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Mon-Sat. 5:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
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We came here using our groupon last night and all day I was debating on what to order. Corned beef sandwich, the Reuben, and Matzo ball soup. I didn't want to be too gluttonous but how does one decide? Well, when we arrived, viola! Soup and 1/2 a sandwich deal for $10.95! How perfect! I couldn't get the half Reuben but beggars can't be choosers. I got my matzo ball soup and a half corned beef and pastrami sandwich. Everything was delicious. The hubs got the Reuben with a potato pancake which I ate since he was full. I ate some of the meat that fell out of the sandwich and it was tasty. The soup, the potato pancake, the two pickle slices and I was full! I brought my sandwich for lunch today and am already wanting to taste it. Can't it be lunch now?!
Using the coupon we had, we ended up paying almost $10 out of pocket but we did get a $5 coupon to use on another visit! Can't wait to go back and get that Reuben. Or the lox plate.
Manny's is not in a neighborhood I venture to often, but when I had an audition scheduled nearby, a friend suggested that we meet here for dinner. I was told that Obama loves his place, and that people rave about the Matzo ball soup. I'm game for pretty much anything (as long as it doesn't involve red meat, fish, pork, mushrooms, or onions--that's a short list, right?), so off we went.
The matzo ball soup was, indeed, tasty. The toppings on the turkey sandwich I ordered were piled very high. I believe I also got a piece of pie or pudding or something like that. Overall, I'd say the experience was akin to eating really good, rather expensive, hospital cafeteria food.
How have I not written a review about Manny's? Seriously?
I love this place.
Sometimes I find myself so seriously jonesing for this place it is absolutely ridiculous.
I don't even know where to begin...
To me, Manny's is a Chicago institution. To me, the usual is corned beef and a potato pancake, but don't let that deter you from ordering their other deliciously cooked and lovingly sliced meats. Yep, I said it. I used those words when referring to meat. And what? This food will guarantee to fill you up, and probably a hearty lunch the next day too. Don't expect fancy combination or exotic ingredients... that's not what Manny's it about. There is REAL beef in the beef stew... cooked with BEEF stock, with carrots, celery, and potato. That's it... nothing that you can't pronounce or need a special pig to dig out of a tree.
Manny's... serious food for serious eaters.
So why not be review 199 for the famous Manny's Deli. Went to the circus on Saturday with a large group and we decided to sneak over to Manny's for a quick lunch after the show. I was surprised to see it packed at 2 PM but goes to show how popular it is. Had my usual of corned beef sandwich + matzo ball soup potato pancake. The sandwiches are outstanding - loaded with meat. The soup is always hit or miss. This was a hit day, but have had misses in the past (my parents had the mushroom barley and said it was excellent). The potato pancake are always crisp and tasty. As a bonus, Eli's was set up giving away free slices of cheesecake. I normally run in to take stuff home on my way home from work and will continue to do so.
This review will serve as your road map for your trip to Manny's. First of all, park in the free lot if you can to avoid paying Da Mare's de facto tax, i.e. the pay box. Then, make sure you have a bit of money in your pocket before you enter Manny's.
When you enter, grab a tray, silverware and a napkin. Lay said tray on the metal bars and proceed straight past the dinner selections to the Matzo ball soup. Place your order for the Matzo ball soup at this time, and then proceed to the corned beef guy with the 'stache at the slicer.
The guy with the 'stache at the slicer is an icon. He will give you a hard time. He will pull your leg. He's a treasure and I think a veteran, so smile and order your corned beef on onion roll with a couple of potato pancakes. Banter with him a bit if you dare. Then move on with your tray down the line and grab a Green River. You are now ready to move to your table. No, you won't pay right now. You'll get a receipt. On to the formica and the huge meal.
You'll find there's enough corned beef for two sandwiches. You'll probably remove some of it to make it easier to eat the sandwich. If you can finish it all, as well as the potato pancakes and soup, you are a hero.
Afterwards, you'll saunter towards the door, fuller than you've ever been, and pay the damages. Yes, it's going to cost you a bit of money. But it's worth it. This is the best corned beef sandwich in the city. But you can only eat here twice a year at the most. Otherwise, you'll find yourself going out to buy new pants with a larger waist size. It's that good.
I highly recommend Manny's, especially for a hungry Saturday morning/afternoon. Definitely something every Chicagoan should experience at least once. You will know why this city is referred to as the City of Broad Shoulders after eating here.
Manny's. After all this time. Finally. I mean, it's not like I'm the queen of deli meats. It's only been about four years since my first pastrami on rye and this visit was the first corned beef sandwich I've ever eaten. But I gotta say, I'm glad I don't get a hankerin' for Manny's daily because I'd eventually be found dead on the floor of a serious myocardial infarction of the nth degree, or, drowned in a tub of that glorious horseradish mustard. I can't decide...
Split between two of us with two drinks, one corned beef on rye, a potato pancake and a slice of cherry pie came to a hootin' $21. I was a bit floored at that cost, but for something you do pretty rarely I guess it's worth it given that it's a classic establishment and all.
Much as I try to be post-hype, sometimes I fall for the very marketing ploys that I profess to know and avoid following. Case in point: the Manny's Groupon. I was relatively new on that site at the time, but I figured there was something very unique about a Groupon with a 2,000 person cap. And one that started its own thread on Yelp (post-hype just became postmodern) to boot. So I bought one.
The Groupon was $10 for $25 worth of food. I thought at the time that was a good deal. I thought that would probably feed two people. Little did I know that basically all the Groupon did was take an average dinner cost at Manny's and bring it down to "in this economy..." levels. Manny's is EXPENSIVE (an average deli sandwich is around $12.00)! Having not checked the prices I fell for the hype.
The Groupon was also good for dinner only. I thought at the time that wasn't going to be a herbivore's dilemma. Having, again, not checked the menu I didn't realize the entire set of mains on the dinner menu is meat based (the lunch menu is much more vegetarian friendly). Having not checked the choices I fell for the hype.
In short, my ignorance on Manny's knew no bounds.
Thankfully, however, it extended so far that I also didn't realize it was entirely possible to make a meal out of sides. From the "side" of filling, tasty macaroni and cheese to the hearty and large vegetarian vegetable soup with kosher rye for dipping, Manny's is a cafeteria heaven (with large portion dished out by their counter workers). Even the deserts were too good to pass up. Their caramel cake was to die for! In fact, I ate so much good food (actually passing my $25 of prepaid sustenance), I thought I just might!
Service is a little pushy, hovering and clearing plates as quickly as possible (this place is busy, busy, busy so it's understandable). But it's still a good place to actually enjoy a sit down meal despite being a cafeteria. Staff from the nearby hospital seem to flock here to cool down after work. And I can't blame them. A Guinness tallboy here to wash down my insane amount of food was only $3! Yes, you can buy canned alcohol with your food making it an amazing Friday after work wind down spot.
That is if you work in the West Loop or University Village - this place is close to nothing.
Still it lives up to most of the hype. If there's ever another Groupon for Manny's, I will fall for the hype all over again (even knowing its shortcomings).
HUGE sandwiches
You can order half a sandwich-this is a better idea unless you plan to share or to take half home.
The corned beef and pastrami sandwiches are to die for.
Try the matzo ball soup with half a sandwich. I do not care for the potato pancake, usually I find it greasy and cold.
You order along a counter and then carry your tray to a table to eat.
It's delightful.
Always reliable.
This is my deli of choice. Corned beef sandwich, piled high (on rye) with a potato pancake and a pickle. Can't pass a lunch like this, with such awesome corned beef. A bowl of matzo ball soup, which admittedly was too salty, but delicious. The day I went was free Eli's cheesecake slice day, and since there's no saying no, it just make the meal complete. Cafeteria style food of high and pure deli quality.
Manny's, located in the south loop, is a great place to grab a sandwich if you work in the area. It reminds me of a good version of a school cafeteria. Grab a tray, and work your way down the line! You can choose from delicous pot roast (mmm), sandwiches, cakes, fruits, and other goodies. Their deli meat is fresh and savory, and the portions are big. The sandwiches here are definitely the highlight, but other foods are good as well. I took a star off, because I just can't justify the $11.00+ price tag on my sandwich though :(
Manny's offers the perfect way to support America's cattle industry and cardiac doctors. Overflowing corned beef, pastrami and brisket sandwiches were the norm during my recent lunchtime visit. As I felt compelled to support America's cattlemen, and to a lesser extent the medical profession, I ordered the pastrami on rye. I was happy to see that my 2 pounds of succulent meat were pretty lean - the last thing that I wanted to do was be encumbered by fat. I was hungry and nothing but peppery beef, rye bread, and mustard would satiate me.
Although the sandwich was good, the potato pancake that I also got was a greasy disc of mediocrity. I can only hope that my experience was an aberration, and that their other side dishes are better.
Manny's holds a very special place in my heart. My family and I have been going way out of our way to visit Manny's during the holidays for many years now. With good reason.
If you want a great hot meal and don't give a hoot about "ambiance" or any of that garbage, go to Manny's. The corned beef is outstanding, only trumped by the pastrami sandwich (in my oh so humble opinion). The potato pancakes are always fresh and crispy. Also try the beef stew on a cold day, it's sublime.
The crowning glory is the spaghetti. I believe it's only served on Saturday (I may be wrong), but it is incredible. The sauce is better than my mom's homemade sauce, but don't tell her that. It's sweet, rich, and has just enough meat to do the job right.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Somuchfood. I will only eat once today as a result of going to Manny's. When I stepped up and ordered a portion of BBQ Beef, the guy behind the counter could barely hold in his joy as he handed me a water buffalo-sized portion. "Hope you're hungry", he said. Oh, and it came with mashed potatoes, bread, and a side of vegetables.
However, it was pretty darn good. My girlfriend got herself the beef stew, which came with golf ball sized chunks of potato, beef, and various vegetables mixed in...and it was delicious.
On my next visit, I'm going to have to try their famous sandwiches, as they state that they have gluten-free bread (Huzzah!) and they look equally obscene. The menu is fairly deep, and I'm confident that I wouldn't have a problem finding something good there...and I'm sure I'd never leave hungry.
If you have had the Pastrami sandwich from here and are also a huge fan of Chris Farley you will know what I mean when I say that I could not get Chris Farley singing "Fat guy in a little coat..." out of my head while looking at my sandwich. My two little slices of rye bread were on my Pastrami like David Spade's tiny blue blazer on Farley's massive frame.
I want to give Manny's more stars but I can't because for only a few dollars more than my Pastrami sandwich I could have been eating the heaven sent Mango Mole and Pork over at Mixteco. I just don't think a sandwich + 1/2 sandwich and soup + two coffees should come to over $30 dollars. This place makes ANY other sandwich place seem cheap. I also wanted just a little more bread for my mountain of meat because the meat was amazing when tasted with the bread and without the bread it just tasted like heart attack. My matzo ball soup soup was good. I like that there are free coffee refills but after all that meat I couldn't even drink another cup of coffee.
My favorite thing about this place...the pickles!!! Do not eat so much that you have no room for your pickles. That would be insanity. I ate three pickles today and if I had a death wish I would have had four. Any place that gives you more than one huge pickle is tops in my book if they taste that good. Bonus points for the free parking in back, that's a rare treat in this city!
The corned beef sand which here is amazing. As it should be for 13bucks. But its not quite as great as a NY corned beef for sure.
The ambiance is terrible, it really is a cafeteria bright lights and all and the tables are old etc.
The potato pancakes were just fine. Nothing special. There are not many delis like this in Chicago so if you are craving a good corned beef its worth the trek (as it is not really near anything).
Manny's is not just a place to go eat, it's a place to experience.
First of all, it's set up cafeteria style (you get the feeling you're in 7th grade all over again, but in a good way). When you walk in, you get a tray and silver ware and then you can choose from a plethora of food. From cafeteria basics like spaghetti and meatballs and salisbury steak to deli staples like pastrami and chopped liver, they've got comfort food covered. But the item to get there is the corned beef on rye. It's sliced in front of you and then piled high on rye bread. I would recommend a potato pancake for the side (they give you a complimentary pickle with the sandwich) and I would recommend a Cel-Ray (a celery-flavored soda) to wash it all down with. They do serve beer there also. Expect to pay about $15 for a sandwich, potato pancake, and soda, but the the sandwich is large enough to eat half of it the next day. They have slices of pie and cake for dessert. At peak dining hours the lines are usually out the door but within about 10 minutes you're ordering your food. Also, there is free valet parking with at least a $10 purchase.
At Manny's you'll get to experience old Chicago with a mixing bowl of comfort food-craving patrons and leave satisfied and ready for more sooner than later.
Great food, marginal atmosphere, a Chicago institution.
It's cafeteria style with some serving pans behind the counter displaying food that is less than appetizing. And you have to watch the extras they offer - many of them have a charge attached when you pay. But many items are exceptional. They have great matzo ball soup. Awesome corned beef, served in huge portions. Potato pancakes that look marginal, but taste great. The cherry pie is good for a mass produced pie.
The great deal is a half sandwich and a bowl of soup. That half sandwich would be a large full-size sandwich elsewhere.
Coffee refills are free. The place has a casual diner atmosphere, but it's huge. You pay as you leave, from the check they gave you at the end of the food line. Manny's has free parking in back, and free valet parking most of the time. Can't beat that.
My memories of cafeterias mostly stem from my childhood; everyday it was russian roulette with the potentially spoiled chocolate milk, the suspicious chili and the swamp-like cole slaw. But like many of the things that haunted me as a child that have since reappeared in my adulthood, it's really not that bad.
See, Manny's is a cafeteria. You have the tray, the despondent and harried cooks putting food on a plate for you, but, it's for grown-ups. And while you can make a kid eat your crappy cooking, you certainly can't make an adult eat your crappy cooking and Manny's has that covered. We're talking top-notch food here. Even Obama comes here and one of the first things you see is a picture of the President chowing down on some stuff and they even went so far as to name a special after him.
Keep in mind, though, the prices here are kind of steep. The reuben is around $12 but piled high enough to double as a tribute to Mount Olympus. If you spoil yourself with fancy yuppie food that has complex sauces and hard to pronounce names then you might strike out here. This is Food, that is, food with a capital "F", not food with a lower case "f" and written in italics. Manny's is for people who like large portions of savory and like topping it off with traditional sweet.
If public school cafeterias were all like Manny's, we'd have an entire generation of Ditkas on our hands.
It's hard to elaborate on something that everyone knows all about, but Manny's is special because Manny's gives me enough pickles that I don't have to specify, demand, and downright beg for extra pickles. PICKLES dammit. I need them
The other night's visit really hit the spot as only a heart attack on a tray can. I felt a few palpitations, I won't lie. It was worth it.
Having been told I didn't want the roast beef sandwich (because they were out, so obviously it is good), I obediently ordered the corned beef sandwich on rye. Hello whole cow in my mouth. You used to be a cute animal friend. Now you are my dinner.
I also slurped down some matzo ball soup with a matzo ball that I'm sure was actually a schmaltz ball. I mean that in a good way. My matzo ball soup at home is pretty much just melted schmaltz with some chicken bits in it, so I can appreciate it.
This is what school lunch should have been like, but then again there's that whole childhood obesity problem in this country. Fat schmat.
I had been dying to try this place for the longest time. It's off the beaten path for a northsider such as myself. After many attempts to convince co-workers in to taking an extremely long lunch, success! Unfortunately for me I couldn't have been more let down.
I got the corned beef and although it was decent, it was nothing like the great delis in NYC, namely Carnegie/Stage/Katz. It's average, rather fatty corned beef, smaller than expected portions slapped on dry bread. I also had a potato pancake which i found quite dry as well.
If I were in the mood for a deli sammy, I'd skip this joint and head on over to Perry's.
Everyone has sung the praises of this wonderful place - so I will simply wax poetic about one of its offerings - the PHOSPHATE. You order it at the end of the cafeteria line. What is it? A very old-fashioned Midwestern favorite; basically pop that they carbonate in front of you (soda water + syrup). Sounds prosaic, but no -- the cherry phosphate is rich, liquid candy, not sickly-sweet but oh so RED in flavor -- they also have chocolate.
The pastrami and corn beef sandwiches here are amazing. It's a bit pricey but the amount of food they give you is overwhelming. The stack of meat they put on the bread..... incredible.
The food is delicious and the matzo ball soup is taste homemade.
A few weeks ago I had spent some time in NY and Katz's deli was recommended to me. I was skeptical but man, the pastrami sandwich was the best thing ever. I never knew two slices of bread, meat, and mustard could taste so good.
So coming back to Chicago I was craving a good deli sandwich. Heard about Manny's from yelp and friends so I went for Saturday brunch. It wasn't too crowded and the servers were friendly and polite even though I wasnt sure how the whole cafeteria worked. I saw a picture of a happy Obama eating the "presidential meal" so since I was feeling presidential I got that. Corned beef, potato pancake, and cherry pie. It was pretty good (tho expensive, $17 total) and I would go back again when I'm craving a good sandwich. Sorry to say though, definitely no Katz's...
Manny's has extended there hours and you can now enjoy a potato latke or some extra lean corned beef from 5 am - 8 pm, Monday through Saturday. I am proud to say that I have visited Manny's not once in the past week, but twice. How can I say "no" to a delicious, hearty and relatively inexpensive Saturday breakfast (with no wait thank you very much)? I can't.
This Chicago institution is no frills but what it lacks in decor it makes up for in people watching. This cafeteria/delicatessen is a must visit if you want to see a part of Chicago history.
If you want traditional Jewish deli food in the city...go to Manny's. Nothing beats it. I had just… Read more »
My favorite at Manny's is their pastrami sandwich on rye bread. It is salty and pastrami-y! You get a pile, and I mean a pile of pastrami in your sandwich. The potato pancake is yummy too! The caramel cake is a great topping to my already stuffed belly.
The price is kinda rediculous though. Dinner for my GF and I where we got 2 sandwiches, 2 soft drinks, 1 desert cake is $40 including a $5 tip. Come on? We're talking deli sandwiches... I'd eat here more often if it was cheaper. -1 star for the crazy price.
PS. Save your meter fees!!! They have a free parking lot in the back!!!
Today I visited Manny's for the first time and had their thursday daily special "Chicken Breast w/ Rice". Would I have ordered something different had I been there before....of course. I have to admit I was a bit overwhelmed with the large food selection so I panic!
It is a fairly large establishment with plenty of tables more then ready to accomodate large groups. The logo says it on the sign "cafeteria & delicatessen" and you are getting exactly that except this food is better then your highschool lunches. From moments glance I did see other people dining on meatloaf, beef stew, short ribs, knish, roast beef sandwiches and salads.
Once I finished my meal I was confused to where the garbage cans were....then it hit me, just get up and walk to the front of the restaurant and pay your bill. They have a very quick clean-up crew. I also like how they brand their image with stickers across all their pastries on they way out.
If you are an early bird they open at 5AM and serve breakfast. I also like the spend $10 or more here and you get FREE valet, or else they have a FREE open lot in the back.
I love you Manny, but fucking ass - I bought a (one, single) sandwich, a drink, some fruit and an extra latke the other day and it cost $25 motherloving dollars.
Got-daaaaaaaaaaamn. That is really unappetizing.
It was hella delicious and all, but seriously? Daaaaaaaaaaammmmn!
Okay, I am mad.
Mad, mad, mad at myself that I have lived in Chicago for years - YEARS - but I am…
Read more »
Here's another Chicago culinary landmark that I try to get to every few months, usually with my colleague Jeff. It's a nostalgic lunchtime: the matzo ball soup reminds Jeff of his grandfather (a German cook) and the whole atmosphere reminds me of the cafeterias I frequented as a child in 1950s Indianapolis. The sandwiches are phenomenal--mile high corned beef. I recommend splitting one sandwich (unless you're built like Dan Blocker) but be sure to use the table-top horseradish sparingly--hoo hah! The hot entrees are almost always well done (I found their corned beef hash to be dry but the lamb shanks are incredible). Too, you gotta love a place that still serves canned vanilla and chocolate pudding yin-yanged in little dessert bowls.
This is also a great melting pot--you find yourself surrounded by men in pinstripe suits and construction workers from nearby road crews, families with screaming kids and retirees that you know have been coming here since 1948.
For such an unpretentious, at times brusque dining experience, the free valet parking here is charmingly quirky. On our last visit, J. and I noted that the place was not as busy as it usually is. Nonetheless, I pulled up to the curb, tossed my keys to the valet, took my claim check, and went in for an hour or so of good food and talk. When J and I left, we discovered that the valet had parked my car literally one car length from where I left it on Jefferson. I thought it was a hoot.
We treated ourselves at the office on Tuesday, 8/4/09 (ordered it the day before and had it delivered).
All I can say is, "My corned beef sandwich was received as ordered (corned beef on dark rye bread, mustard on the side and extra pickles). I also ordered a side of chicken noodle soup which was tasty but not impressive.
My bill was $16 & some change. For me, due to the size of the sandwich, it did last 2 days, which is a plus due to $.
I don't eat corned beef that often, but I would say that if it wasn't for my love of mustard, I probably wouldn't be a corned beef eater. I don't know, my mom did cook it when I was a kid."
I know Manny's is a Chicago institution, but I wasn't too impressed. Yes, the food was good, but it was definitely too expensive to be a truly good deli. A sandwich should not cost $12 at a cafeteria-style deli in the middle of nowhere in the South Loop. Yes, the turkey pastrami was excellent (the rye bread, however, was soggy). The potato pancakes were sinfully delicious and deep fried. The pickles were yummy. I hear the brisket was also good, if a bit fatty. It was everything a good deli should be, except it left me $40 poorer. Yes, the cafeteria-style serving made me give into a few impulse buys on the way to the cash register, but sandwiches, in particular, should not be that expensive in the first place.
Though, I can't go to Katz's or Stage Deli in New York, I am grateful we have Manny's in Chicago.
Everything in this place is good. I recently had the roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and peas and carrots. Oh yeah, topped off with an onion roll. DEEE - licious! I was stuffed.
Every time I go there, I want to order everything. I LOVE the matzo ball soup, the potato latke, the desserts, the brisket, etc.
When I come to Manny's, it is one of the few restaurants where I don't care how much I've ordered or the calories. It's experiences like this where I simply appreciate the food. Waist-line be damned!
You can come here alone or with a friend. Either way, you won't do much talking because you'll be in food nirvana!
One of my suppliers at work took my co-worker and I out to lunch at Manny's, which is closeby their office and apparently one of Obama's favorite food destinations in Chicago!
The inside is just like a traditional American deli. Nothing too impressive, but long lines and lots of meat! Manny's is known for their corned beef sandwiches, so that's what I tried of course! Sorry, but like the deli itself, it was none too impressive. I couldn't figure out what makes it so popular! I really tried to give it a chance, even trying out their salad and soup, but it just didn't do anything for me. The meat was salty and too heavy. The meat portion they give you is probably 1.5x the size of the bun and I was sure it was clogging my arteries as I ate it!
So 3 stars to Manny's, but I probably won't go back again.
The groupon brought me here but the food will keep me going back! I love a good corned beef and I think I found the best. This even tops the $17.00 corned beef sandwich I had in NYC a few years back. Juicy, tender, melt in your mouth and full of flavor. MMM MMMM MMMM! I got the best ever potato pancake with my sandwich too!
Walking in was like stepping back in time. I love places that dont change and this is surely one of them. No frills, old fashioned font on the menu board which has probably served the same menu since my parents were born - nothing fancy and new (except for the foccacia) just good and simple home-style cooking.
Went here with my two friends from Hahvahd. For east-coast academic elite, they sure were excited for some good ol' working class pastrami and corned beef sandwiches. They also liked the fact that a fellow alum (Obama) had visited the place earlier.
While the sandwiches was dandy (flavorful and moist) and the place is brimming with nostalgia, I was overall not too impressed with Manny's. The food is overpriced, ($12 for a deli sandwich?) and the desserts made me frown.
If I'm ever in the area, I'll probably come back but don't think I'd go out of my way for this deli.
Walking into Manny's occasionally feels like time travel. Not only do the men behind the cafeteria counter bark at their customers with a friendly sort of intentional theatricality, but there are also very few places around the city where one can expect to find virtually every walk of Chicago life sitting down to enjoy a meal in the same place, if not together. Politicians, blue collar workers, business men in expensive suits who could easily afford to dine somewhere more extravagant, Latinos, Jews, Greeks, blacks, whites, city icons, families, couples, old timers, and riffraff alike all come to Manny's for lunch -- making the people dining at the diner as atmospheric as the diner's atmosphere itself.
Rarely, if ever, are they slow -- a reality well catalogued and proudly advertised on the restaurant's walls through various news clippings, praise-filled reviews, cultural accolades, and magazine features. (Perhaps most recently notable was then-President-elect Barack Obama's post-election lunchtime visit.)
Upon your inaugural visit, it will become quickly evident that over time, Manny's has become much more than a "traditional" or "classic" Jewish deli with a strong reputation for good food, but rather an institution within and around Chicagoland, as suggested by its obviously loyal, multi-generational clientele. I can only imagine the myriad of conversations had, politics argued, deals sealed, and injustices griped about inside the restaurant's walls.
Admittedly, I've never enjoyed anything other than the pastrami and corned beef, although the variety of entrée options is indeed overwhelming. Delicious sides, desserts, latke pancakes, and matzo ball soups have all been sampled in my past visits as well, but pale in comparison to the deli's legendary sandwiches, which quite literally overflow with meat. Prices might initially seem a little steep, that is until you realize two to three meals can easily be procured from one visit to Manny's, if you so choose.
Travelers searching for an iconic, cholesterol-packed, seemingly roughneck yet welcoming, high-quality, City of Big Shoulders dining experience should definitely make Manny's Coffee Shop & Deli a stop on their tour.
Parking is available for free in the back, but you might want to consider walking, if weather permits, because odds are you'll need it by the time lunch is done.
If you like classic Jewish deli food, that is where this place really shines. As a vegetarian, I was a bit intimidated by the mounds of meat. And the whole ordering process. if you don't want one of the pre-made sandwhiches up front like corned beef, you have to ask one of the surly old guys to make it. That was very scar y. SO I panicked and got a grilled cheese. LAME! And it wasn't very good at all. But... thats what I get for getting a grilled cheese at Manny's right?
I ended up eating half of my friend's blintzes, which redeemed my love for Manny's. super delicious! And the potato pancakes are amazing. seriously the best I've ever had. (Sorry Grandma).
Everyone else with me ordered ruebens, and they loved them. So I think we'd all go back, and love it. I'll just be sure to order something more traditional next time to avoid the disappointment.
Sorry to rain on Manny's parade- but I doubt my review is going to do much to tarnish them. It's not that it was bad or anything, it just did not live up to expectations or make any impression at all- I've been hearing about this place forever.
Granted, not eating red meat (so no corned beef for me!) or wanting to consume something heavy for lunch likely puts a damper on the experience (some fried fish up front was tempting-looking). I went with a veggie sandwich, which was tasty and gets it up to the 3 stars for almost tasting llike pizza (I had REALLY wanted to give 2 but thought I might get laughed off the site :)) but WAY overpriced at something like $8-9 - there was very little to it. Same with the $2 for a glass of diet coke. You can justify that in a more upscale environment perhaps, but not at this cafeteria in the south loop (or whatever this technically is). Lowering the prices would do a lot in my book. My lunch buddy seemed to like his turkey legs but it looked like a disaster to try to eat and was $12 for the plate. Seriously? All in all I would not have expected lunch here to cost $30 for the 2 of us!
On the upside, the folks working the counter seemed sweet (not sure why it took several minutes to heat up my veggie sandwich that had been shrink-wrapped though- so much for freshness!)
The layout is also confusing for first-timers. Basically I guess if you don't want anything up front, you skip ahead to the next part of the counter? I'm sure the regulars understand this but we wasted a lot of time standing around trying to figure out where we needed to wait.
I would give it another shot but definitely would not go out of my way for it. Go ahead and judge me! If this is any evidence, I suppose my ex was right that I really don't "get" Jewish culture :)
The pastrami is delicious, the latkes are just the way I like them (warm and with some crunch to them), and their horseradish deli mustard is so good, it's worth the trip over to Manny's (which is surrounded by a whole lot of scary-ass nothing) just to buy some, but here's the thing:
1. It's absolutely out-of-control overpriced. It's like a cafeteria where everything that isn't nailed down costs $2+. $12+ for a sandwich and a Green River is totally not what's hot on the streets. And you're getting nickel and dimed for everything. Want sour cream or apple sauce with your latke? You're paying extra. Want a whole sandwich? You're paying extra. I'm amazed they leave the mustard and other condiments on the tables, instead of charging you like they do for everything else.
2. It seems dirty or dingy and I question the food that sits out pretty much all day. The place is huge, and I've never been in there when it was packed (though I never go at lunchtime). I can't really speak on the quality of the pre-made entrees, because spaghetti and fish sitting under a heatlamp for eight hours doesn't really make me salivate.
3. There's definitely a slant toward regulars. The first time I had Manny's, it was at a work party. I hadn't seen the prices or set foot inside the actual deli yet, but the food alone was good enough to get me to make the trip. When I got there, I didn't really know the system and I definitely got some attitude from the slack-jawed goth impressario behind the counter - which I was totally not having. Thankfully, however, the women who got my drink/completed my ticket, and the older man who bussed my table were extremely polite and nice.
The pastrami was some of the best I've had, but it wasn't worth $15 plus a heaping of attitude. There are better delis out there. Sorry - but it's true!
Some of the best Corned Beef ever! Sandwiches made the way they're supposed to be!
Why can't I get this out in the burbs? Don't they know from a good Deli?
Honestly, the chicken (I had Mish Mosh) soup is passable but the potato pancake is tasty and as others have said - the Corned Beef is excellent and plentiful. It is flavorful and not too fatty. If you like less meaty sandwiches then grab one of the plates with the slices of Rye bread and make a second sandwich to take home or for a friend.
If I had a "bubbie" I would bring her here for sure!
Where do I begin?
To tell the story of how great a love can be . . .
The sweet love story that is older than the sea . . .
The simple truth about the love Manny's brings to me . . .
Where do I start?
With apologies to Andy Williams, but for someone who loves Reuben sandwiches as much as I do, Manny's is Mecca (with apologies to Allah too). It rivals Brett's Kitchen for Best Reuben in Chicago - but don't tell Bretts, I don't want them to fight.
Headed here for a li'l pre-Valentine's day nosh - and nothing says romance like a fist-sized Reuben, baby! In MY world, anyway. This sandwich was literally like jamming a fist into my mouth - and then chewing and swallowing. Mmmmm . . . sexy, sexy meat. And I love the little bonus potato pancake that is standard issue with every Reuben. Perfectly made. Could have used a bit more kraut, but there is never enough kraut for this Kraut.
Fun to scan the crowd for lunching Chicago politicos. Was very thankful that we got there before the rush - the line was already to the door when the tour bus pulled up!
Seven star companion had a chopped liver and pastrami - I'd never had chopped liver (What am I?!), so this was my maiden voyage into that yid-dish (apologies to M. "7*" S.). I think it needed brown mustard. The pastrami though, yum - and even a little amuse bouche of pastrami, on the side, with the pastrami sandwich. Yum.
There is so much good stuff you could eat here every day and not get bored. You might need a new wardrobe of comfortable pants with no waistbands, but dammit - you'd never be bored. So much I wanted to try - but after all, I am just one woman with one stomach. I want to come back for the goulash, the mac n' cheese, the SALAMI SANDWICH!
And now to retreat to the couch with my leftover Manny's Reuben for dinner . . . ahhhhhh, I Feel Love (with apologies to Donna Summer)!
And plus . . . Obama loves this place. That alone makes it wonderful.
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