Viva La Goa | Rooftop Cocktail & Shisha Lounge

I’ve always liked Viva La Goa. The vibe, the music, the drinks, the food, and the terrace used to be one of my go-to spots when I wanted something chill but lively. But something’s changed. The drinks and food are still good, I’ll give them that. Same flavors, same portions, and 5 star prices. Nothing wrong on that front. But since the bar manager changed, the energy just isn’t the same anymore. There used to be a warm, welcoming feel when you walked in. The previous manager had a way of making everyone feel like a regular, even if it was your first time. Now the experience feels cold. More transactional. And I wasn’t there alone, I brought a large group of friends. Instead of being welcomed with open arms, it felt like the attitude was, “Why are you here with so many people?” Instead of “Thank you for your business, please come again,” it felt like I was bothering him. That was very disappointing. Maybe the bar is doing so well that the new management just isn’t interested anymore. Which is fine by me, there are plenty of places in Dubai that are super hospitable and genuinely friendly. The new manager doesn’t seem interested in the warm, personal vibe that used to make the bar special to me. On the flip side, the 2 female hosts at the entrance were fantastic. Big smiles, very welcoming, and they personally escorted each guest to our table. I really want to thank them both for their exceptional hospitality. The venue itself is beautiful (take a look at the attached photos). It was too hot to sit outside, so we sat indoors, but even then, the views from the windows were amazing. And yes, the drinks are still good. But when you’re paying 5 star hotel prices, you expect to be treated like a valued guest. Other venues in the same hotel know how to do this, they’ll practically throw flower petals at your feet to get you to come back. At Viva La Goa, the manager was frowning at me like I’d done something wrong just by showing up. To be fair, t...

I recently visited Viva La Goa in Dubai for their Saturday brunch and had an amazing experience! The ambiance was lively and vibrant, just like Goa itself. The service was top-notch, with friendly and attentive staff. The brunch spread was incredible, with a wide variety of Goan dishes to choose from. We enjoyed the fish curry, vindaloo, and bebinca - everything was delicious! The portions were generous, and the prices were reasonable.

The place was very cosy, specially the lounge bar..a good place to dine specially their drinks cocktails prepared and served by their professional and approachable bartender’s while having shisha on their terrace and watching football

Came for the Sunday Brunch from 1-4pm. Arrived at 1pm and they were still setting up the brunch and the person working at the bar said you are early(which was strange as it started at 1pm) and you can sit anywhere. We went to sit in the corner section, and there was a staff member sleeping on the couch, which was very embarrassing, as I had invited guests out of town to this brunch. While waiting, the music system inside was very bad and needed to get fixed, and was playing elevator music. They kept saying don't worry the DJ will come and will be playing outside. by 1:30/1:45 the DJ arrived. They set up outside with the fans, then told us we could move there. As a brunch that we pre-booked via Careem, it was very surprising that they took this long to get set up and have food ready since we were a party of 6. Items on the menu were changed which was disappointing as things like a mimosa was not able to be made. An updated menu should be sent as this brunch is not cheap. The food during the brunch was good with a lot of variety and the staff was helpful. It's just disappointing that the brunch is from 1-4, but they were not really ready for people until 2-4, which defeats the purpose. I would have rated this place even lower as a brunch and restaurant, but Youssef really made our experience much better. He was checking in on us for the remainder of the brunch and made sure that if we needed anything, we could go. Also, Sara came and assisted towards the end as well. Overall, this brunch started off very poorly, especially as a Sunday brunch, but the team made it better towards the end. One major suggestion is to be clear about the pool access with brunch as we were told you only have access during the brunch which logistically doesn't make sense since the pool is easily accessible from the brunch it only make sense to go after which is what we did but then found out there isn't clear communication with the actually hotel pool staff. They explained about the pool acce...

A Hidden Gem – Fantastic Food and Outstanding Service We stumbled upon Viva La Goa while staying nearby and decided to give it a try—even though my wife isn’t usually a fan of spicy or Indian food. To our surprise, we were absolutely delighted with the experience. We had our 3-month-old baby with us, and the team couldn’t have been more accommodating. The staff made sure we were comfortable from the moment we arrived. The food was flavourful without being overpowering, and everything we ordered was delicious. What really stood out was the five-star service. We asked to watch the F1, and Rahul and his team went above and beyond to make it happen for us. The atmosphere was lively, with great music and a talented DJ setting the vibe, but it was still relaxed enough to enjoy with a young child. Every single member of the team was helpful, friendly, and genuinely attentive. We’ll definitely be coming back again—highly recommended for families, foodies, or anyone looking for top-notch hospitality.