La Vina - Manchester

Our first visit to La Vina was a disappointing one. We were asked to wait at the bar until our table was ready, but ended up waiting for a long time. Despite seeing our table empty, no one came to seat us. Eventually, my husband had to ask the staff if we could sit down. We waited at our table for a waitress to take our drink and food order, but no one seemed interested in serving us. Three staff members stood at the desk chatting instead. In the end, we decided to leave. I explained to the staff why we were leaving, but they didn't seem to care. Overall, it was a very disappointing experience.

My partner and I visited the restaurant on Saturday and we had a wonderful meal in a pleasant atmosphere. We would like to give a big thank you to our lovely server (the young lady with red hair) who made our anniversary very special, even though we didn't catch her name.

This restaurant used to be known for its excellent tapas, but not anymore. I went with a friend as a special treat before a concert and we ordered 6 tapas, 1 small glass of wine, and 1 sangria... all for a total of £74!! We couldn't even finish half of it. The food was disgusting – the prawns were drowning in garlic, which I could still taste 4 hours later. The patatas bravas seemed to have been cooked in old, rancid oil. The calamari was chewy and greasy. The sangria tasted like carbonated dishwater. When the waiter asked if we enjoyed our meal (even though the leftover food and drinks already provided the answer), I honestly told him we hadn't, but no discount or apology was offered. Save your money and don't bother dining here.

The food was excellent, the service was exceptional. The waiter was very attentive. We arrived early and were seated straightaway. They brought the food quickly, it was beautifully presented and very tasty.

This used to be one of the best tapas places in Manchester. What has happened? Menu is dreadful. Ordered the lemon chicken main for it to come like a deep fried chippy chicken. Portions extremely small paid over £5 for 4 mushrooms on a cube of toast. Restaurant has heaters on but it is absolutely freezing. Best thing we ordered was the fries. Definitely dodge this place it has taken a serious nose dive.