Viva Chicken — Restaurant in Saint George

This place is delicious. Definitely something that tourists visiting should try. Food is very tasty, and very fresh and so different. With so many (and I mean TOO many) Mexican restaurants around Viva Chicken was such a better choice, Peruvian food has definitely won me over. We were in St George for only 3 nights and we ate there twice because we loved it so much. First night we ordered the full chicken with 3 sides and the price was really good for 4 people and there was even left overs for only $24. The cilantro infused rice and fried yuca were my favorite. The next day we ordered the sirloin plate with rice and fried and that was very tasty. The meat was a little dry for my taste. And their juices are the best. Fresh tasting and light. We had Maracuya and the Basil Limeade.

The reason I gave it a 4 star instead of a 5 star was because of my second visit. We were so excited to eat there again before we headed home but the second experience was not up to the same standards. There was a long line and o my one person at the cashier taking the orders, but they had a lot of employees chit chatting I think they should have come and started taking peoples ordered at another cashier. I counted 4 employees including who looked like a manager come up to the second register, take a look at the line, do something quick at the computer and head back. So they definitely could use an “all hands on deck” policy when it gets busy unexpectedly. The second reason, and the most disappointing was that on our first night eating there we ordered a very delicious dessert called 3 leches cake that had mangos instead of the traditional strawberries that you get in most Mexican restaurants, and the whipped cream on top tasted fresh made it was delicious and we couldn’t get enough of it. Naturally we ordered it again the second time around, and they brought it in a to-go container even thought they asked and I told them we would be eating it there. It came in this tiny container it was literally half of the size, didn’t have a sponge cake texture at all, and the whipped cream on top was disgusting (it was cool whip) and there were no mangos. I told the waitress there must have been a mistake and they brought me the wrong item and she was nice an apologetic and she even looked a little embarrassed and said that they had changed that dessert and that’s how they’re serving their 3 leches cake. I asked her if they had changed it overnight because we were literally there 2 days before and she said “unfortunately yes”. And the price was the same for less than half of the dessert so a word of advice, your food is delicious and your desserts should not be short of fresh and delicious. I would still eat there again if I visit St George and hope they changed their dessert back to its original because it was TOO good. And also, they need to open one in...

Just ate at Viva Chicken and I was disappointed by the portion sizes - which were not commensurate with the price and context of the casual, quick eatery:

But here is a full picture if you’re a detail-person: Pros and Cons coming up!

Pros: piping hot and fresh Flavorful marinade and nice crisp on the rotisserie chicken vibrant spices on the green beans and original, tasty sauces for dipping yucca fries had a satisfying crunch and not too greasy Naturally gluten-free sides

Cons: so expensive for what it is and SMALL portions! I paid $9.75 for the “Quarter Chicken” which comes with two small sides (I want with the yucca and green beans). I was unpleasantly surprised at how truly tiny a quarter chicken really is - we’re talking a thigh and leg of a tiny itty bitty little chicken, here people. I’m not a huge meat eater and I felt noticeably unsatisfied with the small portion. Which is a shame - because the chicken was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside! I am a tiny person so I should easily be more than full when I spend $10 at a causal joint … and I was not full after this meal. They only gave me four yucca fries. The small green beans is the size of a baby cup of ice cream at DQ. :-/

Conclusion: The chicken and sides were flavorful and fresh but I would NOT return to Viva Chicken solely because of the small portions and high price. I feel $10 at a fast, casual eatery should buy you more - it’s more expensive than chipotle because you get 40% less quantity of food - and only 15% better quality. Not worth it unless they up the portion sizes or lower the price. How are they doing so well in North Carolina and Utah with both areas being dominated by budget-conscious, families? Is the whole chicken a more generous deal? Single people you are out of luck! (Or bring four friends to split a whole chicken with you, I guess!) I’ll just go for street tacos at nearby La Cocina or Tacos...

Viva Chicken is a great quick joint for some good Peruvian cuisine, especially if you're new to it and want to try it, do it! It has classics like Lomo Saltado, Cilantro-Lime Rice, Chaufa Rice, and their specialty Rotisserie Chicken. The food overall gets a solid 4.1/5!

The chicken is seriouslly awesome. Very well seasoned and spiced, perfectly cooked, good fire rotisserie flavor. My only quarrel is the size. Ordered the smallest size, wish I went half chicken, but it does get a LITTLE pricey. The salsas are amazing! Get them all, it's worth it. Brightens every bite and elevates every dish here. I've had a lot of Peruvian dishes, and the rice here is solid. The Cilantro Lime Rice is very good, not exceptional, just needs a little more flavor, maybe a little more salt and their green salsa to bring flavor out. Very nice side though. Chaufa Rice (almost like an Asian fried rice style, as Peruvian is very Asian influenced in many of their dishes) is actually very flavorful, but they do overdo it on the red peppers. Takes over the other flavors a little too much. Salad is very fresh, and again their salsas and chicken on the salad are a perfect pairing. Overall, a great option to switch up your fast food to have both flavor and a little more healthy option with less grease. Oh, and don't ever forget the Inca...