In July 2021, Costa Nachos made its first appearance at the Hampton Brewing Company. It was an instant hit with them being sold out of nachos most days they were there. The next week, Costa Nachos made it to the West Side of Saint John, and then made a trip back to Hampton Brewing where I experienced their nachos for the first time. We were their first customers of the day; eagerly waiting for what I have been waiting for my whole life: a place with only nachos. We went a second time in September 2021, delighted to see they had improved their already delicious offering. As you can see from the pictures, we are regulars at Costa Nachos.
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| Costa Nachos Grande Cheese - March 2024 |
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| Costa Nachos "Spec-Taco-Lar" - April 2023 |
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| Costa Nachos "Spec-Taco-Lar" - April 2023 |
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| Costa Nachos "Blazin' Good Time" (add queso) - July 2022 |
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| Costa Nachos "Blazin' Good Time" (add queso) - July 2022 |
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| Costa Nachos "Sow Belly" - May 2022 |
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| Costa Nachos "The Siam" - November 2021 |
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| Costa Nachos "Sow Belly" with extra cheese - November 2021 |
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| Costa Nachos "Costa Pollo" - October 2021 |
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| Costa Nachos "The Grande Cheese" (added beef & bean mix) - October 2021 |
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| Costa Nachos "The Grande Cheese" (added beef & bean mix) - October 2021 |
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| Costa Nachos "Sow Belly" Pulled Pork - September 2021 |
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| Costa Nachos "Sow Belly" Pulled Pork - August 2021 |
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| Costa Nachos "Blazin' Good Time" Beef - August 2021 |
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| Costa Nachos "Streets of Mexico" Corn (added beef and bean mix) - August 2021 |
What is consistent throughout our visits was that every bite was loaded with cheese and toppings. Therefore, I think the distribution of toppings was perfect. I ordered extra cheese when I ordered the Sow Belly in November 2021. It is the same experience as the Snooty Fox when you order extra cheese at Costa Nachos. I did not feel I needed the extra cheese and thus was always satisfied with the natural way the nachos came.
Quality
The Grande Cheese lived up to its name with cheese in the title as there was plenty of it. I really enjoyed that there was not only nicely melted cheddar and mozzarella mixes, but there was also some queso sprinkled on them. I think that the queso is a good touch because it is extra flavor that accounts for the idea that there might be a chip without the traditional cheese on it. This is also why, in 2022, we have continued to order the same thing which is the Blazin Good time (add queso).
On our first visit, I was looking to get a bunch of cheese on those chips for the Streets of Mexico, and a lot of cheese I got. The chips were very delicious, fresh, and crispy. We were told that they are made in Texas! I really loved how much variety of flavor was present and I really appreciated that the chips did not get soggy despite all the toppings, like I recently experienced at Isla Cocina. That's probably because these ones don't come loaded with a bunch of guacamole and sour cream on top, which usually makes for a soggy nacho.
Also regarding our first visit, I had written that they were undercooked; however, on subsequent visits they had the perfect toast factor and all the cheese was melted. I kind of almost shed a tear. No, seriously, I love nachos that much and I really appreciate that aspect of the nacho experience.
Value
The most you will pay for their nachos is $14.80. If you add an extra sour cream or salsa it is $1.25 extra. If you add extra guacamole or extra cheese, it is $2.00 more. Considering the excellent quality and distribution of toppings, this is a bang for your buck!
Quantity
I usually share my nachos; however, I did see what a container of nachos looked like beforehand and I thought I could finish it on my own. I was very wrong. I was able to save leftovers of these nachos for a second meal, and I very much enjoyed it. I think it is because the nachos are so full of toppings, including a very generous amount of cheese on my Streets of Mexico nachos in particular, that it fills you up quickly. For our next visits, we shared one serving of their nachos.
Service
I really like that if there is a delay or if there is an ingredient missing, they tell you upfront. I have eaten at a lot of restaurants and I have not seen a place care as much about customer satisfaction as I have seen with Costa Nachos. I also like the way they market themselves on social media and overall they are very friendly and efficient.
I also really like that you can text your order and that they will let you know in a timely manner when the order will be ready. All you have to do is go and pick-up your order and pay with no wait time.
Conclusion
We did not previously include Costa Nachos on the Home Town Top 10, because that list traditionally includes Saint John restaurants only, and the Costa Nachos truck tends to move around outside the city of Saint John frequently. However, Costa Nachos does go to Saint John regularly, and I really think they deserve to not only be included in the top ten, but to also be #1. I happily put them as #1 again in 2022 when we visited in May and experienced the same Excellence as the previous year. They have far exceeded the nacho offerings of not only Saint John restaurants, but also a lot of favorites that I had around New Brunswick. I have to keep going back for the flawless distribution of toppings, the amazing improvement in quality, the value, the amazing service, and the good quantity. These nachos are perfection.
I said this to the server at the Hampton Brewing Co and I will say this again here: Costa Nachos is like that good book that you want to re-read multiple times. You know what is going to happen and there may be some new things that you may have picked up on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time reading, but it is a guaranteed joy every time, kind of like the Costa Nachos food truck.
Nacho Blog Rating: A+