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Buena Vida - Arlington, Arlington, VA

Buena Vida - Arlington

4.1 (794)
$30 and under
Mexican
2900 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1, Arlington, VA 22201

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2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 46 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for brunch
  • Good for groups
  • 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.

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
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Ismael Lopez
  • Neighborhood
    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, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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What 794 people are saying

Buena Vida - Arlington reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4Food
  • 4Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 3.9Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Virginia - DC Suburbs

    Great for brunch

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Buena Vida in Arlington boasts a lively rooftop atmosphere, "amazing brunch," and "delicious food." While some diners find the prices high with inconsistent service, standout experiences include "great food and ambiance" and "incredible, attentive service." The restaurant is "beautiful" and ideal for special occasions, with guests eager to return.
794 Reviews
  1. Quinton

    Washington DC1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience and atmosphere at this locations

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  2. RileIgh

    Washington DC2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    I’ve been to Buena Vida multiple times in the past and have had an amazing experience here. I was celebrating me and my friends graduation and our service was horrible. Our server Santiago checked in on us twice throughout the entire time , once even saying “can I get you anything while I’m still here”. He was not friendly at all and at the end of the dinner made it seem like an inconvenience to split the check. The food was not comparable to what I have had here in the past. Chips were stale, and nachos had barely any toppings on them. For the price , this experience was very poor.

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  3. Robert

    Washington DC1 review

    2.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    The restaurant has gone down hill. Horrible service, best items on the menu are gone, and the food was average overall. Definitely not worth the cost for this so-called “elevated” Mexican restaurant.

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  4. Lauren

    Washington DC10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    I love the decor and vibe of the place and that it’s on a rooftop

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  5. Kylie

    Washington DC1 review

    2.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Servers did not speak English which was fine… until we realized people who had gotten there way after us were getting their food before us. Clearly our food was not put in/communicated properly. I was helping the server enter in my order onto the iPad lol

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  6. Gretchen

    Washington DC1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing experience, we got there for brunch food was amazing

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  7. Daniel VIP

    Washington DC1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 17, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a good time. Good menu. Good drinks. Good Friday.

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  8. Sara

    Baltimore1 review

    1.0

    Dined on April 16, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    I honestly wanted to love this place but it was not worth it at all. To make a long story short… Prices are high, quality is low, and portions are small. We got steak fajitas that were like chewing through rubber. My shrimp in my salad was so soft it felt almost undone. And the crab queso had little to no crab at all. Also the half scoop of guac they gave us for $16 was criminal. Also our waiter kept forgetting the drinks we ordered. Glad I tried it out because I almost took friends from out of town here but I will unfortunately not be back.

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  9. Kyla

    Washington DC1 review

    2.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Waited 10-15 minutes to be served at the beginning. Long wait times between orders. Never got water refilled. Food was supposed to come with side of rice and beans but never got that.

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  10. Christopher

    Washington DC2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on March 29, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Not the most accomodating especially for a special occasion. Only wanted drinks and a single shareable food item (guacamole or bread) for the table since we were having a very elegant and filling dinner in two hours time. But was instructed you couldn't order anything instead of the $32 brunch selection which would require everyone at the table to get that so basically $100 for guac or bread. So had to just get drinks and no food. For a birthday it would have been nice to just allow table bread and drinks. But whatever. Won't come back.

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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 794 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.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Washington, D.C. Area
  4. Virginia - DC Suburbs
  5. Arlington

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 46 times today
Google Map for Buena Vida - Arlington

2900 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1, Arlington, VA 22201

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Filmore Street
  • Neighborhood
    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, Takeout, 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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