Vida Modern Mexican + Tequila — Restaurant in Redondo Beach

Love this place! Vida has pretty much become our go-to when we head to the Village. Great food, great drinks and great specials.

We love a great deal and Vida's Weekly Specials are superb. I don't understand why more places don't offer deals like this to get your business. From Margarita Mondays ($7 and $8 Margs instead of $13 & $14), $3.75 Taco Tuesday (and $6 Modelos and Pacificos), the Weekday Lunch Special (2 generously sized tacos for $12 or $13 for a decent sized burrito and $3 extra for a side of rice and beans) to their Monday through Friday 3-6pm Happy Hour ($9 Margs, other discounted drinks, tacos and a few apps), there's a good deal every weekday. I guess the only bad thing is that we tend to order many, many margs.

Aside from the great deals, the food is also amazing. The two taco lunch special gives you two plentiful tacos (you can choose any type from the varied list except for 5 of the fancier offerings) topped with a very generous amount of guac on each. Shoot, most places would charge at least $5 for the amount of guac they give you.

The tempura cod is cooked perfectly and has a great crunch when you sink your teeth into it. The perfect Baja style fish taco. This last time, I ordered the chipotle chicken taco which somehow called out to me from the menu. Wow, what a great taco, filled with juicy chicken and a generous amount of grilled red onions and jalapeños. Delish. The green rice is the better option over the Spanish (but the Spanish is still quite tasty) and the refried black beans are the better choice over just black beans (also tasty).

The margs and other cocktails are fantastic too. Yesterday, I had the Most recently, I had the Mezcal Marg and the La Salud (ginger and tumeric marg) and they were delicious and felt full strength.

Service is always friendly and attentive. The restaurant itself has a very attractive dining room and a very large outdoor...

This place paints a trendy picture, but unfortunately did not deliver on quality. We ordered: 2 espresso martinis all ingredients in the martinis felt separate. Grainy mouthfeel. The last sip elicited a grimace from both guests—it tasted like soap was not rinsed from the glass properly. We received an apology for this.

1 mezcalero Pretty much one giant ice cube. The tablespoon of syrup that came with it tasted great, though. Nice touch with the dried citrus.

Guacamole from the Starters section of the menu description listed Tajin sprinkle, but was missing completely. Server mentioned that the guac was premixed, and was probably already incorporated. The Tajin was the reason we ordered it, so we were disappointed.

Ahi tuna tacos from starter menu Tuna itself was the best part of the experience—great texture, looked fresh. However, when I eat a Mexican taco, I expect a strong key flavor. I guess it’s odd to pair sushi grade fish, something that is normally appreciated for its simplicity and purity, with a dish that usually carries the flavor of a marinade or chile (tinga, asada, al pastor, barbacoa). The lime crema and wasabi Brussels slaw did not fill this role. I might suggest borrowing from some ceviche flavors or using shredded cabbage instead of Brussels sprouts. Cabbage is a classic topping. Purple cabbage would great, as it adds great color.

Servers were attentive and friendly. They did a great job. Complimentary chips had a nice hint of lime; the chile that was served with it was pleasantly spicy.

However, for nearly $90 including tip for 3 drinks and two starters, my party concluded that we...

We spent a late afternoon walking along the beach and decided to meander to Riviera Village for a bite to eat. We noticed Vida Modern Taqueria and decided to give it a try as one of the more recent additions to this area, and it has outdoor seating. We were seated right away, and we're probably brought some chips and salsa, which are quite good. Our server was friendly, helpful, and answered all our questions.

I ordered a Nuts and Bolts cocktail, a take on a paloma (which I normally love), and I had trouble finishing it, as it had a strange aftertaste.

We then ordered the Peruvian scallop ceviche (very good, but very pricey) and several tacos between the two of us: cinnamon carnitas, al pastor, Alaskan cod, tempura nopales, and chicken mole. Our tacos arrived first, and we had to ask about the ceviche before it arrived several minutes later. The quality of the food was quite good, albeit the cinnamon carnitas were a bit too sweet for our taste. The tempura nopales are definitely worth a try.

The tacos are large and very filling. Two per person is plenty considering you get the chips and salsa as a starter, and we would have been fine without the ceviche. We did find room for churros and ice cream to finish our meal. These were good, but again, pricey for what you get.

Overall, the quality of the food is very good, but considering the price, I would reserve it for a smaller lunch (and skip the cocktails). I may give another try and...