Buena Vida Tapas Lounge

Surprised by the very flavorful food! I had the birria breakfast sopes, perfectly cooked egg, purple onion, over beans. My wife had the chorizo breakfast flautas. They were crispy and so flaky. Not big portions but good enough so you can get your drink on. The Mexican espresso martini was delicious. The mimosa flight was good but some were a lil too sweet. Overall we’ll be back. Ambiance was nice for the girls to do their ig pics and TVs for the guys to watch games.

Came for happy hour and left sad. Happy hour prices are great but hindered greatly by the abysmal service. We waited 30min before being served after being seated. Then between ordering drinks we had to flag the waiter down, who also kept forgetting what we ordered, after waiting another 30min. Drinks arrive and food preset was taken. Waited another 45 minutes before food. By that time happy hour was over and they no longer would honor happy hour pricing. Food was barely warm and tasted of soap. Lacked any real flavor. The drinks were good. Ambiance is kinda unique but feels somewhat slapped together. The chairs were uncomfortable and felt like they were going to break.

It was so fun and exciting as for me and my friends we had a blast I recommend you get the bottle service if it’s busy it takes time for them to come refill you horchata was sweeet so beware gossip bowl was good I tried the steak screwers we waited 15 min average bill 1person with mimosas $40-$45

Loved the music. We arrived at 5 pm on a Wed (all day happy hour) and it got busy. Great happy hour items and mojito. Will return.

The pozole and the ceviche are fenomenal. For those that like drinks, they have a large selection of drinks and the happy hour have tacos and good salads

Walking in, we were told it was happy hour all day, ordered some drinks, and felt like we were having mocktails Virgin margaritas ordered Nachos unfortunately unimpressed paid full price visited because it's close to home . It's a pretty place nicely decorated

My wife and I came to enjoy a happy hour but was disappointed that they only had it on certain days, but everywhere else we've been to has a happy hour daily... service was really good, the appetizers were just ok, our drinks were ok nthn special.

Food was really bland, not many options. I guess it's fine if you just want to drink.. The drinks are to sweet, not really strong. We just started to take shots. The bartender was sweet. I would go back, I'd probably just skip the food.

Our third time at this spot at the old Chuy's. Decorations kind of modern Latin cookie cutter but a fun vibe. We liked our food and had fun. I liked the (spicy) Aquachile verde and queso fundido. My dad had the salmon a la plancha (I didn't try it but he liked it), I tried my mom's sopes de tinga it was "ok". We wished they had some more vegetarian/plant based options such as flor de calabaza, veggie enchiladas, more salads. My spicy mezcal margarita was really good! Our service was good; our waiter was patient with us deciding on our entrees and answering questions. Important to note this place is LOUD for dinner, both from the people and loud music. Not relaxing and hard to have a convo but it's super fun, good place for a fun dinner, birthday if you're not trying to have intimate convos, drinks at the bar with friends etc.

Came for happy hour and left sad. Happy hour prices are great but hindered greatly by the abysmal service. We waited 30min before being served after being seated. Then between ordering drinks we had to flag the waiter down, who also kept forgetting what we ordered, after waiting another 30min. Drinks arrive and food preset was taken. Waited another 45 minutes before food. By that time happy hour was over and they no longer would honor happy hour pricing. Food was barely warm and tasted of soap. Lacked any real flavor. The drinks were good. Ambiance is kinda unique but feels somewhat slapped together. The chairs were uncomfortable and felt like they were going to break.

This place is such a vibe! We came in for brunch on a Saturday and it was busy! We were seated quickly tho. The staff is attentive and fast too. We were a party of 5 and order a couple of the Mexican paleta shots, those were so good! Also the horchata colada was really tasty. Food portions are huge. I ordered the tropical ceviche which has mango and only finished a 3rd of it. We also ordered the steak and shrimp skewers, pasta al ajo, and shrimp tacos. The hallway leading to the bathroom has photo ops and the bathroom was also nicely decorated. Had me feeling like I was back in Cancun :)

Having an old fashioned @buenavidatapas. Great drinks great service great atmosphere. One of the few places in my neighborhood to get at drink and late night eats. Come grab a drink and some great food.

Buena Vida Tapas Lounge is such a relaxing place for dinner! Went after a big exam and had a relaxing beer at happy hour. We got the street tacos, and fish tacos. This fish tacos are perfect! I will back for those tacos however the asada street tacos were not the best and I cant recommend them. But don't let the street tacos discourage you (im also picky about my street tacos). The waiter accidently poured the wrong beer so they just brought me both beers and that was perfect way to start me evening. The staff is great and responsive and beer is cold.

Another fantastic meal at Buenavida Tapas. We enjoyed happy hour margaritas and appetizers, as well as two main dishes for the three of us. We arrived in time to catch a birthday and Sunday Night Football on the big screens with excellent service and a tasty meal.

Presentation of food and drinks are on point. Staff is quick yet busy. Every bite if the Agua chilis, chili Verde shrimp and green posole has been savory. Restaurant is beautifully decorated, enjoy the sitting inside or sit on the patio under the sisters. Perfect for a date night, girls night or Sunday brunch.

One of the best seafood Torre that I've had in town packed with citrus flavor the portion is a good size from shrimp to octopus and a little of everything else the condiments all fresh crunchy cucumber man oh man great meal .. the atmosphere is welcoming ..dimming lights & music the decorations are on point .. service could use a little help but the place is a vibe ! So it's busy ..But I'll be definitely back the food is Good ..An is they have the Shrimp cocktail on special menu ..U got to try it is real good !

We just had a Fantastic dinner at Buena Vida Tapas Lounge off of New Stine and Wilson (the old Chewy's location). We had the Queso Fundido, Ceviche bowl and Costillas de Elote to start. Ribeye tacos, Taquitos Dorados, Pozole Verde with Chicken, and Brochettes de Ribeye and Camaron. Everything was Excellent! The Margarita flight was on point. Our server and took excellent care of us. We will definitely be back and recommend them to everyone we know. Great Local place!!

Everything was AMAZING Service was fantastic, drinks tasted great, and every plate we ordered couldn't have been better. We will definitely be back!

First time here, ambiance super chill for a Saturday brunch. Food was very delicious and im shocked I never came here before. Our waiter was super kind and patient with us because we had our toddler with us. The albondigas was delicious light and not heavy feet, my gf had some caldo i dont remember but she loved it too. This will be definitely a spot for Saturday brunch's from now on. Drinks were good, we hand coffee and jaimica, i say you get a good amount of food for the price. We thoroughly enjoyed it, i have become a return customer.

My friend and I went here for brunch. The mimosa flight is good if you want to try more than one mimosa and something sweet. They were a little too sweet and not cold enough for me. The tapas we had and shared were pretty good. The service was alright, just was a little slow for being not so busy. The inside is beautiful. It doesn't feel like Dirty dusty bakersfield, so that's always a plus.

Stopped by with a few friends after our night shift, (10pm) we wanted food but the kitchen was closed :( We settled for a few margaritas and shooters. The House Margaritas were surprisingly delicious! The tequila used didn't have too strong of a bite, and the mix wasn't too syrupy or sweet. Just right. A+ The shooters however might be designed for 21 year olds just learning to drink. Extremely sweet. Tasted like pina colada & was fun Nevertheless. Place looked cute, only 2 bathroom stalls tho The waiter was tired and ready to go home & that's ok- we understand & we still had fun and will be back!

This is my favorite place for happy hour! We eat here at least once a week- everything is delicious, they have great portions, the staff is attentive, and the drinks are so good. The music is always on point and they have a live band on Sunday evenings.

My wife and I stopped in for lunch this afternoon and had a great meal. The ambiance is boho casual and trendy. We shared some Queso Fundido with Chorizo which was spicy and delicious. I ordered off their specialty menu and had their tropical ceviche with pineapple and mango. It had a bright clean flavor and was served with chips and corn tortillas. My wife enjoyed the Tacos de Tuetano. She loved the smoky, buttery flavor of the bone marrow and the juicy ribeye taco combination. Service is always top-notch. One of our favorite places.

This spot is located where the old Chuy's was at on new stine rd, It's pretty easy to miss if you're driving by and don't look over into the shopping center. I happened upon Buena Vida after doing a quick search on Yelp. The Margaritas were delicious, to be honest everything we had was on point. The service was exceptional as well as the food. They have happy hour specials that we took advantage of and we're not disappointed by the selections offered. The décor inside reminds of being in Mexico it's really nice and there's plenty of seating for big parties. I would definitely recommend getting the margarita flight with a bowl of Ceviche or taquitos de papa it will not disappoint.

Great brunch menu, happy hour menu, and regular food menu. Drinks come with a generous pour. It is clean and upscale(-ish.) I recommend the carne en su jugo, ceviche, and enchiladas suizas. We also like the pastor ribs.

This place is awesome! Second time stopping by and it was equally as good as the first time I stopped by. Consistency for me is what matters so they seem to have that down. Service has been great the two times I have came by. The design of this resteraunt is also super cute so it's a nice vibe once your in there. Their happy hour menu is awesome. Very good prices for the portion of food you are getting. If your an early dinner kinda person like me, this is PERFECT. I've had almost everything off the happy hour menu and it's all SOO GOOD. Some honorable mentions are the Nachos, Taquitos de pollo, tacos de papa, the ceviche and the street tacos. All of it is very good and I highly recommend you try some of these items. Overall, I am very happy to live so close to this place. I know if I'm craving some good Mexican food, this is where I'm coming especially for happy hour. Make sure to check them out if you haven't already, you will not be dissapointed.

Caesar is a dawg. 10/10 service. everyone vibe is tremendous. Yall need to vibe out here. Love my new spot !!! Caesar is a dawg. 10/10 service. everyone vibe is tremendous. Yall need to vibe out here. Love my new spot !!!

10 out of 10 recommend this place I came here before a nail appointment and it really hit the spot, especially during happy hour And very cute and aesthetically pleasing

This is a really fun place. Nice decor, nice bar, a lot of neon. The waitress was kind enough to let us sit and chat even the the restaurant is not open yet. The drinks are cool, the margarita flights my friends ordered looked like a good time. The appetizer are also innovative. I ordered the octopus, is was cooked well, but it is a tapas place so the portion was on the small side. Overall everyone had a good time.

At this point I'm a regular here. These are two different times we had the same thing and the flavors always impress me. The molcajete is sooo flavorful but also very spicy! I come here just because of how spicy it is. They come with two tortillas and they're very good quality, you can of course ask for more. Recently we became obsessed with the pollo con rajas, it's not spicy at all but the flavor is insane. It's so creamy, the chicken is cooked to perfectly and seasoned. The only thing is there always seems to be a wait, but the servers are always so so nice. The music is always so good, a good amount of loud, you can celebrate birthdays here as well!!

Finally made it to the others side of town to try the Buena Vida and all it's glory! The place is adorably decorated in bohemian style and cute quotes around perfect spot for a mini photo shoot. Francisco took very good care of us ! He was super sweet and super duper fast! He brought us our happy hour street tacos and ceviche bowl each for $8 such a good deal! We also had the cantaritos double shot that were exquisite. It's was so good that we already planned our return! Next time we are trying the margarita flight and the shooters, Francisco recommended the one called piña para la niña.

The food was great! A lot more to try! Francisco was a lot of help explaining food and drink. The inside is amazing I would definitely recommend this place if you're trying to catch a brunch. I have yet to go experience when they have music playing. Also they have a little area where you can take pictures.

Wow! What an amazing place! Just moved here and gotta say we've been real impressed with all the great food and drink we've found here in Bakersfield! We came her in a Saturday and found out they have happy hour on Saturday! What a great find. Great prices on food and drink! All the margaritas my partner tried were amazing! I had beers which were nice and cold. We also ordered the ceviche bowl on happy hour and it was delicious. For dinner I ordered the aguaschles y ribeye and it was AMAZING! My partner ordered the chicken pablano Rojas and holy moly it was also AMAZING! Service was great, ambience was great and it was an all around great vibe! We're definitely coming back! Bakersfield has been good to us!

Was eager to try their happy hour at the suggestion of a friend. This place is an often overlooked gem that I will now frequent. Along with their lively decor, they serve up amazing potato tacos and chicken taquitos. Francisco, our outstanding waiter made the experience even more enjoyable with his attentive service. Don't miss out on their Taco Tuesday trio and unbeatable happy hour!

WE LOVE CEASER!!. let me tell you Bakersfield is the most boring place ever... but caesar makes it fun! this is place to go to and escape the summer heat with a nice mojito. DONT FORGET THR JOLLY RANCHER SHOTS HAVE FUN QUICKER

It was sad to see one of the original icons go, meaning Chuy's, but times have definitely changed in Bakersfield and we're seeing it every day and since Buena Vida has taken over Chuy's location, they are slowly trying to hit that mark by bringing a little variety to the area. Lots of outdoor seating is what first caught my eye. Can't wait to eat outside when the weather cools down. Inside decorations are on point. Almost Boho with a little tropical flair. The service was exceptionally good. Our waitress was super friendly and had lots of suggestions. She checked on us regularly and was an absolute delight. If only I could remember her name. Now for the food and drinks. To start, we ordered a salsa flight. Four different salsas and crunchy tortilla chips (see menu pic for options). Fun to play with some heat from the Salsa Macha, followed by a cool down chaser of Piña. I ordered a Horchata Colada and it was so refreshing and delicious. My husband ordered a Margarita flight (see pic of drink menu for options) that gave us a chance to taste four flavors. The hibiscus one and the passion fruit were my fave. Food wise, I ordered a Chicken Ponlano Rajas and I was pleased with my choice. Sauce was tasty. Poblanos were cut into thin slices and the sliced chicken was cooked to perfection. The rice was ok. A little overdone, but ok. My husband ordered two tacos, one shrimp taco and the other a ribeye. So you know ahead of time, the menu says grilled shy, yet my husbands was battered. Not a great taco. However, the ribeye was tender, juicy yams full of flavor. All in all it was a good night. We'll be back to try a few different dishes. Personally, I'd be happy with just a Horchata Colada and Hibiscus Margarita. Yummm-E.

IF YOU LIKE BLAND FOOD DONT COME HERE! A friend of mine told me about this place and decided to take my wife on a date here. Decor was very nice and the food made we wanna go to the kitchen and slap whoever momma was back there cookin. Didn't get a chance to have any drinks because my wife is pregnant and didn't want her to feel left out but they looked great! Our server was Ariella (I probably misspelled that) and she was awesome despite her working like a Hebrew slave with all the tables she had. She looked like the only waitress there at the time. We'll be back

I visited this establishment on a Saturday evening. My wife and I called ahead to see if they were taking reservations. The hostess informed us that there were no more reservations available for the evening but that there was currently no wait time when we arrived We were seated quickly, the establishment itself was pretty full and they did seem a little shorthanded on waitresses. But their service was still fantastic even with being shorthanded. My wife ordered the grilled octopus being that you don't see that on many menus. The presentation was beautiful. Everything tasted fresh and made to order and I didn't get the sense that anything had been sitting around for a while. The octopus was excellent. It was served with grilled Brussel sprouts tossed in a sauce on the side. It also had fresh sliced avocado, pickled onions And Mexican cheese all on the side. My wife did make the comment that she did wish that there was at least one item on her plate that was crunchy just to add some substance. I ordered the chicken taquitos Dorados. Again the presentation was beautiful. The taquitos were perfectly crispy. It was topped with Crema and Mexican cheese, and served with freshly made guacamole on the side. Everything was excellent, and again tasted very fresh. We also ordered the salsa flight which had four different types of salsa, and what tasted like freshly made in house. Chips three of the four sauces were excellent. The only one that we did not care for was the pineapple salsa. It seemed just a bit too watery. For drinks we ordered the margarita flight which was pretty good considering it was only $20. The ambience of this place was pretty loud. They did have music playing in the background. I would say this would be a good spot for a first date. They also had multiple TVs with different sports on which was nice and a nice open bar. My wife and I did find ourselves having to speak a little louder than normal to be able to hear each other. So if you're looking for a quiet sit down restaurant, I would definitely look elsewhere . Overall, it was a nice experience, and I would definitely return

this restaurant is the worse i've ever came to Their service sucks, bartender brought our drinks and didn't check up on us for 45 minutes with an empty bar. he continued to talk at the corner of the bar and ignore us. We came here for bottomless mimosas and got here at 11am. they advertise bottomless from 11am-2pm but you actually get cut off after an HOUR. Service is slow even when they're fully staffed i wouldn't recommend it.

Ribeye was overcooked and burnt. Also ordered the ribeye tacos and it was the same.. burnt. Not to mention the amount of steak in the tacos was a joke lol. I don't mind paying a high price for a decent meal but this was overall disappointing. What was more discouraging was the service. When we made the waitress aware of our concerns she was very dismissive. She just picked up the plates and walked away.

Somehow I forgot to review this place on our first trip. It's the highlight of an old strip mall in the Southwest part of town (formerly Chuys). The outside looks aged and not so welcoming but, once your inside it's a very nice place. The staff are friendly and generally very attentive. The food is great and always made fresh when you order. They have a variety of different appetizers to choose from and they are all quite affordable during happy hour (3-6:00 pm daily). On this particular trip we had several of them starting with Asada Nachos ( they were so good I forgot to take a pic), Asada Tacos, Chorizo & Bean Dip. All of which were hot and flavorful. The Salsa Flight is a must! I'm a huge fan of the Pina Salsa, it's cold, has a refreshing citrus flavor and just the right amount of heat for an old white guy .

I finally got to visit Buena Vida and was not disappointed. The restaurant is lively and colorful. There are many places to take fun photos inside . I came in to try the happy hour menu. I highly recommend because the prices are reasonable and allow for you to try many different things . The staff inside are very friendly and attentive.I ordered a tamarind margarita and also the house. The drinks are delicious and fruity. I also ordered the bean dip. It was so good with huge chunks of chorizo. I enjoyed my time here tremendously. I'm very excited to return and try more items on the happy hour menu .

Cute love what they did to the place! Love the music and vibes, we ordered the green chicken pozole. It was pretty tasty the only thing I would have liked to see was some oregano, chili peppers on the side and have it be a bit more hotter. It cooled off very quickly and didn't come out very hot. Other than that great flavor. I'd come back again.

Came here for my sisters birthday and they did such an amazing job handling a large party of people! This place is super cute and very clean! The food and drinks were so good! I wish I lived in town because I would definitely come often here! This place is great for date night or a large crowd!

I am so excited about this place and it's location. I definitely plan on having some after work cocktails here. The ambiance is spot on. Cute and modern decor! Definitely inspired by Tulum, Mexico. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and made some great recommendations. My friend and I ordered several dishes and decided to share several plates. We started off the guacamole con chicharrón - delicious! It was seasoned to perfection! We also ordered the: chicken taquitos, shrimp tacos and the green pozole. Every single dish was amazing! The green pozole had great flavor and I loved that nothing was overly spicy. In fact most dishes were on the mild side. I ordered the flight of margaritas and they were all delicious, but I would definitely order the hibiscus margarita on my next visit. The drinks come w fresh squeezed juice and ingredients! A huge plus! I hate bottled mixers. These guys are doing it right! Service is fantastic! Clarissa was our server and she was on point! The owners greeted us and checked on us. Can't wait to return!!!

It was good food, but difficult to find things that weren't spicy. I liked the cocktails, but I'm not in love. The service was good. It was a little loud for middle aged couples. We'll go again, but will try the patio.

We've been to the restaurant before 2x before last night 3/14/25. And both times were great! Last night we celebrated our friend's birthday and were all very understanding of a slammed busy Friday night. Our server was not so pleasant, there was an issue with one of our cocktail drinks we brought it to her attention and instead of being receptive she got defensive rolled her eyes, took the drink and "added" the missing flavor instead of having someone remake it. At that point that set the mood for the night, our food took a very long time to come out, and it was cold. We didn't have the energy to say anything after we spoke up once. Don't know if any of us will return for a birthday celebration again.

This place is awesome!! Went here for a quick Taco Tuesday bite. $6 super delish margaritas! $2.50 tacos! And it's not just your average street tacos...they are amazing!! The employees here are awesome!! Always get great service!! The place is decorated so cute. A few places to take selfies. Great music playing!

This place has been opened for a while now, and we decided to give it a try today. The decor is cute, kind of a romantic bar feel vibe. As we were leaving, it looked like a band was sitting up. Our waiter was great, on top of everything. appetizers: chicken nachos, asada nachos, bean dip, and the cheese dip. The cheese dip has a kick but needs to be a little thicker. Main dish: 3 rib eyes 2 kid's quesadilla 1 Brochettas de Ribeye y Camaron 1 spaghetti verde and shrimp All though the food was good, all 3 rib eyes were ordered med, and they were cooked done. The shrimp that was on the skewer had no flavor and really small compared to the shrimp in the spaghetti verde. Now the main dishes don't come with sides so you have to order those. We didn't realize that so my daughter ordered the Latin rice, it had a pretty good flavor. And serves 3-4. In my opinion, I think they would be busier if they served a side with their main dish, especially for the location they are in.

What a breath of fresh air for Bakersfield. A great find when you want to enjoy Tapas and shared plates. Foliage dotted interior with creative mixed lighting. Staff was friendly and welcoming. House margarita was fresh light and delicious no cloying sweet sugary mix. Margarita flight lets you sample 4 margarita flavors. All were excellent. We loved the shrimp pasta in green sauce, the Rice side and Salsa flight. We will return to try more selections

This place is great to go with friends or on a date night . Food is delicious we love the appetizers and their menu for the weekend brunch . There drinks are delicious. Served is good they need more staff but they work great for what they have

The food was amazingly delicious, cooked to perfection, very flavorful. Service was exquisite, fast and friendly. Vey please with the experience. Highly recommend. If you really want to flatter a date take them here. Drinks delicious and pretty.

The staff is really friendly and enthusiastic and the restaurant's aesthetics is also really nice. The food and drinks are all picture perfectly presented.

The food was delicious! I got the chicken taquitos dorados and the papa bravas both were amazing dishes! The service was great are waiter was awesome (Francisco I believe was his name)! Highly recommend this place if you haven't been!

Good service, food and drinks. We decided on Buena Vida Tapas Lounge on a hot Saturday afternoon. The restaurant was cool and clean, but mostly empty. I don't know if it's the economy, or it was simply too hot for people, but it's their loss. We ordered some small plates, cocktails, and ice water. The Castillos de Elote was cooked well, with some snap left in the corn kernels. The Papas Tacos were crunchy and well seasoned. The Queso Fundido didn't stand out, but had plenty of queso and chorizo and came with tortilla chips and homemade corn tortillas. The cocktails were all balanced and well thought out. Overall, I didn't find anything negative on our visit and will go again.

We love the food here, so yummy , taste like Asian food... staffs are friendly , love the price because we eat 4 dishes just $97 for 2 person... We will be back

It's been completely remodeled and is so, so beautiful! The flight was a great taster..my fave was the passionfruit margarita. Everything we tried was great--the salsa, bean dip, Fideo, the ribeye...it was all so good. We'll be back!