Seaside Grill & Bar — Restaurant in Manilva

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 We’re on the penultimate day of our holiday, and naturally, a bit of melancholy has started to settle in. Since my partner is expecting, we alternate between active and relaxing days. Today was a relaxing one, so we came down to Playa de las Arenas. After the beach, red as lobsters, we headed up to the Seaside Grill and Bar.

If you’re still in your beach outfit, just throw on a T-shirt quickly and you’re good to go — shouldn’t be a major technical challenge for anyone. Once inside, there are two areas: the “winter” section with comfy chairs, and the area near the beach with plastic seating — but those who choose the latter will find the view makes up for everything.

Food: We tried swordfish for the first time in our lives. It wasn’t exactly love at first bite, but it was well-prepared, and the portion was decent. Desserts were a bit average, drinks were nicely chilled.

Service: A solid five stars. The girls at the front speak perfect English, and the bartender is fast and efficient. We waited around 15 minutes for the swordfish, and even though my partner is the kind of true woman who takes her time choosing, there was no issue at all.

In the background, Cuban music was playing — perfect to accompany my cigar, which I could enjoy in the outdoor seating area (of course, only after I politely asked the people around us if it would bother them). Unfortunately, they didn’t have a cigar ashtray, but the experience was still perfect.

You can hear the waves crashing, Cuban rhythms in the air, the staff buzzing around, the sun is shining, the food is good (though not exceptional), and prices are mid-range — which is a good thing. And the coffee? Surprisingly good by Spanish standards.

This place is just right for us, and if we return in August, I’ll write about what it’s like when the place is full of tourists.

🇪🇸 Estamos en el penúltimo día de nuestras vacaciones, y como era de esperar, ya me invade un poco la melancolía. Como mi pareja está embarazada, alternamos días activos con días tranquilos. Hoy tocaba relajarse, así que bajamos a Playa de las Arenas. Después de un buen rato de playa, rojos como cangrejos, subimos al Seaside Grill and Bar.

Si estás en ropa de playa, solo ponte una camiseta rápidamente y ya puedes entrar — no debería ser un gran reto técnico para nadie. Al entrar, hay dos zonas: una “de invierno” con sillas cómodas, y otra junto a la playa con sillas de plástico, pero quienes eligen esta última tienen como recompensa una vista que lo compensa todo.

Comida: Probamos pez espada por primera vez en nuestras vidas. No nos enamoró, pero estaba bien preparado y la porción fue generosa. Los postres algo mediocres, pero las bebidas estaban bien frías.

Servicio: Cinco estrellas sin duda. Las chicas en la entrada hablan un inglés perfecto y el camarero detrás de la barra se mueve rápido como debe ser. Esperamos unos 15 minutos por el pez espada, y a pesar de que mi pareja es una mujer de verdad y le cuesta decidirse, no hubo ningún problema.

De fondo, música cubana — perfecta para acompañar mi puro, que pude fumar en la terraza exterior (claro, después de preguntar educadamente a quienes nos rodeaban si les molestaba). Lamentablemente no tenían cenicero para puros, pero aun así la experiencia fue excelente.

Escuchas el sonido del mar, la música cubana, las chicas moviéndose por todo el local, el sol brilla, la comida es buena (aunque no espectacular), y los precios son razonables — lo cual es genial. ¿Y el café? Bastante bueno para lo que se acostumbra en España.

Este es nuestro sitio. Y si volvemos en agosto, escribiré cómo es cuando el lugar está lleno...

Beautiful Views, Shame About the Rest

There’s no denying that this establishment boasts one of the most breathtaking coastal views in the area, with the added bonus of easy access and generous parking — something not to be taken for granted! Unfortunately, it seems they rest a little too comfortably on that advantage.

We've dined here several times, perhaps hoping it might improve with time. The food has consistently been average at best, with our most recent visit featuring fried fish in batter so hard it could have been used as a paperweight. Service varies — and not in a good way. One waitress appears perpetually burdened by the presence of customers, while a waiter seems to think placing plates gently is optional, practically hurling them onto the table.

In short: go for the view, stay for a drink, and consider heading...

We have been told to check it out. Today a sunny Sunday afternoon! Was somewhat busy, mainly outside seating. The atmosphere is a definite hit!!! Our service compared to what some reviewers experienced was very nice and we had two different servers and both get high marks. The food was good for the price. I enjoyed my fish and chips in particular the fish since it was a solid filet with a nice light batter. May e a little more salt and it would have been even better. My wife had the ribs. Portion size was good, being from the US with pork ribs you want the BBQ sauce all over the ribs and dripping of your fingers. So my recommendation would be for the owner to provide a little container with extra sauce for customers who want it. Then it would be a home run!!! I will definitely be back just for the atmosphere and try something...