If I could give this restaurant zero stars, I would. The service was horrible and the food was at best, okay. I will never come back here! I made an 8pm reservation (they strongly recommend making a reservation) and when we get there the hostess says our table isn't ready and wouldn't be ready for another 30s mins to an hour. If you ask people to make reservations, the least you can do is call them if our reservation isn't ready. We sat at the bar and ordered drinks and food from a very unhappy and unhelpful bartender. We got a table thirty minutes later and I swore they forgot about us. We didn't get the complementary bread until 30 mins after sitting down. And that was after we got our appetizers. And our waiter didn't come by until we signaled him. That was after sitting for a while. The restaurant isn't that big and they had a decent amount of staff, so this was just unacceptable. Furthermore, our waiter didn't speak any English. I get that the iron bound is a predominantly Portuguese and Brazilian area. But those aren't your only customers. If you're going to run a business you should at least be able to communicate to your customers. We had to do an awkward point-and-signal with our rudimentary Spanish (apparently he spoke that but not English). When we FINALLY got our paella it was ok. I've had better and it definitely wasn't worth all the hassle. Finally when we got the bill, they included tip at 18% (after waiting a while with empty dishes still on our table). When I asked them to remove it because of crappy service they were upset. Tip is an addition to the bill based on service garnered. It's earned, not entitled. Our waiter proceeded to have the nastiest attitude when we explained our reasoning for removing and reducing his tip. Needless to say, we won't be back and zero stars for you Vivo Tapas read more

Purchased the Yelp coupon and my wife and I had a great meal. We arrived and were seated after a couple of minutes. We had a pitcher of red sangria which was rather tasty. For dinner, we had several tapas. We had the empanadas which were moist and yummy. We had garlic shrimp which were full of garlicky goodness. We had some spicy potatoes which were quite delectable and rather spicy. The only thing my wife and I didn't really like was the chorizo tapas. It is not that it was bad, it had a lot more spicy flavor than we are used to. All in all, if we didn't use the coupon, the dinner would have been rather inexpensive and I would recommend this to anyone who likes tapas. read more

If I could give this place zero stars I would Came all the way from New York place wasn't that busy for a Friday night. When we entered the venue we were welcomed but that was about it they came over twice to take our order when they finally did and we only got two drinks the drinks were very watered down it took almost 20 min to get two drinks our drinks were just sitting on the counter . They never came over to see if we were ok and asked if we wanted anything else . For two margaritas it was 42 bucks smh . If ur not Spanish I suggest u don't go to this place because it seems like that's who they cater too . read more

My go to spot to watch the Real Madrid games. What keeps me coming back is the friendly staff n the bangin food! Love the clams in green sauce. The rock n roll shrimp will knock yer socks off. The paella marinara will put you in a food coma. The smothered pork chops are so good they could make some folk question their own religion. For el clasicos I like to treat myself to the stuffed lobster tails. Wash it all down with the sangria or a passion fruit mojito. Got a sweet tooth? Try the creme brulee or flan. I hate flan, but the flan at vivo is decadent. If you're not careful you might lose track of the time, in which case ya might as well stick around for the party at night. Thursday and Saturday nights are muy caliente! read more

VIVO Tapas KITCHEN LOUNGE - Surf n turf - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

SO disappointing. I went here with a Groupon for paella for 2 and a pitcher of sangria. The menu and the waitress indicated that the paella would take about 45 minute to make. We ordered fried calamari to munch on while we waited. Calamari was average at best. 15 minutes later our paella comes from the kitchen? What happened to the 45 minutes to hand craft the dish? Needless to say it was a tiny plate for 2 people (being that most restaurants in this area serve paella for 2 in a small dutch oven). So we figured it was going to be amazing! Boy were we wrong, everything was tasteless and over cooked. The shrimp was like chewing on rubber, the rice had a burnt plastic taste to it, the chicken was over cooked and dry, the mussels were like chewing gum, and even the chorizo was dry and tasteless. Over all a really cute restaurant that should just stick to the bar business. read more

I was on a search for a birthday cake. My co worker was kind enough to drive me here. There was a nice display of cakes and pastries. Selection of cakes were simply decorated by pouring chocolate on top, one had cream and almonds, another was a custard pie. I didn't see a cake I wanted, but saw several pre-cut cakes that were pretty. I thought, maybe a variety of cakes can be good enough. There was one lady ordering in front of me so I wait. She pays and leaves. The employee doesn't come back to me to see what I wanted. She chats with the cashier, then goes to organize cups. I said hello. She says hello back continues to organize, then goes to the kitchen and brings a sandwich to a diner. At this point 3 parties were behind me. She sees, then comes over and starts helping the lady who came after me! I was shocked. The lady must have saw my face, stops her ordering and told the employee I was there before her. The employee was like really? oh. and comes over to me. I ask her what flavors the sliced cakes were, she tells me and the price. The employee had a hard time seeing which cakes I was pointing to, so it took a while for me to get my order. I ordered 5 pieces of cake: tiramisu, chocolate, strawberry, tres leches, and chocolate caramel. Tiramisu and strawberry tasted best because they're moist. The others were dry! Frosting dry. Not edible for me or the birthday girl. Since I spent $16+ on the cakes, I'll have to eat with coffee or tea since the birthday girl couldn't take more than one bite of each. I don't blame her! read more

Pro: Great ambiance and decor, most tapas are tasty, good location, outdoor seating. Cons: Poor and pushy service, shrunken menu, overpriced. This place changed for the worst. I went here a few times in the past and the prices for tapas were reasonable, and nice selection. However, I just stopped in recently for a quick bite and the menu is a lot different, some items are still there but the PRICES ARE JACKED UP! I was puzzled so I asked the server if the menu has changed and she confirmed it. I also brought up the markup in prices and she explained that the portions are larger, however, I ordered some of the same menu items as I did in the past (croquetas, meat and cheese platter and Spanish tortilla and I don't see a difference in portion sizes. Their entree menu has also shrunk in options and also seem marked up from the last time I was there. Server kept pressuring us to buy a dessert more than once. (What part of NO do they not understand?) Overall disappointed, VIVO's service was never the best but they offered tasty food at a competitive price vs comparable Iberian restaurants in the area. In the past I'd recommend this place do to the cheap tapas and ambiance/deco but now, their service is still the same, less options in the menu but with highjacked prices! If you're going to spend this kind of money, you're better off going to Mompou, Casa Vasca or Fornos. The service at those 3 places alone is worth the money. read more

Let me start off by saying that I'm not a reviewer, but had to sign up just to warn others about this place. I have been frequenting the Downneck / Ironbound area for about 30 years, and really wanted this place to be one of "our" places. This was for our anniversary dinner. We had a groupon for paella and sangria for 4 people. Our waiter said it would be about 45 minutes for the paella, so we ordered 2 large shrimp and garlic tapas. We did not get our tapas for an hour and a half. The paella came 2 hours after we ordered it, and guess what ? It was not the paella that we ordered ! The rice at the bottom was like mush, the lobster was very dried out. I could understand if there was a crowd, but the place was only 1/3 full. I am giving 1 star for the shrimp and garlic, which was excellent. There are too many good places in the area Never return to ViVo read more

Nice ambiance. Large portions. Did you pay for a groupon? Expect to pay like $30 more bucks unless you add on appetizers, dessert, and a larger size pitcher... in that case expect to pay $60 bucks more. If you didn't get a groupon, this place is overpriced. The paella is good, I've had much better, the blue sangria is ok, the tres leches is disgusting. That was my thing, I love a good Tres Leches but nope. So would I return? Nope. Nothing special. Nice decor tho. Great music. read more

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I went here on a Sunday night and the restaurant was pretty full. We got seated quickly though. The ambiance is lovely. Some of the tables feature chairs and cushioned sofa seating set ups. The tables are tiled in lovely neutral shades and the lighting is dim, but not too dark. I know that Vivo is also categorized as a lounge/club, but we didn't get that "feel" at all. I know that other Yelpers have mentioned slow or bad service. The manager (?) came over to us 3 or 4 times to ask about our dining experience and if we needed anything. It did seem to take awhile for the food to come out between appetizers and main entree, but I would not classify it as slow or bad service. Vivo is the type of place where you should sit for awhile, have some good dinner conversation, and enjoy the food. The menu at Vivo features tapas sized orders or regular sized orders. This is advantageous if you want to try different kinds of food. It is also economical for sharing portions with friends. The regular sized main entrees are huge. The people who were dining next to us ALL took their leftovers home. You could definitely share an entree with a friend and be plenty full. We started out with a small pitcher of sangria (abut 3 FULL glasses). The sangria was good (nothing amazing, but sufficient enough to have with my meal). They bring out complimentary bread with an olive oil/pesto (?) dipping sauce----delicious! For an appetizer, we started out with a regular order of ham croquettes. My friend raved about them from previous experience; I thought they were just okay. For our entree, we shared paella negra. The order was huge and featured clams (ok...really SMALL slivers of clam), mussels (about 1/2 dozen), shrimp (2 LARGE ones and a good amount of smaller ones), and scallops (again, very small slivers). The "negra" is in reference to the black cuttlefish ink. After sharing the paella negra, my friend and I were completely full. Our bill came to $52 which, when split in half, is not too pricey for sangria, a large app, and a huge main entree. All in all, I enjoyed my experience at Vivo. My only issues were with the tiny slivers of clams and scallops in the paella negra. I understand that seafood is expensive, but it's disappointing to see clams and scallops included on the menu description and then get teasing seafood slivers in my meal. There was plenty of the other seafood from the menu description which ended up in my dish. read more

I would love to give 5 stars because the food here is really good and as a vegetarian they have the most options tapas wise of any place in Newark. The drinks are amazing, Sonia and Jay are great bartenders and really make an effort to make sure you enjoy your time there. The first few times I went I sat at the bar and had great service and a great time. They are the reason I would return to Vivos and why I am giving them 2 instead of 0 or 1 star. However, I would strongly caution you against sitting at a table. We sat at an outdoor table once and would never do it again. The service was horrible. THey kept bringing us drinks thinking if we got drunk enough we would forget the food we ordered but we didn't. It took AN HOUR AND A HALF to get our food and this was after asking the waiter AND the manager repeatedly for it. Then when they brought it out the hot foods were cold meaning they had been sitting for awhile. We never got an answer as to why when the restaurant was empty our food took so long. They forgot items we had ordered and then on top of all that the manager never came to see how things were and they comped us 3 drinks with no apologies as to what happened with the food. Three drinks when you forgot an entire order of food is not sufficient. It's sad because that experience has made me never want to return and the food there is really good. If I do ever return I will only sit at the bar because otherwise you will never see your food. read more

Went on a Friday night around 10. Place was pretty dead but Spanish music was blaring. I guess the party starts later on. Had two shots of patron ($7) kinda watered down. The place has potential. Weird thing- there was a little girl about three or four years old dancing in here.... read more

Fantastic food. So good we came here two nights in a row!! Prices are very reasonable for the size of the portions. Andrea was our waitress, she was very sweet and knowledgable about the menu. read more

VIVO Tapas KITCHEN LOUNGE - Scallops - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

We had a wonderful time at VIVO Restaurant and Lounge. The service was fantastic as was the food. We also had a Groupon for VIVO and they treated us so fine. We had at least three people checking on us during the meal. Very attentive service without being precocious. They served us a Spanish style bread with two sauces to start. That was awesome. We ordered the Garlic Shrimp and the Clams in a tomato broth for the two tapas. Our main meals were the shrimp, chorizo, chicken and veal with rice and the bacon wrapped filet mignon. Both meals were delicious and we had to take some home with us because of the size of the portions. The Groupon came with two classes of wine. We also ordered a coconut mojito which was delish. After dinner, we decided to walk around the Ironbound section. There was a Portuguese fair on Ferry Street that night and It was a great people watching event. A lot of fun. As we walked back towards VIVO, we decided to try the bakery that is on the corner of Jackson and Ferry Street. We ordered two coffee's and I asked the counterperson "what's one of your best desserts that you serve". She recommended a dessert that looked like a Strawberry Shortcake but wasn't. It was soooo much better. I believe it was a Spanish dessert that translates to "4 milk" cake. It was truly a food orgasm. Honestly, one of the best desserts I have ever had. It was a tremendous night in Newark. Really glad we went. A lot of fun and the food was great... read more

Food - mediocre at best. The tapas were decent in portion. My shrimp was not cleaned. The only thing I actually enjoyed was the bread and a watery, oily marinara. Drinks - the bartender couldn't make an old fashioned nor did he seem to know what any of the bottles in the very extensive liquor collection were. Service - horrible. Waiters were playing with cocktail glasses and taking photos for 20 minutes. Very inattentive staff that do not seem at all qualified to be doing their jobs. Price - average. Bill for four tapas and two drinks was $50 Vibe - very intimate, romantic and lovely. If the food had been better, I would love to be taken on a date to such a beautiful restaurant. Location - Ironbound. Given the location in Newark, it seems to stick out but in a good way. However, I'm sure you could go down the street to a less pompous affair and get a lovely meal without the costly frills. read more

Review is really just for the bar. The bartenders are great and you have to try the Sangria. Watermelon, mango, red or pineapple, all were fantanstic! Made with real fruit, not from canned juices. I ate here a couple years ago and the food was excellent as well. read more

4 stars only because I thought 5...nah make it 5. What a Newark gem Vivo is. My friend suggested here because I'm staying at the Hilton at Penn station a short distance away. The dining room is clean, cool and comfortable. There were a few open tables (it was an early Wednesday) and we were greeted quickly and offered a booth near the front. Andrea waited on us. She was more than a server, she was an advisor, historian and wealth of knowledge on all things Portuguese. In addition to being an absolute delight. We had the red sangria and warm octopus to start. The octopus was DELICIOUS. For the main dish we had to have the paella. The paella took about 30 minutes to prepare, from scratch. It was well worth the wait. Wow it was amazing. It was perfectly seasoned and chock full of shrimp, clams, lobster, sausage, corn, mussels and fish. We couldn't finish this enormous dish. Took home half! The dessert was equally mind blowing. I had the flan with fresh whipped cream. Go here, enjoy the relaxed fun atmosphere, and friendly people. (Ask for Andrea M.) Reasonably priced and in a neighborhood that was clean, vibrant and fun (reminiscent of Queens). read more

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Really SAD tapas... calamari most likely came from a ShopRite frozen bag. Extremely pricey for mediocre quality. Honestly, if you want to compare your worst tapas experience to something worse, this is the place to eat at. No thanks, you won't be seeing us again... maybe just have a hookah instead? read more

So my friend and I came here off the recommendation of another friend. We ordered the Paella Valenciana as the main course. We used the Yelp coupon that was $20 for $40. They did try to up sell us on the appetizers. For the appetizers we got the crab stuffed shrimp and the calamari. The staff was very eager to serve us and were very accommodating. We ordered the large red sangria and it was more than enough to satisfy us through the meal. One special note: the paella for one was more than enough for two. The portions are large and tasty. I took away a star because they automatically added a 25% gratuity to the bill.. With the coupon the bill was $35 and $5 for tax for a total of $40 and the final receipt said $54. We looked at each other like WTH! And then they had a line for "additional gratuity". Ummm not going to happen. They MAKE you pay the 25% and have the nerve to ask for more. read more

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We love goin to VIVO! the sangria and the tapas are great and the staff is super nice too. The tapas are a little bit pricey so we can't go as much as we'd like but I always walk out of there a happy camper. I've also been for lounge/after hours and it seems like a popular spot. Will be back! read more

The food was okay. The service okay.... However, when I ordered a drink, they forced me to run a tab and insisted on taking my credit card. Later I discovered my credit card was charged for things I did not order... this is fraud and I have reported them to the proper authorities. They will be hearing from my legal team real soon ... I wonder how many times a day they pull this scam. I would recommend that they be investigagted read more

Came here on a Friday afternoon; ordered the mariscada seafood dish. The seafood. .all of it... was extremely overcooked. Lobster meat is supposed to be pulled out of the tail with ease...especially if the tail is cut in half length wise. As far as taste...nothing to write home about. The waitress that served me was very friendly though and helpful. I don't think I'll be returning. read more

Excellent food and great drinks. Came today To celebrate my husbands Birthday and we all had an amazing time. The drinks and appetizers are delicious. Entrees so yummy. read more

Okay Vivo, your still located in Newark so calm down! I walked in here on a friday with two co-workers just looking to have a drink. It was just around 10pm. We waited at the stupid podium to be seated. The rude host comes up to us and says "can I help you?". So i figured "okay.. maybe he just doesn't know better." But then he tells us the floor closes at 10:30pm (mind you its like 1000pm) and we reassured him that he will be gone by then because we just wanted a drink or so. He said well you can find a bar seat knowing that there were only TWO available seats. I was done with him at this point but still asked if there are any seats we can pull up and he said no. (SLAP SLAP) Is what I wanted to do but I just walked out instead... NEVER AGAIN. read more

This is one of my favorite ironbound stops. It's an absolute happy hour stop. The bar doesn't get as crowded which makes it great for a conversation while getting over your horrible day or prepping for a great night out. Go for the martinis! Minty Peach to be specific!! read more

Great food and service . Food was delicious and the waitress was very friendly and attentive . Definitely a great place for a great experience. Went to celebrate my sister birthday and the desert was very tasty and the candle was very festive . Looked like fireworks. Will recommend to a friend and family member . read more

VIVO Tapas KITCHEN LOUNGE - Paella - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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We stopped here by chance. The restaurant is cozy and the décor is classy. We had several tapas like fried manchego cheese with honey, grilled squid, and salmon with spinach. we also tried the empanadas. Everything tasted good especially the squid and the manchego. The service was friendly and prompt. We were with kids but saw many couples come in for a romantic dinner. Overall a good place. read more

VIVO Tapas KITCHEN LOUNGE - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

This is the best restaurant POINT!!! Amazing food + drinks! Hookah +music! Did I mention dessert menu is to die for!! Food its made with so much love and its a great environment to be with your love one! I give this place a 10 out of 10! If you ever around the area you have to stop by. My favorite its the wine menu! I loveeeeeeeee it! read more

Not a bad choice for the neighborhood. The tapas menu is pretty heavy on fried foods, which is why this is only a three star place in my book. I'm sure that some of the entrees are more balanced, but they are also more expensive! The service isn't the best. On more than one occasion, the bartender has just hung out at the other end of the bar, chatting with people. Not cool, but also strangely par for the course for the Ironbound. read more

I was extremely hesitant of Vivo. But after some convincing, I caved and came for dinner. Great service, cheap mojitos at happy hour, and nice atmosphere. For the space, I'm sure a date or large group would both work well. I personally came with a date and had a great time. Attentive and helpful service without intruding. We got a spread of tapas and I recommend 1-2 plates for every person. Despite it being tapas, the portions are very generous. And as always in the Ironbound, fresh bread and butter to start the meal. I got the: Patatas bravas- very good. Crisp, flavorful, a good side for the meat tapas Braised oxtail- hands down the best dish of the night. Flavorful, tender, delicious Grilled octopus- unfortunately cut for you but I assume that's how it stayed to tender. Very large portion as well. Stuffed peppers- refreshing and very delicious We ended the meal with coffees and their tres leches. Can't go wrong with that, ever. We left very full and happy. No complaints! Can't wait to go back. read more

My sister hosted a birthday and the food was great. There were so many delicious appetizers served that when the main course came, everybody was delightfully full and had to have the main course boxed to go. The calamari was crispy, well seasoned and cooked to perfection. The steak with mushrooms and demi glaze sauce was cooked to each guests' specificity. After dinner service the restaurant turns into a club. The music was ok. Not really my exact preference as it caters to a diverse crowd but it was sufficient and everyone in our party had fun. The staff was very courteous, helpful and the bottle service was excellent. Can't wait to go back for dinner. read more

What a scam! Purchased a Groupon that expired whose value was $31. When I went to have dinner and use the said $31, the waiter told us we had to spend a minimum of $65 to use the Groupon voucher. Spoke with Groupon and they confirmed that the $31 can be used towards any purchase with no minimum. Needless to say, this location was a let down. Thank you Groupon for reimbursing me and standing by your rules! As for this place I promise I won't step foot in it again...They forgot the simple and basic concept of accommodating the client and NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEM! read more

The tapas are great, pick a few and make sure to order a mojoito! The mojoitos are refreshing and they have them in different flavors. Nice place for the ambiance and tapas. read more

VIVO Tapas KITCHEN LOUNGE - Tapas! - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

It's a restaurant and at night (I don't know what time or days of the week) it turns into a night club. They move all the tables and it becomes a dance floor. It's a good place to go dancing...depending on the dj. I don't like when the dj plays snippets of songs, continuously. It seems like this one particular dj plays snippets of all the current hip hop/rap songs and barely plays the whole song. The drinks are a little pricey for my taste. You can also do hookah here. The paella is yummy. I did a Groupon deal; which actually wasn't much of deal, but it gave me a chance to try their food. read more

Thursday nights are poppin. Great music and a beautiful crowd. Their hookah is OKAY but flows well with the music and drinks. read more

VIVO Tapas KITCHEN LOUNGE - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Went for a late lunch/dinner. I had an expired Groupon and figured I'd use it before I forgot. I'm so happy I did! It was absolutely delicious! We had a pitcher of sangria and ordered some appetizers to start. We had scallops with a sort of onion jam served with potatoes aioli and an order of Serrano ham croquettes. For our main course we shared a paella Valenciana. Everything was so delicious. We sat at the bar and our bartender/waiter Paolo was very attentive, funny and helpful. We're thinking about getting some trays of croquettes for Super Bowl! Their menu is varied and they are known for their small plates. I think it is definitely going into the rotation of places to go for a great meal. read more

1st visit here. I tried a groupon deal (paella for two and a pitcher of sangria for 35 bucks) Paella was delicious sangria was just ok. Wanted to give their overpriced appetizer a chance so I ordered a there octopus salad, which was ok, buy over priced at $16. Overall I would rate it a 3 out 5. read more

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Got my favorites here........... Seafood Paella... Rock and Roll Shrimp... Sangria Nice restaurant , great service, and Paella heaven... My sangria needed reinforcement but i gather it was because it came with the meal. I will definitely go back for the same. Love it! read more

Update- We have returned a second time and had an excellent meal and great service. We had no problem receiving the food in a timely manner! Changing to 5-stars!! We come here based on an advertisement on Groupon even though we didn't use the coupon at the time. They have black eye area and that was the reason for the trip. Very good and overall good waitstaff. We had a minorProblem with the wait time but the wait staff was very kind to assist in remedying the situation it was a problem with the kitchen and the order of the tickets coming in. Conscientious and took care of the problem. Will return again. Highly recommend for T and any paella read more

Not a horrible place to hang out. Newark still has a way to go, They clear the dining area at around 9:30-10pm for dancing. Drinks weren't very good. The bartendresses weren't very knowledgeable, but after a couple of poorly made drinks, they all begin to taste the same I suppose. ;) Lighting was a bit bright for a club, but I suppose they're still figuring a few things out. read more