Nick's Manhattan Beach

Nick's Manhattan Beach Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: Nick's Manhattan Beach features a contemporary, stylish design with rich woods and warm brown tones. In the dining room there are booths as well as banquette seating opposite comfortable chairs. Diners can watch the chefs at work through the glassed-in kitchen. The bar is long with a few tables around it and a TV tuned into sports. There's also a covered patio open to the lively Metlox plaza. (At lunchtime, it's busy with families playing in the modern fountain.)

Food & Drinks: You can't go wrong starting off with the very tasty kale and quinoa salad or the pan-seared California ahi with baby greens, shishito peppers, soy beans, mango, carrots, Japanese cucumber and cilantro Asian vinaigrette. Chunky, made-to-order quacamole and flavorful (but not too spicy) pico de gallo are among the accompaniments that come with the La Hacienda Taco Platter, which can ordered with grilled chicken, marinated rib-eye or blackened seabass. Other signature dishes include Asian chicken and noodle salad, prime rib dip sandwich, a classic cheeseburger and San Francisco cioppino. Tip: Be sure to order the warm butter cake when ordering your main courses. It's a generous portion that begs to be shared. Dishes come out of the kitchen a bit on the slow side, but we appreciate the warm and attentive service executed by a staff that works well together as a team. Nick's also has outposts in Laguna Beach, San Clemente and Long Beach.