Mano Cornuto

R

2.0

This was going to be my very first ever one star review but the service & service recovery earned it a second star. We had high expectations from google reviews but everything fell apart after the appetizers & our Christmas dinner was sadly ruined.

All three pastas were beyond disappointing. As an aubergine lover, I went straight for the Rigatoni alla Norma ($27) but after the first excited taste then a second suspicious taste, I was immediately certain that I wasn't going to have a third bite. The sauce was bland, basically canned tomato paste, & the cubed aubergine stew was overcooked, uninviting & had a hint of staleness.

We had encouraged our guest of honour to order the day's pasta special - Linguini Carbonara ($27) because well who can spoil carbonara. Sadly, it was ruined. The chef had charred the pancetta to such an incredibly sad state that its bitterness had infused into the oil. Attempting but failing to create a sense of richness, this same bitter, pungent oil was poured over the linguini as its base sauce (with hardly a hint of egg), creating a dish of intensely bitter simply inedible pasta. I looked back to see if it was a mistake arising from a busy kitchen but it wasn't busy so this big mistake was to me not evidently unintentional.

The Fiorentini alla Bolognese ($25) was the best of all three pastas. It was at this juncture that my friend stopped me & said'it's not the best, it's just the least bad of them three'. Enough said. & as the host of this Christmas dinner, my evening came crashing down.

Despite the above, as I had previously mentioned, the service was faultless. Drinks were topped up quickly; the waitress was amiable, efficient & made us feel right at home despite the very loud music. Without our asking, she also apologetically removed two basically untouched pastas from our bill & comp'd our espressos. None of this was her fault so she was ultimately rewarded with a 50% gratuity on a $140 bill.

My final thoughts. Disappointment with a capital D. Prices are high for what this place is but these are all stated on the menu so it's fair game for all. Make sure to ask for prices of the daily specials though as those are not stated anywhere otherwise you may be rudely surprised by the $150 beef special of the day.

If you were to drop by for a simple evening of light drinks & appetizers to share, I would say that Mano Cornuto could be a happy choice as the Caesar Salad ($17), Piatto Antipasto ($17) & Burrata ($20) were delightful. But sadly that's where it ends. The kitchen seems to be good at putting ingredients together (ie. plating appetizers) but anything that requires cooking & true culinary skill, it fails at miserably, well at least for that evening, at our table.

Firas

5.0

Service is friendly, everyone is nice. It was really refreshing. The food was even better; the pasta well al dente, caesar salad that's actually good, wide selection of drinks. Will be coming back to try the whole menu!

Sacha

3.0

3.7/5 for me. Mano Cornuto is a great place, don't get me wrong. But, I think it was over hyped by social media. I was looking foward to try this place but, it was a bit underwhelming. Pasta was slighty better than most places, but it was missing salt & was not al dente - sauce was okay. The foccacia was good & the drinks were really good. Again, it's a good place to try, specially for a date or a night with coleagues. Service was amazing too. But for the main courses, i was disappointed (specially because i had high expectations). Maybe it was a one time thing.

Dylan

5.0

Enjoyed sitting out on their patio. Food & drinks were good & service was great!

Benjamin

5.0

Great spot for lunch - we stopped on a Monday for a quick lunch & had the crudo, cichetti & olives for appetizers with 2 drinks. Everything was excellent, fresh & arrived rapidly. We then shared a schiacciate (sandwich with focaccia-like bread) & a ceasar salad. The sandwich was really good, although no life-changing. They had their own spin on the ceasar, with a sweeter dressing than what I'm used to.
Service is A+
Total was 100$ + tip for 3 appetizers, 2 mains & 2 drinks.
Only downside is that is was 35+ outside & there is no AC (although it's probably worse for people working in the kitchen)

Grace

3.0

Good vibes for drinks. Not worth it for dinner, portions are small so don't go if ur hungry

Eric

5.0

Excellent food, & largely thanks to the server's suggestion. Friendly staff overall & well prepared menu - both food & drink. Burrata was exceptional! We also loved the special that day - a seafood linguini in a lobster bisque base.

Sandra

5.0

Such an Italian gem in the heart of Griffintown! Great food & drinks. Will definitely go back!

Peter

5.0

Went in for drinks & was delightfully surprised at the friendly service, kitchen/bar & atmosphere. Snacked on the crudo off the late night menu & had cocktails made to order. Going back for dinner 100%

J

5.0

Limited seating makes reservations a good idea. The vibe leans more to a bar feel, & it is a little noisy. Wide selection of drinks. The food is excellent. I had the mushroom fettuccine, & my companion had the spaghetti bolognese. The staff is bilingual, & the service is very good. I will return anytime I am in town.