Manny's Steakhouse — Restaurant in Vallejo

Decided to give this local spot a try and it became a study in "if it can go wrong-it will" the owners wife was taking the orders over the phone but was in a rush to take my order and be done,this was the reason everything else went south..I had my order written down in front of me and attempted to convey exactly what we wanted but she wasn't listening..just kept saying what's next?..uhhhh,ok...anywaaaay..we go to pick up our order and it's not quite ready (no problem,we'll stand by)...ok,your order is ready and she is putting the last small carton of salad in the bad..I look at her,she looks at me,I said we ordered Cesar salads..she replied this is a Cesar salad cause it has Cesar dressing...noooo,a Cesar is basically greens,cheese,croutons and Cesar dressing..not raisins and assorted other items..(I was polite throughout this whole transaction )..she took the three "house" salads out to remake them,and this time they were correct (things happen,no problem)..so,home we go to enjoy a nice dinner..we get home and begin to disperse the items we ordered when we open the steak fries first..of course she didn't listen when I said no onions/green onions/guacamole...soooooo,back in the car we go to exchange these for what I originally ordered..we hadn't been gone for more than 10 mins when we walked back in with the bag and she asks if we are eating in or taking out..again,I look at her bewildered wondering how she forgot us so quickly,but no matter, I explain that the steak fries are wrong,she starts to get a little "miffed" and has a quiet conversation with the line cook..he did the right thing by moving her out of the conversation and asking me how I wanted them prepared.." just fries,steak and cheese please"...he prepared it and she put them in the bag and out to the car we go again..guess I should have kept my mouth shut and not jinxed the whole thing by telling my wife jokingly "watch,they're wrong again" and we laughed..until we decided to check..yep...wrong...fries,steak and no cheese...really !!! Back in we go..now employees are really wondering what's happening (even caught manny's attention) ...again...line cook asking how we wanted them prepared....I said just add cheese so I can get home and eat before the rest of our meal gets cold..he added cheese and finally we can go eat..as we were leaving Manny introduced himself and the motioned to the woman who took our order as his wife....nice guy....finally home to enjoy our meal annnnnnddd...yep...the steaks we're missing the whiskey peppercorn sauce that we were charged extra for !!!!....we looked at each other and debated weither we should go back AGAIN for this..keep in mind this meal wasn't cheap (122.00 plus we gave 15%tip on a take out order)...we finally shook our heads and decided to make the best of what we have.....would've given this place 5 stars as the food was delicious and the steaks we're cooked...

Hmmmm....I am very confused by the reviews compared to my experience last night.

Atmosphere - This place is dated. The entrance was like entering a bus depot. No pictures on the wall and the clock on the wall needed the time changed 3 months ago. The music was gaudy and playing too loud. At best this is a high-priced cafeteria.

Service - Had a reservation. Not once were we met with a smile or an inviting welcome. We were sat next to the kitchen, where every staff member had to pass in and out of the kitchen, and all patron from the back room had to pass 3/4 of the table to enter and exit the restaurant. When I asked for a different table the hostess’s response was "no". I then told her the foot traffic and noise were unacceptable and to get me a manager. Table was moved. Waitress was a bit friendlier, but the service and food are subpar when the average plate is $50 (would have been more if drinks and desert were served). The was no water or bread served on the table, even with soup and salad for 2 entrée and a salad purchase.

Food - Drinks, started and entree were ordered. Margarita was served in a glass so small I would almost define it as a shot glass, with no lime. When asked for limes, nothing was ever returned to the table. After 1 drink, no one asked to get more drinks to the table nor did they serve water. The calamari required 2 orders for 4 people. It was rubbery at best and served with wilted lettuce, and 2 plastic dipping containers. I recommend the Dead Fish or Bella Sienna as the Calamari it is crispy and served with fried artichoke and green beans. The 2 pasta dishes were Cajun Fettuccini with shrimp (2 shrimp and noodles) and Pesto Steak Fettuccini (small steak on noodles) and were NOT served with soup or salad, so we purchased. The Sea Bass was inedible as it was grossly over salted. When I advised the server, she did absolutely nothing. Ribeye was okay but thin, cooked well but nothing special. Desert was never offered.

I have given them 2 stars as the food was edible, at best. I am disappointed as I try to stay local and support my community. With the move to the water front, I will be surprised if they stay in business. There are other more developed restaurants and Steakhouses in the area I would recommend, and advise a hard pass for Manny’s Steakhouse.

Needless to say, we will not be returning to...

This was our first time visiting, since they moved to this new location. Compared to their last location, this spot is by far a huge upgrade. They've only been here for just over a month, so I'm sure they will begin to pack it in. The space is the building where The Front Room used to be, right on the waterfront. The crowd was pretty light. A full bar is available if that's what you like. Our seats were at a window, with views of the Mare island straights and the old shipyard. We started with the calamari, which I forgot to take a picture of. It was enjoyable. Not the best I've had, and definitely not the worst. My wife had the surf n turf. Filet mignon and lobster tail with mashed potatoes. She said her meal was just ok. The salad that came with it, she absolutely loved. She said the cranberries that came on the salad put it through the roof. I startes with a cup of clam chowder. It was ok, but not the best I've had. I guess im spoiled with the chowder from Splash Cafe in Pismo. I then had the ribeye with double roasted veggies. It was tasty, but unfortunately, a little overcooked from what I ordered. The first time I ate at Manny's, the ribeye blew my socks off. The last two times....so so. The second time, my ribeye was very undercooked. This third time, a little overcooked. Yes, I've been to Manny's three times, and have only ordered the ribeye. Don't judge me. Hahaha Well, on a positive note, our server was very friendly and attentive to us. The time it took us to get our food was a tad bit on the slow side. It was early in the day, and they weren't that busy, so I don't know what was going on there. All in all, the ambiance was nice, the location in good, and the service was good. I haven't been scared away yet. I'll still come back sometime in the future, and try...