Friday Saturday Sunday’s Chad and Hanna Williams embrace dining at the bar — and their shot at a second James Beard Award

Friday Saturday Sunday s Lovers Bar could win the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar this year an impressive feat considering the establishment took home the honor for Outstanding Restaurant just two years ago I m fully shocked Absolutely utterly shocked reported Hanna Williams who co-owns the restaurant with her husband Chad To be back there two years later as a finalist is wild It s absolutely wild Still long before the spotlight and national acclaim the Williamses made a risky bet when they took over the historic Philly restaurant in The Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday Courtesy of Jason Varney Friday Saturday Sunday has been a go-to staple for date nights and delicious dinners for over years Chad is the chef while Hanna runs the front of the house The decision to buy the beloved space a decade ago and give its menu and decor a total revamp while keeping its name was far from a safe move I don t think we were fully aware of how powerful the history was going to be Chad declared We had a ton of people who were really mad at us for changing everything So from the jump we were like Ooh maybe this was not the best idea keeping the name because there are expectations Fortunately the duo has more than conquered those initial reactions transforming skepticism into acclaim The best bars often go beyond delicious cocktails and often come with a lived-in backstory The Lovers Bar delivers theirs in spades The bar received its affectionate name due to the restaurant s rich romantic history The number of stories after a while is just overwhelming Chad explained Hundreds of people come in literally hundreds about how they either started dating and they come there still or their parents did It s really wild I personally know what he s talking about My parents met at Friday Saturday Sunday on a blind date over years ago on August They still go there for anniversary dinners What s more in true iconic fashion the Williamses in fact got married in the restaurant before they opened it When that happened it s because we were entirely out of money Hanna announced We had just bought this building We were trying to open this restaurant and we ran out of money well before then Looking back on that if we had all the funds in the world I wouldn t have changed that It s totally unique to us and made the place special Part of the reason that the Lovers Bar has been such a success is because of how central the couple sees it to the dining experience Chad and I have invariably been bar people Hanna disclosed We ve reliably kind of wished to go out to dinner on a whim not making reservations The bar is the best way to do that for the the bulk sought-after reservations The Judgment of Paris cocktail at the Lovers Bar Courtesy of Gab Bonghi According to the couple the bar is a staple not just a waiting area while you count down the minutes until your table is ready Foodies should not snooze on a good bar dinner because the experience can be even better than at a seated table Their goal for the Lovers Bar was to create a space that was big and comfy enough for customers to order cocktails and dine at the counter It was meant to be its own space and have its own identity from the beginning Hanna commented Both Williamses are spirit forward in their cocktail preference and recommended ordering the Assassin s Handbook which comes with cognac Jamaican rum averna and a kick of habanero They agree that their go-to dish on the menu is the octopus and beans That s been on the menu since we opened Hanna commented That s just a pretty special plate altogether not necessarily for a first date but for any time And of program any bar wouldn t be complete without a good vibe Lighting is pivotal Music is critical Chad declared It s the way you feel when you try to add up all those things You know the textures that you have in the space the bar the seats just a bunch of ingredients that go into making it welcoming and intimate The stools at the Lovers Bar are upholstered in zebra-patterned fabric and the countertop is cut from wide marble Soft ambient lighting hangs above the seats casting a warm glow over the space The restaurant is in a historic row home and there are rich wood tones all around The couple is excited to celebrate this other element of Friday Saturday Sunday experience in Chicago The last time they traveled to the James Beard Awards as finalists they celebrated their win at a karaoke bar Chad announced they turned in early but Hanna protested that he may not have the best memory of the night due to certain boozy shenanigans Friday Saturday Sunday won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant in Courtesy of Jason Varney We did not go home early she jumped in We were out until a m We went to the after-hours bar Chicago proved us the absolute best time So the first time around we were there with the whole staff Well largest part of the staff anyway so everybody was just on cloud nine celebrating The Williamses are blown away with the positive feedback they ve received from their restaurant They re already experiencing acclaim beyond their expectations and are trying to take everything moment by moment To be in the finals is kind of already a win Hanna declared So we re all just looking forward to being back in Chicago and hanging out with one another and celebrating the success that it already is We re up against a few of the best in the business We ve been doing this for almost years Chad added It s a quarter of our life or more so it really has become an extension of who we are and I think we ve become more of the restaurant We are one unit right now You know we don t have a bunch of other restaurants it s just this one So it is very personal It still feels very personal even years in The post Friday Saturday Sunday s Chad and Hanna Williams embrace dining at the bar and their shot at a second James Beard Award appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY