La Buena Vida - Raleigh

Reviews

• SA

  Sydnee Alease

  5 days ago
  2.0
  For the price I’d say one of the worst restaurants I’ve been to. The food is great but by the time you actually receive it, it’s very cold. I was with a party for my cousins birthday (party of 6) & it took us an hour to receive our drinks. Our appetizer didn’t come out until after our meal. When I complained to who appeared to be the manager he told me everything was fine & we will receive our orders. I would take my money elsewhere. Great vibe & drinks but again, you won’t receive them until an hour after you’ve sat down. Love this place but our waitress & management ruined my cousins birthday experience.
• EL

  Ed Lopez

  Oct 13, 2025
  5.0
  First Visit and Definitely Not the Last! This was my first time visiting La Buena Vida here in Raleigh, recommended by my parents — and it did not disappoint! The atmosphere and décor immediately set the tone for a great dining experience, and the service was friendly and attentive throughout. I ordered the carnitas dish, and the pork was cooked to perfection — tender, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The rice and beans were delicious, and the fresh chips served at the start were a great touch. I also tried one of their margaritas, and it absolutely hit the spot! Everything from the taste to the presentation and even the pricing felt just right. Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and I’ll definitely be coming back again. Highly recommend! 🌮🍹
• JT

  Juan David Montilla TM

  Oct 12, 2025
  1.0
  We went as a group of friends and asked for separate checks. They tried to overcharge everyone at the table. When I explained to the waiter what I had actually ordered, he insisted that the total was higher and kept trying to charge me more. After I explained it again, he said he needed to “check with a coworker” to see if what I said was true —which I found very disrespectful, as if I was trying to pay less on purpose. The same thing happened to my friends, and at the end they even told one of them to leave because she “made a waitress uncomfortable,” just for saying they were charging her extra. The attitude and service were terrible. The food wasn’t bad, but honestly, the staff was very rude and unprofessional. Definitely not a place I’d go back to.😒
• CC

  Crystal Carpenter

  Oct 12, 2025
  1.0
  If you want to be treated like crap, this is the place to go! We sat at the bar for a solid 10 minutes without being acknowledged while the bartender chatted with customers on the other side. When they finally came over, there was not even a "Hi", just a flat “ready to order?” I ordered a drink. My husband said, “the same for me as well,” but they ignored him and only brought my drink. When they returned, they just stared at him instead of asking what he wanted. We sat another 10 minutes before they finally asked if we were ready to order food. By then, we were pretty well over it and decided to check out. Only when we were leaving did the bartender perk up with a cheerful “thank you guys!”, conveniently timed for the tip. The place was not busy, but barely starting to pick up, so there’s really no excuse. Their Cary location is 10x better. We ate there a few months ago and loved it, so we were excited to try this one closer to home. Not so much.
• JD

  Jayla Dowdy

  Oct 12, 2025
  1.0
  Food and services here are so mid. The only good thing is the party like atmosphere. I ordered a fajita burrito and asked for my food not to touch shrimp. The burrito came out looking like an enchilada and tasted like it touched shrimp. When I asked to exchange it, the waiter said I would still be charged for it. I asked to speak to the manager and the manager was being so extra saying he has to call 911 as if I’m not grown enough to call them myself, if it was that severe. Mind you, I’m with 5 other grown women who could also call for me. I told the manager I’m not highly allergic but it affects me the more I eat it. He told me I wouldn’t be charged for it after having my mom talk to a 911 operator for 10+ minutes. They also look forever to bring us our checks and when we were finally able to pay for it I got sent two waiters saying that the manager said I was still going to be charged… would definitely not come back to this restaurant. The only thing good about it is the party atmosphere.