SIN, the Northern Liberties steakhouse that brought ‘vibe dining’ to Philly, closes
SIN operating partner Justin Veasey said the fine dining concept wasn't a fit for neighborhood, and that the steakhouse's space will be turned over to another restaurateur at the end of April.
Pour one out for vibe dining in Philadelphia.
SIN, the Northern Liberties steakhouse that coined the term, closed Thursday to make way for a new concept set to open at the end of April, operating partner Justin Veasey told The Inquirer.
Opened in November 2023 by real estate developer and club-stauraunt enthusiast Justin Veasey alongside business partners Mike Connors and William Muhr Jr., SIN — which stands for ‘Steak Italian Nightlife’ — operated for just under a year-and-a-half on the ground floor of The Beverly, an apartment building across from The Piazza on 2nd Street.
The restaurant’s unique value proposition was simple: SIN was a steakhouse but also a vibe, complete with a DJ but no dance floor. Its tableside cacio e pepe service, moody interiors, and extravagant brunch bottle service made SIN a destination for aspiring social media influencers. Critics panned the steakhouse for being “not even that fun ... a boring restaurant that wishes it were anywhere but Philly.” (Its website cited New York, Miami, and Las Vegas as inspirations.)
» READ MORE: From 2023: SIN (as in ‘Steak Italian Nightlife’) hopes to bring ‘vibe dining’ to Philly
Veasey said SIN’s upscale offerings were not a fit for a neighborhood lined with gastropubs, unassuming bars, and Mexican restaurants. SIN’s location will be turned over to another restaurateur at the end of the month who will open another location of a popular existing Philadelphia restaurant, Veasey said. He declined to share the name of the restaurateur or the concept, citing a nondisclosure agreement.
“During the week, it was hard to get clientele in there,” Veasey said. “SIN didn’t produce as much revenue as I had projected, so instead of it going downwards and having to lose money just to keep it afloat, I switched it up.”
A vibe undone by a leaky soda gun
When three Inquirer reporters showed up at 7:45 p.m. Friday for a belated birthday reservation, SIN’s doors were locked and the lights were off, leaving the group outside in the rain as calls to SIN returned a busy signal and Instagram DMs went unanswered.
Other potential patrons appear to have found themselves in similar predicaments, ready to catch a vibe that no longer existed.
“Booked here for my bday dinner, reservations were for 8 p.m. on Saturday 4/12. Arrived to the restaurant and it was closed, DOORS LOCKED!,” One Instagram user commented under a video of a chef plating crispy brussels sprouts. “Never experienced nothing like that in my life and especially not on my birthday.”
“My friends went out of their way to book a reservation for my BIRTHDAY dinner on 4/10 .... just for my friend to arrive to locked doors and no one answering the phones in the POURING RAIN!!!!” commented another. “No cancellation email no Instagram post nothing!!!! So unprofessional!!!”
Veasey said the decision to shut SIN down two days earlier than expected on Thursday was separate from the impending switchover. A leaky soda gun had flooded the bar, triggering a series of plumbing issues.
“We were going to call to cancel people’s reservations, but we didn’t get around to it,” Veasey said. SIN’s Resy account has since been taken down.
Philadelphia’s vibe dining scene has had a tough few weeks after the Glu Hospitality restaurant group announced it was shutting down in March amid legal battles and probes from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board over unpaid wages and issues with alcohol permits.
» READ MORE: The once-high-flying restaurant group Glu Hospitality has shut down amid wage-theft allegations and lawsuits
Glu operated Figo — a clubby Italian restaurant across the street from SIN in the Piazza complex known for its espresso martini tower and Eagles’ day parties — as well as Chika, a late night ramen bar in Center City that was themed after the move Blade Runner. Both closed earlier this year after the Inquirer reported that Figo had been using an off-premises catering permit to illegally serve alcohol since its October 2021 opening and that Chika had been slinging cocktails since its liquor license expired on Oct. 31, 2024.
“I don’t want the story to be that SIN failed. I could pay that rent for the whole 10 years ... We didn’t run out of money,” Veasey said. “We just had to think about what would fit the neighborhood.”