An Asian Fusion Sports Bar Out of NYC Makes Its Philly Debut This Weekend

NYC’s Lower East Side sports bar Set tries Philly on for size with a new graffiti-lined location in Northern Liberties opening Friday, August 21.

Dubbed Set NoLibs, the 2,400-square-foot venture outfitted with 10 TVs won’t welcome Philly sports fans inside just yet. Indoor dining in Philly has been pushed to September 1 at the earliest. To start, there’s sprawling outdoor seating options across the Liberties Walk courtyard, sidewalk, and a new streatery, along with takeout and delivery via third-party apps.

Situated at the foot of the massive mixed-used Piazza complex (1030 N. 2nd Street), Set is scheduled to operate Tuesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday through Sunday starting at noon.

For its sophomore location, NYC-based Set Hospitality teamed up with Glu Hospitality, the Philly group behind clubby cocktail bars Leda & the Swan, Germantown Garden, and Vesper. Part of the co-ownership team is Taiwanese and Chinese. Branded as a “gastropub with an Asian twist,” Set puts global spins on sliders, skewers, seafood, tacos, and wings.

Bulgogi cheesesteak sliders are built with Korean barbecue-marinated ribeye, bell peppers, Tex-Mex cheese, and chipotle mayo. There’s also jalapeno “cheeseburger” spring rolls, fiery Thai chili Sriracha wings, and Sriracha aioli-flanked lemongrass chicken tacos with traditional banh mi fillings (pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro).

Loaded “New York City” tacos made the trek down to Philly, packed with ground beef, cheddar cheese, bacon, tater tots, pico de gallo, and chipotle aioli. On the drinks side, there’s frozen margaritas and a red bull frose, along with mojitos sized in 16-oz. or 32-oz. portions.

The opening represents a neighborhood expansion for Glu, which just brought NYC’s taco-and-tequila joint Anejo to the complex this month. Glu is gearing up to announce an additional Northern Liberties bar this fall.

Set’s eggy brunch service debuts out of the gate in Philly, with a steak-and-eggs skillet, a 30-day dry aged burger topped with an egg, and fried breakfast wontons with scrambled eggs.

“From really authentic Vietnamese cuisines to high end steakhouses and unique bars, I felt like the level of restaurants and hospitality groups were definitely on par with what we have in New York City,” says SET Hospitality managing partner Michael Tang, in a statement.

The Philly location plays up hometown teams and themes, with colorful odes to the 76ers and iconic Philly landscapes by local graffiti artist Dave Henry.

Society Hill Films/Set

Society Hill Films/Set

Society Hill Films/Set

Society Hill Films/Set

Kory Aversa/Set

COVID-19 precautions in place include sanitizing bathrooms every 15 minutes, and all dishes, utensils, and glassware are run through high-temp dishwashers. Single disposable alternates are also available upon request.

• Philly Extends Its Indoor Dining Ban to September 1 [EP]
• 3 New Philly Restaurants Open With Outdoor Dining and Takeout [EP]