The bang of hammers and whir of saws filled the air at Mancy’s Steaks on Sept. 4 as a planned two-month restoration reached its peak.
The project is the first extensive renovation at the restaurant since it opened at its current location in 1974.
“We haven’t really touched it since,” said owner Gus Mancy, whose grandfather opened the steakhouse in 1921. “Now it’s time to freshen the place up.”
Mancy’s Steaks is undergoing an interior restoration project. Toledo Free Press File Photo by Joseph Herr.
The finished restaurant will feature a renovated foyer, restored wood from floor to ceiling, restored original tin ceilings, new carpeting, tables, chairs, booths and restrooms, upgraded lighting, the addition of a second fireplace and more private dining options.
“It’s not really a remodel as much as it is a restoration,” Mancy said. “We’re restoring a very beautiful restaurant. Our goal is to make it better. It’s been a fun project.”
Track lighting being added will “put a soft glow on each and every table,” Mancy said. But don’t worry: “People say, ‘Don’t get rid of the Tiffany shades!’” he said. “We’re not.”
The walls surrounding a private table in the foyer were removed, opening the front entrance room.
A fireplace was added to the dining room facing Phillips Avenue to help accommodate guest requests to be seated in the Fireplace Room, Mancy said.
The Phillips-facing dining room will also become a little more casual, featuring butcher-block tables, taupe tablecloths and a wine closet next to the new fireplace, Mancy said.
“The music might be a little louder in here, just a little bit more casual to appeal to a younger demographic, while the main dining room will maintain the pure white tablecloths and a touch more formal feel,” Mancy said.
Work started Aug. 1. The restaurant was closed Aug. 30-Sept 5 for the most extensive portion of the work on the entryway and foyer. Work will continue for a few more weeks.
Mancy worked with Columbus-based design firm Design Collective, which specializes in restaurant and hotel design, on the project. The company also designed Mancy’s Bluewater Grille and Shorty’s True American Roadhouse, two other Mancy’s Restaurant Group properties.
“They are doing an awesome job for us,” Mancy said. “They have designed some of the best steakhouses in the Midwest and have been great to work with.”
Mancy’s Steaks was originally located where its parking lot is now, but the building was destroyed by fire in 1973. It reopened next door in its current location. Portions of the exterior were renovated last year, including a new canopy over the entrance.
“We’re definitely a destination restaurant,” Mancy said. “We’d love for you to come and check it out. Hopefully it will feel even more comfortable and people will come away happy with the ambience, the food and service.”
Mancy’s, located at 953 Phillips Ave., is known for its namesake steaks, which are aged and hand-cut on site. The menu also features seafood, house-made sauces and desserts and an extensive wine list. Banquet facilities and off-site catering are also available.
For more information, visit mancys.com.
