There's something very different about the latest sports bar and restaurant to hit the Lehigh Valley. Sports and Social Allentown is sprawling and a little classy; it still bears some design elements of its previous incarnation as The Hamilton Kitchen. The technology running the entertainment is state-of-the-art, the hospitality is friendly and the scratch-made fare on the menu caters to all different kinds of clientele. There are ample gaming opportunities, and you can watch the game or listen to live entertainment from anywhere in the restaurant, whether it's one of the three bar areas or the outdoor dog-friendly patio complete with a fire pit. In short, your every sport-watching dream can come true at Sports and Social.
This restaurant concept is part of a larger company, but it's not a chain per se. Its parent company is Live! Dining and Entertainment, and it opens restaurants and entertainment venues in urban locations that are undergoing revitalization. (They also operate Xfinity Live! at the Philadelphia Sports Complex, among other sports and entertainment spots.) Allentown is the second spot for this restaurant concept, and the city fits squarely into the company's profile, as Allentown is an unbelievable 10 years into its urban renewal efforts. (Manager Clint Malek says that by the end of 2022, the city will have added 2,000 residents downtown in the past 10 years.)
The menu isn't necessarily universal; instead, the company understands that catering to the local scene makes the most sense for so many reasons. The menus can be customized based on location. In Allentown, of course you'll find things like a cheesesteak (and cheesesteak egg rolls, too, if you don't want the whole sandwich). You'll also find beers from neighbors such as Brü Daddy's Brewing Company and Fegley's Brew Works, and Philly spirits such as Stateside Vodka and Bluecoat Gin. “The Lehigh Valley is food and craft-cocktails driven, and you don't always find those things in sports bars,” says Malek. “They've elevated the concept of a sports bar with scratch-made food that's approachable and affordable. And we're always developing recipes, too.” (More on the menu in a minute.)
The most obvious and immediate difference, as far as sports bars go, is the atmosphere. The sports programming is operated from a mind-blowing command center that rivals anything they use on ESPN (not joking, ask them to show you—the kids will love it). You can watch any major sports event airing from almost anywhere in the world, from baseball and golf and football to the World Cup, for example. Home teams aren't forgotten, either—how often do you get to see the IronPigs or the Phantoms on television at a bar? The entire back wall of the restaurant is one huge screen (25 feet!) or two separate screens, depending on programming needs. It doesn't seem like it'd be complete without the ability to play games while you watch the game: try your hand at pinball, old-school arcade games (including tabletop Pac-Man), foosball, basketball, Skee-Ball and, of course, beer pong. Commercial breaks during game times feel like you're at the game with an emcee running the show, with gags such as the kiss cam and other games. Sports and Social takes the experience to the next level.
Sports and Social, however, is different because what you order is going to be scratch-made, which is a distinguishing factor among other bars and restaurants of its ilk. In other words, we aren't looking at a menu full of frozen and/or fried foods. Instead, you've got house-made wings that go through a process of breading and flash-frying (and come in several different styles, including the sweet and spicy bee sting). You're going to find a fair amount of food with heat, too, whether it's the popper burger (with jalapeño cream cheese), the Nashville hot chicken sandwich (not to be trifled with!) or the aforementioned wings. And you've got handhelds such as burgers, a cheesesteak with shaved ribeye, a Beyond burger, salmon burger and chicken sandwich with avocado. The bowls portion of the menu includes salads but also a Korean bowl with grilled chicken, julienned carrots, red cabbage, cucumber, romaine, green onions, gochujang and charred broccoli over steamed rice. They offer a few entrées, which include fish and chips, pan-seared mahi-mahi, steak and shrimp and the braised short rib dish (over cauliflower rice).
Tacos are served in an unusual manner—they're double-wrapped, which is not so unusual these days, with a corn shell on the inside, a flour on the outside and a layer of guacamole in between the shells. This move guarantees that every bite contains guacamole, and it also helps to easily seal the two shells together. Your tacos can come with Korean short ribs, chicken, bacon and ranch or the mahi with fried, grilled or blackened mahi-mahi with pico de gallo and red cabbage slaw. The nachos receive a smart presentation, too—rather than stacked high, which invariably results in soggy bites now and then, they're spread out, which also facilitates easy sharing. It's hard to go wrong with whatever you select, because it'll be hand crafted. “About 90 percent of what we make here, we make in-house,” says executive chef John Burke. (Note: Most restaurants are outsourcing bread.)
Many restaurants like to boast that they have something for everyone who comes through the door, but in the case of Sports and Social, it seems to be true, if the shifting clientele is any indication. Malek notes that the crowd changes dramatically over the course of several hours. They've only been open since late April, but the happy hour crowd is finding them, followed by families who enjoy the extensive dinner options (complete with a kids' menu). The post-dinner crowd shows up after that, and it's usually younger people, many within walking distance of the restaurant. And then, especially on the weekends, there's a late-night crowd that shows up after
10 o'clock to enjoy the live music that's pumped throughout the restaurant, both inside and outside. (Sports and Social caters to that crowd, too, by staying open until 2 a.m.) And if you're having a great time on the weekend, late into the night, and want to come back in the morning, you're in luck. Saturday features a chill vibe with an acoustic brunch, whereas Sunday keeps the previous night's festivities rolling with more of a party feel.
After you've eaten all the things, watched the game, played some games and listened to some music, what's left? Dessert. Order the chocolate cake and make sure you've got plenty of room—or plenty of folks to share it with, as you receive two hefty slices. Like so much at Sports and Social, the cake serving, too, is larger than life.
Sports and Social Allentown
645 Hamilton St., Allentown | 610.638.0899 | sportsandsocial.com/allentown
*Please check their website and/or social media for current operating hours and procedures.
Hours
Sun.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.–midnight; Fri. & Sat.: 11 a.m.–2 a.m.
Parking
Street parking and nearby parking decks
Reservations
Recommended, but walk-ins are welcome
What to Order
Loaded nachos, any of the wings, Chicken & Bliss, breakfast skillets, avocado toast, the mahi-mahi tacos, Korean short ribs. The signature drinks are “crushes,” with the orange version leading the way, made from fresh-squeezed orange juice, orange vodka and triple sec, and topped with lemon-lime soda. (Warning: this drink goes down very easily!)
Specials
Happy Hour: Mon.–Fri. from 4–6:30 p.m. (specials on the orange crush, house wine, domestic bottles and half-price select appetizers); Mondays are build-your-own burgers starting at $5; Tuesdays are Taco Tuesdays (naturally) with specials on Mexican food (tacos, chips and salsa, margaritas, etc.); Thursdays promise live music.
Published as "Inside Dish" in the August 2022 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
