Roberto Santibañez is the culinary director of Mi Vida in Washington D.C. and the chef/owner of Fonda restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn. He is known for his authentic and modern interpretations of Mexican cuisine.
Insights
Highlights
Insights are still being generated for this restaurant. In the meantime, check the latest reviews below.
I've been wanting to try this place out for awhile. So, when looking for a place to meetup with a friend for lunch, I suggested here so I can finally try it out. Gives a very upscale like feel, with a tropical chic ambiance. I made a reservation to be on the safe side, but it wasn't really busy for the time that we were there (around 12pm on a Monday). The hostess was very friendly and greeted me with good energy when I walked in. She promptly checked me in and brought me over to our table. Our waitress during our meal was really great too! Good energy, personable made some great suggestions on food options to and did a good balance of checking on us while giving us time to enjoy food or talk.
Now to the food - it was pretty good. I was concerned it would be a place with all the good decor, ambiance and vibe with bad food, but luckily that wasn't the case. We both felt the portion sizes were good and the food has good flavors. I got the Express Lunch which gave a sampling of a couple of core menu items. Because of the portion size, I was able to take some home with me to finish later - after eating chips, salsa and guacamole before our entrees, I was too full to eat everything there.
Cool spot that I plan and want to check out again, especially during like happy hour.
Everything provides an amazing experience! Sadly is not an option in Florida! The food was very flavorful, the drinks amazing and the service was excellent… highly recommended!
My fiancé and I came here for date night and ordered the $45 per person family-style menu. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful, and the food was good overall. We enjoyed most of the dishes, especially the guacamole, queso, tacos, and enchiladas. My only complaint about the food was the main steak entrée. It was sliced into about six very small pieces, and for the price, the portion was disappointing.
The biggest issue was the service. Since we ordered the family-style menu upfront, I expected the courses to come out at a better pace, but we waited about 20–30 minutes between each course. Our waitress also seemed distracted and rushed throughout the evening. She asked if we wanted more soda, took our glasses, and never brought them back or refilled them until we reminded her about 15 minutes later.
Overall, the food was good, but the service really took away from what should have been an enjoyable date night. I would still be willing to give Mi Vida another chance, maybe during happy hour, because I do think the food has potential. I just hope the service is much more attentive next time.
This place is fantastic. The atmosphere feels like lo-fi and dim lighting blended seamlessly. The service was welcoming and respectful. We had Rebecca as our server, and she was informative and timely. Everything from the flavor of the drinks to the portion size and quality of food was outstanding. We will be back.
