From the moment you walk into this hidden gym, you are treated like royalty. The staff is super friendly, the service is phenomenal and of course the food and wine pairings are beyond reproach. This would definitely qualify as a hidden gem in Belaire. Who would've thought such a fabulous and elegant restaurant would be here. Everything they serve is phenomenal and amazing. Every time I come here I enjoy the "La Tablea" cheese and artisan salami board. They serve an amazing bread with pesto and fresh olives. Every entrée is served to perfection and made to order. I personally enjoy the red snapper, which is always fresh, firm, and the right temperature. I also enjoy as an appetizer there bean and chorizo soup, which is very delicious and amazing to say the least. They have the most excellent wine selection for all tastes. Every other Tuesday they have a wine tasting pairing event, that is very good. Their desserts are freshly made and very good. My favorite is there apple dessert which is perfectly prepared with a side of fresh vanilla bean ice cream. There's a strawberry, dessert that is also phenomenal. They have a decent selection of dessert, wines, and ports. I highly recommend this hidden gem. read more

Fantastic service on traditional Spanish food. The owner is from Madrid. Had the Galecean style octopus as an appetizer. Very tender octopus with fingerling potato's with a light olive sauce. Very good! Almost forgot they brought a small plate with crunchy bread with a small bowl of olives and one of crushed capers. Best olives I've ever had and the capers were not bad. Got the paella and it looked great, but it was not the best I've ever had. If you've been to Spain, there are more recipes of Paella than stars in the heaven. Was it bad, no, but my Aunt made the best paella la Valenciana I've ever had! The crusty bread was so wonderful I had to order more. The ambience is wonderful and exceptionally nice for a date! The service is impeccable and the lovely lady that owns the place is stellar. It hurts me to give only three stars, but the paella was not what I expected. I also understand it's subjective, but I had a friend with me and he thought the same. Not bad, but not great like we expected for the price. Almost forgot about the gaspacho, very good! Would I go back YES! But I'd try something else! read more

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The best gastronomic experience you can enjoy in Houston for magnificent Authentic Spaniard Food. Outstanding service, intimate envuronment, chef Gabriel made it a Gastronomic experience. read more

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We love this place, and everything about it - the ambience, waitstaff, quality of the food. Yum!!!

I ordered the sea bass with lump crab and it did not disappoint. Biggest back fin lump crab I've ever had the joy of eating!! So delicious. Very nice wine selection. You'll want to save this place for date night or a special occasion as it is pricey, but worth it. read more

Really enjoyed my lunch here. I found the service to be excellent and the atmosphere very conducive to initiate conversations and business lunches. The lighting was a little dark to my lightening but on a very hot sunny day it was welcome change. We ordered the three course set lunch and I found the food warm and prepared perfectly. The portions were small but with some complimentary olives and spread, a salad, main course and desserts it was just appropriate. I did not feel overly full. I ordered their radish, beet and watermelon salad and found it extremely refreshing and a palate cleanser after having their olive spread on some crostini. The main entrees I had the sea bass with zucchini that came out warm and well cooked. The portion was small but I liked the size for a lunch. Dessert was a chocolate like pudding with a taste of citrus. It was excellent. They also had a savory cheesecake with Manchego cheese which was on the savory side. I can see having the cheese cake with the wine would be excellent pairing. Can't wait to return and try out dinner there! read more

I been wanting to try this place and it definitely lives up to the good reviews. I rsvp for a tues night and the place was pretty full, therefor I strongly recommend you to rsvp . It's a small and intimate restaurant which is perfect for a date. The staffs there attentive and friendly, definitely felt like a neighborhood restaurant. The chef came out and greeted everyone! Grilled octopus (5/5) - I have never tasted a grilled octopus that's tender. Foie gras (5/5) - wow, one of the best I ever had Scallops and shrimp (4/5) - it tasted good but I felt like it was a little over cooked Pork roast (4/5) Crispy salmon (5/5) Overall, this is now one of my favorite restaurant. read more

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Wonderful meal. Excellent service. Reservations were honored. Delicious food. We got the Escargot and Octopus as appetizers. Both were great. I personally liked the Octopus more. We got the nightly special Lamb Shank as an entree to share. Mmm wow cooked perfectly and just falls off the bone. And then we got the nightly special roasted pear creme brulee. All dishes were amazing. Chef Kitty, who is a native Houstonian, came by our table half way through the meal and gave us additional recommendations (pairing wines and dishes) to complement our waiter's recommendations and to augment our evening. Highly recommend Costa Brava for a nice dinner evening in an intimate space, and for high-quality cooked food. read more

Costa Brava Bistro - Escargot - Spanish Near Me - Bellaire, Texas

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We have not tried this restaurant for years, in fact it was a different location. It is a smart restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere and very popular. In fact customers who did not have a reservation could not be accommodated. We decided to sit at the bar. It took a while to get served because the bar tender was slammed, the owner noticed this and came over to take care of us. These are the little things that make the world of difference as a customer - well done. The usual we order cocktails were excellent as were the wines. An initial dish to share of tapenade and olives was very tasty. We both ordered the shrimp and scallops over risotto - perfectly cooked and seasoned. We followed this with the apple tart, a perfect size to share and not overly sweet! We will certainly return, possibly for one of the wine dinners they hold that talking to the owner have helped them stay afloat. read more

The food and service are amazing served with perfect cocktails, great wines and ambience galore!

LOVE this place. Met the owner on my way in to pick up take out. She was very polite. She even said I could bring my dog next time! Bartenders were friendly, offering me a drink while I sat at the bar. I ordered the steak with mashed potatoes and the paella. Both were delicious. The steak was absolutely perfect, even after the 15 min drive home. The paella was a large serving with lots of goodies in it. Yes, it is borderline pricey. However, it's a really nice place. I would DEFINITELY eat here again. So many tempting things on their menu! read more

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Last night we celebrated my wife birthday in this cozy restaurant, the best Spanish restaurant we have visited in Houston; you would feel like in La Castellana Madrid "tapas y bar". If you enjoy soup, ask for Iberico Bone Broth with White Beans & Chorizo, a real Spanish sopa. If you are looking for a good fish, order red snapper or if you love lamb, ask for rack of lamb ribs, delicious and then close with a good dessert: crema catalana. Good Cava and Verdejo white wine at the right temp. Don't miss this place and we'll be back, for sure. They only need a round table for 6 read more

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We celebrated our anniversary here last night. We had reservations for 8:30 but had to wait at the bar till about 9 before we got our table. The lady at the front was apologetic about the table and that the party had paid over 20 mins ago but were just sitting. We were seated and served a little dish of mixed olives and tapenade with some toasts. Nice touch for those of us who love olives. We decided to order tapas style. We ordered the following: 1 wild mushrooms with serano ham. It was a small, delicious bite that definitely got us wanting more. 2. Grilled octopus was up next. It was my first time trying octopus and it wasn't bad. It wasn't chewy as I had expected and I appreciated the subtle flavors and char grill taste. 3. Garlic shrimp was course 3. It was extremely garlicky (yeah!) and in a lovely olive oil sauce. My only complaint was that there were only 3 shrimp. I think they should do 4 so they're shareable. Maybe use a smaller shrimp (if you have to, or charge slightly more but give people 4. ) Just my two cents. It was served with hot crusty bread not enough. We asked for more and it was $1.50 for a tiny bit. It's ok, no big deal but a little annoying when you're paying like $18 for 3 shrimp. 4. Stuffed peppers (can't remember the type of pepper). They were stuffed with ham and cheese. It was topped with a smooth and creamy red pepper sauce. It was the best bite of the night. 5. Duck confit was our final bite of the night. I do not like duck and haven't enjoyed it ever. The chef came to our table to check in and I mentioned that to her when she suggested it and she brought out a tiny taste of the meat for us to try. It was the best duck I've had (but I'm still not a fan of duck). It was served with a duck egg that you had to pop the yolk and mix it up to make the sauce. It was interesting and my husband really enjoyed it. I ate around the duck meat and enjoyed everything else. My husband enjoyed his decaf cappuccino but said it was super small compared to most. They brought us an anniversary dessert on the house with a trick candle - great touch! The service was stellar. read more

First visit on a Weds. - almost full so consider reservations on the weekend. Rave reviews from 3 friends. Cozy space; noise level acceptable so you can talk. Mainly an older crowd. Service very good. Large wine list heavy on Old World. Prices by the glass are $11 and up (like to see some choices at less than $10). Although this is a Spanish restaurant (they have octopus, iberico ham, and paella), it is heavy on and known for their seafood. They serve a complimentary plate of bread, olives, and tapenade. We had their gazpacho and cold leek with potato soups. Outstanding. Entrees were the cheese, pate, and sausage tray (la tabla) - listed as an appetizer and would serve two - and the scallop and shrimp over risotto. This was a superb dish. However at $35 a bit skimpy with 2 scallops and 2 jumbo shrimp (3 and 3 would have been heavenly). We'll be back. Dinner for 2 with tip is $150. read more

The best for local fine dining. Service is second to none and the food is absolutely delicious. I've never had a bad experience here. Highly recommend for a date night or night out with friends. read more

I am very sad to write this "average" review because a huge part of me really wanted to love this place! Especially with it being near the house and locally owned and run. The owner was so nice too! We enjoyed the location and the atmosphere and even the service, but the food let us down. I have to preface this with the fact that I typically do not like super salty food. At home, we cook with, what I think to be, a minimal amount of salt. The FOOD: - Jumbo Shrimp Appetizer: I will give it this, you get a lot of food in this appetizer which makes the price point of $16 reasonable. It comes with other seafood as well (octopus, calamari). The downside: it lacked on the flavor and needed salt. Rating: 3 - Escargots: These are served atop a piece of bread that is swimming in what looks to be buttery, garlicly goodness sauce. But it's not. The escargot were prepared fine, but again, the flavor was lacking. Salt is needed here too. By far, the most bland escargots I have ever had. Good amount of food for the price of $12. Rating: 2 - Jamon Iberico: Cured Ham from Spain/Portugal. This is delicious. I have no complaints. Price: $15 Rating: 5 - Lamb Chops Entrée: Served over delicious goat cheese pancakes and spinach. I enjoyed this meal. I thought the lamb was prepared well and the flavor was good (after I added salt of course). I really appreciated the goat cheese pancakes which paired great with the lamb. Not sure it's worth the hefty price point of $37. Rating: 4 - Rice Pudding Dessert: This is reasonably priced at $6 and very light. I really enjoyed the citrus and cinnamon flavors. I think it is the only GF dessert option on the menu. Overall the atmosphere was welcoming and romantic. The staff was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable (especially regarding their Gluten Free (GF) items). Most price points were reasonable and portion sizes were acceptable. But, the food needs some flavor. Please use some more salt! I want this place to make it! Follow me on my way to Foodietown! http://britneygfoodie.yelp.com read more

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Went once and not a fan. Food high priced, service is alright, managers gave no attention to detail and heard them speak negatively towards the workers. Don't recommend, other small businesses I would rather support. read more

This was my second visit. I went years again and was dying to go back so my husband and I went for our anniversary. Let's start with the bar. I've never felt so rushed. It's like he looked at us like oh why are you here? No customer service. The hostess kept coming over to see if we wanted to be seated. Can we just finish a drink and relax a little. Finally after three times asking we decided to sit so she'd leave us alone. We had a reservation and came early just to have a cocktail so much for that. The waiter was nice but rushed us. We both ordered the filet with the Manchego mashed potatoes. It's like they looked for the smallest filet they could find and then butterflied it and gave us each half. It was seriously maybe 4 bites each. My daughter dropped us off so we could have drinks and what not and not have to drive. We were literally telling her to pick us up before she was even back home. They didn't have an issue with a $300 bill for the smallest soup appetizer and the tiniest steak in the world. So if you are not a regular and want to be treated as an outcast and rushed and spend a ton of money on nothing than this is your place. We will never return. Don't waste your time. Horrible food and staff! So disappointed! read more

Friday night 8pm reservation for 3, its our friends Bday. Place is in a strip center, parking full out front, I park at the bank. I was told there was more parking in the back. Arrived about 5 past 8:00. Place is narrow and long. Hostess stand on the right bar on the left. Nicely decorated, tables pretty close together, not too loud, soft music playing. Older crowd, some men in jackets. Hostess points out, our table is empty but not set. After being seated we order a round of cocktails and are brought an olive tray. The wife orders the House Salad and Paella, Bday boy the Potato Leek Soup, Lamb Chops and 2 orders of fresh bread, thinking about rabbit but our waiter steers me to the Duck Breast with Escargots. I only order duck in French restaurants and this Spanish/French place doesn't disappoint. If anything its more medium than I would like but probably the way most Americans like duck. Friend raves about the Potato Leek and Lamb. Wife is a little bummed cuz the Paella has no tastable Saffron but good anyway, tons of meat. Another round of cocktails and we order desert. Apple Tart, Pots de Cream and Arroz con Leche. Nobody shares. My Apple Tart is beautiful and tastes yummy! see picture. Our waiter, Eynar was very helpful with recommendations and service was spot on. Its 9:45 and time to go. Check is $246 including tax but before tip. read more

Costa Brava Bistro - Apple Tart... yum - Spanish Near Me - Bellaire, Texas

I came here with my uncle and mom. We got the linguine with spinach, wild mushrooms, tomato, and Manchego (added chicken breast) and grilled veal tenderloin with wild mushroom risotto. The pasta was delicious. The chicken wasn't dry (which is why I usually stay away from it being grilled) and the flavors were all well matched. The restaurant itself is very classy and of course pricey so if you're on a budget go for their lunch hours instead of dinner time where it's a tad cheaper for some dishes. read more

Costa Brava Bistro - Spanish Near Me - Bellaire, Texas

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I was so disillusioned with This restaurant. I ordered the shrimp&scallop plate with risotto, this plate cost $35.00 and a $10.00 sangria. I received a plate with a pinch of risotto, 2 medium shrimp,, and 2 medium scallops. The risotto was a measly pinch and to make matters worse it was swimming in butter sauce. Both the shrimp and scallops were undercooked. The server kept pushing desert on me but I didn't want to be further dissatisfied. The management has so little attention to details if this plate justifies a $35.00 cost. I would of gladly paid the $35.00 if the food was good and the servings not insulting. This restaurant considers itself high in culinary standards but it fell so short. I honestly could not get out of there fast enough. This restaurant is very expensive for such low quality food. read more

We decided on a whim to try a new place on a Friday evening to kick off our Anniversary celebrating. We landed on Costa Brava Bistro and couldn't have been happier! We were greeted and warmly welcomed by the chef. The GM came by a few times to check in and ask how we were enjoying the meal. Our waitress was kind, explaining specials and recommending wine. We wanted to try several small plates and she helped time them out for the best experience. We had the appetizer special - peppers stuffed with pulled pork and manchego cheese. The sauce over these peppers may have been our favorite item of the night! Everything was amazing however - from the grilled octopus to the croissant bread pudding. It is obvious that everyone involved in Costa Brava enjoys being there and takes pride in creating a genuine dining experience. We will be back! read more

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Neat small & cozy place. The food was OK tasting. I had the red snapper with green beans. My dates mean - steak was better tasting - I think. read more

From the moment you enter the restaurant and are greeted, you feel as though you are a treasured friend. The service is excellent and the ambiance is very sophisticated, yet comfortable. The choices are varied and there is something for every palate. So delicious!! The acoustics are great; I expected it to be somewhat loud - it was not at all loud. I highly recommend that you try this wonderful restaurant. read more

I came here for a friends birthday dinner on Thursday at 730. We had reservations got seated right away. The restaurant is a small and intimidate. The restaurant was almost filled when we were there maybe like 5 tables open. The menu didn't have a lot on it but what we order was super good. Foi gras- 5/5 plenty of flavor super smooth and everything went really well together Scallop 5/5 tasted really good Pork special 3/5 it was okay I expected the pork to be a bit more crispy. Salmon 4/5 yummy the purée cauliflower tastes like potatoes read more

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3.5 Stars Pretty good food, but not worth the price. White asparagus & Jamon Serrano - (2/5) Asaparagus was veryyy mushy and the jamon was very subtle. Grilled Octopus with fingerlings and pimeton - (3.5/5) Octopus was very tender and flavor was good. Red Snapper with Crab in lemon beurre blanc - (3/5) Least flavorful of the 3 entree. Without the sauce, it was bland. Rainbow Trout with Shrimp - (5/5) I thought this had the most flavor and was well rounded. Flavorful, great texture with the couscous and the anchovy sauce was yummy. I really like this dish. Texas Quail with mushrooms and jamon serrano - (3.5/5) Decent portion considering quail. Flavor from the mushrooms and garlic made this dish. There was jamon in there? Veal Tenderloin, bone marrow and mushrooms - (3.5/5) Some of my favorite food are mushrooms, risotto and bone marrow. It was an easy choice, but I would pass on this. Bone marrow was unnoticeable and the mushrooms were plentiful, but lacking in flavor. Risotto was cooked well. Chocolate Cake - (3/5) Tasted fine, but no better than a moist box mix from the store. Chocolate Croissant - (3/5) It was good enough. Nothing to write home about. It's a pretty small restaurant. Service was great. We celebrated my parents 45th anniversary. We ordered(and paid) for two desserts and they put a candle in each. read more

THANK YOU YELPERS FOR A GREAT FIND LAST MINUTE DINNER- HE PAUSED, THEN GASPED "WOW, EACH DISH WAS DELICIOUS!" Location: strip center mall same as Lemon Grass Cafe No RSVP but call ahead accepted. Casual, but comfortable atmosphere. Pluses - food and impeccable service 1. complimentary olive tray - tasty olive tapenade & mini olives 2. glass of red - LAN Reserve - full body 3. gazpacho - puree - large amount in a big bowl - surprisingly light 4. gambas - 3 large shrimp grilled to perfection with a minced garlic side 5. steamed mussels - wow! juicy and good amount. we luved the fries - so addicting with the rosemary. 6. duck breast entree - perfection - they didn't oversauce the duck and it had an exquisite shitake mushroom/bean side - they even put on 2 separate plates for us 7. apple tart -great finish- freshly baked - on par with the apple crostini from Maggiano's 8. free parking, clean restroom Areas of improvement 1. pate capagne - was good - just not as good as the other plates - just not on par with the gambas, for example. 2. glass of red - pasio de bobal - name is deceiving, too acidic! - how about a red wine from catalan (which is my favorite!) 3. website - didn't have menu We didn't realize we were there for 1.5 hours. $100 for 2 with dinner - pre tip. We were quite happy! Don't know how long the restaurant has been open but service & timing was amazing! Best Spanish tapas in town, just amaaazing flavor! read more

There are so many restaurants in Houston that are better than this one. It is small portions and WAY overpriced for what you get. This restaurant is successful only because it is in Bellaire, Texas ...also this is an old over 55 group vibe. Over priced and not worth it. read more

What a pleasant surprise this place turn out to be. My friend chose this place for her bday dinner ..at first was a bit skeptical but everything was great! We ordered 3 appetizer and 3 entrees, every single dish was tasty and flavorful. Staff was so nice and friendly. The chef and the staff was very attentive to the birthday girl and wish her a happy bday. Very nice ppl and it's very rare that chefs would take out their time to do this! Loved it all! I recommend making reservations even if it was a weekday! Dish you must try: scallops, grill squid, and foie gras! Delicious! read more

Costa Brava Bistro - Spanish Near Me - Bellaire, Texas

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I called two hours to make a reservation for four people. I walked in and the owner or GM seated me at a table for four. There were two empty booths and I asked if we can sit at one of them. He said "not really" I have one reservation for later and that booth didn't suit us well as a table. This comment right away pissed me off. I just wanted to walk out with my family and find another place! My gf arrived 3-4 minutes later and before I could tell Her what happened she asked our waiter for the booth. Right away the waiter said "sure no problem"! He sat us at the booth with ease. Minutes later the older gentleman kept staring at us and had some words with the waiter. The waiter came over and took our drink orders and told us the specials. He was fantastic with his descriptions. We order 3 apps and 4 entrees which woodpile not have fit on the small cramped table! The lamb shank and tenderloin were the best. The rabbit was not that great and food was warm/cold. Food should be piping hot and taste fresh. I would rate the food quality a 6 out of 10; it just didn't taste fresh. Seemed like they prep in the morning for the entire day. You can try this place out but I guarantee it will be a one time thing. There are so many other better places (service and food) in Houston that this was just not worth the experience for my family and I. read more

Excellent food. From the escargot appetizer to the shrimp and scallops, everything was delicious and left me wanting more of both. The Grey Goose vodka pour size was very skimpy for a ridiculous price of $15 each. That is a huge negative and is at least a one star reduction and maybe should be two. It will keep me from ever going back. read more

My Family and I were looking forward to a nice dinner. We sat down and a waitress decides she needs to abruptly take a flower that was on the table from my 4 year old daughter she was not playing with it only admiring and smelling it. The waitress decides she needs to admonish my child and take the flower away from her. This action upset me very much and my family and I left. We are never going to this restaurant again we felt the situation could be handled in a much different matter. The waitress could have told us the parents and we would have talked to our child she had no right to admonish a 4 year old girl that left the restaurant crying because of that persons actions. If you have children probably not the place to go to hope this helps. read more

We went for lunch and I had the red snapper with crab meat and my husband had the linguini and mushrooms and both were super delicious. I love tapas and I felt they did a great job with the Spanish and French fuision. Every bite was flavorful and it was probably the best snapper I've ever had. Lunch crowd was very small but also on a Wednesday, so probably the best time to go. read more

Costa Brava Bistro - Seared gulf red snapper with crab meat and brown butter. - Spanish Near Me - Bellaire, Texas

I've been wanting to come here for years, and I finally made it for lunch recently. The ambience is quite romantic, and the servers were all very nice. We tried the duck confit as the appetizer, and while the flavor was good, the texture seemed a bit... overcooked. I love paella, so I had to try theirs and was quite disappointed. It wasn't awful, but it tasted more like jambalaya minus sausage. The beef and chicken or pork were dry and overcooked. The seafood was a tad fishy. The rice was like rice in gravy, and paella just shouldn't be like that. My friend got the salmon and said it tasted bland. It was served on a tiny portion of puréed cauliflower also. Overall, we were both disappointed. Overpriced. Small portions. Taste is off. Doubt we will return. read more

Costa Brava Bistro - Spanish Near Me - Bellaire, Texas

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Interesting fusion of Spanish (not Mexican) and French cuisines. Every dish we had was superb. My wife & I started with several appetizers, which included escargot. We then transitioned to some of the best onion soup we have ever had. She selected braised rabbit for her entree and I picked the lamb chops. I'll post some pics. read more

Caveat: I think if we'd gotten a different server, we would've had an entirely different experience. Short story: the server messed up my order, and I was left eating a dry salad, which was the quickest thing they could bring me, while watching the other people in my party eat (I tried a bite of the paella, which was delish!). While the manager was very nice to us as we left, it kind of ruined the meal for me because I didn't really get to eat. read more

Excellent gourmet diner Bellaire. I hail form Westbury and this is a great place that is close. Had the steak special and wife had lamb chops. Both cooked to our order. Great bottle of Spanish wine that I never had before that was reasonably priced. The piece de resistance was dessert. Planning to come back for the paella and crepes and more wine. read more

Delicious Spanish and French dishes with a surprisingly deep Wine selection. The atmosphere is cozy without being on top of your neighbors. Make a reservation on Fridays or Saturdays. Walk up during the week read more

In one word overpriced. I'm giving Costa Brava only two stars because even though the food is excellent, they have become ridiculously overpriced. We used to go to their special wine dinners with four courses on select nights, but now they charge $235 a person. Just an entree' without extras is almost $50. Their New Years Eve dinner without wine is $190 a person. I don't care how good their quality, no neighborhood restaurant in Houston should charge this. We are not scrimpers on going out for a nice dinner, but they priced us out . read more

The food here is so unique and delicious. I love the relaxed, romantic environment. They are very particular about giving you a fancy 3 course meal experience. The meat dish we got was not on the menu, but you can show them the picture to order it. read more

Costa Brava Bistro - Spanish Near Me - Bellaire, Texas