We had a delightful dinner here (bacon wrapped filet and pasta w. Grilled chicken). The food was fresh and cooked to perfection, the dining room was really beautiful, and the service (Ernestine) was excellent. A welcome change to the usual beach fare - well worth the money. read more

We had to send three meals back way undercooked 2 Steaks Were Way under cooked. The fillet was way overcooked hockey puck like. The bacon wrapped scallops were cold Atmosphere was very nice to beautiful. That pretty well says it all After all that there was no restitution for the poor meals. No offering of a drink or a dessert for the measurable meal. read more

Disappointing. Slow nite and service below average. We waited to give our drink order. We waited to get our drinks which had been sitting for quite some time based upon the melted ice. We waited for a glass of ice, we waited for a lime which had been requested with the drink order. Our food order was not correct. We made the mistake of ordering the lobster special without knowing the price and were absolutely stunned when the bill came and learned they charged $65 for a one and a quarter pound stuffed lobster. One of the lobsters was fine, but the other appeared to have been par cooked and reheated and it was disintegrating the way dying lobsters degrade. This visit was a disappointment having had wonderful meals here in years past. The staff was very polite and accommodating but did not make up for the poor execution. read more

I'd say the overall experience was ok. Perhaps my expectations were set too high given the multiple recommendations saying this was the finest dining on the island, hands down. I wasn't impressed. First off, we tried to make a reservation for mon night - they were fully booked, but they said they could fit us in tue night, with the ONLY opening at 6:15 for 2 people. That was a bit early for our taste, but I figured given the reviews, it was worth it. When we got there the restaurant was empty. It did fill up rather quickly, but from what I saw there was only 1 seating. By 8:00 the restaurant was pretty empty again and when we left at 8:30 it was dead. I didn't see any signs of a 2nd seating, tho the restaurant was technically still 'serving'. Not sure why we had to be there by 6:15. The menu appeared to be inventive upon first glance, but I wasn't that impressed by the execution. The charcuterie cheese board was ok. The salads were pretty good but standard. My ravioli was good but luke warm when it arrived & again, nothing to write home about, tho the menu description was rather tantalizing. And same w/ the appetizers. It was all good, we left with full bellies, but again, nothing to write home about. Flavors weren't very dynamic. The waitress was cute, smiley and friendly, but she wasn't very knowledgeable about the menu and knew nothing of the wine list. And that's ok for most places, but I expect a bit more when going to upscale, formal fine dining. If your looking for creative, inventive, fresh food with a casual atmosphere - amazing food with dynamic flavor, great wine and ambience without the pretension - head to Eli's. I'd have been happy to eat there every night! read more

For our last night on the island we wanted to have a great meal what we got was just a very disappointing experience. The waiter forgot to bring our drink order, apologized and then forgot what we ordered. My meal was served cold, sent back and after the rest of the group had finished their dinners my lamp over gnocchi was returned. The lamp was not very interesting and the gnocchi had the consistency of pebbles. They didn't charge for the meal or drinks. read more

My husband and were looking for a quiet place for lunch as the Ferry pulled in. We went up the hill to Manisses Hotel and sat on their beautiful garden patio with only one other table occupied. The food and service were excellent. We will return. read more

I am so disappointed. The service was awful, how could they overcook fish???? Just too expensive for what you get. Did I mention how poor the service was? This is a restaurant that I have visited for over twenty years.......never again. Over one hour to get served. NEVER AGAIN !! read more

The food and service is vastly improved. They are under new management and I am happy to say that the Manisses is once again a lovely place to dine on Block Island. I enjoyed all of the offerings that we tried in a beautiful setting. Brunch was delicious and dinner as well. I am happy to post that the quality is back! read more

Had such a wonderful Meal here On Friday night. We love what they've done with the place is so bright and cheerful. We had the wonderful seafood chowder. My salad with arugula and goat cheese amazing. My cod with lobster risotto was perfectly cooked. Other diners at my table had filet also perfectly cooked. Oh and my drink Red Mule refreshing and delicious. Thanks for all the improvements. We will be back. read more

We treat ourselves every year to the best dining experience. It never fails. Last night, I had Posole verde and my husband's rake of lamb. Delicious and succulent. Paced service and great outdoor experience facing the back garden. Keep up the good work! read more

We had dinner there last night and sat in doors in the circular dining room. We had read some of the reviews mentioning slow service; young, inexperienced waitstaff; and declining food quality. We also had already eaten at a few places on the island where food quality was average at best. So we thought it worth a try. We were there at 7 pm on a Saturday and the dining room was full (we had a reservation.). We had quite a bit of privacy given the position of the tables and the room-dividing plant next to our table. Service was very attentive (Julie was great and the young lady filling water glasses and clearings plates from the table was hustling all night.) Food out of the kitchen was a bit slow, but the quality was so good that it was worth the wait. We both had the swordfish, with lobster mash and butternut squash. Julie readily substituted for my wife. . When my roasted squash came my wife commented on how delicious it looked and Julie said she would bring her a taste from the kitchen, which she did. The lobster mash had very generous portions of lobster meat--at least 3 full claws in mine. We started with a ravioli made from a beet dough and garnished with beets and something else. Both the appetizer and the entrees were beautifully presented, and delicious to eat. Even the bread basket with an olive tapenade and whipped butter was great. We were both highly satisfied with the service and the quality of the food. And when we return to Block Island we will make it a point to dine at the Manisses. Also- The flaming coffee was fun and tasty as well. We sat in the parlor and played checkers while enjoying the nightcap. read more

I was there over the weekend with my wife and really enjoyed ourselves. Great Service excellent drinks I even tried a blackberry martini not my usually by a long shot but it was good. The menu had lots of choices, something for everyone I had a steak my wife had the lasagna, it was really good all the way around. My only neg, was the beet salad, why would you dice beets? I had to eat it with a spoon. Especially when its Beet season. other than that the service was great and a go to place for drinks or dinner. read more

Had a wonderful dinner here tonight. Our waitress, Stephanie, was fantastic. Personable, friendly, and very professional. The menu was very nice, should be something for everyone. The food was all prepared wonderfully. We were all very happy with our meals. I would not hesitate to come back. read more

My wife and I had our anniversary dinner there this past weekend. Service was friendly and fast and the place was very busy. I had the butternut squash ravioli and the beet salad. Both were good, but $27 for four large ravioli is high even by Boston's North End's standards. But then again, when your at the Manisses, you are on an island and in one of the better restaurants, so maybe it isn't so pricey, relatively speaking. read more

We dined at the Manisses Restaurant recently and I have to say the food was just delicious! Here's to the very talented chef! We also enjoyed some very great wine and cocktails. I don't know if I like the bar area or the patio/garden area best - both are so beautiful! This is such a wonderful and classic restaurant. read more

Awesome place, food was great, service amazing at both bar and restaurant. Stayed in the hotel as well room was spacious cool and clean. Front desk employee was super helpful and friendly. Waitress ( Ramona) was a sweetheart and bar tender Igor was a delight. And remodeling looks amazing read more

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE: The only reason I am leaving a star at all is because my server was so sweet. The management here was horrible. There were gnats in our food and craft cocktails, and when we asked the hostess if we could move inside she said we should probably ask our server for a candle. No compensation for those appetizers or food; we said 'fine' and allowed for the candles to be light after our inside move was harshly denied. When it came time for dessert, we ordered a night cap. When our sever left, we were approached by management telling us that we had to leave the table because they needed our table and that we needed to find our server to tell her we were moving. Then, our server came back saying we didn't need to leave and that we could order another round. We handed her our cards just in case we had to move to ensure that she was getting paid through this chaos and ordered another round. Then as we waited for our round to arrive management arrived and passively aggressively cleared our table. We were confused so we stepped off to the side and did not receive our cards back for an HOUR! Then my friend was charged $450 to her card for her $90 meal????? When she asked the manger talking to us why she was charged the full meal amount (after having her card gone for an hour) the manager took my friends unlocked phone to the kitchen for 20 plus minutes without asking? When we approached the owner he said he was "sorry we felt so upset"....did not comp anything or try to better our situation. I was so uncomfortable all night and beyond disappointed! I would NOT RECOMMEND this restaurant. Disrespectful and patronizing with horrible communication among staff :/ Definitely never going back. read more

We dined at the restaurant on Saturday night. It was a beastly hot muggy night. The only reason I gave a 4 instead of a 5 was that the restaurant was too warm for my liking. Our meals were delicious. I had day boat cod and my husband had scallops. The wait staff were attentive without being intrusive. We enjoyed sitting at the bar before hand. I loved the restaurant decor and don't understand the poor reviews. Some people don't like change. Our only disappointment was that the bar did not open earlier. We would have loved to go late afternoon. It was our first visit to Block Island and we were stunned at the frat boy scene soon after getting off the ferry. The ferry ride home was another story. Filled to capacity with drunks. read more

Came in for flaming coffees, set out on the patio, and Igor (our flaming coffee bartender) gave us a spectacular experience. Beautifully crafted coffees and awesome ambiance. Highly recommend! read more

By far the best restaurant I've eaten at on Block Island. Add it to your must do list. From the salads to the main course right down to the dessert... Simply terrific. read more

We were very disappointed with the restaurant. The service was abysmal, it took 40 minutes to get our salads, then another hour for the entrees and over 30 minutes for dessert. Our server never checked with us, or offered any updates on the status, our water was never refilled, nor was any additional bread provided. To make the experience worse, both the duck and the filet were overcooked. There is no way we would return, overpriced, terrible service and mediocre food. read more

Pretty great meal overall. Great scallops (huge) served over succotash, good gnocchi (not over the top amazing, but very good), nice service. You get what you pay for because it's expensive. Sitting outside was quite nice. I enjoyed the atmosphere. We had a large group and everything was timed just right. read more

We ordered our salad, soup and an appetizer that were just ok. Then, we never saw our waitress again until about an hour later, our dinners appeared. I had to flag her down to order another round of drinks and water. She poured our wine from the bottle and there was literally a splash left in the botlle and walked away without even topping us off! I had the seafood manicotti that was dry, my friend had a seafood stew that was pretty good and my husband's swordfish was plain. Another restaurant out here that drops the ball once the party is seated. We were all disappointed especially since we dropped over $200.00 on a meal for three!! Go to Winfields or try Mabel's,,,you can bring your own!!! read more

We came in for a drinks and a late night appetizer. We asked for a table. We were treated poorly and directed to the very crowded bar where the only seat available badly needed to be cleared. There plenty of empty tables and again asked if we could have a table. She was abrupt and ungracious, directing us to the front. We took another try with the hostess who appeared irritated but grimly took us to a table. There was a little confusion with wait staff and our server was unfamiliar with the wine list. The setting for the restaurant is quite nice but the poor service especially at the front makes this a one star experience, especially given their prices. The one appetizer we had, a lobster tostado, looked great and was a three star on flavor. read more

This place has gone down hill! Far downhill! New ownership in the past 12-24 months. Also a new chef. The quality of the food has suffered! Used to be the best restaurant on Block Island. NOT anymore. I used to eat here 5x every summer. NOT anymore! Will never return until they get a new chef! Maybe they'll bring the old chef back???? He was the BEST by far! Our waitress was good though. read more

This restaurant is known as the best place on the island up eat. The space is lovely and there is a beautiful outdoor garden to dine in, but we found the food to be quite bland and mediocre. The menu is seductively written but misses it's mark by a long shot. Hopefully this will change in time. read more

Great vacation can't wait to come back in August!!!

The Manisses was by far the best meal I have had on Block Island. The outdoor decor was very beautiful -- gas fireplace, tiki torches, garden with colored lights. The raspberry margarita was delicious and the steamed little neck clams and filet mignon were cooked to perfection. Our server was very friendly and made an already great meal even better. read more

I visited the Manisses based of the Trip Advisor reviews...I can say this is literally the only time Trip Advisor has failed me. Yes, this place we remodeled...and that's it. They have no help for you when you arrive, and its a walk-up. Its also $300 a night which is $100 dollars more then about 90% of the rooms on Block Island, so they should be providing premium service. When we were waiting to check-in the cleaning lady came down to the lobby with no shoes on?? Weird..that was actually a sign for what was to come. The carpets and stairs were filthy...I have a two year old, so while walking up the flights of stairs it became VERY apparent that they had not been vacuumed in well over a week. Piles of dust and hair, no really, tumble weeds of human hair where in the corners of all the stairs..the second set was dirtier then the first. I went to the front desk and explained, that my daughter climbs the stairs with her hands, so it would be nice if they vacuumed...Not that it would fix all the stains on the carpet, but it was something. The first room they showed my family to had a huge red stain on the all white bedding...GROSS. The second room we entered, the toilet was not working..we left the room immediately, and they went in to fix it...when we got back, I used the bathroom (they did fix the toilet) and when I looked at the wall from the vantage point of the toilet, I was treated to two HUGE boogers that were smeared on the wall...one even had a nose hair in it...DELIGHTFUL. There was no mistaking it, it was smeared snot on the wall. THIS HOTEL IS FILTHY. GROSS. To add to our experience, the bed was AWFUL. The mattress was completely dead. My husbands back went into spasms at 2.30am from this mattress...this place was a nightmare. Oh, and the best part...NO MORNING COFFEE!!! I'm not kidding...there is however, a gorgeous coffee bar with a legit cappuccino machine, but apparently that is ONLY for nighttime when the restaurant is open. BUT NO COFFEE at all in the morning..is this a motel or hotel? Absolutely a total rip-off. They did vacuum the stairs after I asked...the elusive manager or owner the front desk staff kept referring to never appeared. The front desk staff was very friendly and professional...that is the ONLY positive things I can say about this place. It was horrible, my skin was crawling by the time we left, it is run terribly and the cleaning staff is NOT good. GROSS. GROSS.GROSS. Did I mention they have NO coffee!!? $300 a night and not even Keurig machine? The worst. AVOID this place. read more

We had the most wonderful dinner and evening at the Manisses on Block Island. We had never been there before, so we took the recommendation of our B and B owner and tried it. There was nothing to disappoint! The food was phenomenal! Taste- unbelievable. Presentation- perfect. Service- superb! It was my birthday and they even surprised me with a candle lit dessert! We will definitely be back! read more

Wow David from SA - at the restaurant bar was amazing. Service was excellent and food was spectacular, had the crab and corn chowder - so good and the cod with lobster risotto was amazing, I'm certain I got 1/2 a lobster....... Highly recommend!!! read more

Deserts only tonight. We shared a Creme Brulee and two scoops of their vanilla ice cream. Both were to die for Back again for dinner later in the week read more

Amazing meal, great service. Spring salad was lovely. The Manisses has a garden and you can tell everything is very fresh. I ate there with 4 girl friends and absolutely loved everything. Love love love read more

Some your reviewers obviously are new to Block Island and their reviews are therefore unbalanced. There are some consistent fine dining restaurants on Block Island: Manisses, Atlantic, Winfields and Spring House. At the beginning of the season there were problems with a new chef at the Manisses. Since all restaurants are seasonal on Block Island, not all the staff is trained at the beginning of the season. Manisses and Spring House particularly compete in the quantity and quality of their home grown organic produce. Now that a previous chef, Brian Hartman is back, things are again creative and sometimes sublime. Like any restaurant it ebbs and flows. In addition to the chef, who has traveled the world in search of good food, the third generation of the owners is now active in dining room management. The Manisses has a gourmet menu for all: carnivores, seafood lovers, vegetarians, and vegans; all prepared to order, While not low in cost, the bill can be kept within reason by using the option for half portions. The half servings can be as large as the regular servings at other restaurants. There is a very extensive wine list which is a little pricey, but does give choices. On our trip before last, there a bad bottle of wine. The waitress was willing to immediately replace it, but I and my other wine-nut buddy wanted to give it a chance, so we let it breath; it was a 2012 Rioja ($34), but we agreed that it had to replace it, so we got the Guonoc "Claret" ($34). The Guonoc is exactly what the title said, a Bordeaux style blend of medium quality from the area northeast of Calistoga. The best values on the list are the Veuve de Vernay ($30) a French sparkler. The other good value is the only Portugeuse wine on the list, which it is a 2010 Dao ($30). It has the typical Dao style, although whoever did the wine list should have highlighted the actual denomination on the label. When you check out the choices, you will come back to the Manisses for the ambiance and food. read more

Under new management. Renovations were very nicely done open and upscale atmosphere. Food was fine but the major disappointment was the staff - more of a diner feel and too many tables squeezed into the space. The new restaurant has lost all of the charm and class that it once had. Too bad because we really wanted to like the new place. read more

For those of you who come to Block Island, having the Mannisis lobster mash potatoes is a particular delight that should not be missed. There is more. The meal we had last night ( one of many) included perfectly grilled scallops dressed up with a purée of carrots flavored with oranges and garnished with slices of carrots. The service is attentive and warm. The atmosphere is spiffy. This is a pricey high end restaurant not for every night, but worth it. read more

We had a group celebration and the food was excellent, service was wonderful, and the location and decor were second to none! I don't dine out much but I will be going here again this summer! read more

My husband and I visited this restaurant as a birthday treat (mine). In terms of cuisine, it deserves all the accolades it's getting. I would have given it a much higher rating if it weren't for the fact that our server delivered my entree (an Indian-themed chicken dish) with all the sides (except the chicken) icy cold. And I'm not talking lukewarm or sitting around for a while, I'm talking, nobody bothered to check it at all. Although it was a Sunday night and the restaurant was 3/4 empty, I had to ask the bus person--no wait staff around just then--to please exchange it for hot food. Of course, this meant that my hub and I weren't eating together. When our server returned the meal, it was with my already sampled chicken and the warmed up rice and vegetables (one wonders how they kept the meat part warm while rectifying the rest). The apology was ... well ... there. Just about. And there was no attempt to compensate for what ended up being a promising but completely un-synchronized and pretty careless dining experience. Please, people, if you're going to cast and price yourself as higher end dining, pay some attention to the most basic details, like food temperature and service. read more