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Buena Vida - Arlington, Arlington, VA

Buena Vida - Arlington

4.1
4.1
773 Reviews
$30 and under
Mexican

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 12 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Great for happy hour
Buena Vida promises more than great food; it provides a space to make memories. We pride ourselves in guiding customers through a curated menu, going beyond the expectations of hospitality, and leaving them to enjoy the company they are with.

Our tables are a gathering place for good conversation and community so people feel energized by the creativity of the food and drinks, excellent service, and time with loved ones.

Each table has 2h time limit. 2h time limit does not apply for reservations made after 1:00pm on Saturday and Sunday due to service closure at 3:00pm.
Rooftop seating cannot be reserved and it is only available on first come-first served basis. Unlimited dining is not available on our rooftop - a la carte menu will be offered instead. Rooftop will not be open for brunch service.
To best meet our standard, we highly recommend against the Buena Vida Experience service 1h prior to kitchen closing.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Traditional Mexican, Latin American
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (703) 888-1259
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Ismael Lopez
  • Area
    Arlington
  • Cross Street
    Filmore Street
  • Parking details
    Street parking or Public lot
  • Public transit
    Buena Vida is located at 2900 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, Virginia 22201, just two blocks from theClarendon metro accessible on the orange and silver lines. Parking is available in the ColonialParking Garage at 1303 North Filmore Street.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

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What 773 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.1
4.1 based on recent ratings
  • 3.9Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Buena Vida in Arlington is celebrated for its vibrant atmosphere and "incredible" food and drinks. Guests admire the "beautiful restaurant" setting, ideal for special events or gatherings. While service can be slow, the "friendly" staff and "fantastic" brunch offerings keep patrons returning. Rooftop dining enhances the experience.

773 Reviews
  1. Krista

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    We went for my birthday celebration, and they catered to us so well! I loved the little waffle with the candles and on top of that a card with all the servers name! So thoughtful and unique thank you so much

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  2. Dana

    Washington DC

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waiter was inattentive and uninterested. It took 30 minutes for our guacamole and chips to arrive (and we even inquired to remind him). A fire alarm went off for about 15 minutes or so and there was no attempt to compensate for the disruption. Enchiladas arrived cold and the beer was warm. Margaritas tasted like virgin drinks. Manager was nice and offered to make new enchiladas, but it was way too late. We had already paid and were ready to be gone. Do not want to go back.

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on 4 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Literally the best food we’ve had in Arlington! Delicious and incredible, attentive service!!!

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  4. Patty

    VIP

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 30 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The vibe is amazing! A friend and I had dinner and stayed till closing. The drinks were great and the tacos were delicious. Beautiful restaurant and great staff! Especially the crew working upstairs the night of Dec 30th, 2024. Will be coming back soon for a date night.

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  5. Juan Carlos

    Washington DC

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 December 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    It’s okay. Not the best. We had better expectations.

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  6. George

    Washington DC

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 1 December 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 1
    Came here for our anniversary. Got the the four course meal. Menu items are not updated with the current offerings and typos exist like 'Al Pator' vs. 'Al Pastor'. There was this big loud hvac fan machine behind us for the majority of the dinner. The manager asked if we wanted to order anything other than appetizers as we were waiting for our 2nd course. Mussels ala Diabla had one piece of burned bread and my wife got food poising from the salmon as it is the only item we did not share together. The staff are nice and bilingual (English/Spanish). Restaurant is on the 3rd floor, need to take an elevator from the ground floor Green Pig Bistro restaurant.

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  7. Carrie

    Washington DC

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on 30 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic Brunch! Great place for family special events!
    Buena Vida - ArlingtonResponded on 6 December 2024
    Thank you for the wonderful feedback, Carrie! We're so glad you enjoyed your brunch and found it to be a great spot for family special events. We look forward to hosting you again soon!

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  8. Cayla

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 26 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    great food and ambiance and wonderful service! would highly recommend
    Buena Vida - ArlingtonResponded on 6 December 2024
    Thank you for the great feedback, Cayla! We're so glad you enjoyed the food, ambiance, and service. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you back!

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  9. Morgan

    Toledo

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 23 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Took a while for the food to be brought to us, also one of the appetizers wasn’t what I had asked the waiter for
    Buena Vida - ArlingtonResponded on 6 December 2024
    Thank you for sharing your feedback, Morgan. We apologize for the wait and for the mix-up with your appetizer. We’ll work to ensure a more efficient service next time and make sure orders are accurate. We hope to have the chance to serve you again soon!

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  10. Bianca

    Washington DC

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 21 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Sharable’s are barely enough for one person. Portion sizes are more like tapas. The Pork belly was tough and too sweet. The salsa tasted like smoke. Drinks- missing the alcohol. But the ambience was great, beautiful place but food and price need significant improvement.
    Buena Vida - ArlingtonResponded on 22 November 2024
    Thank you for your honest feedback, Bianca. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the ambiance, but we’re sorry the food and drinks didn’t meet your expectations. We’ll take your comments into account and work on improving portion sizes, flavor balance, and drink strength. We appreciate you sharing your experience and hope to have the chance to provide a better visit next time.

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FAQs

Buena Vida - Arlington offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (703) 888-1259.

Buena Vida - Arlington is rated 4.1 stars by 773 OpenTable diners.

Buena Vida - Arlington does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 12 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Buena Vida - Arlington

2900 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1, Arlington, VA 22201

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Filmore Street
  • Area
    Arlington
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican, Traditional Mexican, Latin American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street parking or Public lot
  • Public transit
    Buena Vida is located at 2900 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, Virginia 22201, just two blocks from theClarendon metro accessible on the orange and silver lines. Parking is available in the ColonialParking Garage at 1303 North Filmore Street.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Ismael Lopez
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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