Manzanilla Spanish Brasserie

Went to Manzanilla with my girlfriend for Valentine’s day dinner (actually went the day after). We found street parking and were quickly greeted and our coats were taken. We were shown to our table and given menus. The waitress was very friendly and explained the menu. We asked how many tapas and entrees would be good for 2 people, and her suggestion was appropriate. The restaurant was spacious and it had a nice ambiance.
I ordered the Chamomile gin and tonic. It was a large drink, and it was nicely balanced, but there wasn’t anything special about it. My girlfriend, who normally loves specialty cocktails, chose the sangria. She did so because of the lack of choices.
The food was a different story. There were lots of good choices. We decided to get a few tapas, and share an entrée. We had the Pan con Tomate (bread and tomato). It was very tasty. It was just the right amount of tomato, olive oil and salt. We also had a fish crudo in a tomatillo gazpacho. Very fresh and tasty, but I’ve had better. That was followed by the octopus salad. The octopus was well cooked and well seasoned but that salad was just ok. The best of the tapas was the montadito de rabo (braised oxtail in a steamed bun). The taste was out of this world. I would go back time and time again for these. The entrée we shared was the arroz negro (squid ink rice with cuttlefish, shrimp and aioli). The rice was nicely cooked. It was creamy with a nice bite, and the shrimp was amongst the best I’ve ever tasted. It was a good solid dish. We also had the fried padron peppers as a side. The first two were incredibly hot! But the rest were nice and mild. Had they all been as hot as the first two, we would probably send them back.
After every dish the wait staff would ask if everything was ok, and the silverware was changed after every dish. The waitress came with the dessert menu. We asked for suggestions and explanations and she was apt at giving them to us. I had the Marbella full moon (a white chocolate mousse that envelopes a yuzu citrus middle). It was not a very sweet dessert, but I don’t like overly sweet anyway. It was very interesting. My girlfriend had a dessert similar to bread pudding with a pumpkin sorbet. It was very delicious. The food was above average and the service was very good.
Sadly, I hear that Manzanilla is closed. If it was open, I would gladly return.

It was less than a week before Manzanilla’s closure was announced that I dropped by this Spanish restaurant. Spanish for «little apple», it was opened just over a year ago under the oversight of Dani García, an acclaimed chef from Spain who is no stranger to Michelin stars. Perhaps less than ideally situated in the Flatiron District, Manzanilla quietly but steadily put out plate after plate of inventive Spanish cuisine.
I met a good friend of mine here one evening after work, both of us curious about the cuisine served here. We began with the Pan Con Tomate, a standard in Spain, but given a slight twist. A generous helping of diced tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil are served on thick slices of toasted country bread; the result is an aromatic, toothsome, and lightly acidic starter that will disappear all too quickly. This was followed shortly by the Tosta de Tartar de Tomate, served on a thinner and more typical slice of bread. While we found that our pieces were burnt in several areas, we were far too intrigued with what was on top: cured tomato tartare as the foundation, dotted with a mango «egg» and droplets of olive oil. The elements, similar to the Pan Con Tomate, all work well together, but the unique presentation made it truly memorable.
The plates that followed were a mixed bag, however. The Pulpo Salteado Con Pimientos consisted of slices of octopus served with paper-​thin shavings of cauliflower, a potato purée, and a warm red pepper vinaigrette. While the octopus was a little too chewy, the elements it was paired with were smartly chosen, although the ratio of ingredients seemed to overwhelm the protein. The Albondigas de Cordero took a different spin on lamb meatballs, enveloping them in a Moroccan-​spiced tomato sauce that was dotted with pistachios and raisins. I did enjoy the nuttiness and sweetness, and the finish with the creamy yogurt was also a good contrast.
As for the Montaditos De Rabo De Toro, I appreciated how the oxtail paired well with the sauteed mushroom and kale, but the brioche buns they were served in were too dry and crumbled easily. The Brussel Sprouts, which we were so excited to try, weren’t uniformly fried, were difficult to eat as they were served whole, and couldn’t be saved by the romesco sauce on the side.
In hindsight, I am sad to see Manzanilla go. While the food had areas for improvement, it was taking a new and bold look at Spanish cuisine, a trajectory that few others have attempted and succeeded in. Should Garcia ever reopen a different concept in NYC, it will definitely be worth a visit.

Hi — I was very sad to see that you guys closed. Sadly, I wrote the following missed connection:

So. Torn.
I honestly would have never heard of this place had it not been for my Blackboard Eats emails. I had 30% off the entire bill, so I figured why not try it out with some friends. On one hand, I love tapas and the menu selection at Manzanilla is pretty ideal for that. On the other hand, the dishes were just so-​so.
From the basic awning outside, you would not expect such a vast and rather elegant restaurant inside. I met 2 friends at the bar and ordered the Manzanilla Martini (double cross vodka, la guita manzanilla, dolin vermouth blanc, green olive blue cheese spheres). It was basically a dirty martini but with wine instead of olive juice. Very unique flavor. The spheres looked like olives but they were actually these spheres that burst upon chewing. Very interesting!
We were seated as soon as the last person in our party arrived. We ordered a ton of things.
Tosta de Tartar de Tomate (cured tomato tartare, mango, farmhouse toast)-Basic toast with a tomato topping, nothing special
Toasta de Cangrejo (Jonah crab, avocado, spicy salpicon sauce)-This was delicious, the crab was very prevalent
Montaditos De Rabo De Toro (steamed brioche buns, pulled oxtail, mushroom, kale)-oxtail was cooked perfectly, really tender
Mollete Cojonudo (steamed mollete buns, chorizo, quail egg tomato jam, spicy mayo)-quail eggs were a nice touch
Albondigas de Cordero (lamb meatballs, Moroccan spiced tomato sauce, yogurt, pistachios, raisins)-very bland, raisins were on the side rather than inside the meatball)
Tartare De Solomillo (hand cut steak tartare, mustard, grated foie gras, grilled country bread)-just realized this had foie gras, definitely don’t remember tasting that
Arroz Negro (bomba rice, squid ink, sauteed shrimp, cherry tomatoes, citrus aioli)-felt weird eating black rice but it was cooked to perfection and so was the seafood
Patatas Bravas (a Spanish potato dish typically served with a spicy sauce)-I like spicy but these were just unbearably spicy, I couldn’t even eat them. This is usually the one dish I eat most of.
For dessert we had the Manzana Caramelizada (caramelized honeycrisp apple, hazelnut, vanilla sable, crème fraiche ice cream)-this ended up being served with walnuts, I believe, which my friend is highly allergic too. That should really be mentioned in the description. It wasn’t that good anyway, basically sautéed apple with ice cream that tasted like regular vanilla.
Food was ok, not great. Don’t think I’d come back with all the other tapas options in the city.

A friend’s friend just started working here and so we decided to check this new place out. It’s a very classy and modern tapas restaurant with a beautiful and spacious interior. I think because it was still quite new, the place was not that full even on a weekend night.
The food was quite delicious and our friend brought more than we ordered, I really liked the suckling pig, but the croquettes and brioche were only ok.
My favorite was the cotton candy pudding dessert, it was SO pretty! It was also very tasty, where else can you get cotton candy served on a fancy plate, so nyc.

Holy Mayo. Seriously on everything. But when in Spain.
So our party of four made a reservation a week in advance for Saturday night. It was to celebrate my birthday with my best friends. At first we were seated at the oddest 4 table arrangement. 3 people in a booth, one on the outskirts in a chair. We asked to move to one of the unfilled boothes and they complied. My friend also made an opentable reservation requesting a candle in our dessert, and called the restaurant to make sure they got the note. The dessert came out with no candle. She got up to tell the hostess who said they’d take care of it. They then brought out another dessert without a candle. Very weird. I ended up blowing out the table tea light which was a very bad idea. Hot wax everywhere. I’m hoping the spots come out of my black blazer but it’s more confusing why the request couldn’t be satisfied from the get go.
In terms of food, we ordered about 2 tapas per person and some cocktails. Our favorites, Oxtail buns, squid ink croquettes, eggplant dish, lamb meatballs, rice pudding.
Didn’t love the molette buns, tuna tartare, or octopus.
Beautiful restaurant overall. Some hiccups with the staff, and decend food. Not sure i’d return.

Just discovered this brasserie as we can here with a group for after work drinks and appetisers. The food was really really. Not your traditional tapas, innovative and super tasty. The happy hour drinks were also fabulous. I had some cucumber gin mixed drink that I probably drank a little too fast it was so good.
The ambiance was also really nice, plenty of room, bright and cheerful, yet trendy feeling.
The only down side was the bartender was a bit snooty.

I stopped in for lunch a week and a half ago and was so impressed with the food that I came back for happy hour with my wife in tow because I wanted her to try some of this place’s top notch cuisine. When I came for lunch, I sat at the bar and ordered a «tapas’ lunch, which is an amuse bouche of olive spherification (liquefied olive that looks solid), followed by four courses. for a reasonable $ 27. The high level of quality and care this establishment has was evident in every bite of food I had. The Castilan soup was one of the, if not the best– soup I ever had… the ham pieces and pieces of bread added great texture and stayed crispy even while sitting in that soup. I was then serves one croquette each of squid/​squid ink with aioli (forgot what type of aioli) and beef/​pork with a mint aioli. Perfection… the problem is I needed another dozen of each. Realistically, a serving of two each would have been appropriate. Next up was the best broccoli I ever had. roasted along with eggplant– which I am usually not a fan of– and served with an amazing yogurt sauce. Last course was a mini burger with panko-​crusted potatas bravas. The burger was good but didnt have the wow factor of the other dishes and was an anti-​climactic end. The potatos bravas actually overshadowed the burger– they were very good.
When I came back for happy hour, I had more of those croquettas and some mini sandwiches. they have a happy hour menu which is a pretty good deal and a great way to try their food without committing to a sitdown meal.

I’ve been to Manzanilla twice, the first time I had a 4* experience, but the second time… was at least a 10* experience. I really love this place — and there’s a lot to love about it:
— The ambiance is great. Large tables, plenty of room (you don’t feel like you’re in a cramped NY dinner spot)
— The food is delicious. We tried a LOT of dishes, standouts for me were the scallops (served cold) and the oxtail brioche. Also, the cotton candy dessert is so unique, I love the presentation and it brought me back to being a kid again (except it was much better than anything you’d get at a carnival).
— Wine is very good — the My Essential red (which can be purchased by the glass or bottle) is fantastic. Sangria is also lovely.
— The service was spotty the first time I came, but the second time was phenomenal. The waiters are very attentive, each dish is explained by the kitchen, and you’re well taken care of.
I’m glad this is a neighborhood restaurant, I plan on coming back.

Yummy! Tapas! It’s a bigger, cleaner, more modern space than the typical cozy tapas places I usually go to — but I still really liked Manzanilla. Highlights for food for me were the crab toast, brussels sprout tree, scallops. The croquetas de cocida were good — but a lil too cream of chicken esque for me … The paella with all sorts of meats sounded v good — but heavier than what I wanted for a weeknight meal.
It was a pleasant experience, nice spacious restaurant with good service and pretty good food!

I came here last night with a friend and wasn’t impressed by the food or the prices.
We got the:
oxtail brioche – these were my favorite of what we ordered. The bread was so fluffy and delish and I enjoy oxtail meat
octopus salad: flavor was lacking and it wasn’t really a salad, rather just pieces of octopus and peppers and other small vegetables. No leafy vegetable.
raw sea bass skewers: these were paired with green olives? Huh. These were totally bland and uninspired
oysters: got three east coast and three west coast, but they didn’t say which types. I liked the sauce they were served with, but at $ 3.50 a piece they weren’t worth it for their size
sauteed summer squash: tasty, but nothing amazing. This was a side though so to be expected.
For just these five things we paid nearly $ 50 each and both left hungry. Service was a little odd, I’m assuming our waiter was training someone new because he had a shadow following him around, but the shadow never spoke and was never introduced.
Pretty restaurant and big, but I have no plans to ever go back.

KenScale: 8.0÷10
Manzanilla is a Spanish brasserie from Dani Garcia, a chef from Spain known for his acclaimed, Michelin-​starred restaurant Calima there. It is the first foray into New York for Garcia. It is certainly an ambitious project, with a massive dining room that was surely designed by one of the professional design firms in Manhattan. I’m not entirely sure what kind of identity this restaurant is supposed to project, but it seems it is more geared toward traditional Spanish dishes with some touches of experimentation.
While the restaurant had some good dishes, others were somewhat underwhelming. I would suggest going heavy with appetizers, especially squid ink and cuttlefish croquettes (literally melt in your mouth once you chew it) and tomato tartare (deceptively good dish). Tuna tartare with sea urchin cream and smoked octopus dishes were also solid appetizers. The entrees are the weak point in this restaraunt. I had black rice (with shrimp ink, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes) and suckling pig, but neither dish was particularly memorable. For dessert, definitely go for Marbella’s Full Moon, a sphere white chocolate that looks and is delightful.
The space is big enough so securing a reservation is not too difficult. The restaurant also has a full bar, which can get fairly crowded at night. I normally don’t comment on the quality of services (only food matters to me when it comes to my restaurant reviews), but the service here is a bit spotty compared to other places. I had to wait a long time before a server approached my table for an order.

Warning to people who think that small portions at high prices means an higher quality experience or makes you feel better about yourself: You won’t like this review.
This lovely space is one of the largest restaurants I’ve seen in NYC, and the food really is excellent and deserves four stars. I was a bit surprised by a Spanish restaurant that does not offer tapas. Well, technically. Until you get your plate that costs $ 25 to 30 and discover that you really did get tapas after all, and that you needed about 2 more plates at that price to feel satisfied. I had the sea bass on roasted cauliflower, and it really was tasty. The kale salad was wonderful. The service was great.
This restaurant could easily move to four stars if they just convert to tapas prices for the portions they serve, or add more food to the plate. I promise I’m not expecting the Cracker Barrel, but come on … I paid $ 72 for an appetizer, entrée and wine … and I shouldn’t have to go to 99 cent pizza later because I was starving.

Creative Spanish food. All the snacks, appetizers, entrees and desert were really good. Cuttlefish Croquettes and Seabass Crudo were truly amazing.
However Spanish wines by the bottle are obscenely expensive (–1 star)

Very good meal, service was prompt though a bit pushy, interior is nice, prices seemed about right for the location and quality.
Definitely not the usual tapas restaurant. It feels a bit like they aren’t quite sure what they want to be: a tapas place or a more upscale restaurant. They lean to the latter.
I’ve never recommended lamb to anyone, but if you dine here you must get the lamb shank. It was superb.

The dessert is better than my main course. My only disappointment was the suckling pig which they promised to have light and crisp skin. Well, it was crisp but not really the skin I know. Skin??? What saved my opinion were the desserts and the cuttlefish croquettes. We ordered 2 of the most outstanding desserts worth the price! The rice pudding was complex and the presentation was awesome. And what was more awesome was the Marbellas Full Moon. The Moon was made of orange flavored center with white chocolate gooey trufle-​like center which looked like the egg white of the yolk wrapped with some skin that remind me of the cream on top of a cream. This «moon» sits in a bed of crunchy chocolate mixtrue with some toasted hazelnuts and thin wafer chocolates. You’ve got to try it to see for yourself.
The desserts changed our opinion about this restaurant.

Okay, I’ve now sufficiently milked the «birthday dinners courtesy of friends» circuit, with this final meal now 14 days after my big day. Time to grow up and resume paying for my own dinners, or at least those of friends having their own celebrations of graceful (mostly) aging.
Manzanilla provided excellent service, nice space, good wines, and generally solid food with only a few near misses. An authentically Spanish wine list, sherrys from Jerez de la Frontera, and a few cocktails (the grapefruit margarita was surprisingly watery and only five specialty cocktails are listed). Winning appetizers included pulpo de la gallega (octopus) and grilled brussels sprouts. For entrees, the bacalao was decent, perhaps lacking a bit in flavor. The seared Iberico pork presa was just fine as well, although nothing to wow me despite the not inconsiderable price (mid 30s per entrée).
For dessert, we tried the «signature,» moon themed oddity, with yuzu and crumbled brownies that tasted like astronaut ice cream. I can’t exactly explain it, except to say that it was interesting. Unique? Sure, but that’s not my favorite dessert description. Next time, I’ll definitely try the Spanish rice pudding.
Service was attentive, friendly, and smart. If not forced to give full stars, this would be a solid 3.5 stars but definitely worth another try.

4.5 stars.
The food at Manzanilla is absolutely fantastic. Dani Garcia is bringing Molecular Gastronomy with a Spanish flair to NYC and giving us all just a small taste of what it might have been like at El Bulli. Very fresh ingredients make up these extremely complex creations. We were two people and just tried a wide selection of small plates and appetizers:
— Oxtail brioche: An absolute must have if you come here
— Croquettes
— Tuna Tartar with Uni Cream
— Scallops
— Smoked Octopus (it even comes out under a basket full of smoke)
— Kale Salad
The food here is absolutely of the quality that could earn a Michelin star eventually. I think they have a lot of other things to sort out though. For example, they will probably eventually need to add a tasting/​pairing menu and when they do that they could offer an interesting selection like a Sherry pairing that would be a lot of fun. Aldea offers sherry flights for example (Manzanilla should add this too) but no pairing. They’ll also need to get a decent cocktail program going, which would be nice in this neighborhood which is a cocktail blackhole.
I look forward to seeing how Manzanilla evolves.

For a restaurant that has only been open a week or so, this was a pretty good dinner experience with some room for improvement. The flavors were not as fresh or simple as my recent trip to Spain.
we tried the
oxtail brioche which was great
croquettes were different in a good way with the squid ink
sea bass crudo was okay but seemed to have the wrong proportion of ingredients and maybe needed some sort of dressing
octopus was okay, but seemed fussy with the foam on it
black rice was great but will make your tongue black
the suckling pig was the biggest disappointment. It was shredded pork with a piece of skin on it. It had almost no flavor and was dry. suckling pig should be served in pieces, not shredded. It was a crime what they did to it.
They had a guy serving bread at the tables, but he only stopped by once. Are they trying to save money on bread?

Planning on Going back again! I went the 1^st week it opened. The ambiance was very romantic and full of the young and trendy in NYC without feeling like you were in an episode of «The Real House Wives of NY». The food at Manzanilla is absolutely fantastic.
I recommend:
–Oxtail Brioche
–Tuna Tartar with Uni Cream
–Pulpo a la Gallega
–Suckling Pig
–Seared Iberico Pork «Presa»
Wine list… great selection with a heavy concentration on the Spanish wines. The Sherries not as known in the States but you get them everywhere in Spain. This place has great ones from the «Jerez» region. I would describe as «slighted cooked Carmel flavor. Really enjoyed the wine. Even if you are looking for more traditional wine selections this place has really good wine list.
The service was pretty spot on. Attentive & friendly. Although they ran out of a couple of dishes, I cut them some slack because it’s the first week they are open.
Out of all the dishes, I really enjoyed the Pork, really tasty.
I would recommend going here if you really plan on having wine. The food menu is good, but very small.
There is a slight draft from the door opening along the wall of the restaurant. This is ok if its 50 °F but when it is 20 °F its not so nice.