was perfect. The shots on the airplane carrier were decent. Super sweet! I would suggest pouring a little more time into customer service/satisfaction here. Our waitress told us we could only order cocktails on the menu. I didn't like this treatment. Who are you to tell me what I can order? There are specific drinks I stick with, my preference. The only drink I saw on the menu with my preferred alcohol - Hendricks was a No Gym. When I headed over to the bar for clarification on what could be made, sure enough, most drinks can be made at the bar. A French 75 was made without a problem. I spoke with Management and he seemed pleasant, but only offered 15% off the No Gym. Never acknowledging how I was misled to order only from the menu. I felt defeated. Someone else took the drink since I ended up having to pay for it. Grateful for this experience and fellowship with my friend and the people invited. Overall, my friend was pleased with the experience and the only complaint was the wait and where we were seated. Will I go back? Yes, I'm curious about weekday lunch or evenings at the bar. I'm not rushing to get back here but will give it another try one day.

I got to come here on my birthday and it was such an incredible time!! The place is gorgeous, wonderfully decorated with a great ambiance. The drinks are even cooler, I tried the mango mojito (yum) and the bath tub, they were so fun! I got the steak tacos for my main, the steak was thinly shaved and the entire dish was delicious. For the birthday celebration, it's an extra $35 to get a cake, but it was well worth it. It's a chocolate cake with fruity pebbles on top, with sweeten condensed milk (I think that's what it was), but either way, the cake was 10/10. The staff ramps up the music and they all walk out with strobe lights and sing to you! It's a really fun experience, we can't wait to go again.

Wow & Wow!!! The food was superb and the service was outstanding! My husband ordered the Salmon Tropical & I ordered the Camarones Flameados AL Tequila. I have nothing but good things to say about this place. My husband and I picked a great place to celebrate Mother's Day. I will definitely be paying this establishment a visit again soon. The food was hot (be careful with the Camarones Flameados AL Tequila.) and reasonably priced for what we ordered. Of course we were splurging so we spent a bit more that usual. They also had live entertainment that did not cost a penny. The guys that played the music wore sombreros. I throughly enjoyed the atmosphere, the food, and the music. Please check out the food pictures and video/photo of the Mariachi (Band)! LABUENA VIDA, thank you for a wonderful afternoon!!!

YEEEEES YES YES!!!!!!! La Buena Vida es Marciano baybeeeee!! My server Angie was very good! Informative, kind, and seen without being pesky. My friend and I had never been there and the experience today equates to return visits. FOOD: SERVICE: AMBIENCE: COST: Worth the spend