The food was really worth its price. I overheard people saying that they've been to cheaper Peruvian places but honestly for the quality of the food, the price is low. The Sangria was refreshing and not overly sweet which I loved. My only complaint was how salty my main dish was but my table got 4 other dishes which were fine so I'm docking it down to the fact that it was just late and they were starting to close. Would recommend this spot. The server was polite and attentive and it was a very casual spot which I enjoy. read more

Costa Contemporary Kitchen - Sangria - Peruvian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Went to lunch yesterday and had the most amazing meal (I just got back from Napa and Sonoma and this place was better than all the meals has there!) What makes Costa a goto destination is the service. Hector went above and beyond to make our lunch memorable. When we ask for a taste of a red wine, he gave us the others to compare without asking. The Lomo Salto was juicy with crispy onions and vibrant with cherry tomatoes with a lovely Unami based sauce. The pappas came out pipping hot.. crispy on the outside with a savory beef inside. We didn't have cocktails but Hector gave us a taste of the watermelon cocktail which was a perfect balance of sweet and sour with fresh squeeze juice. This will be our goto restaurant in the future. They also have a sister restaurant in Laguna, Cabana, that needs to be tried. See my review. read more

This is a Peruvian restaurant with passion and execution. It merits a Michelin Bib Gourmand! The food is nothing short of astounding! This is from a New Yorker who has spent time in Peru and loves that cuisine. They have really recreated true Peruvian dishes with just the right mix of spices and really fresh fish and seafood. I could have been dining at a fine restaurant in Cuzco!! The Branzino scallop clam and shrimp mage with jasmine rice and spicy cilantro tomato broth was otherworldly! And the classic ceviche was just that, classic. The Barman was a genius with the Pisco Sour and the wines by the glass were good accompaniments to the food. My hope is that with more people discovering Costa, it may find a somewhat larger spot, and expand the wine by the glass choices. But I haven't had a more authentic and brilliantly prepared Peruvian meal outside the Sacred Valley!! A must go!! read more

Costa Contemporary Kitchen - Kitchen prep - Peruvian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Never fails... always the best service, nice strong drinks, and F*@$n good food. Decided to try something different today and was SO glad I did. The damn grilled sea bass (pescado a lo macho) was frikin delicious! And as always, love the guys working there. So damn nice! read more

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The food and drinks here were delicious. Staff was kind and helpful as well. And the establishment was pretty and clean. I highly recommend the Tallarin verde con filete. It was my favorite dish! The filet mignon was cooked perfectly. I also really enjoyed the Ponche drink- which is a popular beverage from Peru. I was not a fan of the Papas a la Huancaina. I hadn't expected it to be a cold dish. Overall, I really enjoyed my dining experience here and will most definitely be returning read more

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Food was consistently delicious. We got the delicious ceviche, lomo soltado, the seafood rice dish and the flan. Everything was super tasty and well seasoned. Service was great and food came out pretty quickly. read more

Amazing!!! Absolutely excellent food and cocktails. Highly recommend. The food here is extraordinary and very authentic. We had the Lomo Saltados, ceviche mixto and tuna tartar. The hand crafted cocktails are made with care. We had the pisco sour, fresco y picante and Lima colada. Service was so friendly. Hector is awesome!! Will definitely be coming back for more!! read more

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This restaurant is in the wrong location any where else we would not have gone in without a reservation, Restaurant is the bomb!!! OMG...EVERYTHING we had was delicious, the beef on the spaghetti was tender the seafood was fresh the rice fluffy the papa rellena flavorful I wish they were open for lunch so I could take food home. Service was fast music was fun .wow can't wait to go back. read more

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I had an amazing dining experience at Costa Contemporary Kitchen! The food was incredible--every dish was thoughtfully prepared and bursting with flavor. But what truly made our visit exceptional was the outstanding service from Jose and Nancy . Both were attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable meal. They were knowledgeable about the menu and offered great recommendations that didn't disappoint. It's rare to find a team that balances professionalism with such warm hospitality. The ambiance was cozy yet modern, perfect for a relaxed evening out. I highly recommend Costa Contemporary Kitchen to anyone looking for delicious food and top-notch service. I had the lomo saltado and started off the experience with the papas rellenas and had a sweet watermelon drink ( virgen) Thank you, Costa , for making our night so special! 5/5 stars! read more

First time visiting costa today, and I was not disappointed. The restaurant itself is small, but comforting (reminds me of New York restaurants). We tried the tallarín verde as well as the lomo saltado, and both dishes were amazing. The tallarín verde had lots of flavor and depth, and the steak accompanying the pasta was soft and flavorful. The lomo saltado was also super delicious. It stands out from the other lomo saltado dishes we have had. Also got to try to sandia Fresca, ponche mixed drinks. Both were super delicious, and also tasted fresh. The liquor in both was not overpowering. We also tried the flan, delicious! The bartender/server also introduced us to another mixed drink which was as amazing! Definitely recommend, great food, and absolutely amazing staff. read more

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I think I found my new Peruvian place! Chic little restaurant with a modern minimalist decor. Not too many tables but also has fancy bar seating. They are located in a nice area of Costa Mesa. Down the street from South Coast Plaza and if you walk around back and keep going you hit the Performing Arts area which is cool to stroll around. Go past the parking lot and remember to get your parking ticket validated. Empanadas were yummy. Maybe meat wasn't the best quality but the sauce it came with was delicious! My go-to dish the Lomo Saltado was amazing! Filet mignon meat fired up in plain sight if sitting across from the open kitchen. They were tossed with cherry tomatoes and had a great flavor. Topped by crispy thick fries which I appreciate are not totally drenched and soggy in the sauce. Would have liked some more fries as a filler since the dish was a little smaller than I expected. Rice was cooked well. Our server offered the green sauce that is typically given about halfway through the meal but it was a wonderful added touch. Maybe some of the crunchy bread and creamy butter you usually get at Peruvian restaurants would have been nice and left me with a happier belly but who needs a jolly belly anyways. Oh and don't forget the signature cinnamony yummy Chicha drink! Yummmm can't wait to go back! read more

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It's hard to find a good peruvian place. This place is definitely a hit. If you are new to Peruvian food try lomo saltado. If you want comfort food el estofado. It's a hot day and you are craving seafood? Try ceviche. Also, their drinks are really good. You can tell the bartender takes a lot of pride making them. My favorite is ponche. But a traditional Peruvian is pisco sour. Try them both! read more

Our server was Hector, and he was amazing! where to start!! omg everything was amazing, the drinks, the food, the service. We order a sangria and a pisco sour, and wow they were both delicious and well balanced. For the food we got a ceviche mixto, papa's a la huancaina , and aji de gallina. and they were delicious and not over salted. we finished with some dessert the flan and the alfajores. the alfajores were to die for! the caramel inside them were Suttle and tasted delicious. The flan was probably the only thing I did not care for the texture was great, but the syrup that goes on top was a bit to strong for my taste. All in all, it was great will dedefinitely be back my only tip will be to get reservations. it is a small restaurant, luckily we didn't mind seating at the bar and it was opened. read more

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I loved the lomo saltado. The meat was a bit chewy but the flavors were spot on. The fries were amazing. Slightly crispy on the outside and so fluffy on the inside. I also liked the ceviche mixto. It had great depth of flavor with a little kick of spice. The arroz con mariscos was extremely flavorful as well. I didn't like the empanadas too much. They felt a little dry, but the sauce served alongside them was great. read more

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My taste buds came alive for the first time in years. Delicious Peruvian food and the best smoked old-fashioned I've ever had where you could actually taste the smokiness. We ate there before a performance at Segerstrom. I would highly recommend it. read more

Came here for dinner tonight with my daughter. Upon arriving they told us they couldn't get us seated till 8pm but we worked it out and we were seated after about 15 minutes.They were very busy and short staffed but still managed to give us great service . Shout out to Hector for working so hard at the bar and taking care of the other tables. I started with a drink the Pisco Sour my first time tasting one and I liked it. Then we had some appetizers; papas rellena and papas huanciana( I apologize if that isn't correct) my daughter and I both loved the papas rellena they come with some pickled onions and a creamy sauce absolutely delicious! The other potatoes were also very good with a cheesy and lemony sauce. For main entree I had the ceviche mixto and my daughter had the lomo saltado. I had some of the filet mignon meat from her dish and it was so nicely cooked it was so good! I will be having that dish next time I come. My ceviche was also very delicious. I can definitely say this was great Peruvian food. We enjoyed our dinner very much. Thanks again Hector for fitting us in! read more

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I couldn't love this place more! The decor is modern and chic but welcoming, service is excellent and the food is wonderful! Our group split some apps, then each got an entree and split dessert. We had the causa with tuna and it tasted just like the ones we had in Lima. Comfort food at its finest, I could eat that every day. The tiradito was beautiful to look at and tasted even better. Each bite was perfectly seasoned. Lastly we had the classic ceviche which was so fresh and citrusy. I wished for a little more sweet potato but otherwise perfect. We moved to entrees next. Loma saltado was delicious with tender filet mignon bites and crisp thick fries. Arroz con mariscos had flavorful rice with a generous amount of fish. The tallarin verde is like a Peruvian pesto pasta. What makes it different is it's a more creamy and delicate basil forward flavor. We paired our meal with a nice bottle of red and were happy with all of our choices We ended with bread pudding and alfajores (Peruvian cookies) and both were good but we were pretty full by that point. Shout out to Patrick who provided the most wonderful service. He gave us food suggestions, let us taste some wine to help us choose and found some alfajores after he thought they had sold out. Such a pleasure and very knowledgeable. read more

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Amazing food, , amazing ambience , friendly staff . I would recommend , time and time again read more

Superb service! Excellent decor! High quality ingredients! Pricey. Meal: Tallerin Verde: spaghetti with spinach basil cream sauce and filet mignon steak. ($17) -super creamy Al dente spaghetti and succelent meat. Papa a la Huanacaina: marble potatoes, aji amarillo covered in queso fresco. ($10)- the queso fresco is seasoned perfectly. Lomo Saltado: filet mignon, red onions, aji pepper,roasted tomatoes, sauteed together over a bed of French fries. Highly recommend. ($20). Soto Sake: glass ($10) 2 oz glass. ($30) 300 ml Do yourself a favor and come here. read more

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amazing food and service by Andrea . can't wait to come back to try out more dishes and cocktails.

Great drink menu and solid appetizers/small plates can be had here. We loved the empanadas and the ceviche misto and we also had a refreshing w Quinoa salad. We had a watermelon drink on the specialty menu and it was so refreshing and delicious! I'll be back!! read more

Great place!!! We order ceviche mixto, empanadas and pasta with filet was amazing!!! And we have pisco sour and was great!!! The service was on point by Ozzie, And the flan and alfajores are delicious!! read more

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Literally, every plate is sooo good!! The restaurant perfects every plate!!!! They had great drinks and ambiance. It is literally the full-on peruvian experience. read more

Costa Contemporary Kitchen - Peruvian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

the thin slice.octopus was too chewy and tasteless,the sauce for the steak was too salty, the tuna was too sweet like candy, the fried seafood was tasteless and didnt like the dipsauce.they dont offer fruitdrinks or dishes read more

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This place is incredible. Great food, great drinks and great service. Nothing else needs to be said besides that. The atmosphere is nice and welcoming. They will validate parking as well just make sure to bring them your parking ticket. No complaints at all. The price for the quality is honestly unbeatable. Highly recommend the Lomo Saltado. read more

Costa Contemporary Kitchen - Lomo Saltado - Peruvian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Smart Casual and a pretty chic interior with an eclectic mix of people dining in and picking up their takeaway, appears to be a favoured spot for the local South American community which I took as a good sign for the authenticity and quality of the menu, it proved to be correct Menu is an array of traditional Peruvian fair offering a good range of seafood cooked or ceviche style, grilled sautéed beef selections, pasta combinations and rice dishes For us it was the Causas as a starter, mounds of smooth and buttery mashed potato topped with a layer of avocado and Amarillo lime which had a nice little zing and kiss of heat stacked with a creamy combination of cooked tuna or chicken style mayo salad, garnished with slivers of fried red onion and coriander leaves it's a great starter and a good one to share to awaken the taste buds Next was the Soltado mar y tierra roughly translated sautéd surf and turf Tender medium rare pieces of Fillet Mignon, shrimp, cherry tomatoes and red onion segments sautéed in oil so hot it develops its own smoky flavour that combined with the cooking juices from the meat and the veg when it soaks into the boiled rice produces a taste that is unique to this style of cooking and is just sensational eating, finally it's topped with hand cut potato wedges crispy outside soft inside Delicious ! Pescado a la macho, beautiful tender pieces of sea bass, shrimp, calamari and in the shell mussels in a smoky spicy red pepper sauce which had a great depth of flavour and a nice hint of heat from the ricoto and aji Amarillo peppers. Served with white rice on the side which quickly found its way into the bowl to soak up that sauce, for those who don't love it to spicy this is a safe one as the heat is there but it's not sweat producing or mouth burning Loved it ! For dessert the menu only had two options and as we couldn't decide between the either we went for both ( this part of the menu needs a tune up) Bite sized shortbread cookies with a layer of dulce de leche (think sticky chewy caramel made with carnation milk) served in four petite sandwich cookies with a light dusting of powdered sugar for an extra hint of sweet would go great with coffee or tea as well .. (no coffee offered and not on the menu) but they disappeared pretty quick none the less The caramel flan or as an Aussie might call it a creme caramel is a simple dish but was cooked well, was soft and sweet with a silky texture as it should, the contrast of the sweetness to the savoury and richness of the rest of the meal was fantastic and a great way to finish There is a small selection of cocktails wines, beers and non alcoholic beverages .. it's more about the food here than the booze I did try at the suggestion of the beautiful Lady B, a tumbler of the Chicha Morada juice served over ice, it's quite refreshing and had me curious and sipping slowly trying to identify the ingredients so I had to google it, turns out it's made from boiling ground purple corn or maize, pineapple rinds, cinnamon and cloves, it's sweet but not overly sweet and was a great non alcoholic accompaniment to the meal Costa's is a good spot and have no hesitation recommending it, it's not fine dining, it's not trying to be, its great tasting food well presented and reasonably priced, the staff are great, the vibe is a little loud given the size of the place with only tile and glass to absorb the noise but we will definitely be back next time we are back in town Plenty of parking in the street or nearby parking structures available as well read more

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Came for lunch and it was great. It was full so I said it was of to sit at the bar. I had some Chilean wine (Chardonnay), causa d pollo as an appetizer (yum) and the one and only lomo saltado as main dish. The quality of the meat is very high, compared to other Peruvian places. Then, I had the alfajores and coffee for dessert.... I mean... awesome! Staff was friendly and fun, waiting time was perfect and the price meets the value you get for your food. Definitely coming back!! read more

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Amazing food!! Must try if you want some Peruvian food!! Bar is pretty open most of the time but reservations are recommended for tables . Drinks were great !!! read more

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even though everything we ordered wasn't stand-out amazing, one dish (and one drink) absolutely did and is/are worthy of a five star rating on their own for me, the lomo saltado was okay, and the tallarin verde was missing a little something, but the estofado -- wow. imagine slow cooked braised beef that just melts the second your spoon or fork touches it, in a bed of its own gravy + mashed potatoes and peas right up my alley and i would put that dish up against almost anything, anywhere for the price; also not to be missed is their maracuya juice, and unfortunately the only word i can come up with right now for it is delicate (though i do think it's probably pretty accurate, somehow) not a small place but not big either so make reservations; thank you for the great meal! we're definitely looking forward to trying more off your menu soon :) read more

Kinda average Went last Wednesday (slow night) ... totally creepy we are the only couple in the restaurant. Server was amazing and so positive Drink pours were average/small - Chardonnay - Whiskey Food: Empanadas were okay not a Wow! LOMO MAR Y TIERRA was horrible. - The filet mignon was so tough and cooked overdone - The shrimp were small and overcooked - french fries and rice were to fill up the plate TALLARIN VERDE CON FILETE was very good - Sautéed noodles in a spinach basil cream topped with parmesan cheese was excellent - the sautéed filet mignon was plentiful and tender Atmosphere was cold and miserable read more

Don't pass up this place! A different spin on traditional Peruvian food and you are sure not to be disappointed. Ceviche, chaufa, saltado, or noodles, you can't go wrong. It's not just the food, but the drinks as well. If you find that Hector is your bartender for your visit you'll find someone who cares about the detail and passion for cocktails. Too often you find that a location excels in only the food or the drinks, but Costa has discovered not just a balance but the mastering of the two. From appetizers to dessert you'll experience a wonderful meal. Now don't forget, no visit is complete without a Pisco Sour. I get it every single time, just can't resist! read more

I'm not a local, went here on a whim after watching a performance at Segerstrom. Not disappointed in the least. I can't say I'm familiar with Peruvian cuisine, so I cant say if it's "authentic" if that's what you're going for -- but with food this good it doesn't matter. read more

Wow, I went to this restaurant and I never eat something like that. I asked for jalea de mariscos and lomo saltado both plates were delicious. Jose and Hector were very friendly and the vibes was nice to talk and go for some drinks. I loved my visit there. read more

Costa Contemporary Kitchen - Jalea de mariscos - Peruvian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California