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Manong, a Filipino-American restaurant from the owner of top-rated Tabachoy, sets out to reimagine the neighborhood grillhouse. Like Outback Steakhouse with a Filipino lens. If you’re paying attention, you might even catch a nod to that Aussie inspiration in the restroom. It’s a welcome addition to a neighborhood that has seen its dining scene thin out in recent years.
The vibe leans diner-like, with wood paneling, green banquettes, and tables set close together. An old-school Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game glows in the corner, and there’s a small bottle shop component as well along one wall.
On our Saturday night visit, the dining room was loud—clocking in at 94 decibels at one point—and could benefit from additional sound dampening. When tables are this close, a little acoustic help would go a long way.
Service was a bright spot. Our server was happy to offer suggestions and enthusiastically guided us through a menu that blends comfort food nostalgia with Filipino flavors.
Our cocktails (ok, one was a mocktail) were excellent. Some are served in ceramic tiki mugs, leaning into the tropical-meets-retro feel. My lapu lapu—a mix of gin, passionfruit, orgeat, and lemon—was refreshingly fruity. The piña colada-esque mocktail was delicious and proof that the non-alcoholic options aren’t an afterthought.
We started with dynamite lumpia, Filipino spring rolls stuffed with pork and jalapeño. The addition of mozzarella was unexpected but worked, especially when we dipped it all into the sweet chili sauce. There are two per order, and we could have happily eaten more. At our server’s recommendation, we added the ensaladang sariwa, essentially a cabbage salad elevated by green goddess dressing and cashews. It was easily one of our favorites.
Two of the restaurant’s most popular dishes followed: the signature bloom shroom and the balong burger. The bloom shroom, an homage to Outback’s famous bloomin’ onion, uses a whole enoki mushroom that’s battered and fried. It sounded better than it tasted. The tops of the mushroom disintegrated, while the thicker part was chewy and underseasoned.
The balong burger arrived on a Hawaiian roll with banana ketchup on the side. Unfortunately, both the burger and fries were saltier than we prefer. With a little less salt, it could be a standout.
Prices are reasonable, and Manong fills a welcome niche in Fairmount. For us, it’s not quite a destination restaurant yet, but the potential is there. With some tweaks to seasoning and perhaps a few adjustments to the dining room experience, it could grow into something truly special.
Manong is located at 1833 Fairmount Ave. in Philadelphia.