Had a lovely brunch in the courtyard, sweet corn fritters with bacon, poached egg, avo and rocket, 2 big fritters and plenty of bacon, poached egg perfect. Try the Bloody Mary it was spicy with plenty of flavour. Super friendly staff!
Benjamin B.
Place rating: 3 Sydney, Australia
Deffo one of the cooler spots in Manly, but the problem is all of Manly seems to know it. At least, they do whenever I go, because they all pack in like sardines. With that said, it’s always hella fun. And way too cool for school, think pretty blondes with salt-bleached hair, dudes in topknots playing guitars, bartenders with scoop neck t-shirts so low and short they’re basically pecs-out crop tops, passionfruit martinis with a free shot of champagne kicker, and everyone getting happily, pleasantly drunk. Summer drunk, the best kind of drunk. If you can swing it, get one of the tables outside on the Corso for some prime time people-watching.
Renee M.
Place rating: 4 Danville, CA
Great little place. We are into delicious food and non touristy spots, while traveling the globe. This little restaurant was exactly what we were looking for. Filled with cute Australians meeting up after work. Great vibe! The spicy shrimp pizza was fabulous, almost as delicious as the homemade eggplant dip and prawn salad! The selection of beer offered is ample. The list of cocktails goes on and on. I tried something with kiwi and vodka and it was actually very tasty and refreshing. We visited on a Friday night and were seated next to the live music. This guitar playing singer was top notch! Loved his choice of music as well as the fact that he was playing and singing at the perfect volume to allow patrons to carry on their conversations. The outdoor dining looked very cool and fun! This is a lovely place!
Juliana B.
Place rating: 4 Cambridge, United Kingdom
Popped into this cute bar randomly not knowing anything about it and after about two minutes I couldn’t figure out why I’d never been before. Deceptively spacious with carefully chosen décor, and a bar which hosts a wide selection of nice drinkables, the atmosphere was perfect for a chilled impromptu dinner whilst also maintaining the right ambience for that ‘special occasion’ feeling. We shared a few tapas plates, and honestly I wanted to try everything on the menu. My previous experience with tapas consists of one meal of rubbery, overly salted garlic prawns drowning in a sludge of butter, and some garlic rice; Not worth a second try. I’m happy to say ‘in situ’ has changed my mind about tapas. We had: Zuchinni flowers lightly and crisply fried with a creamy goats cheese stuffing; Perfectly cooked Haloumi with succulent roasted grape tomatos; Juicy and delectable salt and pepper squid(void of that rubbery texture which so often accompanies this dish when overcooked) with aioli which provided a necessary balance to the heat of the seasoning; And my favourite, A creamy tuna and avocado cevice with a red mango garnish to cut through the smooth flavours of the avocado and tuna, to leave a sweet tang. A nice glass of sparkling made this meal complete, and the last great touch was the music. One man and a guitar, singing soulful and superbly crafted covers of a variety of songs. Worth going just for him; Hein Cooper. I’ll be keeping my ears pricked for more from this talent. Can’t wait to go again.
Andrew T.
Place rating: 3 Atlanta, GA
Has lunch here with my family after surfing at Manly Beach. Very tasty food and good service. Innovative sandwiches etc. Based on the reviews I definitely want to try it for breakfast.
Anthony L.
Place rating: 4 Upper West Side, Manhattan, NY
Food is great. Good value tapas. Portion sizes are good. Atmosphere is always very chilled. Love coming here. Live music at the front. Only let down is staff can sometimes be a bit odd. A bit hit and miss sometimes… really friendly or at other times too cool to be serving paying customers. Salt and pepper squid and zucchini flowers are must haves.
Val B.
Place rating: 4 Sydney, Australia
Amazing food. I even stopped on my way out once to compliment the chef. After trying a couple of other Tapas restaurants in Manly my boyfriend and I love to returned to In Situ, we just know the food will be delicious. It’s becoming one of our favourite place to eat. but…I do find the staff a bit rude at time. Especially when they fuss trying to close the big heavy glass door. If you are sitting next to this door you feel obliged to get up and help them closing it. Salt and pepper squid is superb!
Cri C.
Place rating: 4 Toronto, Canada
Good breakfast, good lunch, good dinner, good coffee, good cocktails, good tapas, good atmosphere. The big breakfast is certainly big, I struggled to eat it. The coffee is pretty decent and the service is acceptable. My favourite cocktails are the lychee martini, expresso martini and Edie Segwick(amazing). The bartenders look happy and are a whiz with cocktails(except one who makes everything taste like lemon). They are all males too, and typically nice to look at ;) This place has a good vibe and nice lighting, it is very versatile and good for all times of the day. The owners are young and have definitely tapped into a niche in Manly… this place has been going strong for a few years now. At night it can be a bit crowded and a bit noisy(especially if live music is on). I’m happier if I can get a seat but it isn’t always possible. My main dislike is having to use the DISGUSTING toilets out the back that are shared between 4 or 5 businesses. And also the fact they changed their arancini balls so they aren’t vegetarian anymore(major disappointment). This is good for a Friday, Saturday or Sunday eve. You feel like you are in a happening kind of place. I’m always sorry at closing time(when the clock strikes midnight).
Joseph D.
Place rating: 3 San Diego, CA
Solid brunch. Both the big breakfast and the in situ eggs were yummy, as were the drinks(coffee and chai latte). The service was fairly atrocious though, our waiter forgot about our table a couple of times. We use 2 stars to say a place a average so three means we liked it.
Atari A.
Place rating: 3 Vancouver, Canada
ill start by saying nothing in Australia deserves 4 stars let alone 5. This country lacks very hard when it comes to service based economy. that said, this place is giving it a good shot. The servers are friendly, and attentive. I really love the vegetarian options on the menu which can be very very hard to find in Australia. I have yet to try breakfast there. Again, what would make this a better dining experience is if they offered complete the whole cheque paying at the table from the server.
Marlena C.
Place rating: 4 San Francisco, CA
This was a great little place for a post-beach drink before boarding the ferry home. It’s definitely a place for cocktails and has a gorgeous little bar.
Sally R.
Place rating: 4 Sydney, Australia
Quite simply the best thing about in situ is its versatility — I’m impressed by the number of ways the restaurant/bar/café can reinvent itself. Let’s start on a lazy weekend morning. Opening at 9.30, in situ provides its customers with delicious breakfast options. As is often the case, the menu is so full of tempting things that I can’t even begin to choose. I get Eggs Benedict and a cappacino and am incredibly satisfied with my choice, although the assortment of pastries and baked goods under the glass are also looking good. Our large group sits under the trees outside and enjoy accommodating service and yummy breakfasts — the ideal start to a weekend! Fast forward to a week day afternoon; getting a coffee with a friend, grabbing a late lunch, whatever you please — in situ turns it on again. The coffee is great tasting, the service friendly and the quietness of the restaurant amazing. I spend an afternoon in an armchair with my laptop and a coffee, and feel thoroughly rested for it. Fast forward again, and it’s Saturday night. You’d like to go out for dinner to somewhere with candles and trees, somewhere with great food and live music? Then in situ comes through again; on Saturday nights, the venue hires two beautiful men to play guitars for the diners and the revelers who come later. A nice crowd of young professionals, in situ on Saturday nights is the ideal place to catch up with your girlfriends over cocktails, or grab a nice meal and a bottle of wine with your family.