The food here are nice.
Their Tapas is delicious and very authentic.
However, the experience we had last weekend was not so good.
Mainly due to the bed service they have.
The person who served our table did not provide us water, we have to ask for it.
Every time we need anything, we need to wave for a long time and ask another waiter to help us. He never check on our dining experience nor ask if the food is ok. Basically, after we put down the order, he never come to us again. My friend whom came from London thought this is typical American service. I tried to explain that this is unusual.
Anyway, Really Bad bad service.
And in the middle of dinning, he stops serving our table (We can see him always chatting with another people at the bar) So we end up served by another waiter, which is way better than him.
We felt that we were simply ignored and it made us feel a really bad experience. Even though their food is nice, I don't think I will be there again simply by the treatment we received.
We had a wonderful time at VIVO Restaurant and Lounge. The service was fantastic as was the food. We also had a Groupon for VIVO and they treated us so fine. We had at least three people checking on us during the meal. Very attentive service without being precocious.
They served us a Spanish style bread with two sauces to start. That was awesome. We ordered the Garlic Shrimp and the Clams in a tomato broth for the two tapas. Our main meals were the shrimp, chorizo, chicken and veal with rice and the bacon wrapped filet mignon. Both meals were delicious and we had to take some home with us because of the size of the portions.
The Groupon came with two classes of wine. We also ordered a coconut mojito which was delish. After dinner, we decided to walk around the Ironbound section. There was a Portuguese fair on Ferry Street that night and It was a great people watching event. A lot of fun.
As we walked back towards VIVO, we decided to try the bakery that is on the corner of Jackson and Ferry Street. We ordered two coffee's and I asked the
counterperson "what's one of your best desserts that you serve". She recommended a dessert that looked like a Strawberry Shortcake but wasn't. It was soooo much better. I believe it was a Spanish dessert that translates to "4 milk" cake. It was truly a food orgasm. Honestly, one of the best desserts I have ever had.
It was a tremendous night in Newark. Really glad we went. A lot of fun and the food was great...
We were quite impressed! Warmly greeted at the door of the lovely Spanish-style restaurant, the dining experience was terrific from the start. My hesitation to go there because it's also a lounge/club was quickly erased.
We went in with a Groupon and were asked about whether we had one immediately after being seated... where many restaurants seem a bit bothered by Grouponers, they were quick to explain the deal as well as the fact that if we ordered above the deal amount, the difference would just be tacked on to the bill. Â Awesome. The deal also came with 2 glasses of wine but they also offered 3 different types of sangria. We both got the white sangria, which was delicious.
For appetizers, we ordered the gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic sauce), and the tabla de emputidos (a cold meat platter). The shrimp was pretty good, if a touch over-cooked, with a definite garlic flavor. The meats were a mixed bag - 2 were really good, and 2 were just okay.
We both got steaks for our entrees. My filet was cooked to perfection and was much larger than its 10 oz advertised size. It was tender and really among the best steaks I've had in a long time. It came with a choice of sauces; the portobello sauce I opted for was just yummy - kind of like a thick marsala sauce. His skirt steak was a touch over-cooked, but was really flavorful and satisfying. Both entrees came with tasty yellow rice and an almost superfluous baked potato dusted with parmesan.
They added some gratuity on to the bill along with tax and extra beverages (per the Groupon agreement), but the gratuity really wasn't enough. My math is pathetic, but I think it was about 11%. The excellent service truly deserved more, so I did not hesitate to add extra.
Restrooms were clean, tables were comfy. We'd happily go back!
I was very skeptical of this place based on several negative reviews so my expectations were very low. With that said, I found my overall experience to be better than anticipated. Dined on a Sat night with a party of 4 and from the hostess to the waiter, everyone was very nice. The restaurant decor was very chic, had a NYC vibe to it. Â We ordered shrimp and octopus as tapas, which were tasty. Our entrees included surf and turf, lobster stuffed with crabmeat, salmon stuffed with crabmeat, and sole wrapped around jumbo shrimp. My least fave was th sold wrapped around shrimp, it was just too much going on. However, everyone else raved about their dishes although the salmon was too oily. The sangria was ok, just something to sip on - but I highly recommend a peach martini! It was very good, should've ordered that from the start! Â Oh and after 11 all tables are cleared for dancing. So don't plan on a long dinner if you get there past 8. I would've probably stayed longer but the crowd walking in looked sketchy....
All in all, I would go back again.
Plain and simple no one in the kitchen knows how to cook....period....Pallea was dry and  bland seafood very over cooked and rice under cooked.  Stuffed lobster was not good at all it had some kinda mush and cheese stuffing.not to mention they left the tamale in the lobster...I dont care but some people may not want to run into the green slime under the muck.... nice place waiter was young but he was fine. Bread was cold and clamy.  The garlic shrimp were so overdone they wouldnt even bend  but the fried calamari were ehhh....would not repeat
Review Source:Food - mediocre at best. The tapas were decent in portion. My shrimp was not cleaned. The only thing I actually enjoyed was the bread and a watery, oily marinara.
Drinks - the bartender couldn't make an old fashioned nor did he seem to know what any of the bottles in the very extensive liquor collection were.
Service - horrible. Waiters were playing with cocktail glasses and taking photos for 20 minutes. Very inattentive staff that do not seem at all qualified to be doing their jobs. Â
Price - average. Bill for four tapas and two drinks was $50
Vibe - very intimate, romantic and lovely. If the food had been better, I would love to be taken on a date to such a beautiful restaurant.
Location - Ironbound. Given the location in Newark, it seems to stick out but in a good way. However, I'm sure you could go down the street to a less pompous affair and get a lovely meal without the costly frills.
Just got in, late thursday night for the dance club, ladies free and fellas $10 cover. Cocktails $8+ and beers $5. Live dj with Latin music on blast, hookas on deck. Its packed and the place is rather small so don't plan on doing much dancing besides close grinding, fist pumping, or head banging, that's the only thing that blew it a little for me. Besides this its a cool spot if you looking for a party.
Review Source:Great ambiance and OK food, but the service is slow and a little rude.
As a Spanish expat, I've turned to Newark as the hub of my hometown cravings since I was little. Â There are so many great Portuguese-Spanish places in the area (good rule of thumb is to go for the least flashy places with the most natives, as with every restaurant) that this place doesn't really compare. Â It's slightly cheaper than Mompou and has more options, though, so it's a good place to bring guests or meet up for a drink/tapas.
The food isn't great, but they do offer very large portions.  I would NOT, however, recommend the octopus.  As a Galician  (we're experts in octupus, oddly enough) I'd say stay away! too expensive and pretty terrible.  But if you stick with basic Spanish tapas (calamari, tortilla, etc.) you should be okay.
Our server, who we had the few times we were there, was rude and brought everything out suuuuuuuuuuper slowly. Â He was by far the worst part of the meal. Â Just an unpleasant guy who obviously did not care about his job or being friendly to us. Â Plus, we've always had to wait super long for food or even drinks to be brought out, while our waiter chatted and lounged by the bar. Â I know that this is sometimes not the waiter's fault, but the place was empty and he took forever to take our order, let alone bring our drinks.
TL; DR: This place has great potential (ambiance, location, drinks), but the food is "eh" and the service is bad.
The food Gods were watching over us Saturday night.
A miserable traffic jam to Jersey City forced us to veer off to Ferry St in Newark.
Where to go?
Got a parking spot right in front of Vivo. Â Let's go in and try it.
Sat at the bar and had wonderful authentic Spanish tapas in a nice setting w/ fantastic drinks and super nice service.
The pata negra was fabulous as was the apples & manchego, patatas w/ ailoli, gambas w/ ajillo and croquetas. Â Delicious.
I've had better paella, but loved the small plates.
Stick with the tapas. Â Really fun place.
We will be back!
Great happy hour specials! Â Food is OK, so I'll eat there when I go for happy hour, but not where I would pick to go for dinner. Â The evening crowd is not really my scene - as the evening progresses the number of girls in very short, very tight dresses increases exponentially... My guy friends love it! Â They occasionally like to go at night, once the tables are cleared and there's also dancing. Â I prefer it for after-work with coworkers. Â Then again, I also prefer not to stay in Newark too late so it suits my purposes just fine for that.
Review Source:Not a horrible place to hang out. Newark still has a way to go,
They clear the dining area at around 9:30-10pm for dancing. Drinks weren't very good. The bartendresses weren't very knowledgeable, but after a couple of poorly made drinks, they all begin to taste the same I suppose. ;)
Lighting was a bit bright for a club, but I suppose they're still figuring a few things out.
i brought a certificate from <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> and spent about 200 worth of food here,
food was yummy and the waiters are friendly i had a great time here and enjoyed my experiences
I'm only rating Vivo on their food, and I think they have the best tapas in the ironbound. The tortilla espanola, pulpo, squid, and stuffed mushrooms were all delicious and very affordable for the neighborhood, especially compared to Mompou just up Ferry St. Go to Vivo for tasty, cheap tapas so long as you can tolerate dining in a club with changing neon lights in the background.
Review Source:It was my first time visiting Vivo Spanish Restaurant & Lounge Friday night with friends and we all had a blast. Â The Manager gets 5-Stars for treating us well. Â We forgot to make reservations and he was able to get tables together for us. Â We all ordered many different tapas and had a wonderful family style dinner. Â All tapas ordered were delicious. Â Good table service. Â Great mixture of music and we danced all night long. Â Thank you Vivo for showing us a great time!!!
Review Source:I have been to a ton of the tapas places in the Ironbound looking for the right combination of good food, good drinks, and value. VIVO is the best that I have found. I almost gave this place a 5 star review but I save those for the really special places. This place is great though- 4.5 stars for sure.
To clarify, I haven't tried the non tapas entrees so I can't speak for those.
Came for 2 for 1 tapas on Tuesday. Yup, 2 for 1. Awesome deal.We were able to try a ton of stuff and only paid about $25 for the food. Â
Dishes:
**Gambas Al Ajillo (Shrimp with Garlic) was delicious. Super generous portion of shrimp. This dish is like olive oil, shrimp, and garlic- it should be easy to make but so many restaurants I have gone to manage to mess it up.
**Patatas ali-oli (potatoes with garlic) were okay but I would have preferred them to be more cooked (they were slightly undercooked) and way crispier.
**Championes Rellenos (stuffed mushrooms) were good. Did not expect them to be deep fried but you could taste the mushrooms and the bacon. A little heavy but good.
**Tortilla de Jamon y Manchego: way bigger than I expected. Thought it would just be a slice but it was a little mini one. It was okay, not the best I've had but good.
Sangria was $12 for a small pitcher. It was very strong. I've had better sangria in the neighborhood but for the price, it was a steal. They also made it fresh rather than letting it sit (which is good but also doesn't allow the flavors to develop as much)
They have an amazing happy hour: $4 margaritas and martinis including everything on their regular menu. You can get some pretty well made drinks for a bargain.
They also have some other daily deals aside from the 2 for 1 tapas (1/2 price sangria on Fridays, food discounts other nights).
The restaurant is also nice looking. It is definitely a nice place to have some drinks and food and not break the bank either. Highly recommended
I bought a gift certificate from <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> Â to use with my bf for our regular friday night dinner date. We got to this place around 9:30pm. As we walk in, the hostess said that the only table available was this one table right by the door, which I didn't like because it was chilly out and they had the doors open. I saw that they had two empty tables by the bar and asked if we could sit there and she said on a very rude tone, that the only table available was the one by the door, If we didn't want it sit there we could go sit at the bar. So we did.
The barmaid was nice, and said that she didn't know why we couldnt sit on the tables that were available but she would help us getting food and drinks.
We order a few tapas and a chicken dish. One our after she took our order, we still were waiting for our food. When we asked her if our food would take much longer she said that yes it would because they were busy and that the chef wasn't very good.
Our total wait time for the food was 1hour and 20 min. (plus I saw people that got there after us getting their food way before we did.) The chicken dish was good, the tapas were ok. The total overall of the food was ok, nothing out of the ordinary, the sangria we ordered was very good.
It looked like they were more worried about getting ready for their lounge/night club time than serving their dinning customers.
Maybe the nightclub is better since you don't really need to order food!
Will not be going back to the restaurant!
I can't speak for the food here but I've been to VIVO for the night club. Â It's OK...just OK. Â Kind of small and the bathrooms are dirty....they have an attendant in the men's bathroom but not in the women's room? Â But the door to the men's room was open...it was so much cleaner, bowl of mints, etc...why not do the same for the ladies? Â Or at least clean it? Â Maybe even a little TP? Â Just a suggestion. Â
Music is typical top 40, random Spanish music, and rap. Â The crowd varies...heavy on the Spanish side but that's fine. Â Gets kind of packed in there and hard to move around/dance. Â Also the tables are limited in there...if you want to sit you usually have to go bottle service. Â The "VIP" area....lmao...is always empty...probably because of how stupidly overpriced their bottles are...but then again who is getting a bottle at VIVO anyway?
Throw in some weirdly dressed gogo dancers on the bar who kick over your drinks. Â I'm fine with the dancers...but maybe have a different place for them to go instead of on the bar? Â Drinks are reasonably priced but kind of watered down.
Be careful with bartenders there...they're kinda shady...they added some of my friend's drinks to my tab. Â When I got the bill, I saw it was really high and asked why...and you have to ask because they don't provide itemized receipts. Â Took a conference between all 3 bartenders to figure out what happened. Â Once we got to the bottom of the issue, I asked their manager to adjust my bill and add the drinks onto my friend's tab. Â He told me in very broken English and with many hand gestures that she had to pay me for the drinks...what? Â Whatever my friend and I worked it out but shouldn't of had to deal with the hassle for their screw up. Â
I guess I'd go back...if there's nothing else going on.
I purchased several gift certificates from <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> with the intent of trying out more Spanish restaurants in my current city of Newark, New Jersey. I'm told we're known for this stuff.
Vivo Tapas Lounge was selected for having "Tapas" in its name. Me love tapas! Like Spanish versions of my dear Dim Sum! Me LOVE Dim Sum!
Although this area is packed with food options, the restaurants aren't always aesthetically designed. I was actually quite surprised by how nice and un-cheesy this place is. You can tell from walking in that this place doubles as a nightclub. There's an elevated DJ booth, club lights on the ceiling (though not active during dinner hours) and duh, "lounge" is also in the name. There are brick walls and arches to provide an old world charm, colored lit walls giving us a modern club atmosphere, plush lounge seating somewhat separated from the main dining/dancing area by a low iron gate and sheer drapes lining the length of one wall, a full bar lining another wall, and ample removable dining sets on what I assume is the dance floor on certain nights and hours.
Our server, (receipt says his name is) Nuno, was friendly and courteous, before and after we presented our gift certificate, and he was efficient throughout our meal.
The bread came out with a couple of garlicky dipping sauces that almost made me cry. So good! We ordered exclusively from the tapas menu (this time), both hot and cold, and we either really liked, loved, or really loved what we ordered. Freshness was at its peak! Flavors and aromas were on point!
Me love Vivo!
I really like the atmosphere, but really bad food. I went to Vivo to watch the Euro Cup and first of all the food was horrible. The food was so bland, had no taste and only thing that was good to eat was bread, which is sad. The drinks were reasonable, but I was upset because I liked the place, but bad food.
Review Source:Not a bad choice for the neighborhood. Â The tapas menu is pretty heavy on fried foods, which is why this is only a three star place in my book. Â I'm sure that some of the entrees are more balanced, but they are also more expensive!
The service isn't the best. Â On more than one occasion, the bartender has just hung out at the other end of the bar, chatting with people. Â Not cool, but also strangely par for the course for the Ironbound.
Good party spot, place gets packed to a brim where you cant even walk comfortably. Atmosphere was good the last time I was here, drink specials part of the night, pretty  ladies, but nothing you probably havent seen before.Parking can blow since it's right off ferry st so get there early if you dont want to walk 3 blocks. I'll come here and try their tapas and update my review then.
Review Source:Interesting place. We arrived just after the Real Madrid and Barcelona game. Â Place was still buzzing. Not a typical restaurant , took awhile to get seated, service was a little slow but friendly. We were in ro rush so not an issue. Sangria was very good, food was very good. We had three tapas plates and a filet mignon which was also very good. I would go back next time in Ironbound. Prices were reasonable and more than fair given the quality.
Review Source:great place, you can almost miss it, if you walk to the "other" side of their business, which is connected to the restaurant.
nice atmosphere, and decor, and tapas are excellent. I went with my special someone, off hours, before the late night  "dance-lounge" transformation, and it was perfect. Not crowded or noisy at all, good time to go is before 8 pm if you want a quieter dining experience and more cozy feel.
We didnt even eat the main courses, just came in for tapas and they were a hit! Good portions and very reasonable prices. Food presentation and garnish was done well.
Service was friendly, except for a hickup, when i was told "are you sure" if i wanted some sugar in my mojito. nothing major though :) Â and yes they speak good english!
oh and not to mention the 4 dollar mojitos, until 7 pm. after that they double in pri$e.. Â
The apple and cheese tapas.. recommended. til next time ciao yelpers!
4 stars for their happy hour, which is the best I have seen. This place should be packed every evening from 4 to 7. All martinis, even top shelf, are four dollars and for a very nice sized drink. Not your every day 4oz martini glass. Also $2 to $3 beers, in the bottle, make this place a steal. The bartender is nice, pleasant and mixes a good drink and you dont need to speak Portugese. The tapas menu on Tuesdays are two for one which makes it an even better place to be on this day. Not all shine like the sun, but at least like a nice full moon on a cloudless night. Try the sliced apples with manchego cheese and olive oil. Out of this world for a simple dish. Shrimp and garlic, which is offered in like only a thousand places in Newark is very good. The garlic is roasted first and then combined with the shrimp. Pure garlic heaven. If they offer Rock and Roll Shrimp as a special, it is a must order. These are the highlights but nothing is not at least good. And two for one makes a great bargain.
Review Source:Went here for dinner last night with a couple of friends. Â We had just missed the happy hour (4 dollar mojitos for those of you who care for such things). Â We got a pitcher of sangria (delicious) and ordered various dishes off the tapas menu: croquettes, stuffed mushrooms, baby clams, calimari over rice, deep fried mussels and various other sundries. Â Everything was good, not costly, very filling - tapas can be a meal in itself. Â Staff was very accommodating, friendly, etc. Â Atmosphere is sleek, dim, white clothed tables, not too crowded on a weekday - place was practically empty when we got there at 7, but by 930 there was more of a crowd. Â Plenty of television sets, but this time of night they were showing mostly melodramatic novellas, which was entertainment in itself.
Review Source:VIVO is basically the newest dance-lounge on the block in the Ironbound although it's been a round for over a year. I'll cover both it's Tapas Lounge personality and its Club personality.
So let's get On With The Review!
Location: You really can't get too much better. It's right on the corner of Ferry and Jackson, smack in the middle of the Ironbound in Newark. If you get there early, should have ample street parking.
Decor: Stone walls and dark furniture give it a cave-wine cellar kind of feel that works well. It is filled with a flat screens. Long L-shaped bar that's the length of the place, VIP area, self standing DJ booth and plenty of table space. It can be intimate on the less busy nights.
Lounge Crowd: This is a early-20's, attractive crowd on most nights. At times, you will get a noticeable amount of borderliners tho (20/21). However they tend to be in a very good mood and are very party oriented. The latin nights are more of "hick" latin then sophisticated latin crowd.
Ambiance: Expect a very pleasantly calm tapas experience and wilder lounge experience on weekends - but not as wild on off nights. You can definitely bring a date here at anytime depending on what kind of talk level you're looking for. This has a substantial young Spaniard crowd feel to it at all times.
Lounge Cost: Reasonably priced drinks with plenty of specials every single night which is hard to keep up with. The cost of drinkgs will not break your bank at all ,but do NOT expect a cheap drinking hole. $6-$10 is about what is expected for this kind of place ,which is the going rate for all lounges in the area.
Tapas Cost: This may seem slightly expensive to some but not if you know how to order. Tapas are meant to be shared with other tapas. Do not get one tapa as a meal. Prices range from $4-$9 and you need to order more than one  for it to make sense. This strategy should keep you satisfied from a hunger standpoint without killing your pocket.
Lounge Service: The bartenders are quick and plentiful. The waitresses are around but can be a little lonely at times, so they'll come up to you a lot. BE VERY CAREFUL when opening tabs - a lot of times you will be charged a service fee - feel free to ask about this charge. I'd pay cash as much as you can, one round or drink at a time. You can then control the tip as you see fit. Everyone is very courteous regardless and all good looking.
Tapas Service: The waitstaff is very courteous and attentive. However, orders have been known to take a long time to come out of the kitchen depending on the item! You will never be treated wrongly here and they will do their best to ensure you enjoy your dining experience.
Tapas Menu: Hands down the best tapas place in Newark. Come here with a group and mix it up. Everything is very tasty and as fun as it should be to eat. I'd recommend the Diablo sausages, the Octopus and the stuffed Peppers. They also have the traditional Spanish tapa - the tortilla (which is kinda like a thick omellete with lots of ingredients mixed in)
Drink Menu: They love mojitos here, but some bartenders have messed them up! Most of the time tho you'll get a cool mix of offerings - especially if you like fruit-juiced based stuff. They have a full bar, so everything else is here too as well as bottle service for those VIP nights.
Lounge Music:
You'll have a myriad of music depending on the night. The play a lot of whatever genre is popular with hip-hop and dance leading the way. Thursdays, as of this post, is latin music night. They have karaoke on some nights too - just give them a call and they'll let you know what's going down.
Security: This is rock solid and very courteous. The bouncers/doormen know to appreciate your visit and protect your stay. The place, really has no real violence problems and most people are easy going. No complaints here.
Conclusion:
Vivo as a tapas lounge is great and a bit of a hidden gem. Vivo as a nightclub has a bit of an inconsistency but generally good vibe due to its small size. The impression of it being filled is an easy task, which ultimately attracts more people seeking the "happening" place of the night.
Pros:
Tapas are the best in town
Intimate setting
Cool decor
Lively crowd
Cons:
Waitstaff is a but untrustworthy with tipping
Smallish
H-Cane's Final Spin: Vivo seems to still be on the verge and I feel it has yet to meet it's potential. The tapas are hands down amazing and fun - but remember order several and mix it up, come with friends! The lounge has a lively, younger crowd. It's great for a date, especially on the calmer off nights! If you come to hookup - it can happen on the club nights. Be weary - most Newark partiers are heavy drinkers, bring a DD.
Went here once on a Friday night after meeting up with some HS friends. I had never heard of it before, but then again I'm not often out in Newark. I left pleasantly surprised. There was no cover, and it was largely European / House / Techno music, which was cool. Bar was pretty crowded, but there were alot of attractive females there. Pretty big space for dancing as well. If you're in the area and like techno, try it out.
Review Source:I went here with some law school friends after class, for an early dinner and drinks. Â The space is really nice, kind of like an underground cellar feel with lots of exposed brick and dark wood. Â The owner/manager is a former bartender from Don Pepe's in Newark, and a native of northern Spain. Â We enjoyed a few tasty tapas items: seafood cream filled jalapeno poppers, chorizo, a spanish omelette type dish, and an anti-pasto type dish. Â All were very flavorful! Â
Some of us ordered mojitos, which personally I thought were sub-par, however maybe they were more "authentic" than I understood. Â They were not carbonated at all, and the lime was more a garnish than muddled with the lime. Â Not my thing, but bar scene is probably huge on the weekends because its a big part of the floor space. Â
Would definitely hit this place up again with friends for drinks or food! Â Happy hour(s) is 4-7pm with discounted beers ($3), martinis and mojitos ($4).
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