Best Romantic Restaurants in Downey / Norwalk / Santa Fe Springs

Food and service were wonderful. The wings, fish (the skin was perfect!), and banchan were the highlights for sure. One of my favorite service touches was the provided purse hook. The only criticisms I have are that the Jeju sencha tea had no flavor (I kept on commenting that it tasted like butter because the only flavor that came through was the chestnut instead of cha), and the lighting was much too low (l get ambience, which is fine and appreciated, but it was almost just a pitch black dark room in there and it made seeing the menu a challenge).

By far one of the best Sushi restaurants I have been to AND I’ve been to many around the world. The service was great, waiter made recommendations (spot on), food quality excellent as well as the flavor.

Unforgettable Experience! This was, hands down, the best Italian meal of my life! The pasta was absolutely divine—every bite a perfect symphony of flavors that transported me straight to Italy. The freshness of the ingredients, the richness of the sauces, and the sheer perfection of the textures were unmatched. The service was equally impressive. Prince, our server, was a true gem—attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely kind. He made us feel so welcomed and took care of every detail with such finesse. His recommendations were spot-on and added so much to our overall experience. The ambiance was warm and inviting, making it the perfect setting for a memorable dining experience. If you’re looking for outstanding Italian cuisine paired with world-class service, this is the place. We’ll definitely be back!

It is a wonderful setting for a fancy work, family, anniversary or birthday dinner. We went for a family dinner occasion, my brother is in the military often travels so this was the first time we have been able to spend the holiday as a family in a very long time. We wanted to have a nice dinner, with great food and great atmosphere. Manuela provided that and more. As our first time at Manuela we didn’t know what to expect. Manuela provided a tranquil environment, not loud but not dead silent. The lights are dimmed and tables are provided with small candles, so it gives a warm tone. The food was delicious. We ordered the salmon, roasted oyster mushroom, burrata salad, pitman half chicken, roasted cauliflower, butterball potatoes, and blistered snap peas. All the market vegetables complemented every dish. We are a family of 6, and the market vegetables were enough to side everyone’s dish. The portions were perfect as well. For dessert we had the chocolate pie and cucumber and pear sorbet. They are also delicious. It is safe to say I will be going back. Last thing, if you are worried about parking because Downtown LA is not the best place to park, Manuela also provides valet parking, I paid $22 for 2hours and 4 minutes. Or you might be lucky enough to find street parking on the block.

Ignacio, the manager, was a delight. Our experience on Thanksgiving day was wonderful. The food was amazing and so was the presentation. We were going to be seated on the patio, but the manager was kind enough to seat us inside instead. Ignacio brought my mother an alcoholic beverage for her birthday and even brought her a slice of birthday cake. The souvenir lavender candle was also very thoughtful. We would definitely come back again. This was a good choice to spend our holiday brunch there.