Shortly after Max Fish departed 178 Ludlow St. last summer, the owners of Sweet Chick, a Williamsburg restaurant specializing in chicken and waffles, signed a lease for the space. They began the process of seeking a liquor license, with plans to open their second location at the former home of the legendary bar–only to face rejection in December.
But today, the New York State Liquor Authority granted its full bar permit, after the application came up for a second review, said co-owner John Seymour.
Reached by phone a little while ago, Seymour said the December rejection was due to paperwork not being completed. The outcome of today’s hearing “feels pretty good,” he said. He and partner Sam Saleh are completing renovations and hope to open by late April, he said.
“Can’t wait to be part of the LES community!” Seymour said via Twitter this afternoon. In an interview about the restaurant’s expansion to Manhattan last fall, Seymour talked to the Village Voice about taking over from such a beloved establishment, saying: “When I saw Pink Pony was closing, we made the call to go check it out, and we started talking about Max Fish. Originally, it was like, wow, those are big shoes to fill. But I talked to my wife and my partner, and we came to a conclusion: Who better to take it than us?”
“Who better to take it than us”. So arrogant.
Dude, he just means they will be a perfect fit for the neighborhood. I guarantee you it will be a hit.