Restaurant Review: Manhattan's

Manhattan's

Manhattan's

1516 Adams Street; Toledo, Ohio

(419) 243-6675

Manhattan's

Mon - Fri: Lunch 11:00 am; Mon - Sat: Dinner 5-10 pm

Sunday Brunch 10am - 2pm

After Cirque du Soleil the four of us repaired to Manhattan's for dinner. I'd never eaten there before, but judging from the menu we were all in for an excellent dinner. On arrival, I observed that the portents were somewhat spotty.

Martini at Manhattan's

For openers the hostess couldn't find our reservation and seemed somewhat reluctant to believe we actually had a reservation. After a lengthy consultation with Big Mike she reluctantly seated us on the left side of the restaurant, explaining that she would be our server. Not good, I thought, but I was still in high spirits from Cirque. We ordered drinks and I was pleased to note the martini was good. Mrs. Martini and I decided on the prime rib. I hadn't had steak in a while and prime rib is usually a good choice. Big Mike had the salmon and Mom had a salad. Then the waiting started. The waitress / hostess vanished, and 40 minutes later had not reappeared. I flagged down a bus boy who summoned the manager, a twenty something man dressed in Levi's and a black tee shirt. Now, I don't insist that the manager of an upscale restaurant dress in a tuxedo, but seeing the manager dressed in jeans and a tee shirt does not inspire confidence. I explained that we wanted our dinner, and in short order we were served.

The prime rib was a bust. The cut was thin, mine had about six ounces of fat attached to it and both were overcooked. I'd ordered medium, but it arrived very well done and was a poor cut of meat into the bargain. By way of contrast Big Mike's salmon was a real work of art and was cooked to perfection. Likewise, Mom's salad was excellent.

The service at Manhattan's is lousy. Our hostess / waitress didn't know how to wait tables and there were very few other options, the place being decidedly short staffed. The prices are high, which I don't mind. I enjoy fine dining and I'm willing to pay for it, but in my opinion Manhattan's is not fine dining. It might like to be, but it misses the mark by a wide margin both for the poor service and for the poor quality of the prime rib. However, note that the quality of the food varies widely. Mike's salmon was superb and mom's salad was very good. If they fixed the steak and the service, Manhattan's would be on my short list for fine dining.

• Ambiance: 6 (pleasant, quiet - the manager should look dress the part)
• Service: 2 (very, very poor)
• Food: 5-9 (quality varies widely)

Total: 4