Vida Tapas Y Cocteles

Gorgeous night for outdoor dining and tapas hit the spot. Second visit and we were happy to be back. Our waitress was warm and welcoming. Started with a glass of sangria that was refreshing and tasty. We enjoyed the burrata and nectarines and a flatbread. The orders came out quickly and were pretty big portions. Too full for dessert, but the options were very compelling. Looking forward to trying them on our next visit!

We loved the squid ink paella, the skewers, the lamb chops. And many other tapas were pretty tasty. One thing we did not like, our server. She was very pushy to make us to order more food and drinks. We had 16 people and she told us to order 3-4 taps for each person, we told her we will order less to try first, she was not happy about it. Later, She refused to bring us more wine cups because she claimed two bottles were far from enough and force us to order more bottles🙄. They charged us 20% tips for large party but if we had a choice, we’d tip less. On the bright side, the food came out pretty fast.

Good ambiance and quick service. We enjoyed their paella very much. We also loved their Cauliflower in small plates that we ordered, it was cooked to perfection and had that perfect crunch! We also tried Papas Bravas and it was delicious! For drinks we really enjoyed the Spanish mule. For dessert we tried the cheesecake, it was okay.

The food was presented beautifully, but it lacked flavor or served lukewarm. The waiter was aggressive suggesting some dishes, like the paella, which was just soggy to be quite honest. Would not come back.

Vida Tapas y Cocteles, the new tapas spot in downtown Mountain View, has been around for a year now. It boasts a vibrant atmosphere perfect for social gatherings, with plenty of seating for both small and large groups, both indoors and outdoors. The modern, chic interior features eye-catching touches like wall art, hanging lights, screen displays, and what might be artificial grass wall panels (though I can't be certain). The service at Vida is a mixed bag. While friendly and fast, attentiveness dips when it comes to managing larger groups. During our visit, some people in our party didn't receive their drinks even after requesting them twice, and empty plates piled up on the table without being cleared. The food itself presented a similar inconsistency. The Spanish Mule was a definite highlight - a tropical and visually appealing drink that tasted just as good. However, the tapas themselves ranged from bland to overly salty. Here's a breakdown of some dishes we tried: Paellas: The Carne paella with chicken, sobrasada, skirt steak, and wild mushrooms was the clear winner, with a flavorful sauce that outshone the (admittedly not great) paella at Cascal down the street. The Vegetales paella, however, was quite bland despite featuring broccolini, mushrooms, and cauliflower. We also tried the Mariscos paella with shrimp, clams, and octopus, and it was okay. Tapas: The Coliflor (fried rainbow cauliflower) and Alcachofa (fried artichoke) were bland and lacked excitement. The Papas Bravas, a classic Spanish potato dish, were a saving grace with the smoky brava sauce, while the Croquetas de Jamón were undeniably cheesy but too salty. Other highlights: The Gambas al Ajillo (blue spot prawns) with black garlic and chili flakes were a delicious and flavorful choice, as was the Jamón Iberico with its imported Pata Negra ham and crushed heirloom tomato. Overall, Vida Tapas y Cocteles has a lot of potential. The lively atmosphere and some standout dishes make it a fun option for a group outing. However, the inconsistency in food quality, particularly the blandness and excessive saltiness in some tapas, needs improvement. With more attention to detail on the plates and improved service for larger groups, Vida could become a truly great tapas destination in Mountain View. Please don't mind my blurry photos - it was a team dinner, so I was trying to be subtle (clearly failed 😅).

Girls night out on a Sat night. Waitress and servers were busy so we need to wait for long time to order and get drinks ready. Food was ok. Average tapas not too impressive and not bad. Tomato toast it’s special and refreshing. Fried calamari has squid ink dipping sauce which enhance the flavor as well.

Great cocktails and tapas in a very nice Mountain View street ! I loved the magic margarita! The churros were amazing too.

Camilla was our knowledgeable server with several recommendations. The carne paella was flavorful. Four of us also shared the olives, eggplant, cauliflower, jamon croquettes, calamari and papas bravas. Pleasant indoor or outdoor seating…the dirty martini and passion fruit margarita drinks were nice too.

We came here on a Sunday for lunch. Parking can be tricky around here so make sure you give yourself 10-15 minuted ahead of your reservation. The ambiance is nice, lovely indoor and outdoor seating. The staff was great and food was amazing. We ordered these tapas - Albondigas, Calamares Fritos, Jamon Iberico. I also tried their Magic Margarita which wins the look and taste category. I came for the Paella Negra and it did not disappoint. Seafood was perfectly cooked. Finished out with a flan, which was paired with raspberries. I appreciate the slight bitterness to the caramel vs. something that's too sweet! I'll definitely be a frequent visitor!

I finally had the chance to visit Vida Tapas & Cocteles! I've been wanting to try their Spanish paella for months, and I finally got the opportunity to do so. It was the best paella I've had in the area! A big shout out to the kitchen staff for preparing this delicious dish. For our entree, we had: croquetas de jamon 10/10; pan con tomate 10/10; the classic patatas bravas 9/10 (9 because I'm not a fan of the sauce but my boyfriend loved it!) Later, we ordered the amazing paella de carne, which was the best I've had since my trip to Barcelona! Every staff member was incredibly pleasant. The hostess promptly and warmly seated us even though they were busy. The waitress was attentive, checking on us and promptly clearing our table of empty plates. The restaurant is beautiful, and every section offers a unique experience. I will definitely return when I'm back in the Bay area. Just a heads up, we went there on a Tuesday night without reservations. I would definitely recommend making one just in case they're fully booked. We were lucky to find a spot available and get seated quickly that day.

We were a party of 13. In total, we had four paellas and 19 tapas. The food was delicious but for some reason, only one of the paellas came out. We had to wait an additional 15-20 minutes for the other three. And I should note that none of the paella dishes had socarrat (the crispy part). Service was good. It was Saturday and they were busy. We did make a reservation and were seated fairly quickly. If we do go back, we'll probably stick with tapas. I'm not sure the paella was worth the price.

Great tapas bar in the heart of downtown mountain view. I went for happy hour and it was a great was to try a bunch of small things and enjoy some yummy cocktails. The lamb skewers were so good, had to order a second batch of them. The cocktails were really good and beautiful. The inside was nice I loved the big open door so even though we were inside we felt like we were outside. Definitely a great spot to go for a happy hour and hang out. We'll have to go back soon

5 for food - 0.5 for value - 0.5 for some gaps in service = 4 stars. We ordered some tapas (scallops, wild mushrooms, beaf&port meatballs, octopus), paella (negra), and salmon. Everything is great, absolutely no complaint about the food. Value wise it's on the pricier side. For example, the octopus comes with only one tentacle at a price point close to a full entree. Paella is $42 with little seafood. (I can't help comparing it with the squid ink seafood pasta at Tony's De Napoli in NYC which is similarly priced but comes with waaaaaaaaay more seafood). Some waiters/waitresses were confused when serving, and had to confirm with us whether we ordered what they were serving (in one case we didn't). Water refill was also kinda slow. Would expect better service at this price point. That said, waiters and waitresses were nice and courteous. Probably more training would be recommended.

This is a girl friend dinner. Vida can be booked on Open Table (earning points, wink wink) and it's on Castro, which is easy to find. I was surprised at how big it is. There's a long bar area in the center with colorful bottles. Most of the tables are for small parties and I like how spacious they are, not all jammed together. The seating areas are placed like a T shape with the bar as the middle vertical bar of the T. Our waitress was polite and efficient. She checked on us once, but the bus boy kept our water bottle filled, and finished plates were taken away timely. For drinks, I tried the Spanish Mule which looked nice and tasted OK. As for food, we tried: -Vieiras Al Gratin (Roasted Scallops served with ailoli sauce): Comes with 4 scallops on the shells, laid on a bed of salt. Covered by a coat of mash potato and seasoning, the scallops are not the big sea scallops, but they tasted good. -Canelones (filled pasta with oyster and porcini mushrooms. ricotta and manchego cheese, bechamel, bread crumbs): This is an interesting dish by descriptions but the taste was more pasta and cheese than mushrooms. I rated it an average. Maybe next time I want to try the Champinones Silvestres instead. -Pulpo Gallego (Galician grilled octopus, crushed gold potatoes, pimienton oil, olive chimichurri, maldon sea salt): $18 for one tentacle! The tentacle is soft, no wow, but not bad. -Negra paellas (Bomba rice, nora sofrito, garlic picada, clams, calamari, squid ink): the rice is not overcooked, overall tasted good. For ingredients inside, I was able to find one calamari ring and some clams on top and big dollops of mayo around the plate. - Salmon (grilled salmon, venere black rice, broccolini, served with Spanish olives, cherry tomato): our waitress recommended this dish. The salmon was not overly cooked but I like the cherry tomato the most. Overall we enjoyed the food and the place is not overly loud, good for conversations. A solid 3.5 star to 4 star, only wish the dishes are not so pricey, I guess you pay for the location.

I've visited three times now and Vida is one of my favorite restaurants on Castro. The food is delicious - the mushrooms, artichokes, croquettes, and the paella. Their cocktails aren't my favorite but I do enjoy their sangria. The croquettes ARE my favorite...they're rich and savory and filled with flavor. The paella is also delicious although it's not massive. They have some room to grow. Around temperature consistency, for instance. Some of the patatas bravas were burn-your-mouth hot while others felt like they'd missed the heat entirely. Service is a little slow and hard to reach at times. However, they're always kind, willing to answer questions, and well informed. Make a reservation and check em out!

Vida Tapas y Cocteles isn't just a restaurant, it's an experience! The moment you walk in, you're greeted by a vibrant atmosphere with stunning decor - perfect for capturing those Instagram-worthy moments. The centrally located bar adds to the lively ambiance, making it a great spot for a fun night out. But the true star of the show is the food. We started with the croquetas and octopus, and even the presentation was a delight. But the undisputed champion goes to the seafood paella. Believe me, I've had my fair share of paellas, some bordering on "burnt rice." Here, the rice was cooked to perfection - flavorful and with a delightful texture. Don't skip out on this one! The drinks followed suit - beautifully presented and leaving nothing to be desired. The service was top-notch too, with attentive staff checking in throughout the evening. Overall, Vida Tapas y Cocteles is a must-try for anyone looking for a delicious and visually stunning tapas experience.

I went here tonight on a date and had a wonderful experience! Our waitress was so friendly and checked on us often. My date had the sangria and I had the Passion Twist. Both drinks were beautiful and delicious! You can tell they really care about the flavor AND presentation of the drinks and cocktails here. I'd definitely try the other mocktails next time too! For food, we shared the papas bravas, pan con tomate, champiñones silvestres, and pulpo gallego. Most of these were delicious, but my favorites were the champiñones silvestres! I had never had this dish before, and I really enjoyed it. I liked the papas bravas, but I do wish they had been a little crispy. The pan con tomate was good but a little bland, but the pulpo gallego was great! Next time I dine here, I'll make sure to try out more of their many tapas options. The decor here is super cute and it's a great atmosphere! We did have a lot of flies flying around us even though we were dining inside and in the back of the restaurant, but we still enjoyed our experience, and I will definitely be back!

Came here for Mother's Day for the first time to try. It was easy to make reservations. The food was not bad but sangria in a pitcher $52 was a rip off. It was mostly ice and diluted. Just order by glass. Unfortunately I won't be coming back. Food 3/5 - black ink paella 4/5 - croquettes de Jamin 3/5 - pulpo 2/5 not tender and some parts not chewable - gambas 3/5 - Cogollos A La Brasa 3/5 - sangria pitcher 1/5 - churros con chocolate 4/5 best thing we had here Service 4/5 Very quick service. We finished in 40 minutes Ambiance 4/5 There is indoor or outdoor sitting. Very nice decor.

Vida Tapas y Cocteles, the new tapas spot in downtown Mountain View, has been around for a year now. It boasts a vibrant atmosphere perfect for social gatherings, with plenty of seating for both small and large groups, both indoors and outdoors. The modern, chic interior features eye-catching touches like wall art, hanging lights, screen displays, and what might be artificial grass wall panels (though I can't be certain). The service at Vida is a mixed bag. While friendly and fast, attentiveness dips when it comes to managing larger groups. During our visit, some people in our party didn't receive their drinks even after requesting them twice, and empty plates piled up on the table without being cleared. The food itself presented a similar inconsistency. The Spanish Mule was a definite highlight - a tropical and visually appealing drink that tasted just as good. However, the tapas themselves ranged from bland to overly salty. Here's a breakdown of some dishes we tried: Paellas: The Carne paella with chicken, sobrasada, skirt steak, and wild mushrooms was the clear winner, with a flavorful sauce that outshone the (admittedly not great) paella at Cascal down the street. The Vegetales paella, however, was quite bland despite featuring broccolini, mushrooms, and cauliflower. We also tried the Mariscos paella with shrimp, clams, and octopus, and it was okay. Tapas: The Coliflor (fried rainbow cauliflower) and Alcachofa (fried artichoke) were bland and lacked excitement. The Papas Bravas, a classic Spanish potato dish, were a saving grace with the smoky brava sauce, while the Croquetas de Jamón were undeniably cheesy but too salty. Other highlights: The Gambas al Ajillo (blue spot prawns) with black garlic and chili flakes were a delicious and flavorful choice, as was the Jamón Iberico with its imported Pata Negra ham and crushed heirloom tomato. Overall, Vida Tapas y Cocteles has a lot of potential. The lively atmosphere and some standout dishes make it a fun option for a group outing. However, the inconsistency in food quality, particularly the blandness and excessive saltiness in some tapas, needs improvement. With more attention to detail on the plates and improved service for larger groups, Vida could become a truly great tapas destination in Mountain View. Please don't mind my blurry photos - it was a team dinner, so I was trying to be subtle (clearly failed ).

Food review: Solid tapas, nothing crazy out of this world but they were good and found them to be a perfect portion for a group of 2. If you are a group bigger than 2, you may need some more orders of the gambas and pan con tomate. The papas bravas are a good sharing size for a group bigger than 2. The paella was good and really flavorful, however, I do wish it had more meat. Service: We had great customer service and everyone inside was really sweet. The restaurant is super cute inside and definitely gives date night vibes.

Came here for a birthday dinner and shared a couple items. We had a reservation and were able to get seated right away. They do have a 15 min grace period which was nice as parking in the area can be tricky especially during peak hours. Pan con tomate (3/5): I've made this dish at a cooking class before and the one we ordered was just okay. The tomatoes were too mushy and made the bread soggy. You definitely could taste the olive oil and a hint of salt which was nice. But texture wise, I wasn't a fan. Croquetta de jamon (3.5/5): This was tasty at first but I got tired of it eating half of one. I felt like the sauce was too cheesy and rich for me. And taking a bite gave me a mouthful of the thick sauce. Taste was good with the smoky ham flavor but it just wasn't for me. Carne paella (5/5): The star dish of the night!! This was probably the best paella I've had. It was so rich with flavor and had plenty of various proteins such as chicken and beef. The rice was perfectly cooked and the squeeze of lemon juice only elevated the flavor more. The portion size was small for the price but well worth it! We also got a complimentary basque cheesecake slice for the birthday celebration! It was quite rich in flavor and had a somewhat goat cheese aftertaste. The caramel drizzle added more sweetness and was a nice touch. I enjoyed the dessert but can see that it wouldn't be for everyone. Our waitress was attentive and made sure we were doing okay. I'd recommend checking this place out!

Came here last minute for tapas. It was a Friday evening Cascal was completely booked so looked for alterative options. Found this place on Yelp , had great reviews so decided to give it a try. Service 5/5: Food came out very fast , servers are very attentive coming by the table frequently removing plates when needed and checking on us. No long wait to get your bill and check out. Efficient! Croquetas De Jamón ( Potato Croquettes w ham ) 5/5 : I always order this when going tapas. Cripsy outer and creamy potato center with bits of Jamon with crispy piece on top. IG worthy.. Berenjena ( Eggplant tempura ) 5/5: If you are vegetarian, there are enough options to have a decent meal here under the tapas menu. The tempura eggplant was a surprise execution - sublime with soy honey glaze. Firm texture..totally unexpected for cooked eggplant. Beautifully plated. Garlic clams ( from specials menu) 5/5: Was trying to figure out all night what ingredients went into the base soup for the clams. Very easy to eat ..dip the toasted sour dough bread into the soup base...and then yummm. Interior 4/5: Since we went at night .it had almost had club vibes. high energy music, high chroma red lights illuminating the bar. Very casual. we sat toward the back seating so it was more quiet and chill Cocktails 5/5 : Goyitos Mezcal Agave, Raspberry & Blackberry Hibiscus, Lime .Beautifully crafted with wild flowers aesthetics.. I'm not sure why I wouldn't give this place 5/5 stars. I guess in comparison to other tapa restaurants....perhaps having live entertainment would tip it over to 5 stars for me but for a great meal..I would definitely come here again.

Yumm I love Spanish tapas. I stopped by here on a weekday night with two of my girlfriends to catch up. It was a chilly night out so we sat inside, but liked that we could see the open outside patio from where we were sitting. The bar area was gorgeous too. The attention to detail with the decor amazed me, I loved the gold touches in the front bar area, and the classy boho theme with greenery and wooden accents in the other parts of the restaurant. Our server was great and gave us his recommendations on what foods to get, they did not disappoint! We got the potatoes, croquettes, octopus, lamb chops, mushrooms, eggplant to share, with churros as dessert. potatoes/papas bravas: these came out crispy with a soft inside, the brava sauce was yummy, with crema and touch of spice. tasted a bit like buffalo sauce. It was a good filler appetizer to share. croquettes/croquetas de jamon: one of my favorites! It came in a set of four. the béchamel sauce was deliciously creamy and melted in my mouth. savory with a touch of sweetness. Nice crunchy exterior as well. octopus/pulpo gallego: grilled nicely, had a nice chew. Came on top of pureed mash potato. Great to share and eat, but something to skip if youve had it before! lamb chops/chuletas de cordero: another one I really enjoyed. the lamb chops came out a little smokey and the labneh complimented the flavors well. I wish these were a bigger though! the lamb chop had enough meat for two small bites or one big bite. mushrooms/champinones silvestres: these were soo good, the egg yolk made a difference with texture, mushrooms were in bite sized pieces and was great with the grilled sourdough eggplant/berenjena: It came out hot, so we had to wait to eat after we cut it. Since it was tempura, it had was slightly crispy exterior. The soy glaze was good with it. It came out in 3 big patties. Texture wise, it was a lot of mush. It would have been better if they had cut the eggplant into smaller pieces and fried it then. The soy glaze would have been picked up more and the flavoring would not have been so one dimensional. pass on this, more a filler vegetable if youre looking to get full. churros/churros con chocolate: these are Spanish churros and came out crispy and soft! I loved the chocolate sauce it came with. perfect small dessert to share. my friends got beer and for myself I got a cocktail. I dont remember the name, but it was good -- not too sweet and nice to sip on. Would definitely come here again if I am in the area!

Came here with my girls for happy hour one day and I was actually quite surprised by the quality despite it being on the HH menu! We pretty much ordered everything from the HH selection. We started off with some cocktails which were super refreshing. We got 2 orders of pan con tomate, papas bravas, croquetas de jamon, pintxos morunos, and hamburgers which fed 10 people. If you're coming here for good vibes with a group of people, I would definitely recommend coming during happy hour when it's a little more affordable!

A great tapas option in the peninsula! Serving sizes are large and share-able, and we loved the patatas bravas and the chicken/chorizo paella. Drinks look fun too, and the outside patio is usually full on weekends. Service can be a little sparse, but still a great place to catch up with friends.

You won't be disappointed when you are dining out at this beautiful modern design restaurant. Feel like coming to the restaurant in Spain. Wonderful gentleman, Alejandro is very friendly and knowledgeable about cocktails and wine selection. My husband and I enjoyed all tapas and customer service was excellent!! I first came to this restaurant when they were just open for the business. I am so excited to see that this place added many new tapas on their menu and all dishes we ordered are delicious with unique flavors (Me Gusta mucho:). Cheers!

Super cool Tapas place in South Bay- Prolly the best when it comes to ambiance. They have put in a lot of effort to decorate the place; bar, restaurant, sitting area, wallpapers, restrooms- detailing done very well! Staff is super friendly and patient. We only ordered a few bites - Cauliflower and Croquettes. Tasted good. My friends loved their cocktails and I ordered myself a hot tea. Everything was great. Would love to come back for a date night or friends soon.

Came here on a Friday night around 6:15 pm. We got cocktails and two tapas to share- the pulpo gallego and a mushroom with egg yolk dish. It was a lovely evening, so we sat outdoors. The servers were friendly and patient-- we needed a few minutes to look through the menu. Both my friend and I enjoyed our cocktails. One note is that the restaurant is quite close to the train station, and there were commute hour trains going by, so every 5-15 minutes a train passed by. It wasn't too bad, but just something to consider. The tapas and cocktails were good and I would come back again!

3.5 stars. Food was good but not truly memorable. I was looking forward to the mushrooms tapas but the flavor was just ok. Good thing is the portions are large for tapas. Service and ambiance were all really nice.

I've been here twice and both times have been a pleasant experience! I love their tapas options and that they have rotating off-menu specials. Last night they had a salmon ceviche and Spanish clams! Their grilled octopus and croquettes are great - I've ordered each of these both time I've been to Vida. The octopus is not tough at all and is prepared beautifully. A table favorite is also their lamb and beef meatballs, not my personal favorite, but definitely a crowd-pleaser. I also enjoy their cocktails, but have only tried the Pornstar and the Magic Margarita. Well balanced and nice presentation. Service and staff are always quick and friendly. So no complaints there! Vida is a new-ish addition to Castro Street and I'm super happy to have them so close by. A great place for friends to get together, date night, or hosting a birthday dinner.

Came here for date night w/my hub. Loved the vibe and staff was very friendly. We started off with drinks which i ordered the sparkling sangria and my husband the vida tres generaciones. We ordered a bunch of different tapas. Across the board, everything needed salt. The food was not bad just lacked salt. We ordered the carne paella as our main and i can say that paying $40 for it was way too much. The meat was lacking. Definitely not worth the price.

Great ambiance and drinks but the food here trends salty. My friends and I came for happy hour and dinner on a Thursday evening. Parking wasn't bad as there's a big garage right behind the restaurant (you can search "Mountain View Free Public Parking" to find it). It's a large and modern space with a beautiful bar area. Plenty of seating. Happy hour is until 6 pm and includes food specials as well as discounts on drinks. Cocktails were $3 off, so I got the Pornstar for $11. It was my first time trying this drink, but I really enjoyed it as it had strong notes of passion fruit. Portions here run on the smaller side, so definitely make sure you order a couple extra tapas dishes to share if you're also getting the paella. The four of us tried (* marks my favorites): * Paella de carne ($40) - smaller than I expected but it was good. I surprisingly enjoyed the black garlic aioli that came with it as it didn't taste like mayo at all * Tortilla de patatas ($10) - was hard to pick up because it was so soft but the flavor was good * Pintxos morunos ($14) - sirloin skewers Calamari fritos ($15) Albondigas ($14) - these meatballs were way too salty, would not recommend Costillas ($34) - the short rib stew was good but very small portion Papas bravas ($10) We were slowly eating and chatting until 9:30 or so when we finally left, so it's a great place to catch up with friends!

I celebrated my birthday at Vida Tapas and had a good experience. I'm a tapas lover and welcome any new Bay Area restaurants with good tapas and service- and Vida had both! Their service is friendly and incredibly fast. We made the mistake of ordering all dishes upfront which came out immediately and almost all at once. While I'm impressed with how fast the dishes came out- next time, I'll order in batches. My family also liked the wine and cocktail menu- the drinks are beautiful! Overall, I would recommend Vida for HH or dinner, but would avoid some select dishes. - Scallops (1/5)- ordered off their weekend HH menu- the scallops themselves were extremely small and the cream completely took away from the scallop. For the higher price of this dish, I would not recommend. - Clams (2/5)- ordered off their weekend HH menu- these clams had tiny pieces of meat and I would not recommend this dish for that reason. Barely anything to eat. We had to ask for two plates of extra bread to soak up the broth. - Beef skewers (5/5)- we ordered 2 of these since each came with 3 skewers. Everyone raved about these. They weren't my favorite, but I do admit they were well seasoned and extremely tender. - Wild mushrooms (5/5)- this was my favorite dish. Smokey, acidic, and fresh! - Grilled octopus (5/5)- one of my family's favorites. Extremely tender octopus. I didn't love the cream sauce it came with, but the octopus itself was phenomenal. - Croquetas (5/5)- crispy on the outside, extremely rich and creamy on the inside. I ordered 2 because I love Spanish croquetas but I would only get 1 next time because of how rich they are. Hard to eat more than 1. - Seafood paella (4/5)- the paella was perfectly "underdone" with a good bite, but it needed more socarratt- the crispy bottom. It barely had any, maybe just some around the edges. For the price, I would have liked a larger portion. Clams barely had any meat and would have liked to see mussels as well. - Basque cheesecake (5/5)- this was brought out complimentary and was incredibly good. I'm a hobby baker and have had many basque cheesecakes that do not resemble the real thing, but this was fantastic. Served cold, but still silky and gooey.

We came for an early dinner on Saturday night. The restaurant was nearly empty with the exception of one other table of maybe 8-10 (mixture of adults and children). They were pretty loud-- loud enough that a newly seated pair of patrons asked to be moved farrrrr away. But I digress. Pretty spacious indoors with a lovely, long bar in the middle, and broken off sections in the back, large area for outdoor seating as well. The menu was descriptive and easy to understand. We ordered the JAMON CROQUETAS, GRILLED WILD MUSHROOMS, MOROCCAN SPICED LAMB CHOPS, BLACK GARLIC BLUE SPOT PRAWNs, and the seafood PAELLA. Wow. Everything we ordered was delicious. We even ordered a few extra slices of bread to sop up more of the garlic sauce from the shrimp dish. Oh, forgot about dessert! We ordered the creme brulee and CHEESECAKE BASCO (SPANISH TOASTED BASQUE CHEESCAKE, GOAT CHEESE, DULCE DE LECHE)-- the goat cheese came through without being overpowering. And the dulce was yumm. Creme brulee was fine, but I probably won't order that again. Service could be considered on the slow side given it wasn't busy when we got there but the drinks came out quickly and the food was delivered at the perfect pace. We will be back!

Why 1 star? Because of their manager (male in his 30s) and their overall service. If you have 6+ in your party, they automatically charge a 20% gratuity which was reasonable except they didn't really provide basic services such as removing empty plates and refilling water. More importantly, they were not honest and didn't understand what hospitality meant. When I called for my reservation, they informed me that I didn't have to stay in their bar or in a designated area for their Happy Hour and that I could stay at my table. Some of my guests arrived before their HH ended (6pm), and they weren't given the HH menu. So upon my arrival (maybe a minute or 2 before 6), the waitress came to us and BEGAN to take the order. When i asked for the HH menu, she said it ended already. Question 1 - why would they only come to the table to take the FIRST order after 6 and ignore my guests in the past 30 min? Question 2- why weren't my guests given the HH menu when it was obviously wayyy before 6pm? When I asked for the manager, he had nothing to say and reluctantly discounted my guests' drinks but not mine because he thought I came after 6 (whatever because i didn't want to argue with him). My guests also wanted to order appetizers from their HH menu and they brought the menu over. When the bill came, they didn't discount any appetizers, why???? Their explanation was "you only asked to see it". WTF? This was a really lame excuse. What was your logic that you discounted the drinks and admitted "fault" but only selectively discount whatever you want. My guests obviously pointed to the HH menu when placing the appetizers but they mentioned nothing about not honoring the HH price. This sounded very shady and bad business practice to me. I also questioned if I was offered the HH appetizer size but didn't receive the HH discount because I had 4 croquette vs 5 in an order. The charcuterie board seemed much smaller than other yelp photos too. Reviewers- I would love to hear your opinions on this. Hit the "helpful" emoji if you agree with my assessment on my dining experience or use the "oh no" emoji if you think this isn't a bad business practice. Hopefully, you are a real yelp reviewer. :)

Finally, a nice tapas place in downtown MTV. I love a place that serves pretty-looking drinks and nice tapas, and this place doesn't disappoint.  We went here on a Saturday evening and had made reservations ahead, although the place wasn't crowded during the time we were there. We ordered Sangria and a margarita to drink and several different tapas from the menu: - Croquettes, Artichoke, Pulpo (octopus) and Tortilla de patata.  Food was top-notch, absolutely delicious, and flavorful. The portions were slightly larger than regular Tapas places for certain items. We enjoyed the drinks as well.  The place has a lovely ambiance. I am definitely coming back here, probably during their happy hour window.

We were greeted by a happy person, that sat us outside on our request. I ordered a beer and wife had a margarita, both were decent. We ordered 6 different tapas that were all delicious.

A group of friends and I came here for a happy hour after work one day, and really loved the vibes. This restaurant off of Castro Street in Mountain View had a very classy ambiance. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, which can give two very different atmospheres, that are unique and nice in their own right. I really enjoyed the food and drinks, though some people I was with thought the food was a little bit on the saltier side. Still, the plates were much larger than I expected from a tapas place, and the happy hour deals had tons of value. The drinks were nothing special, but I thought they were palatable, reasonably priced and aesthetic. The service was good, with people waiting on us fairly quickly, and were perfectly nice. With that being said, they offered us water without mentioning it would cost money, or if there was a free option. We were a little surprised to find out that the water was fairly expensive. Overall, this place was pretty good, and I would recommend it as a nice spot after work in downtown Mountain View.

Review by a vegetarian. Great ambiance. Good for any kind of celebration/ date night or anything really. Good number of vegetarian and vegan options. The paella is the only main though which is expected in a tapas situation. Very friendly service. Decent drinks. Would I go back as a vegetarian? Probably not because I love to explore but would recommend if you are looking for something in mountain view.

Some friends and I came here for an early dinner on a Wednesday and just our luck - it was happy hour! (4:30-6pm). We ordered a majority of the HH dishes and everything was a hit. Friends got the pornstar drink and enjoyed it. Then got a gin and tonic and everything was finished lol. I got a mocktail - forgot the name, but it was tasty! Ham croquets - delicious! Savory bite and packed with flavor. A plate comes with 4 Jamon - good but very simple. Toast is thick and comes with a tomato spread and a generous amount of jamon. Pan con tomate - basically a jamon-less order of the same appetizer. I'd skip this and get the jamon. Papas Bravas - huge portion size and potatoes were topped with a nice citrusy sauce Grilled octopus - good size and came on a bed of mashed potatoes. Very flavorful Seafood paella - was a bit to acidic for me but the others enjoyed it. Good portion size for the 3 of us to share. Came with 4 shrimps and a few clams. Churros - can't skip the dessert. Thin churros with a Nutella dip Environment was super nice and chic. Well decorated and service was great. Host and waitress were friendly. We'll definitely be back

We came here for brunch on a Sunday and while there were plenty of people walking along Castro as the farmer's market was going on, Vida was surprisingly pretty empty. The interior is super trendy and modern and a perfect place for a girls brunch. My friend and I ended up sharing the grilled octopus, roasted mushrooms, and a mariscos paella which was plenty of food for 2 people. We loved the octopus served on top of creamy potatoes and the mushrooms were good as well (although they were oddly a bit bitter). The start was really the paella which came with succulent shrimp, octopus and clams. The portion feeds 2-3 people as the pan is large but it's quite shallow. It's packed with flavor and we loved the texture of the rice as well (sometimes the rice can be a bit hard if it's not cooked for long enough). I'll definitely come to try their happy hour and they have more traditional brunch items on the weekend as well in addition to the traditional tapas and paellas.

Hear me out- Vida is a fantastic tapas place with a great vibe and tasty food, but I recently had an experience where the service could have been handled a lot better. FOOD & DRINKS: The assortment of tapas here offers something for everyone. I came here in a group of 6, so we were able to try a little bit of everything. We especially enjoyed the papas bravas, pulpo, croquettas and paella mariscos. The cocktails were also well-crafted and were so nicely presented. VIBE: Without a doubt, this is probably the trendiest restaurant on Castro street. From the bar setup to the comfy booths throughout the restaurant, this is easily one of the best spots for a date night or night out with friends when you want to chill in a more elevated ambiance. SERVICE: Our service experience was less than ideal. We arrived at Vida at 4:30pm on a Wednesday night with plans to eat leisurely and leave by 6:30pm for our 7:30pm concert, 20 minutes away. We got the check a couple minutes after 6pm but asked them to correct it because they overcharged us for a number of items. The act of voiding the check and charging the new transaction took almost an entire hour since we got that first bill! We also kept asking for our waitress after the first 20 minutes of waiting for the new check and the team just kept telling us "she's coming" for the whole hour without any other updates on what what was going on or ETA. We finally asked for the manager to help us and he resolved the issue around 7pm and offered us three complimentary shots, but we missed the concert's first act. Some in our group were understandably upset at how the situation was handled, (especially those who don't drink/get one of those 3 shots.) It's a couple days later, and my friend's credit card still reflects the incorrect amount, so we're not sure if they ever fixed the issue that took so long in the first place. Hopefully the team at Vida can help make it right. Again, I know this was likely a one-off, and the rest of the experience was great, so I'm still looking to go back.

Loved the restaurant! Recommend by my cousin and we all came on a Sunday for brunch/lunch. Sat outside which was nice and kids enjoyed watching the trains. The food was delicious, fresh, many options, and reasonably priced. You can sit inside or outdoors and there are many great drink options and food choices as well. A lot of really pretty dishes that came out at a good pace. The service was good, friendly staff, and many families seemed to be enjoying themselves. Would highly recommend this to anyone in the area for business meals or time with family and friends!

This place was pretty good. We were a party of 5 and seated right away on a Wednesday night. The sangria pitcher we got tasted amazing, we felt it was mostly ice and apple chunks inside though. The food was good, my favorite was the vegetarian paella. Inside was nice, service was so-so. We had to stack our 7 or so plates, since they didn't come around routinely to pick them up, and we had to wave at someone to order more rounds.

I already know everything is amazing based off of the 3 tapas and paella we got. If you're going to try anything, get the 3 seafood tapas : octopus, calamari, and shrimp, and the seafood paella. Delicious and portioned out well- we finished every single bite. Service was amazing as well ! Polite and checked in on us throughout the time we were there. Overall a very pleasant experience. Since we came here for a girls night, I can definitely attest that this is where to go with friends especially if you want to share food. It's also a sweet date spot for patio/outdoor seating. Overall, 9.5/10 recommend. I would definitely come back !

I came here before the Ed Sheeran concert and boy was I impressed! Good: - Food is incredible! I loved the paella - the negra and carne ones were both great - I had a slight pref for the negra since it was so unique and had a cool color - I liked the croquette, the pan tomato bread, the papas bravas also stood out since the potato was so crunchy! - Had a great cocktail here (Pornstar) - very fruity and tasty - Nice servers overall - The food came out pretty quick! Bad: - Only 4 stars since it's a bit more of an expensive place than I'd usually go to or recommend - we paid about $68/person with a drink per person and just enough food - The service is a bit more sparse

After walking by this place for months, we finally decided to eat here. We just did tapas We had the iberico ham,the lamb meatballs and the tempura eggplant None of which I would order again. The jambon was just ok The meatballs were extremely salty The eggplant - while I know it was in there somewhere, you only could taste the honey and the labneh. It tasted almost like a funnel cake - way too sweet.

Long story short, I really liked this place, It is the best Tapas I've had in South bay in compare to other popular restaurants. We made a reservation ahead for Friday night, Host was very welcoming and friendly. She set us down within seconds. Ambiance is very modern and chic, it is perfect for a date night or friends gathering. We've ordered alot of food and everything was good. Here's what we've ordered: Croquettas de Jamon (5/5) Very creamy and flavorful, it hits the spot, a must try if you don't know what to order Papa Bravas (4/5) Loving how they cooked the potatoes, you can never go wrong with this dish. We also ordered 2 tapas on their special menu one was eggplant and the other was chicken skewer, - Eggplant was amazing, crispy on the outside and juicy inside with enough flavors. - Chicken skewer came to be such a big disappointment, it was pretty dry and taste blend. Paellas - Paella De Carne (3/5) We felt it was missing flavors - Paella Negra (5/5) Great flavors with fresh seafood, everything's just perfect.

My friend and I drove from San Jose just to enjoy a nice dinner so we decided to have Paella and we sit at the bar The Bartender is the most incompetent person ever He was a mess he dropped things left and right making comments in Spanish I order a glass of wine and he literally gave me some wine that was open from that counter and when I say open I mean no cork. I said this wine is bad Can you please open an other bottle he made a face and was like omg in Spanish again to another worker My suggestion si no quieren trabajar no lo again y déjenle la oportunidad a otros Funny story i understand everything because I'm Latina omg

Been here a couple of times now and the food is always spot on. We love the olive oil sauce that comes with the Gambas Al Ajillo (the shrimp is super fresh as well) and their paella is done so well. We've had a chance to sample through a number of the tapas and really enjoy the Champiñones Silvestres, Pulpo Gallego, Gambas Al Ajillo, and Albondigas so far. Haven't had a chance to try their desserts but I always love getting churros when I see them, especially if they're freshly made. Service here is fantastic! They come and check on you multiple times and see how the food is and if you need anything else. They have high chairs for the kiddos but no booster seats or child settings but do offer paper cups and straws for the kiddos.

We ordered a bunch of stuff to share and they tasted okay. The lamb chops lacked flavor, the garlic shrimp was flavorful. Service was quick.

Good service and tasty food! Preferred this tapas spot vs the other popular ones. Good portion sizes and a lot of dishes to try. Perfect for a date night

Came here for dinner with friends and had a great time. It is tucked further away at the end of Castro, nearer to the Caltrain. It was pretty quiet on a Thur night even though other restaurants were pretty bustling. Food here is delicious. I really enjoyed the meatballs, the octopus and the jamon iberico plate. The basque cheese cake was excellent as well.

5 stars! First time here and everything from service to food was amazing! Here's what we ordered between 2 people: Paella Vida ($40) Gambas Al Ajillo - garlic prawns ($16) Jamon Serrano ($15) - serrano ham with bread Pintxos Morunos ($14) - steak skewers Every single tapas and the paella were delicious and full of flavor. The tapas came out quickly, and I definitely recommend ordering 3 - 4 tapas to start with or just order more because it's great shareables. The garlic shrimp was probably my favorite with all that butter and garlic. Definitely recommend ordering a paella, too. I love paella, and the paella vida came with chicken and chorizo (yum!) Make sure to mix it well! The service was great too! Super attentive staff who checked in on us and kept refilling our waters. The interior is big and beautiful. There's even outdoor seating too. We arrived right at 5pm and got lucky with getting a seat but definitely recommend making a reservation in advance. I'll definitely be returning to try more tapas and paella!

Vida is an excellent addition to the downtown MV scene. The interior of the restaurant is bright and welcoming, with beautiful decor. Service is attentive and servers were knowledgeable about dietary restrictions and substitutions. Firstly, there were a number of vegetarian and vegan-modifiable dishes. We got the papas bravas first - they were fine without the crema but nothing special. The pan con tomate was super disappointing and a real study in how simple food needs little to shine. In this case, the bread arrived soggy and unseasoned. We had to ask for salt, which perked up the taste, but it really could have used a rub of garlic. The berenjena dish was delicious and had layers of flavor - definitely a must order. The artichokes were perfectly fried but had such an overwhelming acidity. I'm unsure if it was just too much lemon or if the artichokes were canned. Finally, the vegetable paella, and the reason the review got bumped up to a 4. The rice had a nice smokiness and there was a surprising variety of veggies, including cauliflower (unseasoned), maitaake mushrooms, and broccolini. The veggies added great texture and flavor. Overall a lovely experience and appreciated the thoughtful attention to the no-meat crowd.

Had the: - paella de mariscos (the squid and shrimps were cooked well but it was a little small) - prawns (pretty tasty and the bread had a nice consistency!) - potatoes (when they first came out they were nice and crunchy but nothing special) Service was fantastic! Our server was very helpful. Ambiance was modern + festive and had a nice layout. Overall, the amount/quality of food for the price point was a little high for me but the vibes were nice. I would go here for a celebration but not expect to be really full afterwards haha.

Cool vibe, good cocktails, but it was bad enough for a review unfortunately. The pulpo wasn't cooked right-if you have the pulpo at Teleferic you'll see that the texture isn't quite right. The potatoes were good, but not crispy on the outside so it was like eating boiled potatoes. Again, see Teleferic. The eggplant appetizer was delicious. The paella was so salty it left me speechless. And I love salty food. The staff should visit some Spanish restaurants and try to learn how the dishes were intended to be made. It's a great place otherwise.

Good food, friendly service, but not really designed for the casual solo diner looking for lunch, which is what I usually want, though it is possible for one such to eat successfully there. On my lunch trip I had two tapas plates, which was just enough. Loved the little lamb chops, and the shrimp were successful also. Not only the tails were still on, but so were the heads, but the middle part was peeled, so once you knocked the head off, it was easy to eat. On another occasion I ordered paella to go. It comes in a pan, which they charge you a deposit on, packed in a sturdy custom-made cardboard box. The paella is more than a single person could eat, but if you're two people dining in, you may find it's not quite large enough for a 2-person full meal. Seasoned rice with the fillings on top. We had the seafood which had enough good things in it, though the shrimp - same way of serving as in the tapas plate - were rather mealy, which the tapas shrimp were not.