I stopped by Buena Vida on a Wednesday night around 7/8 for dinner with a friend. The restaurant recently opened on 04w and is in a prime location! It specializes in Spanish fare to share and has good options for pescatarians and vegetarians alike. I enjoyed the house margarita! I also enjoyed the mushroom croquettes, ceviche, and peppers. They failed the Patatas Bravas test and the pulpo was good but probably not worth it. Dishes ranged $8-16. I struggled with rating because the competition is fierce. I'm not sure if I didn't live nearby I would make a trip for it. However, a few dishes had fun surprising twists, the service was excellent, and food was good. I also liked that they run your credit card at the table, And make it easy to split tickets. I didn't like that too started at 22-25% and seemed to be on post tax total. read more

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I love a good tapas bar and Buena Vida Tapas Bar does not disappoint. I came here before a show at the Fox Theatre and I highly recommend this place as a dinner option before any show because the service is efficient and the location is super close! They are located right off the beltline with a spacious patio (it's dog friendly!) and bar if you are looking to take a break from your walk. If you are driving, parking is available in the parking deck on the opposite end of the building at the North & Line Apartments. The restaurant will validate your parking, which is definitely a nice perk in ATL. They offer indoor seating as well in their very aesthetic restaurant that has a flower wall, open floor plan, and full bar. During the week, they offer a Happy Hour drink and food menu from 4:00 until 6:00 PM and it is great deal! On Wednesdays, they also offer half priced bottles of wine. I visited on a weekday before 6:00 PM and loved everything I ordered. From the happy hour menu, I tried that patatas bravas, brussel sprouts, spanish grilled cheese & the red sangria. From the regular menu I ordered the seafood paella. The standouts of this meal were the Spanish grilled cheese and the seafood paella. The different cheeses they used melted together tasted heavenly and the paella was loaded with shrimp, mussels & calamari. The rice itself was full of flavor and not spicy at all! Not to mention, we still had leftovers after splitting it three ways! Make Buena Vida your go-to tapas spot! read more

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Y'all I wanted to like this so bad. It's an awesome location and truly a cool vibe but the food was so, so bad. Gambas - the way the menu described these shrimp sounded so so so good. But what we got was a bowl of the tiniest (seemingly frozen?) shrimps overcooked that looked so unappealing. They were the size of a watch face. The only upside is they came with bread which we ate instead. Bomba rice- the only thing we actually thought was okay. It's a risotto with truffle (heavy on that truffle) mushrooms and cheese. The risotto was not consistently cooked but the flavor was ok. I wouldn't get it again. Patatas bravas - typically a crowd pleaser, but y'all they were so, so bad. The potatoes were absolute mush and had such little flavor. The aioli topping was so bland that between the mushiness and flavorless potatoes, I just asked for more bread instead. There are so many really great tapas places in this area I hope this place can kick it up a notch because it really is an awesome location on the beltline. Also with so many shortages I'm sure it's hard so I am hoping all that changes too!!!! But yeah maybe check Yelp in advance for the right foods to order here, I just dont recommend any of the 3 we had. read more

We went here for brunch on a Saturday after a night out and had a peaceful meal on their patio. The service was great. I can't remember my server's name but she had cool hair and was super knowledgeable about the menu. We got the mushroom croquettes tapas, the jamon serrano eggs benedict, and the steak & huevos. The eggs benedict was a little underwhelming, but the jamon serrano was perfectly smoky and paired nicely with the yolk. My steak was a bit tough and overcooked for my liking. It was also pretty salty, but the mojo verde that it comes with definitely helps balance it out. I loved the potatoes in both dishes. The mushroom croquettes might have been my favorite of the meal. It was perfectly fried, creamy, sweet, and savory. We paired everything with some mimosas and had a great time. We would definitely want to come back to try their dinner options. read more

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BRUNCH! We're living the GOOD LIFE with an epic brunch spread and a couple of friends! Hanging out with our fave, the Pimenton Chicken Biscuit that's a flaky and buttery biscuit with a sweet and spicy tender fried chicken and savory egg. It's a winning combo. Or digging into the fantastic avocado toast that explodes with flavor, chunky and creamy guacamole, and the perfect pickled onion on the top! Sweet, tangy, creamy. Top it all off with the perfect bottomless mimosas and we're in for a spectacular Sunday Funday. We also got to try: Grilled Salmon Eggs Benedict had perfectly cooked egg on top of a tender, flaky piece of grilled salmon and topped with delicious hollandaise. On the sweet side, the French Toast has it all, a good sweetness paired with a savory-ness from the toast and a good tang on the end. We ordered both vegan sausage and Butifarra Sausage to pair with this! The vegan sausage made with @beyondmeat had more flavor than you could imagine and the regular was meaty, hearty and the perfect pair with the syrup from the toast! Love potatoes, shoot for the Tortilla Espanola that a simple savory egg and potato goodness rolled into layers and make for a hearty, savory, creamy bite. Or even opt for something a little healthy with Yogurt Parfait that's rich, crunchy, bright, tangy! Cocktail: Honey Bear: this cocktail had all the lemon and honey flavors. Sippable! read more

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This restaurant was quite the hang out spot for a Saturday night. Although we did have a reservation we did have to wait additional time before getting seated and unfortunately waited more time after being seated for a server to come, I imagine due to the high volume. Nevertheless,their Spanish cuisine is made up of tapas (small but yummy portions) croquetas, shrimp, patatas, empanadas. etc. The low lighting and latin music overall provided a different dining experience. - Parking was the easiest at the Northline public parking just a quick walk down the street and the server waived our parking ticket. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Bar - floral art portrayed in entrance of restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

If you're looking to get sawcy with a Spanish flair then look no further. Go on down to Buena Vida get with my man Shane and the crew and get Sawcy. Listen to the bossman with the Sawc plan and get you that shrimp and the wagyu. Let them little godly morsels of beef go for a dip in that shrimp Sawc and you will never look back. The atmosphere is perfect. The staff is on point. And just save some time and get one of everything. read more

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I love the location of this restaurant and definitely the atmosphere. There is outdoor patio seating that is very quiet and quaint. Located right across from Ponce city market there is a parking deck that's conveniently located inside the building. Tapas happens to be one of my favorite Spanish meals. They have a great selection from their menu as well as vegan and vegetarian options. I definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

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Buena Vida is an IG hot spot, so get ready to be cute with your girlfriends at brunch. Maybe it's the flower wall, or the neon sign, or the hues of pink that makes you want 50,000 photos of yourself. Ridiculous? Yes. Necessary? Also yes. We only stopped in for a quick breakfast before hitting the road, so I don't feel like I got the full brunch experience here, but looks like it has potential to be a party. The menu is vast - accomodating to those who may be vegan and GF - and the cocktail list is solid (no bottomless drink option however, so boo). I ordered the pimenton chix sandwich, which was good and spicy, but leaned a bit heavy for brunch. You only learn by doing/eating/trying, so I probably wouldn't order this again if photos are coming after. I'd revisit again to take advantage of the gorgeous space since we stayed in the first immediate room to the left a bit a ways from the main dinning area. I would also want to check out the patio and the huge family-style paella I'm seeing in the Yelp photos. Yum! read more

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Overall a cute IG hot spot but the food was just ok - I wouldn't go out of my way for their tapas. The drink - south of spain gintonic. So pretty but not a fan of the spices The food - mushroom croquettes. I gave it 4/5. I thought the flavor was great! Manchego sliders: 5/5! I love manchego cheese and I thought the sliders were delightful! Octopus and potato bravas: 3/5. Typical tapas, nothing too special. Pan con tomatoes - 1/5. Not a fan of the platting and the garlic was a little too strong. Parking - they don't have a dedicated parking lot but there's plenty of street parking nearby. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Bar - South of Spain gin tonic - Spanish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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No better place to spend an evening with an incredible group of people who I was so lucky to have the chance to catch up with while in Atlanta. They recommended this little gem, as it was close to downtown and I was visiting for work. None of us had ever been and the hype surrounding this place was REAL. Upon entrance my "photo opp" eyes lit up for their Te Quiero Mucho garden wall which NATURALLY, we used for several pictures later (and I do mean several). We were sat a high top near the bar area which was just enough room for the five of us. The servers brought over water right away which was very attentive, and let everyone settle in. We started with a pitcher of margs which the group felt tasted a little "cleaning product" if you will... I think the sweet and sour was just a bit harsh. We ended up switching to pitchers of sangria instead, which everyone seemed to love. After drinking for a while, we were super pumped that the bar manager notified us it was half price bottle of wine night... but we really wish we had been told upon sitting. Nevertheless, we got a few amazing reds for the table per his recommendation and we were able to opt for the more expensive stuff since we were being given such a nice discount. Onto the food. In true Tapas style, we all ordered a few items that tickled our fancy. We started with the charcuterie board which was perfect in every way. We then moved onto the broccolini, potatoes, scallops, and fried chicken. I have to say.. the portions were a LITTLE smaller than I expected, but heck we just kept ordering more food. In my opinion, the Brussels sprouts, Broccolini and chicken were the stars of the show. A little bit later we got some shrimp, braised short rib, beef tartare I believe it was... my lord. I am not a big meat person but everyone else really loved the juiciness and temp of these items. The desserts were 100% rich but 100% worth it. We tried one of each I think... starting with the brownie (female, I've learned, since it doesn't have nuts, haha) and creme brûlée and pistachio cheesecake. I was Team Pistachio Cheesecake. It was sweet and crunchy and delicious, yet smooth and simple! Yes! Alex was one of a kind (he kept coming from behind the bar to check on us and make sure we were loving everything, on top of continuously recommending amazing options, drinks and food alike)! Thank you for making our visit so special - we really felt that you cared about our time and during the pandemic while everyone is so overworked, customer service of this kind is very hard to come by. We will definitely return (likely the ATL group before me) but I'm in town for work twice a year so I'll have to impress some customers and bring them this way! read more

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I love the patio here. We visited on a recent Saturday night and had a terrific experience --excellent service and good food. We ordered several tapas, including the mushroom croquetas (yum!) and the goat cheese and fig salad (meh), and the short rib was hands-down our favorite dish. Can't wait to return to try something new--ideally the ceviche and pulpo, both of which were sold out when we were there. read more

The food and ambiance was delectable My girlfriends and were very pleased with the service and food options. read more

Great spot with tapas that transported me back to Spain. We stopped in while hopping around ATL having small bites and cocktails. Instagram worthy interiors, delicious food, and juicy cocktails! Great, friendly service too. Would go back. They also validate parking in deck. read more

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My bf and I stopped there to grab a bite and some drinks before our night out. Visually, the decor was striking; neon letters, beautiful bar, and colorful walls and tables. The menu, very simple and straigforward; as most Spanish restaurants, a selection of tapas to choose from and wines or sangria. We decided to go for a pitcher of the red sangria, and 4 tapas; the ceviche, the empanadas, gambas al ajillo, and mussels with chorizo. Out of the four I liked the empanadas the best, just because the sauce was really good and spicy. Everything else wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. The portions were very very tiny (even for a tapa in my humble opinion) and for example, the ceviche lacked flavor. The sangria wasn't that great either; not so much fruit and it tasted like grape juice. The bill was around 100 dollars, which is typical for a Spanish restaurant, but I left unsatisfied. Again, the whole atmosphere was nice and the location very enjoyable, but I much rather go to Eclipse di luna for a Spanish tapas restaurant. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Bar - Empanadas - Spanish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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So, I wasn't sure what to expect from this (what I thought before I actually went) run of the mill Tex Mex spot. Went in and sat at the bar. It was so welcoming with the open windows on one side and so much beautiful natural light coming in and filling everywhere. I love how they have so much greenery and bright colors blending together to create a nice ambience. Ok, now on to the food which is what you really stopped by my review for LOL. I ordered the Steak & Huevos, Flan French Toast, and mimosas. The Steak & Huevos were beyond delicious! My steak was perfectly cooked to temperature and flavorful. Even the potatoes that came with the dish were tasty. The Flan French Toast wasn't too bad though I had not read the description properly and was not expecting a bread pudding texture. I think I would have preferred the classic Brioche or general bread texture. The mimosas were good but had waaaaay too much pulp. I asked the bartender to strain mine and she obliged so that really helped me enjoy them. The service was ok overall; however, the kitchen apparently was backed up and the bartender forgot to put one of the dishes in so, there were major delays. This led to my decision to minus one star because things took a while and I was hangry (tee hee). Also, I felt like the bartender could have offered something to offset her error of not putting my dish in and me having to ask about it after being silently patient for ~30 mins. That being said, I would still go back and give them another shot since 4 stars isn't too shabby. read more

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Food and service was great but I doubt I'll be coming back or recommend this place for family/friends. Why? As a restaurant owner for decades, I felt like charging your customers a 3% credit card service fee is absurd. The business should take on the merchant fees as part of their overhead. read more

Yesterday was a perfect day to be outside. I checked out Buenas Vidas Tapas. They have a patio with heaters. The bar has an outside section also. I love a good Instagram photo opp. They had a perfect one by the front door. Parking is available in the north line garage. They validate parking for 2 hours. I made reservations and it was highly suggested to make reservations on the weekend. Service (Ally) was excellent. I would come back here again. I definitely want to try out the brunch. Drinks Seasonal Sangria - I did not like this. The manager stated that lychee was in this. The lychee was very overpowering to me. But if you like lychee, you will love this. Lulo Mojito - I enjoyed this drink. I would definitely order this again. Tapas Favorites Manchego Mini-Burgers Brussel Sprouts Creamy Bomba Rice These were okay, but I wouldn't order again. Salmon Shorts Ribs read more

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i LOVEEE the location of this place. I can't wait for warmer days to bring my girls for mimosas. It's right on the beltline. we love to eat, drink mimosas and then go for a walk down the beltline. Easy parking read more

If you're on the Belt Line and need a bite to eat or a refreshing drink, Buena Vidas is a cool hipster type of restaurant with a casual vibe. The food was ok. I ordered the brussel sprouts, fried cauliflower and spiced kebap bites. Nothing really stood out to me. The drinks were better than the food. I ordered the mango mojito and the spicy margarita. Both were good but not heavy on the alcohol. The best thing about the entire experience was our waitress. She was absolutely amazing. She made the visit worth it! read more

The ambience, environment and service were excellent. The drinks were tasty, but unfortunately the food was eh. My fiance and I order the tapas, Empanadas, Spanish grilled cheese, croquettes, scallops, and steak. The flavors and textures didn't have any wow factor. For the price point and quantity of food we did have high expectations. We left disappointed. read more

I enjoyed my dinner and the experience . Our waiter angel was amazing! Tell him I sent you. We enjoyed a multitude of tapas. My favorite were the patatas bravas, manchego burger sliders, and the mojo steak. They have a full bar with a bunch of different drinks to try. The premium strawberry margarita is good. So we're the churros! Amazing and not crispy. The server gave me a handwritten birthday card as soon as we got seated Which was much appreciated. All in all I will give this my tapas stamp of approval. read more

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We really were hoping to live the good life at Buena Vida but instead, it was more of an "ok life". We arrived right at 5pm on a Friday and there were plenty of tables so definitely recommend going for Happy Hour if you don't want to wait or make a reservation. The location is great as was the bar and outdoor space. But that's really all there is to rave about... *Food* We tried the Empanadas (Chicken and black beans) and the Patatas Bravas. Both were fine. The empanadas were on the smaller side but we would order again. They also change daily so we can only review the chicken and black beans empanadas. The Patatas Bravas were.... meh. The potatoes seemed a tad undercooked and we wish they would have been crispy but they tasted fine. They came with two sauces, a hot sauce and a garlic sauce. The garlic sauce was very good. The hot sauce was VERY hot, not for the faint of heart. Every other Patatas Bravas I've had before has the sauce drizzled on top of the potatoes however these did not which was good because again, the hot sauce was very hot. We've definitely had better so if you're looking for great Patatas Bravas look elsewhere (ahem Bulla...). *Drinks* We tried the El Barcelona and the La Vida Loca. Both were.... fine. Our biggest gripe here was that the bartender took too long to make our drinks. There were maybe 7 other people dining when we arrived yet our food arrived before our drinks. This just should not happen and is disappointing because the bar was massive and could be a great place to hold happy hour from time to time but with so many options along the belt line to attend happy hour, you've got to do better. *Service* Service was great. Our server was very nice and attentive. *Atmosphere* The atmosphere is pretty great. The indoor space is big, the bar is big and the outdoor patio is big. Nothing bad to say about the atmosphere. They just need the food and drinks to step up to the same level as the atmosphere. *Value* A little pricy for tapas but more so because the tapas and drinks were underwhelming. read more

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Wow! LOVED the interior, patio, and vibes of Buena Vida Tapas and Sol. It felt like I was transported to Spain! Our waiter was super friendly and helped with recommendations, and the food came out fairly quick. There's something for everyone as they have vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options clearly labeled! Pulpo a la Parilla: This octopus was the BEST octopus I've ever had hands down. It was so so tender it was like eating chicken. It was a thiccc tentacle that's for sure and came with chorizo and judion beans (these beans are fatttt). Brussels Sprouts: super flavorful, crispy, and tasty. Tortilla Espanola con verduras: like a crustless quiche; yummy but very small The dishes add up, but if I come back, I will definitely try a cocktail! read more

Buena Vida Tapas Bar - Octopus, Brussels sprouts and crustless quiche - Spanish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

A group of us went here on a Saturday night with no reservations (big mistake). The wait for a table was 1.5 hrs which honestly flew by since we went to a nearby bar to hang out and kill time. The hostess advised we would get a text once our table is ready, but luckily, they were setting it up when we came back to check how much longer the wait will be. The vibe is cool since it's right on the beltline, easily accessible and honestly in a perfect location. Our server approached us to get our order. We were starving at that point so we ordered both drinks and food at the same time. HIGHLY RECOMMEND: soursop agua fresca (I'm sure you can have them add liquor to it but it was delicious and refreshing by itself), fried cauliflower (batter is thick but was fried to perfection), Brussel sprouts (fried and delish), patatas bravas (nice and salty but I wish were crispy, it seems like they were sitting under the heat lamp for too long so it lost its crispy texture, shortrib (tender and so flavorful) and hangar steak (cooked medium rare and delicious). We also got gambas (I thought the shrimp was over cooked and sauce it came with was watery), scallops (too salty for my taste), empanadas (dough was too thick and filling was kind of dry), ceviche (it was delicious BUT it was served with a side of potato chips covered in so much paprika - not a fan), and eggplant montadito (eggplant had a chargrilled taste but the flatbread it's on was underwhelming). I would go back for drinks and hangar steak, but I feel like everything else was a hit or miss. Service was excellent though. Someone always passed by our table to clear up empty plates. Our server was also super nice! read more

Enjoyed a late brunch. I chose this Buena Vida because it had some vegan options. I went with the vegan hash bowl. It was so good. Liked the decor and the restaurant had a nice vibe! Glad I chose this spot. Looking forward to coming back! read more

Great brunch spot! The ambiance and decor seemed to be a big attraction for many groups, the menu prices matched the "vibe". Our table split the patatas bravas and Brussel sprout tapas but order individual entrees. The serving sizes were perfect (not too large) and all the flavors were good. The toast was under salted but with salt and hot sauce it was great. For a brunch location, I was surprised they didn't offer N/A coffee options, just as a heads up. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Bar - Avocado toast with poached egg - Spanish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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On my last visit to ATL, my brother took us to lunch at this place. The decor and ambiance was absolutely lovely! The service was top notch, welcoming and friendly. The food was amazing! We had the truffle fries, the steak and eggs (ask for the chimichurri sauce), the shrimp and grits, the chicken and waffles and the burger. Everyone enjoyed their meals and everything was so tasty. Also, the pitcher of pineapple mimosa was so worth it...we even got extra champagne! I would definitely return to this place. read more

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Yes. Yes. Yes! Everything part of my time at Buena Vida Tapas was remarkable. The cocktails , every morsel of food (I had every single tapas on the brunch menu and the short rib hash) and the service. The host (with the two tone locs) was welcoming and accommodating, and my man, Renato provided our party top notch service. He was knowledgeable about that menu and attentive. I'm telling you, go. You won't be disappointed. read more

Buena Vida Tapas Bar - Cocktails - Spanish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Beautiful restaurant located on belt line, friendly informative staff, Enjoyed a Saturday patio brunch with a girlfriend of mine, the margarita was 7.5/10 wish there was a lil more booze lol Food was 8/10 read more

I asked my sister to get something to go for me today 04/10, steak and eggs. I saw a picture on Yelp by another Yelper and that made me order this. The picture the yelper ordered had a lot more pieces of steak done medium rare/red/pink and a green sauce. Mine came with 5 pieces if even, burnt, dry, and way over well done. No green sauce. Talked to a friend who ate there today with my sister, she said hers at the restaurant was done medium rare and had the green sauce. I will upload pictures for comparison. Unless there is a misunderstanding, I think ppl should be mindful when ordering food to go there. The steak was disappointing as my sister specifically ordered it medium rare for me. I did not reheat this meat btw, the pictures I upload is how they came as. Considering the price this is pretty horrible and disappointing. I will keep this at 3 star for now to give the owners a chance to provide me with an update. I left them a voicemail. (04.10.22) Update: Bryan the manager from the restaurant reached out and apologized for the food quality this one time. They were very kind or professional, will definitely try to do take out or dine in there in future. Thank you! read more

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The ambience and spirits are incredible. Be sure to try the hamburger sliders while there!

This place is SO CUTE! I wish I went for a girls days instead of going with my boyfriend cause they would have appreciated the fact that it is perfect for an insta shot! I got the Steak & Huevos for brunch and it was 10/10 delicious! Definitely recommend but bring your girlfriends! Lol read more

Buena Vida Tapas Bar - Inside - Spanish Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia