Manchamanteles is as fun and exciting on the inside as its boldly colored outside would lead you to believe. The staff are donned in themed regalia, and will gleefully sing you a happy birthday song even if you're quite far from adolescence (and also a few days out from your actual birthday). The moles were all phenomenal, and the mezcal margarita pitcher more than satisfied our group. The interior is a bit bright and skews somewhat family oriented, so I wouldn't recommend it for every crowd. But for my group of friends and I, Manchamanteles more than delivered in food, service, and fun alike. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Pato Ahumado en Mole Negro (Smoked Duck in Mole) - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I recently had dinner at this location, the food was ok, but looking around i noticed the location appeared unclean, my group paid the tab, and as we walked to our parking spot I noticed rats running through the property. When I got home I immediately looked up this location on the city of chicago food inspection reporting system, there i found since just April of 2026 it has been written violations for rat dropping, and a live rat seen by a customer in the restaurant. On the web site above you will also see so many violations for other violations due to lack of cleanliness. I will in the future consult the chicago food inspection reporting system to find what these restaurants are hiding from there customers! read more

Came here on Valentine's Day with a reservation, there were three of us, one kid. It was full of families, some couples. The had a tasting menu but we opted out of it. They give you a complimentary spicy trail mix. We started with the guacamole, it was okay. Then I got a traditional margarita, my partner got a pina colada with strawberries, and my kid got a pink lemonade (Marz Brewing made). The margarita was good, not strong but not too watery. For dinner I got the chicken fajitas, the waiter asked if I wanted just chicken which I though was odd because I ordered the chicken fajitas and I wasn't sure what he meant or if he meant no veggies, it came with veggies luckily. It also came with tortilla, corn, and a side of refried black beans with cojita, and rice. It was all okay. My partner got the lamb mole, it was sweet and savory, not spicy. And it came with tortillas. They have a lot of mole options, so if you're into that definitely come here to try! Overall it was just okay. read more

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I believe they're known for their mole and it didn't disappoint! We tried the mole trio with chips and each one had really good flavor. For my entree, I got the shrimp skillet which came with a side of rice, beans and tortillas. Loved the seasoning on the shrimp and everything tasted fresh. The ceviche was also very delicious! Plenty of seating inside, great for big groups. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The black mole and chicken enchiladas were great. The churros dipped in chocolate and hot chocolate were also really good for dessert. Took their margarita making class and the instructor was both informative and funny. Staff were fantastic. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Inside - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Manchamanteles is such a fun spot for summer happy hour or dinner in Bucktown! The patio is huge, perfect for catching up with friends, people-watching, or just enjoying a warm evening over drinks. For happy hour, I ordered a beer with chips and salsa for under $8 which was an incredible deal. The chips were crispy, the salsas were great, and honestly I could've made a meal out of just that. I ended up ordering the ceviche for dinner, which was fresh and flavorful, though I was already pretty full from all the chips. The margaritas here are also great. I tried the Manchamanteles Margarita, and it was delicious for evening sipping on the patio. Highly recommend! read more

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This ain't Lazos. I was baited in by the sign advertising their Molé. New Rebozo in oak park has been my favorite molé for years , this may rival in some aspects. I had the Red Molé and it was full of complex flavors , a little piece of char here, a plantain there, pineapple, and an interesting mashed potato serving with cheese. It is a very fine mole. The old Lazos decor hasn't changed much and is charming if not fancy. The staff was very nice. My only critique would be the portion could be bigger for the price ; $35 after tax before tip. This would be a nice low key date night meal if you're not trying to get all dolled up. You can get your quick burrito fix next door at Arturo's if you miss Lazos. If you want to step it way up this is very tasty. I'll be back. The black mole was recommended for next time. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - MOLE MANCHAMANTELES* (P, N) abf chicken breast, mole rojo, pineapple, plantains, chorizo, mashed potatoes 32 - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a nice spot! I already want to go back to try some mole, my husband got a mole negro and I got carne asada and both were awesome. We had a large party reservation for a birthday and our server was so sweet and attentive. It made for a great night with drinks that were never empty! The vibe is fun with a friendly atmosphere and makes for a nice night out! read more

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Chef Geno Bahena is back in business, and his world famous moles are as complex and satisfying as ever. I had the rack of lamb in mole negro, and it was delicious. Get it medium rare. Kelly had steak fajitas and deemed them amazing. The sopa Azteca is spicy and loaded with complex flavors. Huge portion, too, enough to share or take home. For dessert, the chocolate mole tart and the strawberry ice cream are superb. Palomas and margaritas are good, and the wine list is all very affordable. Get the Rioja or the Cotes du Rhone. read more

I've been to Manchamanteles like 8 times at least. I've brought family, friends, everyone I know basically for holidays, birthdays, etc and it's always been fantastic. Went last night to celebrate a friend and after we sat we were essentially invisible to the waiters. The place was not even busy. They actively ignored us and catered to a bunch of younger yuppie white groups. I went and told the hostess that people showing up after us were getting tended to before us (we didn't even get water after 25 minutes). Another 5 minutes passed so we just left. Sadly that was the nail in the coffin for me. Will miss you Mancha. read more

We came to Manchamanteles to for Mother's Day dinner. We were able to get seated right away, but they gave us a corner table that felt a little too tight. I quickly realized the tables disposable paper covers. So there was no way you could manchar the manteles here. My wife and I both ordered margaritas which were really good both in flavor and alcohol content. They also start you off with a little cup of nuts, churros and peas. We ordered their Enchiladas Potosinas. These were really good. You get five crispy Chiles spiked tortillas, served with cheese, sour cream, avocado and radishes. The sauce tasted great and overall a tasteful dish. My son ordered their burrito con carne asada, my wife ordered their Pollo en Mole Verde, and I ordered their Chile en Nogada. The burrito was really good. It came with skirt steak, and stuffed with black beans, lettuce, cheese, avocado, and cream. The skirt steak was cooked perfectly and they give you plenty of steak. My wife's pollo en mole verde was my least favorite out the three main dishes. The mole sauce was really good. It had pipian which gives the mole its flavor. The chicken unfortunately was bland. It also came with white rice but overall a boring dish. I've been wanting to try the dish Chile en Nogada for a very long time. Not every Mexican restaurant offers it, so I took advantage that they offered it here and finally decided to try it. As far as presentation, I feel like it would have been perfect without the salad. Just the two Chiles with its sauce would have been sufficient. The Chiles were poblano Chiles stuffed with shredded pork, apple, peaches, and pears. The sauce was a a walnut cream sauce with pomegranate seeds on top. This dish was very flavorful and I can say I've definitely been missing out. The walnut sauce went perfectly with the pork and the chile. Wouldn't hesitate ordering this again here and at other restaurants. We all enjoyed our meal and will definitely be returning. read more

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love this place!! second time here and the food is delicious and staff is friendly. drinks to me are just okay and a bit pricey. we got the queso fundido, tuna tostada app (this has hints of ginger and soy which was interesting), chips and salsa, the sopes app, chile en nogada, and carne asada. all great read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - carne asada, Chile en Nogada, Sopes Surtidos "Xilonen" - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What a lovely local Bucktown establishment for some delicious Mexican cuisine with massive margaritas. The Mole was my favorite. Ample seating and cozy community ambiance. Service is attentive and efficient. Great space for bigger groups. I personally like their twist on certain original recipes. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ooo wee. I'm sorta a mole snob. Manchamentales delivered and hit the spot. First of all , hell yes on the private lot and saved me from parking on the street. This place is huge! We were sat right away with no reservations. They had a full bar serving up cocktails, margaritas, palomas, etc. they had a special menu and every single one of these dishes sounded delicious. We got the ceviche and guacamole to start. The ceviche was decent and could use a lil more spice or at least served on the side. The guacamole was good as always. I got the pork ribs in mole negro and the hubs got the chicken soup. The ribs were perfectly tender and the serving size was generous, the mole negro had so much depth and complex flavor profile. It was perfect! My husband's chicken soup was absolutely delicious, like the broth was deep and rich with potatoes and carrots and chicken all up and through there. The soup is served with rice and onions and cilantro on the side. The service was awesome and the waiter even helped me make a choice. I intend to come back for the mole Amarillo. This place is great for large groups to intimate date nights and everything in between. The tortillas seemed like they were made in house as well. I highly recommend this place and can't wait to explore more of their menu. read more

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My favorite steak tacos in the city. Perfectly cooked steak that's not too chewy or dried out and tortillas that are fresh and to die for. read more

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Driven and walked by this place countless times- what a shame we didn't come earlier. Higher end Mexican food and worth the premium. I had Cochinita Pibil, pork shoulder roasted in banana leaves with soft, warm corn tortillas. Moist and tender with tons of flavor, but not fatty. Came with habanero salsa that was HOT! Had to be very careful there. As much as I liked mine, Donna's tacos carbon was just killer. Flank steak absolutely bursting with flavor. Tender and smoky with the tortillas and guac. Big place with a colorful interior and exterior, lots of friendly staff. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was in Chicago for vacation from Atlanta and decided to have dinner at Manchamanteles. It was wonderful experience. Started with a house Margarita and the Sopes de Mole trio, the margarita was tart, strong, and refreshing. Moles were some of the best I've ever had, especially the mole negro which had some heat to it. For main course I had Chile en Nogada, a dish I don't see often and enjoy in hot weather. Manchamanteles's version was another winner. Service was great as well. I stongly recommend this place. read more

We had three different plates with three different sauces and they were all excellent. Same for drinks, coffee and dessert. Service was spotless. The patio is very pleasant. Will be back. read more

The BEST moles and the STRONGEST margaritas under the same roof! Manchamanteles has exceeded my expectations, and it's safe to say my group of friends thought the same thing. We came here on a Thursday night. We entered through one end of the restaurant which appeared empty and closing, so initially we thought we had the hours of service wrong... only to keep walking further in and see there's another part of the restaurant where more people were seated. We were a large group of 8 and they sat us at their largest table... so big that we were literally arms length apart. Couldn't reach each other on the other side! From the super large table to the super large venue, we were growing large expectations along with our large appetites! Starting off with drinks, I ordered the Manchamanteles Margarita. I never thought to have cognac as a base instead of tequila, and the flavors of prickly pear, passion fruit, and lime all went well together. Tasted refreshing, yet very strong! Hubby got a Tecate beer, which was very cold and crisp. We ordered the Chicharones de Tilapia to start, which we really needed as we were sharing my strong margarita and needed something in out stomachs. This appetizer could've been a dish! It was soooo good and if we didn't share amongst ourselves and others, it would've been filling for me. But for my actual entree, I enjoyed the Dobladas de Mole Negro... the BEST mole sauce I've ever had, EVER. I proudly savored every bite of my dish! My hubby ordered the Pato al Chipotle and not only was it super flavorful, the duck was also very tender and juicy! I got to try some other dishes and apps shared amongst my friends and I will say, I did not have a bad bite! This dining experience was truly delicious and memorable -- for once, it's a Mexican spot that goes beyond tacos and burritos while being very authentic! read more

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Another good experience at Manchamanteles, I think this was our 4th time here. My wife swears that the duck here is the best she's eaten in Chicago, it's that good. The duck is perfectly cooked and the chipotle sauce is delicious. I love the mole negro dishes. Today we also tried the hamachi ceviche which was very good, as were the sopes. Service is solid. My only gripe are the drinks. I don't think the margaritas or paloma's are at the same standard as the food - the juices doesn't taste fresh, they taste overly sugary and cloyingly sweet. Recommended. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Sopes - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent service! Delicious food. Perfect place for Mexican cuisine! Ps love the Mole! The mole is bombastic! read more

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food: flavors we're pretty good and seem authentic, mole is new to me so it had a bitter note and some spice, not my favorite, I also did not care for the presentation of food at this restaurant Service: nice staff, a bit slow Ambiance: large establishment, no issues of crowding read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Mole manchamanteles - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service is phenomenal. the food is delicious. And the staff is friendly, attentive and fast. Chef Geno is attentive to his patrons going to each table to make sure every one is well take care of. Highly recommend Manchmanteles. read more

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Stopped in on a Saturday evening because we saw the large parking lot patio area. We started with a pitcher of mezcal margs. This was alright. Not very strong on the mezcal flavor, but not bad. A bit on the weaker end. Also shared an app of guacamole. They don't give you enough chips to finish the guac, but if you ask for more they'll bring them! I had the tacos al carbon with steak cooked medium. The steak was a bit overcooked, but otherwise the tacos were delicious. They were lacking a kick so I asked for their homemade habanero hot sauce and that was fantastic! read more

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Had dinner there last night with friends. I was intrigued by the variety of moles, which were good. We asked for salsa for one of our entrees. When we got the bill we saw that they charged us $6 for 2 orders of salsa, which were in total 1/8 cup........ outrageous!!!! We at the least should have been told when we ordered it that we would be charged! read more

This place checks each and every box. Service, ambience, food, drinks, prices. Possibly the best Mexican food I've ever eaten. Do yourself a favor and get here. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Neon sign - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Manchamanteles was such a delightful surprise! Upon entering, we were struck by how spacious the restaurant was, and our waiter was very attentive. We visited on Thanksgiving and initially considered leaving, thinking there might be a special Thanksgiving menu. Thankfully, we stayed--and it was the best decision! I've never been a fan of mole, except for one memorable experience in Oaxaca, so I was hesitant to order it. But since it's the chef's specialty, I gave it a try, and I'm so glad I did. I ordered the chicken enchiladas (though they weren't called enchiladas on the menu), which were rolled tortillas filled with cheese, chicken, sour cream, and topped with black mole. The mole was perfectly balanced--not overly sweet and with just the right kick. It was absolutely delicious. My husband loved his steak, which was incredibly juicy and cooked to perfection. We also enjoyed the queso fundido, served with warm, fresh tortillas. Even though I'm not from Chicago, I'll be recommending Manchamanteles to everyone. It's a must-visit! read more

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My husband and I walked to this restaurant on a snowy and windy night and were excited to see them open. My husband had the Cochinita Pibil . He loved the flavor and tenderness. I went with tacos al carbon. I loved the skirt steak . The meal was the right size and must have been great. We will definitely be back. read more

A must try!! The restaurant is huge and has a parking lot (!!) and a patio. Service is wonderful and interactive. Loved the sopes and all the different moles! read more

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Loved everything about this restaurant. The customer service from all the employees is top tier. The helpfulness, the smiles, the chef welcoming us. Loved it. Now onto the food, we had a mole flight along with the chilaquiles and endobladas de pollo con mole negro. Their Manchamanteles and mole negro are to die for. I kept munching on it with the basket of chips they gave us. They give you pretty big portions. They also have a pretty extensive drink menu. I had a michelada with agua mineral since I don't drink alcohol and it was pretty delicious. My friend had a Jamaica margarita and it looked good too. We stayed way past the time after finishing our meal because it was raining not once we felt rushed to leave. I recommend for any Chicagoland people, this place is legit. I wish I lived closer to frequent it more often. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Mole flight - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went for Thanksgiving feast- it was amazing.. best Mole' ever- 3 to choose from. The service outstanding - we will return as this gem is a hidden secret .. a must to make the trip to Armitage and Western.. read more

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I had dinner here last night. The food was hit and miss. Guacamole was tasty, but I make better guacamole at home. And it was a small portion. Ceviche was nothing to write home about. Lacked flavor to be honest. I wouldn't order that again. Chicken enchiladas were tasty but they had a sweet tomatillo sauce on them that I had to wipe off. Not sure what that was all about. Chicken Mole Negro - the star of the evening was the chicken mole negro. That dish was terrific. The chicken was moist and the mole was really rich. We sat outside. It's a nice large patio with lots of tables. Service was friendly and attentive. I will most likely come back to try some other dishes. I feel like with some tweaks and time this could easily be 4 stars. 3.5 stars for the moment. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Chicken Mole Negro - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Greetings my Foodzies, time for another review. This time we're at Manchamanteles (the name means the table is stained from the moles that fall on them) at 2009 n Western Ave. in Chicago. This is an authentic Hispanic restaurant. Beautifully decorated in Mexican heritage decor. The restaurant has several different areas, including an outdoor dining area, bar area, banquet area and dining area. Tha restaurant is very clean. Our server Karla was magnificent , she was very knowledgeable about the food and the history of ghe restaurant . Our journey began with a trail mix of different spicy nuts, wasabi peas etc. a nice twist instead of chips and salsa; which don't get me wrong we also enjoy. For an appetizer we had the ceviche (pacific kampachi, lime, tomato, olives, cilantro, avocado, orange, radish, serrano & closed loop farm greens) we delicious everything was fresh and flavorful. For our entrees we had Pato al Chipotle (smoked boneless duck breast, creamy chipotle salsa, yukon gold mashed potatoes with queso fresco {a slightly salty, tasty crumble cheese}) the mole was smooth, had a little heat and paired well with the perfectly prepared duck breast. The mashed potatoes were good but had a slight chewy texture. Mole Manchamanteles (chicken breast, mole rojo, grilled piña,plantains,chorizo & mashed potatoes(Oaxaca) the chicken was juicy, I would have liked a more char but that's just my choice; the mixture of the chorizo and mole made for a great flavor burst. Carne Tampiquena (mesquite grilled skirt steak,guajillo cheese enchilada, black beans, queso fresco & guacamole) the steak was seasoned and seared perfectly, the enchilada was a little dry but had decent flavor. This was a very unique dining experience which we enjoyed thoroughly. I give this restaurant 5 stars. Give it a try and let me know how you like it. Ciao, Ciao for now. For a complete video of our experience please follow me on TikTok (Smoking Papa) read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have NO CLUE how this place got to 4.5 stars. They tout themselves (check the website, it says it!) as: elevated Mexican cuisine. Honestly, I've had Taco Bell meals fresher than this. I realllly hate to roast a place but damn, for the way this was hyped, I was at least expecting one thing to be good. Not so. We came on a Sunday at 3pm. It was dead so there was more than enough time for the kitchen and bar to take their time on our order. Instead, I had a guava marg that was not chilled- it was definitely sour mix and guava flavoring poured over ice (not shaken or stirred- it was room temp). And I got the soggiest chile relleno i've ever seen, and blandest I've tasted (if you read my Las Fuentes review, that chile relleno was more flavorful- you could at least taste the freezer burn). I am mortified to return food, but this- this got sent back. Upon doing so, the server simply said: do you want anything else? I politely said no, and she took it away. No apologies, which I get- it's an awkward interaction... But the worst part is that she never came back to the table. She sent a different server to take care of the rest of our transaction, which, in my opinion makes it more embarrassing than my anxiety from sending my food back. It just sucked. The saxophone hobby lobby versions of 90s hits playing on the patio really were the cherry on top. I can't recommend this place enough if you're looking to waste money and get panicky worrying about how not to upset the server by sending food back. :/ read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Look at that salt rim! If you can spot it! - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We had dinner here on a Friday night. It was easy to make a reservation. The restaurant is spacious, lots of tables, and good for kids. There were a lot of groups with kids. Theres also a small parking lot across the street you can park in, labeled Little Lazos. I got the mezcal margarita and it was pretty good. Sweet, but not too too sweet and it had a good amount of mezcal. It was a large margarita and I couldn't finish it. We server kindly brought us a sample tray of the 3 types of mole to help us pick which mole dish we wanted. Red had great flavor but was a little too spicy and I was afraid it would build. Green was my favorite. The black mole is traditional, sweeter, chocolate based. We ended up getting the chicken with green mole. It was good, but nothing exciting. The Dobladitas Norteñas was the stand out. Great flavor! I would definitely get it again. The Guacamole was OK, wouldn't get again. If we lived closer, I think I would come here often. It's solid and easy, If we come back, I want to try salmon dish! read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Pollo en Mole Verde - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went here for a date night and I love that they let you sample 3 of their moles! We wanted something not too filling since we both had heavy or late lunches. We ordered Ceviche, Guacamole, and Chile en Nogada. Everything was great and the Chile en Nogada was light. Our server was very friendly and sweet. She checked up on us often. The interior is also very vibrant and the place was packed! read more

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Went here with my friend before a show at Lincoln Lodge. We went at 5:45, and there was only 2 other groups although more parties came later understandably. The waiter was very attentive, and even got us a mole sampler. I got the flautas which were the special of the night and they were delicious. The menu was expensive and not what you would expect judging from the outside of the restaurant, but all the food they serve is fresh. I feel like for the price point and the menu that the restaurant decor could nicer to match that. read more

Manchamanteles Restaurant - Flautas de pollo - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Manchamanteles is located on Western just north of Armitage, and occupies what used to be Lazo's Tacos. It's a fairly large restaurant, and when we came for our late dinner (9:30 PM on a Saturday, apparently the last sitting for the evening) the venue already had a cleared-out feeling to it. By the time we finished our meal, we were one of the last peeps in there and it really felt like it to us. So what happened in between? Well, the food was quite good (more on that later) and our server was initially very attentive. He brought out a tray with three different mole sauces for us to taste, and also a small bowl with crunchy peanuts and other snacky tidbits. I ordered the Borrego en Mole Negro, a New Zealand rack of lamb in a pool of black mole sauce and a side of mashed potatoes served in a cutesy tortilla shell. The lamb and the mole sauce were quite tasty, the mashed potatoes and tortilla shell surprisingly mediocre. We were promised fresh tortillas, but we had to ask the waiter midway through our meal to see if we were indeed going to get some tortillas. The container of warm tortillas was finally brought to our table, but we were sort of "over it" by then and unfortunately we did not finish all of the tortillas (they were good for dipping into the mole sauce). My lovely wife ordered the garlic shrimp and seemed to like the dish. During our meal, you could see members of the working staff checking out for the evening, and also someone started to clean the restrooms. We just had the vibe that they really wanted to close up shop for the day. It's not like we were just sitting around at our table killing time, as we were actually a few minutes early for the reservation we made online. I guess we were expecting more of a fine dining experience (based on the menu prices) and came away with merely a pretty good (not great) meal. read more

We had the greatest time at Manchamanteles before the Eagles concert. Right from the beginning we were welcomed with smiles and seated right away. I mentioned we were in a bit of a hurry going to the concert and they were spectacularly attentive. The service was excellent all around. The food is superb. The ceviche was fresh and perfect to share. The Borrego en mole negra (lamb chops in mole) was extremely delicious, served with mashed potatoes. The new seafood dish, which replaces the scallops, was fantastic - mussels, squid, shrimp. We were very happy with our experience, even my small chat with the Chef was very casual and pleasant. Don't miss this gem!! I'll be back. read more

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Amazing food. Top notch quality in a fairly casual environment. Great for big groups. Great service.