Manicomio

The fairly positive reviews encouraged us to try it on a Thursday evening but it's disappointing. Very little atmosphere, harried and aloof staff, small portions of food and seriously high pricing. Didn't impress us or our guest.

Came here for drinks in the bar and ended up staying for dinner as it was such a nice place to be! Enjoyed the most spanking fresh monkfish and broccoli, with some very good wine. The upstairs round bar area is particularly nice, with its view down Gutter Lane. A great place for a post-work dinner.

Overpriced and over confident. £23.75 for ‘grilled leg of lamb’ which was actually 6 small pieces on a bed of peas and broad beans was not good lunch value. Also, when calling to confirm the booking I asked to move the reservation for two from 1pm to 12.30 but was told they were ‘absolutely completely booked’ – of course, the room was about 1/3 full during our sitting. And when waiting at the bar downstairs for my colleague to arrive, I sat there for ten minutes without anyone offering to take my drink order. I heard this restaurant had some coverage on Masterchef – perhaps its all gone to their head.

I used Manicomio this year for our AGM and we were so pleased with our choice, we booked for 40 and everything went to plan, amazing service, amazing food and drink and what a great building. Our guests were from the US and EU and each one thanked us for a great meal.
Jason the manager looked after us from start to finish and every wish was catered for, I would recommend this for hiring our part or the whole building or just a dinner for two, the name Gutter Lane also gave us a giggle, but it is far from in the name it is based in! Go try it, you will be so pleased you did.
We had a bean and meat salad to start, black faced lamb for mains, and icecream and berries for dessert plus lots of wine which really complemented the meal.

As a restaurant booker for a number of partners and fee earners, Manicomio is consistently rated as the place to take clients because of the quality of service and food. It is reliably good which means you can trust this restaurant to make a good impression when you need it to.

As you approach the very square and sleek jet black building at the end of Gutter lane, you can't help but think what lies inside has got to be something special. After all, you have three attempts to enjoy the contents of the building with a ground floor brasserie, first floor main restuarant and top floor cocktail bar.

The occasion was a business lunch with a group of eight so impressions were important, including mine. Service started and ended with genuine smiles of chesire cat proportions from our waiter and his colleague who also pitched in and it's good to see good old upselling (especially the special of the day) being a golden rule here.

Food was remarkably well cooked and presented with a mix of authentic Italian influence and modern inspiration, which creates a rich synergy between both the architecture and food. The seabream tartare and array of fresh vegetables was a delightful starter and did an excellent job of wetting the appetite without quite over filling it. For the main I opted for the special of the day along with a fellow diner – cod with crushed potatoes and garlic parsley sauce, with some spinach thrown in for good measure. My initial worry was that the fillet though beautifully cooked, was slightly on the small side but after getting through a few tender and succulent morsels I realised it was just the right size (typical case of eyes being bigger than the stomach).

Though almost full to the brim it would have been a huge injustice to ignore the tempting dishes on the dessert menu – there is something for everyone here. My favourite, a light but perfectly formed passionfruit and apricot cheesecake. The perfect sweet ending to the meal. Seems an all rounder, perfect for power breakfasts, business lunches and relaxed dinners. A must see.

Light & airy venue but heavyweight prices e.g. £28 for a monkfish & prawn kebab with some rocket – add some potatoes & vegetables & you're looking at close to £40 for an OK but not exceptional main course. Somewhat restricted menu.

Great place for lunch, either downstairs in the bar area or, more formally, upstairs in te bright restaurant. There is also another floor above with a further bar where you can enjoy a few drinks or cocktails midday or evening. Really high quality Italian dishes and delicious cold cuts served in an appetising way. There is always a really lively atmosphere and teh service is generally very good.