We’ve never been to Manny’s Steakhouse before.
Manny’s, located in downtown Minneapolis, is an iconic local steakhouse that opened in 1987.
Manny’s is part of the Parasole Restaurant Group.
You’ll find Manny’s on “Best Of” lists all of the time.
We don’t dine at steakhouses very often. While I enjoy steak, I don’t order it from restaurants often. We typically marinate and grill our own steaks at home.
If a menu has seafood on the menu I typically gravitate towards that for a treat.
Steakhouse a la cart pricing also boggles my mind. I’m cheap. The thought of paying a lot of money for a piece of protein with no sides kills me.
Jake received a generous gift card to Manny’s for a work anniversary, so we called a babysitter (Thanks mom!) and made a dinner reservation.
We don’t go out for dinner often anymore so this was a treat. Our toddler has little patience for meals. We don’t attempt to bring her to restaurants unless we have a team of grandparents to help or we go to Perkins.
Apparently our local Perkins is the PLACE TO BE on a weekend morning. They mailed residents plastic, reusable 20% off coupons. The servers are really nice, the pancakes are good, food comes out fast, and it’s inexpensive so we’ve joined the party. God bless Perkins.
I have no idea what stage of the pandemic this is – regardless, we all see the complex ways the pandemic has impacted restaurant prices, food suppliers, service, staffing, wait times, portion sizes, quality, etc.
Generally I’ve found dining out is not the same as it was pre-pandemic. Another recent exception to Manny’s includes a lovely meal I enjoyed with friends at Lotus in Loring Park.
Given the average cost per bill, I’m guessing Manny’s positions are coveted in the industry.
The service was flawless. Not only did we feel welcomed and at ease, but all of the moving pieces of the meal flowed as smoothly as a ballroom dance.
I’m a cheap Manny’s date – I don’t order steak and passed on alcoholic drinks, though they made a refreshing N/A mojito.
I was thrilled with my shrimp scampi and giant plate of fried onion strings (crisp and greaseless). The shrimp were plump and bouncy and my favorite part was the spicy seasoned butter in the bottom of the skillet.
Servers wheel over a cart displaying the raw steaks and explain each one. Manny’s serves Black Angus beef from “their own herds.” I tried a bite of the steak Jake ordered and it was actually the best steak I’ve ever tasted.
Sides are generously portioned. We had enough loaded mashed potatoes for days.
Meals also begin with a stuffed basket of thick-cut bread and butter. They were happy to pack up the rest for us to take home. I liked the rye bread with dried fruit the best.
I was curious about who dines at Manny’s – was it primarily business people with expense accounts? On this Saturday evening I saw a lot of families, some who brought their babies, and couples on dates.
The atmosphere felt happy and relaxed.
We are grateful for the dining experience and special night out. I would return for a special occasion. Lunch and brunch also seem like a more affordable way to visit.
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I had been to the original location inside the Hyatt a couple times for business meals before making the mistake of taking my wife to the current location in the Foshay Tower about 10 years ago. The mistake was that she now wants to go back to Manny’s every time we come to the Twin Cities. It’s definitely an “expense account” meal for businessmen, but it’s a great place for special meals for couples and families. And you’re right – the service is impeccable and they seem to go out of their way to make everyone feel comfortable from the time they arrive to the time they leave.