Founding Fathers Debuts Giant New Sports Bar and Restaurant in Time for Super Bowl

The new 14,000 square foot sports bar and grill will also feature a the Franklin Room with private event space for up to 200 guests.

By: Jan. 31, 2023
Founding Fathers Debuts Giant New Sports Bar and Restaurant in Time for Super Bowl
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One of Philadelphia's most popular and iconic sports bars is expanding to Bucks County with a new restaurant, grill, sports bar and event/banquet space. Founding Fathers announces the grand opening of its second and largest location at 2900 Street Road, in the former home of Quaker Steak and Lube. Founding Fathers Bensalem will serve up delicious food and drink in a family-friendly atmosphere with big flavors and affordable prices.The 14,000 square foot space features a main dining room, central main bar, new second bar, semi-private large group dining space, new private banquet hall, new giant outdoor deck and sidewalk cafe. From the kitchen, look for freshly made, high quality dishes that will include appetizers, salads, pizza, tacos, sandwiches, burgers, entrees and hand-carved quality steaks. From the bar, look for a wide selection of craft and American favorite beer, ciders, seltzers, classic and signature cocktails and wines. For the sports fans, look for 30+ televisions showing all your favorite sports games - including the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, Sixers and Union. Founding Fathers Bensalem will be open seven days a week, for lunch, happy hour, dinner, sports viewing, private events and late night. Doors open officially on Friday, February 3, 2023 with a grand opening celebration featuring Bob Pantano Dance Party and DJ Joe Castro starting at 6:00pm. Ongoing hours are 12:00pm Noon to 2:00am daily, with the kitchen open until 1:00am nightly. Founding Fathers Bensalem will create jobs for 35+ employees. For more information, call 215-923-1100 or visit ffbensalem.com.

"I've been a long time resident of Bensalem and I'm proud to finally serve the community in my own backyard," said Partner/Owner Dave Chiavaroli. "We are excited to expand to the Philadelphia suburbs into Bucks County and Bensalem," said Chiavaroli. "We are bringing a full-service, family-friendly restaurant, steakhouse, bar, outdoor deck and banquet room to Street Road. We will have a full menu that has something for everyone - with a focus on quality and affordability. We bring many years of steakhouse, sports bar and private event experience between the three of us - it is the best of all worlds brought together for one great new concept. We want to bring Bucks County an affordable new place for steak-lovers. While we hope to be a great spot for special occasions, our real goal is for repeat business and regular diners who are local business people and our neighbors. We want to be that place where you can come as you are from a long day in the office or dressed for a night out with the family, and enjoy a great and well-priced steak one, two, three days a week."

He added, "While we will be a restaurant, bar and grill first, we also will bring everything you love about Founding Fathers South Street - the great and welcoming staff, the extensive array of televisions for game viewing, a menu that also includes all your tailgating favorites - plus a large group dining space where you can invite 10-12 of your friends and have a corner of the restaurant all to yourself. Plus, who doesn't want to enjoy the Birds with a great steak and cold beer in their hand? We also aim to be the go-to spot for late night eats, with hours later than almost all the kitchens around us. Our goal is also to stand out in an area that has a lot of chain restaurants - and bring a local, personal touch to dining on Street Road."

Founding Fathers Bensalem brings together two long-time industry veterans and a rising young hospitality star for this new and extensive venture in the Philadelphia suburbs. Dave Chiavaroli of Marmont and Ken Hutchings of Cavanaugh's teamed up a few years ago to open Cooper's Riverview in Trenton. After a few years of success they decided to find a new location landing on Founding Fathers and 1621 South street in Philadelphia. Now with the addition of their general manager (who is now a partner in Founding Fathers) Zecheriah (Zek) Leeper they've taken over the shuttered Quaker, Steak and Lube at 2900 Street Rd in Bensalem which will be renamed as a second location of Founding Fathers Bensalem They've also added "The Franklin Room" a private event space and banquet room.

FOOD

In the kitchen, Chef Tim Bennett leads the culinary team. He brings with him 20+ years of restaurant experience including 17 years of expertise in the steakhouse business. For the opening menu, look for great quality food at the fairest of prices. The expansive menu features a large selection of appetizers, salads, tacos, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, entrees, steaks and sides. During the year, look for changing daily and weekly specials, plus some seasonal additions. Opening services will include lunch, happy hour, dinner and late night, with weekend brunch to launch in the new year.

Early favorites and signature dishes include hand carved steaks that include 9 ounce Filet Mignon, 30 ounce Bone-in Cowboy Steak and Filet Oscar with crab meat and asparagus. Other crowd pleasers include buffalochicken wings, shrimp tacos and spicy shrimp and mussels. They also will have a full menu of pizza and other family-friendly dishes.

For late night, the full menu is available to 1:00am seven days a week, making it one of the only late night food options in the Bensalem area. The majority of restaurants along Street Road and surrounding areas of Bucks County close at 9:00pm. When you are hungry and need your Midnight fix, Founding Fathers Bensalem is there for you.

BEVERAGE PROGRAM

Partner/Owner Zechariah Leeper has designed a bar program with something for everyone - with options for the beer lover, craft experts, wine lovers, cocktail fans and more. Look for 24 taps with a large selection of local craft, paired with gameday domestics, around a dozen wines by the glass and bottle, and an extensive menu of cocktails - with more to come as the outdoor deck opens in the spring.

He said, "We focus on always having great local craft beer, game day domestic favorites, well priced wines, local seltzers and great cocktails (but classic and signature). The cocktail program stems from the former Steakhouse Marmont and brings an elevated experience to the entire experience."

SUPER BOWL PARTY

For the Super Bowl, look for a $20 all you can eat buffet and create your own nacho station, running from Kick-Off to 8:30pm - with boneless wings and signature sauce, cheeseburger sliders, quesadillas, pretzel bites, nacho station and more. Plus $4 Miller Lite Drafts and Tito's Mixed Drink Specials.

HAPPY HOUR

Monday to Friday, 4-6pm
Chipotle Chicken Nachos $8
Fire Roasted Corn Pico $6
Pretzel Bites $6
Mozzarella Sticks $6
Yuengling and Miller Lite Draft $4
Rotating Draft $5
Kenwood, Budweiser and Bud Lite Cans and Bottles $4
Spiked Blueberry Lemonade $8
Philly Mule $8

LATE NIGHT SPECIAL

7 Days a week 8pm - 1am
$3 Miller Lite and Bud Light & $5 Titos Mixed Drinks
1/2 Price Select Appetizers & $5.99 Personal Pizzas

WING NIGHT

Thursday 6pm - 12am
$2.50 High Life & $3.00 Miller Lite
75¢ Jumbo Wings (5 wing per order minimum. Takeout orders do not apply. Eat in only)

76ERS GAMES

$4 Founders Solid Gold drafts
1/2 price pizza & chipotle chicken nachos

FLYERS GAMES

$3 Labatt's Blue drafts
1/2 price pizza & chipotle chicken nachos

HELPING OUR HEROES SPECIAL

Hospital workers, school teachers, first responders and active military are entitled to 25% Off Food whenever they visit! (dine in only. Not available on drinks.

MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

Look for the Bob Pantano Dance Party and DJ Joe Castro every Friday starting at 6:00pm. Look for other entertainment, music and special events inside (and later outside) to be announced on social media.

LAYOUT, SEATING, PARKING

The 14,000K space features seating inside and outside for 800+ people, with the main dining room, bar and lounge seating 360 people, with seating for up to 200 guests in The Franklin Room, and an additional 300+ people outside on the deck and the additional sidewalk cafe.

Inside, look for a large indoor lobby where guests can check-in for special events and the Franklin Room (to the left) and check-in for the bar and dining tables to the right. The main dining room and bar now feature a main centerpiece lower bar at the heart of the expansive space - with a mix of bar seating and hightop tables, surrounded by low-tops and larger banquets. Dining tables in the main dining area sweep around the building in three main dining sections with a combination of two, four and banquet seating, with several semi-private spaces for sub-diving for corporate and private mixers.

For the big game, look for a special dining suite with a giant round for 10-12 people, with in-suite televisions and sports decor. In total, sports fans will find 30+ televisions around the entire space - with a great view from all sides of the restaurant and bar. Look for custom art that will appeal to the Philly fans, paying homage to our city and our hometown teams.

For families, look for kids-eat-free on Wednesdays down the road, plus they have high chairs, children's menus and kid-friendly favorites.

Parking is free in the giant private parking lot.

LARGE NEW OUTDOOR DECK AND SIDEWALK DINING

When nice weather arrives, Founding Fathers Bensalem will have one of the largest outdoor dining and drink scenes in Bucks County - with two major spaces for hundreds of guests - including a sidewalk cafe and patio in front of the space facing Street Road and on the side of the building, as well as a brand new elevated deck with a large outdoor bar, with immediate access to the new inside second bar through the connecting new walls. Look for an official launch to the deck and sidewalk cafe later this spring.

PRIVATE BANQUET ROOM AND EVENT SPACE

Founding Fathers Bensalem introduces The Franklin Room - a renovated affordable and beautiful new banquet and private event space that can seat up to 150-200 guests, with layouts for everything from seated meals, theatre-style seating and standing-room cocktail receptions. The space was designed for Bucks County residents needing a new affordable place for wedding rehearsal dinners, corporate meetings, baby showers, anniversary parties, large group private dining, presentations and workshops, non-profit events, tourism mixers and more.

The Franklin Room has free parking, an external private entrance, an internal connecting entrance, A/V equipment, banquet style seating and rounds, private bathrooms and more.

The renovated space was specifically part of the new concept due to lack of private event and banquet space in the nearby community. For special occasions, the owners may also hold special events and holiday offerings in this space as well - such as Easter brunch, theme events and more.

Chiavaroli said, "My team brings many years of experience hosting events, corporate meetings and banquets at Cooper's Riverview in Trenton - and we wanted to bring that experience to Bucks County by adding the Franklin Room to the facility at Founding Fathers Bensalem."

While parking is free in the private parking lot, valet parking can be arranging on site for more upscale events.

For all event inquiries, contact Alan at alan @ ffgroupinc dot com or call 267-408-4150.

GRAND OPENING FESTIVITIES

Founding Fathers Bensalem will host a special ribbon cutting on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, with time and details to be announced. The official grand opening dinner service and celebration commences on Friday, February 3, 2023, with opening night dinner service starting at 6:00pm with live music and later dancing. Look for the Legendary Bob Pantano Dance Party and DJ Joe Castro on site starting at 6:00pm. Guests will enjoy the "Golden Era of Dance" mixed with some of your favorites from the 70's, 80's, 90's. Look for food and drink specials as well.

OWNER PORTFOLIO

The three owners bring experience that is the best of all worlds for a restaurant and steakhouse, a sports bar and outdoor deck, and a private event space:

David A Chiavaroli - long-time Philly restauranteur:
* Past owner of former Maramont Steakhouse (Philadelphia)
* Current partner/owner of Cooper's Riverview (Trenton)
* Current partner/owner of Founding Fathers South Street (Philadelphia)
* Current partner/owner of Founding Fathers Bensalem (Bucks County)

Ken Hutchings - long-time sports bar owner:
* Current partner/owner of NEW Cavanaugh's Rittenhouse (Philadelphia)
* Current partner/owner of Cavanaugh's Headhouse (Philadelphia)
* Current partner/owner of Cavanaugh's Riverdeck (Philadelphia)
* Current partner/owner of Cooper's Riverview (Trenton)
* Current partner/owner of Founding Fathers South Street (Philadelphia)
* Current partner/owner of Founding Fathers Bensalem (Bucks County)

Introducing Zechariah Leeper Mara - rising young hospitality entrepreneur:
* Past general manager of former Maramont Steakhouse (Philadelphia)
* Current partner/owner of Founding Fathers South Street (Philadelphia)
* Current partner/owner of Founding Fathers Bensalem (Bucks County

ABOUT FOUNDING FATHERS BENSALEM

Founding Fathers Bensalem aims to be an upscale grill, restaurant, banquet space and sports bar with quality food (including great steaks) with fair and affordable pricing, and a friendly casual vibe. Come as you are on your lunch break, bring your friends to catch the big game, or stop by with the whole family for a night away from the kitchen.

Founding Fathers Bensalem is:
* Restaurant and grill with steakhouse favorites
* Top new sports hot spot in Bucks County
* Massive outdoor deck and sidewalk scene for nice weather
* Go-to spot for late night eats
* Affordable new special event and banquet space
* Top new spot for families, local office employees and sports fans



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