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(36 posts)

5 dollars for a Manny's! Really?!

Started 2 years ago by villagegreen
Latest reply from FullTilt

villagegreen
Member Profile

This isn't meant to be a rant (well, maybe an itty-bitty-rant), but more about asking others what they think. Everyone loves West 5. It's locally owned, good food, good people, etc. It pretty much started the rejuvination of the Junction restaurant/nightlife scene. For me, it's always been one of those places that I like to know is there, but for some reason it just never became a regular haunt.

I gave it another try recently and was met with a slap in the face - 5 DOLLARS for a Manny's?! And if I remember right, 6 bucks for a Stella. I guess if they didn't try to play up their "West Seattle Friendly Prices!" this wouldn't be too irritating - there must be some joints in Belltown charging 5 bucks for a Manny's (although I've never seen one). But come on. Anything over $4.50 is just plain offensive.

And while I'm at it - get a deep fryer in there. I need fries with my Reuben.

Posted 2 years ago #
transplantella
Member Profile

I give West 5 a big 'meh'.

We first went there about two years ago, were unimpressed with the food and thought the drinks expensive. It disappeared off our nightlife radar.

Decided to give it another try about a year later. Had the same mediocre food and overpriced drink experience.

West 5 is now off our list. I can't think why we would give it a third go, there's just no good reason to go back--Seattle is full of places with overpriced drinks and pedestrian food.

Posted 2 years ago #
Ashley
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A Manny's there is 4.55 with tax is 5.00. And they don't have Stella there. I hope everyone also knows that they raised the prices on liquor to compensate for budget shortfalls.

Posted 2 years ago #
villagegreen
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I don't care if there's tax, no tax, or tax evasion, when I have to hand over a Fiver for a Manny's something's not right. I also don't care if it's Stella, Bass, or Spaten Lager, 6 bucks is outrageous. I'm all for businesses being compensated fairly, but every other business I frequent (and I'm not talking dive bars here), is managing to survive without gouging the drinkers.

Posted 2 years ago #
Ashley
Member Profile

I am sorry if you feel that way but when I go out 5.00 for a beer is pretty normal. The keg price of Manny's also went up this year as well. Just FYI. Not trying to anger you.

Posted 2 years ago #
villagegreen
Member Profile

Sorry if I'm coming off angry, I would say I'm just annoyed. I do get kegs of Manny's for my kegerator and know that prices have gone up somewhat, but I still don't see Manny's selling for more than $4.50 (including tax) wherever I go - usually more like $4.25.

Anyway, I do like West 5 (especially the old school West Seattle artifacts they've collected), but I could like it a whole lot more with a few tweaks. I'm probably in the minority, though, as it seems to be packed most nights.

I guess the whole "West Seattle Friendly Prices!" slogan makes me think it should be cheaper than it actually is. Maybe they should revise it to "West Seattle Friendly Food Prices."

Posted 2 years ago #
SarahScoot
Member Profile

Yeah, unfortunately in the last year or so it seems beer prices have risen across the board in West Seattle's restaurants. One of the last times I was in Kokoras I was a bit stunned by their beer prices, but now that I've been paying more attention, it seems practically everywhere the standard range is now $4.50-6.50 for a glass or pint of beer, when not so long ago it was $3.50-5.00. Now, this is all based on my personal recollections, but I now feel "old" at 26 for thinking $5.00 is an awful lot to spend for most beers.
Side note: I just realized two out of the three responses I've made in the forum today are related to the cost of alcohol. Eek.

Posted 2 years ago #
pigeonmom
Member Profile

Ah, remember the days of a .25 cent schooner
and $1.00 pitchers?

Posted 2 years ago #
WSB
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What are other prices in comparison?

Seriously, we don't get to go out much, it's work work work work. And we certainly can't go out to drink ... that would be when the 4-alarm fire breaks out, with our luck ... plus we have a teen in tow anyway.

So what do other places charge in comparison for this same drink/beer? And seriously, I would encourage you to voice your concern to their ownership, which is quite locally involved, including with the local business associations (Junction and Chamber) ... not like it's some big chain and you'd never get your concern to someone in a position to respond.

Posted 2 years ago #
pigeonmom
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What happened to schooners anyway?

Posted 2 years ago #
moxilot
Member Profile

Schooners are too small now. They fell by the wayside when the 'super-size' philosophy became popular. Have you tried ordering the small or even medium sized drinks at McDonald's or Jack in the Box lately??

Having said that, I'd get annoyed if I had to order another drink every couple of minutes and could only use a schooner for some of the Beveridge Place's heavy stouts.

Posted 2 years ago #
HelperMonkey
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Manny's happy hour at Beveridge Place: $3.00/pint

Posted 2 years ago #
Sue
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This is why I rarely drink - I refuse to pay what anybody is asking for alcohol most of the time, especially since I never want a full pint.

If you're looking for a smaller size beer, Elliott Bay and Prost sell beer in sizes smaller than a pint. EBB has a 10 oz. schooner and Prost is .3 liter. Other places may do it as well, but those are the only ones I know.

Posted 2 years ago #
CMP
Member Profile

A schooner at one of my frequent college haunts in Lawrence, KS held 2 1/2 cans of beer and you had to hold it with two hands to drink out of it. Schooners here are lame.

Beer prices do seem to have gone up, but as I mentioned in another post, I'm cheap and all about happy hour. Isn't Elliott Bay about $4.25/pint? And this is why I drink at home and do a lot of carry-out!

Posted 2 years ago #
austin
Member Profile

Growlers end up winning out a lot of the time for me for this very reason. $5/pint vs $6/half gallon (or $7 if the brewery's closed and luna park isn't).

Posted 2 years ago #
moxilot
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can you just buy a growler and pour straight from it while you're in the BP?

Posted 2 years ago #
velo_nut
Member Profile

Wets 5 isnt gouging you.

beer production cost is WAY up as well as the tax on the alcoholic beverage you want to enjoy.

for those who want Manny's on a regular basis you can head down to Georgetown brewery and get a cheap Growler or Pony Keg. Manny supports the local racing scene so I always give him big props for the support AND his great beer.

A+

Posted 2 years ago #
Ashley
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Manny's at Happy Hour at West 5 is 2.75 with tax!

Posted 2 years ago #
dawsonct
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CMP, are you telling me a college town bar had big glasses to take advantage of binge-drinking collegians? What genius!!

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

moxilot..
you can still get a small drink at McDonalds
you just have to order the kid's meal :(

pigeonmom... dollar pitchers and pool :))) and those pitchers filled 4 glasses...
no wonder hubby comes home buzzed when he stops to get a beer on the way home.. and i thought he was just getting old:)

Posted 2 years ago #
Jiggers
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If you have to worry about how much the beer or drink is when you go out, you shouldn't be going out and drinking in the first place.

Posted 2 years ago #
funkietoo
Member Profile

The price of the beer includes the atmosphere, ambiance, heating/lights, table, chair, wages, benefits, B&O taxes...and most importantly for me, the ability to enjoy my friends' company--without having to clean my house before and after their visit!

Posted 2 years ago #
villagegreen
Member Profile

funkietoo - I agree 100%! Fortunately, the atmosphere is great at Prost and the Feedback, and the beer/cocktails are cheaper.

Sorry, Jiggers, we can't all be players like you :). I gotta make my drinking dollars stretch.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

jiggers
if you are going to get behind the wheel of a car.. you should always worry about the volume in your beer glass

Posted 2 years ago #
Jiggers
Member Profile

I don't have a car so I no need worry about how much I drink.

Posted 2 years ago #
velo_nut
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Jiggers gets a high five from Velo_nut... and a beer.

Posted 2 years ago #
Trick
Member Profile

$5 for a Manny's is the going rate. Yes, you can drink your animal beer at home for cheap. Just as you can watch a movie in your man cave, alone. It's apples and oranges.
Beer prices have gone up like Ashley said. Keg deposits went from $15 > $45 a keg last year. $1 more a case for beer as of this year.
Pricing also should include if it's 14oz or 16oz. Big difference.
Manny is quite philanthropic, and he's local. Roger and he give back so much to our community.

Posted 2 years ago #
FullTilt
Member Profile

Ok, I have been watching this post for the past few days. Manny's did not go up that much from a wholesale point of view. If you look on the GT brewing site, a full keg is 149. That means a pint costs 1.24 wholesale. That is the price. There are no Liquor taxes, or other fees, that is the price of the pint.

I have always thought of West 5 as a restaurant more than a bar, and restaurants always charge more for liquor. It is how they keep the price of food low. If you want to go out and toss back a few, go to a pub.

I love Manny's. I love the beer and the people that make it. Chances are when I am out at a bar like the 9lb or the Triangle, I order a Manny's. I do not 5 bucks a pint love that beer though.

Posted 2 years ago #
sam-c
Member Profile

Full tilt: you should offer well-priced Manny's in your selection ! a niche market, all of the Manny's fans ! me included. though, if I go to Full Tilt for Manny's and some arcade games, I'll have to get the ice cream to go.

Posted 2 years ago #
SarahScoot
Member Profile

Nah, sam-c; just make it a float! Mmm, Manny's and salted caramel ice cream! :-X

Posted 2 years ago #
odroku
Member Profile

If anything costs more than you think it's worth, don't buy it. Obviously, the people in charge feel that their prices are reasonable and are selling enough of it to keep them thinking so.

I worked in F&B for years and know for sure that's a pretty good mark-up on that product, but you're not obligated to buy your beer from them!

Posted 2 years ago #
villagegreen
Member Profile

FullTilt - I think you're probably right. West 5 is more of a restaurant than a bar. I guess I just keep forgetting that. The same thing applies at Shadowland. Their beer prices are expensive, but they're more of a restaurant as well (or at least I think they're trying to be).

I guess I just haven't found my bar of choice in the Junction - which is a shame since I live so close by. The Corner Pocket and Maharaja are alright, but still lacking somewhat. I've got high hopes for the new Benbow!!!

Posted 2 years ago #
sam-c
Member Profile

an ice cream float with Manny's ?
my bar is not set that low....

Posted 2 years ago #
austin
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Yeah! Bacon espresso chocolate ice cream in a 9lb porter at least. Sheesh. ;)

Posted 2 years ago #
k
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all last year while we were away in california, i would dream of a cold manny's. i love that beer with all my heart!

Posted 2 years ago #
FullTilt
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We just made an ice cream with big Al's Smoked Porter. It is a chocolate ice cream with Al's porter and dark Belgium chocolate chips. Will be on the menu Friday at the Porterhouse.

As far as beer floats go, Vanilla with Guiness, and Black Butte Porter, with Salted Caramel is actually really good.

Posted 2 years ago #