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    Manta Rey Restaurant

    3.7 (375 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Manta Rey Restaurant Photos

    MANTA REY RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Pauline S.

    A Peaceful Dining Experience at Manta ray in San Simeon! On our anniversary trip, we were on our way to Hearst Castle we decided to stay one night in San Simeon. We weren't really looking for anything in particular. We just wanted to see the elephant seals, and made an early tour in the morning in Hearst Castle. We stayed at the Sea Breeze Inn, a nice hotel in San Simeon, and then wanted to find somewhere nearby to eat within walking distance. We crossed the street, there isn't much traffic, and after about four minutes walking, we arrived at a restaurant Manta ray. We were welcomed by our waiter, Oscar, a very kind man, who showed us to a table. We started by ordering fried calamari, which came with a couple of sauces. We were served fresh water with ice, along with a glass of wine for me and a beer for my husband. I ordered a Zinfandel (about $13, though I don't remember the name), and my husband ordered a beer. After the calamari, we shared a clam chowder bread bowl. It was delicious, with warm fresh bread and great flavor. Later, we ordered a house Pinot Noir, one of the affordable options. Oscar, our waiter, was respectful, attentive, and very polite. But then the restaurant filled up quickly, a group of 15 came in, then a couple, then another group of four, then two, then another eight people. Suddenly, the restaurant was full. I was surprised at how popular the place was, the service and the food were great. But they are short-staffed. If you come here, remember this: * Sit down and calm down. * If you're in a hurry, this is not your place. * If you're coming with kids, this might not be your place either. This is a peaceful restaurant, a local spot where you can enjoy the experience with kind people. Oscar was extremely hardworking. He was cleaning tables, bussing dishes, taking orders, making drinks, serving wine, delivering food, refilling water, and even bringing bread, all at the same time. He was essentially running the entire dining area by himself on a Saturday night rush, while just a couple of cooks worked in the kitchen. In less than 30 minutes, around 25 people came in, and the restaurant can probably hold about 30 in total. Oscar and the cooks did an amazing job doing everything they could to provide good service and tasty food. If you come here expecting fast, five-star service in five minutes because you're starving, then go somewhere else and pay the extra price. But if you want to relax, have a bottle of wine, order appetizers, and enjoy the atmosphere, this is the perfect place. We stayed from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., enjoying every moment. We had the fried calamari, then clam chowder, then a cioppino, along with battle of wine, beer, and water. The music was relaxing, the atmosphere was peaceful, and the people, locals and travelers, were friendly, kind, and smiling. Please, don't write a bad review here just because you came from the city expecting to be treated like someone "special." The special ones are the local people working hard to make your evening better. Be patient, be respectful with the staff, and you'll have a great experience. For us, it was a memorable anniversary dinner, and we are thankful to Oscar, our waiter, as well as the chefs and staff who made our night special. If I ever return to San Simeon, I will definitely come back to Manta Ray Restaurant.

    Breaded artichoke appetizer mushroom raviol and seafood sample platter...this place is right near Cabrillo high or the 1.....probably wouldn't have stopped here but we are doing a 1 nighter before going to Hearst Castle and its near were we are staying......nice interior lots of windows nice for a sunset dinner, this is only a dinner restaurant........the food was very good, very nice for an intimate dinner for a date night, nice wine bar...over allI would come back

    Sea bass and seafood pasta. Great choice and great prices.
    Christine L.

    What a hidden little gem attached to a hotel. It's on the non-ocean side of the highway but SO WORTH IT. Everyone waits in long lines for all these other restaurants to open up and I had a spectacular dinner. They open at five. I ordered the sea bass my husband got the seafood pasta dinner. Cooked to perfection both dishes. The prices were responsible for the quality you got. The big beautiful round windows made for an artist flare as the sunset was unfolding. Service was excellent. Would highly recommend this spot as the others seem so played-out and over-hyped with hour long lines.

    Calamari
    Loran ..

    Ambiance was great, especially around sunset. The bread they give before the meal was tasty and we enjoyed our meal.

    Seabass

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    2 months ago

    Crab cakes with no crab just dense and mostly breading. Sanddabs were watery and flavorless. We ate two bites and left the rest.

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    10 months ago

    So surprised at how attentive the wait staff was. Food was served quickly and really was quite tasty.

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    8 months ago

    Nice little place. Filet was good. Garlic nashed potatoes were dry. Creme Brulee was good. Waitress was a delight!

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    4 months ago

    It's a small quiet place in the front of Quality Inn. We've had dinner several times and they are always excellent.

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    9 months ago

    It was very disappointing. Fish wasn't fresh some were frozen. I won't go back. Disappointing

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    10 months ago

    Excellent service and the seafood is most exceptional! "I eat seafood everywhere, this is one of the best" Husband

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    Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill - Hand painted waiting room mural

    Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill

    3.8(2.2k reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    After visiting Hearst Castle we came here for a late lunch on Tuesday. Their Moonstone Bloody Mary…read morewas delicious. I loved their bloody mary mix and the garnishes. Bartender was friendly. We ended up sitting outside on the patio. My husband and I shared New England Clam Chowder in a bread bowl. The soup's texture was creamy with a bit of clam and potatoes in every bite. Beautifully prepped morsels. The bacon added another level piquing our interest with each bite. Server was friendly but was not much for steering us through the menu. Ordered a side of coleslaw after hearing another table add it to their fish & chips order. Our fish & chips orders seemed overdone for our tastes. It is a nice location and one can stroll the beach afterwards.

    Stopped by Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill after visiting Hearst Castle and it ended up being a great…read moredinner spot. We came around sunset and the views were absolutely beautiful overlooking the water. Definitely one of those relaxing Central Coast moments. The food portions were huge and everything we ordered was tasty and satisfying after a long day of sightseeing. Service was friendly overall too. Only downside was that my beer came in a dirty glass. You could tell because the bubbles were sticking to the inside of the glass instead of rising cleanly. Not a huge deal, but something the restaurant should pay more attention to. Overall though, still a nice spot with great views and solid food.

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    Cioppinot

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    Sea Chest Restaurant & Oyster Bar - steamer

    Sea Chest Restaurant & Oyster Bar

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$$

    Another fantastic experience! Saturday night in late March and arrived at 4:25. We scored the last…read moretwo spots at the bar. We enjoyed cocktails in the parking lot and met some nice people visiting from Evergreen, CO. We love the atmosphere when you first arrive, with all of the chefs prepped in anticipation of the bustle of the first patrons arriving. We split the Rockefeller for a starter. It went great with the Markham Sauv Blanc!! We had the shrimp scampi over pasta--so ridiculously good, it should be illegal. We also had the sea bass which was tasty. The potatoes on the side are perfectly done every time. I would say a 4pm arrival is probably the right time to get in line. Worth the wait!!

    Not worth the hype…read more We went to Sea Chest Oyster Bar last night. Honestly, it was extremely disappointing. The food was lackluster and bland. The Clam Chowder tasted like flour and needed salt. The Soy Ginger Mahi Mahi was presented with the Soy Ginger sauce on the side, rather than being cooked in. It was so bland you had to search for the flavor of the sauce. I'm not sure how a dish with soy needed more salt, but it certainly did. Rather than it being a reduction or the fish actually cooked in it, it was just flavorless. And don't get me started on my Halibut. All of the fish is cooked in butter, which should give it some flavor, but it did not. We are usually plate-cleaners, but we both ate only about half of our meal. Lackluster, boring, bland. I would say it was a one-note flavor, but you'd have to have some flavor for that to be true. The only positive I have about the fish is that it was fresh, so I guess there's something. The service was fine. I can imagine what it's like to have an entire restaurant sat at the same time, so there should be some forgiveness there. But for $200 for two people for one appetizer, two entrees, and three glasses of wine, I would expect to be able to get through the meal.

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    Madeline's - Apple Crumble Alamode

    Madeline's

    4.4(1.1k reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$$

    so glad we were able to snag last minute reservations!…read more there are two madeline's, this one, is located on main st in the east village and the other madeline's is on moonstone beach drive that faces the ocean! madeline's on main is dog friendly. they have two - two person table in their patio. the madeline's on moonstone beach drive is not pet friendly. after a long day of traveling. we were so hungry and tired. but still wanted to go somewhere nice for dinner. it was warner weather that wknd, so we were glad to sit outside! we ordered: Crab Cakes Stuffed Chicken Breast Filet Mignon everything was so delicious!! i was getting so full but kept eating lol. the also provide complimentary house bread with butter (10/10) its so fresh and tasty! parking: no issues. lots of street parking everywhere.

    I've been here a couple of times and last time it was good but not as good as the time before so I…read moregave it only 4 stars but I will come again and maybe I will give it 5 stars like I remember it deserves. Great French bistro with very good food with great ambiance. Everything is good on the menu and they have a very big selection of wines. Don't expect big portions, it's a French bistro! The service is good but as much as I like sitting at the bar, I wouldn't come here again by myself. The best way to enjoy this place is to sit at the table and share dishes and try different wines

    Photos
    Madeline's - Madeline's - inside seating

    Madeline's - inside seating

    Madeline's - St. Hilaire Brut

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    Madeline's - Baby Spinach Salad GF

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    The Sow's Ear - Bread

    The Sow's Ear

    4.0(829 reviews)
    4.8 mi
    $$$

    While visiting in Cambria, we had dinner at The Sow's Ear. It is a beautiful and cozy, quiet place…read moreand we both had a delicious dinner. The crowning jewel was that we had used Uber to get there, but could not get one to return to our hotel! In a bit of a panic, we asked the Manager ( Owner?) if she knew how we could get back. She immediately offered her daughter, who happened to be there visiting! The daughter laughed and said " sure!". We had a fun ride back...she was charming. She refused payment ( but we left money on the seat)....said " this is what we do here!". We will definately always eat here when in town, just because of the people ( and the yummy food).

    On my yearly trip to Cambria, the Sow's ear is always a must. The food is always consistent and…read moregood. And the flower pot bread is one of my favorite things. They are known for their fresh out of the oven flower pot bread. It's a little crispy on top and as you work your way to the bottom, it gooey, and almost slightly undercooked deliciousness. I love getting to the bottom of the pot and adding some butter. It's so good! I usually always get the same thing. I love the steak and mashed potatoes. It's so tasty that's it's had for me to try something else. This restaurant is very small and cozy. It's like an old school family restaurant with a cute fire place. I always try to arrive right when they open so I can get a table right in front of the fireplace. It's so cozy! And then I have to get my glasses of wine. The ambience is just very quaint and cozy. I always recommend this restaurant to my friends when they are going to Cambria. Everyone that I have recommended it to has gone always had good things to say about it.

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    The Sow's Ear
    The Sow's Ear - Dinner salad

    Dinner salad

    The Sow's Ear - Sign fom sidewalk

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    Sign fom sidewalk

    Manta Rey Restaurant - seafood - Updated May 2026

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