La Costa Grill

We’ve been in McAllen for a few days, and La Costa Grill has officially become our dinner tradition. The food? Incredible. The octopus? Tender like it had a spa day. The drinks? Sassy, with a tajín rim that said, “I came to party.” The rice? Fluffy and scandalous. The paella? A showstopper, with a crawfish perched on top like it was posing for a seafood magazine centerfold. The salsas roll out like a welcome committee, and every detail—from the adorable presentation to the bold flavors—hits just right. And the staff? Phenomenal. Warm, attentive, and full of personality. This place is a whole vibe. Each time waiter and waitress 5 star service!

La Costa Restaurant in McAllen is a solid spot for fresh seafood and Mexican dishes. The food is flavorful, the portions are generous, and the service is friendly and quick. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming great for a laid-back lunch or dinner with family. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area and craving some good mariscos!

I had the pleasure of dining at La Costa Grill, and it was an amazing experience. I ordered the grilled salmon and shared a seafood tower, and everything was absolutely delicious. The flavors were outstanding—fresh and perfectly prepared. The staff was incredibly attentive and friendly, making the experience even better. The atmosphere was also fantastic, cozy, and perfect for both special occasions and casual outings. I 100% recommend this place and can’t wait to go back!

First time trying fajita nachos. Very delicious. My only regret was not being more hungry to enjoy it more. Also tried the coconut shrimp. A bit more chewy than preferred. I’d come back here again.

The seafood options are fantastic. I have tried many of their dishes and everything has always been fresh and tasty. Their drinks are great too. They got mixed mezcal options for every taste.

I actually ordered through Grubhub based on a recommendation I received. The Shrimp Tlalpeño was amazing! Everything I got was awesome! Looking forward to dining in soon.

Hadn’t been here in over 5 years and decided to bring my husband here for the first time for a date night. Thank goodness it did not disappoint! The service and ambiance were wonderful. We went around 7:30-8pm and asked to sit outside with the wonderful cooler weather. There was a woman singing and playing guitar which was lovely. The food was all amazing!!! Couldn’t have left happier. I love that our server also didn’t rush us and let us enjoy our date and conversation without feeling pressure to hurry up and leave. Will be back again!

The ceviche appetizer was amazing, and it was enough for 3 people. I did mention it was my wife's birthday but there was no celebration. The drinks were interesting. However, we needed to add a shot to one of the drinks.

Style Over Substance If you're looking for a place that values presentation over flavor, this might be your stop--but don't say you weren't warned. The food was pretentious and poorly prepared, as if someone thought a handful of microgreens could disguise the lack of basic cooking skill. They served a tostada so tough it could've doubled as concrete board--crunchy, yes, but in a dental hazard kind of way. While the service was fine and the staff courteous, it couldn't make up for the food, which was both disappointing and grossly overpriced. This is one of those places that tries too hard and delivers too little.

Food was super tasty, and a large variety to choose from. Service was on point with our bartender since we sat at the bar for lunch. Ambiance was nice and calm at the lunch hour-

Great food and service. Friendly staff patiently assists with the menu if you feel overwhelmed. I like their starter complimentary dish and its presentation. They serve mashed black beans with a variety of salsas and toppings as well as a side of deliciously crunchy tostadas. I have had ordered the La Costa Tower as an appetizer. Not only is it delicious but plentiful that it can easily feed two. All the other dishes on the menu are also delicious. You can't go wrong with your choice. They have indoor and outdoor seating. During the weekend evenings, they have live music.

Smells like fabuloso.. drinks are weak. The tacos plancha and salsa was good. There was no alcohol in my margarita and when I asked the bartender to add a shot.. she acted like it was an inconvenience

This place was so good that I went back two nights in a row. My favorite dish was the paella. Muy bueno!

We decided to come in for a late dinner our last evening in town. We said we weren't hungry but then the menu changed our minds! On a Thursday night this place was playing club music and it was definitely an interesting playlist for a casual seafood dinner spot. That said the food was very good and the starter soup that came in the Mason jar was delicious! The shrimp salad I ordered was generous in size and exactly what I needed for a late night dinner. We ended up eating way more than we should have, but it was all very good. Next time I'd like to come for lunch and see what the atmosphere is like in the light of day.

This is a nice grill which offers varieties of seafood, steak, sandwich, tacos, etc. For a quick and easy lunch, we ordered some marlin, shrimp, and gator tacos. They price of the tacos are slightly higher than street tacos, but the presentation and the taste of the tacos are totally worth every cent. The fried shrimp and fish weren't overly fried, and they still hold the original flavors. The gator tacos were super scrumptious, the meat was very tender. The decor had a giant long screen TV. The restroom was clean without the funky smell. The service was friendly and attentive, no complaints at all. Overall, it was a great dining experience, it deserves a 4.7 out of 5. Will visit again!

everything is delicious grate service a little bit noisy the paella is amazing and enough for tow and the chicharrón the pulpo I love it

The snapper al mojo de ajo was crispy, moist and delicious! As were the sides of sautéed cabbage and fresh vegetables. The elote bread (dessert) was a tad overcooked, but still tasty. Great service. Nice family ambiance. Phenomenal place.

Excellent service every time great staff, I got the bacon rapped shrimp with tartar is a most try

I decided to try a new place while in town and was impressed. This will definitely be on my go-to list. Good seafood, great service. If you like ceviche, the La Costa Tower does not disappoint. Plenty of seafood and avocado packed into this one. The flavor was just right for me. I also had the arrachera (grilled fajita) taco in corn. It was also very tasty and hit the spot if you're looking to satisfy your taco fix.

Was not impressed. Will not be coming back. Overpriced for the service and food quality. Been there twice and both visits were disappointing. Try to give the m a second chance but noticed the service is getting worst.

Visiting this area for business. Ended up eating here two times in a row. The first time I had the shrimp pasta and give that a four out of five stars. Then my second time around I had the salmon ceviche and the paella five out of five the waiters are really nice, unfortunately I don't know how to speak Espanol oh yeah, I also got the churro dessert and that is five out of five as well. Now I'm going to take a mid afternoon nap and question my eating habits.

This place was crazy busy on a Friday evening. I thought I would come a bit early to enjoy things before the crowds hit, but this is such a great place that it is packed almost all the time. Lots of great breezy outdoor seating. Tons of stylish indoor seating. I was lucky to snag the last seat on the very end of the bar. The bartenders served as my waiter. They were spot on and made insanely good margaritas. The only down side was I think they lost/forgot me at the end of a shift change or something. No worries. I was alone and had a few margaritas in me so the time went fast as I played with my phone. Yeah, wonderfully romantic, popular restaurant and I'm the dope alone at the corner of the bar.... It started out with this large tortilla/wafer/cracker thing. Ok, I'll admit it. I had to slyly watch the GQ model next to me and his date to figure out how to appropriately eat the thing. Or then again, we both looked like dopes. It had these superb pickled onions, neat salsas, and crazy spicy bean dip that went on it like pizza toppings. I think I could have just enjoyed those with my drinks. I couldn't figure out what to go with so I went full decadence and ordered the Lobster tacos. It was definitely worth the treat. I actually wish I had a date to share it with and almost offered some to the couple next to me, but then I would have definitely been full on creepy. So, I just sacrificed and ate the entire glorious thing.

Haaaapppyyyy New Year!!!! What a way to start 2023 with the family! La Costa grill was absolutely delicious! We were a large party, but were seated promptly. It is so bright and fresh inside. Really warms you up for your meal. There's live music to add to the ambience. You are greeted immediately with tostada chips, salsa and beans. You also get this warm cup of seafood broth. So pleasant and rich. It made me want a michelada! Lol We ordered a variety of things! We shared the tuna nachos and the costa tower, which was amazing. The seafood is SO. Stinkin. FRESH!!! No seawater taste. The shrimp are juicy and plump. The tuna nachos were delicious. Loved the crunch. The seafood platter was amazing. Comes with ceviche tostada, shrimp cocktail and a ton of seafood to much on. I grabbed a few tacos. I had the octopus, which was smoky and well cooked. Not chewy. The blue corn tortilla paired well. The shrimp pastor is a must. The roasted pineapple alone was heaven. Then, to top it off, I got the shrimp ceviche tostada. Light, balanced and full of shrimp. Service was phenomenal. Place was clean. People were friendly. I wish I could try everything on the menu. Can't wait to come back for more!

Authentic Mexican food. Good for family dining.Tried seafood dinner and was good. staff were attentive.

First time here ,we came for our daughters birthday dinner and we were so happy with the food But maybe when my husband isn't in a wheelchair.... The place is small and is t very wheelchair friendly at all... we literally had to move tables away just to be seated and also to leave. But we still want to come back but maybe when my husband has more mobility.

Que asco de camarones. Desde lejos olían perdido. Y peor tantito tuve que pagar por este mugrero. Inmediatamente me dieron ganas de vomitar.

Very disappointed service was not caring or knowledgeable. Cleaning was a zero food was very bland. I guess people go here because of the cheap drinks to bad, I'm not a drinker.. but like they say where they're good drinks, cheap drinks, the food is horrible..

This place is awful. The food is not that great, the drinks are watered down, the service is terrible. They have a credit card fee, if you're not paying cash they charge you 4% extra on top of everything else. Our server forgot to charge us for things TWICE. So we had to pay 18% gratuity + credit card fee TWICE. No offer to comp those fees off or anything. It's not my fault you forgot. Avoid this place.

Found this perfect little gem about a month ago. Food is so authentic and super delicious. Every item on the menu is served with its own flare. From the welcoming tiny seafood broth mug.. to the yummy heaping sopes and tostadas of shrimp, marlin, etc etc. Last visited this pass Sunday with visiting family in tow. It was 1pm and they were super busy. The food, the service and the atmosphere pleased once more. Plenty of seasoned servers ready to take your order. Definitely will b one of our favorite go to's. The Wegners.

Went here after working a convention around the corner. We called ahead since it was a Saturday and they said they'd hold a table for us. We got there and they seated us immediately, outside. The patio is beautifully situated with great lighting and relaxing ambiance. Menu had a great variety, I ordered three tacos a la carte; pastor shrimp, tuna carnita, and gator steak. They all tasted delicious with a house margarita. My only complaint is that I was too tired to try more of their menu. Definitely on my list next time I am in town.

I went here three times during my time in McAllen and always enjoyed the food, service and ambiance. I think the ceviche is the best item I had. The dirty martinis were neither dirty or very good. The kettle one with sofa and lime was overwhelmingly soda. I good place to hang out and enjoy the live music.

Went yesterday 1. Octupus was overcooked 2. The chilis on plate appeared to have been cooking all day 3. The lobster tacos were 5 stars delicious 4. Service was 5 stars 5. I don't like when restaurants charge a credit card fee . Either increase the food charge but don't charge separate 6. The lemonade cucumber drink needed a little sugar 7. Another lemonade drink was tart.

The best!! Cocktails are beautiful and strong!! The food is fresh and delish! You can't go wrong sitting indoors or out the lobster enchiladas were yummy!!

The Ceviche Sampler is the BEST in the valley! Shrimp, fish and tuna. Will not disappoint. Service has always been A+!

The tacos and tostadas were awesome. The little seafood soup before they bring out entree is good. Had the octopus it was good. The oyster shots were great!! Do recommend it!!

Great Seafood. As soon as you seat down you are greeted with complimentary beans, chips, aquachile onios, small cup of soup and three sauces, these weere delicious. Drink selection is limited nu your imagination, they have a full bar. My comadre is "addicted to Painkillers" bartender looked it up and was able to create an excellent version. My wife (who is from Seattle) had the seafood soup, she said "good as any Cioppino I have ever had." My compadres shared the fajitas and shrimp molcajete, deliousca nd big enough to share.. The whole red snappet was excellent.

So this is a hard review to write. We found this trip on holiday and decided to try it out. We are close to the boarder and everyone SHOULD be able to make good Mexican food. Well that's what you get for assuming. Delightful place where the energy was high with the help of Bad Bunny and Ozuna playing on the speaker. So we were hopefully. We ordered drinks and tapas and sat and waited. Expecting a wonderful, tasteful, delightful meal. However when we received our meal we were all, party of 4, sadly disappointed in the food we were served. The portions were perfect and way more food then we needed but .... It's hard to eat a lot of food when.... It doesn't taste good. The food was blah, it had zero flavor. The entree was just as boring as the queso we ordered. We all looked at each other and said, this really doesn't taste.... Flavorful. The hard part of this review is the On Floor Manager approached us and asked how our meal was but due to the language barrier we were unable to say "... Well, the drinks have flavor and seasoning, the beans they served had season but our actual meal doesn't" I would go back for the water, yes the water, I would go back for the salsa and chips, I would go back for those little salsa bean things but that's about it. Not for the food. Which is so disappointing because we were so hopeful.

Incredible lobster tacos, presentation was on point. Fresh and delicious! Highly recommend.

Parking is easy and the shopping center in which the restaurant is located is very nice, well lit and maintained. The restaurant is nice. We were seated immediately and drinks quickly taken. The language barrier was a bit tough though. Look, I realize it's McAllen, but not everyone is from there and it's difficult for us non-Spanish speakers to communicate with those who don't speak English well. I'm not fond of the chips and beans. I want something lighter for an appetizer. Whatever the warm soup concoction served in a mason jar type mug was tasty, but no one could tell me what it was - at least in English. I ordered the Ajillo Octopus. Other than getting it in sashimi form, we don't get octopus where I live. I love octopus sashimi. This? Not so much. The octopus was very mushy and had a taste I wasn't used to. I love Mexican food - all styles of it from Tex-Mex, Veracruz style, Baja California style, Oaxaca style, even Yucatán anything. I love octopus. I love eating new and interesting things. Perhaps they had an off night. Perhaps I had an off night. The meal was just ok. Service was ok. I'm assuming the waiter was new and had a difficult time separating the bill. Again, the language barrier was huge and the English speaking staff ignored the issue.

I cannot say enough great things about this place! If you love seafood, you'll love La Costa! The staff is helpful, the restaurant was clean, and the service was on point! The ahi tuna nachos are to die for! I could eat at this place every day. The inside has the biggest tv screen I had ever seen playing games and fights. The outside seating is quiet and a great atmosphere. Whether on a date, or hanging with the boys, this is a great place.

The good: outside seating, and wide variety. The tacos are small so If you have a big appetite I suggest you order multiple. They are good just wanted more wow factor with the flavor. The bad: food arrived cold The ugly: sadly we had a bad experience with waiter she was in a bad mood and never came to check on us. I do believe she must have been having an off day because the waiter serving the table next to us was amazing.

The food, service and outdoor seating were excellent! Will definitely return and recommend.

Very good restaurant. We came here looking for some good Mexican seafood and it did not disappoint. Portions were huge, food was fresh and we'll prepared, service was excellent. We only ordered one plate, Fuente de Camarones. An assortment of shrimps prepared in different ways with different sauces. A mountain of onion rings, fries, and salad to finish it off. Had to place my wife's hand in the picture for perspective. It's enough food for 3-4 people. Some shrimps were better than others but honestly, it was all good. My favorites were the shrimps in a bbq spicy sauce. Will come back and try some other dishes.

We enjoy this place. It has a great outside covered area, and we were there on a perfect day. The food is creative. I love our sauces, chips, and refried beans appetizer. Our shared meal was interesting. It was a combo of some sort. Their food is a bit pricey, but it's worth it to me. Inside is typically a bit loud. Service was quick and efficient.

The server only spoke Spanish. I did not get the name of our server. All I know is that it was a female. She also appeared to be in a hurry. There weren't a lot of people at the time I was there. Not a good place to go for English speaking tourist. The food was good. Just be aware The surf and turf plate looked more like nachos. The fajita and shrimp was on a bed of corn chips with bean and cheese. The sides are rice and beans on a separate plate. Therefore my partner was not happy with that order. I ordered lobster tacos. The lobster was on 3 corn tortillas with cabbage and some other ingredients. They tasted delicious. The presentation was nice.

Food was blend had no actual season the combination of food in menu was interesting. The tv screen was giving me a headache as it was way to wide but in length to small. Next day my stomach was all jacked. My coworker did enjoy it and said he would eat here again. My stomach said stay away.

Absolutely wonderful food ! Great service ! Tuna Nachos were incredible! Tacos where amazing ! Just everything was spectacular

Live music for the win! Just a person with a guitar singing, but still enjoyable and not too loud. Not pictured here, but I love the little juices they give as appetizers. They remind me of an old favorite restaurant that closed years ago, "Blue Shell". Service could use a little improvement, but still good. #leslieapproved

Highly recommend the cucumber martini. I always have to go back for it. Salmon carpaccio is delicious as an appetizer, worth the price.

It was ok. I had the lobster tacos. I was excited because everyone raves about this place and there tacos. But It needed more flavor and a better salsa. Maybe they had a bad day. So will try it another time.

AMAZING experience! Tacos are outstanding...had the Tuna Carnitas Taco, the Octopus Mongol Taco and the Gobernador Taco... simply outstanding. Can't wait to come back to The Valley and hit up Costa Grill again!

This place was recommended to me by a coworker and I must say it was surprisingly really good. The food portions are great! I had the aguachile and some octopus tacos and they were awesome. The salsas are also very tasty and the service is great!

I haven't been here since it opened years ago. On this visit, I was pleasantly surprised by the food. We arrived Friday, a little after six. It was starting to get busy but we were sat down immediately. The food exceeded my expectations.

Amazing food! So much creativity went into the variety of menu choices. And everything I tried was fantastic!! Service was great, clean place, just overall awesome. Highly recommend! I tried octopus plate & fajita combo. Margaritas were delicious and big too.

I've been here once and have been dreaming on she. I'm coming back. The lobster tacos, ceviche tower, and molcajete were outta this world!

Very good TexMex seafood. Good selections at reasonable prices. I like the tacos: lobster, gator and Gubernador. Friendly service.

This is my second time here and Valeria the bartender has treated me so well and also is very hard working! It's a Friday night and she's legit busting her ass! I'm so glad McCallen was able to receive me with such welcoming hands, as I have never been to Southern Texas! As they call it The Valley! Thank you La Costa Grill for making my stay here a bit more amazing. I recommend the Venezolana Combo and Margaritas on the rocks