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| - I was craving tamales and found this place on a Yelp notification highlighting local Mexican restaurants with a great tamales selection. Something in the highlight made this restaurant stand out.
Viva is located in a strip mall, which I will warn is towards the back corner. We came in the wrong side of the complex and had to drive around to find it. From the outside it looks like a fast food place, and I was quick to become reserved about my choice. The owner greeted us when we walked in. He actually took the menus from the hostess and seated us himself, which I thought set an excellent tone for our dining experience. We were immediately asked for a drink selection and the margaritas (@ $7.95 a piece) were recommended. We chose the strawberry and regular margaritas. The strawberry was good, the regular margarita was not...don't recommend anyone try it. :/
The inside of the restaurant doesn't match the outside at all...so don't be judgmental! The decor is beautiful. There is a running water feature and traditional Mexican music in the background.
The menu is extensive. If you are craving it, they probably have it. There is a whole page of drink options, appetizers and multiple pages of entrees. I was disappointed in their tamales selection...there was only one and it was on their "make your own combo". They offer a brunch menu on the weekends only. It had a nice variety and included a small mimosa or margarita.
The back page of their menu book listed all their homemade salsas. They offer a sampling of each for a small amount, I think it was like $2.95.
They bring chips, bean dip and salsa when you are seated. The chips were standard quality, but fresh and crispy. The salsa had small pieces of onion, cilantro and pepper in it. Again not the best I've had, but it was flavorful. The best part was the plate of grilled jalapeño peppers and onions. They were AWESOME! Their Fideo soup was good, but not the most flavorful I have had. The carne asada quesadilla was very flavorful and large enough for 2 people. It didn't come with any sides, just a dollop of sour cream and guacamole.
In summary, not a bad place at all. I would have preferred to give 3.5 stars. The service was good, the food was good and the atmosphere very nice. The prices were pretty high. Most entrees were $15.95 and up. For the size of the margaritas I thought $7.95 was a bit much. So just a heads up that this is a more pricer place to eat. I heard the owner previously had the Viva location on Rainbow, which closed, so I hope this reincarnated location is more successful.
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