Viva Tapas Bar

Felt very lucky to stumble across this place on a boiling hot day — we didn’t realise it had a lovely outside seating area in the back!
The food is the star of Viva. The nachos were really superior. I think it’s hard to stand out with nachos — probably nine in ten taste pretty much the same, and none of them are really bad until you get the Basics Grated Cheese on cold doritos. But these were something different. I’m not a huge salsa fan but the salsa verde is very moreish and paired with beautifully toasted tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese, I was in heaven.
I also had the chicken mole taquitos — ordered 2 but could easily have eaten 4!
Others were all happy with their quesadillas, variously chile con carne, chicken and butternut squash.
The atmosphere and the food make this place, but there were a few hitches that made me consider a 3 star rating. Firstly, they were out of a few things — namely, the pork (which is one of three meat fillings, so reduces the menu quite a lot) and crushed ice (so take half the cocktails off the menu). Secondly, they brought out the wrong dish for someone on my table (chicken instead of chile con carne quesedillas) — and while my friend was fine with this, it was notable that the waiter was not at all bothered and didn’t even attempt to offer to change it, even sounding like it was my friend’s fault somehow that the chef wasn’t told he wanted chile con carne after finding out the pork was out. And finally, the glasses were a bit dirty, so a few cocktails seemed to have small bits of fluff in.
However, I try to go on how I feel on leaving a restaurant, and I would definitely recommend Viva and go back, despite the downsides — so four stars it is!

Absolutely fantastic bar, with very good and reasonably priced food. The portion sizes are great, and the food is really good. Would recommend the ceviche — it’s to die for. The staff are very friendly — when I asked for a shot of tequila for my girlfriend’s birthday, they brought a round of shots for the table on the house! A gem in Dalston, would highly recommend.

Viva make what is hands down the best guac in town. Bar none. Their nachos, which in less capable hands are a gluggy heart attack inducing mess, are elevated beyond the Tex-​Mex standard by the addition of fresh cherry tomatoes and tangy salsa verde. Their cocktails are worth the visit alone. Sure Viva is just another harbinger of the gentrification of Dalston, but when the food’s this good who’s complaining!