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    Costa Brava Bistro

    4.2 (242 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Costa Brava Bistro Photos

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    COSTA BRAVA BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Angeles' Paella with Shrimp, Calamari, Mussels, Chicken, Pork & Beef
    Ingrid H.

    Food is very good, and they have good selection of wine as well. We celebrated my friend's birthday here and we really enjoyed it. Parking is available in the plaza

    Grilled octopus with fingerling potatoes... deliciously tender and buttery!
    Long T.

    Solid meal of elevated French-Spanish dishes... highlights included braised rabbit linguine, black seafood rice full of seafood, suckling pig with crispy skin, and even the special dish of venison served with a chocolate demi place. Overall, a very pleasant dinner.

    Birthday boy with his paella.
    Meagan C.

    A+ in every category. The duck confit with quail egg and toasted baguette is a must. The citrus Salmon also a must. Hubby had the paella and he said it's continues to be the best he's ever had. I had the trout with jumbo shrimp. So delicious and a marvel of flavors. I chose the place to celebrate his birthday. It was perfect. The owners are so warm and charming, the place is cozy and elegant and the food is unparalleled. Over Christmas and new year we have been to every hit list restaurant in Houston and Costa Brava is the clear stand out and winner. Make reservations and look forward to the food and experience. I missed out on the chocolate bread pudding so we must return soon

    Janet C.

    We had an OUTSTANDING experience last night at Costa Brava. My husband literally said, "everything was completely on point." Every course was delicious, the service by Angel was great, and the restaurant is beautiful. Oh and the website says no splitting soups, appetizers, or entrees but they only mean they don't split it in the kitchen. It's all good! Thanks Costa Brava team.

    Off the menu chilled foie gras appetizer.  Outstanding flavors!
    Kim V.

    We dined for Valentine's Day and it was a meal full of love! We loved everything about our experience - from the restaurant's ambiance to the staff to the cocktails to the menu to the dishes. Every part of our dinner was superb! It's our new favorite restaurant in Houston (well it's actually in Bellaire). It is a bit pricy (entrees range from $30 - $54) but we are happy to spend a little more for such a wonderful dining experience!

    a group of people in a restaurant
    Christopher N.

    Just back from a lovely dinner at Costa Brava. Dark, intimate setting -- surprising, given the strip mall location -- with quick, attentive, knowledgeable service. Our waiter Jesus was on the spot with wine recommendations and dining choices, and I'm hard-pressed to find fault with anything we tried. While billed as a Spanish restaurant, the overall construction leans in on the border with France, so expect rich sauces and dense platings -- though I managed to finish my duck breast entree and half the quail entree my wife had. Starters are not to be missed. The octopus is some of the best I've had anywhere. Desserts are also solid, and I highly recommend the chocolate croissant bread pudding above anything else I tasted. Prices seem wholly reasonable considering the quality. I'd go back any time.

    Dinner
    Jorge G.

    Coasts Brava was everything I wanted for my 60th birthday!!! Aid read the reviews and wow what a gastronomic celebration of exquisite food!!! Beginning with the Octopus and fingerling potatoes, as good as Hugo's or Caracol and even Ninfa's on Navigation!!! The Paella was deep and delicious, even by my Husband who is from Sevilla, Spain. The Arroz con leche was definitely Spanish with the hint of citrus.

    Full bar
    Don C.

    Beautiful inside. Full bar nice wine list. Service was friendly and perfect. I went for the seared foie gras and it was amazing. I had a Tempranillo to start with the olives and tapenade brought to the table. After that I asked for a bubbly suggestion and was pointed towards the cava which was delicious. I had two. I had seared scallops perfectly cooked. I can't wait to go back to this lovely place!

    Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding with Crème Anglaise
    Lauren F.

    I had an excellent experience at Costa Bta this past Friday night. My husband and I got the pre fixe option, and we loved almost all of it. We started with a palette cleaner, which was some kind of get in an olive mold. It tasted strongly of lemon and olive oil, but I couldn't quite tell what was in it. My husband didn't care for it at all. However--the rest of the meal was fantastic. We had lobster, quail, foie gras, petite filet, and a white chocolate mandarían as part of the 5 course menu, and everything was 10/10. We also got an order of the chocolate croissant bread pudding, and I loved it. We had another "olive" with some kind of palette cleansing gel in it to end the meal, and it was much better than the first. My husband also really enjoyed the cocktails he had. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. I especially loved that the chef came out and talked to us about each course--just above and beyond the typical restaurant experience. I would highly recommend this to my friends in the Houston area.

    Roasted Open-Range Australian Lamb Chops with Rich Lamb Jus, Sautéed Spinach & Goat Cheese Potato Cake
    Jordan W.

    Very good Spanish food! My favorite was the Paella! It was done very well. The octopus and mushroom risotto were also very good. We came as a party of 6 so we were able to dine family style. I highly recommend doing it this way so you can try everything! We'll definitely come back!

    Lamp Double Lamb Chop with Blistered Goat Cheese, Fresh Basil & Tomato
    Ashley Y.

    This is another lovely place I found in the neighborhood. The service was nice and the interior was cozy. The food was pretty good as well. The only thing I was a lit disappointment they actually don't really serve tapas. Basically you only have choices of appetizers and entrees. We had a shrimp appetizer and fried calamari. We had quail and lamp for entrees. They all were really yummy. The lamp chop was pretty tender. I will definitely go back here sometimes for a good dinner.

    Wine Dinner Menu
    James S.

    My rating amounts to a 4.5 for their regular menu and a solid 5 for their wine dinner menus. I have eaten at Costa Brava almost a dozen times and the experience has always ranged from very good to outstanding! The regular menu could perhaps be a little more imaginative - but it is always very good. Where they really shine is their wine dinners. These happen once or twice a month. Generally the wine dinners are five courses paired to the wines that they are showcasing. Three examples I have been to recently were old world vs new world Pinot Noirs, Beaujolais and Burgundy. While not cheap, considering the quality of the food and wines - these wine dinners well worth the cost. Including the wines these wine dinners will run from $120 to $160 per person. Pros: This is a great special occasion restaurant. Generally quiet with romantic seating. Excellent selection of Spanish and French wines. Spanish and French influenced meals. Good Parking. Outstanding Wine Dinners. Cons: The meals can get pricey so be prepared. Already liking forward to the next wine dinner!

    Fantastic Mixed Paella !!!

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    7 months ago

    Great food and wine. Beautiful interior. Staff and management are very helpful. Easy free parking.

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    I had a wonderful experience the service was and amazing and I got treated very well would recommend

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    2 years ago

    Great food. Small but quaint. Can't go wrong with any of their fish dishes. Good wine selection.

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    2 years ago

    This is my to-go place whenever I want to disconnect and enjoy some delicious food. Always excellent, from the service to the food quality.

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    Probably the best restaurant in Bellaire. This is fine food and a wonderful place for an exquisite meal.

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    Great ambiance, quiet, romantic. Food is great. Some unusual menu items that are cooked to perfection.

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    BCN Taste & Tradition - foie gras

    BCN Taste & Tradition

    4.4(563 reviews)
    5.1 miMontrose, Fourth Ward
    $$$

    BCN had me at octopus... get it, get it, GET IT!!…read more The menu was honestly overwhelming in the best possible way -- everything sounded amazing, which made it so hard to choose. But that just gives me an excuse to come back and try more next time. We came here for my birthday dinner and it absolutely delivered: delicious food, beautiful atmosphere, excellent service, all tucked into one of the most charming neighborhoods. Highly recommend the octopus and the branzino. The bomba rice was flavorful, but a bit too rich for me because of the heavy amount of oil in the dish. Still, that wouldn't stop me from returning -- there are so many other menu items I already want to try.

    Catching up with all my reviews and I knew I had to write one for this one as it was one of the…read morebest meals I've had in Texas! This place is a one star Michellin restaurant and I can see why. They have valet but we opted for street parking as there were plenty around the residential areas. When we went, they were super busy so they took out the tasting menu, however, given that we were not from the area, we knew we had to ask, and they were kind enough to accommodate us and offer it. We ended up getting Guava gin n tonic with a hint of matcha and chili. It was unique, different, and surprisingly delicious. As for the food, the lamb chop was delicious, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. The suckling pig was crispy, flavorful with a hint of cherry which helped enhanced the flavor, and cooked to perfection. The two salads was fresh, refreshing, and creative. The Iberian Ham and croquetas looked simple but it was actually delicious and not too salty with the right amount given. The Spanish octopus was delicious but my fiancé and I thought the potatoes could've been replaced with something else as the starchiness hinders the octopus. The branzino dish was delicious, soft, hot, fresh, and crispy. Honestly, would order this again as fish can be a hit or miss, and this was a hit without a doubt. We ended up with two desserts since we actually came here for our anniversary. The sorbet was very refreshing with all the unique citrus flavors. The chocolate cake and fillo dough was very soft and had the great amount of sweetness. Overall, I had a great experience. The foods were delicious and the staffs were knowledgeable, attentive, and kind to every customers.

    Photos
    BCN Taste & Tradition - Gender neutral restroom

    Gender neutral restroom

    BCN Taste & Tradition - Salmon tartare

    Salmon tartare

    BCN Taste & Tradition - Patatas bravas

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    Patatas bravas

    Mi Luna Tapas Restaurant & Bar - Goat cheese

    Mi Luna Tapas Restaurant & Bar

    4.4(143 reviews)
    5.5 miMontrose, Fourth Ward

    Had a lil dinner hangout with some friends from my edc group at mi luna in Houston. It's located in…read morea really nice area in the Montrose collective. Parking is pretty easy, there's a big garage that is pretty cheap, or you can park for free in the neighborhood. They have patio seating available if you wish to sit outdoors. This is a Spanish tapas restaurant, and their menu is very big it was pretty overwhelming to look at. Luckily for us, Richard locked in and ordered everything for us. If we were able to come a bit earlier we could've ordered during happy hour which has a lot of good discounts on their tapas What we ordered: - patatas bravas with chorizo - by far our fav dish of the night. The sauce is so so good. It's a must get, but I would pass on the chorizo next time - albondigas morunas - I enjoyed the lamb meatballs with cinnamon onions, couscous was good too - Plato de jamon Serrano - good app, love how you can customize it any way with the cheese, fruits, and olives - gambas al ajillo - shrimp in lemon garlic olive oil and red chili peppers, solid but not anything life changing or a must order - calamares a la plancha - grilled squid with roasted garlic and olive oil, very citrusy and unique - pemientos de padron - tasted just like air, really is just a Carrie for the lemon aioli which was really good - pescaditos Fritos - same as the pimento peppers. Came with harissa aioli and spicy tomato - sangria - we got some kind of jumbo size for a good deal. Good for sharing

    This was a lovely tapas restaurant! We stopped by for happy hour. The benefit of such an exhaustive…read moreHH menu is that you can try so many different items! Our server Ray was really kind and explained the menu concept to us and was so helpful in pointing out some delicious orders. We decided on several happy hour offerings - the chicken and beef empanadas, croquetas de patatas, bombas de queso, toasta de lengua, and a full order of the raba de toro (oxtail). For drinks I had the happy hour house sangria and piña loca. The sangria came out first and was so refreshing and with such a lovely aroma and spice. The piña loca was more of a miss for me - it tasted a bit like pineapple candy and was overly sweet. We had all our happy hour appetizers next. I was a bit surprised at how small the portion sizes are - keep in mind that the happy hour orders are half of the tapas plates, which are already small and designed for sampling. We split the empanadas and I adored the beef cheek empanada - the meat was seasoned so nicely and was deliciously soft. I also really liked the flavoring of the toasta de lengua. The croquetas and bombas had a lovely crunch to them. The oxtail came out next and the meat really was coming off the bone - so deliciously soft and well seasoned. It came with a side of bread and dipping oil that was a fantastic complement. We were amazed at how fast the service was. The staff were quick to fill up our waters and Ray checked on us the whole time we were there and took trouble to make sure we had a great experience. It's quite spacious with both an indoor area and relaxed outdoor patio. Overall this was a really tasty restaurant and I'm glad we got to try it. I would just keep in mind on your visit that it is on the pricey side, though the happy hour lets you get a nice sampling of their extensive menu. Till next time!

    Photos
    Mi Luna Tapas Restaurant & Bar - Inside layout

    Inside layout

    Mi Luna Tapas Restaurant & Bar - Hot octopus

    Hot octopus

    Mi Luna Tapas Restaurant & Bar - Churros but first: paella del mar, bombas de queso, b'stilla, lingual con porto chased down w/ a bottle of clos de tafall.

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    Churros but first: paella del mar, bombas de queso, b'stilla, lingual con porto chased down w/ a bottle of clos de tafall.

    MAD - Empanadilla | Ultimate Croqueta

    MAD

    3.9(815 reviews)
    2.8 miHighland Village, Galleria/Uptown

    I had an incredible experience here this past Saturday night and cannot recommend the team enough…read more Despite it being a busy evening, the staff was absolutely amazing!! Welcoming, accommodating, and attentive to every detail. From the moment we arrived at the host stand, we felt like a priority. I also inquired about hosting a future event, and the event manager was incredibly helpful, clearly explaining all the different options and layouts they offer. To top it off, the servers and their assistants that provided seamless, high-level service throughout the entire night. If you are looking for a venue that combines professional event coordination with a warm, high-energy atmosphere and good food, this is it!

    I've been to MAD several times now, however all times were during brunch so my review is based on…read moretheir brunch service/menu. All times have been made with reservations as well, however their weekend brunch doesn't seem to be packed. Could definitely just walk in without a reservation. MAD is a solid tapas place, however after coming back from a trip to Spain, I realize the difference of taste and price. I've tried half of the appetizers listed on their current menu. I feel like I've tried other things that are no longer on the menu. I'd definitely recommend the croquetas (3 pcs of creamy goodness) and jamón ibérico (good, but overpriced imo). The pulpo just doesn't taste as good as it does in Spain obviously. Paella Valencia - should try if you've never had paella. Chicken thighs were cooked just right. Pato & apricot - duck recommended to be cooked medium rare. The duck was delicious, but the way the rice was prepared wasn't as good as the paella Valencia. Cochinillo ibérico - more worth it to order this than the appetizer. Scalloped potatoes and scrambled eggs make it a true brunch dish. Basque cheesecake - would recommend this as dessert of choice. It was delicious, light, and fluffy. Spanish churros - nothing like in Spain. They're super thin and definitely too oily. The chocolate ganache dipping sauce was also too oily for my liking. Love the aesthetic of the restaurant. The bathroom must also be seen as well. Definitely a place you can celebrate something special. Good for a date, group of friends or family. I can imagine how it would look at night, probably busy. Definitely want to try their dinner sometime. Park in the parking garage next to the restaurant. It was free every time I've been. :)

    Photos
    MAD - Great decor

    Great decor

    MAD - Ultimate Croqueta | Empanadilla

    Ultimate Croqueta | Empanadilla

    MAD - Don Valentino and Old Fashioned

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    Don Valentino and Old Fashioned

    Nobie's - Elvis pie - a special with banana, peanut butter, and bacon

    Nobie's

    4.3(708 reviews)
    4.1 miMontrose
    $$$

    I might have just found one of my new favorite restaurants in Houston. What a great experience!…read more Recently, a good friend dined here and immediately called me to tell me how great it was. She then text our friends group and said we all had to come together and we did just that. She made reservations in advance as this place is popular thanks to recent Michelin Bib Gourmand awards as well as many other accolades. Walk ins are welcome as well. Our reservation was later in the evening so after a night of bar hopping, we ride shared in which I think is one of the best options as parking is limited here or you have to find street parking in the neighborhood. This place is literally a house turned into a restaurant. Inside is just multiple rooms with a couple of tables. It makes for a unique, intimate dining experience, perfect for a date night. In our case, we were a group of nine so we got patio seating. The patio is spacious and well kept, and if the weather cooperates, a great place to hang. One thing that really stood out to me is the amazing ambience of this place. I was told that the bartenders pick the music for the night from the owners extensive vinyl collection. Once the album is in, they play it in it's entirety. The sound system was systeming and on top of the great company and food, we were totally vibing with the music. Customer service was amazing. Every staff member we came across was so friendly, especially our server. The menu here changes. There are some mainstays, but they like to change things up. Their website shows current menus daily. We were told that family style is the best way to experience this restaurant. I am one of those people that will always listen to the staff and go with their suggestions. Our group went through quite a bit of their menu from apps, entrees and desserts. I loved that our server and staff brought our food out one by one in what they thought was the best progression so we could take a culinary journey. We started off light with their popular Dilly Bread. Best bread I've had in awhile. Next was the Texas Tartare. It was my first ever tartare and it was delicious. We then moved on to Fingerlingin Good which was a crispy potato dish with chili crisp and mascarpone. It was potatoes elevated to the highest level and so so good. Next up was Beer Battered Sweet Tots. I didn't think sweet potatoes could be that good. Our first entree was a vegan dish called the Carroty Kid. I could seriously become a vegan if all dishes tasted like this. It was curried. A bowl of jasmine rice would've made it a complete meal. Next we tried another famous Nobie's dish called Nonno's Pasta. Handmade, perfectly cooked tagliatelle with a delicious bolognese. I wouldn't share this next time. Ok, I will, but it was that good. On to the heavier dishes. First up was the Jamon With Your Bad Self. This came highly recommended and it did not disappoint. It was favorite heavy entree. It was high quality, iberico pork steak with shaved brussels and all kinds of other tasty ingredients that when combined made such a tasty bite. We then went to the sea with the Drops of Grouperter. It was good, but not something I would order again. It was a little too smoky for my liking. Our biggest dish that came market priced was the Kick His Ass Seabass. This was a whole fish that was presented beautifully on a platter with all the accouterments to make your own elevated fish tacos. We left no morsel of fish behind. It was absolutely delicious. One of the things this place is really known for is their pies. This was the part I was most excited about. Just like their menu, their pies change up. We got all their offerings that night which they presented on one big platter of goodness. Their main stay and I believe always on the menu is the famous Olive Oil Cake. It's not a pie, but I can see why this is such a popular dessert. I can't even describe it, you just have to try it to understand. The pies we had were the Black Bottom Strawberry Pie, Banana Rum, and the Peanut Butter Pie. I would order all of them again. We all had a difference of opinion on which was the best, but my fave was the Banana Rum. Overall, I was highly impressed with this place and kind of mad at myself for waiting so long to make it here. It had made it's way to the top of my list of favorite restaurants in Houston. I will be back.

    Boy I really wanted to like this place but I may be one of the few people in Houston that doesn't…read more I had reservations for the outside patio and we were immediately greeted by the water boy. He ended up being one of the best aspects of our experience that evening. Our waitress wasn't nearly as good. We started by asking for ice in the water from the waitress since they just give you room temp water. After 10 mins of seeing her serve other tables and ignoring our request, we then figured the water boy would make it happen...and sure enough he did. We then ordered the grilled oysters, which are very lightly cooked, almost seemingly steamed more than anything, but they were very good regardless of the cooking method with the sauces and garnishes and pickle juice added. Next up was ordering the entrees. The menu here is a little strange with numerous vegan choices with strange titles and only a few items with protein. To top it off, there are not many choices period. The waitress explained that the left side is basically the apps, and the right side is basically the entrees. I knew I wanted to try the wagyu flat iron steak which is priced pretty high here, compared to other wagyu flat irons I've had at other restaurants across the US. We couldn't really decide on a 2nd main dish then the waitress mentioned the off the menu special which was a scallop pasta so we picked that thinking it sounded delicious. The entrees come out about 15 mins later, and we take our first bites and we both thought, oh no, if we share the other person across from me isn't going to like this dish because it's too salty. I tried the steak first and noticed the sauce being extra salty, then I tried the pasta and the pasta was way worse, but the scallops didn't seem to be affected. We immediately told the waitress the next time she stopped by....and she just said okay, and walked away. I figured she would go get the manager....but nope...she just kept on serving other tables. At this point we thought to ourselves only the oyster app was decent.....and no reason to look at the dessert menu since we had already spent over $100 on food we could hardly eat. Sure enough, the waitress stops by a 2nd time and asks if we'd like to see the dessert menu. I couldn't leave fast enough and told her we'll skip. Needless to say we both left hungry as the portions were not only not edible, but also fairly small. The water boy also stopped by and offered to turn on the heater if we get cold. Boy, I wish he was our waiter instead. For a supposedly Michelin-starred restaurant, I feel they really got this one wrong.

    Photos
    Nobie's - Bar interior

    Bar interior

    Nobie's - Dilly bread - every bit as amazing as it looks

    Dilly bread - every bit as amazing as it looks

    Nobie's - Clam chowder croquettes

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    Clam chowder croquettes

    El Meson Restaurant - Calamari

    El Meson Restaurant

    3.6(310 reviews)
    3.2 miWest University
    $$

    I had a very disappointing and frankly unacceptable experience at El Meson Restaurant in Houston. I…read morebooked this reservation through Resy. From the moment we arrived, the valet experience was unprofessional. The valet demanded payment upfront in a rude manner, did not return the correct change, and responded with a disrespectful tone when I asked about it. This immediately created a negative and uncomfortable impression. Unfortunately, things only got worse inside. The staff were unwelcoming and dismissive from the beginning. Despite multiple empty tables, we were seated right next to the entrance where cold air was constantly coming in, making it very uncomfortable for my family. When we politely asked for a different table, we were refused without any reasonable explanation. Instead, we were told that because we had a child and needed a high chair, this was the only table available, which made no sense at all. The table itself was cramped and clearly unsuitable for four people. What made this even more concerning is that a manager appeared to be present, yet no effort was made to resolve the situation or assist us. At that point, we decided to leave. This experience was not only frustrating, but also embarrassing in front of my family. I expected a much higher level of professionalism from a restaurant listed on Resy. I chose this restaurant based on my trust in the Resy platform and its association with American Express, and I expected a certain standard of professionalism that was clearly not met. I will also be reporting this experience to both Resy and American Express. I do not recommend this place.

    Man, this was one restaurant that I was really looking forward to trying, and it simply didn't live…read moreup to what I was hoping for. As with several other restaurants I've reviewed recently, this is one that I normally wouldn't frequent, but since they were participating in Houston Restaurant Weeks they were on my radar. We got a table for three for the volunteers in one of my service groups to check it out. One of us had been here before, but the rest of us hadn't. The appetizers were pretty good, but nothing spectacular. The tapas variadas were more of a charcuterie plate than actual tapas, but were still a nice appetizer for the rest of the meal. The calamari was different from what you normally see (fried and served with marinara). Instead, this was boiled in garlic butter and onions, almost like a shrimp scampi type of dish. It made the calamari a bit more gummy than we'd like, but still worth trying. The item I was looking forward to most was the paella langosta, which I'd heard amazing things about. I'd been told that this was one of the best places to grab paella in Houston. Sadly, out of four different restaurants, this was by far the worst paella I'd had. It was lacking in flavor, seemed to be thrown together at the last minute, and just didn't live up to the hype. The atmosphere seemed like it would have been nice if not for an absolutely obnoxious table right next to us. They were boisterous and completely oblivious to the negative experience they were providing to the people at neighboring tables. On more than one occasion they got up and bumped one of our tables. The worst part is, we later found out that it was the owner entertaining some friends. You would think he'd have known better than to have other patrons treated like that. Service was a bit of a mess also. The waiter disappeared several times, never refilled our drinks, and we practically had to go searching for him after 20+ minutes of sitting around waiting for our checks. At least two of us were completely disappointed in our visit, and even the third, who had been there before, acknowledged that it wasn't quite what he'd experienced in the past. Oh well, he might be back, but we definitely won't.

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    El Meson Restaurant
    El Meson Restaurant - Paella Del Meson

    Paella Del Meson

    El Meson Restaurant - Sangria margarita

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    Sangria margarita

    Costa Brava Bistro - spanish - Updated June 2026

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