Manuela Tapas Restaurant - Köln

This is a great tapas restaurant where everything you an order is on display for you to pick and choose from, literally. You tell the waiter which ones you want, they spoon it out from a giant buffet style presentation, cook it if it needs to be, tell you to help yourself to a beer and then you can sit back and relax outside in the patio area. The prices are good and easy (4.50 Euros for any tapas plate), and the food is all delicious.

This place does great range of unhealthy tapas and decent wine. Especially good is the back terrace- weather allowing in Cologne. Service fast-ish. Cash only. Cosy but not comfy. Free parking if you are lucky.

Have been there on a weekday with my wife. we where seated at the place of our choice and where asked what we wanted to drink. when i asked for a menu, the waitress had to bring the owner as she did not understood my german. i am german born and raised. i learned that they dont have a drink menu. i learned they have only "housewife" or some argentinian wine, which sounded like its bad wine. if so, why its in stock ? we where explained that the concept of selling bevergaes is that we have to tell them what "type" of wine we want, red or white and they serve a bottle of house wine. NO information about what wine it is. grabe, origin, year, description of taste and especially price. all we hear is trust me, i would not have it if it was bad. We know wines very very well and have never exoerienced any concept like that. the owner made clear they explain it only one time as we where new and wont explain it again - as their costumers are "smart". we decieded to leave and i was lectured that i have not translate deverything right to my wife and that was wrong of me and it will be a huge loss not for me but for my wife. all in all the owner was extrem hectic, hard to understand, rude to the bone and insultive. when we left we heard her saying "in my pizzeria i can do it my way" and we thought we where in a tapas bar.... i suggest anyone to take a 2 min walk to the rathenauplatz. there is the "meister-gerhard" at the corner meister-gerhard-strasse. great tapas, always fresh as always full. fantastic wines to super fair prices. or try "cafe feynsinn" right across. great cuisine and great wine as well for great prices. in fact all around the rathenauplatz you find fantastic places and cannot go wrong nowhere. please spare yourself the expirience at "manuela" unless you want to be stressed and ripped over.....

Was in town for business and sought a place to eat. I passed by this place, it is tucked into a corner of a building. Most tables were reserved but since I was alone, they found me a spot. There was a boatload of tapas to choose from, every one I had was excellent. The waiter suggested one dish to me, I was skeptical since it seemed like just some tomato sauce and salmon. Wow was I wrong, it was fantastic. It seems to be a family operation. Prices are fine. Interesting beverage distribution. They give you a bottle of wine and leave it at the table. One pays depending on how much the drink (e.g. glass, 1/4, 1/2, etc.).

Authentic tapas bar. We have been coming to Manuela for years and are always enthusiastic. The quality of food and drinks is excellent The price/performance ratio is simple. The service is simple, but friendly. You should definitely reserve yourself and simply enjoy the southern mentality.