Editor’s Note:
Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday, he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and the tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review”.
Food Quality: 5
Service: 3
Business Meeting: 3
Value: 4
Average Score: 3.75 out of 5
One of my regular dining companions sent me a text one day about a new place downtown that we needed to give a try. Across the street from Taco Cat on 10th, just off Broad Street, was a new spot called Manny’s. And it occupies one of those tricky downtown locations which I know has housed minimum four eating establishments during my tenure in the CSRA. So is this finally the one that sticks?
Manny’s Sports Off Broad is one of those places that is what it sounds like: a sports bar tucked in an old downtown building. It doesn’t seem like too many details were changed from the previous occupant, The Hive. The decor wasn’t that impressive but it’s a cozy spot. The server quickly told us to sit where we like which would be our most detailed interaction with her. All the tables are 6-8 seats, so we grabbed a spot at the bar top. I guess community seating is what they are going for, or perhaps that’s just left over as well.
The service continued to be lackluster, with limited interactions and trouble getting the one attendant’s attention. We chalked this up to probably having a bartender that was waiting all of the tables as opposed to actually having a server.
There wasn’t much care given to the atmosphere or the service, but it seems that attention was instead devoted to the food. They are only open on Thursday and Friday for lunch and offer a pared down menu, so I ordered a double smash burger and my dining pal got the Philly cheesesteak. The burger was exactly what I was looking for. Well cooked meat sandwiched between nicely toasted buns, served alongside fries that hit the spot. The only issue with the Philly was that it may have been a bit salty, but otherwise it was an outing that was kind to the taste buds.
This is a cozy corner spot without a lot of space so it may not be your best bet for a business meetup, plus the large tables may mean you have extra lunch partners and not so private conversations. But if you’re just downtown looking for a good burger outside of your usual options, I would say that Manny’s is worth a try. Let’s just see if it finally has the staying power that others in this locale couldn’t seem to find.
Manny’s Sports Off Broad
215 10th Street
mannysportsoffbroad.com