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Manhattan of La Jolla, San Diego, CA

Manhattan of La Jolla

4.7
4.7
1784 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian
7766 Fay Ave, San Diego, CA 92037

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 23 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Romantic
  • Charming
Manhattan of La Jolla transports you to the best of New York via the cozy, upscale village of La Jolla. Located in the Empress Hotel on Fay Avenue, it is an elegant, casual and classy place where you would expect to see Old Blue Eyes or Danny Ocean romancing a beautiful woman while she sips her Cosmo over dinner. With quality Italian charm, Manhattan offers classic cocktails that get you into that New York swing--and the entrees are as good as it gets. Liberal olive oil, garlic, lemon and pepper complement the Zagat Award winning veal chop, steaks and seafood. Signature scampi, classic cannelloni, pasta al dente, and other succulent dishes, plus professional service and decor make this a terrific spot for a romantic dinner or mixing business and pleasure. Manhattan in La Jolla gets you the best of both worlds. Manhattan is an award winning La Jolla favorite, celebrating its 36th year.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Steak, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    Please call for details. The Garden Room at Manhattan seats up to 60 people. Manhattan of La Jolla can seat up to 120 and can be bought out for the evening.
  • Neighborhood
    La Jolla
  • Cross street
    Silverado Street
  • Parking details
    We offer curb side valet parking or you may self park on street. Valet is offered by The Empress Hotel.
  • Entertainment
    We offer live music 6 DAYS A WEEK! Our Schedule is Tuesday through Sunday. Tuesday evenings Edward Gabrielyan is playing from 6:00 to 8:15. Wednesday evenings Mikan Zlatkovich’s Jazz Trio will perform 6:00-9:00pm. Thursday evening 6:00-9:00 world-class entertainer Tad Sisler will be performing. Friday and Saturday Tad Sisler will continue with outstanding vocals plus excellent musicianship on piano and keyboards from 7:00-10:00pm. Sunday Mike Wofford will be jazzing up the evening on the piano from 6:00-8:15. Additionally, the first Sunday of every month Mike Wofford and Holly Hofmann will have a Jazz Quartet 6:00 to 8:15.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,784 people are saying

Manhattan of La Jolla reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    Romantic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Manhattan of La Jolla offers an elegant dining experience with "outstanding service and atmosphere." Guests rave about its "great food" and "amazing old school ambiance." The live music, including a "captivating Jazz Band," adds to the charm, making it perfect for special occasions. The tableside Caesar salad is a highlight.
1,784 Reviews
  1. Pat VIP

    San Diego17 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This year we decided to do something different - Easter dinner instead of brunch. We decided to go to Manhattan as there are not that many old school (in a good way) places where you can get a great steak in La Jolla. We always have excellent cocktails and a fabulous meal at Manhattan. The service is always exceptional. Well worth the change, and just might be our new tradition! Thank you Manhattan for doing it well!

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  2. Alana

    San Francisco7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Truly one of the best—a local hidden gem in La Jolla. Always delicious food, the best service allowing you to take your time and really enjoy the whole dining experience. This place makes me feel like dinner is the main event! A wonderful and delicious way to spend an evening.

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  3. Matt

    San Diego2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service, food, and drinks. Great atmosphere.

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  4. Sandy VIP

    San Diego32 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service and food are always excellent, but the music provided by Holly Hofmann, Mike Wofford, Rob Thorsen and Richard Sellers is what makes the evening so spectacular! Be sure to come on the first Sunday of the month to enjoy them…though they do have wonderful music on other evenings as well.

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  5. Carol VIP

    San Diego229 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on April 6, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Our first time at Manhattan of LaJolla. The entertainment was the best - the piano player was wonderful and he played the entire three hours we were there! The food was ok - the tableside made Caesar salad was very good - the dressing was light and flavorful. My fettuccini was just ok - didn't have alot of flavor actually. Could have used more garlic and perhaps some herbs to enrich the flavor. My husband said the same thing about his pasta with clams - a bit bland. One of our friends had the chicken piccata and she enjoyed it. Her husband had a pasta dish with red sauce and shrimp - he thought it could have had a little more zip to it. The desserts were really disappointing though- the tiramisu was wet and mushy - not good at all. The cheesecake was very dense and hard to cut into. We would definitely pass on dessert next time.

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  6. Brad

    San Diego8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love this place. A great dining experience ! Worth the price.

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  7. Joan VIP

    San Diego57 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Tried the cioppino for the first time and loved it. Now it will have to compete with my other favorites like lobster ravioli. This restaurant is a gem! Outstanding service and atmosphere.

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  8. Paul VIP

    Denver23 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 29, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a Great venue! Food was Fabulous, Service Good and Atmosphere was all it advertised to be!

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  9. Stephen VIP

    San Diego25 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 28, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    The waitstaff is typically excellent. However last night the woman assigned to our table was completely incompetent. She was not able to stand still long enough to receive our orders as evidenced by our having to return each entree. Manhattan would be best served by allowing her to find employment elsewhere.

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  10. Joe VIP

    Phoenix11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always the BEST service, food and great piano player to boot.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Manhattan of La Jolla does offer delivery in partnership with Postmates. Manhattan of La Jolla also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (858) 459-0700.

Manhattan of La Jolla is rated 4.7 stars by 1784 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. La Jolla

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 23 times today
Google Map for Manhattan of La Jolla

7766 Fay Ave, San Diego, CA 92037

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Silverado Street
  • Neighborhood
    La Jolla
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Steak, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    We offer curb side valet parking or you may self park on street. Valet is offered by The Empress Hotel.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Entertainment
    We offer live music 6 DAYS A WEEK! Our Schedule is Tuesday through Sunday. Tuesday evenings Edward Gabrielyan is playing from 6:00 to 8:15. Wednesday evenings Mikan Zlatkovich’s Jazz Trio will perform 6:00-9:00pm. Thursday evening 6:00-9:00 world-class entertainer Tad Sisler will be performing. Friday and Saturday Tad Sisler will continue with outstanding vocals plus excellent musicianship on piano and keyboards from 7:00-10:00pm. Sunday Mike Wofford will be jazzing up the evening on the piano from 6:00-8:15. Additionally, the first Sunday of every month Mike Wofford and Holly Hofmann will have a Jazz Quartet 6:00 to 8:15.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    Please call for details. The Garden Room at Manhattan seats up to 60 people. Manhattan of La Jolla can seat up to 120 and can be bought out for the evening.
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