Legal way to get money owed to me?

I got this guy that owes me $210. He's my buddies roommate and back in June we had all went out on the boat on the river. While I was standing on the Back of the boat he pushed me into the river with my iPhone 4s in my pocket after I loudly proclaimed do not push me in the water, needless to say that it caused my phone to not work anymore. I told him that he was gonna buy me a new phone and he said he would. Well its been about 7 months now and he still hasn't paid me because he "doesn't have the money" even tho he's had money to go on two trips (one to Chicago and one to Mississippi) and has money to go out drinking every other weekend. I've called him and text him about getting my money or I will take legal action. My question is what type of legal action do I have here? Some people have suggested small claims court but if it comes to that then who would be responsible for the court costs?

Your only claim is in small claims court, and court costs are included with the judgment if you win

However for $210.00 you are wasting your time, going to court will cost you more than that in wages, travel time, gas

Then if you win (which you probably would) and he does not pay, then you have to sue him again at the cost of lost wages, and other expenses which you can't claim in your suit

You could actually go to court three times and frankly, by the third time you have more into this than you would get back because you can't include lost wages, travel time, gas or anything else

People seem to think that once the court rules in their favor that the loser just hands over a check, that is not the case, all the judgment does is say that he owes you it is not an order for him/her to pay. If he doesn't pay, then you have to take the person to court again to actually get a court order and if he still does not pay then you have to get a court order to have his pay garnisheed

So for $210 you would have more into it than you are owed by the time you went through all of this hassle and if he has nothing then you get nothing

Didn't you have insurance on the phone?

Its easier to just open a can of whoop aZZ

You were already given answers on this yesterday, I guess if you just keep asking over and over maybe you will hear whatever you want to hear.

Small claims court.