Viva Taqueria

I ordered the super smother burrito with chorizo filling as well as half ranchero and half tomatillo sauce. It was delicious! Their house slaw was yummy too. Both indoor and outdoor seating is nice. They have great vegetarian selections. The price is really reasonable, especially in Ithaca. Almost all entries are under $15.Food: 5/5

My girlfriend and I were in town visiting the Ithaca area for the first time. This was a recommended eatery from the lady who runs the local art gallery. She merely said that it was the most popular restaurant in the area. We arrived in the early afternoon on a Friday. The place was not crowded. We were seated immediately. The host and waitress were both very nice. We both ordered build-it-yourself fajitas. I ordered the steak and my girlfriend ordered the chicken and we simply shared our meat. We loved the fact we each received a huge plate of sour cream, guacamole, diced tomatoes, refried beans, rice, and lettuce to build our fajitas. What we didn't like is that there weren't enough fajitas given to us to match the amount of meat. On top of that, any good Mexican restaurant will give you chips and salsa as soon as you sit down. Not this one. You have to pay extra for it. As far as a Mexican restaurant is concerned, the food was average but certainly not up to par with an authentic one. We live along the NJ Shore and there are many authentic Mexican restaurants that would wipe the floor with Viva Taqueria. In all, not a bad place with good service and vibes.

Viva was a wonderful dinner experience while staying in Ithaca! We only had one night in the city for dinner, and I am glad we picked Viva! Located right along the Commons, its in a great location. It was VERY busy on a Saturday night but the wait was not bad- only 15 minutes! They have a large inside dining area and a really beautiful outdoor seating area which faces the Commons walking area- so it was nice to dine & people watch & enjoy the fresh air. We came here because they not only had a regular Mexican menu but a nice selection of vegan choices which was all labeled clearly The staff was kind & friendly, even on a clearly very busy night. What we got: - Vegan nachos - WOW. These were AMAZING!! It was a nice sized plate which filled the two of us plenty. The nachos were crispy, and the toppings were great. It came with beans, rice, veggies, gauc & a creamy sauce. ALL VEGAN. It had so much flavor. - Vegan tofu taco - They used Ithacas own brand tofu which was flavored well. It came with pickled slaw & gauc. The corn tortillas were soft & fresh. - Chicken enchilada not vegan - Decent sized, smothered in sauce & fresh. My husband enjoyed it but commented that it was actually VERY spicy. He enjoyed it. I love that they have really good quality Mexican food with a nice selection of vegan choices. My only thing to point out is maybe offer vegan cheese? Vegan sour cream? The tofu was great, and I love that their beans/rice is vegetarian a lot of Mexican places use meat bases in their rice/beans but offering vegan cheese or even vegan sour cream would just elevate the dishes even more. Just something to point out. We LOVED our dinner here & were happy we chose this spot for our dinner date while in Ithaca.

Great food, good atmosphere, good service! Definitely Americanized, but in a good way. Beef is more of a pulled brisket so no carne asada, but still tasty. Definitely recommend the macho nachos :

Was excited to go to this place after reading the good reviews but we were very disappointed with the taste of the food. We ordered 3 soft taco meal which came with rice and beans, chips for the table and a large sangria. The guac for the chips was just avocado with no salt or other spices. The meal lacked flavor too. Our hostess and the staff was nice so three stars for them. The location shown on the map was not the right location. This is located next to the Marriott.

I had been to the old Viva many times and enjoyed it. This version, just across the street, is much brighter and bigger. The food was fabulous the house margarita tasty with plenty of salt on the rim. If you have mobility issues beware there are stairs to the bar. However, I didn't ask for a ramp or elevator access. They might have something.

Love the new place! As always, great food and service! Good vegan selectionFood: 5/5

When returning to Ithaca post-graduation, Viva was the first spot my husband and I had to hit up. I feared that my memory of their nachos were better than they would be upon returning but I was wrong! The Macho Nachos were, and still are, the best nachos I have ever had. It is THE item to get here. Don't leave without ordering it. They also have vegan nachos, which I haven't tried, but they sounded delicious! I also got The Purist margarita and it was delicious. Our waiter recommended it as something less sweet and it totally hit the mark. The service was absolutely fantastic. Our waiter was helpful in guiding our choices, super friendly, and attentive to checking in on us. Viva is my favorite restaurant in Ithaca and I cannot recommend those nachos enough!

Had lunch here while bouncing around Ithaca. This was some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had. Anywhere. Cozy little bar, outdoor seating, and friendly staff. Get the chicken mole tacos! And the margaritas were also on point. Highly recommend if you’re anywhere close to Ithaca.

Came in when it was packed, didn't wait too long and got great food. Had the fajita burrito and the wife got the super smothered burrito. Chips and salsa are extra but were worth the 3 bucks. Definitely will come back next time I'm in Ithaca.Food: 5/5