One of my favorite restaurants in west LA! Best tapas plates great wine and consistently good tasty food! Service is always great!! read more

Superlative continental ambiençe and interesting, attentive, and friendly staff made for an evening that'll be long remembered. Uncommonly elevated tapas. Aioli without peer! Profoundly satisfying café con leche. Live Segovia outside FTW. * The membrillo (quince paste) braised pork belly with marcona almonds is perfect. * The goat cheese and dried fig tostado rocked our taste buds. This is the kind of place that you plan on revisiting on the next trip but wind up back the next night. read more

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On a Wednesday night in August, we got a table for 2 outside with just a few minutes' wait. $89.79 total for 2 drinks, 2 happy hour tapas, and 2 regular tapas. * Happy Hour Goat Cheese & Dried Fig Tostado ($9) - 3 stars The tostado was stale, and this seemed to be more of a dessert. * Happy Hour Gambas (spicy garlic shrimp, $13) - 3 stars I found the shrimp to be quite rubbery. I expected them to be more charred and was disappointed by the texture. * Jamon Wrapped Dates ($15.50) - 3.5 stars Enjoyed the contrast between the jamon and the cheese. However I hoped for more crisp on the jamon, it was a little soft. * Beet Burrata Salad ($15.50) - 4 stars Lovely very soft burrata (and not so stretchy as others I've had). The pistachio dust was a nice touch for added texture. read more

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Not impressed. My wife had been here before on a Sunday and enjoyed it, so I wanted to take her back. Made a reservation for 6:30 on Friday (today) - when we got there, the man at the front was a bit rude and told us they had no outside tables available and that he had inside or their back balcony (enclosed) and that it would be about a 20 minute wait for the table. We waited and they "found" a table that hadnt been available earlier, so seated us. Waitress came after a bit (apologized for taking so long) and talked through the menu. At 6:30 they had already run out of one of the dishes I wanted to try so we picked a few others. Potatoes came, then short rib. Both were fairly good. Potatoes were spicy so I ran through my water - noone came to refill for 5, 10 minutes. I finally asked someone for water - they went inside. About 5 minutes after that someone came out to fill glasses outside - filled all the other tables and by the time he got to us he had run out. Petty? Maybe, but it was frustrating. Anyways, from that time it was about a half hour until our third dish. Barely saw the waitress. She didn't know what we had or hadn't received. Finally lamb meatballs came. They were good, but was awaiting our last dish. She told us the kitchen was very busy and she'd check on things - we never saw her again until the very end. Nothing came - 15-20 more minutes (it was now about an hour 15 mins from when we sat down). I gave up - couldnt find the waitress so found anyone working there and told him we didnt want to wait for the last dish and wanted to leave so please bring us the bill. He did (and offered us the last dish to go without charging us - we turned it down - was too late by then). So we get the check and the waitress finally sees what's going on - she comes by and we tell her we had waited too long and were leaving. And SHE BEGINS TO WANT TO TELL US WHAT HAPPENED! For some reason, she felt the need to tell us that the kitchen was messing up and she was so mad she couldn't come back and talk to us. I told her it really didn't matter what happened and SHE KEPT TALKING! I told her we didn't need to hear any more, thank you. I signed the bill, gave her nominal tip and left. Honestly, the food was ok but the service was ass - bad service, rude guy at the front door, incompetent wait staff. Skip it - there are more options around. read more

I love this place, it's intimate especially for a cute date or dinner with close friends! Highly recommend! Great service and the food is tapas style. read more

Been wanting to try this for a while! Tapas restaurant in downtown SM. We started with the goat cheese and fig tostada which was to die for. So so so good. Then we got the pork belly which unfortunately wasn't our fav, the sauce was a bit too sweet and kinda off putting i think. the brussels were some of the best i've ever had, had mushrooms and bacon in it YUM. Lamb meatballs with red sauce and tzatziki were delicious. And then we ended with some grilled pulpo over potatoes that I was super excited for but the texture was a bit too chewy, may have been overdone. The menu is huge so I would definitely go back to try some more items! read more

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Tapas spot on Main Street. Came here for a Valentine's dinner and they had live music out in the heated patio. Service was especially slow (but our waiter was nice), but the bright side is that you can have an especially leisurely meal. Reservations can be made online in advance. We ordered the mushroom croquettes, Catalan chicken, tortilla española, jamon wrapped dates, and mac and cheese with bacon. The dishes were good but the best were the dates and the mad and cheese. The tortilla española came with a salsa and an aioli on the side but the aioli did taste sour (I think one of the ingredients used was past its shelf life). Other than that, it's a good spot for an intimate dinner or date night. read more

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11/10!!!!!!!!!!! From walking in to being seated to getting our drink orders everyone was incredible. It was such an intimate restaurant, great place to catch up with friends and eat amazing food. We came for a date night and honestly it was amazing. From every bite, everything tasted delicious. The Brussel sprouts were a highlight as well as the fig tostada and steak. Please try this place for a date night or two friends getting dinner you will not be disappointed!!!! read more

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We found this cute spot while visiting the area last week. We ate outside and enjoyed live music. The tapas we had were all delicious. Aside from the octopus and goat cheese toast, we also tried the garlic shrimp and empanadas. Dishes came out in a timely manner. Our server was attentive and friendly. We didn't actually enter the restaurant so I'm not sure what the ambiance is inside. Overall, I'd recommend this spot! read more

Manchego - Brie + goat cheese and dried fig tostado - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Manchego is a restaurant on Main Street the restaurant row in Santa Monica. Park in the lot behind the building, and pay at the parking station, as street meter parking is scarce. This restaurant offers foods and wines which is influenced by the owners travels to Spain. The restaurant has been here a precovid and had survived. Indoor and outdoor seating available, as with most restaurants in the westside, it's dog friendly too. Last Saturday, after watching a series of FIFA soccer football games, I forced myself to go out and have a light brunch. Manchego patio was busy and crowded by I spotted a couple of tables. The host resembled a younger version of actor Neil Patrick Harris, in a suit. Cordial Nice and accommodating sat Me immediately and even provided a bowl of H20 for my furbaby Fendi. The menu offered foods with Spanish, Mediterranean and popular WLA foods: avocado toast and quinoa. It was a my first here and ordered: wines from Spain, manchego cheese plate, deviled eggs and romaine salad topped with shredded manchego cheese. To be in the know...Manchego cheese is sheep's milk and whether it originated from Manchego Spain or is debatable. Years back, after reading Cervantes' Don Quixote Man of La Mancha, and it's famous windmills, I was compelled to include Spain in my global travels. Manchego cheese was popularized in Cuenca a small town between Manfred and Barcelona. Cuenca has many Art galleries and restaurants and the first time I tasted manchego cheese. To bring back memories of my trips in the towns in Spain, I was excited to try the foods here. A little wine tasting is always a fun start. The manchego cheese platter was simple but lovely: manchego cheese and banquet slices, mini cornichon pickles, fig spread and marcona almonds. The deviled eggs were nice presented with edible flowers and micro greens, but the Spanish olives made it a tad too salty, had to remove the Spanish olives to enjoy the eggs in its delicate taste. The romaine salad was similar to a Cesar without anchovies but had the salty Spanish olives, avocado and shredded young, not aged manchego cheese, which was fresh and delicious. Every dish paired well with the wines. Despite, the Spanish influence in the menu offerings, I could not find the foods here comparable to a tapas experience I had in Spain that I was hoping for, but a nice try. It would be nice if they had Spanish guitar music playing in the patio to add to the Spanish vibe. Throughout Spain, smoked meats and fish are hugh, as well as paella and neither were offered here :( but only three cured meats. 'Tapas ' are small plates of foods, like smaller versions of any dish for a couple of bites. Many restaurants in Spain offer tapas, perfect to sample many menu foods, the ideal way to do 'bar hopping!' The restaurant occupies a vintage building that's been earthquake safe upgraded according to a posted sign. Inside, the decor is simple, not fancy, very casual and welcoming. Service from the host Matthew, waitress Carolina and the staff were nice and very accommodating to Me and my furbaby, propels the rating to a 4star. Maybe the other menu foods, will bring back thoughts of splendid Spain, but if you haven't been, you must go, Go to Manchego! read more

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Really cute little restaurant tucked into Main Street in Santa Monica. I went here for a date night with my wife, and it was a great experience. They have a nice fenced off outdoor patio right on the street, with a really beautiful set up and very attentive wait staff. There is a nice yelp check in offer, at least at the time we went, for a free drink which they honored and gave a decent pour! We made reservations for 5 PM, right when the doors opened, and they slowly filled up as the night went on. I would suggest making reservations for sure. The food was so good, and this is truly a place that I wish we could just ask for one of everything on the menu. We did go during happy hour, which allowed us to grab a bunch of dishes that were a tiny bit cheaper. I usually say this about any five-star experience, but we didn't really have a bad dish. I'll list my favorites in order if helpful, but try a mixture. Short rib crispy polenta Croquettes, we had mushroom Goat cheese and fig Tomato, Cucumber salad Pork belly. The flavor was amazing, the dish was a little overcooked. All in all a great experience, very personable and helpful weight staff, and a perfect atmosphere for a date night. We will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu! read more

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Ambience: They really nailed this. I'm not sure what it is, but when you walk into this restaurant, it smells like Europe (and not like the negative immediate thought of bad BO lol). Love the cozy interior, but have to say that the chairs were not the most comfortable. If they are trying to encourage customers to leave after an hour or an hour and a half or so, the chairs help with that lol. Service: I forget who our waitress was, but she was always on the go! As soon as she took the order, she was off and running! It made it a little tricky when we had a second question, and she is definitely not a waitress who was eager to make conversation with the people at the table. The host was really kind and even knelt down to listen to my question, when I had one. Food: we were really lucky to get there with 15 minutes of happy hour time lol. My sister got the white sangria, and it tasted pretty awful. The red sangria was digestible, but I've had so much better! It just didn't taste fresh. I would expect more from a Spanish restaurant. Thankfully, the tomato and avocado and cucumber salad was spot on! Also loved the garlic shrimp, and dipping the little pieces of bread into the sauce is a must! Both of those dishes had a kick to them, and I definitely recommend! We also ordered the mushroom croquettes, which were pretty decent. We also ordered the Catalan chicken and the brussels sprouts. Honestly, those dishes tasted flavorless; I probably would not order them again. I may come here again for happy hour dishes, but overall, I was not as impressed as I would've liked to be. read more

Our Thanksgiving staycation in MDR brought us to this cozy little tapas place Manchego the day before Thanksgiving. They have Happy Hour daily from 5 to 6:30 pm and plenty of street parking available during the week (I think it is free anytime after 6 pm). Cute decor and perfect for date night! Our server was Jennifer and service was exceptional from her, and the rest of the staff. We ordered some of their super delicious HH tapas options that included: Gambas, membrillo-glazed pork belly, romaine salad with lemon oil and goat cheese with dried fig tostada. We also ordered the following from the regular menu: fried patatas with garlic aioli, jamon-wrapped dates with spanish goat cheese and brussel sprouts with bacon, manchego, mushroom and what tasted like a balsamic soy vinaigrette(?). We enjoyed almost everything but will skip the fig tostada and the churro con chocolate next time. Everything else we would defo order again. The jamon-wrapped dates and fried patatas with garlic aioli were heavenly! Cannot wait for the next time. read more

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Went on a stroll and randomly stopped here. Glad we found this gem. It reminded me of Spain! We sat outside by the warm heater. The service was great, although the wrong wine was bought out we still had good service. The Mac and Cheese with bacon was DELICIOUSNESS! This place was definitely a great find. We also ordered the garlic shrimp and it was tasteful. read more

Manchego - Mac and Manchego Cheese - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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First time here. I'm out of the house a lot right now because of a weird situation and I'm hitting some of the happy hours and I just happened to come to this place for the first time, it looked interesting. I asked to go to the back patio and it was quite a delightful surprise. There's a rain fall feature that's beautiful I felt instantly relaxed because of hearing the water and seeing the beauty of the lights on the water and the plants The red wine that I had was delicious and I had a simple salad that consisted of two different types of tomatoes and avocado, garlic and cucumber those are three of my favorite things and it had a cherry vinegar on it that was really nice with olive oil. I also decided to try the pork belly as it was also on the happy hour menu and I thought I would need a little bit of protein and fat along with the salad.. everything was great. The server that I had was very nice. It was a great experience to relax. Doing a stressful time I hope to come back here with friends they have a nice front patio on the street and a beautiful dining room inside read more

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I've been to this restaurant 3 times and I gotta say it HITS every time! I randomly stumbled on this restaurant in summer 2024 when my sister and I were leaving a birthday party. I recently visited again this summer 2025 to bring my foodie boyfriend along. I'm pleased to say he absolutely LOVED IT! Every time we go out we order a drink and a bunch of different plates to share so I knew this was a great spot for us. We got two glasses of red wines; Tempranillo and Cabernet. For food we ordered the anchovies, orzo risotto, short ribs with polenta, brussel sprouts, and the fried patatas. Everything was SO DELICIOUS and perfectly cooked. I would say the anchovies were DEFINITELY the highlight of everything though. I was not expecting to love it as much as I did both of us completely devoured those anchovies! 10/10 The food is a bit pricey but I feel for the ambiance, taste, and experience it very much ends up being worth it! I will also say the service was amazing as well! Our waiter was very sweet, professional, and attentive. Especially considering the fact that my boyfriend and I were having a very intense argument during dinner. She still was extremely polite, respectful, and apologized if she had to interrupt us. Overall my experience here all three times has been AWESOME. Absolutely recommend trying it out for date night or a small intimate dinner! :) read more

Had a lovely time here on Thursday night for a bday celebration! I was excited for authentic Spanish tapas and Manchego did mot disappoint :) We were seated inside which is pretty small and intimate. you will be able to hear the conversations of nearby diners verry easily. Our server Melvin was awesome! so attentive and kind. we got the mac and manchego, patatas, beef empanadas, brussel sprouts, and deviled eggs. everything was great but the patatas were a standout. they were perfectly fried and came super hot. the brussel sprouts were interesting. it was mostly individual fried leaves instead of whole sprouts, and the bacon was chopped up while the mushrooms werent. while the manchego tied everything together, it definitely felt a little more haphazard than the other well thought out dishes. they also don't have cocktails which was a bummer but we got a glass of sangria and it was great! the lack of cocktail drinks also kept out bill under 100 overall we had a great time and im excited to come back! read more

Manchego - Mac and Manchego Cheese - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Very good food the place is very pleasant and the service was excellent and the staff very friendly and professional definitely I will come back . read more

Hits every time!! Our go-to spot In Santa Monica. You must try the mac & cheese, beet & burrata salad, tomato & cucumber salad, and sangria! Ambience is so cozy and cute, servers are all so fun and nice. Trust me, little known but has to be one of the best spots in SM. read more

Lovely restaurant on Main Street. Great service. Our waitress was attentive but not overbearing. The food was great. For tapas the portions were larger than I expected. I would say each dish could have served 3 people. Everything we tried was fantastic. I recommend sitting on the back patio. It's enclosed & they have heat lamps. I didn't see a valet but I had no problem finding street parking. read more

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Great tapas restaurants. All the dishes were excellent (croquettes, broccolini, beet salad, and more)

If you want great Spanish tapas, Manchego delivers in most aspects. Although it's on the Main Street, parking is not hard to find; you just need a little bit of time and patience :) The ambience is quite intimate as the restaurant itself is very small and dark, which is quite typical for a European restaurant. So, it's not too family friendly, and more geared towards yuppies and people that wants a good date night. There were so many great tapas in the list! They also have a list of great red & white wine from Spain that are affordable and not over the top. My favorite is definitely the Iberico ham. It's one of Spain's most prized foods and you should definitely try it at least once. It's literally like prosciutto on steroids LOL The servers were great and accommodating, except when we were served with overly dry octopus, and it wasn't taken off our tab. However, everything else is great and a must try. read more

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I love this place! The charcuterie board and a bottle of red make for a great night! The outdoor seating is a nice addition since Covid. The portions are a bit small, but I definitely prefer quality over quantity. Love that there's ample parking in the back, too. I think they have a happy hour now. Oh, the sangria is wonderful, too! read more

Average place - not really Spanish food but close to it ! Service is ok. Indoor sitting is better than outdoor (straight on the street!)

Very thankful for the hostess to help with the reservation mistake I had made, I booked it for 3 people instead of 4. Miscalculation on my part. Restaurant was able to accommodate this last minute modification. Get the goat cheese and dried fig tostado. Comes in 3 pieces, bite size. Decadent. Sweet. It's so perfect that you can say it's dessert. Guilt-free kind. Get the cabra romero, rosemary goat cheese with jamon serrano. Cured meat and cheese option. read more

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What a cute and chill place for tapas. We were seated right away with our reservation in the outdoor seating area near the street. I've always wanted to try Spanish food and this didn't disappoint. Food (4/5) Jamon wrapped dates - yum!! This is sweet from the dates, salty from the cured meat. Love it. Would order again. Goat cheese - The bread is heavenly soft when paired with the cheese and fruit. Spanish octopus - I would pass on this one, the octopus was a bit rubbery. Pork belly - The sauce is delightfully sweet, although the pork belly came out a bit crispy the first time but not the second time I ordered. Wish it was a bit more consistent. Mac n cheese - This is very creamy and rich, but doesn't feel too heavy. Recommend. Sangria - I prefer the red and I love the bits of neatly cut fruit! Service (4/5) -I think out of the two times, both servers were decent. One of them was really attentive, she helped us decide how many tapas were enough for the table and always knew when to top off our drinks. I think it just depends. Vibes (5/5) -They have outdoor seating with umbrellas and cute tables. It's by the street if you don't mind the traffic. Parking (3/5) -Street parking is kind of hard to find in this area, so I always try to come when it's not lunch/dinner rush. Safety (4/5) -Lots of people walking around! Facilities (4/5) Overall: 4.0 read more

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Great offerings of different tapas. We really enjoyed the risotto, the Mac and Cheese, and the beet and heirloom salads, just to name a few. The seafood paella was a bit salty, but other than that, everything else was wonderful read more

My good friends were visiting from out of town and they were staying in Santa Monica very close to Manchego. We walked the few blocks over and were seated immediately. We ordered something bubbly. A Cava I believe. (Wine isn't really my thing so my friend was ordering.) Very nice. Dry and not cloyingly sweet. The sun was setting. We had the Spanish cheese and cured meats plate while chatting and enjoying ourselves. Tasty. More food like the shishito peppers, Jamón wrapped dates, tasty Branzino and more. Yes. And yes, more wine. Things got a bit pleasantly fuzzy. Good times. Friendly and helpful service and tasty food. What's really not to like? I'll be back again soon. read more

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Genuinely one of the best meals I've ever had! My partner took me here (as I'm Spanish myself) and I found the food to be flavorful and authentic yet elevated. To clarify, it reminded me of home, but also made me feel very chic at the same time--lol. Every single dish we ordered was stellar from the tapas (shoutout to the dates--yum!) to the main course (braised short-ribs). We went back in March and I haven't stopped thinking about it. We'll be back soon--highly recommend (and in a lovely, quiet location too). Yes yes yes! read more

Manchego - Delicious dates!! - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I had been to Manchego once a few years ago and literally do not know why I never went back! I dined here a couple of weeks ago and it was delicious! They have a wonderful outdoor seating area right on Main St in front of the restaurant - not sure if this always existed or they kept it after being forced to have outdoor dining in 2020. The interior is teeny weeny, almost claustrophobic in my opinion but we had a nice time outside. I still would not recommend coming with more than 4 people, but still maybe even stick to 2. This is a great place for date night or dinner with a friend. They have an excellent happy hour so I would def recommend getting there early and taking advantage of that - also nice to beat the dinner crowd! We had great service from our server Jennifer. For food we had the patatas bravas which were delicious! Can never go wrong with these. We also had the jamon wrapped dates stuffed with cheese (which are probably one of my favorite tapas ever), the manchego mac n cheese with bacon, and I highly recommend adding bacon - I normally do not enjoy bacon in my mac n cheese but the bacon here is so freakin crispy and perfect that it works - it added not only more flavor, but texture to the mac n cheese as well, which I really enjoyed. We also had the fig tostados which is toasted crostini/bread with goat cheese, figs, berries and honey, and the gambas al ajillo which is shrimp in a pool of garlic butter, also served with crostini/bread. All was delicious! Most of these were available on the happy hour menu and ranged from $7 - $9 which was great for the quality of food! Beer and wine are also on HH menu - we had a glass of the house tempranillo and enjoyed. For dessert I recommend the panna cotta. It is the perfect hint of vanilla, mint and topped with fresh strawberries! I can't wait to come back! Highly recommend Manchego! read more

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The branzino was my favorite item ordered-- very simple but very delicious. Everything else was average. This includes the lamb chops, short rib, garlic shrimps, and flan. The only thing I do no recommend is the risotto; the cheese didn't do it for me but maybe you'll like it. -Waiter was really friendly -Food comes out slow -They leave the door open even on cold nights, so maybe wear a long sleeve read more

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I love this restaurant so much. Live music at night, small indoor/ outdoor dining, and the servers are lovely. The dishes are small and I think it's best to go with a few people to try as many dishes as you can. If you want some greens loved the TOMATOES, CUCUMBER, AVOCADO, GARLIC, VINAGRE DE JEREZ SALAD. Dishes that I was obsessed with; MUSHROOM CROQUETAS, JAMON WRAPPED DATES W/ SPANISH GOAT CHEESE, MAC & MANCHEGO CHEESE, FRIED PATATAS, HANGER STEAK, and the BRANZINO. For dessert, who doesn't love a good CHURRO? ENJOY! PS: There is a public parking lot not far from the restaurant, but I was able to find street parking. read more

Great place for spanish tapas! It was my first time here and will not be my last. Some stand out dishes were: Mac and cheese (you gotta get this), bacon wrapped dates, and the brussel sprouts. Service was excellent. We mentioned we were celebrating an anniversary and they kindly seated us in a beautiful romantic corner booth. They even comped our delicious flan dessert! As you can see, the moody ambience made for dim photos but made for a romantic vibe. Will be back to try the rest of their extensive tapas menu! read more

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The food was delicious and even better when it's from the happy hour menu. Happy hour ends at 6:30pm, which gives enough time to end work and make it to the restaurant. We found street parking and sat at the patio. The patio was comfortable and the staff were attentive. Pretty good experience read more

Stumbled onto this place after being turned off by very loud music inside a nearby restaurant. Their outside street patio was busy on a Sunday night but they fit our party of two in (Thanks guys). As for the food we shared the following Tapas: 1. Potatoes Brava - hearty portion of crisp potatoes, red pepper sauce, and garlic aioli. 8/10 2. Mushroom Croquettes - 3 little friends got devoured quickly. 8/10 3. Beet/Burrata Salad - maybe a touch too much vinegar in the dressing -- but still very good. 8/10 4. Branzino - Nicely grilled - my favorite dish. 9/10 Lots of wine and bottled beer to choose from and perhaps we'll try their happy hour in the future. A nice addition to Main Street --we'll be back. read more

Manchego - Patio - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Cute for a date night. Good happy hour prices. REALLY strong Sangria - beware (or don't lol). Honestly when I first read the menu I was not impressed by the uniqueness of the offerings, but everything was done so well! Really great for tapas. The indoor seating is limited, but they do have an outdoor patio. Service was attentive without being overbearing. Bacon-wrapped dates are a must. read more

Manchego - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I've been here a few times and the food is consistently pretty good. Pretty is pretty convenient if you can find street parking or there's an ample public lot in the back. First time I was here, there was only outdoor seating (due to Covid) and we sat out front on the makeshift sidewalk patio. Most recently, we sat in the back of the restaurant in their enclosed open roof patio, which was a little nicer. It's not too big of a restaurant but they utilize all the space to the max. The service was great, the waitstaff was helpful...appropriately attentive without being intrusive. The portions are meant to be shared, so we got a good sampling of items, goat cheese with dried fig tostada (a touch too sweet IMO and I have a sweet tooth), Brussel sprouts with manchego/mushroom/bacon (excellent!), jambon wrapped dates w goat cheese (a great combo of savory and sweet), Pulpogallego with grilled Galician octopus (my favorite), the short ribs with crispy polenta (just a little dry). read more

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Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 © Spanish tapas & wine on Main St in Santa Monica! Tempranillo at its best and a spread of small plates to munch on, from Gran Vía, Madrid to Main Street, Santa Monica with love, what could be better on Tuesday night in late November; pleasant cozy ambience inside and outside, heaters are on, impeccable service, come on in! Romaine salad with avocado, tomatoes, anchovy olives, shredded Manchego cheese, fresh & delicious start. Glazed pork belly with toasted marcona almonds that simply melts once it touches your taste buds! Pork belly, hahaha go belly up over it!:-)) I ordered seconds believe it or not! David our server, thank you for recommending the mushroom croquetas with jalapeño sauce, and garlic gambas, mildly spicy garlic shrimp served in Jus with slices of toasted bread, so good! A glass of Spanish Tempranillo, some tapas, perfetto! Goat cheese & fig tostado, a savory heaven rivaling dolce treats, I'm not kidding you friends, you have to get these little warm, toasted, amazing bites! Tortilla Española, a Spanish omelette wedges with pats of butter & spicy sauce, Mmm! For Dulce, a creamy & fluffy Panna Cotta! And Spanish Sangria, of course! You'll thank me later, go for it :-) Great wine & a glass of Spanish Cava, to end the night with bubbles at Manchego, Santa Monica's best kept secret since they opened in 2007, I highly recommend! Bien dicho y buen provecho! Well said & bon Appétit! *Se tropieza mi cabeza porque va usted sin dormir Voy mejor al botellón, a la Pandorga, al Torreón No son horas, señora, eso mismo digo yo Entre litros y petas en el Parque de Gasset My head stumbles because you go without sleep I better go to the bottle, to the Pandorga, to the Torreón It's not hours, ma'am, that's what I say Between liters and petas in Gasset Park [ Review #734 with 11 pics on Dec 13, 2022 ] Spanish Tempranillo, superb wine! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 Romaine Salad~Avo~Tomato~Anchoa Olives~Manchego! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 Mushroom Croquetas! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 Membrillo Glazed Pork belly, Marcona almonds @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 Goat Cheese & Dried Fig Tostado! Fantastic! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 Gambas! Spicy garlic shrimp Mmm! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 Tortilla Española, Spanish omelette! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 Panna Cotta! Creamy & fluffy heavenly nice! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 David our kind server! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 A glass of Sangria! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 Spanish Cava! Bubbles to your health! @Manchego Santa Monica CA Tue 11/29/22 read more

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I came here with a friend to check out their happy hour on a Friday, the times for their happy hour are nice it runs until 6:30! They also have sangria for $8, which was honestly too sweet. We ordered a lot of different tapas mostly from the happy hour menu. The prices weren't awful either, we paid $40 a person to split all the food and each got a sangria. I have ranked the items we got below: 1. Goat cheese and dried fig tostada: by far our favorite item we got, perfect flavor combo and was on the happy hour menu! 2. Truffle Mac n cheese (no bacon): also on the happy hour menu, was pretty good, not the best Mac n cheese I've ever had but pretty good. 3. Burrata, beet salad: pretty good but again not a standout, I kinda thought for the price there should be more burrata. 4. Pork belly: on the happy hour menu but honestly not good at all. It was very tough and honestly at times hard to cut through. Among the worst pork belly I've had in years. 5. Mushroom croquets: on the happy hour menu, completely flavorless. They needed more flavor, like they were really missing an additional something even with the sauce. The staff was all very nice and the restaurant itself had a cute little patio, but honestly I wouldn't necessarily return. I could see other food and drinks being better, the top two were honestly pretty good but the bad ones were just not very good at all. So I'm assuming we might have just ordered the wrong things? read more

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Have been meaning to go to this place for a while, and glad I finally made time to go! The small tapas made it easy to try out different parts of the menu, and the dinner vibes were really cute for a date/friend gathering! Manchego is a small tapas restaurant with great service and ambiance (especially for indoor seating), I recommend going during happy hour (5-6.30pm) to maximize your experience! Pretty small portions (purposely) and a large selection of good food. 2-3 tapas per person should be good for sharing. mac & cheese - imo best dish of the night, really good balance of flavors and **one of the best mac and cheese ive had** gambas - also pretty good, especially if balanced with the dates as it is sweeter ‍ jamon wrapped dates - sweeter than expected, texture of cheese in the middle makes it a bit mushy but melts in your mouth ‍ membrillo glazed pork belly - ngl a bit dry, but quite crispy and overall on the sweeter side jamon serrano - good cured ham! could be broken apart a bit though chorizo - pretty good, i liked it paired with the idiazabal a lot short ribs - ribs itself was standard, but crispy polenta was really good and complemented textures well! fried patatas - pretty standard, could be a bit more flavorful but the others really liked it churros - pretty good! decent for the happy hour price read more

Manchego - cheese platter, Mac and Manchego Cheese - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California