The place alone transports you back to Spain- decor and seating arrangement. Been here many times and it's our go to place for tapas. With the added tables in the walkway, you get seated faster. They do not take reservations but it goes by quick. Everything is good, tapas, paella and drinks. Patatas bravas are our staple along with pan con tomato. Explore, and try different things- read more

We came here for anniversary dinner and left so disappointed. We were craving a real good paella with crusty edges, good seafood, and robust flavor- what we got was a soggy plate of what seemed like mediocre fried rice. It was so bland and the rice was soppy. We also ordered gambas al ajillo. It was served with hot rice and wilted salad. Not appetizing nor flavorful. Low on garlic profile. I won't even write about the 8 tapas dishes. Nothing to discuss there. I'm almost to a point of annoyed and angry for spending my good money on bad food. PS, the red sangria was watered down read more

Viva Madrid! - gambas with wilted salad - Spanish Near Me - Claremont, California

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It's taken me a couple of months to write this review. I've thought about it too much to not say anything. My husband and I went to Viva Madrid for our anniversary, we went out for the first time alone since our baby was born 1 1/2 years ago. I will say that the drinks and service were great As a chef, I would be so embarrassed to serve the food that my husband and I were served. The mushrooms in white wine sauce were flavorless and slimy. We ordered the pan con tomate and it was like they opened a can of tomato paste and spread it on a piece of white bread. We were informed that any entree would take exactly 1 hour to execute. We ordered the Paella Mixta and Filet Mignon. The mussels were overcooked, the shrimp had no seasoning, and it seemed like they weren't really paying attention to executing the dish correctly. The Filet Mignon was not seared at all, super disappointing for it being a $45 dish! The sauce was drowning the meat and the potatoes were way overcooked. I don't usually expect much but this was very disappointing. I think maybe it's time to reevaluate some of your side dishes or have cooks that care about how your food tastes. read more

What a fabulous night at Viva Madrid! We were a bit of a large party (birthday celebration ) with nine of us. We were accommodated readily and had no wait time as a phone call a few days ahead had been made and remembered. Even though reservations are not taken, they were set up for us and ready to get the dinner party started. This is wonderfully thoughtful service. Once in, our waitress explained that she could do partial group checks for four. That was also a thoughtful way to handle a larger group. It would have been awkward for us to split all of the variety of items on the receipt amongst us, being that we ordered so many different dishes. And wow! Did we order a lot of dishes! That's part of the fun of coming to Viva Madrid: there's such a wide variety of tapas and/or entrees to share. The more we tried, the more we wanted to continue to try! From the pitchers of both red and white sangrias, tapas, entrées, and desserts, we really made our way around the menu. Our delectable dishes came out little by little. And that's rather important here, as those small plates have a sneaky way of filling you up, with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. The pacing gave us an opportunity to enjoy each dish at a leisurely pace, while we chatted, laughed, and in general, got to enjoy the night in an unhurried and relaxed environment. Our plates were delicious! Such a variety of unique flavors that you wouldn't find in another kind of dining experience. Creamy, salty, aged, rich, spiced but not spicy, meaty, veggie, sautéed, simmered, roasted..... there's something here for every palate. Be open to the adventure! Our waitress and other staff that checked in on us were fantastic! Friendly, knowledgeable - incredibly talented at keeping all the numbers and dishes straight - and attentive to each guest. Which again, is appreciated when part of a larger group. When you come here, be prepared to spend some time. Bring someone whose company you enjoy, then sit back, relax in the ambience of Spain, and be taken care of as if you'd been invited to dine in someone's home. read more

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this is a hidden jewl... from the outside you would never know it was even there! the inside is so adorable and homey feeling i love it, the staff is incredible. we always ask our server to pick their top 3 tapas items ( because the menus is very extensive ) and we order it and it's always delicious and they make a mean dirty martini too ;) it's always fun to try things you wouldn't normally order because it's tapas style which I love and then you can find new foods you like! deffinstley check this place out on your next date night . To find this place look for the jewelry stand on the sidewalk (they also have very pretty pieces) and walk down the little alley to find the restaurant read more

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I was looking for a nice Valentine's Eve dinner spot with plenty of vegetarian options, and Viva Madrid immediately came to mind. This was actually my fourth time dining here, and I can't believe I'm only now writing a review. Located in the heart of Claremont inside an old building, the entrance almost feels like a little secret. You walk past what looks like a jewelry store before reaching the hostess stand. They don't take reservations, so definitely come early or be prepared to stroll around town while waiting to be seated. As soon as you walk in, you're welcomed by a dimly lit, intimate space that feels cozy without being overly quiet. The walls are decorated beautifully, and since it was Valentine's Day weekend, the restaurant was decked out in red hearts and balloons--like St. Valentine himself came through and spread love everywhere. Our server let us know that the main entrées take about 45 minutes to prepare, so we were advised to order those first. I went straight for the vegetarian paella. To start, we ordered the pan con tomate--simple sourdough toast with olive oil and tomato chutney, but absolutely delicious. My friend, who had just returned from Spain, lit up after the first bite and said it tasted just like what she had there. That pretty much set the tone for the rest of the night. We also shared some potatoes and vegetables, and when the paella arrived, I added a side of pulpo (octopus) for extra protein. It was cooked to perfection and paired beautifully with the vegetarian paella. Every single dish we tried was flavorful and thoughtfully prepared. We ended the evening with the limoncello cake, which was light, bright, and the perfect sweet finish. Overall, another fantastic experience at Viva Madrid. Consistently great food, a romantic atmosphere, and a place I'll happily keep coming back to. read more

Viva Madrid! - Vegetarian Paella - Spanish Near Me - Claremont, California

First time here. We tried many plates: Papas bravas (5/5) wouldn't change a thing Croquetas de Pescado (3/5)- a bit too dense but the chipotle aioli was good Empanada de Pollo (4/5) the pastry/dough was a little tough but the flavor was excellent Empanada jardinera (4/5) same dough as above, but we loved the spice level Carne de vaca al vino (5/5) tender, excellent flavor- wouldn't change a thing Tortilla Española - (1/5) very disappointing. Maybe because I was most excited about having it. I've made better at home. Even the frozen version from Trader Joe's was notably better than this. Ensalada Valencia - (5/5)- so tasty! Fresh and light. Wouldn't change a thing. Escalivada vegetales- (2/5) the sauce helped it... but it was lackluster overall. Tosta con cabrales y peras (3.5/5)- a unique dessert. Enjoyable, but not something I would return for intentionally. Service was great given how busy they were. This would be a great date place... quite low lighting (we needed flashlights on our phone to see the menu), but cozy and romantic, just loud because of the fifa soccer fans present. read more

I love their paella and and Rabo here! Beautiful and cozy interior great for a date spot. Reasonably priced and good portions for sharing! Super excited to take my friends here. read more

Viva Madrid! - Paella Canaria - Spanish Near Me - Claremont, California

Always have a great time at this place. This is a great spot if you have a party of 4 or less. I wouldn't recommend going if you have a large party as it's a small space and it would be hard to squeeze in. The food is well above average. The service has been great each and every time I've gone (for over 10 years now). The brava potatoes and veggie paella are a highlight. read more

4.5 but I'll round up. My husband and I wanted to try something different for date night and stopped by. Staff was welcoming and explained the process on ordering. Food started coming out promptly and we really enjoyed the experience and our dinner. We had the chicken empanada, bacon wrapped dates, a few meat dishes, everything was super yummy. We will definitely be back! read more

Viva Madrid! - Inside the restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Claremont, California

Viva Madrid! is our favorite spot in Claremont. The food and drinks are delicious, the staff are very friendly and helpful and the ambiance is fun and relaxing. We love to order the meat paella which is scrumptious! The garlic shrimp, chicken empanadas and dates are our favorites. If you're in the area you've got to check our Viva! read more

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Sometimes in life things get f*cked up. What matters is how you react when things get f*cked up. Viva Madrid! came highly recommended and I get why. The menu is pretty large with tons of great tapas options. We tried several of these and everything was delicious. Some of my favorites were Esparragos Con Jamon and Champinoes Rellenos. The food was fresh, everything was great. The service was also great. I think the gentleman who helped us was named Jared. He was kicking booty on a busy night making drinks and serving food. He also showed a real passion for the menu and took the time to explain various items. The ambiance of the place reminds me of Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean. It's a very fun vibe. So what went wrong? The paella was overcooked. I tried my best to eat it, but it was not edible. When I explained they were very understanding and apologetic. I assume the owner even came over and apologized and thanked us for not yelling. Look it was a bummer the paella was messed up but sometimes things don't go right. They made it right and getting angry on my end does no good. An interesting first experience at this establishment but that won't stop me from returning one day. Everything but the paella was great, staff is awesome and it's a cool vibe. read more

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I feel like Luis Miguel, Drake & Bad Bunny all in one when here. - @eatingwithricardo read more

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Spanish vibes all around, large menu, delicious Sangria, top notch service! "see pictures" everything we ordered was delicious, but our mistake that we made was ordering everything at once, make sure you order the tapas slowly and take your time. Highly recommended! read more

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Came to Viva Madrid for my birthday meal. Food was better than expected. We orders various tapas such as bacon wrapped dates, Garlic bread , garlic shrimp , jamón con melón , and empanada de pollo which were all good. As an entree we shared the costilla de cordero ( lamb ribs) which came with potatoes, asparagus , and baked dates which tasted amazing . For dessert I recommend the crema catalana which is similar to a creme brûlée and very good as well.Be aware the restaurant is kinda small and gets easily packed . I will definitely be returning . read more

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Food too small. halabit was mushy, (4) dates with bacon the size of a small grapes.rice tasted bad. beef was ok with little bit that you get.muscles 2 did not open and tasted bad. potatoes were ok hard to mess up potatoes. 4 of us 198.13 dollars.plus 3500 tip. I got home still hungry so made myself a tuna fish sandwich on toast it was good. I will not return. read more

I finally made it to Viva Madrid. I have to say the waitress provided excellent service. I ordered me a mocktail because I was driving. I got the Refresco de Lavanda. It was tasty but the only issue was the glass was full to the rim with ice. I got about 4 oz of drink in a 12 oz glass, kinda disappointed. I started with a light tapas which consisted of manchego cheese and olives. A light snack before my meal. For my entree, I ordered the rib eye, but they call it the Bistec con Salsa Rioja. A big juicy piece of meat smothered in a wine reduction sauce. It was tasty and came with green beans and a baked potato topped with a creamy herb dressing. Very satisfying. The ambiance was perfect for a date night, small, dark, and dressed up with traditional Spanish ornaments. I'd like to come back and try some of more tapas as they have an extensive tapas menu. read more

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I haven't been here in 10 years and it's still as wonderful as I remember. They don't take reservations, so we waited for about 20 minutes during a weekend night. It has a huge menu, a great place to share tapas and trying various dishes! It's located in Claremont Village near a bunch of other restaurants and boutiques . We found free parking on the streets right across so it was pretty convenient. RABO DE TORO - Oxtail stew- I don't usually order soup but this was very comforting, hearty, and delicious 9/10 GAMBAS A LA PLANCHA- delicious jumbo garlic shrimp 9/10 CALAMARES EN SU TINTA- squid ink calamares with tomatoes- best sauce and reminded me of pasta 10/10 PAN CON TOMATE- artisan sourdough with tomato chutney- just ok , i wanted to dip bread in the other dishes sauces, but I didn't care for the chutney taste from this bread 5/10 EL ORO- Irish whiskey with house ginger drink - recommended as most popular and it was delicious . They're also known for their sangrias but I tried this drink . 10/10 Can't wait to come back to try the other tapas! read more

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I was surprise how authentic the food are!!! Their paella was so tasty!!! Service was great, it felt like you were in someone's home. I most definitely love their sangria!!! Just be ready for a wait.. went on a saturday night read more

I've been here a few times in the past few years and this place never disappoints! We always get the red sangria with shot of brandy. Delicious is an understatement! We got tapas and finished with a crème brûlée. They caramelized it at our table, which I loved. I was disappointed that they didn't have coffee because I love my dessert with coffee. The service was okay, we had to wave our server down to get more waters or to order more tapas. Outside of that, the food was delicious! read more

Came her for a girl's night out dinner. The location of Viva Madrid! Is located behind an art/jewelry shop and it felt like I was going into some secret lair down the long dark hallway. Honestly I wouldn't have known there was a restaurant inside past all the artwork had my friend not told me about it. You are greeted by a couple of bull statues when you arrived and we were able to sit at one of the tables in the hallway/alley and order cocktails to enjoy before our table was ready. There are a ton of tapas options, paellas, and some entrees on the menu. Walls are covered in Spanish themed decor. We ordered several tapas and we each ordered an entree. I had the Pollo Vasco - a tomato based chicken dish over rice - reminds me of paella without being in a pan. My friend had the Viva Salmon. While our cocktails were great, the food was meh. The tapas we ordered weren't very memorable and the chicken in my entree was super dry. Service was mediocre. Our server was also M.I.A. Most of the evening. We were never able to get water refills since he never came by. read more

Visiting Claremont and decided to check out this place, reminiscing my time in Madrid. Only had tapas, which were so good. My favorite were the Boquerones Viva Madrid and Pintxo Moruno! Thanks Melanie for your help and amazing attitude:) read more

Viva Madrid! - Spanish Near Me - Claremont, California

This was such a cute and quaint restaurant truly giving you the feel of popping into a random restaurant on a Madrid street. Out front is a market, similar to those found in Madrid. Then you walk down a corridor that makes you feel like you've turned down one of the side streets in Madrid with a small lil restaurant tucked away. The food is tapas style and honestly, the tapas are where it's at! I had the mushrooms in garlic and white wine, the garlic shrimp, the garlic toast and the fish cake. I could do without the fish cake... overly breaded and you couldn't taste the fish but the other tapas were delish! Also ordered the paella which is made to order. It took about 50 mins as stated on the menu but it just lacked flavor, the rice wasn't cooked well... it just didn't do it for me. I'd skip the paella and stick to tapas! There's plenty to choose from, the price points are good and you get to try some of everything. The ambiance is cool, the service is good and the food is alright... just not blown away by the paella which is the main thing you'll prob want to experience. read more

What a delightful place! Reunited with a Gal Pal from HS. Super nice place to get reacquainted! We enjoyed Tapas (Pan con Tomate & Tosta con Cabrales y Peras - Delicioso!) and a side of Olives. For our main course, Paella Canaria and Pollo Vasco with a House Red Blend! The meal was very tasty/savory. We skipped dessert this time. Atmosphere and service were great. The prices reasonable as it is a fairly complete dining experience. Lovely place to meet friends, family or date. It is first come first served so I'd recommend getting there early as it is relatively small yet worth the wait. Once you're seated, you really don't want to leave. Beautifully decorated! Provecho!! read more

Viva Madrid is probably one of my favorite spots in Claremont. When we arrived today, there was already a line forming and still 10 minutes until Viva Madrid opened. The space inside the restaurant is fairly small, definitely would avoid bringing larger parties. There's always music going and soft lighting, it has a very laid back atmosphere. We've always had great service here. Our server was pretty on it, even while manning the bar and helping g tables at the same time. The food also may take a bit longer to come out depending on what you order, but it's kind of nice not rushing through the meal. As for the food, we haven't tried anything we didn't like! Our favorite tapas would have to be the Chorizo A La Rioja, Gambas Gabardinas, and Esparragos Con Jamon. But there's still a lot of the menu we haven't explored. Can't wait to come back and try more! read more

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the only Spanish about this place is the name. We order all the tapas menu and it was only a couple plates good.

Came here for my daughters 24th day. Place did not disappoint. We all shared Samgria. The cheese, the potatoes, the paella, octopus, and calamari was outstanding. The ambiance of the place is really a vibe. The only thing is don't sit next to kitchen it gets hot. I recommend ! read more

Viva Madrid! - Spanish Near Me - Claremont, California

The moment you enter your transported to a beautiful Spanish village with Spanish music. The service is impeccable and the food is incredible. Recommend coming early as they fill up quickly and don't take reservations. A must for tapas lovers. read more

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We came here for Valentines night, and had a lot of fun. I definitely recommend coming closer to when they open, because the restaurant fills up and the tables are close together because the space is small. We tried the sangria, which is good, they will ask you if you want Brandy added in to be authentic. Be warned that it cost five dollars extra. We definitely are glad we did tapas over a large entrée. The larger entrées looked amazing, but they were such large portion sizes that it was a lot more fun to try lots of smaller things. My favorite tapas was the empanada, and my least favorite was the smoked salmon wrapped asparagus. Pro tip - don't order bread or rice or potatoes as tapas if you want to save more room to try lots of unique things. read more

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It's so bad it hurts. Came and ordered lamb chops first. They soaked the lamb in sherry right before serving so they freaked of uncooked alcohol. "Awful and unedible", next bacon wrapped dates. They are pre wrapped and thrown in a deep fryer came out greasy and disgusting, 3rd papayas Bravas, they were fine. Not good but at least we could swallow it. Finally we had half a bottle of wine left and said what's the one thing they can't mess up, and we agreed the cheese and ham plate. WTF they pre freeze the ham and serve semi frozen cold cuts and canned black pizza olives. It takes a special kind of awful and BS to screw this up. The restaurant was proudly displaying a trip advisor award from 2012 in the front, the probably corresponds to the last time they served edible food. Run away! read more

Viva Madrid! - Frozen dry ham that tasted like styrofoam. Shame!!!! - Spanish Near Me - Claremont, California

Viva Madrid is my favorite Spanish tapas bar ever! The cozy warm ambience and decor is just so charming and the freshness and flavors of the tapas are just top notch! We came in 24 mins after opening hours on a Friday night and it was already really busy! Totally a popular restaurant to visit by the locals and other visitors apparently! Tapas came out fairly quickly- sangrias were easy to drink, loved that they have one cup/500ml/1,000ml (1L) sizes so you can PARRR-TAAYYYY! Ask for extra bread to dip into your delicious tapa sauces and keep yourself somewhat sober as you try to finish your sangrias LMAO My favorite part was that true to European style, they let you take your time to eat and chat with friends which I really appreciated. They get really busy though so might be hard for flag them down for water and such but they try their best. Paellas take about 40 mins to come out and they tell you upfront. I didn't get to try the paellas but for my next date night here, I'll definitely try it out! Parking is free, just can be hard to find cus they fill up fast. ITS WORTH THE DRIVE! Come early for the parking and to beat the crowd! Enjoy! (I MEAN COUGH STAY HOME so I can go here without competition!) read more

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Intimate tapas spot in Claremont. Came here with the family for dinner on a Friday and immensely enjoyed it. Note that they don't take reservations, so I'd recommend getting there early. We got there at 6:30 and waited for 45 minutes to get a table. Free street parking. Credit cards accepted. Food-wise, we ate the following: - Bacon wrapped dates - I really liked this; definitely get it - Iberico ham and Manchego cheese - a nice charcuterie board with Spanish classics - Garlic shrimp - on the small side, but the shrimps are large and the sauce very buttery - Oxtail - my dad especially liked this for its heartiness - Tocino - a tad oily, but still tasty - Tortilla española - you can get a slice or a whole one; I would pass on this since it's a bit flat and underseasoned - Pan con tomate - a fresh dish with very crunchy bread - Paella - you must get this; note that it takes time to prepare so it'll come towards the end of the meal - Valencia salad - this was a bright salad thanks to the citrus and had a generous amount of Manchego cheese - Calamari - this was nicely crispy and my mom loved it - Crema Catalana - this is a fun dessert to get since they flambée it tableside read more

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They open promptly at 5pm, that's for sure. And they have to because a long line forms outside the restaurant. That indicates the level of excellence when it comes to food and service. The food doesn't come out quickly because it's made to order. No reheating here. And that's a wonderful thing. I recommend the lamb (chuletas de cordero, I think), the calamari, the jamon con melon and a brand new discovery I made - quesos con fresas! It seems that they poach strawberries and refrigerate them, then serve them with little circular blobs of cheese. It's a wonderful dessert. Sadly they no longer have live music, but that's okay. Everything else more than makes up for it. You'll have a gorgeous time at this restaurant, I promise. read more

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Vinny is my favorite server/bartender at Viva Madrid. He's attentive, personable, and an all around fabulous server... The food is fire too.... Considering most of the food we eat has Spanish influence- like it or not. read more

We were visiting this college town and decided to try this restaurant. I felt the food wasn't truly authentic Spanish food. It was more of a fast-food version. It may be a matter of preference, but not one dish that we tried felt like a traditional, deep-flavored Spanish dish. This includes the mixta paella. read more

Let me begin with the highlights of Viva Madrid. First, the ambiance is great. I love the dark corridor and the dim lighting. They definitely create a mysterious allure reminiscent of old town Sevilla. The staff is great. Prompt friendly and very attentive. However, the food was awful. Bland and mushy. We had the stuffed mushrooms-were they stuffed with sawdust? The calamari w chorizo was rubbery. The grilled vegetables were flavorless and rubbery. Even the breadbasket was disappointing. We left as soon as we paid the bill. I had gone 20 yrs ago and hadn't returned because I was so displeased with the food. Obviously nothing has changed. read more

We haven't been to this restaurant in quite a long time. But not because our prior experiences haven't been good. We went for a weekend dinner and the place has not significantly changed in 20 years. We were promptly seated (I don't believe that they take reservations - which is probably why we don't come here as often ). The menu is quite expansive with many tapas dishes. The dining experience is best with a large party to try all the wonderful small tapas and entree plates (like paella). But we ordered 7 items and they were all delicious. Their version of crème brûlée was very good. They caramelize the top right at your table. We miss the live guitar player that they use to have decades ago. But a fun place to dine for great tapas. The server was excellent. The ambience was cosy. read more

Visted a few weeks back on a Saturday evening. The restaurant was full and lively; thus, I did have to wait a few minutes for a party of two (as expected for a weekend). Once you are seated you are indulged in this intimate fitted restaurant with the warmth and character of Spain at peak hour. Perfect for a tapas bar. Which brings me to the tapas. Theres PLENTY of options here for you to choose from which allows every visit to be a bit different. Do yourself a favor and order the paella as soon as you sit down. Back to the tapas. On my last visit our server Melanie (who was great) provided some of her favorites as suggestions and truthfully, we just let her guide our dining experience. As a return visitor I was delighted to see she picked some of my existing favorites, like the Halibut, but I now have some new favorites (grilled lambchops and bacon wrapped shrimp) thanks to her. Thank you, Melanie, for taking care of us, you were awesome! the drinks here are great as well, and the sangria if worth a try if you haven't had it already! In all, this is one of my favorites places to dine in Claremont, and one of the best tapas spots around. read more

The taps, meat paella, all the food is tasty excellent! Both red and white sangria are delicious you cannot go wrong with either. The restaurant is small inside, but it is cozy it feels like you are somewhere in Spain. I highly recommend this restaurant arrive early because it gets pretty busy. read more

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Viva Madrid did a wonderful job for my private party event. From the moment I reached out to get information they were quick to respond and provide information Gabriel was great to work with. The day of the party the room looked great and the staff that waited on us did an excellent job. The food was great all guests enjoyed the food and service. If you need a private event I highly recommend Viva Madrid. read more