03/06/09

Great service

by CSMobileUser2

I enjoyed it very much, great drinks,great food, and wonderful service,it such a comforable atmosphere, I recommend the same waitress every time I go, which is often, short blk hair and beautiful and one of their BEST servers, think she's been there a long time, believe me when I say you won't be dissappointed if you go, you'll enjoy yourself.... Check it out!!!!!

02/17/09

Solid Tex-Mex Food

by volanova

A friend and myself decided to try Johnny Manana's on a whim for lunch and were not disappointed in the least. Philly, like many cities in the northeast, is lacking in places to get decent Mexican fare. I (a native Tennessean who is used to a veritable plethora of cheap Mexican eateries) and my friend (a native of SoCal that is a self-styled Mexican connoisseur) were glad to find a decent spot to step into for a happy hour or a quick lunch. We both started off with the tortilla soup, which was excellent. It was chicken and tomato stock base, with big chunks of sauteed chicken and strips of tortillas, spiced with a good amount of cilantro and other standard Mexican spices. The only thing lacking was the hot pepper factor, but I tend to like my food a little hotter than average. For the main dish I had the beef Chimichanga. It was quite large, and better than average taste wise. The only problem was the fact that it was served on a bed of lettuce that had an odd taste to it, and it was a bit cold (not too bad though). It seemed to have been prepared from relatively fresh ingredients as well.

It wasn't terribly busy, with a mix lunch crowd, ranging from your typical office types to passerby locals. The decor was a brightly colored and gaudy "El Dia de los Muertos" theme, but that's not a bad thing at all for a Mexican burrito joint.

A good change of pace, for sure. Other local recommendations include Machismo Burrito just down the road on Main Street in Manayunk.

• Pros: Solid Mexican fare, especially for an area lacking in such
• Cons: A bit pricey for what you get.

08/12/08

neglectful customer service, horrible music, food is sub-par at best

by warmwindows

Went just a few weeks ago for the first time... It was a very hot night and they had NO AC inside... TERRIBLE. I don't know how people were eating there, we sat inside anyway and it was horrible, eating with our faces melting off. I brought up the uncomfortable temperature to two separate employees, none of which were sympathetic or had any explanation for the lack of AC. Margaritas were all mix and hardly any tequila. Despite the chimichanga i ordered being tasty, I couldn't stand eating it in that temperature. Our waiter was quite neglectful & it took a long time to get our food.

Second time I went was yesterday, we sat outside next to a table of people who hysterically laughed at a disabled girl walking down the street (?) Obviously this isn't the restaurants fault but it gives you a clue to what type of people eat there... Service was lackluster again, took about 10 minutes to get menus & complimentary chips & salsa because our waitress was busy socializing with the annoying people next to us. The enchiladas were not good, dry and lacking the cheesiness that good ones have. My boyfriend had the fish tacos and wasn't pleased to find a cheap piece of breaded fish, the kind you eat when you order fish & chips at a dive bar. Margaritas were MUCH better this time around.

To top it all off, my card was charged twice, once for the correct amount and the second time was DOUBLE the bill!

Needless to say I wouldn't go here to eat again, maybe for the margaritas but that's it.

Still waiting for a good mexican place to pop up in the manayunk/east falls area!

• Pros: chips & salsa are complimentary & yummy
• Cons: margaritas are questionable at times, food is not authentic whatsoever

03/20/08

Vibrant Feel, Incredible Style

by geoffreybaldwincrosby

Mananas brings in a mixed crowd of people in the diverse area of East Falls. Once you walk in through the Mexican style doors you literally enter Cinco de Mayo with the smell of Mexican cuisine. The dishes are all reasonably priced and the flavor is amazing; especially the homemade guac and salsa; to die for! I use to bartend at Manana's for about a year and it was an amazing experience filled with great fun-loving people. I was lucky to be working side by side with all the beautiful ladies and serving the unique crowds that would roll in on a Friday, Saturday night. Pretty much if you want good food, amazing margaritas and an uplifting atmosphere go grab a bite at Johnnys.

• Pros: The goodlooking staff, the colors and wall displays, and the flow of a cute small mexican restaurant.
• Cons: cleanliness and smell - it's just an old building off the skuykill river (what do you expect)

11/02/07

A Great Place to Eat !

by fallers29

I am from the Falls and have been eating at Johnny Mananas for about 3 years now at least once a month. The new menu is GREAT! The prices are a little high but for the amount of food you receive it is worth it. The margarita are a little expensive, but they have a great $ 5 lemon lime one, so it is not a place to go hang at the bar. I love the decor; the outside tables could be a lot steadier! The wait staff is friendly and informative. The only down fall is I never see people from the neighborhood there, I wish they would have more promotions aimed at attracting more local like myself.

• Pros: wait staff and out door dinning
• Cons: bar is a little expensive

09/12/07

Taco soup to go!

by saminthecity

I'm a local Fallser also and I've been to this restaurant several times. I'm not an expert on Mexican food, but every time I've eaten here I've left very full and happy. The portions really are enormous and the wait staff is friendly and hustles like they want you to return. I do like the like the atmosphere, but my best friend and I have become addicted to getting the taco soup to go. We get a side of guacamole (which is excellent) and drop it in to the soup for movie night. This meal is super cheap and very tasty.

• Pros: taco soup, wait staff, atmosphere
• Cons: entrees are a bit expensive

08/25/07

Johnny Ma?anas

by thom_kriner

Friday night: Prompt seating, attentive service, tasty margaritas, plenty of tasty food and only $33 for two. We had chips, salsa and a side of guacamole for an appetizer. I had the taco platter (two chicken and two beef) and a watermelon margarita. My friend had the enchilada platter. Neither of us could finish our meals. Each of the staff thanked us for coming on our way out the door.

I've read some bad reviews for this place, but I've been here four times in the last two years and each time it's as good as it was last night. Not sure about the other reviewers, but me and my guests have always enjoyed Johnny Ma?anas. : - ) yum.

• Pros: Service, selection, quality, amount
• Cons: Parking

08/06/07

Avoid this place

by cubist444

This place was horrible from start to finish. Parking was a nightmare. Not the restaurant's fault, but still a hassle to be sure. We thought the food was way below average and the prices were way too high for what we got. We would not recommend this place, nor will we ever return.

• Pros: Nothing
• Cons: Food

07/13/07

Don't order any Entres

by jdmst77

We loved the fresh chips and salsa. The Entres were a different story. My wife's heavily marinated medium steak was hardly moist and well done. They didn't seem to get anything right because I ordered the shrimp chipolte entre and it tasted like they pan fried everything in oil then threw it on a plate with some sause on top. The shrimp were fresh but not marinated at all so they had absolutely no flavor. Then when the bill came... Keep in mind, we ONLY ordered 2 entres... $45. I was very unsatisfied at the food preparation. The table next to us only ordered appetizers and theirs looked good. Maybe that's the only thing that they can do right???

• Pros: chips & salsa
• Cons: poorly ventolated. It was nice outside but who wants to sit next too a busy intersection's car fumes?

Festive, East Falls Tex-Mex with so-so fare.

by Contributor

In Short
The post-college set fills the place thanks to the menu cover that describes the Tex-Mex fare exactly: "The Good, the Bad & the Burrito." Homemade chips and just-right roasted chili salsa is definitely a good beginning. Entrees such as shredded chicken tacos and baked pork are local favorites and border specialties like fajitas and fried codfish tacos are big and filling.