Cafe Vida

Is it just a pancake? Or is there some voodoo magic involved? I don't understand how pancakes can taste this good. It's thicker and has more texture, but it's also fluffy at the same time. It's sweeter, but also fragrant. It reminds me of a cake, but it's not inappropriately saccharine.I ordered the turkey burger scramble, but the star of the show was clearly the blueberry pancakes. The blueberry was so fresh that the juice flowed out when my knife severed a corner. The fruit topping on the pancake complemented the already fruity content.I involuntarily shut my eyes as I savored each bite.The scramble was rather forgettable, but it's not a knock. The pancakes were just so incredible that everything paled in comparison.Service was wonderful, and they even brought me a bowl of water for my dog.

I ordered the chipotle chicken quesadilla and it was delicious. I'm very picky when it comes to chicken, but this was delicious and not dry at all. The service was phenomenal. My order was taken quickly, arrived in a timely manner, and the hostess checked in regularly. I liked the welcoming atmosphere, it was nice to see regulars being greeted warmly and having their usual orders remembered. I thought it was sweet. There is also plenty of seating and although parking might seem limited, there are a few public parking lots nearby.

Love Cafe Vida. It's was always one of my fave spots when I lived in LA. Used to go to the one on the Palisades which sadly burned down in the fires. Was actually at the Culver City location the day after the fires started. Cute location in downtown Culver City with both indoor and outdoor seating. Server was friendly and efficient. I appreciate they they offer many veggie options from salads to sandwiches to juices. I had the ginger lemonade which was delicious. Also opted for the house made veggie burger with sweet potato fries. Excellent choice if you appreciate a veg patty made from real ingredients versus fake meat. Highly recommend.

Who said you couldn't have brunch for dinner?! My bf and I heard this place had the best deals for happy hour, so we had to check it out for ourselves.Parking: Good luck finding a parking lol. There's metered street parking, but it's impossible to find one. After driving around, we found a paid public parking structure, and we just walked to the restaurant.Ambiance/Environment: Love the decor here! It's very warm and welcoming. They have a medium sized space with some indoor seating, but they do have a lot of outdoor seating!Service: Everyone was courteous & welcoming, but special shout out to our server Rory! His service was above & beyond exceptional. He took the time to explain every little detail of the menu to us. He even recommended us a few of his fav dishes based on our preferences.Everything we ordered:1) Short Rib Tacos - Rory recommended this to us bc it's one of his fav, and WOW .. we can tell why it's his fav! This isn't your usual street taco bc they were not shy with the meats. The tacos were FILLED! The flavors of the short ribs were amazing!2) Buffalo Tenders - These were also recommended to us by Rory. This was listed on their appetizer menu, and we were shocked by the amount of Buffalo tenders we received. The tenders were huge! The tenders tasted as expected, and the chicken was cooked well!3) Brown Rice Almond Pancakes - I ordered these! Talk about presentation! Not only did these look delicious, but they tasted even better! This included 3 pancakes, fresh fruits, maple syrup, and butter. The pancakes had the perfect amount of sweetness and a generous amount of almonds.4) Yucatan Salmon Bowl w/ quinoa - My bf ordered this. This was recommended to him by the GM Oscar. Another round of applause for their presentation! There was a generous amount of vegetables & toppings. Everything tasted so fresh. The salmon was also cooked well, though it could use a bit more seasoning but the sauce saved it.5) Carrot Cake - Can't go wrong with a classic dessert. This tasted as expected. This cake satisfied our sweet tooth.6) Hot Lavender Latte w/ art - I'm a sucker for latte art haha. Their lavender latte is so delicious! It wasn't overly sweet; you can still taste the coffee.7) Açaí Coconut Smoothie - Perfect refresher after all these delicious dishes! This tastes exactly what it sounds like. The açaí and coconut flavors were balanced.8) Mimosa Flight - Did someone say happy hour!? Of course, we had to take advantage. This included passion fruit, tamarind, & guava. My favorite was the passion fruit!9) Bloody Mary - This was also recommended to us by Oscar! He mentioned they received new garnishes. Look how cute it is! It was garnished with a bacon, celery, olives, & tomato. This was definitely strong! I really enjoyed this!

Cafe Vida is a cool little patio spot in downtown Culver City. Nestled in an area where trees and plant life thrive, Cafe Vida serves up delicious brunch fare your taste buds will enjoy. I was there during a late Sunday morning. My party and I arrived there and the place was packed. There was a wait but it went by so fast. We were seated within 15 minutes. The seating area was very compact but manageable to get through. The host and the servers were so friendly and kind. They were able to attend and focus on our orders even though they were in the middle of brunch rush. I admire their train of thought. Their food was very delicious. I had ordered the Jalapeño Turkey Burger with fries and it was well-seasoned and the burger itself did not fall apart. It held its structure and it had a great Southwest flavor. Prices are moderate. I will be returning back to try their Belgian waffles and other delicious creations.

I passed by here all the time, but it wasn't until I had lunch here with a friend that I finally tried Cafe Vida. And I was really pleased with the food and atmosphere. The service was also excellent.I ordered the 2+2+2 (Eggs any style, buttermilk pancakes with chicken sausage) and it was delicious! A very large portion -- I'm not complaining. Definitely worth it.

The huevos rancheros and the blueberry corn cakes were delicious! I will say the prices were a little steep for the amount of food, but everything tasted great. While the food was delicious, the customer service wasn't the best. Our waiter seemed annoyed with us from the very beginning and wasn't very polite. When we were finished with our food, a different waiter came to pick up our dishes but coughed right into the center of our table without covering his mouth, which was really off putting especially at the start of sick season before the holidays. The staff were quite rushed and more interested in getting us finished than providing a good dining experience which was unfortunate because the food was good. The wait was about 25 minutes on a Sunday morning at 11am. Parking across the street in the lot at city hall or street parking around the restaurant.

Starting my yelping career by praising this place. Been there twice and it never disappoints. Top of the latter with great service, timing, and food options. Shout out to David, best server ever and one of a kind.Ambiance was amazing and they have great music taste. I'll be back to cafe vida

We got blackened salmon fish tacos and breakfast burrito. Food was fresh. Will be back soon. Went on a Sunday, it was very busy

I never write reviews but I want to let everyone know David's service was phenomenal and honestly made our stay even better. The food was great, The service was top tier, and the patio was beautiful. I enjoyed everything about our stay here and look forward to saying David more too!