Mäni’s Bakery & Cafe

Mäni’s was way better than Black Cat!!! RIP Mäni! Black Cat is very limited!

LOVED place on Fairfax cant wait to try new location!

MANI’S ON FAIRFAX IS NOW CLOSED.
They’ve moved to Maple and it’s not the same restaurant it used to be.
The pastries at their old location were DELICIOUS and the ambience was comfortable & warm. Service was smile-​y and everything about the place just made you feel cozy & welcome.
The new Mani’s wants to be trendy, upscale & hip. We’ll see how it goes, but I’ve already got a sinking feeling.

I was really looking forward to trying Mani’s for several reasons:
1) It’s SUPER CLOSE to my new place
2) It’s low-​key and a nice change from the usual Blue Jam, BLD, and/​or Toast
3) The menu was super «me» meaning I loved the little vegan/​vegetarian/​healthy conscious symbols :)
4) It was the last day before it moved to Beverly Hills
5) Umm, 20% off if you mention Unilocal?HELL YEAH!
So my two girlfriends and I jumped in our cars and headed over Sunday morning. Be careful because signage is small and it’s pretty unassuming so you gotta really rely on the numbers here.
We sat outside to soak up the sun and indulge in our Sunday chatter. Our server was sweet but sadly, very inefficient. Perhaps it was the fact that he had to man the whole outside «patio» area by himself but he not only messed up my order but the table behind us as well.
We had the following:
+Acai Bowl (SOOOO excited to get this in LA. Delicious and the granola was scrumptious, pumpkin seeds and all!)
+Morning 2fer: Instead of pancakes, my friend had toast (they were very open to substitution) and the turkey ham with scrambled eggs. Classic so no big wows here.
+Breakfast The Way You Want It: As suspected, this was my order. I had poached eggs (which he got WRONG and had to take back) with wheat toast and a side of fruit.
In addition, I ordered a SMALL carrot and apple juice. He even clarified small and I said yes. Lo and behold when the bill came he charged me for a large and when we brought this to his attention, his answer was, «Your juice only comes in large so we had to charge large.» Why didn’t you bring this to my attention then?! Sure, I would’ve said okay but it’s a little shady to charge your customer for something they didn’t expect. And then while the Unilocal discount wasn’t literally 20% off, he just charged $ 9 per plate which was still awesome.
I’m glad I got to try this place but it failed to deliver on all my reasons for coming in the first place… Moving to BH? Maybe I’ll swing by but we shall see…

When we lived in West Hollywood we would have breakfast here a couple of times a month and always had a good experience. The food is great and the servers have always been friendly and I never felt rushed or ignored.
I don’t make it there very often anymore but when I do I still love it.
I’m sad that they’re moving to Beverly Hills. I try to avoid Beverly Hills at all times and this area of Fairfax really needs more restaurants, away from 3^rd st and the Grove.

First off, let me tell you how hard it it to find a good place to work/​study in LA: REALLY difficult. Then, it’s near impossible to find a good place to work that also has delicious food. Mäni’s is the exception! With wi-​fi, café tables, a friendly staff that let you hang out with your laptop for hours, AND fantastic, organic food, Mäni’s is definitely a winner as a healthy neighborhood restaurant that makes you feel comfortable and serves up healthy fare!
If you have a group of friends with diverse dietary needs, Mäni’s has healthy options for vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores. This dietary diversity is a rarity, and while I only had the vegan pesto wrap and baked fries, other patrons in the restaurant were vocalizing their love of Mäni’s food, too! It’s not a «scary» vegan place where you have to Google ingredients to now what you’re eating – it’s pure, healthy interpretations of classic recipes.
What also sets Mäni’s apart is that they don’t use all that fake vegan stuff: only natural sweeteners (the fruit juice reduction in the baked foods gives them an amazing fruity flavor!), all organic flour, and no artificial anything.
Highly recommended as a well-​priced spot for a to-​go or sit-​down lunch, a casual dinner with friends, or just for an amazing vegan chocolate dipped giant chocolate chip cookie!

OH my GAWD! if you’re looking for something healthy and satisfying check this place out, it is great!
Bring your VEGAN and VEGETARIAN friends they will love this place, if they don’t argue over who’s more pure. knock it out already guys.
Anyway, this place has nummies for everybody.
Had the yummy Club Sammich with Seitan and fake bacon it was really good. :D go try it, it is yummy. Baked fries offered too. :D Great Veggie options. :D
Yes they carry meat.
They have Vegan sweets too, so bring your friends!
prices are decent. Staff is really nice. :)
There is outdoor seating available so you can feel special and seen for eating there. lol. But good food, good prices. :D Great place.
check it!

The service was slow and spotty as the waiter forgot to bring us the dersert menu and the food took a long time to arrive. The food was delicious, organic, healthy, and very vegan friendly. A great place for brunch.

We first ventured out to Mani’s to have breakfast with my vegan cousin. What a find! Many options on the menu can be made vegetarian, vegan, or neither, depending on what symbol is next to the item on the menu.
The first time I went, I found something good, and I’ve been back several times more only to have the exact same thing. I like to get the huevos rancheros with a side of fruit (instead of potatoes). Their ranchero sauce isn’t so authentic, but it’s flavorful, fresh, not greasy, and totally addictive.
The quality of service depends on the server, but ranges from meh to good. I’ve had better luck with servers on the weekends.

This is definitely a great Healthy Boy Pick.
I discovered Mani’s a couple of weeks ago and glad that I did. Their whole concept is whole, organic food cooked well. Its located in a cool quiet spot on fairfax below 5^th, attracts a funky health conscious crowd and does a killer all day breakfast.
Healthy Boy picks include:
Huevos over Blackstones: Poached egg whites over black bean and quinoa cakes, with spinach and huevos sauce. Absolutely amazing. The combination of the sauce and the cakes just blows you away. So healthy and good for you. I had to go back for brunch the following week and have this again.
Quinoa and Kale Salad with Grilled Chicken: Super healthy and comes in a HUGE salad bowl. I think the portion may just be a little too big as I barely finished it and I am normally still hungry after my meals. There is a lot of quinoa and kale, so if you are not a fan of those, this isn’t for you. Great salad and dressing. My only gripe is the chicken was a little dry.
They also have a huge selection of healthy baked goods such as muffins and cookies. I haven’t tried it yet, but apparently their chili is to die for.
Try it out.
Healthy Boy

My bandmate mentioned that I had to check out Mäni’s Bakery if I were ever in the area, and of course we had a gig at Molly Malone’s which is on the same street as Mäni’s.
Food is amazing! They have many options for vegetarians and vegans, as well as for those that eat anything. They have a great breakfast selection, and I ordered a breakfast sandwich for dinner. Rosemary sourdough, ham, scrambled eggs (however they will prepare it however you’d like), tomato, cheese. Wonderful and delicious.
I also had an açaí smoothie which was very good. They fresh blend all their natural fruits and ingredients right in front of you. Because they don’t add any extra sweeteners it’s not sugary but very good for you and they around ~$ 6 each.
Service was a bit slow as when I went there was only one server, busboy, and guy behind the counter making smoothies. However they will still very friendly and got us anything we asked for.
They also have an impressive dessert selection, however I was too full to try all their delicious looking desserts and bakery items. Hopefully I can try them next time when I’m in the area.

Breakfast all day long, generous lunch specials, yummy baked goods, and WiFi.
Parking is okay around here, but they ticket generously, so watch your meter.
Pretty laid– back atmosphere. They are best for salads and sandwiches. Most things are very healthy, with many vegan and gluten-​free items. The half-​portion salad with a side of veggies is plenty big.
My only beef with the place is that service is a bit rushed. They are friendly, but you can tell they are very anxious to turn the tables. They constantly ask if you want anything. Overall better atmosphere than a StarBeans, but maybe not the best option for a long work session around lunchtime.

Holy fruit juice sweetened gluten-​free happiness, Batman! I’d been disinterested in Mani’s in the past b/​c I’d only heard they focused on vegan goodies, which are often ridiculously high in sugar, margarine, and soy– I didn’t realize they had an entire selection of alternative/​healthier baked goods.
On the pricey side, no doubt, but soooo worth it. Nothing says, «I love to love you,» like sharing a huge chocolate ganache-​filled heart-​shaped cookie sandwich on a brick step on a Sunday afternoon.

Very good breakfast which, if you get there before 11am, is a very good deal, too. $ 9 for anything on their breakfast menu.
I like the BreakStones or BlackStones: Poached eggwhites sitting quinoa and blackbean cakes (tastes great, sounds weird), sitting atop of steamed spinach. I like the Ranchero sauce on the side, but I like everything on the side. (well, when I’m eating anyway).
If you’re there for lunch, the burgers are tasty and juicy and fresh and also a good deal. None of the $ 15 burger B.S. And your choice of regular FF, or sweet potato fries are a nice dilemma to contemplate: I like em both.
Their salads are filled with healthy things, yet, they still taste really good. The soups, on the couple times I’ve imbibed, have always been winning. And then there’s the desserts: Many are great, a couple are not for me. They don’t use regular ol sugar, so some things taste a little, uh, different. But, I’ve liked a couple of their cakes, and some of their muffins: I like the HiProtein muffin — –has lots of seeds and nuts and whole grains. I have gotten appetizers from Mani’s to go. And been very happy.
I have meant to talk about Mani’s for awhile. And, to be honest, I once had a problem there with crappy-​assed service. I brought it up in a respectful manner and things turned out better. Plus, the next couple times I’ve visited, I’ve had zero complaints. Well, maybe one. It’s a little tight inside so you sit close to a gabby couple who’s private lives are too loud and unsavory for your own taste. And sometimes it does break the otherwise tranquil environs where you had juuuuust got on a roll with your writing. On the other hand, Mani’s is a great place to catchup with an old friend.
One last nice thing about Mani’s: Free WiFi and in the back off Maryland is their parking lot. It’s a unique tasty place worth visiting.

I do not like them here or there
I do not like them anywhere
Yuck!
I just had the worst breakfast this morning at Mani’s. I decided to give them another try because after my last visit and Unilocal,the manager emailed asking me to try them again. So I did.
So many things were bad — — First, when I arrived at 7:52 I was told by their RUDE counter person that they weren’t yet serving breakfast. Huh? «Then what are you serving??» «Coffee, pastries and juice only.» «Well then when do you start serving breakfast?» «At 8 am?» Are you kidding me? A couple walked in 3 minutes after me and were told the same thing I was told (these people walked in at 7:55). They ordered coffee and left!
So fine, I get some coffee and I wait 8 minutes for breakfast. The waitress shows up at 8:04 and takes my order. «Yes, I would like the 2 Fer please — and can you make that vegan?» «I’m sorry no, the pancakes are not vegan.» Damn! I really wanted pancakes for breakfast… So fine. «I’ll have the Breakfast the Way You Want It made vegan.»
My food arrives about 10 minutes later and it is barely warm. I need hot food people! I start eating anyway because by this time I’ve decided that I am just going to eat, leave and never come back. Well the food is totally BLEH. The tofu scramble is bad, the tempeh bacon is not crispy at all, the toast is okay, but the spread that was brought for the toast is bitter.
Now the whole time I’m there, the staff is setting up. They are wrapping up silverware (loudly), bringing out the umbrellas for the outside tables, making coffee, etc. Now why wasn’t all of this done BEFORE they opened?
I’m done.

Huevos over Black Stones= BEST BREAKFAST EVER!
nice location, cutesy place, awesome food!

If you’re the kind of person who has to watch what they eat because you have to (bubble kids, unite) then consider Mani’s your epicurean haven. It’s vegan friendly, gluten free and their pastries are baked sans refined sugar. It’s not exactly on the «cheap» side but conscious cooking comes with a price. But for those like myself, shelling out a couple of extra of bucks is worth it. Plus, the brightly colored walls and intimate, benched spaces make it a great place to read/​write/​sip coffee/​catch up with friends. Eating outside is great for people watching too.
I REALLY want to give Mani’s four stars but I can’t shake off their biggest downfall: their service. It’s inconsistent. (So there’s hope for improvement?) For every great trip (ie., server was attentive, food arrived in a timely manner) there were two or three experiences that were just subpar. Orders were mixed up and/​or forgotten. Or it took forever to get the check. But overall, staff is friendly, nice and approachable.
Apparently, Mani has something that keeps me coming back for more. Maybe it’s their proximity to LACMA. Maybe. Or it just might be their Strawberry Mint Lemonade.

There’s Denny’s, there’s IHop… There’s Norm’s, and in every other city there’s a Coco’s.
They’re okay, I suppose…
– But then there’s Mani’s — one small step up in price, one giant leap for yumkind.
Believe.
Mani’s is the perfect little neighborhood restaurant to eat at when you don’t want to dress up to go out, but are also too lazy to crack open your fridge and cook your own meals.
– At the same time, there’s something so elegant in eating a Mani’s three egg omelet with a bran muffin and fresh squeezed orange juice, while wearing Crocs and a trucker hat. Elegant, at least, for your tummy, if not so classy on the wardrobe front.
Portions are large, yummy, and on par with Canter’s Delicatessen, price-​wise. A million times better than Dupar’s.
Service is sweet and familiar, in a way that makes you want to come back again for lunch and dinner (this time, in your shiny going-​out Crocs).
You’ll find plenty of choices to subsidize your gluttony at Mani’s, whether you’re vegan, lactose intolerant, on a salt or sugar free diet (you’ve got guts, honey), or are an unrepentant carnivore who wants to tear into a roast beef sandwich like a culinary Tyrannosarus Rex.
Cobb salad at Mani’s somehow tastes like a treat.
Yum. So yum…
The inside is cute and cozy, but the real fun is sitting outside. Other customers’ puppies will walk up to you and sniff your legs as if they know you.
Oops!
Bits of food keep falling off my plate, and some young lady’s chihuahua keeps having to pick up after me.
I don’t think he minds working on Sunday.
– and neither does your server!
Tip accordingly, sweetness.

Is there anything better than weekend brunch? Doesn’t matter the time, whether you’re an «early bird gets the worm» type or a «man I’m hungover and there’s no way I’m getting out of bed before noon (or later)» kind of individual. Personally? I’m a ‘tweener. I’ve been known (on occasion) to actually be up early to go and do something outdoors, although I’m also famous for my renowned spontaneous hibernation capabilities.
Anyways, what does that have to do with Mani’s? Ummm. Uhhh… Hmm. Nothing I guess. Live with it.
So Mani’s. Went on Saturday for a late brunch, around 1pm. Nice little place, not much ambiance, but even at the breakfast/​brunch/​lunch rush hour we had our choice of outside tables on one of our beautiful eighty-​degree Los Angelino summer days. Since she was «starving,» my girlfriend ordered a blueberry muffin from the counter. You see, when we came in it looked like the order and seat yourself type of joint, which (our bad!) it wasn’t. So the guy was looking at her like she was nuts. We were ordering our whole meals, so he cut us off and said to sit and a waitress will come around. My girl still wanted her muffin though… so despite a weird look he gave it to us.
The muffin was okay… made well, with nice consistency, but it was a little lacking in the sweetness department. Luckily for us, it had a lot of blueberries in it, but they tended towards the tart side of the spectrum, so all in all it wasn’t quite all there, at least not for a $ 3 blueberry muffin (if ya know what I’m sayin… we are in a recession people…).
The waitress came around, and was very friendly. We ordered the rest of our meals, and waited… and waited… and waited… where was the food? After awhile the waitress approached us and kindly explained that one of the two cooks had just walked out, and that they really appreciated our patience since they only had one cook taking care of the whole restaurant. No problem, it’s cool…
So we finally got our food. My girlfriend went for the eggs benedict ($ 12, her all-​time favorite). Mani’s offers most of their dishes for meat-​eaters or for vegans, although my girl opted for the «turkey ham» for us sinful non-​vegans. It was cooked properly, and all of the ingredients were quality, but the «hollandaise» sauce was more like melted butter. I enjoyed it, but then again I don’t really like hollandaise sauce… she was a little bit disappointed (and she is definitely the expert on such matters).
I, being the ultimate fan of breakfast burritos, ordered the breakfast wrap ($ 10). The flavors were whatever, nothing standoutish. Eggs, black beans, guacamole, spinach, mushrooms, garlic, cilantro, turkey ham, pico de gallo AND ranchero sauce. How was it lacking in flavor, you ask? I have no idea, but it was.
The espresso was okay, nothing to write home about, but I’ve definitely had worse.
Oh and the crowd. Your typical weekend grove/​hollywood adjacent crowd… showy and wearing their Kanye glasses, tramp stamps abounded, and girls wearing workout outfits even though you could tell that they hadn’t been to the gym in at least a few years. Trendy? I guess… I’m not up-​to-​date on my fashion tips, so maybe you guys can tell me.
One last thing to mention: their pies and pastries looked fantastic… it is a bakery, after all. I wanted a piece of pie, but — get this — $ 8 per slice, $ 34 a pie. I said no on principal. Besides, my girl can COOK.
All in all, I’ll go 3 stars. The ingredients were 4 stars, the preparation was 3 stars, the flavors were 2 stars. The muffin was meh. The service was fine, the cars going down Fairfax were loud, but I dug that I didn’t have to wait… I don’t do lines. No stars discounted for the wait for the food because of the cook quitting… these things happen. Would I go back? Hmm, probably not; for those prices, I know of quite a few breakfast joints that I prefer.

I’ll have the Quinoa Salad add chicken please… uh huh… yes, thank you.
Food arrives…
First, I dig into the kale and dried cherries, then I just mix it all up and shovel it down; with no guilt!
Love their philosophy here. Everything is healthful, unique and delightful, and I can always count on quality.
So glad this place is right by my house.
And now for dessert…