La Buena Vida - Durham

Reviews

• CC

  Camille Cam

  4 days ago
  1.0
  The service was horrible. Our servicer came once. I ordered chicken and waffles the chicken was paper thin. The servicer said he couldn’t take it off and never once came back to the table to check on us.
• GW

  Ginger Wright

  6 days ago
  4.0
  Food was pretty good. Picked up to go order. It's a little loud in there. The place gives off nightclub like vibes. Did like the artwork on the walls. We got 2 of the enchilada speedy combos. Total was 30ish. Chips are seasoned which I didn't expect, but they were good. Salsa has flavor and a mild heat which was a plus. See pics of food and bar/lobby area.
• MM

  Marilyn Monsoor

  Sep 27, 2026
  3.0
  The food was very good. Service was a little slow. I would think twice about bringing young children and/or school-age family members to this establishment because of the provocative music videos playing throughout the restaurant on the televisions. Unfortunately, we probably won't return.
• RH

  ray hy

  Sep 27, 2026
  2.0
  Food was good 6.5/10 - based on fresh authentic taco standards. The beans were good and the single bag of lime chips (for three plates) but no salsa to dip chips in. I Ordered 3 taco plates, two with refried beans and one with rice - price was around 21$ a plate. They made a mistake and forgot my sides beans and rice- I had to come back into restaurant. Then I got to my vehicle and realized that they only added one verde chilli salsa — but I had ordered one for each plate. I didn’t want to walk back in the third time. My plate had three (small) tacos, 1/4 cup of refried beans (you only get one small side) and my verde salsa; I was still hungry. I wanted corn tortillas for my tacos, the tortillas was dry and thin – what you would get at a typical Mexican restaurant. Usually, they’re soft, thick and fresh corn tortillas at restaurants that specialize in tacos. A refried beans was only a 1/4 cup (4 tablespoon size). I received my tacos in a fancy bag, but I was disappointed in the service (mistakes with my order) and the thin dry corn tortillas for my tacos and the portion size was lacking (for the price). The restaurant was loud and over crowded when I was studying the restaurant. It had a good theme, but the noise and overcrowded atmosphere conflicted with their theme “the Mexican experience “. Not a place to go for a romantic evening with your girlfriend or wife.
• JT

  James Tyler

  Sep 4, 2026
  1.0
  Worst Experience Ever! If you order online from La Buena Vida in Durham, please read this before placing your order. I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was frustrating enough that I feel other customers should know about it. On September 3, I placed a lunch order directly through their website so I could earn loyalty points. My order was accepted, my card was charged, and I received a pickup time of 1:22 PM. I used my lunch break to drive there, only to find the restaurant CLOSED with a sign saying they would reopen at 3:00 PM. Why was the website still accepting orders, taking payments, and giving pickup times if the restaurant was closed? I called after 3:00 PM to request a refund and was first told I had to cancel it myself online, even after explaining multiple times that there was no cancellation option. I was then told the restaurant had been closed because of maintenance and system issues. I later spoke with Sergio, who took down my information and told me someone would follow up the next day. No one did, so I had to call again. The following morning, I was given a completely different explanation and told the restaurant had actually been closed because of a meeting. So which was it? What bothered me most was the management. I asked to speak with a manager and was told both Salvador and Sergio were there, yet neither came to the phone, even though this was now the second day I was trying to resolve an issue caused by their restaurant. The waiter I spoke with genuinely tried his best to help me, and I appreciated that. Unfortunately, he showed more concern about resolving the issue than management did. I treat people with respect and always try to be patient and understanding because mistakes happen. I gave them several opportunities to simply correct the problem, but that same level of respect and professionalism was not reciprocated. The restaurant being unexpectedly closed could have been understandable. Continuing to accept customers’ money, giving conflicting explanations, making me chase down my own refund, and having management avoid addressing the issue was not. Salvador and Sergio handled this situation very poorly. The lack of communication, accountability, and basic customer service was extremely unprofessional. As a loyal customer, this experience completely changed the way I view La Buena Vida.

Frequently Asked Questions About La Buena Vida - Durham