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
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