PHLReview
Bar Jawn
Included In
Manayunk’s Bar Jawn has big not-your-average-bar energy. Cutesy, mismatched china tops black-and-white checkered table. 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
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.
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. It’s the only pasta-adjacent dish that’ll provoke an audible “oh” that has nothing to do with seeing a 28-year-old drunkenly tumble on Main Street.
photo credit: GAB BONGHI
Just because Bar Jawn makes thoughtful and 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 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
photo credit: GAB BONGHI
Mozzarella Triangles
photo credit: GAB BONGHI
Wings
photo credit: GAB BONGHI
Chicken Parmesan
photo credit: GAB BONGHI
Orecchiette
photo credit: GAB BONGHI
South Philly Chopped Cheese
photo credit: GAB BONGHI
Cheesesteak
photo credit: GAB BONGHI
Burger