My husband and I returned from a fun-filled weekend in Ocean City, NJ, late last night. This was my first time in Ocean City and I must admit I had a lot of fun hanging out with my family, including my adorable nieces and nephew. I was really looking forward to eating pizza at Mack & Manco Pizza and getting fudge at The Original Fudge Kitchen - YUM! In addition to eating out, I also showed off my cooking skills and made my mean specialty dish... Penne alla Vodka for my family.
Ocean City is a dry town that is very family oriented. There were sooooo many young children on the boardwalk which was nice to see. Now although I don't think too highly of the Jersey Shore waters (Dude, I gotta keep it real) and skipped going in the ocean all together, I still thoroughly enjoyed viewing the sunset at the ocean, loved walking on the boardwalk, indulged in amazing pizza, and my hubby and I enjoyed riding on a Surrey for the first time. I felt as though I was on vacation and I was only in OC for 2 days. Going forward I will consider joining my entire family in their OC tradition for many years to come. I think I'd also like to start an Atlantic City tradition with friends since alcohol is permitted in AC! I know, I know, the Jersey Shore ain't the Caribbean, but it's only 2 hours by car and I can make memories with the ones I love for a fraction of the cost, and group vacations are so fun!
Here are just a few gorgeous pictures I took while in Ocean City, NJ.
LOCATION
8th, 9th, 12th Street
Ocean City, NJ 08226
(Boardwalk)
AMBIENCE
Mack & Manco has a very informal setting that boasts some of the best pizza in Ocean City. Seating is based on a first-come, first-served basis. Check out the walls at M&M and notice all those awards they've received. I found the waiters to be very cute... c'mon, most of them looked Italian.
RECOMMENDED TO
Casual Dining, Groups, Kid Friendly, Everyone.
CUISINE
Pizza, Italian
MENU - $
The prices at Mack & Manco are pretty standard for pizza. A slice of plain pizza runs $2.25 each. Each extra topping costs about 75 cents. A plain pie of pizza consisting of 8 slices is $17. In reality, you are saving $1 by purchasing a pie of pizza versus 8 slices of pizza... it isn't a whole lot, but it is something. Expect to spend about $5 to $7 per person.
Dinner for 10 adults + 7 kids (ages 6 to 14)
5 drinks + 3 pies of pizza ~ $75 to $80 (this is an estimate... my Dad paid) 🙂
RECOMMENDED HEALTHY EATS... choices below are based on my knowledge of food and nutrition. There is nothing healthy about pizza, however if you are looking to eat better, opt for veggie slices with sauce and less cheese. You can also request cheese-less pizza with veggies... I've requested this at other pizza establishments and they have usually catered to my request, I haven't tried this at M&M though. Lastly, blot each pizza slice with a napkin to remove access oil/fat. There is no online nutritional information available for Mack & Manco. Please use your own discretion when making a decision.
| HEALTHIER EATS |
|---|
| SLICES |
| Broccoli (request less cheese) |
| Spinach (request less cheese) |
| TOPPINGS |
| Mushroom |
| Onion |
| Green Pepper |
| Black Olives |
| Broccoli |
| Spinach |
| Tomato |
| OTHER REQUESTS |
| Request - Cheese-less Pizza w/Veggies |
| Request - Veggie Pizza w/Less Cheese |
MY REVIEW
First things first, I wasn't on a diet, so I ate my heart out!
The first pie we ordered was Plain Pizza with extra sauce which was the best pizza at M&M. How would I describe it? The plain pizza is a thin-crusted pizza with a reasonable amount of cheese, and a generous amount of sauce, again, we requested extra sauce. You may end up trying different flavors of pizza, however I guarantee you will love the original plain pizza. It ROCKS!
We also ordered a pie of the Plain Pizza topped with Spinach. This was really good as well, but not my favorite. The spinach sort of takes away from the flavor of the sauce and I felt there wasn't enough cheese on the pizza. I felt as though I was eating flavorless spinach, although my family members seem to love this... they just love their veggies!
The last pizza pie we ordered was the Spinach Pizza with Cheese (no sauce). This pizza was really good too, definitely a lot better than the above Spinach Pizza with Sauce. There was an ample amount of cheese sitting above the spinach which added a ton of flavor and fat to this pizza. The oil on this pie is apparent, but trust me, every bite was well worth the calories.
VERDICT - 5 / 5
What is Mack & Manco's secret? It's all in their sauce. The sauce is simply delicious. There are a bunch of seasonings going on and I'm guessing Italian Seasoning, Oregano, Garlic Powder, and there is some spice. My favorite pizza here is the Plain Pizza followed by the Spinach Pizza with Cheese (no sauce). Furthermore, the service here is extremely quick. Each pie was delivered less than 5 minutes apart. The waiters were very nice and friendly.
I'm a HUGE fan of New York City pizza, however it is very hard to compare NYC pizza to beach pizza, both are absolutely delicious, however Mack & Manco had a different flavor unique to only, M&M. The pizza here was outstanding, so much so I ended up purchasing an entire pie of plain pizza for my hubby and I... we will be eating it for dinner a couple days this week... yippie. And lastly, patience is a virtue so be prepared to wait in line and it'll all be well worth it in the end... just look at this slice! Salivating, yet?
UrMomCooks says
Sooo miss East coast pizza... I am gasping now... Texas may have chiles and margaritas like none other, but Italian food of any kind is not on the radar!!! (used to live outside Boston and Providence) Looks like a fantastic weekend!
honeywhatscooking says
Hi UrMomCooks... Yeah, every region has its specialty... east coast definitely has great Italian.. but Texas and Cali have amazing Mexican! 🙂
Anonymous says
Alcohol is permitted in OC, you just can't buy it there.
Anonymous says
Mack & Manco pizza is my absolute favorite!! It's one of the highlights of going to Ocean City. I wish they had one in NY.
honeywhatscooking says
@Anonymous - Yes, indeed! Mack & Manco is definitely the highlight for Ocean City. I come home with a pie every year. I so wish they had one in NYC, too. 🙂
Candice says
Mack & Manco pizza now goes by Manco & Manco, but it's the same recipe. I asked a policeman on the boardwalk and he confirmed that Mack of "Mack & Manco's" passed away, so now it's called Manco & Manco. I have to agree with the above commenters, this pizza is the tops and it's the sweet sauce and thin crust that makes it so delish. I HIGHLY recommend any Ocean City newcomer to indulge in a piece of Manco & Manco's plain cheese pizza. Without sounding cheesy, it's a little slice of heaven.