Why Reunion Hall might feel familiar when it opens in Haddon Township
HADDON TWP. – Dave Welsh grew up literally across the street from his new restaurant/bar concept, which will open soon along Haddon Avenue.
The Haddon Township High School graduate will soon debut his Reunion Hall, with its dedicated kitchen for three unique restaurants: Chicken Joint, Local Standards and Poppy Taco.
There is a 5,000-square-foot interior with nine large TVs, a 4,000-square-foot exterior, 56 craft beers from around the world, including 30 local beers, along with a cocktail and wine list. The outside area features another bar, a lounge with a fire pit, four more TVs and a retractable roof and heaters.
One of the cool features of the multi-concept restaurant and bar is there is an entire wall created from the wood from barrels from local breweries. There are also several sunroofs indoors, which allow a lot of natural light in.
Welsh, who also owns The Mile Bar in Runnemede and the South Jersey Running Co. and is a big part of the running community in South Jersey, wanted to create a unique space that combined some similar features of things he’s seen in restaurants around the country.
Reunion Hall has ‘much more of a West Coast or New England vibe’
On a recent morning, workers were putting the finishing touches on some things in the outdoor area, where Welsh has created a welcoming space, which includes the fire pit, as well as an outdoor bar and an area with turf. It will be a great space to host parties and events.
His space, located at 206 Haddon Avenue, a former Napa Auto Parts, sits in the Westmont area of Haddon Township, near some of the popular area restaurants and bars such as Treno, The Pourhouse and Keg & Kitchen, and across the street from Haddon Towne Center apartment complex.
Welsh lives in Haddon Township, near the Collingswood border, still close enough to his childhood home.
“I went to high school here, went to college, was gone 10 years, then came back,” said Welsh, who moved back to the area about 20 years ago.
He explained he opened The Mile to meet demand from the running community.
The idea for Reunion Hall came after "I had the ability to get a liquor license here and do something in my hometown."
The restaurant "is based off of 20 different restaurants that I’ve been to around the country. Each of these features is kind of inspired by somebody’s work somewhere else. Much more of a West Coast or New England vibe.”
The space, which he hopes draws customers from Philly as well, has a plethora of reclaimed wood. The floors are made of reclaimed wood, there is a long table near the bar that’s made from reclaimed wood where customers can stand with their drinks and eat if they want. That table has one of Welsh’s high school medals from running embedded in it.
“It’s like a talking piece, but it also kind of divides the dining room from the bar area,” said Welsh, who said the indoor space can seat about 150 people and a few hundred could be in the outdoor space, including those standing.
Two other new restaurants we’re looking forward to
Dolsan, Mount Laurel
Craig Vogt grew up in Mount Laurel and said months ago that he’d bring a new concept to his hometown. His goal was to open in October, but things got pushed back.
His new concept, Dolsan Korean BBQ and Sushi will be different than his popular Dolsot House in Camden County, he said. That spot serves Korean BBQ, Korean chicken wings and many other favorites.
Hot chicken is coming Dave's Hot Chicken restaurant coming to this Camden County town
“The menu will be much different, few staple items will remain,” Vogt said.
He said there will be tableside BBQ hoods, sushi, bubble tea, drinks. It will have a more modern Korean/Japanese twist.
The location is 3747 Church Road.
Tommy’s Tavern + Tap, Cherry Hill
The chain, which opened a location recently in Mount Laurel, is bringing a second South Jersey location to Cherry Hill in the spring of 2024.
The location, which once housed a Houlihan’s, is 2050 Route 70 West at Market Place at Garden State Park.
Construction is coming along on the restaurant.
Tommy’s Tavern + Tap currently has 10 locations, eight in New Jersey, one in Delaware and one in New York.
Tommy’s Tavern + Tap serves wings, sandwiches, soups, salads, pulled pork mac and cheese, barbeque chicken, burgers and much more on its menu.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Three restaurants, bars we're looking forward to in South Jersey in 2024
