VIVO Cocina Mexicana
Austin, TX 78722
Phone: (512) 482-0300
- Price:
- $
- Hours:
- Mon 11am-10pm, Tue-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm, Sun 5pm-10pm
Editorial Review for VIVO Cocina Mexicana – by Susan Kirr
In Short
Bright colors make this space warm and inviting: orange against purple, red against green, punctuated with large-scale paintings. A bar area has stools and cozy leather couches for enjoying prickly pear margaritas. Tables and chairs cluster on the split-level patio that features a burbling fountain. The puffy taco is the signature dish, stuffed with spicy tofu, tomatoes and cheese. Enchiladas verdes come with moist shredded chicken, topped with tangy green tomatillo sauce.
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Insider Tips
Where to SitThe patio is obviously the preferred place to sit as the mix of plants and cozy nooks make the patio seem like a tropical vacation.
What to DrinkThe bar carries more than two dozen brands of tequila for shots, margaritas and tequila-spiked sangria. Or try a michelada with your choice of import beer.
User Reviews for VIVO Cocina Mexicana
12/17/2008 Posted by BobJohnson123
Decided to go there today for lunch with a group from work. The atmosphere and architecture of the restaurant has an Austin feel (I am a native Austinite and lived here for over 40 years) and is fairly well designed. The service was mediocre and the food was just awful. The three other coworkers that went with me had combos #1 & #2, fajita tacos, enchiladas, and some sort of chicken taco salad. All of us were in aggreance that the food was either bland, too salty, or cold. The prices are WAY too high for the quality of food. Our drinks were never refilled and the server dropped the tab off and never said thanks or asked if there was anything else we need. On top of that they had a 20% gratuity automatically added to our bill for a group of 4 people all on one tab!!! I asked for the manager (who we waited for almost 20 minutes and never came) - we ended up paying the tab in cash with no tip and just left. If I wanted to go to a snotty restaurant with high prices and horrible food I would live in Dallas!
Pros: None
09/01/2008 Posted by tara2008
I have a great experience and a not so great one. I went here with a friend recently for dinner and I loved it. The atmosphere is so fun and funky, the patio is great and our server was excellent. The food is OK and the menu is limited, but everything else makes for a great time. I highly recommend the cucumber margarita! Now with this fun time in mind, I returned expecting the same great service and brought friends from out of town here. They ask if you're here for dinner or just drinks and apps. We were just there for drinks and apps, so we were seated in the bar area. This is all fine until we are totoally ignored. We had to walk up to the bar to order drinks AND food. There are FOUR people behind the bar and not one approached our table. Once the drinks were made, they simply set them on the bar without so much as telling us they were ready. This is at about 5:30 and there are maybe 3 other customers sitting at the bar...and remember there are 4 workers behind the bar. Once our so-so nachos arrived, I had to walk over to one of the "reserved for dining" tables and get our silverware. Any server knows that the money is in the drinks, not so much food especially here where one drink cost the same as an entree. We would've stayed and spent quite a bit more money, but I'd rather give my money to someone who earned it. I was highly disappointed considering my server in the dining area was so great. Wake up VIVO; you're losing major business if you neglect customer service in the bar area...$$$$$
Pros: Atmosphere, Drinks, Patio
Cons: Bar area service
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