Viva Good Life Bistro & Lounge Write your own review

Reviewed By: Robert

Reviewed on: 2007-08-11

Best Pick-up bar in Berks. Food is OK too. Martini flights make the ladies fly home with you. Mini-Desserts worth the visit alone.

Reviewed By: John

Reviewed on: 2006-08-30

There is no worse food in Berks County. How can you mess up a steak? It was awful.

Reviewed By: Weller

Reviewed on: 2005-08-17

No place better!! The only place you can go and feel at home. The staff is by far the nicest you can find. I have never seen a better group of managers either. On my last visit to Viva, I noticed two managers, Jason was the gentleman that spoke to our table, who look as if they could be brothers, that stopped and spoke with every table in the place. Several guests even gave them a hug. Other places seems hard put to even remember if you have been their before. Viva really cares about their guests and it shows! I will admit that the food was a little off before the new chef arrived but since then it has been top notch!

Reviewed By: Holly

Reviewed on: 2005-05-30

I am upset to hear that some of you out there have had unpleasent experiences at viva. But i have to give viva credit. I agree that the menu needed some tweeking, but if you have visited more recently you would have seen ONE (and only one menu now) much improved. As far as the staff, well like in any restaurant you run in to good and bad service. I am a server myself, and i as well as my customers would say that i am very good at it, but i like any other human being have my moments where i am a bit off. So for all you critics out there who think that Viva is below average, I think you are dead wrong. Viva is a gorgeous restaurant with (since the new menu) outstanding food, and if you are lucky enough to get waited on by one of their top servers it could be on your top 5 in berks county list! Give it a chance! Maybe 3!

Reviewed By: Elizabeth

Reviewed on: 2005-01-14

Like everyone else is saying, the wait staff needs to be restaffed. The lady who took our food order acted like she did not wanna be there at all. My husband & I were there last Ladies night, the drink specials were pricy & not good. The so called band playing was terrible. There was too much un-natural sounds vocally and instrumentally. Needless to say we did not stay long. It will be a long while till we go back.

Reviewed By: Mary

Reviewed on: 2005-01-13

I gave Viva three chances and it failed miserably each time. First of all, you walk in the door and there is no one there to greet you for quite awhile, they just do not seem to know what they are doing. One night we got our meal and had no utensils or napkins or appetizer plates, an empty table, and the server walked away! We had to flag down someone and he was not apoligetic in the least bit. Food? Not that great, a bit on the cold side, and it does take long as stated in other e-mails above mine. Will I go back? No.

Reviewed By: Scott & Lisa

Reviewed on: 2004-12-20

My husband & I have visted Viva on numerous ocassions & have had dinner and enjoyed some of the music. We really had an upscale time the night of the Caribbean Christmas. The meal was delicious & delivered promptly although our waitress was a bit snotty & rude. We would of preferred someone else to wait on us. We really enjoyed the band that night as well, what a breath of fresh air, rather than being blasted with a bunch of horns. Great selection of music & energy. Scott & Lisa.

Reviewed By: carrie

Reviewed on: 2004-12-03

great for lunch if someone else is paying for it. wonderful dessert tray! must tell host/waiter exactly what you want or they put you by the bathroom. great bartenders do not eat after 8pm. For someone reason the chef goes home. the french bread pizza was horrific. buffalo fingers (small) were quite hot and very tasty on a stick.

Reviewed By: Johnny Dalsandro

Reviewed on: 2004-10-11

What a place. Best food in berks. New chef James Lesniaks weekly specials are outstanding. I highly recommend this place. The atmosphere is like no other in Berks. Every time I come to berks county I'm there

Reviewed By: Sam

Reviewed on: 2004-09-25

The food and service are not impressive. Go to Nino's on N. Park Road if you want good homemade food. If you've read the other reviews concerning the management or lack there of, it's not surprising if you know who owns this restaurant. Save your money - if you want to hobnob with the rich drunks hang out at the bar, but as far as food is concerned go elsewhere.

Reviewed By: Carl J

Reviewed on: 2004-09-12

Just average. It seems like they try to be this upscale place, but they are no more than a high priced chain like restaurant. Would not reccomend, there are much better places in the county to dine at.

Reviewed By: Ace Mclean

Reviewed on: 2004-07-19

After reading these reviews, I had low expectations for Viva, but was pleasantly surprised. We started with Bruscetta, which was mediocre at best. Kinda bland, and not nearly enough to properly top the bread. Our salads were quite fresh and crisp, but the dressings were overly sweet and clearly not house-made. My raspberry vinagrette was more like a topping for ice cream. My wife had lobster ravioli with a white crab sauce, which was outstanding. The sauce especially was creamy without being too heavy. I had the seafood sampler, which was nicely broiled just right (a lot of places over-cook seafood). My only criticism on the entrees would be to back off on the olive oil just a bit. They seem to have drizzled it on everything, which left my flounder and half the green beans a bit soggy. The menu seems to have some variety, but they don't offer anything under 12 bucks or so, with not sandwiches or burgers. The service and atmosphere was quite good for us - no jazz playing, but it was early in the evening. Viva get's a solid B overall, so I'd go back, but still prefer Chef Alan's (assuming my last experience was an anomoly).

Reviewed By: Carl Masterson

Reviewed on: 2004-06-24

Not impressed at all. I must agree with Ester and Pappy. There are much better restaurants. If I am looking for a great atmosphere I would go walk at Grings Mill. Lets face it, I want good food and service, both of which they know nothing about. You can advertise everywhere you want, but any SMART business man knows that word of mouth is the best form of advertising.

Reviewed By: Ester B.

Reviewed on: 2004-06-23

Wow! "Viva Good Life Bistro and Lounge" - what a long name! (Marketing gone a bit mad.) This was out done by an even longer menu. I never saw a restaurant with SO MANY menus. I thought this "good life" would be simple. With all the menus there was no room for our drinks. Service was poor! It must be hard to get good people, or maybe it's the training. Their web site says they're a "jazz destination", but I guess you must read the small print because it was "oldies" night (Wednesdays). I hope management figures out what they're all about. Too much noise. Oh yes, the food...nothing to write home about. The crab dip was cold. They've been open long enough to get things right. For the money, there are better places in Berks County - Judy's, Dan's, Casa Grande, even The Works is making a bit of a comeback (right around their corner)... not to mention all those national chains.

Reviewed By: Pappy

Reviewed on: 2004-04-13

I have to say I was not overly impressed. The food is just ok. The service is below average, that is a direct reflection on the level and quality of management. I got the impression that this is just one of those hip and trendy new places. Every year it is somewhere new, people rant and rave for a few months, maybe a year, but lets face it, if you have ok food and bad management it is only a matter of time. As far as the bar atmosphere, i got the impression it is no more than a place for the rich drunks to hang out. Somewhere they can think they are better than others because they over-pay for their drinks. I would not reccomend this place to any of my friends. There are far better, less trendy restaurants to enjoy.

Reviewed By: Ringo

Reviewed on: 2004-03-05

Nice place! Very spacious and comfortable. V-Good french onion soup... most of the entrees I have tried have been pretty good as well. It gets a little loud(crowd wise) on Saturday evening so if you're into relaxed dining I would suggest going on a weekday.

Reviewed By: rw

Reviewed on: 0000-00-00

i am curious if anyone has eaten here yet. i have not. the feedback i have heard is that for the most part the food is not very good, perhaps 10-20 percent of the time people seem to say it is either good or very good. people have also said that the service is not too good. again, just what i have heard, not my personal experience. i am tempted to try it once the newness wears off and they get their act together. does anyone believe that a somewhat expensive restaurant with live jazz (for which you always pay a cover) can work on such a large scale in berks county? i think it could be a great thing culturally to have a jazz hotspot, but i question whether the area can/will support it.

Reviewed By: Kelly

Reviewed on: 0000-00-00

Viva is FANTASTIC! I've eaten there four times and each time I've had delicious food and outstanding service! The atmosphere is also great. The dining area is very nice, as is the bar area. By the front windows are also large chairs with small tables to give an extension of the bar area a different feel. This may sound silly, but the restrooms are also extremely clean. Can be a bit pricey, depending what you select. But it is well worth it...check it out!

Reviewed By: Mags

Reviewed on: 0000-00-00

First the big buzz was about Casa Grande; now it's about Viva. I went with four family members (all of us adults), and we managed to get there right before the dinner rush. Our appetizers - bruschetta, crab dip, and salads - were alright; nothing to write home about, and the bruschetta tasted a bit strange, but the atmosphere was very pleasant and we didn't mind. The entrees took a long time to get to us; apparently my steak was taking longer to cook, which was a lousy excuse since ordered it rare. When dinner did come, the portions were surprisingly small - the half- portions they offered really were like a kid's sized meal - even though everything tasted great. Not the best dining experience ever, but certainly decent by Berks standards. If you do go, opt for the wine and stay away from the coffee: they may call it a "mocha" and a "cappuccino", but it's all instant coffee. Yuck.

Reviewed By: LINDA SPRINGBORN

Reviewed on: 0000-00-00

I ate at Viva twice for lunch and I am looking forward to making a selection off of their dinner menu. The atmosphere is hip and casual with a touch of class. I have sampled three different variations of soup and found each to be wonderful to the tastebuds. The fish special was fantastic- perfect texture and taste. The portions are reasonable, unlike the mega servings a lot of restaurants offer. Bananas Foster cheese cake and the tiramisu will delight anyone's sweet tooth. Service was a little on the slow side but the staff is very friendly. The cappucino was average and cola drinks could be a little larger, but none of it matters much becuase the whole dining experience at Viva is just enjoyable. I hear that Viva is the place to be on a Tues. night when Bunchafunk plays - cannot wait to check them out!

Reviewed By: Mark

Reviewed on: 0000-00-00

Don't listen to Ringo, he is an idiot. I was there for dinner Saturday night, and from 10 o'clock on, there is a jazz band playing. Also,the food was wonderful. I had the Viva Steak and it may have been the best steak I ever ate at a restaurant. Highly recommend!!!