I'm from El Paso, Tx and this was some of the most authentic Mexican food I've had here in Phx. 10/10 service feels like you're in Mexico. I will be coming back. Ambiance super cute for date night as well! read more

We came on this restaurant by accident. It is a tall pink building on 24th Street. The service was friendly and extremely good. This is a family owned restaurant. A hidden gem. The food is Mexico City style. Prices are great and the food was delicious. There wasn't a vegan option on the menu, but the wait person told me of an off menu item that was perfect! We will return and definitely recommend to friends. read more

See all

This place explodes with character. The decor was colorful and well thought out. Customer service was attentive and personal without being intrusive. Food portions were not huge, but satisfying and priced reasonably. Yes... we'll be back! read more

See all

Delicious authentic Mexican food! Small menu but there's options for everyone including vegetarians (me ). Loved the ambiance and the food, felt like I was having lunch at my grandmas. Our server was super attentive and sweet. Definitely recommend this place . read more

Everything about this place is amazing. The food, the atmosphere, the service! We had the shrimp, fish, and steak dish and everything was so delicious! 10/10 all around. read more

Asi Es La Vida - Shrimp - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

What an adorable little place!!! I don't know how I ever missed the hot pink exterior every time I drove by. My friend picked this place for us to meet for dinner. You park in the back even though that's where the entrance is. Their front entrance is actually blocked from the inside. It's interesting because you walk through a front lobby area, through a door, down a hallway, past the kitchen and then into the dining area. The place is small but very quaint and decorated nicely. It's actually quite romantic as the night we were there, there was a guitarist singing some beautiful Spanish tunes. We learned they have live music Thursday through Sunday. I ordered a shrimp dish which came with a toasted baguette, rice and this amazing corn concoction. The shrimp were butterflied and were quite large. I enjoyed every bite. We also ordered the chorizo fundido cheese dip and that was amazing. I could've eaten 2 more plates of those. For dessert, I received a free dessert by checking in to Yelp. I had their flan and loved it. The bonus was their watermelon drink had free refills! There was nothing I disliked here. Service was great, food was fantastic. I want to take the hubs here next time for our date night. read more

Asi Es La Vida - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

See all

My Mom is from Mexico and I partially grew up in Mexico City so we both have a very good grasp on authentic Mexican food. In my opinion, Asi Es La Vida is by far the most authentic Mexican restaurant in all of Arizona and when I brought my mom she absolutely agreed. The food is Mexico City style which could add some bias, but to me, the food tasted like the food my grandma made at home. The first time I went I had the torta of Milanesa for lunch and it tasted just like home. It was perfect. For dinner, the queso fundido is great along with the cochinita pibil. I've also had the enfrijoladas and the pescado a la Veracruzana and everything I've had here is delicious and authentic. Even the bright pink building is authentic. It may look a little odd in the USA, but that decor is as Mexican on the outside as it can get. The service is also terrific, friendly, and prompt. Can't recommend this place enough. read more

Fantastic service. Great date night spot with incredible food. Authentic, delicious and attentive staff. Will be back soon. Highly recommend if you need a unique date night spot with great atmosphere and tasty drinks. read more

Love the building, ambiance is awesome, service is as though you are a guest at there house. Food was excellent, good ole fashioned platters with all that's needed. read more

I had the best solo experience here! Being in Phoenix on business from out of town, I couldnt have stumbled upon a better place. I had a beautiful seat next to the acoustic one-man band, he was such an awesome accoutrement to my dining experience. The waiter who helped me was very attentive and so nice. The food was amazing, so let's break it down! -Guacamole; they serve it to you depending on your party size. I was on my own, and had a nice portioned serving, which was the perfect amount for the chips they included. They also served 3 salsas: verde, rojo, and pico. I am partial to verde they were all great. -Queso Fundido, with Poblano; sooo good! Again, this is a dish they will serve portion-wise, if your on your own, or multiple people. Comes with corn tortillas, roll it all up and OMG the cheesiest most delicious roll ever. You can also add chorizo, among other ingredients -Camarone Al Mojo de Ajo; This was amazing. Butterflied shrimp in the shell. I dont normally like shrimp cooked in the shell, but the way they cook it is awesome. The meat is cooked (broiled?) on the outside, with lots of garlic. It also came with a cheesey cream corn, buttery rice, and garlic bread. I questioned the garlic bread...but realized toward the end of my meal that it's perfect to soak up all of the left over yummy juices, rather than chips. I also got to try the pomagranite tequila. Highly recommend! I hope to be back next time I'm in the area, and to bring my family. Thank you! read more

See all

Amazing food, great atmosphere would go again. I got the chilaquiles and I couldnt stop eating them they are amazing. read more

Asi Es La Vida - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Food, service and ambiance is first rate! Their sangria is unique and delicious:) on several occasions I have rented the back room for a birthday celebration. I would definitely recommend. read more

There's no missing the vibrant pink building that is Asi Es La Vida. The restaurant has been on my foodie radar since I saw them featured on an episode of Check, Please! Arizona. Inside is quaint (which is the nice way of saying it is small but not in a bad way, more in the cozy way) and filled with Frida decor. We were promptly greeted and asked our preference of table. A booth was available so we opted for that. After spending earlier in the day walking around, I was thirsty. They offer a few different flavors of Aguas Frescas (piña, melon, sandia). I went with the sandia (watermelon). It was not overly sweet like some Agua Frescas can be. It was very light and refreshing like drinking straight watermelon. For an appetizer we got guacamole. Even though I prefer a slightly more acidic guac, we still managed to eat the plate clean. The guacamole came with three salsas (and extra chips). My favorite of the three salsas was the green tomatillo - medium heat and great flavor. For my entree I had the Cochinita Pibil. The menu description is: slow roasted pork with an orange based sauce and sweet red onion. The dish is super tangy and citrusy. Since I am a fan of those flavors, I was very happy. I also sampled bites of the mole and tinga and would have easily ate a plate of all three if that was an option. Before you leave, don't forget to use your Yelp check-in for a free dessert. We were brought flan. Which I typical do not like (it's a textural thing). It would not have been my first choice...or my choice at all but asi es la vida. I was pleasantly surprised to have actually enjoyed this flan so that's saying something. If you are in the neighborhood, find the bright pink building and enjoy some great Mexican food. read more

See all

For as bright of a building on a busy street as this is, you wouldn't think of describing it as a "hidden gem", but it truly is. There are very few Mexican restaurants like Asi Es La Vida in Phoenix, let alone in the United States. I would describe this as high-end Mexico City cuisine. If you aren't familiar with the food, you will likely find the menu a bit intimidating at first. Look at it as an amazing opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and try something new! And don't be afraid to drill the staff with questions. They are super friendly and eager to help describe what's on the menu. If you're craving standard Mexican fare like tacos, burritos, fajitas and quesadillas, this isn't the place for that. Head over to Manuel's (NOT a knock on Manuel's). If you want to try the standard fare in a different and elevated way, or try something completely new and amazing, this is the place. I highly recommend trying one of their many fresh fruit juices. My favorite is the fresh watermelon. Addicting! read more

We had been to Asi Es La Vida a few years before and had been delighted with the service, food and ambiance. This time we were disappointed in the food. It did not feel different and every dish we got seemed to be covered in either a sauce or smothered in cheese. We walked away feeling like they had "mailed it in" on the food. The service was good, but not as we remembered. We were a bit disappointed in the entire experience. read more

We visited this restaurant for the first time during date night! The food here is absolutely delicious! Every dish we tried was bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. Highly recommend the Ropa Vieja and Carne Tampiquena, their guacamole had a special flavor and the homemade tortillas were the cherry on top for this amazing dinner. Their drinks are made with real tequila! what made this whole experience so much more special is that they offer life music, they had a guitarist singing beautiful romantic Spanish music and this just brings the whole experience to another level. I forgot to ask our waitress's name but beautiful lady with long black hair and beautiful smile, fun and so outgoing, recommended her best drinks and dishes and checked on us several times. We 100% recommend this restaurant. read more

Asi es La Vida "this is the life!" a wonderful authentic Mexico City style restaurant on 24th street and about Osborn. Great ambiance inside wonderful art and Mexican sculptures. We enjoyed the service everyone was very friendly and helpful with the menu. We ordered the guacamole and chips fresh and full of flavor. I had the Cesina thin grilled steak served with chiqules rice and frijoles delicious. My wife had tortilla soup and the crepes di Cameron my daughter enjoyed the enchiladas with white cream sauce. Everything was full of flavor we took advantage of the Yelp check in for free dessert, give them a try if you are looking for something different. read more

See all

Wonderfully authentic Mexican cuisine. Far superior to your standard Mexican restaurant, they have mole enchiladas, adobada, chilaquiles, and it's all delicious. Cindy provided us with friendly service and we could have stayed sl read more

Asi Es La Vida - And what a great selection of tequilas! - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Small, intimate setting with many unique dishes. Not your typical Mexican restaurant with tacos, enchiladas and burritos. They have an extensive list of tequila, probably approaching 100 choices, between blanco, resposado and anejo, and another section with high-end tequilas. I had the Cochinita Pibil and the pork was fork-tender. Friendly wait staff and there was a guitarist/singer during our visit. Very pleasant music without being overpowering. We could still carry on a conversation even though we were just 10 feet away from him. Overall, a great experience and I will definitely make it a point to go back whenever I'm in Phoenix. read more

Amazing place !! Great service and good food. Very accommodating to vegan/ vegetarian needs !

The real deal...from Mexico City. Probably the best mole I have had. First time here for lunch. Had the appetizer plate as a main dish. It included cochinita and mole, cochinita pibil and a shrimp crepe. Exceptional meal. Three choices of salsa. Shared a tres leches cake slice for dessert. Unique decor and one of a kind. Very well done! read more

See all

The food and atmosphere are always on point. They also pour their drinks strong. Great value all around. They also have live music pretty regularly. I go often. The only odd thing is getting seated. You have to kind of wander in and find someone vs being met at the entrance by a host. Not a deterrent for us, but one area of improvement that may help them out. read more

This is a wonderful neighborhood restaurant. The food was delicious with scrumptious sauces. We also enjoyed the service and the decor. I highly recommend it! read more

Hands down the best Mexico City Mexican food in the valley and that comes from someone that has eaten at many local establishments. We'll get to that in a bit. You just can't miss this place. It is just north of Osborn the on 24th Street. If you miss it I would be amazed as it is the brightest, pinkest, restaurant I have ever seen. What you would assume was the front door is actually locked because of the live music they have I believe 5 nights a week. The music isn't loud and will not disrupt your evening at all, but adds the perfect ambiance for what will be a dancing tongue of joy you will be feeling shortly. We sit at the bar 90% of the time and like with most family establishments we get to know the employees quickly. We have met two of the sons, I believe the only daughter and the mother who helps out in the kitchen. This will presently surprise you as the Mexico City Mexican Restaurant has white table clothes and the decor sets a perfect mood. Finally to the food... I am a mole snob period. I won't name other names on this review but know that there are many varieties of mole depending on the state that you are visiting so there probably really isn't a "true best mole" unless you are comparing it to the state in which it derived from. This, however, is my favorite so far on this planet... Then I found their cochinita and that literally changed my life. I can now fully endorse not only their mole but now my favorite cochinita ever. I always grab a cerveza when I am there but my wife will snag either their sangria (little splash of vodka added, my wife says it's unbelievable) or their margarita. I highly suggest sitting at the bar if the daughter is there and asking her to just say margarita for you... it is awesome the way she says it. I cannot highly recommend this place enough... so much that we are debating getting the cochinita 2 days before Turkey Day so we can enjoy it on that day. Lastly, I am not a dessert guy... just not my thing... but have had a bite of their flan which I saw another patron wait patiently for an entire pie to bring home for a party he was hosting... asked him what he thought of it and thought it was the best he had ever had... he then asked for a slice for him alone for that evening as the dinner party wasn't for a few days :) Again ask the daughter to say "margarita" for you :) read more

See all

Absolutely phenomenal food. Everything was fresh, delicious and unique when compared to other Mexican restaurants in Phoenix. Loved their mole and tres leches cake. Very good selection of high end tequila as well. Charming building and friendly staff. Would highly recommend. read more

Quaint little restaurant with excellent ambiance food and service. I will go back again and again

Everything was so good, nothing is bad I will be back tomorrow for more. The ambiance is the best, perfect for date night. The live singing is on point. The staff is the best one the land, never wanted for anything. The cutest young man gave us great recommendations. read more

Asi Es La Vida - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

See all

We were recently in Phoenix and asked the server Reuben, at our Happy Hour spot (Alexi's) for a recommendation for Mexican food. He told us we must try Asi Es La Vida. The little pink building is situated in a neighborhood. If we didn't know about it we would have passed it up. Irving and family were so delightful and accommodating. We felt as if we had been invited into their home and were eating with their family at the dinner table. The sampler platter was delicious and gave us a chance to taste some food before we ordered. The mole poblano was superb as was the cochinita pibil. We cleaned our plates. The watermelon margarita with tajin on the rim was refreshing with the perfect amount of spice. We will definitely be back next time we are in town. read more

Food was delicious and the portion sizes were fairly large. Recommend eating family style as there's lots of good things to try on the menu. The service was friendly - felt like I was eating a nice home cooked meal read more

We were in town for a brief visit and found ASI Es La Vida on Yelp. Our hotel was close by so we opted for something local versus a chain. So glad we did. Food was absolutely amazing. We had four people with four different meals, sangria, margaritas and desert. Nothing disappointed. The staff was friendly and attentive. We couldn't have asked for a better meal, atmosphere and staff. Thank you! read more

Cannot say enough good things about this place. Super authentic food, the guac and chicken mole are to die for. Cocktails were great, and we got a giant watermelon juice to take home and wish I had gotten two! The service is just as good as the food. Can't wait to go back read more

This place is the real deal! Live music that stops while you talk with your server. Beautiful Frieda artwork all over, and gorgeous, colorful plates. We started with skinny margaritas and guac, which were delicious and shared the carne tampiquena. We loved it! The steak was quite thin, but still delicious. We ate it mixed with the rice, guac, and poblano with beans and cheese. Their mole sauce is delicious! We we're given the option of having the mole enchilada or an enchiladas with green sauce. That mole was so good!! Their tomatillo salsa was excellent. My bff ate it with a spoon. (:. I'd love to return on my next trip to Phoenix! read more

Absolutely delicious food, the drinks are absolutely refreshing the ambiance is amazing and the staff are top-notch

Amazing service & live music on certain days. Frida Kahlo theme to go with Ciudad de México menú.Cesina

Delicious Mexican food. Nice, quiet ambiance. The salsas were especially tasty. Highly recommend.

I can't believe that i haven't written a review about this place yet. I LOVE it. I have come here multiple times, with friends, family, and the wifey. It is very small, but clean, delicious food, and it wont break the bank! Whenever someone comes to AZ for the first time, they want to try Mexican food. If we are able, we go down here because it worth trying, and so far no one has been disappointed! Pink restaurant with 6 parking spots, cant miss it :) read more

This place is a gem! I love the bright pink exterior and the ambience inside. This place is clean, decorated nicely and overall very inviting. This is the kind of place you would want to bring somebody from out of town. Now on to the food. Menu has many options. They also have a nice drink selection.The food presentation is on point and flavors are excellent. For an appetizer we had the guacamole for two. Fresh, flavorful and you get a good amount of chips to scoop it up. The mole and cochinita pibil are authentic, delicious and savory. My favorite is the Camaron al mojo de ajo. Five giant shrimp baked with garlic and olive oil and served with rice, creamed corn (delicious as well) and bite-size garlic bread to scoop up all the goodness. This is not going to be the cheapest place but it's also not the most expensive. But honestly you get what you pay for and you will leave satisfied. read more

Asi Es La Vida - Camaron al mojo de Ajo - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Así es la vida is outstanding! My husband and I ate early tonight. We were served promptly. The food was amazing and so was the service! We did not catch the waitress's name. She was great! The cuisine is from Mexico City. We loved the lamb dish and guacamole! She gave us plenty of iced tea and cold water. The ambiance and decorations were lovely! Be prepared to be spoiled by the server!!! The chef was superb!!! We just traveled to Phoenix. She took some photos of us. The flan was yummy! read more

Asi Es La Vida - Choco Flan - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Flavorful & authentic Mexican cuisine. Service was amazing! Great romantic atmosphere, Definitely would recommend to others

Great neighborhood find! Appetizer special had a sample of queso fundido, chicken mole and guacamole and three salsas. The tomatillo salsa was outstanding but the chipotle salsa was too smoky. Everything else was very good. Entrees we shared were the chicken tings and cochinita pibil combo plate. The pibil was outstanding, slow cooked magnificence. The other entree was Enrollado de Res, tender beef rolled around cheese and spinach. That was amazingly good. I would order it again without hesitation. There was a talented guitarist playing and singing Spanish songs. All in all, a great date night and superb meal. read more

See all