Tavern on Camac Celebrating 20 Years!

 

Historic Gayborhood Destination Commemorates Two Decades with Throwback Menu Featuring 2004 Pricing on Saturday, February 17th and Sunday, February 18th

It was in February of 2004 when Stephen P. Carlino purchased arguably the oldest continuously operating gay establishment in the United States, Tavern on Camac. 20 years later, and Carlino has decided to bring back popular menu items from when he first bought the property, on Saturday, February 17th and Sunday, February 18th.

The Tavern Restaurant menu items from 2004 include Crab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms for $8; Housemade Duck Liver Paté for $9; Mussels in Garlic and White Wine Butter for $11; Shrimp Louie with Avocado, Capers and Hardboiled Egg for $14; Glazed Pork Chop with Pomegranate, Potatoes and Asparagus for $18; and a 14-ounce New York Strip with Roquefort, Potatoes, and Brussels Sprouts for $23. And Cosmopolitans will be priced at $6, while bottles of Stella Artois will be featured for $3 apiece.

Throughout the building’s rich history, which includes being a vital stop on the Underground Railroad and serving as a speakeasy for the “artistic” crowd during Prohibition, the primary focus has been hospitality. According to Carlino, the bar was named Maxine’s between the 1920s and 1979, and was then rebranded in 1981 as Raffles. It was renamed Tavern on Camac in 1998, which Carlino chose to keep when he purchased the property in 2004. Twenty years and several renovations later, The Tavern Restaurant is a cozy, subterranean, modern destination that’s still a mainstay in Philadelphia’s gay community.

“I am so honored to have owned this historic property for two decades,” said Carlino. “It is my pleasure to bring back these throwback menu items at their original prices to transport our guests back to the ‘good old days.’ It’s going to be a really fun weekend!”

Tavern on Camac is open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. everyday. Tavern on Camac is part of The Tavern Group, which includes UBar, and Otto’s Taproom & Grille.