Costa Brava Reviews

Here on a business occasion and we had a separate room big enough for 30. Tapas and entrees were fabulous. A great variety of Spanish foods, and from those with experience in Spain, the food was authentic. The Spanish bacon, paella, lamb, beef, and desserts ere uniformly delicious. If you are in Pacific Beach and looking for a great dining experience, Costa Brava is your place!

Ouch! Thanks for the chilly reception Costa Brava. Arrived and sat down with my husband and the waiter made an immediate b-line for our table. No greeting. He just grabbed our wine and promptly told us he could not open it because it was on their menu. Then he showed us the menu with the $160 price tag (it was a $30 bottle of wine) and then just stood there. I told him we weren't going to order it and he just walked away, sooooo, we left. Zero stars if I could. Rude.

My Spanish friends have told me that Costa Brava is a good Spanish restaurant in San Diego. Well it lived up to the recommendation. It is a bit hard to find as the front is very unassuming. I parked next to it and still had to look around. The inside is nice and they have a nice little patio area. We sat inside which unfortunately since we are having a heat wave is pretty hot. The service is good and the food comes up very fast. We like the mussles in brine water and the fried calamari tapas. The seafood paella was good too. I would definitely go back again but not in a heat wave ;-)

I recently had dinner at Costa Brava in San Diego and it was fantastic! One of the best dinners I have enjoyed in years. The restaurant is located away from the city center and is guarded as local favorite, a neighborhood gem for sure. All of the wait staff is extremely friendly and eager to please. Our waitress Irene was beyond amazing as she guided us on our food journey throughout the evening. The choices are authentic and delicious. There was no rush upon us, even though the restaurant was packed. We were able to enjoy the atmosphere, our guests company and an incredible meal. If you have a chance stop in for their happy hour, do it. Que buena!

Costa Brava is one of the best restaurants in San Diego. It has amazing food and has a very authentic Spanish vibe. The only thing I dislike is that they serve octopus, which I strongly oppose. Overall, I’d say Costa Brava is an amazing restaurant!

I've lived here for over 3 years and drive this street almost daily and I've never noticed this restaurant. People, find it! It's Spanish tapas...lively atmosphere with really good food. We ordered about 9 different items for the table and 3 desserts and we enjoyed everything. There was a band playing and dancers the night we were there. A very fun and festive atmosphere. We sat outside on the covered patio. I think if we were inside, it would have been hard to talk because of the music being loud. But, outside where we sat, it was perfect to be able to talk with our party and enjoy the sounds from inside. I'll definitely go back and take friends, too. Costa Brava is a hidden gem that is worth the find for it's yummy food and festive atmosphere.

San Diego's food scene is really bad... This seems still a better place than others but the Tapas is not like what one will get in Barcelona or Madrid (have been to both places!). The problem is that the tapas was not flavorful even when it was a sauce-dipped tapas (like shrimp in garlic sauce, etc.) Good wine collection though! Not worth the $$$

For those fortunate people that have visited Spain, this amazing restaurant will bring back flashbacks. Not only does the furniture, bar and layout resemble many Spanish restaurants in Spain but the food and the presentation is spot it. The quality of their tapas is top notch and they have a brilliant wine selection from many regions! This is hands down the best Spanish restaurant in California. I travel to Spain every year and going here satisfies by craving for jamon serrano and pulpo a la gallega. Do yourself a favor and check them out. They have a great happy hour from 4-6pm daily including weekends. I just wish they brought back their Sunday Paella brunch.

The best Spanish food in all of San Diego. We have been coming here for years. I am not raving about them just because they catered our wedding on a sailboat off the coast of Point Loma back in 2009 with amazing paella and so many tapas I can’t even remember them all. It’s because the food is truly delicious. The staff is incredible and so friendly which they must only take from one of the best owners I have ever met. Javier and his staff always take care of you. Be careful when you have the butter they serve with their bread, many of us feel there’s some type of addictive drug in it because we can never get enough. We affectionately refer to it as crack butter. Our favorite thing to do is start with a jaro of sangria and then order some tapas. It’s hard to choose because there are so many and they are ALL wonderful. More times than not our dinner is just a selection of tapas. We just returned from a vacation to Spain and the first thing we did when we got home was to go to Costa Brava to continue our wonderful memories.

Love the atmosphere at Costa Brava! The waiters are very friendly: you feel immediately at home. The bottomless sangrias are refreshing and the food is simply delicious. The service at the bar is fast and the tapas being served are quite authentic; it feels and tastes like Spain.The boquerones, tortilla de patatas, gambas, chistorra are only a few items you should try. Be prepared though, it will not be your lightest meal.

The place was packed . We sat at the bar and had a great time with the bartender. Great alcoholic and non drinks to start. We got a table and ordered a bunch of tapas. Great selection of meats and cheeses, prawns . We had 7 differnet ones and all were superb. We went for the heavenly paella for the 6 of us. Wow. It comes out in a cast iron pan and is served family style. We went full monty and had desserts . I am picky when it comes to creme brulee but this was perfection! A spanish espresso to finish it. What a meal and the service is second to none

If you are looking for tapas and spanish food, this is THE place for you. It reminded me the food i used to eat when i was kid in a small town in Spain when i would go to my auntie on sunday for lunch. Also, the service was great and overall not that expensive. Would recommend to anybody that wants to experience one of the best cuisine in the world.

Typical tapas restaurant - good food, good live music and quaint setting, at a close driving distance from our hotel in Mission Bay. We would go back. Reservations are probably recommended. We went there in the middle of the week and it was pretty full...

Happy hour is not to be missed! Nobody there on Tuesday night, fine service. Very good house Tempranillo and sangria. We tasted eleven different tapas, all good and a bargain at these prices. Don’t miss patatas bravas, escargot, fried anchovies, sautéed mushrooms and the peppers. Flan is dense and tasty.

Second time eating here. Great food. Great service. Huge menu of authentic tapas and we ate a lot! Serano ham, garlic shrimp , oxtail, risotto with calamari in black ink sauce to name a few. A Cava sparkling to start then a nice Tempranillo reserva. Flan & expresso to finish. Nice atmosphere. Highly recommend.

We had not been to CB in several years & thought it would be the perfect spot to celebrate a birthday. On a Saturday night the restaurant was busy and the atmosphere exactly what we were looking for. It is noisy, but not so much as to detract from table conversation. We did have reservations. Our waiter recommended a wonderful white wine for me, as I do not know Spanish wines. We ordered the seafood paella for two (fantastic), and some tapas to start (recommend the dates & bacon). Another in our party had the filet (steak) - everyone agreed it was melt-in-your-mouth good. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal & decided we need to return soon.

Sundays are my favorite day at " Costa Brava" Flamenco show Starts at 7PM. Love Tapas and their drinks like ""Sangria" If you are ready for dinner "Costa Brava" offers a Delicious great variety of Spaniard Cuisine at affordable prices. Enjoy! Ole! Salud!

We went during happy hour. Prices reasonable. Food yummy - we were already familiar with most of it. Staff attentive. Definitely worth a stop.

This was my first time trying tapas and I was very pleased with it. We tried the anchovies which were served in garlic and olive oil. Surprise! it was not salty but a lovely, sweet, delicate little fish. We also had a tapa consisting of a cured ham on crusty bread with tomatoes and garlic...bite sized and absolutely heaven with beer or cocktails. they keep the crusty bread coming so you always have some with whatever tapas you ordered. Even the butter for the bread tasted special (garlic maybe??) couldn't put my finger on it but I put a lot of that butter on that delicious bread! We enjoyed our drinks and tapas at a leisurely pace...never feeling rushed. Our waiter was attentive and very efficient. The restaurant is small and popular and although we didn't have a reservation (only 2 of us) I would recommend a reservation for parties bigger than that. Overall great experience and I can't wait to gather up some friends and share the experience with them over some Sangria at Costa Brava!!

Very good food and nice ambience. I highly recommend this place for dinners. We did not have any reservations but were able to get a table right away but I recommend making reservations. Good friendly staff, we had 19 month old trouble maker with us but we got good service and waiters were very friendly with our baby. Potato Tapa (hot tapas menu item) was excellent!

This place is amazing !!! Let me start with thanking Orlando & Tanize, our wait staff, they were simply amazing, they made our experience even more enjoyable. The restaurant buzzes with voices, live music and just a fantastic atmosphere. Our food was beyond delicious. We started with the "Croquetas de Bacalao" then moved to our entrees, my wife had the "Rabo de Toro" (ox tail) and I the "Cordero asado a Nuestra Manera" (lamb shank). All perfectly sized portions, the dishes so exquisitely made and if you've had real Spanish food you know that flavor is hard to achieve and here it made is feel like we were in Spain. If you want to experience try Spanish cuisine this restaurant is a must

We stuffed ourselves with many plates of hot and cold tapas. This was a birthday celebration at lunchtime and we had the place to ourselves.

One of my favorite places to go, the food is good, the service is great, the atmosphere is super fun! Was there to celebrate France Wold Cup win!

Wonderful Spanish restaurant in Pacific Beach with excellent tapas, informal vibe and great food. We ordered about 14 or 15 items from their huge menu for a family of six (repeated a couple) and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Our meal was enhanced by prompt service and a talented guitarist. Full-size dishes are also offered. Highly recommended. The restaurant warns against parking in the shopping center across the street; street parking takes a bit of effort but it’s worth it.

Called ahead to make a reservation and were told that while it was too late to make a reservation we could walk in and get a table as there were plenty of tables available and no one waiting. Arrived 5 minutes later and were told next table available would be in 3 hours. Explained that we had previously called and manager said "We can't predict the future." I asked "Even when the future is 5 minutes away? We just called 5 minutes ago." He didn't seem to care. Well, good for them they have that much business. We had a great meal at one of their competitors who gave us an honest answer on availability..

This is a gem serving great Spanish tapas. The wine list is fantastic and it has a good selection of Spanish beer too. We particularly enjoyed the bacon wrapped dates and sausage with onions, while our kids demolished the lamb skewers and paella rice. We are gluten free and ate to our content without issue. The ambiance also matches the flavor of the food, with authentic live music playing the evening we visited. All in all a great place to eat out and a perfect topping for our vacation.

Four of us ate at Costa Brava for my husband's birthday. The service was excellent (thanks Gustavo) and the food was excellent and typical of meals we have had in Spain. The tapas were well prepared and the paella mixta was superb. The meal was moderately priced even with wine and coffees. This is definitely worth a return trip especially since the tapas menu is extensive—so many choices we still wish to enjoy.

Great service and nice live music in the garden out back. Also generous with warm rolls and water. Would not sit inside. Slow cooked pork v good; garlic shrimp good too but could use more garlic. Across the street from Trader Joes

Tapas restaurants that made me think I was back in Spain. The sangaria was excellent as were the the bacon-wrapped dates.

Great ambiance, tasty Tapas, Sangria and Gazpacho. Helpful and friendly waiter. Can't go wrong with this choice for dinner.

Super fun restaurant. Service ( Matthew) was fantastic, our glasses of sangria were always full! The food was amazing we had the mixed paella for two. The flamenco show was terrific, a lot of fun. Would highly recommend this restaurant. Looking forward to going back

The plan was to have Sunday dinner at Costa Brava. We called earlier to make reservations, were told that they do not take reservations on Sundays, and advised to get there early. Which we did. We arrived a little over 6pm. But even though there were a good number of unoccupied tables, we were told they were reserved(?!), and told to wait. We observed as other patrons arrived, claimed reservations, and took the available tables, while others were told to wait and see. We inquired about their reservation policy, but were given no explanation. We gave up and left after being outraged for about 40 minutes. The lesson here seems to be that unless you are friends or family to Costa Brava management, just don't bother showing up.

This restaurant is a gem on all counts for a dining experience. These is an extensive list of Spanish wines, covering a broad scale of price points, a nice selection of ports and dessert wines, and delicious, creative tapas options. On Sunday evenings there Flamenco dancing to boot -- simply amazing (from a past visit). Our server, Barbara, on this visit was kind, helpful, and appropriately attentive. Wonderful evening.

We found this place by chance and are pleased we did. The selection of tapas was extensive; each one was delicious, and the portions were just right. In addition, the prices were quite reasonable. Our waiter was tolerance of our attempts to "speak the language" and spent plenty of time describing the dishes and assisting us in selecting a variety of tapas. Will definitely return!

This was a small place when it started out, but I guess the secret is out. Great tapas, happy hour, and food!

This is a good go to date night. It's super romantic. We also come here with friends to have a lot of fun! Their sangria is the BEST! Their tapas are great. Try their bacon wrapped dates and spicy potatoes. I HIGHLY recommend trying this place wether you are in town or a San Diegian that hasn't tried it out.

Great Tapas, good Sangria, excellent Atmosphere. Especially for Vegetarians, lot of Veggie Tapas options.

Quite a varied menu. Lots of appetizers to choose from, try the bacon wrapped dates....very unique and awesome! Fact is, what ever your server recommends, it will be great. I had the sea bass....outstanding!! The service was impeccable. We will go back.

My 15 yr old and 7 yr old sons and I LOVED this place! Our waitress, BARBARA, was SO helpful and accommodating! My 15 yr old had never had a mussel or a clam so they gave us 1 of each to try before committing to them in the paella! The paella was great! The lamb, Brussel sprouts, and chicken croquettes were yummy! Best of all - and that’s saying a lot given the deliciousness of the food- BEST of all was BARBARA our waitress! Above and beyond to make the kids, and me, happy and comfortable.

I hear they have music some nights and even dancing other nights. Not interested in either, so I’ll try to avoid it. But I will return. The ambience was like being in España and the waiters were all so professional, efficient and friendly. The menu was exciting for me and difficult in making choices. However, for my vegetarian friend, it was a bit sad. The only thing she could eat was the bread (reheated, sadly), Brussels sprouts and potatoes. All good, but boring for her. We ordered a lot of tapas or small dishes to share. What a wonderful way to eat and enjoy the evening. All of the fish dishes were wonderful. I forgot to take photos of some, but I loved the fresh anchovies – best I have had in a while. I remember the great octopus in Spain and here it was the same. The cod croquettes were also yummy as were the crab stuffed peppers. The lamb on skewers was tough/ chewy and didn’t have much lamb taste sadly. The anchovy stuffed olives were also wonderful. They have Serrano and Iberico hams and wonderful sheep cheeses. I am not a lover of sweets, but the bacon-wrapped figs with honey were a favorite at our table. The have a lovely wine list and also full bar. Speaking of bar, it seemed to be a very lively bar scene. The restaurant was pretty full on a cold and rainy night. That also says something. I wish we had found this earlier and will be back for sure.

I had reservations for 8 people for dinner. My husband and I showed up on time, checked in and asked for our table. The hostess said that she was unable to seat us until our entire party arrived. I said ok, we are ready for a drink and the bar has NO open spaces (this was a saturday night and the place was busy). She said she couldn’t seat me, so I asked for the manager. The manager came over and he takes my husband and I to the very back of the restaurant to an area that is NOT where the bar and people are and pulls out a chair for me. I said “no thank you”. I said to him “If my husband and I wanted to sit alone and stare at a wall, we would be at home”. I walked outside. Waited for my friends and then we got seated at our table. I also want to mention that our table was empty the entire time I was asking for it. What a rude manager. Why not sit us down and let us have a drink at the table we reserved for 8 people and confirmed on line? Why try to put us in a corner?

Great place we found recently and ended up going a lot of times. great wine and Shrimp ajillo must have. Wines suggested are good. Food and wine are a little bit on the expensive side. Dont miss this place.

Wow, what an experience, to be honest I didn't expect this visit to be so great, but what a pleasant surprise, steamed clams in tomato sauce, fantastic, hot potato, so crispy on the outside and just delicious, lamb skewers, so tasty, the cherry on top was the Spanish creme brule, divine. will defiantly come back, service was very good also.

A colleague of mine and I stopped at Costa Brava on our way to Carlsbad. This was a little detour but well worth it. We are both big fans of authentic Spanish food, having been many times in Madrid and Barcelona. Costa Brava has a great selection of tapas that taste very authentic. We loved the Jamon Serrano. And if you have something space left, try the Flan. It is really good! Almost forgot: service is great; our waiter was from Madrid. Also the whole ambience inside the restaurant is really nice.

Went to hear the fantastic Juan Moro; excellent flamenco guitarist. The food was good, & the service excellent.

On my first visit, I enjoyed live guitar music and tapas with friends. The garlic shrimp , marinated mushrooms and olives are all good enough to recommend. On my second visit, there was loud recorded flamenco music playing which I think disrupted conversation. The seafood paella is excellent. I definitely prefer it without the garlicky oily chorizo found in some paellas. My friend from Santiago, in Northern Spain, did not care for her omelet Espanola. Apparently, it was too dry for her taste. She did approve of the octopus tapa, saying it was like it is served at "home". As a "Gringo", I quite enjoyed the food and atmosphere, although it is a little loud.

Food, service and show .....incredible!! Someone name Ruben as a hostess terrible! Pray for not seen him at the entrance! I took 15 friends to have dinner Sunday night. And he had the worst attitude ever. It’s a shame to leave someone like him in at the door :( I know the place for years and it’s not fair to have him in charge ! Makes you walk away.

I don't care if the blue cheese empanadas are fattening...they were so good! We had the mushrooms, fried calamari, chorizo. All very good. The food comes very fast. So, easy to order a few to start, then add if you are still hungry, or want more of one of the dishes. We ordered the sangria. It was nice. Would have been nice to have more fruit. But not to acidic, which I don't like. The wait staff were charming and very attentive. My husband and I were trying to practice our Spanish, so we asked the waiters to speak to us only in Spanish. We had two gentlemen serving us, both from Spain, There is a large indoor area, but we opted for the covered patio. There are heaters but we were fine even on a January night.

Always the best service, best food and wonderful atmosphere! I LOVE this place! I highly recommend Costa Brava to all my friends and family when they come to town!

We went with a group of people; a number of different tapas were ordered and the entire table had the paella. All of the food was fabulous. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the items on the menu.

We had an excellent evening at Costa Brava. Service was superb. They have a super extensive list of Spanish wines at normal restaurant pricing. Corkage fee is $20. The tapas were excellent - red peppers stuffed with crab, brussel sprouts, skewered filet. The seafood paella was somewhat pedestrian. Mostly rice vs. seafood, small amount of saffron, but arrived piping hot. A definite return, but sadly would avoid the paella.

First time I came to Costa Brava, restaurant it made me remember my times living in Granada, Spain. I literally stayed until they closed and the last bar tender left, everyone make me feel at home. The food was amazing! the tapas are of a great portion and they have a great selection of them along with a variety of wines imported directly from Spain. I would recommend to call and make an appointment for friday night or sunday night were you can experience the flamenco dancers and guitarists just a couple feet from your table.

The Lamb kababs were tenderly delicious....next time will go for the Paella as they make it to order! Quaint little place, hole in the wall restaurant. They have a 1/2 off Tapas Happy Hour, but we were there for lunch. They offer Spanish entertainment: folkloric dance and music on certain days, be sure to call and ask.

This was our second visit to this lovely restaurant. The food was excellent. Our group had both tapas & entrees. The pork medallions are to be recommended. The house Tempranillo is very good, as is the sangria. The service is first rate. In particular, Federica is friendly, knowledgeable about the food & really helps to make the atmosphere at the restaurant.

As visitors to Pacific Beach we had tried a couple restaurants highly rated by Yelp - and were twice disappointed. We then headed to Costa Brava for tapas and were there in time for their Happy Hour, which runs from 4:00-6:00 pm. We started with a pitcher of delicious Sangria for $8, a great bargain. We ordered their bread, olives, peppers, escargot, spicy potatoes, garlic chicken, bacon wrapped dates and finished with a cappuccino and flan. Everything was excellent. The service was equally as good. Our waitress was greeted by almost everyone who came in, so I know she is well respected. It was a really memorable evening and brought back great memories of our trip to Seville earlier this year. Next time I'm in San Diego, I'll be back!

My husband and I every September spend a week with his sisters and cousins. We pick different locations every time, and this year we chose San Diego. Being that I used to live there I wanted my In-Laws to experience our old favorite Spanish restaurant. We called on a Saturday to make a reservation for 8 adults and 2 children, but sadly they were fully booked. We decided to take our chances and show up. We figured it was barely 6 p.m. and maybe they were not that busy yet. As we arrived Ricardo asked if we had a reservation. I explained we didn't and when we called that we were told that they were not taking anymore bookings for the night. He said give him a few minutes he would take care of us. Ricardo then brought his manager to us and they both figured something out and sat us immediately. It was just the beginning of great customer service. We were able to sit outside in the beautiful courtyard. We stuck with tapas and an order of Paella. The spicy potatoes and chorizo fritos are always my favorite. This time however, my favorite was the octopus and filet mignon skewers. Ricardo was also our server and he had wonderful wine recommendations and food suggestions. We had three people in our party who are vegetarian and Ricardo was so wonderful when accommodating them. Ricardo even gave us a vegetarian paella. Unfortunately for me I did not care for the veggie paella, something is not right when it's missing all the flavors of the seafood. Ricardo left us needing and wanting for nothing. Considering they were packed and super busy, we were treated like the only patrons in the whole facility. I felt so happy to show my family why I loved this place so much. Flavorful small bites, great sangria, and awesome hospitality is why I will go out of my way to visit Costa Brava when in San Diego.

It wasn't just me enjoying the paella last night. I saw many other tables of diners ordering the paella , too. I would say this is their signature dish! There are 4 jumbo shrimp in its shell, a few calamari strips, mussels, & clams in a bed of savory moist saffron rice with green peas. There was also free entertainment on this Sunday night in August. A man playing classic guitar, another man keeping the beat, a woman singing , and 2 female dancers. The flamenco singer & dancers were visibly passionate about their dancing and singing, clapping, stomping & enjoying their performing art. The room is lovely with hard wood floors & arched doors. The lighting is perfect to enjoy the show. The room temperature indoors with the ceiling fans is fine. Our waitress was very helpful with suggestions on the menu. She was A friendly smiling Spanish woman who knows the food & wine selections well. She gave us clear notice that the paella takes 20 minutes to prepare by order. So I suggest you order an appetizer & a glass of wine and enjoy the wait!

We will definitely be back on our next trip to town! Sangria by the pitcher refreshing, wine list is extensive, we asked for a recommendation and were not disappointed. Tapas recommendations: Cold- marinated olives; fresh anchovies in olive oil; manchego cheese; imported dry cured Serrano ham Hot--Garlic shrimp; steamed clams in Spanish marinara sauce; spicy potatoes; sautéed mushrooms in garlic & Sherry wine; dates wrapped in bacon; chicken croquettes The Paella de Mariscos is worth the wait- (need to pre-order) and try to save room for dessert.

This place is great. I have been to Spain several times and this restaurant captures the atmosphere, tastes and pleasures of the multiple cuisines around the country.

Wanted an authentic Spanish restaurant and this is it. I ordered sangria and paella along with garlic soup. Everything was excellent

would skip this restaurant based solely on the hostile and threatening way we were treated by the owner. I was at Costa Brava on Friday May 2, 2025, with a group of 12 to celebrate our friends who had gotten married that day. The newlyweds had made a reservation for 12 at 5 pm. As we had additional friends arriving, we had asked the hostess if we could save another table of six, which she agreed to do. Our friends were running late and the hostess informed us that she had to take the table back as she could not hold a table for over 15 minutes past the RSVP time. We apologized multiple times and said that they were parking and on their way. Ultimately, the other table of six was given away. Then after several rounds of drinks and after putting in a full order for 12 people, we were told by the groom that the owner had confronted him and told him that we were all getting kicked out, and that the unopened white claw on the table was the "last straw." As you can imagine, we were all shocked. We just had fresh food dropped on the table and had already put in our second round of food. Furthermore, though I understand outside alcohol policies, our server repeatedly offered to open a bottle of champagne for us that was a gift to the newlyweds and not bought at the restaurant. We never asked the server to do so, but he repeatedly asked and even brought over glasses and an ice bucket for the bottle of champagne. I want to note that we were never asked to put the unopened white claw away or told that the bottle of champagne was not allowed. If we had been asked to put the single, unopened white claw away, we would have happily agreed and there would have been no issue from us. So after paying for the food and drinks we had consumed, I went up to the hostess to ask sincerely out of curiosity why were being kicked out (I don't take writing one star reviews very lightly and wanted to know both sides before giving this restaurant a one star). The hostess responded twice that there "was no problem from us (the restaurant)." Then I expressed to her that I was super disappointed in how we were treated as this was a dinner to celebrate our friends who had been married that day. After I left the restaurant I was informed by the rest of the party that the groom went up to apologize to the owner and the owner responded by saying "you better watch your girl - she was about to get kicked in the face." If you take a look at the other 1-3 star reviews on yelp you will see that this is not a new complaint about this restaurant, in fact there are several reviews commenting on the lack of professionalism and baseless rage of the owner to paying customers. All in all, this was the most shocking experience at a restaurant I have ever had. I will not be returning and it's a bummer because they make one hell of an espresso martini.

Definitely worth a visit while in San Diego/Pacific Beach. The items on the cold and hot tapas are very tasty. We enjoyed the whole shrimp- it stood out as our favorite.

Very good place for Tapas, and the Sangria was amazing. Our waiters for great, and the food came out very fast. Everything we had was delicious.

Local friends invited us to Costa Brava. Having traveled in Spain this was a real treat. We had sangria and amantillado as drinks. The tapas was excellent and the variety superb. Everything was top drawer.

We ate twice at Costa Brava during our recent San Diego getaway. Once for a night of Tapas and once for paella. We found the food excelent both evenings. There is a long list of both hot and cold tapas some very traditional to spain. We could come another night for a totally different selection and only make a dent in the menu., We had the mixto paella and because it is made to order we were able to omit the shrimp due to a food allergy. Paellas take time so we ordered an appetizer during the wait, Both nights servers Michael for tapas and Alejandra for paella night were knowledgeable and engaging. They contributed to us having two enjoyable dining nights out. We look forward to returning during our next San Diego visit

Great food. A bit pricey but worth it. The oxtail tapa melted in your mouth. Delicious. Wait staff is great and extremely attentive. Would recommend making a reservation, even though not busy when we got there, just to avoid the snarky look from the less than friendly hostess

Great food and service! This is my 5th visit, never disappointing! I love this place. I'm a san diego native and this restaurant has the best customer service and sangria! Try the ox tail tapa! So good!!

We travelled through Spain in 2016 and fell in love with their tapas! We found the Costa Brava in Pacific Beach and decided to give it a try. We sat in front under a big red awning (which explains why my pics are red). Our server came by almost immediately with menus and asked for our drink orders (2 Sangrias, please!). The menu is fairly extensive, with both hot anfd cold tapas. We ordered 4 plates to share, starting with Champiñones a la Vinagreta (which we both absolutely loved!). We also tried their Pimientos a la Riojana (spanish peppers sautéed in olive oil & garlic). Very good! Their Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in garlic) which was also very good, but perhaps just a notch below the same dish I had in Madrid. We topped it all of with Croquetas de Jamón (Ibérico ham croquettes). Again, very good, but the croquettes were stuffed with mostly cheese which just a trace amount of jamon Iberico. All-in-all, a very good experience. 4.5 stars. We shall return! (They have Paella too!)

One of my associates found a great review of this place so we decided to Uber from our San Diego downtown hotel (20 minutes) Everything about this restaurant is well above average. Great guitar player was playing throughout not loud enough to intrude at all. We had a # of Tapas including a shrimp dish that was the only one that was just ok. We had about 4 others which were excellent. I had the paella which was excellent. Only complaint was the the whole shrimp was not peeled even though the dish was hot. Never understood why some serve Shrimp this way but the dish was outstanding! Enough to serve 3 the two of us couldn't finish. What was absolutely delicious was the garlic butter that accompanies the warm bread. Our waiter was very helpful in recommending a few of the tapas. Great atmosphere. You can't go wrong with this gem

My wife and I along with a couple of friends just returned from Spain where we ate great food in Barcelona, Madrid, Córdoba, Malaga, and more. We decided to eat at our favorite Spanish restaurant here in SD-we have eaten at Costa Brava since it opened! We were not disappointed! The tapas we picked, especially the patatas a la brava, were excellent with good size portions. Their alioli is fantastic and authentic. They prepared a paella just the way we wanted it and we enjoyed it as much as any paella we ate in Spain. Even dessert (e.g., crema Catalana) was incredible! The service is great - the owner (a Spaniard) is there most of the time and he is making sure customers are OK and everything is smooth. He's very knowledgeable regarding Spanish wine and their list reflects that. This is a great piece of Spain in San Diego that even has a Spanish food market up the block. We'll continue to go there for dinner and for tapas!

We just love everything about this place! It's cozy, the music is a great accompaniment to yummy food and doesn't interfere with conversation, the wait staff is knowledgeable and helpful. We shared tapas, and enjoyed every bite! Would be there once a week having those and trying others if we were locals!

We found this Great Restaurant by searching Trip Advisor in the neighborhood we were near before going to our Old Town San Diego hotel for check-in. Best decision of the day...the hotel was a bust but Costa Brava made our day! The lamb shank was outstanding as was the huge salad and olive appetizer. The food prep, presentation, quality and service was excellent in every way! Our waiter was perfect. I would recommend this Spanish Restaurant to anyone in a heartbeat...especially you!! (Hint: Best we've eaten at since Madrid and Sevilla, Spain; i.e., Go!)

My husband and I had tapas as our meal. Can't say enough about the stuffed piquillo peppers and ox tail. Thought the dancing was as good if not better than what we saw in Spain.

This was the restaurant my nephew took his now wife to on their first date. They come back once a month, at least. It was only fitting that they reserve the back room and held their wedding rehearsal dinner there. We had tapas family style. The wait staff did an excellent job keeping everybody's wineglass flowing! The food was really good! There were dishes we experienced we had never had before. Blood sausage is a unique texture and taste, but is actually really good! The little Spanish peppers were like playing Russian roulette with your mouth! You could eat one or two and they have a wonderful flavor and then the next one would burn your taste buds to the nubs! It was great! The atmosphere was really casual in the back room. In the main restaurant there is a great ambience. They have a very nice bar area. My nephew introduced me to their form of coffee. Being a coffee nut, I absolutely loved it! I would recommend this place for a nice evening out, for couples or any special occasion.

We came here to celebrate our anniversary. Good tapas, drinks, service and good vibe. Our waiter, Matt D., was courteous and attentive (& took good pictures, too!). We ordered the paella (chicken, chorizo, mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari). The paella was beautifully crafted! My husband liked everything. For me, though, the abundance of seafood was a bit over powering as I’m used to vegetarian paella and this was clearly the traditional version. I see from other’s reviews it is a popular & well-liked dish so I know I’m a minority opinion here. I would love to come back on music night and listen to flamenco music and have wine and tapas! I enjoyed the rustic patio. Also, parking is a bit challenging in this area. There is a sign at entrance that warns people not to park in the parking lot across the street or you could be towed. That lot wasn’t at capacity on a Friday night. It’s too bad the managers of that shopping center can’t be more neighborly with the surrounding business establishments.

With the idea of grab something to eat quick, I ended up having a great time. Thanks to Ruben from Spain and Arturo from Mexico, the dinner was absolutely perfect. Ruben suggest the Rabo De Toro and it was delicious. Even better than the one I ate in Madrid. The wine, the bread with butter and aioli and the conversation, made the whole experience something memorable.

Our family ordered a variety of small dishes (tapas) at Costa Brava. They were each and all interesting and unique flavors. The prices are just a bit over the top, however.

if you like spanish cuisine, an eclectic venue and want to ear where where the locals frequent, this is the place for you. Our server, Orlando, was friendly and efficient. The food is soooo good. Gambos, cherizo, conejo, dates wrapped in bacon. We loved wverything and wished we had room for more.

We went here with high hopes. The service was horrible, our waiter was literally a jerk, he did not even pretend to be polite or care about our experience. When we asked him a question about wine, he was not helpful but rather short with us. The food, was disgusting, I can't think of another word to describe it. As we sat there we noticed that the staff was fighting and other tables were being neglected/treated bad as well. We talked to another table that was equally unhappy with the service and food. The lamb was gamey, the mushrooms tasted as if they cam out of a can, everything else was horrible as well. I would not waste the time and money on this restaurant again, nor would I recommend this restaurant to anyone.

This is a nice place to meet for happy hour but you are very likely to stay for dinner. The plates are terrific to share with friends. I first talked to the staff when I was looking for a place for a group of 25 to have dinner. While Costa Bravo was not chosen for the group the people were so delightful when I talked to them that I went with a group of friends. We all enjoyed and I have returned several times since. Parking could be a problem and signage is poor.

I had dinner with a party of 6 (three of whom have lived in Madrid), and it was a wonderful experience. We ordered a variety of tapas to share, and the portions were large enough for us all to have some of each one. Our server was friendly and kind enough to chat with my friends about their experiences in Spain. I highly recommend it!

- Prices abolutely ok - Food fantastic, especially seafood (one of the better paellas I've ever had) - waiters very attentive - not quite, but live acoustique guitar was nice though - 5 stars because it everything is very authentic: interiors, dishes, beverages (incl. wine)

$8 Sangria Pitchers...YEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!! $2-5 Tapas Galore: sausage sammies, deep fried anchovies, deep fried tuna pastries, olives, mushrooms, potatoes, croquettes, and more...so many to choose from! I took photos of the Happy Hour menu. Be careful though...the four of us still managed a bill of $127!To be fair, a few drinks and food items we ordered were from the regular menu. Also, the hardworking, handsome, and friendly male staff admitted that the HH items are smaller than full versions. Honesty is appreciated! But 3-4 of these small tasty HH tapas items would be enough food to make a good meal. I'd love to come back and order strictly from the Happy Hour menu and stick with the $8 Sangria pitchers.

The restaurant is really nice. The staff is very friendly and attentive to your needs. Happy Hour is very decent. 10 dollars for a pitcher of Sangria. Tapas are pretty good as well. I didn't order Paella but I saw the one order by a couple next to me and it looked delicious.

We found this place by looking online and had a hard time finding it, even using gps. Our efforts were rewarded, though, because this place was very good. Our server was personable and helpful. The oxtail special was very tasty and the paella was so rich and flavorful. The flan dessert was soooo good. The live guitar music was an enjoyable addition and the decor makes you feel like you are really in a Spanish Tapas Bar. I wish I could go there often, but I live in a city far away.

Have been to Spain, so I know that the Spanish are engaging and that hosptiatly is numero uno, Not so much as Costa Brava. Came here early for World Cup. Friend is British. Told the maitre d' that I was waiting for a friend..informed him she had not yet arrived. Regardless he told me to walk around to find her. In the meantime, he seated a guy wearing a Spanish polo at the last table--literally the last. I told him of my displeasure. He ushered me to a group table with no view of a TV screen for miles. In past visits, my food has been average and not to write home about. Sangria is remarkably weak. But, I always came back for the hospitality. Not so much anymore.

Very popular and once you try the tapas a d food you will know why Sangria is really good Worth check8ng out Very tasty

Really disappointing. We've been recently to Spain and, although I understand that some ingredients may be difficult to obtain in San Diego, most dishes were low quality. Not better than a random Chinese restaurant. Very overpriced for that quality.

My friend is always about trying out new spots and we said let's try this one out. So glad we made it right at the beginning of happy hour too! Two pitchers later of sangria wine and 6 small dishes to taste, we were more than satisfied! The staff was friendly and attentive, our waiter was funny, making sure we were well fed lol. The Spanish feel was nice. We had a great time. Stop by if you're in Pacific Beach!

They have a large selection of both cold and hot Tapas. We ordered the garlic shrimp and the warm pulpo (octopus) dish which were both very good. The wine was delicious, and the staff is super friendly who remember us each time we visit and the owner even comes to welcome us. My husband and our friends ordered the Seafood Paella, and I ordered the Seafood Marinara, not sure what they called it on the menu, but it was excellent! I've had other appetizers in the past, and they have all been delicious. One of my favorites was a hot shrimp dish which comes with the heads on and tails. It's not fun pulling the heads off, but I remember it was amazingly delicious. When we ordered the garlic shrimp I thought that was the dish I had before but the garlic shrimp are smaller and completely peeled. Next time I will try to have the other shrimp dish which was so memorable and tasty. I'm pretty sure it had garlic on it. I highly recommend this restaurant.

The food and the wine were EXCELLENT but the star of the evening was (were?) the staff! They went out of their way to give our party of 14 an experience to remember. We all had traveled to Spain 2 years ago and planned a "Tapas Reunion" in San Diego. We were not disappointed. The appetizers were to die for and the paella beyond compare (even better than in Spain I think) .. The only downside was the limited parking...but it's worth a hike to try this place.

Spend a weekend in the Pacific Beach area and met a friend the first night there. Was not familiar with the area and ended up choosing the Costa Brava which was a short walk from my AirBNB. This area of Pacific Beach generally has a younger crowd and several of the restaurants cater to them but a others are much more interesting and the Costa Brava was a very impressively nice Mediterranean/Spanish restaurant serving some great tapas and other main dishes. The atmosphere was great as well as the service. My friend who lives in San Diego also mentioned that he have been here on his birthday and was very impressed. I will definitely come back to this restaurant if I am in the area again.

I love Spanish food and look for it whenever we are on vacation. Costa Brava was wonderful. I wish I knew the name of our waitress because she enhanced our experience. We had delicious tapas - filet mignon, spicy potatoes (the best!) fried calamari, garlic shrimp, tortilla espanola, and clams in green sauce. My whole family enjoyed the experience and the sangria.

Excellent Tapas. Crowded but worth it. Make a reservation. Parking is street side behind the restaurant. Kind of pricey.Would certainly go again.

Costa bravo is a great spanish tapas restaurant in PB. Although it's on a busy street, it's awxlude with nice patios in front and back. The wait staff and bartenders are basically off the boat, meaning they're all pretty much from Spain. The bartenders are awesome. I've had most of their hot tapas as well as paella and other items and they've all been good to outstanding. Bacon wrapped dates, garlic shrimp, Spanish charizo are some of my favorites. And they have great spanish beers and sangrias. And the bread is awesome.

Lovely tapas style little gem of a restaurant. We have been going here for over 6 years, and every time the staff remember us, even what we want to drink! There Patatas Brava are SO SO good, and their house wine is amazing. Great little date night spot, or just a happy hour - oh and the Paella takes long to prepare because it's SO delicious so just get it.

Loved this restaurant! We ordered cold and hot tapas— the selection of Spanish cheeses was especially good. Sangria was tasty. And the Spanish style Creme Brûlée was perfect. Make a reservation, especially on Saturdays. It was very busy. Service was very good. Attentive but not hovering.

We at here on the recommendation of our Lyft driver, and were so glad we took his advice. Every item was delicious but we especially enjoyed the Ptatoes Ali Oli and Gambas a la Plancha. Maybe skip the chicken croquettes and

I love this place. Discovered it a few years ago when in San Diego visiting my sister. I live in Chicago and must have dinner there every time I'm in San Diego. I have been in Spain several times and Looooove the food there. This place brings back all those food vibes.

Sure, Spanish cuisine in the United States can never come close to what you would experience at an average bodega in Spain. However, Costa Brava does a pretty good job preparing authentic, basic, and delicious Spanish fares. The paella was very good. All the tapas, the pulpo, croquetas, chorizo, boquerones, jamon, and more were of excellent quality. The Ribera Del Duero wine recommendation was perfect. This place is busy and atmospheric. It also looks and feels like an authentic Spanish setting. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. I'll go back next time I visit San Diego.

Like many travel/food junkies, eating in Spain was nothing short of life-changing for me. One of those times when I didn't realize certain foods could be so good. Devouring grilled sepia and paella on the beach with a bottle of cava along the Costa Brava, or experiencing pulpo a feira for the first time in Barcelona... Man, that was amazing... So, I was very curious about Costa Brava, the restaurant that takes its name from the place I'd visited. And boy, was I ever impressed. After eating pulpo in Spain and falling completely head over heals for it, I was extremely afraid that I'd never be able to find anything nearly as perfectly done back in San Diego. Thankfully, I was wrong, because CB does it perfectly. In fact, everything there is excellent, including the service and atmosphere. Half the staff is from Spain as well (mostly Cataluña or the San Sebastian area), and they're all delightful. My rec: Get the pulpo if you get nothing else. Don't be afraid of octopus, people! It's melty and soft and oozes flavor. The bowl of clams is similarly delish. Be sure to order extra bread to soak up all the juices. Ask for Spanish wine suggestions - they know what they're doing. Stick to four or five tapas per couple. You can't really go wrong here.

We had a table in the backroom where the decor was charming with low lights and rustic ambience. Service was excellent. We ordered sangria and tapas. Everything was good.

Great ambience and friendly staff. Love all the options. It’s a nice change for the typical beach fare found in the area.

Called ahead to ask for availability and were told to come in about 45 mins as it would slow down by then. The Host at the door was the exceptionally rude and basically turned us away.

Small place with a small kitchen but the food is excellent!!! We had the Paella and it was super. Had to wait about 35 min. as the server said. All dished were good. Always had a server cleaning up plates and keeping drinks/water filled. Very attentive. Will eat there again and try the tapas.

Wonderful lamb shank, sangria, pimientos de padron, lamb skewers, crusty bread, bacon wrapped dates...delicious!!

Went here for a meal with my partner. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was very nice, with a live guitarist. The service was excellent, their recommendations were very good.

We attended a Rota Spain (David Glasglow Farragut high school) class reunion last October at The Dana Hotel. The evening after the reunion party many of us decided to go to Costa Brava to get some Spanish food. It is definitely a popular place. The outside patio area was full, and the narrow rooms were crowded with happy diners. We were fortunate to get a table in the back room, where it was larger and less noisy. Our waiter was friendly and the service good, just little slow because of the large groups of guests. The Tapas, Paella, main dishes and Sangria were very good, as well as the Flan. The 8 of us had a great time reminiscing about the hundreds of great meals we enjoyed during the 3 years we lived in Spain in the 60's, Wish we had a Costa Brava restaurant where we live in Florida!.

Great Spanish tapas, feels very authentic. They have a live band playing Spanish music. The outside decor is great with heat towers. Service was great, tapas were awesome.

We took our teen daughters and everyone found something to love. The tapas dishes were terrific especially the Brussels sprouts with bacon and garlic bits. However the seafood paella for 2 was out of this world. (Be sure to come hungry if you order this.) Enjoyed the patio setting and sangria as well. We had a superb waitress originally from Argentina. Prices are pretty reasonable by CA standards.

We come for lunch here when we go to the Path Negra store (same owner) to buy superb Serrano Ham and even more superb Iberico ham - I bought 4 oz of the acorn-fed Iberico last and, even at $160 per lb it's worth it! Anyway lunchtime is a great time to share several of the very good tapas on offer here. Delivery is well spaced so you don't feel rushed. We ordered the toast with tomato and garlic, garlic shrimp, grilled lamb on skewers, mushrooms in garlic sauce, octopus with paprika and olive oil, cod croquettes, and tuna empanadillas. We even had room for a flan between us to finish. Eaten alongside the excellent bread rolls we didn't need to eat again that day. My favorites were the octopus and croquettes but everything was very good. I really want to give it 4.5 stars. We'll be back and probably take our friends next time.

Went here after reading the reviews and having a recommendation from the hotel staff. I will preface this review with the fact that I have travelled to Spain and have eaten at many restaurants in many cities while there so I have a pretty good grasp of what Tapas should be. Costa Brava fell short of the mark. Some dishes were good but nothing blowed us away. Several of the dishes lacked flavor and creativity. The paella was a bit on the watery side and lacked the richness of saffron. In addition, anyone who may want to go to this restaurant and try the paella, keep in mind of the "bait and switch". The price of the Paella was listed as $21.95 per person, however, in order to have the paella, I had to order two orders so the paella ended up costing over $43.90. The reasoning for this was that they could not make paella for one because the pan made enough paella for two. Since there were 5 of us eating a meal, that worked. In retrospect I wish I would have passed on the paella. I have eaten Paella throughout Spain and in the US and I have never had this experience. Buyer beware! Also, the Sangria was just average. My best recommendation is if you want Tapas, pass on this place and go to FireFly in Las Vegas. In any event, next time we are in San Diego, we will not be returning. We can find much better food if we want to spend a lot of money.

The sea bass, clams in a red sauce, sangria, creme brulee and bread were also excellent! A very entertaining guitarist played while we ate!

Wonderful experience! Highly recommended!! Food was authentic and Flamenco dancers and musicians were amazing.

Tapas-Paella-Sangria-and many delicious dishes. I already been there before and it never disappoints me.

We were here for an early dinner several weeks ago. We were in Spain for 3 weeks a couple years ago and fell in love with Spanish tapas. We started with a pitcher of their sangria, and ordered four tapas dishes, a couple of which were not on the menu, such as pimientos de padron. Everything was simply delicious and authentic! Service was outstanding too. We will definitely return!

We really didn't care for this place. It was extremely overpriced, boring, and they didn't even cook the $40 steak correctly. Of the 5 tapas and 2 meals we really didn't like much of anything... too bad, as I'd had high hopes:)

Last dinner on our trip. Excellent food and great service. I’d highly recommend stopping in. Also, an extra thank you to Jamiee for making the evening extra special. :)

Great food, great wine and even better people. This place is awesome if you're coming to watch a soccer match or for a romantic evening with a loved one. I can't say enough good things about Javier and the staff. Always excellent and always a friendly meal. Can't be beat!

Even though we don’t live in San Diego, we keep coming back to Costa Brava We had for over 10 years. The quality of the food and excellent service makes this one of our special places in San Diego. Their tapas and paella are sure to please every time.

Either you want a Spanish style bar/restaurant for your first date or just to spend some time with friends, Costa Brava is a nice stop. Place usually is busy (sometimes loud), but servers know how to make you feel comfortable. Good selection of Spanish wines and beers. Good place to watch "fútbol" matches for the European or Latin American Leagues. Coffee is also very good here.

This guy was working like a manager but he was rude amd unpleasant even though she make a big reservation for 15 friends (and all was there because she). We have a good time but it’s surprising that in an European place , in the main entrance to welcome the people, the owners leave some guy like that. I prefer no return.

We spent a couple of days in San Diego and one of the highlights was finding Costa Brava. Mike, our waiter, was friendly and charming. We enjoyed a varied selection of hot and cold tapas. It was almost like being in Spain! Next time, we will try paella.

Food and service were phenomenal! We ordered way too much food, but had fun trying all the dishes. Suggest only ordering the tapas, or only one entrée to share with 2 or 3 people if you have had appetizers.

Costa Brava really stands out in their Pacific Beach neighborhood. Surrounded by usual mall style fast food houses, Costa Brava staff welcomed us with great smiles and outstanding service throughout the dinner. The Spanish decor added a little more spice to our dinner of tapa and Paella de Mariscos (seafood). Homemade sangria was an excellent way to accompany the food. The menu and wine list are deep and provide a plethora of combinations for tapas only, or tapas and mains. The Spanish version of a crime brûlée was excellent. Frankly, Costa Brava is a happy place for dinner from the maitre’d to the waiters. We are eager to dine again.

This place is amazing! We sat at the bar because it was crowded, and we didn't have a reservation. They accommodated us in just a few minutes. The waitstaff couldn't have been more attentive. We had 2 tapas, the seafood salad and olives. Both were very delicious. Then we shared the Paella De Mariscos. By far, it was the best I've ever had. Amazing flavors and full of shrimp, clams, muscles, and more. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it. While we ate, a Spanish guitarist played while a woman danced with castanets. It was a wonderful evening.

Taste a bit of everything, tapas warm or cold. Aolli & bread superb! Great services aster of Spain, best paella

We went for Happy Hour and there were 3 generations at our table. Everyone loved the food and the atmosphere. We were seated on the front patio where there was enough light to see but not glaring sun. A cool breeze blew through. We started with the famous pitcher of Sangria and ended up getting another. Tapas are happy hour. Fried anchovies, escargot and lamb were our proteins. The bread is delicious by itself but dipped in the sauces makes it even better. We also enjoyed olives, mushrooms and chicken. We must return because we could make another meal out of things we did not have room for this time. It was my daughter's birthday and they brought out a flan with whipped cream and a candle. We loved it. The service was fantastic. Even though they were very busy, we got lots of attention.

Costa Brava serves up Spanish cusine, tapas, and sangria in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego. They have wonderful waitstaff and great sangria. Their food is hit or miss--the bacon wrapped dates and chorizo are excellent, but I have been disappointed by other items on the menu, such as octupus and mushrooms. Last time I visited, we had a reservation for a group of 6. One of our group members was running late, and they hostess refused to seat us. We asked if we could take a smaller table, or split up our group into two tables (3 and 3). There were clearly open table, but the hostess also refused and was extremely rude about it. Because of this experience, I will not be returning to Costa Brava anytime soon.

Fantastic tapas and sangria. Tried octopus, lamb, rabbit, and four or five other dishes, all superb. Super friendly staff and nice ambiance hidden behind some hedges.

Very cool indoor vibe and the outdoor patio (tent covered plus heat lamps) was even better. So many tapas and wine choices. Only one draft beer though. (A light lager). Too many good tapas to describe and also good entrees if you don’t like to share! I had the seafood medley in a red base - add Spanish rice on the side to make it even better! VictorB

This was my first visit to Costa Brava. My son is a local businessman, so he thought that my wife and I might enjoy the restaurant, dining with him and a friend. I admit that I was a little dubious about "authentic" Spanish food in a suburb of San Diego. We sat for an early dinner in a relaxed atmosphere on an outside patio, albeit a bit noisy from traffic on nearby Garnet Street. (Next time, I will eat indoors, although it appeared to be a bit more formal.) Matt greeted us as our server. He was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and a good listener. He recommended several Tapas food dishes and an excellent bottle of Ribera del Duero wine: Pago de Los Capellanes-Crianza. It was fun sharing the wine and many creative tapas, ranging from vegetarian dishes, to beef filet skewers and Oxtail, to fish and chicken, with a final plate of four wonderful Spanish Cheeses. The food was great and Matt really made it happen. Next time I am in town, I will certainly revisit Costa Brava!

My girlfriend and I were give a recommendation to come to Costa Brava. A local said "that's where i go when dad is in town and paying!". It did not disappoint. Service was warm and welcoming, food was quick and wonderful. Octopus, lamb, bacon wrapped dates, anchovies and cheesecake... Awesome. Loved it, we would definitely recommend.

We stopped by the Costa Brava on the way home from the airport last week. We spent 3 weeks in Spain back in 2016 and developed a love for Spanish tapas and Costa Brava does not disappoint! We ordered 4 tapas dishes: their special (not on the menu) skewered filet mignon with peppers (so delicious and tender), Croquetas de Bacalao (bite size cod balls, yoummy and crunchy), Champiñones al Ajillo (Sautéed mushrooms in garlic & sherry wine, very yummy) and Pimientos de Padron (not on the menu, but a true Spanish vegetarian dish) We both loved everything!. Our server was superb, even talking us into dessert. We shared a bowl of their scrumptious Crema Catalana (creme brulle, Spanish style), which was outstanding, Having spent many hours in tapas bars all over Spain, I can testify this place is authentic Spanish food. We will visit again

The food here is very good and dinner service is romantic...but happy hour is the way to go! This place is a favorite for pitchers of Sangria and tapas with a group of friends, and the staff is always friendly and accommodating. The atmosphere is very pleasant as well, as I love that it still seems tucked away behind foliage for a cozy authentic feel even though it's right on the main drag.

The last time I was in SD I looked up top-rated paella restaurants. Costa Brava was ranked #1 in one of the lists. I booked dinner for me and my team. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go. My team told me it was a great experience which made me anticipate the next time I would have a chance to dine there. My wife and I went and had a ball. We lucked out and got a table right next to the dance floor. While we enjoyed our sangria and paella mixta, we had a front row seat to the marvelous flamenco dancers. The be up close and personal while we watched their foot work and hips move was a treat. The only down side was the volume. We got the full force of the singing, music, and foot stomping. The paella exploded with flavor. We especially liked the marinated chicken pieces. This was definitely worth the wait and I am glad that we checked it out.

We have eaten here before and enjoyed. This time was no exception. We had a good selection of tapas, calamari, sausage, spicy potatoes, dates wrapped in bacon, artichokes stuffed with sea food. All were a pleasure to the palate. Wine selection was extensive and not over the top price wise. Form main course my wife had an excellent ox tail and I had peppers stuffed with sea food and our friends had paella. I had a great flan for a finish and the other had an equally good creme brulee. Service was friendly and good with a warning that it would be slow after all it was Spanish food. We enjoyed the entertainment, singing and dancing and left very happy.

The tapas are great indeed, even if not totally Spanish. I like the pulpo the best. Their white bean soup is great too. They have good Spanish guitar music, but it is a little bit too loud so that conversions become difficult.

We just visited Costa Brava this week and were pleasantly surprised at the great selections. 4 of us split many plates: manchego cheese, marinated olives (very good), serrano ham, daily octopus special (okay, maybe wasn't fresh, and needed more seasoning), bacalao croquetas (ham would have been better), charred shishito peppers, and a few others. They included bread with the meal and a delicious garlic aioli with it. Service was quick and our waiter was very helpful in his recommendations. They had live music, which was very nice. Lighting was low. We arrived later in the evening, so had no problem getting a table right away without a reservation. Very good overall as Spanish tapas goes in the US. We all agreed we would return.

This place is on Garnet Street, near Ingraham Ave. It can be tricky to spot, but once inside you benefit from being transported. We hardly knew we were still in San Diego. Very friendly service. We ordered tapas-style and liked everything we had. The peppered potatoes were a pleasant surprise. The oxtail was divine. We also had peppers stuffed with shrimp and crab...that was our favorite. I wish this was my local restaurant.

We loved this place! A little hard to find at night. Hidden behind a wall of hedges & no sign. Great tapas, we tried at least 10 items from steamed clams, serrano ham, bacalau croquettes, garlic shrimp, anchovies, grilled brssel sprouts. Topped it all off with a paella de mariscos. Live music. Incredible wine list. Friendly service. Can't wait to go back next time I am in town.

The perfect combination of excellent tapas, tasty sangria and authentic Spanish atmosphere. The owner, Javier, walks around with authority and humor. Our waiter (of many years) Orlando, is the consummate professional. I have had many great meals and memories made at Costa Brava.

The food was amazing! We were visiting San Diego and a family member suggested this restaurant. Everyone loved the tapas selection and the paella. The food was fresh and well flavored. The waiter was friendly and the atmosphere welcoming. The complimentary bread was still warm when it was placed at our table. My favorite was the sangria!!

Every time I eat at Costa brava is an experience. Always to enjoy good food, great atmosphere, and service. A must place to go if you are in San Diego. For lunch or dinner, one of my favorite places in San Diego's. Bravo!

My absolute FAV place to go to watch my favorite futbol (soccer) team, FCB play. Whether I'm out on the front porch enjoying a breeze or at the bar with other fans - it always is fun. Order an Estrella Damm beer (from Barcelona), a Spanish Tortilla and some garlic shrimp lounging in seasoned garlic oil and mop it all up with freshly made hunks of bread served with alli-oli (garlic mayo). If you still have room, a rich Crema Catalana (like Creme Brulee) will leave you smiling. Wonderful atmosphere, great service and good food. Add a win by Leo Messi and his buddies and you have the recipe for a great day!

1st "Love" is for the overall restaurant feel and look. 2nd "Love" was for the service the employees provided and authenticity of each, and the 3rd "Love" is for the food...!!!

When you go to Costa Brava, I would recommend the garlic shrimp. It is served with bread an is an amazing dish. Also, when you’re a kid like me, they give you free vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce on top!

My wife and went here for dinner during the week and enjoyed it. Shared six tapas and found them tasty and filling. The house sangria was also very good. Server was very attentive. Only problem is the reservation system. I called at 4 PM for a table at 6:30 PM. Told no problem and come on in. Arrived on time and had to sit outside because all of the indoor tables had been reserved. Apparently no same day reservations accepted after 3 PM because the receptionist leaves for the day. Very strange!

We have traveled to Spain many times and Costa Brava is one of our favorite Spanish hidden jems in the US! My favorite dishes...cordero asado a nuestra manera (lamb shank with potatoes), pimientos de padron (roasted mild peppers, seasonal, may have to ask for them), patatas bravas, sauteed chorizo sausage, and baked artichokes. Sangria is very tasty!! Wonderful service, lively atmosphere...feels like you're in Spain!

STAY AWAY! We went to the popular happy hour and it was highly disappointing as well as overpriced. Tiny tapas fairly tasteless except for the delicious potatoes. No discernible alcohol in the sangria. being a cheap drunk, I would know if there was any alcohol. 3 of us agreed to never return to this place.

Went for Sunday night dinner. During the dinner there is Spanish flamingo dancing and singing. The show is great for about 10 minutes, but it is very loud. We went with another couple and it was hard to talk. Not a great atmosphere when you are trying to enjoy good conversation. I suggest they shorten the show time. i think it was about 45 minutes. If you want to be able to talk I suggest a table outside. Otherwise the food was very good.

I simply love this place. Great food, awesome sangria and other house drinks, very friendly staff, and live events. My little Spain on the West Coast. There I good sized patio to bring your pooch.

Service was slow and inconsistent. We ordered six tapas and they all came out one at a time and quite disjointed. We were there at 12:30 for lunch and the place was less than half full. Some of the tapas was quite nice and some were misses. The chicken croquetas were a definite miss. Patatas Bravas had a nice flavor. Oddly the Tortilla came out so late we had figured they forgot it. While they are small dishes the expectation is that they don't come out as courses, defeats the purpose of tapas.

The best Tapas we've had in ages! We miss spain so much and this more than satisfied our Spanish cravings. The service was superb, and we enjoyed the food extensively! Pray you get Jaime as your server! Some of us could'nt have the paella because we gave up carbs..who would do that? But everything else made up for it. We had some tapas dishes but it was my dish that topped it all.. Zarzuela de Mariscos...delicioso! We are definitely coming back when we visit San Diego. It's a must!!

This place is pure mediterranean taste, garlic and olive oil, try the Boquerones and Salpicon de Mariscos, with a jar of Sangria

We had a business dinner in their outdoor terrace, warmed. Nice atmosphere. Good aioli, nice wines. Good octopus. Liked the patatas bravas. The quality is not as good and fresh as in Spain but what can you expect! Nice pernil ham. Good service.

Come to this place for wonderful food, but don't plan to have leisurely conversation with your dining companions. Sea Bass with Figs & Dates is outstanding.

Let's get a niggle out of the way up front. We were a party of eight. Looks like anything over 6 gets the large tables in the back room. These tables are for up to 12 so are too large for just 8. This made it hard to have easy conversation. We arranged ourselves as best we could on three sides of the tables but still felt too far apart. Otherwise everything was excellent. The staff helped us with our food and wine selections and we all enjoyed our meals and drinks. The daily specials were very good. The wine list is extensive enough that the best approach is to discuss choices with the staff - and that worked out very well.

Managed by an authentic Spanish guy. Proud of the wonderful authentic Spanish food, you can find from paella to jamon with a great variety of tapas. Charming Service. If you want to have a real Spanish (from Spain) food experience, this is the place.

Loved how the place made me feel like in Spain (lived there for 2 years). The menu is very varied yet very typical mediterranean cuisine. Food tasted great and the service was just as good (many staff members as spanish) and the live show gave it a special ambiance. When back in san diego will definitely return

This is one of the better-known Spanish restaurants in San Diego. We have been to Costa Brava four times, twice for dinner and twice for lunch. The last time was for dinner and it was not an enjoyable one. First, the noise level was just deafening. There was no way to carry a decent conversation without shouting at the top of your lungs. The waiter was hurrying us with our order. I don't know if it's because he was not taking any notes and wanted to remember everything, but he was almost rude. Our friends wanted the Paella de Mariscos, and since that takes time, we ordered that right away. And then we were rushed into ordering our tapas. When they arrived, and we did not order a lot, they could hardly fit into our tiny table. The gazpacho (traditional cold vegetable soup) was good; the pulpo was very bland; the deep-fried anchovies were not fresh. The rest of the tapas were good: the gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic sauce) had the right amount of spiciness; the carcacoles or escargot, or snails were delicious; and the rabo de toro was really good. When the paella arrived in its big pan, there definitely was no more space in the tiny table. (I think the restaurant try to cram as many tables as possible - understandable, but rather unpleasant, especially when the tables around you are occupied by people who are trying to outtalk each other). The Paella was surprisingly bland; tasteless. It was supposed to be a seafood paella and while there was a number of seafood in it -shrimps, mussels, scallops(? - it was hard to see, the light was so dim), it did not have any of the briny taste that you would expect. It was as though the different elements were cooked separately and then just mixed with each other at the last minute. It did not have that distinctive paella taste of tomatoes, red peppers and saffron. It was a good thing we ordered a casadero asado (roasted lamb shank). That was a generous size, well cooked and served hot, There were some left over paella and we took it home. When we opened the box the next day, we were horribly surprised. The paella was in a truly unappetizing greenish-yellowish color with no hint of saffron whatsoever. My first thought was - no wonder they keep the lights so dim. No self-respecting diner who knows Spanish paella would ever put that in his or her mouth. We were so appalled by its color and appearance, we just threw the whole thing immediately. Our two lunch experiences at Costa Brava were much much better. Both times, t wasn't crowded, the food was fresh and cooked properly, it was quiet. I would say that the lamb shank and the ox-tail (rabo de toro) are always consistently good, same with the other tapas like Patatas ala Brava (spicy baked potatoes) and also the Tortilla Espanola. But paella? I think after I have seen what their paella looks like in the daylight, you can't pay me any amount to order it again. It was just ludicrous! I don't know how a restaurant that prides itself on serving Spanish dishes can serve that dish and pass it on as paella. IT DEFINITELY WAS NOT PAELLA!!! Just a badly artificially colored rice dish topped with bland seafood.

Spent a lovely evening with friends ordering sangria and tapas from their large menu. Service was great and the food was delightful! There was also a singer playing the Spanish guitar (maybe a bit too loud).

We have an attraction to Spanish restaurants with tapas on the menu. This was a big disappointment. While there is a wide selection of tapas and dinner entrees, the food was barely acceptable. My chorizo tapa was tough and not particularly flavorful. The papas tapa was covered in some sort of canned cheese sauce, again not that good. My husband had their rabbit entree and was sorry. He found the meat overcooked and tough. The sauce looked like it also came out of a can. The service was poor since the waiter seemed more interesting in setting tables for the dinner hour even though it was only about 3:00 pm when we were there. My husband even had to hunt him down to get our water glasses refilled. The restaurant itself is not easily accessible if one is mobility-challenged.

We ordered a large variety of tapas and enjoyed them all! Can't beat the atmosphere and outstanding service. Costa Brava is at the top of our favorites list!

The food, atmosphere, service, drinks and decor all come together to transport you to the north coast of the Espana!