Delicious paella and Spanish tapas! The paella was seasoned well with hefty portions of seafood. $59 for two people (minimum) and two tapas plates were plenty. The interior is decorated very casual and homey, it was a fun ambiance with excellent service! The flan dessert was so rich and creamy too. I would come back to try more of the hot tapas plates! read more

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Costa Brava offers an energetic, lively atmosphere with dark woods and soft lighting. Owner Javier runs a bustling spot with tons of people. It does get a bit loud, including some street noise from car exhausts outside. It makes for a fun experience, especially for a lively group dinner. THE FOOD * Pulpo a la Gallega: Sautéed in olive oil and paprika. Tender, thin slices. The fresh lemon adds a bright acidity that balances the dish. * Gambas al Ajillo: Garlic shrimp treated very well. Tender, juicy, and highly flavorful. * Patatas a la brava: Hot potatoes coated in a creamy ali-oli. * Choricito frito: Delicious sautéed chorizo sausage. * Pinchitos de solomillo: Grilled filet mignon skewers. While the cook made them quite tender, the beef flavor was a bit off. I would recommend sticking to their phenomenal seafood instead. * Paella mixta: A classic presentation of saffron rice, chorizo, chicken, shrimp, and mussels. * Spanish creme brulee: A perfect finish. Wonderfully creamy underneath with a crisp sugar top. THE SERVICE Michael was our server and provided great service. He was attentive, knew the menu details inside and out, and provided excellent recommendations to guide our meal. OVERALL A solid tapas dining experience with great service and standout seafood. read more

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great vibes here not super impressed live music tho bread - fine octopus - decent shrimp- best thing oxtail - ok potato pancake- meh paella - good flavor but bit mushy date bacon - p good read more

This place is a must-visit in San Diego! We came here to celebrate my dad's birthday, and it truly exceeded expectations. The food, vibes, and ambiance were all 5/5, it made the whole experience feel extra special. Huge shoutout to Matt for the incredible service and for going above and beyond to make our celebration memorable. Also loved how pet and kid-friendly it is. The patio area was perfect and made it even more enjoyable for everyone! read more

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I would rate our dinner here a 4.5. We made reservations in advance. Parking can be tricky since it's street parking and the lot across the street does not allow parking so you're at risk of towing. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and gave great recommendations. He suggested getting bread with the meal so we could soak up all the sauces from our dish. We tried the croquettes with jamón, gambas al ajillo, and patatas brava. For our entree we shared the oxtail. The oxtail was super tender and the sauce it came with was great. We all shared a sangria pitcher. It was a nice dinner. Food is a little on the more expensive side but the food was good and we had a very nice experience. read more

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What a delightful dining experience! We arrived on a Saturday at 4 pm, earlier than our reservation at 5 pm) and the waitress gladly seated us promptly. This restaurant is bigger than it seems - there are multiple seating areas like the front patio, bar, a front and back room, as well as a well secluded back patio. We were sat in the back patio and immediately appreciated the ambiance of the place. There were string lights above us, lots of plants around and even got a lit candle on our table just as the sunset started. Our server, Matt, was really outstanding. He was friendly, funny and went out of his way to give his personal opinion on the top dishes to order which we ended up ordering most of! Their menu is very extensive - there are cold tapas, hot tapas, soup/salads, and entrees such as a family style seafood paella. Tapas are meant to be shared since they do come in smaller plates, but don't be fooled, they do fill you up quickly. Here's a quick breakdown of what we ordered: Boquerones: Delicious! Pickled fresh anchovies in olive oil, accompanied by fresh garlic and parsley. Nice and tangy. I highly reccommend this if you love pickled foods! Salpicon de Mariscos (marinated seafood salad): Nice variety of seafood with a refreshing marinade. Hints of green bell pepper as well - good to order with hot tapas to help cut some of the heavy foods. Gambas al Ajillo (shirimp in garlic): Plump shrimp in a smokey oil with lightly fried garlic and a fresh lemon on the side. Good, but not something I would order again. Pulpo a la Gallega (Octopus with olive oil and garlic): Extremely tender smokey octopus. I'm very glad we decided to go with dish off a recommendation. My favorite of the day. Tapa de Rabo de Toro (braised oxtail in red wine sauce): Fall off the bone tender! Incredible oxtail, very hearty sauce and comes with some potatoes. I recommend trying this! Croquetas de Jamon: We ordered this since we didn't order Jamon on its own, and this was our way of substituing it. However, because it is a croquette, it's mainly deep friend potato with a subtle salty taste of the jamon. Crema Catalana (spanish style creme brulee): By this time, we were stuffed but couldn't pass on dessert! This was very delicous - not too sweet, very creamy and slightly nutty. A great way to end dinner. Overall, I'm very happy to have dined here and look forward to coming back to try more variety in the near future! Parking: Street parking only, recommend arriving early to find a spot Bathroom: Conveniently located in the center of the restaurant, 2 rooms. Great for Parties: We saw 3 large parties during our time there. This place can accommodate parties of 12-15 people from what I saw. I would call to make reservation for large parties in advance. read more

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I am extremely disappointed with my experience at Costa Brava. I made a reservation for a bachelorette party of 18 people well in advance and received a confirmation email that even included a food menu, which led me to believe everything was set for our event. However, when our group arrived, we were informed that the restaurant could not accommodate us. At no point during the reservation process or in the confirmation email were we provided with any additional instructions, requirements, or indications that further steps were needed to secure the reservation. Had this been communicated, we would have gladly complied or made alternate arrangements. Having a group of 18 people turned away on the day of a special celebration created unnecessary stress and frustration. The biggest issue was not the inability to accommodate us, but the lack of clear communication beforehand. A simple follow-up email or phone call could have prevented a very disappointing experience for our entire group. Unfortunately, due to this experience, I would be hesitant to trust future reservations here and cannot recommend Costa Brava for large group events. read more

4.5 so rounding up to 5! It was a rainy night and we were looking for somewhere that was pup friendly with a covered patio area. We don't do tapas very often so we were sure what to get or how much to get but our server was super helpful! We ordered: - pan y Ali oli (house bread) - rabas (fried calamari) - zanahorias morunas (pickled carrots) - gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic) - champinones al ajillo (mushrooms in garlic) - patatas à la brava ( potatoes with "spicy" ali oli) - salmon relleno - crema catalana (Spanish creme brulee) - capricho helado (vanilla ice cream with strawberries and caramelized sugar) We really enjoyed this meal! Things came out pretty fast which was great because it seemed busy. My favorites of the tapas were the shrimp in garlic and the patatas à la brava. I loved the aioli sauce the potatoes were in. I would have like the calamari more if it had a sauce? It definitely was missing it and i found myself scraping the leftover patatas brava sauce. Our server did say he was gonna bring us sauce but it never came. Salmon relleno was pretty good - it's salmon stuffed seafood in a lobster bisque sauce. I wish this dish was... Hotter? Temperature wise, it was just warm. Their crème brûlée is really good and I would probably get that again but charging $10 for some ice cream and strawberries (the capricho helado) is kind of much. read more

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Good service but overall disappointing. We had the gambas à la plancha and pretty sure they had been frozen as the skin was very hard to peel off. The paella was also meh and not crispy but rather soupy. The crema catalana was good and the sangria ok. Would not go back. read more

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I've been wanting to check this spot out for a while. I took time off before I start my new job intentionally to enjoy spring in San Diego. Michael took great care of me - very polite, attentive, but also let me eat peacefully. The food here isn't common, I ordered rabbit stew, spicy octopus, and smoked cheese with a glass of wine. I opted for the crusty bread which is extra $$, perfect for dipping. Everything was interesting and tasty. I liked the atmosphere, this spot is right in the middle of PB, but very much an experience of its own - no party scene blasting in your face while dining. I'll gladly come back again to try more dishes. Thank you CB! read more

Every time i've been to Costa Brava, I am reminded of what always wish I go more often. A little gem on the east side of garnet, you would drive by it and almost miss it. But once you enter, you're transported into a huge authentic european style bar/restaurant fit with an outdoor patio as well. The service is fantastic and the ambiance is truly unmatched to anything you experience in SD. The dishes are all tapas style and easy to share. I'd recommend ordering a few dishes between two people because they can be small but they are well priced. The absolute star of the show is the potatoes - cheesy creamy crispy and delicious. The sangria is fresh and delicious too. Would highly recommend this spot to anyone! read more

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San Diego's most famous Spanish Restaurant! I enjoyed my time at Costa Brava and would recommend it for the tapas! Parking Free parking on the street along Garnet if you're lucky. Service/Wait Time/Aesthetic I thought based on pictures that it was only an outdoor restaurant but they do have an indoor area! My group was seated with a reservation easily and the service was very good- the server was Spanish and he knew the menu very well and the food came out really quick! Food/Drinks They only have red sangria and it was good, definitely recommend a pitcher! There were so many tapas that our group ordered but the two I liked the most was the Bacon wrapped dates (Datiles con Tocino) and the oxtail (rabo de toro). They were both very savory and delicious! Tapas that I thought were just okay was the Spanish tortilla, shrimp in garlic, and patatas bravas. There's a creamy sauce on the patatas bravas that I did not really care for. Their paella was just okay- I thought it was expensive- about $30 per person and there was no crispy rice! I would recommend going to Costa Brava for a fun Spanish tapas time. read more

Costa Brava - Bacon wrapped dates (Datiles con Tocino) - Tapas Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Good selection, great out-of-the ordinary, delicious dishes and friendly attentive service; pricing reasonable.

Very good food. Hugs Tapas menu. Tons of wine selections. Place was busy but we got all of our plates very quickly. Inside was nice, clean, and very fast and friendly service. The cod and chicken croquettes were excellent, so were the clams. Calamari was hot and fresh but a little salty. Overall everything was very good and we would go back. read more

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EVERYTHING was amazing about this restaurant! Probably one of my top five restaurants in San Diego. The ambience was super chill and amazing. Our server, I forgot his name, but he's definitely from Spain... He was amazing! All his recommendations were great. We sat in the outdoor seating area with my service animal. They were so nice to her! The food was absolutely incredible! I'm definitely coming back here again. Oh and they're crème brûlée. Chef's kiss. I think I'm gonna come again tomorrow! I left this restaurant feeling so happy and my belly was so full. Honestly, can't wait to come back! read more

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our server was excellent -- very knowledgeable about the wines. Very knowledgeable about the food. I don't remember her name. It was a bit of an emotional evening. Iberico app was an incredible, delicious indulgence. Marinated carrots tart and garlicky. I had the lamb shank, and while it was falling off the bone and the depth of flavor was delicious, it was fattier than I expected it to be. My husband had the oxtail and said his was excellent. The flan slid around on the plate telling us that it was not a level table, lol which was kind of hilarious. read more

We were celebrating my grandpa for receiving a plaque at Mount Soledad this past weekend and decided to come to Costa Brava after the ceremony. The staff was so accommodating to take our large group without a reservation. It helped that it was shortly after they opened. Since it was late morning/early afternoon, I opted for some of the more brunch-ish tapas. I ordered the patatas a la brava and the tortilla española, which I loved! The portions were plenty and I was able to share with a few others near me. I surprisingly loved the chicken croquettes and anchovy stuffed olives. Everything tasted great and everyone enjoyed the time we had to celebrate! read more

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Great interior with patio seating. The TAPAS are incredible!! Everything is fresh and delicious. Homemade Sangria. Dinner entrees are homemade, something for everyone. Excellent customer service. Love sitting at the bar to dine; the bartenders are very helpful with food suggestions. Great spot for all occasions. read more

Decided to a have a roommate dinner here and this was the perfect place to sit down, chat, and snack on a little bit of everything. The food all came out relatively fast and we were able to munch on the chicken croquette, marinated olives, bacon wrapped dates, and spicy potatoes. The star of the night was paella. Ours included shrimp, calamari, mussels, and clams. It also had chicken and chorizo as well. Definitely returning to try more since the menu was huge. read more

Costa Brava - Paella Mixta - Tapas Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I studied abroad in Madrid and loveeee tapas. We came here for dinner, and almost missed it. We didn't see a sign with their name anywhere and had to ask the host is this the place, which was very strange. Not sure if it was too dark but we only knew it was the place because GPS & confirming with host. We ordered all my favs: patatas bravas, manchego cheese, olives, and croquettes. My boyfriend wanted to try the Spanish omlette, which I've never been a fan of but he didn't love it either - won't fault them just not our fav. We also got sangria, so yummy. Loved the rustic vibe. Our waiter was nice and energetic, but after ordering, he seemed disappointed we weren't getting more and didn't seem to give the same energy as the beginning which was kind of strange. Overall, nice place and good food though! read more

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the place was dirty, the food bad and expensive and awfully loud. I will not return as it was a very bad experience read more

My friend was craving Spanish food, we dined here. Customer service is always fantastic. We ordered the sea food paella, croquetas de jamón and the rabo de toro. Everything was delicious except the rice in the paella was so wet, but the Rabo de toro was so delicious. For dessert we had the cheese with guava paste and the Spanish cream brûlée, both didn't wow me. I will be back to have the rabo de toro and maybe try the flan? I do have to mention, we sat in the back open patio and it was nice up I looked up. The tarpes holding the trees up were dirty and looked like black mold I never seen something like that, at a restaurant. Next time I'll sit inside. read more

First thing first, Gustavo made the experience a 10/10 even BEFORE the food was served. Quick tip, go light on the tapas or at least make sure you save space for the paella if you do order it bc it was AMAZING, the gf said it's more on the saltier side but it was perfect for mine's. Also the oxtail stew is PERFECTION. Only downside would be parking since it's mostly street parking and the place does get a little loud inside when it's packed. Overall a 10/10 experience! read more

Costa Brava - Bread w olive oil butter + anchovies in olive oil with garlic - Tapas Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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My fave place, I've come here for graduations, birthdays, World Cups, etc! Love all the tapas and paella read more

My husband and I have been dining at Costa Brava for several years. When making reservations, we always request a table in Jaime's section. Luckily, hostess Nicole is always able to accommodate our special requests. Jaime and his colleague, Don Sylvio, always provide us with a top notch dining experience. Hands down, they make a great team. Then there's the amazing Spanish cuisine! We always start off with some hot (temperature, not spice) tapas. They're all delicious, but our favorite are the CROQUETAS DE JAMÓN - Iberico ham croquettes. Nice and crunchy on the outside, delicious cheese and Iberico ham inside! Our favorite main dish is the CHULETÓN CON PATATUCAS Y PIMIENTOS - A 16 oz choice Porterhouse steak with fried potatoes and roasted piquillo peppers. I like to ask for a side of salsa brava and aioli to dip the potatoes in. Simply divine! They also have some delicious desserts. Most recently we tried their TARTA DE QUESO IDIAZÁBAL - Idiazábal cheese tart and their CREMA CATALANA - Spanish-style crème brûlée. Both desserts were superb. If we lived closer to Pacific Beach we would go more often, but it's a worthy trip from Escondido! read more

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Un lugar que en verdad cocina comida española! 100% volveria los dátiles son una locura read more

Lots of great tasty bites on the tapas menu! Came with a party of 8 and shared a bunch of items. Standouts were the beautifully braised oxtail and croquettes (fish and ham both delicious). Meats and cheeses were all tasty as well, especially the manchego. Octopus was a bit chewy. Great patio seating out back. Wait staff are patient and attentive. Came for a birthday and they gave a nice little dessert flan. read more

A super exotic Spanish restaurant! We didn't get their signature seafood paella, but we ordered a bunch of tapas! My favorites were the octopus slices, tangy mushrooms, and meat skewers. The garlic shrimp was also really good. Everyone seems to order the fried potato chunks with a mayo-like sauce--pretty unique! The staff were super fun and witty too! read more

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Love this place! Food is always amazing. Service is always great everyone is very friendly. This place makes you feel like you are in Spain! Happy hour is for an hour 2 days a week. Discounted tapas plates and sangria. Get the sangria! It's so good! read more

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I love coming here for happy hour and their sangria is delicious!!! Everything I've tried on the menu is fabulous. Service is great and the restaurant itself is beautiful and spacious. The outside area is gorgeous at night with lights. Definitely recommend if you're in the area read more

Costa Brava makes you feel you are on vacation in Spain or any other Latin country. Their food, atmosphere and service is professional, welcoming and accommodating. I highly recommend giving it a try! read more

One of our favorite spot for tapas and sangria. Everything on the menus here is so good really can't go wrong but our faves are definitely the braised rabbit and the octopus dish. Sangria is a must here too. The service is always so amazing our server Matt was exceptional. He knocked it out of the park with his recommendations. Food also came out super fast. They have plenty of seating and we love sitting in their outdoor patio area. read more

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My friend and I came here on a Saturday evening. We sat at the bar, they were very busy but all the workers were super attentive. Service was quick and great- Sangria was delicious, definitely sweet but not too overpowering. They had a Spanish soccer playing on the tv, that was neat- super cozy, cute place and would love to try more of their tapas. Only had three things, which all were delicious! Can't wait to try their main dish or cold tapas next time :) read more

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Giving this place a 5-star for the authenticity and I really enjoyed the things that we ordered. The food was full of flavor and exactly what a tapa should be. I recommend the garlic shrimp and the sangria. Loved the service. I came here on a date, and our server was seriously one of my favorite parts of this place. Perfect place for a date night! read more

Everything and everything was so delicious! We ordered a smattering of tapas all delivered hot fresh and quickly. There were 5 of us and had about 8 Topas. Potato's, steak bites with spiced peppers, mancheta cheese, garlic shrimp wee among the selections our experienced table mate choose. Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Came to the bar for a quick drink on a Sunday afternoon. Ordered a Sangria, bread & queso manchego. Service was great, and drinks were delicious. Definitely still my favorite restaurant at SD. read more

Costa Brava - Tapas Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

This restaurant has expanded a lot since the last time I've been here years prior. We were seated in the back patio where there was live music and heaters on. Dinner was a bit pricey because you're not getting much food since it's about $9-15 per tapas. We ordered a variety of cold and hot tapas. I think that their food is hit or miss. We like the croquetas, bacon wrapped dates, and mushrooms dishes. The $20 oxtail was fatty and the octopus was disappointingly chewy. The calamari was limp. The red sangria was pretty good and we ordered a pitcher of it. The creme brulee dessert was delicious. Service was good. Our waiter did a great job with our group and made suggestions on the orders. read more

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Traditional, family oriented atmosphere with solid Spanish selections and friendly service make Costa Brava a worthy dining choice. The interior is woody, rustic and adorned with weathered art such that you do feel transported to a Spanish taverna. You can talk and laugh as loud as you want without worry, as the Friday night ambiance was charmingly lively. Many guests were Spanish-speaking, and the extensive menu of mostly small plates lends itself well to large groups. My friend and I got a pitcher of sangria, the gambas al ajillo and the patatas bravas to start. The sangria was a generous portion served in a rustic clay vessel, and contained a sufficient amount of orange and apple pieces. The gambas were good, nothing too surprising, and while the patatas could have been crispier the aioli topping was delectable. However, aside from the unique ambiance, my favorite part of the meal was the paella mixta. Ojo, it does take 30-45 min to prepare, so order at the start of your meal, but it was well worth the wait. The rice had the perfect golden tone and toothsome texture, the bell pepper notes shone through and the portion of surf & turf was both generous and perfectly chopped to size. A well executed, rib sticking meal for two! read more

Costa Brava - Sangria + patatas bravas - the classic combo - Tapas Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Costa Brava is one of our favorite spots--as always, the food was delicious and the service was fantastic! read more

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This restaurant is my favorite place to dine in the USA! It also happens to be the best Spanish restaurant I've had outside of Spain. The service and staff remind me of being back home in Barcelona on the actual real Costa Brava where I grew up. The staff transcend what it actually feels like to dine in Spain. It's not just a service, they tie into the experience of the dish to complete the whole experience. The restaurant itself has a lovely and tranquil atmosphere that doesn't try to hard to be Spanish... it's classically exactly what you would find on the Costs Brava. Best customer service in San Diego! You literally can never go wrong dining here! read more

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