I came for dinner and Omgosh!!! So tasty!! I had my favorite : Mexican Street Corn and I had this seafood soup..mmmm yummy!!! I enjoyed my dinner here so much!! I like the music and everyone was super polite!!! A sit down experience here is amazing!!! Can't wait until next time!!! Previously I had written up a nasty review and I should not have. Why? This place has some seriously good food....like close your eyes and you can taste it, it so good. Some hard working people and they are So nice and they aim to please. Now the downside which is why I had written the nasty review is because they are a little slow, now with that being said perfection is not a quick process. With that being said dont stop by if you are in a rush because they just don't operate on that. I'm gonna try to go for dinner and sit down and eat because I really do enjoy the food especially the Mexican street corn!!! And the spicy chicken soup!!! My personal favorite things!!!

So great! Get the birria tacos!

The best Mexican food in Albany, NY. The service excellent and a great ambiance. No complaints. Hands down one of the best!

A friend in Albany recommended Viva Cinco De Mayo to us and it was worth the trip! The food was reasonably priced and the portions generous. The food was tasty and they had some unusual items on the menu. Our server clearly had English as a second language (and my Spanish is basically non-existent), so I had to use the internet to try to decipher what some of those unusual items were, which isn't always clear. I took a chance on trying something new and it was even better than expected! My husband got the chicken mole, which was solid. I only wish we could have tried more.

Was able to visit last month. This was so great! If in Albany , stop in . We tacos which were the best I ever had. Please stay authentic.

We ordered three meals and each one was delicious! We got so much food for each meal and the prices are good. I can’t wait to bring the rest of my family here to try new menu items. The food is authentic and everything was 10/10. Would definitely recommend.

This is my top pick for Mexican in the Albany area. The elote is by far the best (with thoughtful packaging if ordered delivery), amazing birria and one of the few places that offers beef tongue.

What a treat and just around the corner from me. Stopped in for nachos and a glass of wine. Going back soon to explore the menu. Excellent!

Recommended by a friend who is from Mexico City. Fresh tortillas and chips. Guac and avocados perfectly ripe. Many choices of meat to choose from, but they can make vegetarian as well. No alcohol, btw.

Tasty authentic Mexican food, friendly service, and great atmosphere.

Amazing authentic Mexican food and drinks. Range of prices, I had 3 Sopes (~$15) and my partner had a traditional plate ($23). One if best micheladas in Albany. Drink options include jars/pitchers of jamaica and horchata. Lovely staff. Highly recommend. Nice little patio.

Nice little place. Great food, attentive staff.

+1

My order was actually a pick up order but I decided to stay and eat. The food and service was AMAZING!

The tacos de lengua were out of this world delicious. I had never had tongue tacos before, but OMG I’ll make a special trip to have them again and again. Lunch partner had sangria and then fajitas which looked great and, reportedly, were great. Service was friendly and efficient. Flan and coffee were tasty. Restroom was very clean. We ate outside at a sidewalk table. Interior was very vibrant, colorful and cozy. We will definitely go back. We are not connected to the restaurant in any way. Just happened to be in the neighborhood and searched for a close by Mexican eatery. A very lucky find!!

The food here is very authentic and the prices are reasonable.

Large portions and delightful dishes. Chips, salsa and guacamole were great and chimichanga requrered 2 hands.

One of the best Mexican restaurants. Must try. We absolutely loved the food.

+6

Extremely good vegetarian tacos (quantity of 3) accommodating my diet. Friend had Birria tacos and enjoyed a lot. Spicy sauces took me to another world! Jamaica was rly good too. Tres leches for dessert. Server were so kind and spoke with us in Spanish as well

The birriaquesa tacos were unbelievable - perfectly tender shreds of juicy beef in crunchy tacos with savory chili flecked consommé for dipping. My husband had the taco lunch special and said it was the best chorizo he'd ever had. I can't wait to go back - next time we're getting the churros with caramel I saw on the specials board.

Always great food. Authentic Mexican dishes are great. Its a hidden gem.

+3

I got Chicken Nachos, they were amazing. I also got rice and beans which were good. The service was great and I will definitely be back.

This is like my third time updating this review. I cannot praise this place enough. I was here for a birthday party and the staff were so friendly. There are other Latin cuisine places in Albany, but this is the only one I frequently return to.

Ordered flauta de pollo for lunch. Delicioso! I recommend 100% It’s a corn tortilla stuffed with chicken then fried and topped with lettuce tomato cheese fresh cilantro and sour cream… delicious

Very good food very delicious. I enjoy it and the best part I’m only 20 seconds away.

Awesome little place. Music. Atmosphere. Great staff and to top it off the food was excellent.

Dined here for the first time tonight with my girlfriend and we enjoyed everything about it (we sat at the counter). The food, the music, the decor, the service. Everything was perfect. It seems they have a regular crowd and even the other customers looked to be in high spirits. The two servers were attentive, fast, extremely friendly and didn't ever make us feel rushed even when we had questions. They were busy but their smiles never faded. From my personal experience serving, bartending and being a guest when dining out, that is not something you seen often and it makes a world of a difference. We sat there for a while after we were done (which we never do) because of how much we were enjoying being there. Thank you to all of the staff here. We can't wait to come back!

Really authantic mexican food. Everyone ingredient they use is fresh. The tortilla chips are something different than your regular. Would highly recommend to try. Also if you happen to be a vegeterian like my wife, they will help you customize any order with various veggie options. I had the chipotle chicken tacos. AMAZING

DoorDash to Albany Medical!! Fresh & delicious!! Steak tacos 🌮 & guacamole & 🥑 chips so good !

Went in to order takeout, the staff was friendly and helpful. Atmosphere was chill too. Presentation on the food was really great too! Definitely recommend!

I always love the food here my top favorite is the rice and quesidillla

+1

Delicious authentic Mexican food. Good service, good portions and good prices

This place deserves every bit of 5 stars excellent portions for the price, deliciously seasoned, fresh and never stale. Personal favorite is the tostadas, but in my opinion they have the best nachos in the capital region - if you like loaded nachos its a massive plate for the price of like 13 dollars.

We love this place! We go almost every other week. The birria tacos are amazing. Their chips are really great too! My favorite restaurant in Albany.

Loved EVERYTHING about this restaurant. Family owned and absolutely authentic. Everything homemade. My Ceviche was the best I've ever had and the veggie soft tacos were delicious. Sangria was yummy too❣️ Can't wait to go back!

Viva Great Food! We ventured out seeking some Tex-Mex for lunch in downtown Albany and decided to try Viva Cinco De Mayo (VCDM). I figured a 4.4 review on Google meant something and it does. VCDM offers a great variety of dishes including options for vegetarians, a few breakfast selections, and a dedicated lunch menu. We chose the enchilada and chimichanga platters. The enchiladas platter comes with three (the lunch menu offers two) and can be topped with any combination of their green, red, or bean sauce; we weren’t quite sure if you could mix the meats. Both platters came with sides of rice and black beans. My husband chose chicken as the protein and tried each of the different sauces. Served atop the sauces is a layer of finely chopped lettuce, a sprinkling of cheese, and a drizzle of sour cream. His favorite sauce was the bean sauce but said the other two were good. It was just something about the bean sauce which was a bit better tasting. My carnitas chimichanga came out golden brown with a side of guacamole and a sliced radish on top of the rice which made for a pleasant-looking dish. It came stuffed full of green peppers, onion, red peppers, cheese, and meat. I opted to leave out the green peppers. The only downfall to the dish was they may have doubled up on the red peppers since I asked to forego the green ones; the red peppers were a bit overwhelming. Aside from that, it was delicious as the cheese was melted and stringy and the pork cooked well and perfectly seasoned. We both thoroughly enjoyed the black beans as it seems they add a touch of cacao. They offer Mexican Coca-Cola by the bottle and free chips and salsa. They do quite a bit of take-out business which may have slowed the kitchen as it seemed like the food took a bit of time to arrive. The delay was not an issue, however, as we were sitting outside enjoying the nice weather and the food itself was worth the wait. Our server was quite pleasant and helpful, and the restaurant looks to be well-kept. All-in-all, we’ll soon be going back for more.

This is one of the most authentic places for mexican food. Have eaten here 2 times delivery 2 times. Always spot on delicious!!! Reasonable prices and awesome food. Highly recommend!!!

Yoooo this is my first time here and already luv it! Do not hesitate to come eat here. Awesome customer service and the taste of the food is full of flavor. I hope they open more locations.

Authentic and delicious. Best guacamole and Caldo de Siete Mares in the Northeast. Super friendly and passionate owners and staff. ...and the yummy Menudo, and the proper overflowing Molcajete.... 😋 Homemade desserts are out of this world as well.

+1

We ended up here somewhat accidentally, but this ended up being an excellent Mexican meal! Everything tasted home-cooked and nicely seasoned, not "Tex-Mex." Service was great and it's got a nice homey vibe.

WOW. Hands down the best food I’ve had in a while. It’s authentic. They give you large portions especially for the price!! I ordered Sopas through DoorDash that’s why the pic shows my food on cardboard. Every single one was better then the last. Husband ordered enchiladas but finished before I could snap a photo. We will absolutely go here/get food from here again soon and if you’re anywhere nearby I urge you to check it out!

Called in 4 orders of birra tacos, omg delicious!! Their service was friendly & order was perfect. I live in Sch'dy I WILL make it there once a month, I'm hooked! Hubby & I planning future date nights! Atmosphere was great!

Superior service and food....so authentic. Enchiladas are outrageous. Save room for the BEST flan around and cafe con leche. I tip my sombrero!

The best! Food is fresh and made to order chili rellenos! Sometimes can be too busy so it slows the service but always worth the wait. Salsas, tacos, enmoladas, it’s all good.

Ariana Arlette

I have been here twice and both times have been lovely. Service could be a little more attentive but the food is incredible and satisfied that homemade mexican meal I crave. I especially love the Molcajete platter as you can eat the meats with rice and beans or even make tacos out of them. The meat is always amazingly flavored exceeding all my expectations!

Hal Sossner

This place makes good food. The portions are large. Had a few different things, all good.

abel vargas

Excellent place to eat mexican food. We were a party of 3, walked in & took the last table available. Ambiance was quaint, looked family oriented, good music, positive vibes all night! Food was excellent, margaritas hit the spot & our server was so nice & attentive. We ordered the quesa-birria tacos, chicken tacos & a birria quesadilla with rice & beans. Excellent food, perfectly seasoned, and their hot sauces are delicious. Chips & nachos were good, the margaritas tasted like a premix solution but they hit the spot alcohol wise😉!!! We definately will return and I will go for the biggest margarita as they offer them in 3 sizes; I had the medium size this time around. Street parking available...

Morgan

Truly no notes when it comes to Viva Cinco De Mayo!Each time I eat here, I switch up my order because the food is just that good. This time around I ordered the Bistec Chilaquiles. The corn tortillas were perfectly fried and smothered with their homemade green sauce and queso - couldn't ask for a better brunch.

Jenn M

The food was pretty good. Probably the best tortilla chips I've ever had. The fajitas were ok - a bit overcooked. The service and atmosphere make it 100% worth it.

Girlmama Motheroffour

I had a doctors appointment at the Medical Center on New Scotland, so we were looking for a good place to eat close by and we are so glad we found this little place. Great service, great food and great authentic atmosphere ! We highly recommend the Fajitas and Strawberry Lemonade! I also have never had better Flan than here! So creamy!

David Frank

One of the best Mexican restaurants in all of albany. This is a great neighborhood Hangout to have very good Mexican food. They have a wide selection of authentic Mexican drinks. They have a bar with some specials like sangria. They have a wide variety of appetizers and give you complementary chips and salsa with your meal. The horchata is very good. The large is almost a pitcher size. They have traditional and non-traditional Mexican dishes. I had the tacos which were excellent. I also had the elote which was good but very rich. The servers are very friendly and the atmosphere is festive.

+16

Vin Vin Hines

I don't think anyone understands how much I love Viva Cinco De Mayo and Birria tacos. They are hands down the best I have tried in Albany. And even though I will say, I do like some other spots, my go to is Viva! I ordered and brought home as I normally do, but when I go there I love the atmosphere of the place. The employees are always smiling and happy to greet me when I come, I love that most about Viva -- you really do feel like you could be family in there. The pictures I am posting I took on my phone, trying to be fancy. But to be honest, these capture the love that are in these tacos. If I wasn't worried about being over 300lbs again, I would eat these daily -- however, I don't like the gym -- so twice a month is what I have to limit myself too. I have had their other food and love that too, guac is always on point -- and some of the freshest tasting salsa around.

Cameron Rodgers

I love this spot!! I get the shredded chicken tostadas everytime, because they are SO GOOD! You should definitely try out their sangria as well, I got the white sangria this time, and it was perfect for summer. My son is usually a very picky eater, and he ordered the chicken quesadilla and devoured it.

Collin Simmons

All of the food was very very good but the asada fries were above and beyond, I will remember those fries for the rest of my life. Portions are large, especially for the price but flavor does not suffer. The drinks are even big, if you get a lemonade they bring you a mini pitcher with a straw. Everyone was super friendly. There's a few tables inside, a couple outside, and a bar you can sit at. But for real, get those asada fries.

+1

Susan Rice

Colorful and brightly decorated dining room with friendly staff. Ordered 2 chicken enchiladas to go, they were delicious. I wished the meat was shredded vs cut into chunks but that's just me. Great flavors and big portions!

+2

Jeff Aranda

Came across this gem while getting my haircut at Dukes next door. On my first visit I was pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail in such an unassuming place. The decor reminded me of Mexican eateries in L.A. and San Diego. Nothing like this really in Upstate (Cantina in Saratoga is a fusion type place and El Mexicano in Albany is genuinely traditional, with a slightly American twist). It’s almost like a taqueria from East L.A., which is a pretty great thing! I’ve been here several times since my first visit and keep coming back because the food is so authentic. They’re the only place I know of in the capital region that offers tortas and sopes and a pretty decent Tres Leches cake. They keep it as close as traditional as they possibly can with much success. Every time I’ve stopped in I am greeted very warmly. The service has always been attentive and friendly. I think it’s under appreciated since it sits in the middle of a busy street. If you blink, you might miss it, but keep your eyes open and stop in for some good ol fashion Mexican eats! You won’t be disappointed!

The food was excellent and authentic. 2 caveats: 1) no margaritas!!! 2) I saw a mouse running around behind our table. I imagine this is pretty common in winter in Albany but the restaurant should be doing more to address this issue. Some people would freak out if they saw a mouse near their food.

great costumer service and excellent food, will definitely go again!!

Pretty good food! Birria is good but the consume needed salt. Fun place to have a quick bite with a few beers with your friends!.

This place is beautiful only upset was no margaritas

+3

Stopped in to try the Birria, heard good things. Grabbed a Modelo while I waited. Quite a bussling kitchen, surprisingly quiet for the amount of food they pump out. Cute wait staff, but could have made more with a check in for dessert or any recommendations. It was probably lost in translation, but I asked for a Birria Quesadilla no cilantro and an order of whatever she liked. Ended up splitting a Birria

Amazing birria tacos as always, definitely my favorite in Albany. It definitely was busy and I understand because it’s Cinco De Mayo, but our waitress failed to tell us that our guacamole wasn’t coming anymore when our tacos came. It would’ve been nice if she informed us when she brought out the salsa (which also took extremely long btw and we had to ask twice). Anyways, the margarita was great but a little sweet. I hope to see this place expand in the future at a bigger location!

I really enjoyed the tacos lengua; good flavor and cooked perfectly. Everything on their menu looked delicious; I had trouble deciding. With friendly folks running it, I look forward to going back.

Lindsay Thurber

Carne Asada fries are unmatched, my only issue is I've gotten really greasy quesadillas. Food portions are generous as well, best in Albany I've had. If you go there and see an empty table outside grab it though. We stood in line waiting for a table and watched two guys take the only table left outside. Not the restaurant's fault, but wasn't enjoyable nonetheless.

Uncle Cyncle

Almost a 5 stars for me. Service was good and great value. The food was not bad too and portions are huge. Free parking on street.

+9

Michael Hill

This is a fun place to go. Lots of locals and university students. The place is colourful and vibrant with authentic music. The staff are nice but I would not say they move with any great pace not are they really trained. More of family vibe going on. The food was prepared well but was a bit on the bland side. But you get a lot for the price.

+11

Empress Lala Stone

A great location on the bus line! Super busy especially during lunch hour! Great item selection and clean dining room! Great kitchen and host staff. Prices are affordable! Great music playing and tv if you like to watch and eat some drinks available at this time at the bar

Ahmet S

Food are tasty and delicious, waitresses are kind and friendly. However, they need to improve/learn how to handle take out orders because it sometimes takes forever.

Raymond Wall

Very authentic! I was with some Mexican and Mexican Americans and they seemed to really appreciate the food. We went there because (I was told) the chocolate was very good. It took a looong time but it was good. They love cilantro here so if you’re part of the 14% of the population sensitive to aldehydes then make sure you say no cilantro! I’m part of the 14%! The portions were large! Except for the guacamole which went way too fast and was delicious. I usually love black beans but these tasted like they were cooked with lots of cilantro Maybe epazote? But way too much. The tortillas were very obviously made on site! But the people I was with expect that since they make fresh tortillas at home daily. My only complaint was how long it took. We were with a couple of little kids - always less patient with food. Oh, and once again if you’re vegetarian don’t eat the rice. It has chicken stock or chicken flavoring. I believe the ench sauce does too. I’ll be back.

+6

They were busy and I kept having to remind the waitress of items that she had forgotten. I had the carne asada, I would order it again.

Very authentic but the language barrier causes issues when ordering in person. No matter how many times I tell them :no cheese ' they put it all over everything. Overall the food is good. The fish tacos are an excellent choice.

Ordered online and got there when it said to. Waited another 55 mins for my food. It was busy but this felt excessive. Inside is really nice and charming. Just felt wait was too long and could have had a little more flavor.

Online prices are incredibly cheaper than if you eat in house. Wasn't expecting my meal to cost double for taking up less space.

Food is good but took an hour for them to make 3 tacos and a single burrito.

Unfortunately for a place that strives excellence, our experience was anything but. We got there early, everything seemed fine. Chips and salsa were great, unfortunately, I asked for Pico IN MY burrito… none. It came on thee side with my husbands food. It was asked for in the burrito.

Definitely thought it'd be better presentation and quality for the cost. Items weren't packaged correctly when it was delivered and so everything kinda leaked and spilled into the bags. Flan also was crumbled and looked/tasted a bit old. Food was okay but nothing spectacular. Most likely wont order from here again or at the very least wont order delivery. When grubhub contacted the restaurant, they declined to refund or apologize for the food or anything.

Tastes of nothing. Not necessarily bad, just incredibly bland. If you’re paying $14 for a burrito and sides you may as well go to chipotle.

Garry Ero

Ok I’m going to be honest nothing special here. The street corn was the best thing on the menu but was not worth $7 each 😳. The shrimp on the burrito was not grilled it was frozen thawed and warmed with hot water, Zero flavor on the shrimp not only on the burrito but on the platter as well. Black beans tasted like they came from a can. The steak had more fat than meat. And the Spanish rice had zero flavor. For $250 for 6 people which they added their own 18% tip too not cool it’s a tiny place in a not great area, not a high end restaurant. They literally have 6 double tables and bar stools. Do yourself a favor unless your desperate go somewhere else not worth the money. No pics not worth taking

Michael Delgado

The place was nice. The food was okay. Wouldn’t go out of my way for it. The chicken enchilada had no flavor and had more pepper then chicken The birria tacos were so so. The chorizo nachos were salty and but dry.

Waited forever for service, employees were talking at bar, one was sitting. Have had great service when all of our party was white, not when they 3 out of 4 were black. We were even ignored when asking for a highchair for a baby!

I so wanted to like this place. I love Mexican and have heard so many reviews about how good and authentic it is. First, I ordered online and the soonest option for pick up was 40-50 minutes which in and of itself I found unacceptable but then when my husband got there 50 minutes later, he still had to wait another 15 minutes for the food to be ready. But somehow by the time he got home with it less than 10 minutes later, both of our meals were ice cold. I got enchiladas. He got a burrito. He ate his cold and was happy with it because he'll eat anything. I microwaved mine which made the texture all wrong and honestly I didn't love the flavor of any of it. We won't be ordering again.

My husband and I finally tried this place and unfortunately what a huge mistake. About 45 miniutes after ordering dinner (enchilada plate for the both of us) I enquired how much longer it was going to be for our food only to find out the 2 incompetent waitresses who stopped by our table never placed our order. The only explanation given was "we're busy". No one even apologized but gave us the bill for our 2 sodas. This place is a joke and we will never go there again. There are much better Mexican restaurants in the area who appreciate their customers and don't make them feel like an inconvenience. Stay far away from this so called restaurant

My family and I went today, but my dad and his friend went a month ago to this restaurant and said the service was horrible because a young man who’s a waiter there was very rude to them but we decided to give this place a second chance. We went in today and the same young man was our waiter he definitely remembered my dad and his friend immediately he gave them attitude. He took our order and just put the drinks on the table also my dad asked for cofffee he never gave it to him and the drinks were diet soda from a can no cups which we found weird. He took our food order but he looked so annoyed with us finally my dad friend spoke up and said the waiter was being rude to him, the manager was nice enough to take our order but the young man started laughing us making us feel uncomfortable but we decided to stay because the manager was nice to us. We all ate our food and my dad friend ate his food but soon after complained that his stomach was hurting!!! Now he’s sick from his stomach we’re not accusing anyone but it’s not a coincidence that out of all us the only person who stood up and said something was the person who’s sick from his stomach. We’re not longer coming back that kid needs to get fired or learn some manners !!!

We ordered from them at 7pm through Grubhub only to have the restaurant cancel the order at 8:45 due to “being out of menu items.” Being a week night, this significantly limited our options to order elsewhere because most places close at 9. The restaurant could have relayed this information or declined the order immediately, but instead accepted it and put it as in progress for close to 2 hours.

My family went here Sunday for dinner cause we have heard such great things & were so excited!! All I can say is this was a massive disappointment & an absolute miserable experience!! The server took our order & then we didn't see her again until we inquired almost an hour later!! As she came out, we asked about our food & she said we are very busy & she never even put our order in to the kitchen!! I said it's been almost an hour & our order hasn't even been put in it yet, to say I was livid is an understatement!! My son is only 18 months old & we had ordered rice for him cause he was gonna be hungry!! So the excuse from her we are busy, we are busy was ridiculous!! I watched other tables get attention & thier food, so why were we neglected!! I'm just gonna say, we felt cause we didn't speak Spanish that we were not a priority in this place!! I don't say this lightly cause I've been to many, many Mexican restaurants & I've NEVER felt that way before but this place sure gives off that vibe!! I can't comment on food cause we never got any but the SERVICE IS ATROCIOUS & she never even apologized which just reinforces what we thought!! There are way better options in the area & I recommend u seek those outs & skip this disaster of a restaurant.

The music was too loud when we got there. I politely asked the waitress to turn it down but that never happened. We ordered the tacos: one each of chicken, beef, chorizo, and pork. I think that we got last night's leftovers. All of the meats were dry and tasteless. I do not recommend.

This place is HORRIBLE. Food is below average and over priced. Don't waste your time or money here.

Awful management. I ordered ahead and time and apparently no one there seems to know who took our order and then I was told that someone lost our ticket… extremely disappointed. Spend your money elsewhere. The manager who also claims she’s the owner clearly has no idea what she’s doing

The food is just aggressively mid and even more irritatingly so when I got half a toothpick in my burrito and it stabbed me in my mouth. Will never return, especially because for the price there should not be foreign objects in my food.

DO NOT COME HERE!!!!! AT ALL!! NO MATTER WHAT! My boyfriend and I came to pick up our order and it turns out they never received our order at all. The so called “owner/manager” treated us in such a rude and unprofessional way. She then told us that someone lost our ticket. What a waste of an establishment!!!!

Myself and 3 friends ordered delivery from here. As the only vegan in the group, I ordered a Veggie Chimicanga and specified without cheese. There wasn’t any vegetarian section and hardly any veggie dishes at all. When the food arrived none of it was labeled. I was handed what everyone believed was mine. When I bit into it, it was clear it was meat…disgusting. When I got my correct meal, I bit into it and it was smothered in cheese between the veggies. There was absolutely no way around it. I couldn’t eat my meal at all and had to give it to a friend. Therefore, I essentially paid $20 (my portion of the total) for small sides. Overpriced and not respectful of dietary differences. I will be exploring Mexican restaurants elsewhere. It would do them good (especially being located in a diverse city) to explore the many Mexican dishes that can be made vegan to give people some options.