STOP reading and just go!!!! But if you like “some dude on the internet opinion” here goes…. First it’s the absolute best Friendly’s building makeover ever floor to ceiling the interior decorator knew the history embraced it and hit a home run with the makeover. Staff everywhere you looked there was a smile on all the staff members! That smile was not for looks they were all delightful!!!!! The food……. My wife NEVER finishes anything EVER… She practically was licking her plate…. Chef David whom we had the pleasure of talking to at dinner, absolutely has some special recipes he shares with us. We had his vegan tacos which was a take on his moms special he made as a kid…. It was simple and out of this world good… Thank you for sharing your creativity with us.. Will be back for sure!!!
9.5/10: The James Beard award doesn't lie. Nestled in a nondescript outskirts of Portsmouth along a stretch of strip malls is one of the best restaurants in New England.The chef, David Vargas, works magic. He brings together locally sourced NH produce with rich Mexican-inspired sauces. The beef tacos were dosed in a southern BBQ-like smoke. The haddock hit that fine balance of char and tenderness. And it was complimented with an earthy potato nestled in a rich umami sauce. The salad was a bit light and overpowered by the rest of the meal.A nearly perfect meal at a reasonable price.
My experience started with excitement but it ended with the regret and disappointment. Floor was pretty sticky at check in and no wait to be seated. The lighting was poor in the middle of the room and it made it hard to see the gobs of food or who knows what stuck on my butter knife and two gobs stuck on my water glass but it made me even look in to my margarita to find a black spec of sadness floating ? that I finally got out and there was no lime wedge. It does happens but it just made me look around more and it was sad to see how dirty it was. Seat dividers were covered in fingerprints and food splatter. If you’re lucky you can get a seat where you can see the reflection from all of the seat dividers ?As for the food maybe I set the bar to high from my other experience’s. Tacos are one shell and very tiny! As are the margaritas in a highball glass. The rice missed the mark as did the beans because neither had been seasoned and the rice was hard.I feel the price point is way off
Truly special Mexican and Latin food in a casual, family friendly atmosphere. The guacamole and fresh salsa were both delicious. The enchiladas boast authentic flavors and are crafted with care. The beef stew was exceptional. Staff were helpful and attentive.
We had the best time at Vida's. It was our first time there and we were very impressed, Stephan was our waiter and he was wonderful - so patient, knowledgeable and informative. The food was outstanding. The blue corn bread with Agave syrup on top was better than many desserts! It was the best corn bread I've ever had (excuse the photo we couldn't stop diving in). The tacos were so flavorful. The Portsmouth Margarita also was one of the best I've had. We can't wait to go back -- just wish we lived closer!
Great food - great service!! Loved everything about this place - NOT your mamma’s Mexican restaurant!!
It was our first time, and it was delicious! Would be nice to have free chips and salsa because we skipped it at the price of $7. The waitstaff was friendly. The food came quickly. The crispy chicken sandwich was superb. So much more than just a chicken sandwich! It was one of the best sandwiches I ever had. My dining partner had enchiladas in a oaxacan mole sauce. He said they were wonderful. I stuck my fork into the sauce and it was the best mole I've had in many many years. Will go back.
Went in with a party of 7 and our waitress Linda was phenomenal. She memorized our orders and consistently checked on us to make sure our drinks and chips were never emptied. The salsa and margarita flights were a nice change of pace from traditional places as well and highly recommended.
Very disappointed. I watched a video of the restaurant in YouTube, and the chef indicated that the tacos have a double tortilla and they looked a very good size tacos. We went today, and they only serves the tacos with one tortilla and they were extremely small tacos for $6 each. Our check was $85 for 2 small margaritas, 1 sparkling wine (1/2 glass) 4 small tacos and 1 portion of chicharrón. You have to buy the rice and beans. Not the experience I was expecting from watching the video.
Upscale Mexican Restaurant, I can't say enough about people, art work, food, and Fabulous Drinks, (priced accordingly). Keep up the accommodations.