The place is cozy, for a romantic dinner or just a pleasant time with friends. We were so excited to have found this place! Until our dinner arrived...
I don't know if we just missed with the choice. The appetizer was good, though it had more of a dressing than the "green chile" it claimed to have. I ordered the tilapia in a banana leaf... This dish is a lie. It is NOT in a banana leaf, it's a corn leaf attempt of a tamale. I was disappointed first, because I love food cooked in banana leaves, and well, I did not get this. Secondly, my tilapia was uncooked and it was just a cornbread mess.
I will give this place another chance, they were nice about taking my plate back and we had the appetizer on them. I just don't like pretend-Mexican food. I thought it would be more innovative.
I like Cactus Alley, maybe I'll try their brunch...
I'm temporarily living in Lubbock for my job. Most of the eating establishments have left me a bit disappointed and wanting to go back to Houston. Manna Bread and Wine was outstanding. My server Daniel gave me great service, made a couple of suggestions for my Sunday brunch, and let me enjoy the many different delights of this restaurant. The pumpkin pancakes were delicious as were the mimosas.
They started me out with fresh fruit and some pastries that was a good start to the rest of brunch. This was the first time in Lubbock that I felt like my food had taste and was worth the money that I spent on it. Most places give you a ton of food but it is tasteless. The portions were healthy and it was a delight to my taste buds. I did not have one complaint.
They had some live music with just a guy and his guitar that sang just some mellow local tunes. It made it seem more quaint and added to the ambiance of this place. As my six months is coming to a close, I wish that I discovered this place sooner. I would recommend the Sunday brunch to anyone that enjoys personable dining experience.
Worst service ever! Joan was our server and also the manager of Manna She was rude and preoccupied with another shop next door. She was also dressed in cut off shorts while every one else is in a dress shirt and tie. This is the first time we have had rude service there so decided the food would be worth the bad service but sadly our food was a disaster it thrown on the plate and was cold and our server was outside at another shop untell she brought us the bill. Friday 4-12-13
Review Source:Lubbock is in dire need of really good local fine dining but I don't think this is it. Â I've eaten here before for lunch and enjoyed the service and atmosphere but recently I ate there with my wife and son while visiting. Â It was late and not terribly crowded but my wife and I were served cold plates. Â We kept waiting for the waiter to check on our food but gave up and ate it. Â I assume our plates set in the window.
 I would recommend making this place a lunch stop and leave it at that.  Manna's was not worth the price paid for dinner and mediocre service.
Ok, So I have eaten there twice and the first time wasn't bad, but I can't say the food was amazing. But the second time was awful. I ordered the Flounder in white wine and dill cream sauce, and it was good, but it was salty enough that I stopped eating it, in fact some bites were ridiculously too salty. My date ordered the evenings special, schnitzel. She complained of her food being to salty too. I thought she was just being overly picky, but I tried it and sure enough, a few bites is all I could handle. If you're a redneck that doesn't know a thing about food and is accustomed to eating salty french fries, you will think this place is great, if you actually have a palate, this place is not even average, it is poor.
Review Source:My husband and I went here to celebrate my birthday, and this place did not disappoint! Â The ambiance is very cozy and romantic. Â We ordered Ancho Shrimpsickles for an appetizer, and then I ordered Tilapia in Banana Leaf for my main course, and my husband ordered the Pecan and Elk-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin. Â It was all delicious! Â We also had a white wine sampler that was very good. Â We had to wait just a bit for our main course, but we didn't mind because we were there to enjoy the experience anyway! Â
Overall this was a wonderful place for a date night! Â Highly recommend it! Â And FYI, it can be a little hard to find if you've never been before. Â It's tucked away in a little shopping area called Cactus Alley.
Manna is decent. Â Its small. Â And the food can be good..not GREAT, but good. Â Tapas are tasty and the wine list selections are serviceable. Â Not a good place for large groups. Â One or two couples max. Â Service tends to run a bit slow, but this is Lubbock and there is a shortage of "professional", full time waiters..its a college town. Â The soup we had was overly salty, and we noticed too much salt in most our dishes. Â Â That being said, overall, its pretty solid..just know it has some short comings.
Review Source:Seriously my favorite restaurant in Lubbock. Their burgers are amazing, and their Sunday brunch is incredible. I recommend it to anyone, it's a cute quaint little bistro that is unique in Lubbock, unlike the hoards of chain restaurants on every corner. Their prices are fair and their portions are large. Most importantly, the food is AMAZING! I would love this restaurant to be supported in this town, we need more like it!! They even have a wine bar attached. I look forward to Sunday now for the awesome bruch! Try the cinammon roll French toast with orange marmalade goat cheese - out of this world.
Review Source:My family of five went to eat here on a Saturday night. I had picked this restaurant based on the reviews at tripadvisor. What a mistake. After our horrendous experience, I returned to trip advisor to read all the reviews. Interestingly, the good reviews are very short, with no recommendations.. It is only the bad reviews that actually go into detail.
We were seated almost immediately, after calling ahead. We then had to wait about 10 minutes before our waitress actually stopped at our table. She said she would be right back with water and bread. This took another 10 minutes. We were prepared at this point with our order for tapas and drinks. We watched the bartender make the drinks quickly, and then they sat, and sat, and sat on the bar. The waitress blamed the bartender for the slow service.
Our tapas were very good, and we anticipated that our main course would be the same. BAD ASSUMPTION. After waiting almost an hour for our food, I finally asked the waitress when we would get our food. She stated it would be "right out." Another 10 minutes, and finally we had our food.
My son and daughter had the fettuccine, which they both liked. My wife had the Talapia, which was luke-warm. My other daughter had the flounder that had so much cream sauce, the flounder was lost. My dinner was the last straw. I had ordered the pecan and elk stuffed tenderloin. The loin was dry, and still had a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom. Obviously it had been in the oven for an extended period of time, I sent it back, and was told they would make me another in "no time." It is interesting that I had waited for over an hour for the first tenderloin, but they could make another quickly. I declined.
I have eaten in most of the restaurants in the top 25 in Lubbock, and they all are much better than Mann Bread and Wine.
As stated above, the tapas were very good, as were the selection of wines.
I would definitely NOT recommend this restaurant.
A pleasant, refreshing find in Lubbock. I travel for work, live in Austin (great foodie town) and strive to eat local when traveling. I had the stuffed tilapia, cooked in the banana leaf---could only eat half. It was fabulous. Bread and roll were great. They were revamping the wine list, so it was limited, but found something good. All in all, a charming little place, will definitely be back!
The ownership has recently changed, still serving the previous owner's menu. DON'T CHANGE IT! Awesome!
Quaint, yep the place only seats 49. Friday night and this restaurant is full of couples and small groups. It is romantic a and quiet, placing the diners at peace, a rarity for Friday evenings. Food is great and this little place is a rarity with its flights of wine and scotch for tasting. I highly recommend it if you want to get away from the rat race of the bigger restaurants. It is also near little shops in 'Cactus Alley' so take a stroll with your significant other after dinner.
Review Source:i like the ambience, location, cute "non-chain" vibe, and the food, mostly. However, I have lived here for 8 years, and i do not think the one page menu has changed even once. I mean, seriously? I would visit much more often but can't stomach the same old stuff over and over again. they do have some nice wine flights though
Review Source:Very tasty food but the service is quite unfortunate. When we went for my roommate's low-key 24th birthday I was hoping they would treat her with a little respect because it was her birthday and she invited a few friends- in turn more stomach's for them to feed and more money to be made. We weren't even able to cut the cake I brought for her, and we informed them at the beginning I had to leave early to go to work and they still were very delayed on bringing the food even though they weren't busy at all. When the food did arrive it was good, but I only had about 5 minutes to enjoy it before I had to leave.
Review Source:favorite restaurant in lubbock hands down. i'm from austin and was pretty depressed with the lack of variety/quality here comparatively... you walk into manna (it's pretty hidden!) and it feels like you are no longer in lubbock! great intimate atmosphere, interesting and delicious food. we had the shrimp skewers, nachos, eduardo chicken and fettucine - everything was amazing. can't wait to go back.
Review Source:Absolutely fabulous in every way. This restaurant is a true jewel nestled in the middle of Lubbock, TX tucked away in the charming Cactus Alley shops. While the menu is a tad limited and the price is a bit expensive, it is all completely worth it. There are dishes such as tapas, speciality chicken plates, other pasta etc. Open for lunch and dinner. Make sure to also try any of their wine/wine flights (these are fun) Their homemade deserts are out of this world!
Review Source:I have been here a couple of times now and I would have to say that I appreciate it most at lunch. Sometimes, it's just hard to validate an expensive dinner, but for a special occasion, it'll do (which is why I think the place is "A-Ok" and not quite "Yay!") You will be in close quarters with other people (one of my friends was griping about someone on a cell-phone at another table because we could hear her ENTIRE conversation), so be prepared for this type of environment, especially if it happens to be busy.
The lunch menu is pretty good and reasonable; I had a pasta dish which was quite yummy and made it through to about two more meals (hooray for leftovers!). That being said, if you're not big on leftovers, you might want to order something smaller in portion size so you're not wasting food. The appetizers have been yummy! I adore the Blue Cheese Napoleon and the Crab Nachos are tasty too. And, currently during the Lenten Season, they are offering different types of seafood specials (which is really helpful when all you want to do is order a steak!). I had a pecan-crusted snapper (I think!) which was very delicious and I enjoyed every last bite.
If you can, save some room for dessert, but if all else fails... enjoy a wine flight or a tasty glass or two.
The Rosemary bread is just fantastic, as is their wine list. However, this is our 3rd visit and our dishes were ho-hum @ best. Hubby had pork tenderloin, drowned in a sweet cherry sauce w/ southwest style mashed potatoes. These combination DOES NOT work. Potatoes should have been more cream based w/ parmesan or something like it!
I had the Chicken Eduardo, not bad but the pasta was over-sauced! The chef needs to stop drowning the food w/ rich sauces, it's like they are trying to hide something. Â
There is great ambiance here but they're missing the boat on their plates with poor side combinations. No plans to go back any time soon.
I don't have a lot to add to the other reviews. Â Good food, nice ambiance. Â A bit disappointed that with such an extensive wine list they didn't not have sparkling water, if you've been to Lubbock you know you don't want to drink the tap water, yuk.. Â
The rosemary bread had a bit too much rosemary for my taste.  I started with the creamy tortilla soup, which was flavorful, but not too heavy, the hominy was a nice touch.  I had the Pecan and Elk-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, the cherries overpowered the mustard in the glaze, but was still tasty.  We decided to finish off with the cinnamon roll soufflé, the soufflé was great, but I could have done without the beautiful spiked meringue, I'm just not a fan of meringue.
Closer to 3.5 stars, but since this is a diamond in the rough of Lubbock cuisine I rounded up to 4.
Yes yes yes! This place makes a person forget they're in Lubbock. So amazing.
I have been here on two occasions. The first time I went was for a wine and dessert date. They have an amazing wine selection and they also have something that I have yet to see elsewhere in Lubbock. They have what they call flights. Flights are basically tiers of three mini wine glasses and you can sample 3 different wines from all different types. They also have scotch and tequila flights. How can you go wrong with a flight? :) The dessert we had was some type of cinnamon soufflé which was heavenly. Our waitress was not only sweet, but VERY helpful to us since it was our first time here.
The second time I went here was with a group of friends. Beautiful experience all around. The thing you need to know upfront is that every single dish is made entirely from scratch, so be prepared to wait a while for your entrees, but this okay when they bring out their Rosemary bread and butter. A meal in itself really. I had the nearly naked fettucini, while my friends had the meatloaf, white wine tilapia, and a particular chicken dish that looked stunning. For dessert, we split among the table the coconut cake, which was absolutely the best cake I have ever had, and three homemade chocolate truffles, which need I say more?
Split five ways, this was VERY reasonably priced. Our server Neal couldn't have been more helpful and patient and the atmosphere is always so beautiful. You also can't go wrong with the adorable shops surrounding the restaurant in cactus alley and the customer service makes you feel at home. This is definitely a new favorite of mine and I will be returning as long as this place stands. Do yourself a favor and escape to Manna Bread and Wine!
We had a great dinner at Manna. The place is small and intimate, looking out onto the courtyard of the Cactus Alley complex. Â The decor is homey and comfortable. Â We had a bottle of Chilean Carmenere, which was quite good. They were out of our first choice, but the waiter offered another vineyard at the same price. Â Since we were there early, and they offer $1.50 off 6 oz glasses of wine from 4-7 pm (Mon-Thurs) it almost made sense to just stick to wine by the glass...a good deal! Â
I had the Rosemary Buffalo Pastitchio - "penne pasta layered with rosemary-spiked ground buffalo, tomato sauce, cream sauce, and ricotta under a blanket of two cheeses and bread crumbs" (their description). The portion was HUGE. It was so big, it was almost embarrassing! I was starving, but still only able to eat half. Â What was left provided two more small meals the next day. The flavor was delicious, Â on the side of comfort food rather than gourmet. Â The bf had Pecana nd Elk-stuffed Pork Tenderloin. Â Flavors again were excellent, and the meat was super tender and juicy.
Believe it or not, we couldn't resist dessert, and were bowled over by the Cinnamon Roll Souffle. Thank goodness most of the size was due to its fluffy, airy texture. The souffle was pure eggy, sweet and cinnamony goodness.
All this being said, I wouldn't really consider Manna a destination place for tapas, as mentioned in other reviews. There is a small selection of appetizers, especially appealing as some are available cheap during the Happy Hours, but this is more a place for some nice wine and a good entree enjoyed at a leisurely pace.
I went here because I'd wanted to try a wine and tapas place in Lubbock. It was a pleasant experience.
The Good:
I had their summer special which was a Cajun seafood mix on top of a bed of rice. It was spicy and delicious.
The place was laid back for a wine bar.
They offer a wine sampler.
The Bad:
The service was quite slow. Wine wasn't even served until the main course came out.
While the wine selection was extensive, it was also very overpriced.
Overall:
The summer special was well worth it. I'd definitely go back to try some tapas and a wine sampler.
Manna is an intimate and dimly lit restaurant best suited for small groups and couples. The menu has an eclectic mix of the familiar (think, flounder with butter and dill sauce) and more slightly offbeat options such as buffalo weiner schnitzel and banana leaf wrapped tilapia with jalapeno cornbread dressing. Â
 Our group started with the goat cheese appetizer. I found the dish to be rather lacking. It seemed to simply be a log of goat cheese covered in one of those sickly sweet store bought sauces with a name like "habanero pineapple chutney." Too easy.
 My tilapia on the other hand was well prepared with the perfect amount of heat.
 While I was satisfied though not impressed with the food, the wine list was quite good and it hit many price points. Make a special note that on Mondays, all bottles under $60 are half price. This is quite a bargain and there are many local wines to choose from.
  While I can't rank Manna Bread and Wine up with my favorites, it does seem to be a nice option in Lubbock and the quality of food is a fair value given the relatively reasonable prices.
So walking in, the ambience is very intimate. Â Lighting is dim which lends to a romantic atmosphere. Â It is a 1 room restaurant so probably doesn't fit more than 50 people. Â I guess that can be good or bad, just depends on your mood.
I ordered the blue cheese napolean for an appetizer with a glass of light red wine.
For my dinner, I absolutely loved my salad...farfalle and portobella with grilled chicken on a bed of mixed greens....with a serving of freshly made Rosemary bread...
I do wish the service was just a tad more attentive, but it was very busy for a Wednesday....and I was in a good mood and didn't mind. Â
Can't wait to travel the area again with colleagues to share this place!
Moving to Lubbock from a big city and looking for some comfort food, I was pleasantly surprised to find this quaint restaurant.
Ambiance was fantastic!
My lunch mate at the time was in a bad mood. The food brought her from her upset state to exceptionally elation. We ordered
1. Chicken salad appetizer - amazing!
Since then, I have revisited multiple times and have always been satisfied!!!
If I could give half stars I would probably give this 3 1/2. But for Lubbock, which is honestly not a mecca for great restaurants, it probably deserves a 4. The atmosphere is nice and the wait staff is good. They have a large wine list which is a plus. The food is good, but I've never been blown away by anything I've eaten there. Its satisfying, its not your typical chain-food restaurant (which is what you get in Lubbock), but I've never left feeling really wowed. I guess I would say its good but not exceptional but given that nice dining is somewhat of a rarity here, its a good choice.
Review Source:We first visited this place as a recommendation and we were on a double date. We didn't have reservations but we were seated promptly. Manna Bread has a nice wine list especially for Lubbock. The reason I give it only 4 stars is because the server we had the first time was awful. She was very slow to fill up our drinks and didn't even bring the appetizer that we ordered. But she didn't forget to bill us for it!
The food itself was amazing. The second time we dined my cousin and I went for one of their monthly wine dinners. 5 courses of food that I would probably never have ordered on my own paired with wine that I would never have tried...it was phenominal!
It can get a little pricey but it is a nice place to go to have a nice quiet dinner in a quaint little restaurant.
I found this place by scouring the Yelp reviews. Â Was alone and looking for an interesting place to dine rather than eat and run. Â I travel some so seem to do that a lot. Â Found the place very cordial and the food was indeed interesting. Â As a professional cook, there were things I would do different, but all was well done. Â As a wine person, it was a great choice for the evening. Â The wine flights and selection of off beat wines were pleasant find. Â Would recommend the place highly.
Review Source:This place has Jesus on the wall. Seriously.
Let me explain. When Manna first opened, this was the place all my faux "foodie" friends (you know, the ones that claim to be foodies, but eat fast food 95% of the time) wanted to go. So we went.
It was a party of 6 or 7 people I think. We wined and dined and generally enjoyed our evening. Interesting food choices, delicious combinations, decent prices. Great wine and beer selection. One of our party got up for some reason or another, and that's when I heard the statement I will never forget.
"Is that Jesus on the wall?"
What? How many glasses of wine did you have? Did you smoke a joint instead of a cigarette when you stepped outside?
"No, seriously, that looks like Jesus."
And then the mayhem started. In a brick that is built into this OLD building (who even knows how old)..... is the image of Jesus. I'm talking crown of thorns and everything. Jesus is on the wall of this place.
No shit.
We of course all saw it and were tripping out on this image, and wondering how the Catholic Church hadn't heard about this yet. Then our friend who had gotten up came back, and we all tried to show her.... and she thought we were all pulling a joke on her. We were all trying to convince her, no seriously, look, there is Jesus on the wall. Right here. RIGHT HERE! Serious hilarity ensued. (She finally realized we weren't joking around and looked - and saw Jesus).
Seriously, you have to see it. But you can't, cause only we know where it is, and I'm not going to tell you. Unless you ask real nice. Then I might.
*** Bonus Points if you think about the name of the restaurant and the connection there... I personally think it's pretty creepy.***
This is a great little local restaurant that I would never have discovered without the recommendation of a friend-- so now I'm sharing it with you. This place is tucked into a dusty little corner of "Cactus Alley," and has about 6-8 little tables for patrons. Whimsical menu descriptions and tasty food, great ambiance, and an intimate dining experience.
Review Source:
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