New Bar Opens in Centerville to Rave Reviews !

Bars are bars right?  Well, one new spot that just opened in Centerville’s Normandy Square Shopping Center on 725 next door to Big Lots, aims to prove that theory wrong.  Mack’s Tavern owner, Mackenzie Manley, will distinguish her place with unique eats, and an old school, laid back atmosphere, that feels like home.  Mack’s Tavern has only been open for a few weeks, but since the VIP soft opening, the buzz and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.  Food Adventures has already visited the bar a few times, and each trip we notice the beer taps keep rotating, and the menu keeps growing.  We have also noticed that the crowds have been steady.

Our Food Adventures Crew is always on the hunt for new and exciting killer food items on Dayton menus.  It is our “thang,” if you will.  Mack’s impressed us with some  kitchen creations, causing us to say her trademark tagline .. “it’s better than expected.”  Let’s get to it …

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— MACK’S TAVERN first gained attention by winning The Bloody Mary Showdown,  in October, 2014 a few months before their doors even opened.  Mack’s came out of nowhere to beat the field of competition and have their drink named the best Bloody Mary in Dayton.

— Owner Mackenzie Manley, is using her previous bartender experience, to create a friendly atmosphere, even for families.  Mackenzie said kids are welcome, and asks parents to use discretion on how late they stay (she says before 9 pm seems to be the typical time for kids to head home).

— Hours are 2pm-11pm weekdays and 2pm-2am on Fri and Sat nights.  This spring she looks to expand hours to opening at 11am for those wanting lunch Food Adventures.

— They have 12 beer taps and currently are featuring some unique beers like Sweetwater Blue and Konig Ludwig Weissbier Hell.  Mack’s Tavern also features a IPA named after her dog, Haze.  It is called “Haze’s IPA” and is brewed by RedHook Brewery.

— Mack’s features some wildly inventive cocktails.  The Angry Orchard Ale with Oak Heart Spiced Rum is just one of them.  It is called “Chewys Hogtail” named after the stuffed boar above the bar she has nicknamed Chewbacca.  Other drinks include the “Kitty on a Triscuit” with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Watermelon Pucker and orange juice.  Or how about the drink named after her dog, Haze.  A “Sweet Haze” is a mix of Corzo Silver Tequila, Blue Curacao and pineapple juice.

All these drinks need to be soaked up by some food.   Here we go the patented section of the article, where we display our MUST EATS for Mack’s Tavern.

 

MUST EATS:

— THE BLOODY MARY: Our first must eat is a “must drink.”  Come on, if you win Dayton’s best Bloody Mary contest, your drink kicks some serious butt.  No brainer here.

— MACK’S SIGNATURE MAC N CHEESE:  Served piping hot in a casserole dish, small or large this is cheesey goodness at it’s best.  We love the bread crumb toppings for a perfect crunch.  They have a few variations, but our favorite is the CHICKEN PARM MAC n CHEESE.  

— BROWN BOTTLE CHEESE DIP and PRETZEL STICKS:  This is all about the dip, bout the dip, no pretzel.  This thick beer cheese dip will melt you.  The Food Adventures Crew could drink a glass of this stuff.  The flavor is out of this world.

— CHEWYS BOAR BOMBS:  They look like wings at first, but they are pork ‘riblets.’ These bites are on the bone and tossed in an amazing glaze sauce.  This was the Big Ragu’s favorite menu item of them all.  The pork is cooked perfectly, and the sauce will have you licking your fingers like a kid.

— NOT YOUR GRANDMA’s BREAD: Naan bread topped with feta cheese, spicy sauce, and drizzled with spicy sour cream.  The whole thing is toasted, until the toppings are melted.  We have never had anything like this in a bar, that’s for sure.  Creative and delicious.  A Food Adventure on Naan Bread.

— THE BARNYARD PIZZA: Pepperoni, Bacon, Ham and Sausage toppings.  Hint: all their pizzas are good. Take the veggie pizza called the “Tree Hugger.” for example which has black and green olives on it with mushrooms, onions, banana peppers and green peppers.  Our our favorite name , The “PMS” Pizza.  It has Pepperoni, Mushroom and Sausage.

Honorable Mention goes to the Salsa served with chips.  It is a smoky tasting salsa, made from scratch and is the secret recipe of Mack’s brother, Jacob.  It is addicting !

Mack’s Tavern has plans to expand the menu even more to include a Bourbon Bacon Pulled Pork that will be smoked on site.  Also look for burgers to be added to the menu  in the near future.

So you can see, Mack’s Tavern is not your typical bar.  Sure they have dart leagues and pool tables.  We want to mention that they have some of the friendliest bartenders in town.  Mackenzie of course, and Gabby, Stacy and Tiffany always have a smile on their face.  Good food,  good drink, good people, good times.  Check out Mack’s Tavern for yourself and tell Haze and Chewy that the Food Adventures Crew said “woof.”

Want more foodie fun from The Big Ragu, Chef House, The King and Hungry Jax  ?  Then follow FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook by clicking HERE and “liking” their page.  Be sure to browse our gallery below for the sneak peek into MACK’S TAVERN’s food and atmosphere.

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