Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
Driving through
Manley grew up in New Lebanon and worked at her parents' drive thru until they sold it in 2002.
“I remember being 16 years old and selling a pack of Marlboros for $1.87,” Manley said.
Her parents had owned New Towne Party Center at the corner of Union and Little Richmond Roads in Trotwood for about three decades.
Today, many of the signs that were once displayed at the drive thru are now hung up at the Washington Twp. bar.
From waitress to bar owner
Manley started her career in the bar scene by waitressing at places such as Ziggy’s in West Carrollton and Julia’s in Dayton.
In 2006, she was asked to apply as a bartender at Pour Haus in Centerville and never looked back.
“You meet a lot of nice people that’ll do anything to help out and that become your friends,” Manley said.
She had a desire to have something of her own nearly six years later and tried to buy a couple local bars, but the deals fell through. That’s when Manley decided to go out on her own.
“Never did I think I’d want a bar,” Manley said. “I’m glad that it happened the way it did because at any of those places I was gonna buy, (they) would not have made me as happy as this place does.”
Creating a bar from scratch
The bar at 381 Miamisburg Centerville Road was “an open box” when Manley started renting the space in August 2013. They spent nearly two years building out the space and creating the bar from scratch.
“I’ll never stain another piece of wood as long as I live,” Manley said.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Her loyal customers that followed her to wherever she was bartending at were the ones that encouraged her to name the establishment, “Mack’s Tavern.”
Not much has changed over the last 10 years. Mack’s Tavern is still considered a dive bar that’s dark and comfortable.
“We’re just a laid back ”Cheers" bar. We try to be a place that you can come in and be safe,” Manley said. “We say, you come as a stranger and you leave as a friend.”
What to expect
Mack’s Tavern is a “big beer bar” with Miller Lite, Truth, Bud Light and Blue Moon always on tap. Customers often order Tito’s and cranberry or shots such as the lemon drop.
Manley said they are seeing a lot of the “old school stuff” coming back. For example, customers are often ordering kamikaze or black ‘n blue shots.
As far as food, pizza and potato skins tend to be a huge hit.
The pizzas feature a crispy, thin crust with toppings laid down before the cheese. Once baked, it’s cut into tiny, bite-sized squares.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Must-try pizzas include “The Count Chickula” featuring the bar’s house made count chickula sauce, chicken, bacon and onions with a mozzarella, provolone cheese blend.
The count chickula sauce is described as a sweet heat sauce. Many people think it’s a hot honey, but that’s not even close, Manley said.
The sauce is served by the bottle and those that refill their previously purchased bottle will get $1 off.
One of Manley’s favorite parts of owning Mack’s Tavern is having creative freedom in the kitchen.
“I just try to do weird stuff that is good that you can’t get anywhere else,” Manley said.
For example, she recently launched “Porktacular Tacos,” a pork tenderloin that’s cooked flat with cheese, bacon, chicken, jalapenos and taco sauce. After it’s cooked, it’s cut down the middle and folded in half to make a taco.
Everything is baked at Mack’s Tavern. The bar does not have fryers or griddles.
The 5,000-square-foot space also features four soft tip dartboards, four steel tip dartboards, three pool tables, foosball, air hockey and pinball.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Finding the light at the end of the tunnel
When asked how she is grappling with an increase in food costs, Manley said there are items on her menu that she doesn’t make money on.
“I don’t like to be expensive. We’re not a restaurant,” Manley said. “I can’t ask you to pay $10 for some potato skins.”
She said this past year has probably been their slowest year yet, but she feels people are starting to finally bring back fundraisers and parties that used to be hosted in the space prior to Covid.
“There’s just got to be a light at the end of the tunnel,” Manley said. “We’ve made it this far. We can keep going.”
She credits her longtime employees — Wayne Blair, Andrea Mann, Andrea Wiltz, Ashley Reigelsperger and JR Reed — for helping make the bar a success.
“If it wasn’t for my bartenders, I wouldn’t have customers and if it wasn’t for the people coming in, we wouldn’t have a bar,” Manley said. “I just pay the bills. That’s what I tell people.”
When Manley isn’t at Mack’s Tavern, she enjoys visiting The Secret Garden in Waynesville, hanging out with her three Maine Coons and one normal kitty and eating a No. 1 from Chick-fil-A with extra pickles and a side of cheese sauce.
If she’s at another local bar, it’s typically Theo’s Lounge on Paragon Road in Washington Twp.
MORE DETAILS
Mack’s Tavern is open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily with music bingo on Tuesdays and trivia on Thursdays at 7 p.m.
Customers can expect more fundraisers, weird events and food trucks in 2025.
The bar will be hosting its annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration on March 17 featuring a fundraiser for the Washington Twp. firefighters, Irish dancers, bag pipe players, a food truck and Irish car bomb waterfall shots.
For more information about upcoming events at Mack’s Tavern, visit the bar’s Facebook page (@mackstavern).
FOOD & DINING NEWS
Reporter Natalie Jones has a weekly food and dining email newsletter that comes free to inboxes. Sign up at daytondailynews.com (click “my account”). Have questions or a news tip? Email her at natalie.jones@coxinc.com.
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