Welcome to Costera
Costera, situated in New Orleans, offers a delightful array of Spanish tapas and small plates. With a classy ambiance and a variety of vegan and vegetarian options, Costera caters to all preferences. Their signature dish, the paella, stands out as a crowd favorite, praised for its flavor and generous portions. The impeccable service adds to the dining experience, ensuring that every visit is a memorable one. From the delectable gulf fish to the mouth-watering hanger steak, Costera's menu is a true culinary delight. If you're in search of an exceptional Spanish dining experience, Costera is the place to be.
- 4938 Prytania St New Orleans, LA 70115 Hotline: (504) 302-2332
Welcome to Costera, a tapas and small plates Spanish restaurant located in New Orleans, Louisiana. This classy establishment offers a wide range of options, including pescatarian, vegan, and vegetarian choices, making it a perfect destination for those with diverse dietary preferences. With a Full Bar, Happy Hour Specials, and even the option to pay with cryptocurrency, Costera caters to a modern and tech-savvy crowd.
Customer reviews rave about the delicious paella, with one customer even stating that they compare every paella they have had to Costera's, setting the bar high. The menu surprises guests with a chef's choice selection rather than a set prix fixe menu, allowing for a unique and exciting dining experience. The variety of dishes, from olives to white beans to gulf fish and hanger steak, impresses diners with their quality and flavor.
One standout dish mentioned by patrons is the hazelnut ice cream with peanuts and berry compote, a delightful and satisfying dessert option. The intimate and casual vibe of the restaurant, along with the excellent service, adds to the overall dining experience at Costera.
While some customers have noted minor hiccups in service or pricing, the overall consensus is overwhelmingly positive, with many planning to make Costera a regular dining spot. If you are in the mood for exceptional Spanish tapas in a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere, Costera is the place to be.

We went here for a reveillon dinner and absolutely LOVED it. Their take on the Reveillon dinner was different than a lot of the ones I have done, in that it was more of a chef's choice menu than the normal prix fixe menu. The online menu that we saw didn't make that clear, and I'm happy about that because I don't know that I would have tried it, since there were things on the menu I am allergic to and would have been worried about that. However, our server explained that if we had preferences or allergies they would accommodate those, and they absolutely did. It was supposed to be a four course family style menu, but I swear it was more like 7 courses. The two of us got four appetizers, and they were huge and delicious. I especially enjoyed the bombs,, olives, and white beans. The second course was a salad (that was bigger than some entree salads I have had) and another of the "sides" from the menu. I'm embarrassed that I can't remember exactly the order of food, but there was so much, both quantity and variety, that it is hard to keep it all straight. The bottom line is that everything was more amazing than what I had before, and it started at a high bar! For the main entree we had the gulf fish (which was sheepshead) and the hanger steak. The fish was fantastic (I don't usually eat or enjoy fish) and the hanger steak was to die for. Since it was a surprise what was coming from the kitchen, we didn't get asked for a temperature on the steak, but it was perfectly cooked. Desert was a hazelnut ice cream with peanuts and a berry compote, and even though I was hurting from so much amazing food, I managed to fit it in my body. There was one small mistake, and it wasn't a big deal, but we ordered a tempranillo from the list, something in the $60-70 range, but when the bill came it showed a price closer to $100. There was some miscommunication between us and the server or the server and the sommelier and we didn't notice that we got the wrong bottle. Not a huge deal at all, and both the server and sommelier apologized for the mix up, but we didn't check, so I'm not going to put that mistake on them. Plus, we had a delicious bottle of wine!

Lovely service, beautiful ambiance, and VERY TASTY paella! Since dining here, I compare every paella I've had to Costera- they set the bar really high for me! I've yet to have a paella like theirs, which is sad because I don't live in New Orleans but that just gives me even more of a reason to visit I believe the paella is served on certain days, so go on one of those days and make sure you have a reservation.

Delicious and friendly spot. Duck pasta and dessert were the standouts. I would highly recommend going to this restaurant. I need to get back there very soon.

The best tapas I've ever had in my life, including Spain. Every single dish was fantastic. I'm not sure how that's even possible. And their paella was the best I've had. Just ridiculously good execution all around. Great cocktail program, great service and a nice vibe. This place is phenomenal.

Went for Valentine's Day. Paella was really good. Service was terrible which is why only 4 stars. The lady was so rude and didn't want to answer any questions about the menu. Place was nice as well

First time at Costera after trying and loving Osteria Lupo their sister restaurant. Know my way around Spanish cuisine and this is by far the best in the area. Paella and rioja were my choices despite the coolinary menu and both brought me back to my times on the Iberian peninsula. I'm going to make this a regular spot. Oh and if you haven't been to Lupo, that's the best Italian in the city. Shout out to the bartender who served us at the bar. He was terrific

What an excellent place!!!! Love this place! It was my first time here and I came with my best friend. Service was on point! We sat at the bar. I love the style of this place...the vibe is great. It's kinda intimate but not over the top. Still maintains its casualty. We both had drinks to start...she had wine, I had the On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink. It was so summery...watermelon and cava. Delicious! My other drink was the Strawberry Queen, also tasty and summery. For food we shared everything. We had the olives, octopus, gambas, crudo, roasted mushrooms, papas bravas & blistered shishito peppers. Everything was so good. We were so full at the end. I can't wait to get back!!! Check them out!

Everything was ok with the exception of the paella, I did not care for the lima beans flavor, it is also pricey for the amount served. Octopus was a 10, the potatoes tasted just like potatoes. Overall was alright, nothing impressive.

Most important comment - if you've ever had tapas is Spain you know that the accompaniment of small pieces of fresh baguette is integral to the experience. Why do they not serve it here? (Disclosure - I worked in various regions of Spain for a while and enjoyed the food there immensely). Amazing shrimp in the most savory garlic sauce and nothing with which to sop it up. . Delicious albondigas with succulent sauce and nothing with which to sop it up. Well, I did resort to using my spoon but it's not the same. Wonderful, thinly sliced, perfect Jamon crying out for a foundation. . Please, please, please rethink this, Costera. The boquerones were served on a garlicky, pesto toast, which was yummy. But I need some plain, old sliced up Leidenheimer's or Dong Phoung or Gambino's. God knows we don't lack in this city for the right kind of bread to serve with tapas! The only dish I'd skip are the potatoes. The bravas sauce was just off. The place was bustling. The service was adequate - we waited too long for some dishes and then many came out at once. I like a nice rhythm to my meal. Those little plates add up quickly so this was not an inexpensive meal! Decor was pretty but clearly no thought given to acoustics. All hard surfaces and background music that couldn't really be heard but just upped the ambient noise level. Still, the dishes were delicious.

We had an awesome experience last night. What stands out most to me, was the service - Anika is among the very best server I have ever had! Her partner Jordan was excellent as well. And I have been eating out for a long long time. With family living in New Orleans, we get here once or twice a year. We never miss a visit to Costeira - the paella is that good. So too are the shared plates. We ordered several and they were excellent. I could not resist the beet salad and I'm glad I added that to our order. It was that good. In fact, I could very happily come here for cocktails, and starters in abundance. Now to the paella, it was delicious and very very generous. Would have preferred a few more mussels and clams in addition to the shrimp. And as a suggestion would love the option of adding more crabmeat. Lastly, be advised that corkage fee is $45 per bottle. Which is why we had two rounds of cocktails. We will be back! More props to Anika.