Let me start off by saying... the food is amazing, the service is superb and overall will be coming back many more times. That being said, the table where we were seated was not the best table, and we were constantly interrupted by the noise of passing cars on the street. I understand that COVID-19 has impacted many businesses drastically so they are doing the best that they can, but I would definitely recommend indoors versus outdoors simply because of the noise that the outdoor dining experience offered. Other than the noise however, the place is amazing and a real gem of the Santa Monica area! :))

We have been here 1/2 dozen times and we enjoy it every time. We have never been disappointed. I love food and these dishes are excellent !! The staff was very helpful allowing us to try 4 different wines before choosing. My favorite dishes are the lamb chops, the short ribs (super) and the shrimp and the date/cheese wrap and the brussel sprouts...that was our desert. The ambience is traditional Spanish. 10 stars for all of it.

The food was great here, we enjoyed all the tapas we ordered as well as churros con chocolate for dessert. Our only complaint would be the service, we did make a reservation for 3pm for 2 people and we were not sat until about 3:40. We were then informed the kitchen was closing and handed a menu. We felt awful and considered leaving, but decided to stay since others were also still ordering food. We felt very rushed and feel that if our table had been ready at our reservation time we would not have had such a varied experience.

We love the cheeses and pretty much everything at Manchego! The dish with the goat cheese and dates and honey is delicious and I recommend it as more if a dessert at the end of the meal. It’s a fun place to share tapas and the happy hour drink prices are attractive.

Awesome outside experience, great customer service

Lovely brunch spot on a Saturday morning. Delicious tapas.

Perfect ambiance for a date or if you want to meet up with friends and have some tapas with wine. Will definitely be returning soon

Was wanting some good papas bravas after another place had disappointed me. Was not disappointed here! Great wine, relaxed. Took some home too!

Amazing staff. Very personable service.

Amazing brunch and tapas! I highly suggest the short rib and lamb chop, you won’t regret it!

Wonderful food and service! Totally recommended! !

Phenomenal food, lovely ambiance, and stellar team service. A must-visit while in Santa Monica— we’ll certainly be back!

Love this place... it’s one of our few go-to’s because the food and service are always great!

Been here 100 times. LOVE the food! Great date spot

Cute brunch spot! Endless mimosas

very good food and service. I will recommend this place to all my friends.

Food was great. I truly love Spanish food, and they did not disappoint. I liked how they distanced the tables. It would’ve been nice if they’d turned on the heat lamps the first time we requested it, but they eventually did. I would return.

Manchego is the always the best!! The food, the service, and the ambience have always met if not exceeded my expectations. I’ve been a loyal customer since the beginning, and the owner makes sure to say “Hi” and chats whenever he sees me. Makes me feel extra special and appreciated. So glad they survived covid, as many spots have not. Will continue to come back. Thanks, Ash!

Braised short ribs were out of this world!

This is the second time my boyfriend and I have gone to Manchego and we were just as thrilled with our experience as we were when we first discovered this adorable spot. The food was incredible and fairly priced, the staff was helpful and attentive while still giving us enough privacy for our date, and it's located in walking distance to the beach which makes for a perfect stroll to work off the calories. Every server is always masked and wearing a visor which was very much appreciated and which made us feel comfortable enough to fully relax and enjoy our night. I cannot recommend this spot enough and is now my and my boyfriend's official date night spot!

Even though the service was terrible (from our specific waiter, the rest of the staff was great), the food and wine were amazing and I would still highly recommend based on that alone. The restaurant did its best to amp up the street side tables with cute decor, and it was actually quite romantic even under the covid circumstances.

Great restaurant, incredible food, great atmosphere, kind and attentive staff

Delicious food, beautiful music and delightful service.

It was so nice!

The food is great but be prepared for some interesting local flavor asleep on the sidewalk next to your table.

The food and sangria at Manchego never disappoint. This was the first time I have eaten there since the shut down and the food was as good as ever.

Love it will definitely come back

Might be a bit understaffed but the server did a great job once some tables cleared. Small but tasty brunch menu. They've opened up to more outdoor seating for covid regs (essentially the bike line). Brunch items are a good size and moderately priced. The tapas are pricey for the portion size. Meats and cheeses are of great quality.

Visiting the outdoor curbside dining at Manchego is lovely ~ though we do miss the charming indoor space and back patio closed for Covid restrictions. Try the Branzino ~ OUTSTANDING!

Amazing food! I highly recommend to people visiting or for people who live in the area. My husband id from Spain and although the food is more Spanish fusion than authentic Spanish food, it tasted amazing, him and I had a great time. The happy hour prices are good, everyone should check them out!

only because of covid 19 we were outside. But I'd go again.

Great tapas, great wine list, and I love the outdoor seating now! Manchego doesn’t not disappoint

Such a cute spot in Santa Monica!! The food was great and the sangria was also amazing! Will definitely be back.

This is our go-to local spot! Amazing and unique tapas, good service. Don’t miss the fig toast dish, it’s the best one on the menu!

I am so happy with what Manchego has done with their Al Fresco dining. The food and service have always been good, but they didn't let COVID take them down.

Everything was perfect except for the crazy lady at the table next to us that kept getting out of her seat and engaging with the people on the sidewalk and exclaiming her political views to anyone who would listen. Thankfully the staff brought her table the check right after serving their dinner, LOL. Outside seating during the pandemic, not their fault and they handled it very gracefully. The Iberian ham saw mind bowing, I highly recommend asking for it as it’s not on their current menu. Also the Acoustic Rose was SO good and organic to boot. The food never disappoints at Manchego. I’m grateful this neighborhood gem is still in business and we locals indent to keep it that way!

We came here with high expectations and were disappointed. The food is not at all traditional
Spanish and rather expensive. For the value I will go to another restaurant with a nicer view and better food

The service was very good! Food amazing like always. The only thing is that the menu is shorter now and we were looking forward to getting the empanadas. The other thing is that at some point a homeless person came to our table and it was very uncomfortable. Would be great if the space could be more enclosed so customers can feel safe and with more privacy.

If you know Spanish food, you will be disappointed. Expensive and tapas are not good. Croquetas taste like flour, shrimp had no taste. Typical bluff

Always an amazing experience! Food 10/10