SADIE MAE BURNS & ANTHONY HA
Restauranteurs
After building a cult following with their transient pop-up, Ha’s Đăc Biêt, the restauranteurs opened Ha’s Snack Bar last December on the Lower East Side, where they serve up reliably adventurous fare.
WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT?
Sadie Mae Burns: Reading Google reviews about our restaurant.
Anthony Ha: Finding my dream car on Facebook Marketplace.
WHAT’S COMING UP FOR YOU IN 2025?
Fingers crossed, restaurant number two is on the way. Big year!
WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE, WHAT WERE YOU KNOWN FOR?
Burns: I started walking very early on, which my parents say was due to an itch to constantly be socializing and front and center at every party. Not much has changed.
Ha: I was known for touching everything— from cars to poking around people’s fridges.
“More sharing of ideas! Less hate and ultra-competitiveness.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS YOUR BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION TO CULTURE?
Seeking new standards in the restaurant world, from the quality of the produce we use to the way we work and lead a team. We are always trying to keep these practices at the forefront of what we do. Restaurant work is incredibly grueling, so we try to pepper in as much fun and levity as we can. Ultimately, when people feel taken care of and respected, that’s when the best work comes through.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF IN YOUR INDUSTRY? LESS OF?
More sharing of ideas! Less hate and ultra-competitiveness. Things got really gatekeep-y for a while, which is such a boring way to operate. Much more fun when you can learn from your peers and unabashedly draw inspiration from all over
in your life?
