#63 - Manny Brown's - Sandy's synopsis

Manny Brown's is a pub I would never have walked into if it wasn't for the blog. As I think about that statement more, there are very few places on this end of South Street that I would go into if it wasn't for the blog. I have walked by Manny Brown's a multitude of times and never really had the desire to check it out. Not that it looks awful or anything, but that it looks ordinary and unassuming - sort of like a dive but not quite. I assumed the beer selection would be drab and the food drabber.

Well, let me tell you that my insistence on avoiding Manny Brown's was misguided. It is an unassuming, ordinary bar but it has a great beer selection at affordable prices. The food is standard but delicious and very affordable. 

The interior of the bar is pretty dimly lit with signed dollar bills stuck to most of the open surfaces. If you can look past all the bills you can discern features like bull horns (pictured below). This gave me the suspicion that the theme of the bar was a tex-mex saloon...joint. A buffalo "bill" type place if you will.

An additional perk, especially in summer, is their open door policy. By that I mean that they open their large front door/window things so it almost seems like you're sitting outside.

It was indeed 40 cent wings on this Monday but the deal starts at 8pm and we were in for an early dinner. So we forsook the wings for some beer and other grub. 

They have about 16 beers on tap ranging from Kenzinger to Bear Republic. They also have atleast one cider on tap and Crabbies Ginger beer in bottles (for the gluten conscious folk). Speaking of which, they have a well stocked bottle selection. They don't have a website but if you are looking for their latest tap and bottle list and daily specials, their Facebook page is the place to go. 

I ordered a Flying Fish Farmhouse ale on their happy hour price, while perusing their large and rather eclectic menu for food. They offer standard bar fare (fried food, nachos etc) to BBQ fare like Short ribs. They also have a pizza section where the pizza is made using two flour tortillas. Yes, that is what I ordered - a ground beef and veggie tortilla pizza. Oh and the tater tots with bacon. How could I forget the tater tots with bacon. And cheese. Tater tots, bacon and cheese.

They were both simple but delicious and really hit the spot. The tortilla "crust" was essentially two flour tortillas with lots of cheese in between them. The veggies on the pizza were fresh and the dish came together surprisingly well. The portions were so big I had leftovers of both dishes for a couple of days. In case you are wondering, the tortilla pizza re-heats well - especially in a toaster oven.

So we spent our time relaxing with great weather, beer and food vowing to come back to this place that is gentle on our wallets while being delicious in our tummys. (My entire bill was around $20 for 2 beers and 2 food items that lasted me 3 meals total). We intend on keeping our vow, maybe for the wings next time. 

Manny Brown's

512 South Street

Philadelphia 19147

215-627-7427

#63 Manny Brown's - Sam's synopsis

Manny Brown's is another anomaly on this part of South Street. It seems like it should be a bro-y bar overrun with your New Jersey weekend warriors, but it wasn't. I guess going on a Monday evening might have contributed to that, but the overall atmosphere of the bar was very laid-back and friendly. The staff was nice, there were some obvious regulars getting their post-work fix, and the windows were open to the street, making it perfect for people watching and weather enjoying.

Sandya and I arrived for a pre-quizzo dinner and managed to get there in time for happy hour. I ordered probably the only beer on the list that wasn't on special for happy hour, but y'know, gotta get those badges on Untappd. The draft list was a nice mix of local breweries and some around-the-US winners - I started with an Allagash Curieux and my second beer was the Chillwave DIPA from Great Lakes. All in all, very pleased with the draft and bottle selection, and the price for beer was among the lowest I've seen at bars in awhile. Definitely a major plus for this place.

They had french onion soup on the menu, so I had to order it as an "appetizer." For the main meal, I went with a chicken caesar wrap (fries replaced with salad this time around), something I haven't ordered in a long time but was really craving for some reason. Actually, this is not unlike the meals I would eat every Sunday in high school when I worked at a local restaurant - a restaurant that ended up becoming terrible for many reasons, but still had the best french onion soup I've ever tasted.While we were sitting around waiting for our food, we noticed that the restaurant space is a lot bigger than we thought and that they hosted quizzo on Wednesdays. Sandya and I agreed that Manny Brown's reminded us a lot of Tangier in a good way, and seeing that they had quizzo brought a little pang to our hearts. If only they had it on our usual Monday nights, it would be perfect...

Anyways, our food arrived promptly and the correct temperature. The french onion soup, while still not beating my old pal at the Beehive, had a very savory broth and a nice balance of cheese, bread and onions. The wrap had the proper ratio of dressing to filling and was also full of fresh ingredients. The side salad had non-crappy romaine and a nice mix of vegetables - I always appreciate it when places use chopped tomatoes instead of cherry/grape tomatoes in their side salads. I ordered caesar dressing, because when the waitress asked me what kind I wanted I thought she was referring to the dressing in the wrap, which was fine; but in reality I would have preferred some variety. Again, I was pleasantly surprised at the pricing of the menu - lots of great dishes for cheap prices.

Overall, I would definitely return to Manny Brown's. They have a great beer list, lots more food I want to try, awesome prices and a great atmosphere. Who knows, maybe we will venture out on a Wednesday and check out the quizzo scene.

Manny Brown's
512 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 627-7427