Manolito — Restaurant in New Orleans

Fantastic bar and restaurant in the Quarter. One of my top 5 in New Orleans (there's an absurd amount of competition; that's a good problem), which includes Latitude 29, Cain and Table, Couvant (which I hope to god reopens), and Bombay Club. Jewel of the South is up there too!

Food-wise, the chickpeas are addictive, and just thinking about the arepas makes me drool. It's all great!

Drink-wise, the Papa Doble should have songs written about it. The Floridita is also amazing, which should be expected from a recipe originating at the bar where Hemingway drank 17 double daiquiris in one sitting.

Occasionally there is an somewhat dim customer that can't figure out what bar they're in, but that's to be expected in the Quarter at times. While I was incredibly disappointed that there wasn't an imaginary happy hour that lasted all night, and that the whole drink list from Latitude 29 wasn't available, I managed to somehow survive on the actual drinks and fantastically tasty food menu that Manolito serves. The good thing is that I, plus my friends and family, know where to find Manolito, know what they serve and when they serve it, and that I tell everyone I know about the place.

While I don't live in New Orleans any more, I make it a point to go to Manolito whenever I'm in town and it has always been intensely good. I'll be there for Halloween '21 and I look forward to hopefully chatting with Nick or Chris at either Jewel...

Rating: 1 star because it can't be zero (unauthentic food, disrespectful staff)

I wanted to like Manolito, as it has a nice vibe with a quaint, lively atmosphere and a charming building with a lovely backyard. The cocktails were good, and the place has potential, but unfortunately, that's where the positives end.

The food was just okay—not spectacular at all, and definitely not authentic Cuban. There were very few Cuban dishes on the menu, and the only hint of Cuban influence seemed to be in the cocktails. However, the main reason I’m leaving a 2-star review is the service, which was incredibly disappointing.

I asked for mojo (the classic Cuban garlic sauce), which is a staple of Cuban cuisine, and the waiter brought me some sort of mayo or aioli. Thinking it was a misunderstanding, I went to the front of the house to ask again for mojo, explaining that it’s a garlic, citrus, and oil sauce. They looked at me like I was speaking another language and said they didn’t know what I was talking about. Worse, I overheard them making fun of me, claiming that mojo is Mexican and mocking me behind my back. It was incredibly rude and made me feel unwelcome.

It’s one thing to have a limited menu, but pretending to be a Cuban restaurant while offering little to no authentic Cuban food and then treating customers with disrespect is unacceptable. I won’t be coming back and definitely wouldn’t recommend this...

I can't decide if I liked the food or drinks better, both 5 stars. I was in New Orleans for 4 nights, on a solo trip from near Chicago, and I had dinner here twice. I ate at the bar both times with Conrad bartending and serving at the bar. For food I had pretty much the same both nights; Croquetas with Mojo Aioli and then the Lechon Asado con Arepas. They were both fantastic, and you may want to have some extra aioli. For drinks I had the Floridita Daiquiri and the Daquiri #2, both were really refreshing and SOOO GOOD. I'm usually a Captain and coke guy, but I wanted a proper Cuba Libre, and let me tell you Conrad's was the best I've had, better than anything in Miami or Puerto Rico. I've had frozen drinks before, but the ones that Conrad was making at Manolito were great. He gave me some great suggestions on some rums to buy when I got home. My 2nd night in he gave me a little taste of a rum that I wish I remembered what it was. Manolito is small, and when I was there the heat index was well over 100. The restaurant may be a little warm inside, but DON'T LET THIS TURN YOU AWAY!!! You won't regret it. Conrad makes some damn good drinks (best of my trip), and seems to really enjoy his craft which is cool to watch and hear about so grab a seat at the bar. The food was amazing and the next time I'm in town I'll be back. In the meantime...