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    Viva

    4.4 (241 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Viva Photos

    VIVA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Reviews With Photos

    Wyagu beef burger
    Maria A.

    We went on Friday night around 6pm. Was told 35 minute wait for a table with shade and we agreed. The whole restaurant is open air with fans on the bay. 2 level bay deck tables with umbrellas on most. 35 minutes later we got a text and we're seated. Server was amazing. Explained menu and made surey dietary restrictions were met (vegan). The other ordered tons of plates...the best they said was the yellow fin crudo. The roasted brussel sprouts had popcorn shrimpixed in. I think they were unnecessary. The sprouts alone were amazing. Cocktails were great and well balanced...not super sweet. I got the cauliflower steak with chimichurri...didn't taste like usual chimichurri but still was good. We love this place and always visit. When we come to SPI.

    Street corn appetizer
    Andrea H.

    Great place to grab lunch with the family. There was something for everyone on the menu and we all enjoyed it. Loved the open air vibe.

    These photos do no justice. The food was extraordinary.
    Tiffany R.

    We arrived about 15 minutes before closing after just getting into town. The host and our server did mention they were closing soon, which we understood. The place was still full, and we made sure to enjoy our meal quickly and respectfully. We actually ended up leaving before several tables that had arrived earlier. Now to the good part. The food was amazing. We ordered the ceviche, tuna tartare, Maryland crab cake, and steak and frites, plus a couple drinks. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. The ambiance was beautiful and made the experience even better. We'd definitely come back. John was an amazing server.

    Brown butter cake
    Emily G.

    Seriously, best food I've had in south padre. I've been going for a while now and don't really ever know where to go and the places I have gone for dinner haven't been that memorable. However, this past time we came across Viva and I saw a lot of great things about the food and service. Plus, the are right on the water so that is a huge plus. We had the corn appetizer was good & a little spicy. I had the shrimp del torre & my partner had the wagyu burger. For dessert we shared the brown butter cake. It was a little dry but still good. Both were phenomenal! I still think about the meal there and wish I could go back again but we live 5 hours away. The service was great I wish I remembered our servers name but he was very kind & great with kids. Will definitely be coming back here in the future & would recommend to anyone going to SPI.

    Ceviche Guacamole
    Melva S.

    What can fulfill your tastebuds better than fresh tasteful seafood alongside waves and seagulls Viva on SPI The service was on top of their toes eager to make sure that you felt welcomed and valued as a customer. The cocktails were perfectly presented and served with a smile. The atmosphere was energetic I was impressed by the quality and cleanliness from the minute I stepped in until I left. The music was subtle enough to enjoy our conversations and the Bar area has a TV that has a sports game playing in case you want to enjoy cocktails watching your favorite sport Highly recommended and prices were reasonable worth my stay while visiting SPI

    (Virgin) mojitos
    Celena B.

    The food was so delicious! Notable mentions: the Brussels sprouts as an appetizer was a 10/10. I was part of a group of 12 and everything came out fairly quickly. Nice views, good service, and even better food. Will definitely be back next time I visit SPI

    Teriyaki Ribeye & shrimp skewers
    Kristell B.

    Came here on a Sunday evening. No wait time for a party of four to sit outside. Food and drinks were good, staff were friendly.

    Fish tacos
    Farrah A.

    A friend recommended we try Viva for lunch, and it offered just about everything we wanted (besides oysters... we really wanted raw oysters). We enjoyed a nice view of the bay, margs, seafood tacos, and a fresh watermelon and feta salad. The "beet salad" was a bit misleading; it was really a "spinach salad" that happened to have beets, pears, goat cheese. We were expecting far more roasted beets. Ah well.

    Viva Ceviche had the perfect amount of lime juice and sweet from the mango cut the acidity!
    Victoria M.

    Excellent customer service and a great ambiance. We were seated very quickly for it being a busy Saturday lunch. After ordering appetizers or meals, food would always come out very quickly! Ordered an Amor&Fuego drink and it had just the right amount of spice and kick! I will definitely go back for date night on the island! Great place!

    Guacamole
    Frank W.

    We were seated at an outdoor table overlooking the bay. The guacamole was fresh and beautifully shaped as a rectangular prism on the plate surrounded by crisp golden chips. It was delightful appetizer. Our beet goat cheese salads arrived shortly after, beautiful, fresh, and satisfying. It was the perfect entree for a summer evening. The service was excellent and the prices were reasonable considering the ambiance of the venue. They also offer a military discount.

    Shrimp Tacos
    Arianna G.

    Best food I've ever EVER had at SPI!! I was recommended by a couple of friends and finally was able to get a reservation and it was 10/10 our bowels were licked clean!! Great service too!!

    Spicy Sushi roll
    Karen A.

    I got the sushi Spicy Roll in my personal opinion it wasn't the best, but that's my preference. I also got the shrimp pasta which was very tasty i would 100% recommend. I love their presentation and their lemonades. very nice restaurant to enjoy with family. The only thing i didn't like is that it's very small and it's sort of only good when you go with like 5 people max. If your a larger group of individuals,you'll be seated outside which was my case:/

    Guacamole
    Christina G.

    Saturday, memorial Day weekend I made a resy for lunch at 1:15 p.m. party of 2. It was a nice breeze The perfect Day for lunch cocktail. I ordered share the tea, a green tea infused drink and it was delicious. Our server was prompt and friendly! We ordered the guacamole appetizer and the watermelon salad. The watermelon salad is one of the reasons why I chose this restaurant and I'm glad I did because it was so good. My boyfriend ordered the skewers that had a great flavor and he really enjoyed the rice. I ordered the house salad with a salmon the salad was refreshing and it was different because it had capers, And I love me some capers. Overall great experience on the water but fresh food and friendly service!

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    Never go wrong with anything you order at Viva. Food is fresh and tasty and their drinks are always on point!

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    The Cafe On The Beach

    The Cafe On The Beach

    4.0
    (650 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    I must say up front we were shocked by the quality of the food, etc. at Cafe on the Beach, located…read moreat The Palms Resort, very limited parking. It's not much to look at, small, simple, not a whole lot of improvements over the years. But, they did have plastic flaps that dropped down on the outside of the place to keep the wind and cold weather out, heaters provided too! Service by Aaron was top notch, start to finish! We initially just decided to stay to a drink and move on ... but as we sat there and looked at the menu, sipped our drinks, we saw other food coming out of the kitchen! It looked GREAT! We ordered the crispy oyster tapas (fried oysters on homemade potato chips with mango pico). They came out quickly and were oh so tasty! We were convinced! Time for dinner! We ordered a rueben sandwich (with homemade parmesan potato chips) and the snapper veracruz (tomato, onion, olives, capers) with grilled zucchini. The sandwich was da bomb ... piled high corned beef, kraut and dressing, pickles on the side. The snapper dish is one we make at home, and this one was darn good! So, glad we stayed! This place puts to shame some of the other "fancy" places on SPI! "Don't judge a book by its cover" rings true here! Highly recommend you try the Cafe! We'll be back for sure ...

    My girlfriend and I really enjoyed this place during our South Padre trip. We went for dinner, sat…read moreoutside, and loved being right next to the ocean. The atmosphere was fantastic, especially with the ocean breeze coming through. We ordered the steamed mussels, the grilled red snapper sandwich, and the grilled red snapper entrée. Our favorite dish was the red snapper sandwich. It tasted fresh and had more of a homestyle feel rather than something overly polished from a professional kitchen, which we really appreciated. Honestly, everything tasted fresh, comforting, and well prepared. The service was also incredible throughout the night. The only slight issue we had was spotting a cockroach crawl from under one of the chairs when we pulled it out. However, considering the restaurant is basically right on the beach and outdoors, insects are somewhat expected, and it honestly didn't take away from the experience for us. Overall, great atmosphere, great food, and a really enjoyable dinner spot in South Padre.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Grilled Red Snapper Sandwich
    Grilled Red Snapper Sandwich
    Entrance to beach, with outdoor seating nearby

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    Entrance to beach, with outdoor seating nearby
    Nautico Island Grill

    Nautico Island Grill

    4.6
    (274 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Loved this place! Nice upscale island vibe. Great place to chill indoors after a long hot day at…read morethe beach. Bartender doesn't skimp on the drinks. The attention from the staff and the service definitely stood out. The food is excellent. I highly recommend!

    2 stars (3.5 for island food)…read more The menu's a mix of local seafood and Tex-Mex. My family ordered a variety of the seafood dishes, and they were not that good. I went with a Mexican plate. Mexican plate, $13.90:Tostada -- really good, Beans -- fine, Rice -- fine, Enchiladas -- just slightly better than frozen. Fettuccine Alfredo, $16.99 (+$4.99 chicken add-on) -- my daughter got this and it was one of the better things on the menu. She finished the whole plate. Nacho trio, $15.99 -- the salsa was fine, the guac was really good, but the queso was a 1-star. This is one of those places that doesn't know how to do queso but puts it on the menu anyway. More like just melted Velveeta. Beyond the food being mediocre at best, we had a few service issues. My order came out wrong, I asked for cheese and got beef enchiladas. I'd also ordered a drink that never came; when the server finally made another round, I asked about it so she finally put it in. Service was pretty slow and a few things came out wrong, but we were hungry and it was so busy that we didn't really bother making a fuss. In general it's probably okay food for the island, but I would not return.

    Photos
    Fish on the wall and local artwork for sale.
    Fish on the wall and local artwork for sale.
    Ceviche was so fresh and delicious!!
    Ceviche was so fresh and delicious!!
    Frozen Basil Limeaide and Mimosa flight

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    Frozen Basil Limeaide and Mimosa flight
    Yummies Bistro

    Yummies Bistro

    4.5
    (1.2k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    We had such a great breakfast at Yummies Bistro! The breakfast platter was huge and definitely…read moreworth it--perfect portions and everything tasted fresh. We also tried the chilaquiles (you do have to add your choice of chicken, steak, or egg, but it's worth it), and they were full of flavor. The standout for us was the lemon poppy seed pancakes--absolutely delicious and a must-try! They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, which is nice depending on the weather. The service was very attentive and accommodating, which made the experience even better. Overall, such a cute spot with great food--we'll definitely be back!

    My girlfriend and I stopped for brunch and thought it was just good overall. We were seated…read moreoutside, which made for a nice atmosphere in the morning. The hostess staff were incredible and very welcoming. However, our server was a bit inattentive throughout the meal. Refills, to-go boxes, and the check all took a while longer than expected. For food, we ordered the Café Borgía, Chilaquiles with egg and chicken, the Matagorda Omelet with spinach, and the Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes with strawberries and blueberries. Everything was decent, but nothing really stood out to us. The pancakes were pretty dense, and while you could definitely taste the poppyseed, we didn't get much lemon flavor from them. Overall, not a bad breakfast spot, but it didn't quite live up to some of the other meals we had during the trip.

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Lemon Poppyseed pancakes were soooo good!! Add blueberries and strawberries
    Lemon Poppyseed pancakes were soooo good!! Add blueberries and strawberries
    Prickly pear mimosa

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    Prickly pear mimosa
    F&B

    F&B

    4.5
    (304 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$

    My girlfriend and I came here during our 4-night SPI trip, and this ended up being the best meal we…read morehad all week. From start to finish, everything was excellent. Our waitress, Marlene, was fabulous. She was attentive and friendly. For our entrees, we ordered the Filet Mignon and the Smoked Duck Breast. The filet was incredibly tender and flavorful, which isn't always easy to achieve with such a lean cut of meat. The beef jus paired perfectly with it. The duck breast was tender, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The highlight of the night, however, was the Key Lime Soufflé. This was easily one of the best desserts I've ever had. The balance of flavors was perfect. Not too sweet, not too tart, just the right amount of key lime. The soufflé itself was also baked perfectly. Every course was excellent, the service was outstanding, and the entire meal felt incredible from beginning to end. If you're visiting SPI and looking for a memorable dinner, F&B is absolutely worth a visit.

    We dined at F&B on New Year's Eve 2025. It was a +/- experience. First, Marlene was our waitress,…read moreshe was awesome! One of the best service experiences we've had in years! Hustle is her middle name... thank you ma'am, you made the evening! The menu was a chef's selection 4 course menu, with options for each course. We opted for the wine pairings with each course. The restaurant was decked out with New Year's regalia... with balloons, hats, noise makers, at every table... really fun atmosphere! All the staff were decked out fancy, looked great! For our first course, we selected lobster bisque mushroom soup. The mushroom soup was divine, absolutely fabulous. The lobster bisque was sub-par... while plentiful, the lobster was not fresh, tasted very fishy. The second course of the seafood medley and venison bites was equally Jekyll and Hyde! Venison, superb, tender, cooked perfectly, tasted great. The seafood medley, all super fishy ... not fresh! Crab claws mushy too, obviously frozen prior. Oysters pitifully small and warm. Shrimp, while cold, were very fishy and mushy, as if previously frozen. No bueno! Our third course was the surf/turf and Akashi short rib ragout. The turf was awesome, best steak we've had in years! The lobster ... pitiful, small, overcooked, tough and fishy! Disgusting! The ragout was good, but we're not sure why chef's make beef dishes sweet ... good beef stands on its own, no need to over season! Not a well conceived dish... Our final course was the chocolate soufflé and lemon cake ... both were terrific! The soufflé with Chantilly cream and whipped cream was very good. The star dessert was the lemon cake with fresh fruit! Light and airy cake, the fruit was to die for. Delicious! The wind pairings were good, although some of the selections were "tired" favs, like "The Prisoner"... IMHO. Such a good wine list at F&B, the pairings were disappointing! The staff whisked away a 1/2 finished pre-dinner martini, which Marlene graciously replaced! When you spend $500+ on dinner for two, even a special evening, the restaurant should deliver. F&B did not meet the standard on New Year's Eve. We won't be back this trip..,

    Photos
    Fresh flowers
    Fresh flowers
    Mushroom Risotto Ravioli
    Mushroom Risotto Ravioli
    Cucumber martini

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    Cucumber martini

    Viva - salad - Updated June 2026

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