Dan Lahr, owner of 152 Public House Bar and Restaurant, took over Lew’s Seafood from longtime owner Sam Capreri in May 2023.
Lahr moved to the area from Philly about 16 years ago when his wife was pregnant. He said the last three years have treated the establishment well.
“The neighborhood and our clientele have been awesome. Our takeout customers have been very loyal and make it worth doing. Everyone’s been happy since the Lew’s Seafood changeover, and we’ve been growing every year,” he said. “I rely on word of mouth, so when we treat people well and we have a good product, we get a lot of advertising. A lot of people say they were recommended by other customers.”
Tuesday evenings are reserved for English Darts at 8:00pm, Wednesday evenings feature “Whiskey, Wine, Warsteiner and Wings”, and Public House’s kitchen is now open until 10:30pm Thursday, Friday & Saturday.
“English Darts is pickup play for now with the potential of some kind of league depending on what people want,” Lahr said. “We offer a new whiskey every couple of weeks. We want people to try new offerings. We get a lot of people that are eating at the bar, which is really nice.”
Lahr said their top sellers on the drink side include wine, whiskey, and beer. Public House offers 12 drafts, an assortment of bottles and cans, and roughly 60 drinks besides liquor.
Shrimp, flounder and scallops continue to be customers’ favorite dishes.
“We do a lot of wings now, too, along with cheesesteaks, and we run specials almost every weekend. Our soups are always a hit, particularly New England clam chowder. We’ve been picking up a lot of lunches through our specials that run 11:00am to 3:00pm Tuesday to Saturday,” he said. “A lot of people who live around here have never been in our location. I think some people don’t realize what the inside is like, or that there’s even a bar.”
Lahr noted that Public House’s success is a tribute to loyal staff over the years.
“I’m very fortunate to have had a consistent staff for the past three years. Some have been with Lew’s and Public House almost 30 years. Jim and Kathy have been with us for decades. Our longtime cooks have been great,” he said. “Three years in, I’m glad I’m doing it and I’m glad I’m in the area. We take part in the local Christmas tree lighting and various activities with Jenkintown High School and other organizations. I’m in the final stage of my career and I plan on riding off into the sunset after another 15 years or so.”
He said his inspiration comes from the popular 1980s sitcom “Cheers”.
“That show was why I decided that’s what I wanted for a living. The best compliment I’ve gotten is when people say they feel like they’re in Cheers,” he said. “That warms my heart because that’s why I got into the business. When I walk in and hear glasses clanging and people talking, I’m at peace. I could listen to people enjoying themselves, eating, drinking, talking, all day.”
Hours:
- Monday Closed
- Tuesday 3pm – 11pm|
- Wednesday 3pm – 11pm
- Thursday 3pm – 11:30pm
- Friday 11am – 12 midnight
- Saturday 11am – 12 midnight
- Sunday 11am – 11pm
For more on 152 Public House, located at 2734 Limekiln Pike, you can visit their Facebook page. For more on Lew’s Seafood, you can visit their Facebook page and website.
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