Every dish I've ever tasted from Manchego is 10/10. Many popular restaurants today are carried by a couple of very good dishes with the rest of their offering being mediocre... but that's not the case at Manchego... every single thing you eat here is AMAZING! Short ribs, patatas bravas, fig tostada, salads, flourless chocolate cake... and more. Come here, you will not regret it read more

4.5 -- I loved this place and feel that this review is partial payment for a beautiful dinner. One of my college friends was in town, so I thought we could catch up over tapas. We ended up splitting the branzino, broccolini and brussels sprouts. Everything was delicious as a meal and as separate components. I think we would both go back tomorrow and order the exact same items, they were so good. The only problem, if I could call it that, is that the space is small and having the door open made the restaurant a bit colder than I anticipated, and I was wearing a heavy sweater. However, that was the worst thing I could say. Parking is available in the public lot in the rear. Really, if you want a restaurant that is distinctive and cozy with absolutely delicious food, add this one to the list. read more

Hubby and I came here to sample their HH menu and were impressed by both the service and food. House Red - 5/5 Surprisingly good for the cheap price. We each got 2 glasses! Deviled Eggs - 5/5 Generally not a fan of olives but when paired with the deviled eggs, it was actually good! Spinach & Mushroom Croquetas - 4/5 We preferred the spinach croquetas over the mushroom. Goat Cheese & Dried Fig Tostado - 5/5 Nothing to dislike about this delicious tapa! Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelette) - 5/5 Pretty good Gambas (Spicy Garlic Shrimp) - 3/5 I'm not a huge fan of shrimp but these were well prepared and I ended up chomping down on 3 pieces. Wish the bread that came along with the shrimp was toasted. Membrillo Glazed Pork Belly - 5/5 Probably the best thing here! Get this! Churros - 5/5 Mmmm! Service - 5/5 Our server was extremely nice, efficient and knowledgeable. She came around to take last minute HH orders and didn't rush us at all. The only thing about dining here in the winter is that they keep the door wide open so we sat there freezing in the center of the room. They DID turn off the ceiling fan though so that was something. It wasn't until HH was over that they closed the door (I'm assuming they didn't want to freeze the patrons paying full price for their meal. Hah!). read more

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We were very pleased. We got sat in the back covered patio. It wasn't the restaurant's fault that there was a larger party of obnoxious women screaming. It's also very dark back there, so you must use your flashlight to see the menu or take photos. The menu is big enough and very diverse. We had: - Patatas - Gambas - Beet Burrata Salad -Brussels Sprouts - Meat and Cheese Plate of 3 items - Bacon Wrapped Dates - Pulpo Gallego - Catalan Chicken and I had a bottomless red Sangria. Everything was actually enough to share and nicely presented. Flavors matched perfectly. We got so full that didn't even need desserts. Carolina, our server was very lovely, funny and helpful. We'll definitely be back. Not too expensive either. read more

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Wonderful Spanish small plates and wine place. Very romantic atmosphere, staff are warm and convivial and always happy to help you order what you'll like best. A wonderful place to dine and linger with someone special in the heart of Santa Monica. read more

I've been to Manchego twice before, the last time was in maybe early 2019, and was never blown away. But went last night for happy hour and it was AMAZING. Like, every. single. element. AMAZING. When we arrived, we were excited to see that they had live music (a woman playing a guitar). We went early for happy hour and it was pretty quiet. The music was lovely. Our server, John, was so great. So attentive and generous and kind. We loved him. And the food. OMG, the food.... Deviled Eggs - I'm not usually into deviled eggs, but these were fantastic. Particularly the bite with the olive.... Goat Cheese / Fig Crostini - We wound up getting two of these. Just trust me on this one. Marinated Olives - These olives were maybe the best olives I've ever had in life. I could eat buckets of them. Spanish Tortilla - I love tortilla. This one was very good, but it wasn't the standout of the meal. Oh, and we had the happy hour white wine and it was absolutely lovely. I can't wait to go back. read more

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We love Manchego e eat there at every special occasion. The food there especially the croquettes are amazing.

Ambience: Small, intimate, with a dim atmosphere and loud. Still great for a night out. **Jamon Wrapped Dates (5/5) - Honestly, the star of the show. Very delicious, the goat cheese is perfection. Hangar Steak (5/5) - Cooked very nicely, juicy and tender. Decent portion for 2-3 as well. Cured Meat & Cheese (4/5) - Rosemary Goat Cheese is a must-try! A great shareable option. Jamon serrano is a must. Mushroom Croquetas (4/5) - Dense, but very flavorful and the aoili sauce it comes with is delicious. Risotto (3/5) - Slightly underwhelming, but is definitely quality-made. Fried Patatas (3/5) - The aoili and feta sauce make this dish stand out. Very addicting to pick at. Make sure to get a RESERVATION in advance. It's a small bustling place, quite perfect for a dinner with friend(s). Either street parking or parking lot a few blocks down. Pleasantly surprised with price-to-portions. :) read more

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My experience here was great. I set a reservation and came a little late, which wasn't a problem because I let them know! Once we got inside, the restaurant had a luxury ambiance with a romantic twist. I had been craving a culinary experience with tapas rather than eating one large serving, and this place hit the spot! Also, the server was very personable and kind; he helped us figure out which items were best and practically ordered for us! Overall, I would recommend checking this place out. ~Order~ Deviled Eggs: Everyone likes eggs, and these really hit the spot with the olives on top. Patatas, garlic aioli, roasted red pepper: These were fried nicely, and the sauce complimented them well. Membrillo Glazed Pork Belly w/ Marcona Almonds: Pretty yummy and one of the only protein options, so it was a must! Tostado w/ Goat Cheese & Dried Figs: the flavor on this one was good, but the Tostado was not crunchy, and I felt it needed to be crunchy. Garlic shrimp: Pretty standard shrimp though it is of higher quality. Again, the bread was soft, which threw me off a bit. Spinach Croquetas: These were seriously delicious, and I wish I had ordered more. I think this was my favorite dish. Tomato Salad: This dish was nice and refreshing, and I would recommend ordering it first. read more

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My date and I were expecting really good service and delicious food, but we realized the reviews are mostly just hype! We sat down excited to try their popular tapas dishes. When greeted upon by the server, he immediately rushed us. I chose the first wine he recommended, then asked for a moment to decide on our food; BUT he nodded and rudely responded, "Sorry, you have to choose your food now." I've lived 33 years and in different countries... And I've never been so rushed at a restaurant my entire life. Good lord! To top off the bad service, the food wasn't the most impressive either. Food should be more important than good service right? Unfortunately not. As I write this review, the rib eye still reminds me of dog food, I said it. Dog food!!!! HOWEVER..... the garlic shrimp was actually quite tasty! I'm so glad my date ordered that, and on the spot. So there's one good thing about my experience at Manchego. I can see why other yelpers say the ambiance is a plus. It was dark and the music playing on the speakers was decent. But we did have to use our phone flashlight to see the menu. All in all, I would rate this business a 6/10... if I'm being nice. read more

Was homesick for Spain and Manchego cured me. Excellent service, ridiculously good food and Spanish wine. Very authentic. Perfect place for a work meeting, date, or happy hour. read more

Amazing and romantic date night spot! Great service, food and old world European ambiance. Highly recommend the hanger steak, goat cheese and fig tostados, Catalan chicken, and paella. Make a reservation in advance- they book up fast! read more

I was sort of underwhelmed with the food, I thought the tapas should be more original. Service was good and the interior was nice. Will return one more time to have a few more dishes for final verdict! read more

Went there for happy hour but the HH options were so great. Ended up ordering from the regular menu instead. House red was good. I think it was a Tempranillo. Flan dessert was really good. Will definitely come back. read more

This was such a cute tapas spot with excellent happy hour deals and delicious small plates. They have wine & beer too! My favorite tapas were the Mac and cheese, Jamon wrapped dates, and rib polenta. Everything was very good and meant to split! read more

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Cute ambience with a touch of old school charm and service was great. Some dishes were really good like the beef empanadas and brussel sprouts. Others were good but slightly lacking in flavor imo, such as the octopus, hanger steak, and truffle mac. Churro dessert was very good even though I don't even love churros. read more

Better than your average tapas joint. The mushroom croquettes are great to start with, and the Catalan chicken is a standout. Skip the short ribs, they are an oddity on the menu. read more

Our go to favorite if your a potato lover is the patatas! A must! Perfectly crispy and not oily with their house dressing of spice. We ordered two that's how much we love it. The garlic shrimp is another of our favorites. Let the bread soak ask for extra bread you won't regret it. The pork belly is another favorite and will order again. The service was a little slow. My guess is short staffed. The outdoor gives you fresh air with a nice heater which I prefer. If it wasn't for the time waiting around for drinks and time to pay our bill I would have given it a 5. I don't expect quick but waiting around 10 mins is not service. On a good note some of the other workers began to step in as backup. One other thing for a lower rating is the water. Just bring water in a carafe not give an option of bottled or tap. So tacky in my opinion. A restaurant should always have filtered water system in place. read more

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The tapas are amazing! Highly recommend the chicken, the risotto and the patatas. The red wine sangria also pairs well with the dishes. The service is good. Overall a great experience. read more

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Cute spot, decent food, good sangria, ok service. I came to Manchego with my coworkers on a Tuesday night. The restaurant was filled even on a Tuesday. Street parking available. We all ordered the bottomless sangria. You can choose red or white. I highly recommend the bottomless sangria option BUT make sure you're at the restaurant at least an hour before the close. We unfortunately only had about 30 minutes or so of bottomless sangria before they stopped serving. For food, we ordered: -goat cheese and fried fig tostado (GET THIS-staple goat cheese toast) -spinach croquetas (GET THIS- tiny portions but very good filling) -fried patatas (GET THIS- these are elevated aioli covered fries) -orzo risotto (PASS- nothing special) -jamon wrapped dates (GET THIS- sweet and savory) -mac and cheese (PASS- nothing special) -glazed pork belly (PASS- nothing special) -gambas (shrimp) (GET THIS- surprisingly good. They look bland but they have a lovely garlic flavor) -lamb chops (GET THIS) -hanger steak (GET THIS) -jamon iberico (PASS- nothing special. Opt for the jamon and dates instead) And of course, we had to end with churros and chocolate. DEFINITELy get the churros- maybe two orders :-) Service was ok. They are pretty strict with their closing time so try to make your reservation at least an hour and a half beige closing. read more

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Went here with my girlfriend to celebrate Valentine's Day. We got seated in the back patio area where there was a mini waterfall that created a nice atmosphere. We were seated near a water pump/gauge which we thought was a little tacky. However, the main dining room was dimly lit and very romantic. Here's a plate-by-plate breakdown of all the tapas we ordered: Mushroom croquettes: 4/5 These had a nice umami flavor to them. The texture was a bit mushy on the inside, but was nice and crispy on the outside. I would have liked if the croquettes were just smaller so the textures would balance a little better. Brussel sprouts: 5/5 Absolutely loved the brussel sprouts that came with bacon, mushroom, some sort of vinaigrette, and manchego cheese shaved on top. The sprouts had a great crispy texture to them, and the bacon added a nice richness as well. The vinaigrette was a little sweet but tart at the same time. Truffle mac and cheese with bacon: 5/5 This was nice and creamy with lots of umami flavor coming from the truffle oil. It wasn't too salty but had plenty of cheese, and the top had a nice crispy exterior that you love to see from baked mac and cheese. Bacon was nice and crispy as well. Pulpo Gallego - grilled Galician octopus: 1/5 I was really disappointed by this dish and have definitely had better octopus elsewhere. Although octopus is not usually tender, the texture was still VERY chewy. Octopus was also very bitter, and the sauce did not help at all. It also came with some potatoes that were a little soft and mushy. Pork Belly with Marcona almonds: 2/5 The pork belly was also not as good as we expected. Texture was lacking as it wasn't very crispy and was also a little chewy. The sweet and sour-ish sauce on top was okay and didn't really complement the pork belly well. Overall, a decent place for tapas. Ambiance is definitely very nice fancy, but the food was average. read more

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I'm rarely on the west side (live in Pasadena) and came out to celebrate with some friends. Quint was an amazing waiter and the service was on point! Food was amazing, service was amazing, everything 10/10. Been here for some birthdays in the past and have never been disappointed. Can't wait to come back! read more

Manchego - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Came on a weekday night for small bites. Pretty casual ambience. It's a nice place to catch up with a friend and if y'all like thrifting, there's a couple of good spots on the same street. The gambas shrimp were very good. The shrimp themselves are not very seasoned so their natural flavor really shines through. The sharp, garlicky broth it came in was amazing. Great dipping choice for any and all bread you get. Definitely get the churros and dipping chocolate. These were the best churros I've had in a while. Delightfully crispy. It tasted like they were fried upon order. read more

Had a terrific backup anniversary dinner at this place. The space definitely looks the part of a Spanish tapas house. The host and wait staff are very welcoming and convivial. Try: 1. The Charcuterie Platter - The idiazabal and chorizo soria were great 2. Spinach croquetas - fantastic 3. Jamon wrapped dates 4. Tortilla Espanola - very authentic 5. Patatas Bravas Skip: 1. Deviled Eggs - nothing special The place would get a full 5 if the paella had a anything approximating a socarrat. All the flavor profiles are there, just missing the toasted component. Will definitely be back! Thanks for saving our anniversary dinner. read more

Amazing tapas! Everything we've ordered was wonderful whether it was octopus or finger foods like croquetas. Food portion is a bit small for its price, but we caught the tail end of happy hour so we were able to order at least half of what we wanted on the happy hour menu, including the sangrias! This would be a great place to come with a bigger group, but I would definitely make a reservation since the restaurant isn't that big. Parking in the area is slightly easier than the rest of Santa Monica since it's on the other side of the highway from the promenade, but we still had to walk a couple blocks from the street parking spot that we found. read more

Love this place! The food is fantastic, and the sangria is delicious (and potent), but the best part is the staff! Everyone we deal with is classy, respectful, professional, and super fun with great personalities and a sense of humor! Special thanks to David and Jennifer for being awesome and making our dining experiences enjoyable. It felt like we were back in Spain in company of awesome friend! The host is also super classy helpful when it comes to moving the reservations around and adjusting seating locations. We will be back many more times! read more

Manchego - Goat cheese and fig tostado from Happy Hour menu. It is to die for! - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Food: Amazing. Very amicable portion sizes and the presentation was great. Service: we were served by Sarah who is the in-house sommelier. They were fantastic. great recommendations, adequate amounts of check ins on the table without being overwhelming, very attentive, personal, warm and overall lovely. Ambiance: Great music. We went during the day but could also be a perfect night-time intimate date spot if you plan in advance. There are only 9 tables on the inside, which makes the place feel cozy. thank you for the great experience! read more

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Food was amazing and so was the service - thank you for helping us relive our Barcelona trip! read more

Manchego - Mushroom croquetas, charcuterie, and Mixed green Olives - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Wow. What an experience. I really loved my time at Manchego, and at first I honestly wasn't expecting it to be this good. The ambiance was great, it's a small yet cozy restaurant. I really liked the whole theme they had going it worked well with the food. The service was phenomenal. Our server, Everett, was extremely kind and respectful. We asked him a whole lot of questions and he was able to answer nearly all of them. He gave us some amazing recommendations, and the food was brought out efficiently and spaced out properly. The food is fantastic. They do Tapas style so you get small dishes for everyone to share. Everything we got was absolutely delicious. I'd highly recommend the short rib, the wrapped dates, the lamb chops, and the Mac and cheese. That's not to say that the other things we ordered weren't great as well. Overall, this place is amazing. A great place to go for lunch if you find yourself in the area. Great vibe, service, and food. Definitely go give it a try! read more

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This place slaps so hard. Came with my friend, boyfriend, and appetite. The waiter recommended 2 tapas per person, but he did not know who had come in. I checked in and received a check-in offer here on the Yelp app for a free glass of cava, and it was so delicious and refreshing. I think I liked it better than the white sangria I ordered, so be sure to check in! We were here during happy hour and we almost ordered everything on the menu. The standouts were the mushroom croquetas and the membrillo glazed pork belly. We really enjoyed our dinner here. The atmosphere is intimate, and in turn very dark so be ready to squint to read the menu. But you could pick anything and it'd be great. Would definitely recommend! read more

Exceptionally underwhelming food. Menu seemed to have okay enough options to choose from, but the quality of food and the flavors were absolutely awful. We tried this place twice, only to give it a second chance and try other items on the menu. Unfortunately, both times were equally bad. Their papas bravas are bland..fried potatoes and mayo. Spanish omelette & fig crostini were both very unpleasant and didn't seem fresh. Brussel sprouts weren't even sprouts but just deep fried brussel leaves, really strange and really greasy, just a bowl of deep fried leaves. Beet salad was quite okay, especially considering the rest of the dishes. Shrimp was very bland, zero flavor. Service was pleasant and friendly. Atmosphere inside the restaurant is quite pleasant, and interior decor is nice. The outdoor seating area is quite large but there is good amount of traffic passing by so I wouldn't recommend the outdoor seating. Won't return and don't recommend for anything more than a glass of wine. read more

One of the best restaurants I've been to in a bit! I scoured the yelp reviews beforehand to find the best options and everything I ate was amazing and very reasonably priced! For 2 people, we had 5 dishes and a dessert and were stuffed and the bill came out to around $125 for everything! We had the deviled eggs, beef empanadas, truffle Mac and cheese (no bacon), short rib, Catalan chicken, and the flan. I would skip out on the flan but everything else was truly amazing. read more

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The food was very very good. The only issue was I couldn't try everything in one visit! My partner took me and I was a little hesitant because tapas aren't usually my style but I was blown away. The service was top notch. Everyone was super friendly and personable. Felt super welcome and well served. The ambiance was a little much in the back: it was very intimate but also very close to other tables which just isn't my favorite type of dining. The water fountain was loud but masked the others conversation so I get it's purpose. read more

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Great tapas, loved the duck and the mushroom croquettes! Definitely coming back because they ran out of the pulpo

Great food and drinks. Very good customer service This will be our go to restaurant from now on. Price is very reasonable. read more

Manchego - House paella and lamb meatballs - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

My favorite tapas place in Santa Monica! The prices are so reasonable and the food is so delicious. The happy hour is also a great deal. From having basically all of the menu, you cannot go wrong with anything. Almost always end up getting multiple orders of the patatas and the jamon wrapped dates. The wine pours are huge and bottomless mimosas are only $20! I also paid the bill for my group of 8 and did not see that a 20% tip due to the party size so I tipped on top of that. Once I realized I ripped twice I called the manager who immediately took the extra tip out of the systems. The customer service was amazing, as usually restaurants say that's too bad. Will always be a customer here! read more

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Manchego is a quaint little spot. It was the perfect place for my friend and I to catch up but it would be super cute for a date night as well. They are a Spanish tapas restaurant with plenty of wine to go along with it. My friend doesn't eat meat and we shared everything so the review will cover mostly meatless dishes. Manchego Cheese Board: Simple but hits the spot. We enjoyed the accompaniments, especially the bread. You can select one, threee or 5 meat and cheese items for the board. Goat Cheese and Dried Fig Tostado: This was super sweet but packed with cheese. It's almost best left for the end as a dessert so it doesn't blow your palette with sweetness mid-meal. Mushroom Croquetas: Fantastic and light, I highly recommend these. Orzo Risotto: This is made with cheese and artichoke hearts but had absolutely no flavor. It was a definite miss. Jamón Wrapped Dates: These are filled with Spanish Goat Cheese and wow, everything about them is perfect. The components meld together beautifully, the ham was crispy and the dates weren't too sweet. Gambas (Spicy Garlic Shrimp): These lacked spice for me and the broth was extremely salty. I thought the shrimp could have benefitted from hitting the grill and didn't really enjoy this dish. They paced out the dishes for us although the pacing was strange at times with some dishes we ordered in the first round not coming out until after the second round of dishes. We ended up ordering too much because of that but overall enjoyed the food! The atmosphere is mellow so I feel it's a good place to meet up with someone for a meal or spend some time sipping on wine. I'll have to try their brunch on Saturday and Sunday. read more

Got seatedright away and were given a table rather than a booth as we requested in our reservation. Tried 6 great small plates filled with flavor and delicious sauce accompaniments. Very attentive staff that had good knowledge of the menu. Good selection of spanish wines to go with the tapas and a small but well portioned and perfectly sweet desert selection. Made a great stop for a romantic dinner with the wife. read more

A group of us came here for brunch and were sat in the beautiful patio area nestled into the back! I checked in on Yelp and got a free glass of cava (thank you Yelp), and we ordered the Mac & manchego cheese and the jamon sandwich. Both were great, but I definitely should've added the bacon to the Mac & manchego cheese. I've also been here for dinner as well, which is moreso tapas style, and that's also been a great experience. You should definitely give this place a visit if you haven't already! read more

Manchego - Mac and Manchego Cheese (no bacon) - Spanish Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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A cute little place for Spanish tapas. The place has a romantic European feel and the service was really friendly, about average in speed. We tried their sangria and red wine, both delicious albeit strong for me (I'm pretty lightweight). For tapas, we ordered the jamon dates (goat cheese was too strong imo), octopus (good in flavor, cooked well), risotto (strangely reminded me of Kraft Mac n cheese?), lamb meatballs (tender, juicy, flavorful) and the shisito peppers (somehow the best dish haha- spicy, citrusy, refreshing) food was pretty good overall, but if ur not super into cheese (like me) maybe skip out on this one. read more

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