Foodie Friday: Gil’s Broiler & The Manske Roll Bakery

There’s just something so craveable about a warm and gooey cinnamon roll. 

Just ask President Lyndon Baines Johnson. The 36th President of the United States couldn’t get enough of the famed Manske Roll — a cinnamon roll with a delicious buttery glaze. According to Gil’s Broiler & The Manske Roll Bakery’s history, LBJ, a prominent Texas State alumnus, encountered the Manske Roll when he returned to San Marcos for a political function and was immediately enamored. 

“Once in office, LBJ had the delicious rolls sent to the White House, perhaps to enjoy a piece of his younger, less stressful days,” the restaurant says on its website. “You haven’t been to San Marcos until you’ve had a Manske Roll.” 

The delicious cinnamon roll can be found alongside delicious burgers and chicken at Gil’s Broiler. 

What to get 

Obviously, you have to try a Manske roll when going to Gil’s Broiler. If “you haven’t been to San Marcos until you’ve had a Manske Roll,” then I guess I finally made it to town during our recent visit. 

Yes, I’m admitting, despite living here for nearly six years, Tuesday was the first time I’d ever sampled the Manske Roll. 

It’s truly as delicious as advertised. The cinnamon roll is nice and fluffy. The glaze is buttery and pairs well with the cinnamon. As the restaurant says, it works to “ensure every batch is as fresh as possible for you.” 

“We’re dedicated to kick-starting your morning with warm, buttery Manske Rolls and a cup of hot coffee,” Gil’s Broiler says on its website. 

It might not have been morning when I sampled this delectable treat, but it did kick start my day.

A warm Manske Roll comes out to $3 but you can get it in several different ways. There’s the Bacon Manske ($4), which comes with chopped bacon on top of the cinnamon roll. Or if you’re in the mood for ice cream, consider the warm Manske Roll a la mode — the famed sweet treat topped with a scoop of Amy’s Ice Cream for $4. You can also try the Manske Melt, which is a Manske Roll topped with Hershey’s chocolate ($4), If you’re in a sharing mood you can buy a four-pack ($11), eight-pack ($21) or 12-pack ($30) of Manske Rolls. 

Gil’s Broiler & The Manske Roll Bakery also dishes out a mean burger. On our visit to this San Marcos staple, me and my dining companion both chose a half-pound burger served the original way with mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles and grilled onions ($6). Gil’s Broiler offers a quarter-pound burger ($4), one-pound burger ($10.50) and two-pound burger ($18.50). The restaurant also has The Impossible Burger — served with a plant-based patty — for $7. 

Gil’s Broiler has several different styles of burgers. Alongside the original style, Gil’s slings its burgers out with a hickory style, which comes with hickory sauces and grilled onions. Gil’s also has a chili burger — chili, cheese, hickory sauce and grilled onions — and a Gil-A-Monster, which is served with St. Louis dressing, tomato and grilled onions. 

Gil’s also has a Turkey Burger ($4), Gil-A-Chick — a fried chicken strip sandwich ($6), and a grilled chicken sandwich ($10.50).  

If you go:

Gil’s Broiler & The Manske Roll Bakery is located at 328 N. LBJ Dr. 

The eatery is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. 

For more information visit manskeroll.com

Phone: 512-878-8888