The Bottom Line
- Costa Vida serves up fresh Mexican food -- fast.
- The atmosphere at Costa Vida is coastal casual, bringing a sense of vacation to the establishment.
- You can watch as your food is prepared.
- The service at Costa Vida is not as friendly as it could be.
Description
- The food and decor at Costa Vida is inspired by the flavors and lifestyle of Baja.
- Costa Vida does not use any MSG or preservatives in their foods.
- Both Memphis area Costa Vida locations closed in 2008
Guide Review - Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill
When I walked in, I discovered that Costa Vida is a fast-food-style restaurant where you walk up to a counter and place your order. I also immediately noticed the decor which was done in a fun coastal theme. The restaurant was clean and full of pleasant aromas. At the counter, my party and I studied the menu for a few minutes before making our selections. Appetizers ranged in price from $1.99 - $7.49, entrees from $4.99 - $7.49, and desserts from $0.99 - $2.99. We were also surprised to find that Costa Vida offers domestic and imported beers along with margaritas.
For my meal, I chose the mango chicken salad with cilantro lime dressing. Wow, it was wonderful. The flavors of cilantro and mango blended together in a surprisingly delicious way. Best of all, every ingredient in my salad was fresh and it was assembled before my eyes. For dessert I tried the flan. Yummy! There was more than enough of the sweet custard dessert to share with my table.
My only complaint was that the service at Costa Vida was lukewarm, at best. My party was not greeted upon our arrival, nor were we thanked when paying for our food. The workers seemed disinterested.
A few weeks after my initial visit, I made a subsequent visit to Costa Vida. Once again, the food was outstanding and the restaurant was clean. Although the service was the same as the first visit, I will definitely go back again. The food is worth the trip.
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