The husband-wife duo behind Grace and Proper Chris Fetfatzes and Heather Annechiarico just announced the grand opening of Sonnys Cocktail Joint at 1508 South Street this Thursday, January 23 and Friday, January 24.
After having to to close due to a fire that took place nearly three years ago, the feel-good laid back neighborhood bar is returning and ready to host patrons.
The couple are thrilled to share their survivors’ story as they rescued the city’s first real cocktail dive bar. This time around, Sonny’s is back with expertly made cocktails, spins on comfort food classics, underground pizza, a new chef in the kitchen, Instagram-ready throwback vibes, and even a classic pool table.
In the kitchen, look for underground pizza guru and Executive Chef of the late and great Hawthornes, Steven Seibel, aka Uncle Pizza Party. He will be slinging bar pies and his take on comfort food snacks like our buffalo blue cheese shrimp. bang bang chicken, double smash burger and much more. For the drink program, look for an extensive list of well-executed cocktails for cocktail lovers from every walk of life, along with a tightly curated list of wines, plus 25 lines and a highball tower, with 13 lines for draft cocktails, 3 for in-line nitro infusions, 4 for forced carbonated, 6 for sub-zero draft freezer cocktail lines, 8 draft beer taps and 4 draft wines. For vibes, look for welcoming, warm and comforting throwback elements like checkered floors, vinyl, textured glass, vintage beer art, thrift purchases, a pool table and an old school fridge. Sonnys is casual, no pressure, and no reservations. Opening hours for now are 5:00pm to 1:00am Wednesday through Sunday (Kitchen until Midnight), and closed Mondays and Tuesdays (which will change in the spring, along with extended hours). Sonny’s will open early this Sunday for Birds fans, with a full range of specials including drink specials, cheesesteak shorties, glizzys and champion sweet pots.
“Sonnys Cocktail Joint was designed to be a special bar for everyone where your glass is always full. Isn’t that what we all need during these times?” said Fetfatzes. “As professionals in the industry, we craved a watering hole that had quality cocktails without judgment, so we created one. The resulting highbrow/lowbrow bar offers an array of seriously crave-able food and ever-evolving innovative beverages. With a strong focus on craft spirits and cocktails, Sonnys offers a little something for all — from Hawthorne Cafe’s deep craft beer roots and branching out to a small but thoughtful all natu-ral wine program from Wine Dive. Real people serving real drinks, Sonnys Cocktail Joint is everyone’s bar.”
He added, “Heather, Susan and our entire extended family at Sonny’s has been waiting nearly three years to come back to South Street. We missed everyone – and this is such an amazing and emotional time. Our staff have hung in there with us through so much – and after closing Hawthorne’s this month, we have a lot of exciting surprises in the works starting with this reopening. We are still sad to see Wine Dive shuttered from the fire door but we are moving forward and who knows what the future brings. We always have a trick or two up our sleeve.”