La Buena Vida,

4516 Falls of Neuse Rd, Raleigh, NC 27609, United States

"This is a must go! Reservation was for 15 people. Once there, we waited an additional 40 minutes past reservation time. Service was great once seated. Food came our fast and was great per everyone that attended. It is not a good place for table conversations due to the music, but the vibe was lit. They have dancers on tables, bongo player, and staff are very happy and attentive. There's valet service outside. The food was average price. Drinks could be very pricey, but the presentation of them was awesome. The bathroom attendees clean between usages, so leave a tip. Would definitely return with a smaller group."

"Honestly this place was so amazing. I didn’t realize how lively it would be in there. I definitely need to go on a weekend. The food was good and flavorful. The ceviche was delicious, best I’ve had in a while. The flautas were good, but the chicken was really dry. Other than that everything thing was amazing and the drinks are super fun. Going to bring all my friends here when they come to visit."

"What an amazing place! Cannot imagine why this place doesn't have five stars. Fun, artistic atmosphere, excellent service and creative food. The only issue was the menu was so extensive it’s difficult to decide. Highly recommend! UPDATE- Recommend this restaurant to a friend who went for a birthday celebration and the music was so loud they couldn't talk. Sadly, they left without ordering. So sorry she didn't have the same experience we did."

"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 considering this was a special occasion. 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."

"What a great spot!! The decor is amazing done by 1 artist, according to Bella the bartender she was excellent and took great care of us. Love their drink name and photos we just stopped by for a snack as we already had dinner, we decided to order cheese dip it was good, street corn and shared chicken quesadilla - it is the best Chicken we've ever had...we opted for grilled instead of shredded and it was SO moist and good and the flavor is amazing. Someone had a birthday group there and it was fun to watch the staff all come out and sing. Great vibe here, we will be back to try more things on the menu, the decor and food is amazing!! Highly recommend checking it out."