There's a pretty good chance that you've spied Manley's Irish Mutt if you ever find yourself on Indy's Eastside near 10th & Shadeland Avenue. It's located in a free-standing building directly off of East 10th Street not too far from the Kroger. If you're like me, you've looked at the sign a million times and thought to yourself "I wonder" as you drive on by.
A couple weeks ago, I actually found myself driving by and made it into the parking lot before deciding that it was probably too crowded and I wasn't in the mood for a crowd. So, I ended up over at the Tie-Dye Grill where it was too crowded and I wasn't in the mood for it.
Tonight, I was in the mood for a decent meal and some time to linger before heading home after a long work day. I wanted to try something new, but I really didn't want to have to get cleaned up. Hey, I'm a paraplegic. It's a hassle.
So, I drove by Manley's and made it back into the parking lot and thought "Oh, what the heck. Let's try it." They have four accessible spots up front, though they aren't really ADA spots and they don't have the metallic signs (which means it can't actually be enforced). They have a small ramp going up to their entry sidewalk - again, it's an older building and I wouldn't call it ADA compliant, but it definitely worked. There's two doors at the front - take the decorated one. It's not clearly marked, but it makes sense.
If you want fancy, Manley's ain't it. If you want new or shiny or contemporary, Manley's ain't it. Manley's is your standard issue neighborhood dive bar, but it's clean and comfortable and roomy. I liked it immediately and quickly found myself thinking "Why haven't I been here?"
As you enter, you have a huge dining room on the right and a nice sized bar on the left. You've got wide-screen televisions around the place and various bar-type games, mostly electronic, located throughout the place. They host music on weekends and you can easily see where they have the room to do so. I was honestly kind of stunned with how big the place is - much bigger than it looks on the outside. They have a jukebox, though it's a fairly newfangled one.
The dining area is comprised of fairly casual tables with chairs that can be easily moved. The walls also have a variety of Irish-themed photos/prints and the bar definitely maintains a casual Irish theme about it.
I picked a four-top and got comfy in the corner that was still bright enough I could read. My server, whose name I've completely forgotten, was over in a couple of minutes and brought a menu. I think it always throws people off when I order my usual unsweetened tea in a bar, but I only drink occasionally and wasn't in the mood tonight. The menu consisted mostly of bar-type foods, though appetizers are available. It looked like most of the meals are in the $10-15 range and sandwiches all included a side of either fries or tater tots. It was refreshing to not have tater tots cost an upcharge. Strangely, potato chips are an upcharge along with onion rings but it's only $1.
I'd heard about their burgers and their tenderloin. I opted for a tenderloin sandwich and tater tots. My entire bill including iced tea was just over $10 without a tip. It was definitely a good value.
The sandwich? Freaking awesome. It's a thick n' juicy cut of meat with nice breading that is consistent. The bun was toasted, an awesome plus, and I used some mayo that soaked in perfectly. I've been trying to decide if this is my favorite tenderloin. It's definitely in my Top 5. I would order it again in a heartbeat and despite its size it didn't sit heavy on my stomach.
The tater tots were also very good. From what I hear, they are popular. My sense was they might be frozen, but maybe not. Even if they are, they're very good. I would easily order them again.
The unsweetened iced tea was terrific. I got a refill without asking and, in what has become increasingly rare, I even got another refill after I'd paid my bill and was still reading.
I fell in love with Manley's. I really did. The atmosphere was comfortable and welcoming. The customer population was fairly diverse, especially in terms of age. My server was stellar. She was friendly, helpful, welcoming and warm. Sometimes, bar service can feel like "I'm flirting with you to get a bigger tip." This felt genuine and comfortable.
While I can't say I spoke with everyone, it definitely had a "locals only" feeling about it and yet it was also welcoming. There was one friendly guy who'd used a lot of cash on the jukebox and asked me if I had a song I wanted. It was incredibly friendly.
The final touch for me came from actually watching an encounter from another server. A few minutes before I left, a customer came in pushing a friend in a wheelchair. The guy in the chair moved a chair (as did I) and they sat down. This young woman had the insight to look him directly in the eyes, then stoop so she could have eye-contact. Stellar! read more