Bar Jawn
American restaurant · Manayunk
4247 Main St, Philadelphia, PA 19127
Highlights
Cheesesteaks, burgers, mozzarella triangles, & cacio e pepe wings
Cheesesteaks, burgers, mozzarella triangles, & cacio e pepe wings
"Before the Pizza Jawn team opened Bar Jawn, we had to light a prayer candle and hope the busy Manayunk pizza place didn’t sell out of cheesesteaks. Now, you can head to their rowdy corner Manayunk bar and order one while watching the Flyers let you down. Thankfully this sandwich—with hunks of ribeye hanging out with melted cooper sharp on a long, crackly seeded roll—won't ever do that." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"Bar Jawn in Manayunk makes our favorite smash burger in Philly. Maybe it’s the Fishtown Pickle Project’s habanero dill pickles, the blanket of melted cooper sharp, the "special sauce” that adds a tangy heat, or all of the above. But something about the double patty on a soft, seeded bun has a certain uncomplicated magic. It also comes with a stack of quarter-sized cottage fries, which we don't see too often in this city." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"Maybe it’s the Fishtown Pickle Project’s habanero dill pickles. Maybe it’s the blanket of melted cooper sharp. Maybe it’s the "special sauce” that adds a tangy heat. There’s just something about the double patty on a soft, seeded bun at Manayunk’s Bar Jawn that has us wishing we had an extra stomach. It also comes with a stack of flat, quarter-sized cottage fries that are more of a crispy co-star than a sidekick." - candis mclean
"Manayunk’s Bar Jawn has big not-your-average-bar energy. Cutesy, mismatched china tops black-and-white checkered tables. When people throw surprise birthday parties, everyone joins in to sing. In the doorway, there’s a red neon sign that says, “All I Care About Is Carbs & Three People." It's an understandable statement, especially at a place with very good smashburgers, cheesesteaks, and chicken parm with penne. Sure, Bar Jawn has TVs, beer on tap, and the word “bar” in the name, but you should be coming here to eat. photo credit: GAB BONGHI photo credit: GAB BONGHI photo credit: GAB BONGHI Pause Unmute Everything arrives in super-sized portions. So when you order mozzarella triangles, they’ll fit in your hand like a boomerang. Salads are like mini gardens. Sandwiches would be better described as mammoths with a side of frisbee fries. Whether you go for Bar Jawn's classic cheesesteak, buffalo chicken sandwich, or South Philly chopped cheese, each version will be a testament to what can happen when beautiful crackly bread meets quality meat. But it’s the smashed burger, dripping with creamy chipotle sauce, that will challenge the idea that you couldn’t eat just one thing for the rest of your life. video credit: GAB BONGHI video credit: Gab Bonghi photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO photo credit: GAB BONGHI Pause Unmute Unlike the sandwiches, Bar Jawn's pastas aren’t made with much precision. Orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe has pools of oil. Bucatini and meatballs taste just a step above what you’d throw together on a busy Wednesday night. If you need to diversify your order beyond sandwiches and bar food staples, head straight for the chicken parmesan with penne, or their much-beloved pizza—Pizza Jawn's brick-and-mortar location closed, but the pies remain the same. Check their Instagram for drops. Just because Bar Jawn makes consistently good food doesn’t mean you won't find a hyperactive Manayunk scene during Happy Hour (when well drinks cost $4) and game day (when you can get all-you-can-eat wings and fries for $40). Bar Jawn orbits the sweet spot between a pumped-up bar and a casual American restaurant. So stop in to take home one of the best pizza's in town or for a Sixers game and then stay for dinner to celebrate a win. Or just use a couple of seeded rolls as napkins after a loss with the three people you care about. Food Rundown Mozzarella Triangles These plump, crispy mozzarella triangles are the best starters on the menu. Watching the gooey cheese pull apart will awaken a primal instinct in you—as will a dip into the sweet basil marinara. photo credit: GAB BONGHI Wings Bar Jawn gets their wings right when it comes to crunch and crackle. But both the buffalo and cacio e pepe styles surprisingly lack flavor, despite being lathered in sauce or buried under pecorino and black pepper confetti. You can skip these unless you're recording an ASMR video. photo credit: GAB BONGHI Chicken Parmesan If you have to eat pasta, make it this one. The crispy chicken cutlet is so massive that it's easy to forget the bed of penne underneath. But it’s there, properly absorbing marinara and ready for showtime. photo credit: GAB BONGHI Orecchiette Other than the chicken parm, the pastas at Bar Jawn changes fairly often. If you see orecchiette with spicy Italian sausage and broccoli rabe on the menu, keep moving in search of something less basic and forgettable. photo credit: GAB BONGHI South Philly Chopped Cheese We know, a chopped cheese is usually for people who enjoy paying too much money for small apartments and arguing about the “real” Brooklyn. But this version got a Philly makeover, so we’ll allow it. It's made with ground sausage, fried onions, cherry peppers, banana peppers, crisp iceberg lettuce, and oozing cooper sharp. Think of this like a cheesesteak’s spicy and crunchy Point Breeze cousin. photo credit: GAB BONGHI Cheesesteak In this city, some cheesesteaks are just OK. Some are straight up ill-advised. And some will prompt you to go Hungry Hungry Hippos mode. This layered cooper sharp mess on a crackly, seeded roll is in the third category. photo credit: GAB BONGHI Burger This smash burger is what the Big Mac wanted to be if it wasn’t hot garbage. It comes with two patties, cooper sharp, special sauce, and Fishtown Pickle Project habanero dill pickles—all on a buttery seeded bun. And the result is a sandwich that somehow looks simple but is rich and indulgent in each bite. You're going to flip. photo credit: GAB BONGHI" - Candis R. McLean
"Manayunk has a few places for a casual, post-work drink, and other solid sandwich-heavy spots. Only one place in the neighborhood seamlessly pulls off both: Bar Jawn. You can watch people stroll by on Main Street, catch a game on the TVs, and enjoy a menu full of comfort food that’s perfect for carb lovers. Besides grabbing one of the top cheesesteaks and burgers in the neighborhood, try the gooey mozzarella triangles, an order of peppery cacio e pepe wings, and their crispy chicken parm. It’s a great place to share a bunch of dishes with your friends, go Hungry Hungry Hippos on all of them, and wash it all down with $7 beers while screaming at referees." - candis mclean
