Eugene Marchuk

Review of Manresa Restaurant

I came here with my parents for my birthday. We ma...

I came here with my parents for my birthday. We made a reservation well in advance because they are booked solid for weeks. The level of service at this establishment will exceed expectations. I have dined at the finest restaurants in the world, most of which were in Japan, and the level of service at Manresa was on par if not better than other restaurants in this category. Certainly much better than most fine Bay Area establishments. Their staff is impeccable and from the first moment we walked in, we felt accommodated at every turn.

The atmosphere is well designed and compliments the style of the restaurant. We were seated almost immediately and the seating area in both rooms has ample room between tables and comfortable chairs. The staff is for lack of a better term - perfect. They bring out the courses on time, a glass of water or wine is never empty and they pay attention. I did not have to ask for anything I did not already have in front of me.

The best part of the restaurant is the food. The courses are planned by the executive chef and he is one of the most welcoming owners of a restaurant I have met. The food is intricate, but precise. The flavors are complex and palatable. If I am not mistaken we went through 12 courses, two of which are desert. I cannot describe any of them, I simply could not remember all of the ingredients, some of which I tried for the first time. It is a lot of food for anyone, the courses are small and there is time between them. Settle in for a few hours in order to enjoy this experience. This is not a dinner in Santana Row. Think of it as a performance, the price of the performance, service, quality of the food and the time you spend with them is very reasonable, but be prepared, this is not Dennys.

The dress code is casual, but don't show up in shorts and a t-shirt. I feel like they would still let you in, but you will feel out of place.

Kudos to David for an outstanding operation!