Daniel B.
Yelp
La Costilla Grill is a Mexican grill and steakhouse that opened early 2013 in the Crossroads Village shopping center near the corner of Buford Highway and Clairmont Road. This is the same shopping center that houses Havana Restaurant and Mariscos La Riviera Nayarit, next to Aldi. If you're looking for hearty, affordable steaks, this is the place for you.
La Costilla sells T-bones, rib eyes, outside skirt steak, and costilla (beef short ribs), all sized at approximately 14 ounces, for only $14.95 each. It's a great value. The restaurant also doubles as a sports bar. There are several large flat panel displays around the bar as well as an HD projection screen which faces the entire dining room. UFC fight viewing parties are held here.
The restaurant is new, spacious, and clean. The atmosphere is casual. Manager Ricardo and server Diana are friendly.
This isn't your typical Mexican restaurant. It's meat-oriented. Aside from the aforementioned steaks, other menu specialties include chicken wings, BBQ ribs, and alambre (grilled beef topped with bacon and various vegetables). There's a limited selection of tacos (steak, pork, chicken), flautas (taquitos or rolled tacos), and sandwiches. There are lunch specials and everything is reasonably priced. For example, there's an $8.99 taco special at lunch which includes three tacos and frijoles charros (cowboy beans or Mexican bean stew). On Saturday and Sunday, they offer $9.95 menudo soup made with beef tripe (stomach).
There are five different types of salsa and they are, for the most part, legitimately spicy. The pico de gallo contains freshly chopped jalapeno. It brings the heat. The dark red-brown mole sauces have an exceptionally smoky flavor. One of the green salsas is served in a coarsely textured stone pestel. It's probably my favorite of the salsas, packed with plenty of finely minced coriander.
Items I've tried include:
Chicken wings - BBQ flavor
Tacos - outside skirt steak, chicken
Burrito - steak, *not on the menu*
Costilla - beef short ribs
Frijoles charros - Mexican pinto bean stew
Portion sizes are generous, particularly with the steaks and burritos.
The burritos ($9.99 each) are absolutely mammoth. They put Moe's/Chipotle's Mission-style burritos to shame. Good luck finishing a burrito in one sitting (+ chips and salsa). I roughly estimate La Costilla's burrito to be at least a foot long and upwards of four inches wide and 2.5 to 3 inches tall. It's packed with the same outside skirt steak used in the tacos along with rice, beans, chopped red and green bell pepper, and it's topped with a load of melted white cheese. Heavy, filling stuff.
I'm not sure why the burritos aren't on the menu. If you want one, just ask.
The BBQ wings are OK. They are slathered in a somewhat thick BBQ sauce and are messy to eat. The wings aren't the meatiest and a little crispy. The sauce is overpowering.
The tacos are good. They are served simple in single-layer corn tortillas with meat and a bit of guacamole. I like the skirt steak. They give you an adequate amount of meat and it's got good flavor. The chicken isn't bad either.
The costilla is where it's at. If you've ever had Korean galbi, costilla is the same thing: beef short ribs. At La Costilla, three strips of short ribs come with each order. The cuts are thicker than the Korean version. There's a whole lot more meat. It's also a little bit tougher, but still quite good, especially for the price. The short ribs are served still popping and sizzling on a cast iron skillet. Watch out because it's hot.
Not only do you get ribs, but the meat is accompanied with more meat: a bacon-wrapped jalapeno and a melted cheese-covered split sausage. Amazing. Oh, and half an onion, a bowl of frijoles charros, a plate of guac, and fresh tortillas too. It is *a lot* of food. Come hungry.
The short ribs taste great and aren't overly greasy. The bacon-wrapped jalapeno is, not surprisingly, spicy. The bacon, fatty. The sausage is salty. I like the frijoles charros. The stew comes with plenty of pinto beans and bits of sausage and ham. It's meaty, tasty, and hits the spot. In general, I'd steer towards the steaks or ribs at La Costilla because that is the specialty.
The food can take a while to come out from the kitchen. Other than that, service is fine. Jars of water are placed at the table for immediate self-serve refills.
The space works well for groups.