Wow, wow, wow! We've visited Manzanita Restaurant twice now and both times have been extraordinarily memorable! The owners, Suzanne & Randy, have created a special dining experience in the heart of Verde Valley Wine Country. This hidden gem offers an eclectic menu that truly sets it apart from anything else in the area. To steal my wife's description, "Manzanita Restaurant is a culinary oasis in the middle of nowhere, where flavors collide, and memories are made." SERVICE: The staff is warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. It's obvious that they take pride in ensuring a memorable dining experience. We couldn't have felt more welcome or had better dining experiences on both visits. WINE: Manzanita has a decent selection of wines by the glass and bottle. It's not the largest, but there's something to pair with all dishes. Both times we had a fantastic bottle of Zinfandel from Geyserville, CA, which paired great with our meat entrées. The bottle price is very reasonable, as we used to be members of that winery and know what they charge. FOOD: Outstanding gourmet game specialties and German delights. We've tried several soups, sides, and main dishes and have enjoyed them all. Soups of the Day have ranged from Pumpkin Purée, Ostrich, to Manhattan Clam Chowder. Salads can be added as a side or as an entrée, including adding Chicken Breast or Grilled Salmon. We've also tried a couple appetizers like the Edamame & Roasted Brussel Sprouts In a ginger soy glaze with sesame seeds, and the French Escargot served in mushroom caps with garlic herb sauce. Main entrées we've tried include an Orange Roughy Special with red cabbage, a Manzanita Salad with Chicken Breast, Fried Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp, Bison Tenderloin with vegetable medley, Venison Medallions Special with a creamy mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes, Antelope Steak Special, and a Prime Rib Special. There's nothing I wouldn't hesitate to order again. I'm half German and love German cuisine, but amazingly I've yet to try anything from that part of the menu. They have a couple pasta dishes as well. The restaurant is not overly fancy or extremely modern, but it's slightly upscale, comfortable, and the food and service are both stellar. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply seeking a unique dining experience, this family restaurant won't disappoint. We can't wait for our next visit! read more

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We stopped by Manzanita after golfing in Cornville. It was an excellent decision! I had the Love Potion drink--yummy! My husband had the Paulander Octoberfest beer, also good. Our meals were amazing! I had wild game bratwursts of spicy bison and elk brats with house made kraut and a side of spatzle. They were a special of the day and were excellent! My husband loves chicken Marsala and their marsala was up to his standards. He ordered it over pasta and loved it all. The ambiance is excellent, the service superior (our server was Eileen and she is the best!). This restaurant is a true hidden gem, worth driving to Cornville to eat there. I highly recommend it. I have only the best compliments for this establishment and staff. It is well worth the trip to go there and enjoy! read more

Over 2 years ago we came to this neighborhood gem and raved about how much we loved the place, despite being covid times. Fast forward to August 2024, a little over 2 years later and we came back. I don't think the prices went up (maybe a few bucks), the Covid plexiglass was gone, and people were seated more closely than last time. We think the menu is eclectic but we decided to stick with the German food. Instead of the pork shank I had last time, I tried the weiner schnitzel, with spatzle as my side and pumpkin soup as my starter. Soup was delicious (still loved my cream of broccoli last time). My entree unfortunately was underwhelming. For a quintessential German dish, I think it missed the mark. Stephen had the veal bratwurst and had half sauerkraut and half spatzle. He had no complaints. We shared a side dish of red cabbage, which is amazing! We came for Stephen's birthday and last time they gave a tiny little mousse with a candle to acknowledge the birthday. This time? We just got the check. A bit disappointed but my review doesn't reflect this. Service was ok. The restaurant had one server and one young lady as the water girl/ bus person, so I understand if they were running behind in things, like she forgot Stephen's beer twice, where even the water girl commented if we wanted another drink. It took a while to pay the check; we were going to pay with a card but ended up putting a $100 bill on the table, which more than covered the food and at least 20% tip. A bit disappointed with the second visit. I don't think it'll stop us from going back... we'll just lower our expectations. Last time it was a 5/5 This time? 3-1/2 read more

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We stopped here after some local wine tasting. It seemed odd to us that there was a fine dining restaurant emphasizing German cuisine out in the middle of nowhere Arizona. It turned out to be an excellent experience. We started with some Clam Chowder which may have been the best that we've ever had, really first rate. The wiener schnitzel and the Trout Almandine that we had was also very good. We finished with a nice big cut of very tasty Cheese Cake (the dessert menu was quite large). The prices were very reasonable and the service and presentation were flawless. If I lived nearby I'm sure I would be a regular customer. read more

Well, food was great! We had the Sauerbraten and a skinless Schweinshaxe. It was as close to traditional German food as you can get. We paired it with a Tumbleweed white wine, just delightful. Last but not least, lemon blueberry mascarpone cake, heaven! Excellent service and attention to detail. Want an excellent evening with the best food in town, do not miss this jewel. read more

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So good that we are there last night and turned around and ate here again tonight. Their German food is as good as we have had anywhere. Excellent food. Great service. Family owned and operated. read more

Manzanita Restaurant - Weinerschnitzel with Red Cabbage and Prime Rib with German style fried potatoes. - Seafood Near Me - Cornville, Arizona

Escargot , hot German potato salad were Fantastic I have searched for good escargot and HOT German potato salad and this place delivers read more

This place is outstanding in the middle of little ole Cornville,AZ.Its actually a German restaurant but you would know it by the name. The pork snitzle ,German potato salad and red cabbage was excellent.The rhubarb and apple pie with ice cream was delicious! Really a big city restaurant in a country town.Not cheap but reasonably priced for quality of food,service and ambience. read more

We had a wonderful dinner! We were greeted warmly when we entered and promptly seated. Our server, Eileen, was outstanding! She made excellent recommendations and told us some of the restaurant's and dishes history. We all tried different German dishes and all three of us were very happy with our choices. The two desserts we shared were also really good. Overall excellent experience, great service and delicious meaks! read more

Wow, you would absolutely never know this was here if you were driving by! Don't judge a book by its cover on this one. In little Cornville, off the main road, in an unassuming and (honestly) plain looking white building with purple awnings is this awesome restaurant. Go inside and the decor is romantic, dark and candle lit. The menu has interesting items that you can't find anywhere else (authentic German specialties, elk steak, bison, prime rib, antelope, etc). The service is friendly and attentive. I got the elk steak with veggies and a dinner salad with raspberry vinegarette, and a sangria. The sangria was delicious, topped off with champagne. I could have drank three! My boyfriend got the pumpkin bisque with the prime rib and whipped potatoes, with a martini. Both of us loved our dishes. I had some of his soup, and it was so warm and aromatic and lovely, I almost regretted my salad, my elk steak was cooked perfectly and I absolutely loved the cherry sauce. I would absolutely go back! read more

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After an amazing day of hiking around Sedona and fighting the weekend traffic we were in dire need of a good dinner. Our Airbnb was in Cottonwood so we decided to find a place off the beaten path that wouldn't be busy. Our route took us through a small town of Cornville and the sound of a wholesome German dinner was enticing. First the place - the vibe is of a restaurant in a German village with warm inviting atmosphere that makes you want to cuddle up with a blanket by the fireplace (there's no fireplace but that's how it felt) The contrast of wood with very beautifully chosen blue and gold just jived together perfectly. Soft music from the 40s and 50s complimented the atmosphere perfectly. Staff - we were met by and very pleasant lady who greeted us in a soft and friendly manner and ushered us to a very cosy booth. The table was set at once and our water was a pleasure lady who took great care of making sure we understood what we were ordering. She answered all of our questions and presented us with many delicious specials. I chose the bison special - it was an bone in piece of bison savored in and the most delicious sauce that was perfectly joined with mushrooms. I had the vegetables as the side with a salad. The combination complement each other perfectly and the meat melted in your mouth. My beautiful girlfriend chose the elk steak in some kind of delicious cranberry souse and mashed potatoes. She was so blown away by how tender the meat was that I had to try... that was the most amazingly satisfying chewing experience of my life. The texture was soft yet gamy and the explosion of flavor made your eyes close in enjoyment. My hat is off to the chef for making this delicious meal. Highly recommend this place, we will be returning every time we are in this area for another phenomenal meal! read more

The food is always outstanding here! Last night I celebrated a shared birthdate with a friend (we also celebrated here last year). I had the Orange Roughy on a bed of pasta with the homemade pesto sauce with sundried tomatoes. The cacophony of flavors makes me want to go back every night for this dish! read more

nice drive to get there! good food in an old time german restaurant! good was service too!

Haven't been in a few years. The appetizer was very delicious, very flavorful and delicious caramelized onions. One person at the table had the manzanita drink and she enjoyed it The fresh warm bread and butter is delicious and the garlic basil butter will have you asking for more! The main dishes the filet mignon was good but nothing out of the ordinary. Another person had a seafood special and didn't think it was very flavorful. Another person had the bison and thought it was delicious! Service was outstanding! 110%. The ambiance is a little dark and small and Quaint. We will be back read more

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The five of us drove to Cornville to eat dinner tonight at Manzanita Restaurant. My wife and I dined at their restaurant once before over Christmas when we used to live in Arizona. We had the veal bratwurst with spaetzle, Wiener schnitzel with German potato salad, Yeager schnitzel with spaetzle, bison roulade with German potato salad and brat bits with potato pancakes. Everything was excellently prepared and delicious. We had peanut pie and a slice of lemon blueberry marscapone cake to share. The desserts were also great. Very nice ambiance in this great location. Service was outstanding. read more

A hidden gem. A memorable dining experience. Waitress was exceptional- she was spot on. I could tell she was thrilled to be there. Took her time describing the specials. I had the schnitzel - delicious. Unfortunately no room for desserts. I was visiting the area. Would be my go to if I lived there. Don't miss it. read more

Manzanita may be the top restaurant experience I've ever had. I tried new things and enjoyed every single bite. highly recommend: - Escargot (best escargot I've had - we dipped bread in the remaining garlic herb sauce) - Pumpkin soup - Bison osso buco (it was on special) - schweinshaxe (huge amount of meat, and so delicious) - lemon spongecake (best lemon dessert I've ever had) How do they get their brown bread so soft? And the butter they serve with it! The alligator bites were also delicious, and I would definitely get them again, but it's also a fun novelty :) The service was caring and incredible. Extremely attentive and took the time to make sure we were well taken care of. Didn't rush us even though we were there far past closing! Cornville is full of gems, and this one shines brightest. Can't wait to come back! read more

Manzanita Restaurant - Bison Osso Buco - Seafood Near Me - Cornville, Arizona

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Service was good. The food not so much. They. Oils use a new chef. It seems to be the place to go as there were lots of cars in the parking lot. I ordered liver and onions which I love when done right. It was undercooked and the onions looked like a pile of mush. My gf ordered a salad with salmon. The salad was to be kale plus other greens. There was oven dried oregano leaves sprinkled all over the salad. ??? I guess we were just expecting something better for the money. read more

Great restaurant with delicious food and excellent service. Cocktail drink was delish - not as much etoH but delish. Sangria was like a light and with some carbonation. Couldn't taste the wine. Manzanita special flavorful and refreshing - you can taste a bit of the rum. Shrimp bruschetta: 3 stars. Cheesy shrimp on top of the bread. I didn't care for it as much. It needed a little bit of acidity for me and a squeeze of lemon made all the different. If you like cheesy things this is the appetizer for you. It was a special so not on the menu. Clam chowder: 4 stars. Surprisingly delicious with light taste of dill (I think). But there where plenty of clam and potatoes chunks. Side salad: good simple salad, the vinaigrette was one of the best I have had in a long time. Bison BBQ ribs: 5 stars. fall of the bone meat with a sweet and savory house made BBQ sauce. It was a special they offered but it is a must try. One of the best dishes of our meal. Chose roasted veggies to offset the the Meat. They were ok. Mostly carrots, zucchini, and some broccoli. Seafood pasta: 5 stars. A menagerie of mussels, salmon, shrimp and pasta (I think it was Campanella) in a buttery garlic wine sauce. This was a special too so it wasn't in the menu. The spinach and sun dried tomatoes helped with the butteriness if the dish. So good. Must try especially if you are a seafood lover. I appreciated that all the mussels are still in the shell. Sauerbraten: maybe because it's my first time trying it or I had too much food. But I didn't like the meat as much. Slices of roast beef in a tangy sauce. Served with side of apple sauce and sour cream. And we opted for the potato pancakes which were so delicious. The beef had fatty parts which I didn't care for too much but tasted a bit dry. It's my first time eating this so I won't give any rating. Overall come and support the business. Love the quiet ambience. It's a good place for date night. read more

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Highly recommend! A non de script restaurant in Cornville. Inside, fine dining at its best! Raspberry vinaigrette in the salad was insane; if I had a swimming pool of this nectar, I would dive head first. Clam chowder was tomato base and bursting with flavor. Weiner schnitzel was moist, crispy and spot on. The side of sauce (Jagermeister story) for the schnitzel was fantastic. Drank two glasses of wine; Riesling and Chardonnay. Baked Brie!!!! Don't skip it!!! read more

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My husband and I just had our anniversary dinner here-- we had the alligator appetizer (incredible) , the clam chowder(totally sinful) and the specials of the night--I had the goose and hubby had the orange roughy. I cannot say enough about this dining experience!! The food beyond all expectations!!! The owner Susan, very gracious and our server, Roxanne, was an absolute sweetheart If you are looking for fine dining in a beautiful atmosphere, you can't get any better!! We are looking forward to a December visit!! And a shout out to the server's asst. Sweet and very attentive!!! read more

This is definitely a place for the early bird special crowed. We just stopped to pick up some desserts. I didn't like any of the dessert options where we ate dinner and they had cheesecake here so we stopped. It was about $50 for 4 desserts. The cheesecake was good. Not amazing but good. I would say give it a try for dinner. Not gonna knock it cause I didn't have the full experience with dinner and everything. read more

Manzanita Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Cornville, Arizona

This place is a GEM. My family recently had one of the most delicious meals we've ever had. The beer selection is great, love the German beer. Everything was delicious. I wish I had more stomachs so that I could try everything. Sounded so delicious. The pork shank is hands down the best pork I've ever had. Cooked perfectly. read more

Elk steak! That's the only reason I didn't order the Special Braised Rabbit. Started w/their famous Pumpkin Soup (sweet, savory, w/a faint kick that makes it a signature opening, to a menu unlike any other.) My Native ancestors had Elk on their primordial diet. It is a high quality, low fat, non-gmo'd protein, that provides minerals, and vitamin levels not found, in grocery store beef. When I eat it, I swear it clears my head. I have occasionally found venison on a restaurant menu. But never Elk. Manzanita, serves Elk. Not ground Elk. Elk steak. Cook rare, served under a red currant sauce, w/the house Bordeaux. Sublime pleasure. You'll have to check the photos from others. My native blood caught fire, and I mercilessly demolished the meal, including bread, with whipped & homemade garlic butter. Ok, the roasted veggies were a bit lackluster. Foodservice mix. Tasty. I ate them. But seems like local fresh veggies in season, would be more appropriate. But, Elk Steak. I'll be back. read more

Manzanita Restaurant - a painting on the wall - Seafood Near Me - Cornville, Arizona

TOP NOTCH. Better experience than any of the Sedona restaurants. Classy yet casual, but the meals felt elegant. Perfectly prepared Elk steak, and Wiener Schnitzel. The elk steak was so perfect I ate the entire steak- cut it with my fork, not kidding. Schnitzel: my husband loves schnitzel, lived in Germany, and he stated it was the best he's ever had as well. Great service: friendly but professional and never hovering. LOVE this place, highly recommend. Where else can you find excellent variety of German, Wild Game, and standard fare, ALL prepared to perfection. Don't be afraid to ask for adjustments, they went out of our way to serve what we wanted. read more

Manzanita Restaurant - Elk steak - Seafood Near Me - Cornville, Arizona

Best meal of the trip! Our group had the Jager Wienerschnitzel, bison roulade, bratwurst, sauerbraten, and for dessert...blueberry lemon mascarpone cake and peanut butter chocolate pie. Every single dish was delicious. I would definitely come back and recommend to anyone in the area. read more

It was our first time in cornville, but this place made us feel at home! We were nervous with our 4 month old with a quieter setting, but the owner was so nice and helpful the entire time and was so cute with our baby. The food came out super fast and was incredible. We loved every second and will never forget this dinner! read more

WOW! WOW! WOW! Is all I can say, what a hidden gem in one of the cutest little towns I have been in on my visit to Arizona! We had the wild game linguini elk, kangaroo and one other meat. Positively elegant. And a tenderloin which was juicy hot and cooked to perfection! The service was outstanding, and absolutely appreciated. This place is a must try, the gentleman who is the chef, was a French chef, is my understanding, anyway he is remarkable out here in this little tiny adorable town! read more

The service was excellent, and the restaurant has a good, varied menu. But my companion ordered shrimp scampi and got food poisoning; throwing up all night as a result. She left a message on the answering machine of the restaurant, but did not get a call back. Food poisoning can happen, despite the best efforts of the staff. But not getting called back is a problem. I like to support locally owned businesses; that is good for the community, and therefore good for all of us. But the restaurant owners must do their bit too. If someone gets food poisoning at your restaurant and you just blow it off, well, that's not the ideal response to the situation. read more

Good Restaurant.. good for holidays. Pumpkin soup is excellent. Seafood prepared very well. I really liked the escargot ..., Highly Recommend. ......................................... read more

Amazing!!! We are locals and came in last minute to dine here after a few years. It was absolutely delicious, fresh, flavorful and a wonderful experience. It was a slow night but the service was incredible. Our server Roxanne was the best! The hostess was attentive and gave us special attention. We will defiantly be back! Please visit them and enjoy! 10/10 recommend! read more

I have been eating at Manzanita for years now (over a decade) and it is consistently excellent (especially the wild game and the pork shank). My favorite dish was a special that was, of all things, kangaroo tenderloins. They are pleasant people running a clean and consistent restaurant whose only trend is not changing a thing. Highly recommended. read more

My sister and I had quite a lovely meal. We both opted for a special that had a selection of items on the plate. The food was spot on. The German beer selection was good. Excellent attentive and observant service without being too intrusive. read more

Superb, extraordinary, magnificent a gem in a small town. Service was friendly and efficient and the food perfect. Not much more necessary as perfect tells it all. A must restaurant. read more

Great dinner, once again. The antelope on special in a cherry wine reduction was absolutely delicious--so tender & flavorful. Spouse'd portabello mushroom was perfect & both soups (clam chowder & pumpkin) were excellent--don't miss the latter. House wine specials were not generic big vineyard wines, but carefully chosen selections, & at $9.50 a glass an excellent bargain. Service was good & entrees delivered at a nice pace. Definitely try this place if you are in the area. read more

Pumpkin soup is out of this world. If everything that is comforting and good was in a bowl, this would be it. We enjoyed the bison ravioli and kangaroo. Everything was cooked perfectly and the service was impeccable. Roxane was an attentive and kind server. Manzanita is an absolute gold mine in a little known town. read more

Horrible food! Overcooked, salty. Dated ambiance. Server was actually embarrassed about the food quality. Not her fault. read more

We could not have been happier with the service we received and the food that we ordered! Two weeks prior to our wedding date, we were hamstrung with options and contacted 8 restaurants throughout the Flagstaff, Sedona, and Cottonwood areas for our 24 guest Grooms dinner. Susanne and her staff were extraordinarily accommodating and were able to secure the staff for all of us. Our food all came out at the same time, all of our orders were correct, and our waters, lemonades and teas were never empty. The food was delicious! The Elk steak, schnitzel, shrimp and seafood dishes, chicken dishes, prime rib, pork loin, and deserts were delicious and very reasonably priced. We cannot thank the staff of this amazing restaurant enough. The night was beautiful and we all said how we look forward to coming back. Thank you again ... from the bottom of our hearts! Troy read more

My family and I went to this restaurant for dinner last night and I'm SO glad that we did! The restaurant was a little outside of Sedona but worth the drive. We tried only German food on the menu. Everything was absolutely fantastic! The food was all packed with flavor. I wish I lived near here to be able to eat the Schweinshaxe again! If I had to order only one item off the menu, it was be the Schweinshaxe. But like I said, every single item we tried was absolutely fantastic. Also, the owners made sure to come say hi. It was really nice to be able to meet them! read more

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The low reviews for Manzanita seem to be caused by the hysteria of wearing masks. Priceless! If you are a frightened sheep buying into the Fauci narrative, you might want to choose another restaurant, because the owners and staff are not into wearing masks. But is you want incredible food, with a tremendous menu variety, and great value for the quality of food, the dine here for certain! My party of four drove up to Cornville and dined here last evening, and food, and the service was simply awesome! There is a reason that Manzanita has been ranked as one of the Top 10 restaurants in Arizona for many years! And, after dining there, it is no wonder why! read more