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New York City has always held an important place in American history. From the days of the American Revolution through today, it has been the site of many significant historic events. Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan is one such location.
Not only did Fraunces Tavern host many gatherings during the Revolutionary War, but it has also been restored to include a museum and a bar & restaurant where you can eat & drink today, just as George Washington did. Once I found out there was a unique New York City landmark that combines history and drinking, I knew I had to visit.
How to Visit Fraunces Tavern
Fraunces Tavern is located at 154 Pearl St, New York, NY 10004, in Lower Manhattan near Wall Street. The closest subway stops are South Ferry (1) and Whitehall Street (R-W). It is also close to hop-on, hop-off buses.
Museum admission is $10, with typical discounts available for students & seniors. It is also part of the New York Pass & the New York City Sightseeing Pass.
Fraunces Tavern Museum
The upper floors of Fraunces Tavern in New York City are home to the Fraunces Tavern Museum (official website). These rooms detail the early history of New York City, which is also the history of the United States.
Fraunces Tavern was first opened in 1762 by Samuel Fraunces. In the ensuing decades, the tavern hosted important political & social events, including secret meetings of the Sons of Liberty, who supported the American Revolution. The New York Chamber of Commerce was also founded here.
As the American Revolution was winding down, Fraunces Tavern also hosted British-American Board of Inquiry meetings. These meetings allowed loyalist Black soldiers who fought on the British side to remain free & be evacuated safely.
The most famous event in Fraunces Tavern’s history occurred on December 4th, 1783, when it hosted a celebration featuring George Washington’s farewell address to his Continental Army officers following the British retreat on Evacuation Day.
The Long Room has been restored to show what the tavern would have been like at that time.
The museum also has a lock of George Washington’s hair. Sounds like it was one crazy celebration.
Following the Revolutionary War, Fraunces Tavern continued to play a role in early American history, housing departments of the Confederation Congress when NYC served as the young nation’s capital.
While the museum has preserved & restored as much of the 18th-century building as it could, most parts of the buildings are not as old. The loss of the original building is mostly due to fires & subsequent rebuilding & expansion.
In 1900, Fraunces Tavern was slated for demolition but was thankfully spared. Reconstruction completed in 1907 turned the building into what it is today. This reconstruction has not been without controversy. It was at this time that the Fraunces Tavern Museum was established. The entire block was eventually listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It largely consists of bars & low-slung brick buildings that stand out from the towering skyscrapers above.
The remainder of the museum covers the Revolutionary War, particularly its connection to the Sons of the Revolution, which now owns and operates Fraunces Tavern.
There are also details on the building’s history and restoration, along with rotating exhibits.
Fraunces Tavern Restaurant & Bar
The ground floor is home to the Fraunces Tavern Restaurant & Bar, which is the oldest restaurant in New York City (as well as the oldest bar in New York City). Not just one room, it actually has several spaces that provide different experiences for dining & drinking.
Many historic bars & restaurants are tourist traps with mediocre offerings. That’s not the case here. The Fraunces Tavern menu has kept up with the times, featuring modern takes on rustic American classics, as well as burgers, cheese & charcuterie, and lots of seafood.
The Fraunces Tavern drink menu is also great. It offers a wide selection of whiskey from around the world, as well as craft beer. In addition to a nice selection of local New York City craft beer (and from points beyond), there’s also Porterhouse beer from Dublin, as well as a house Samuel Fraunces Ale made by Staten Island’s Flagship.
The tavern also has live entertainment. In addition to a new piano bar upstairs, Fraunces Tavern also hosts live performances of traditional Irish music and jazz.
Fraunces Tavern is legitimately a great pub. It’s dark and full of wood.
While the building is, of course, mostly a reconstruction, one can imagine the tavern as it was in the 1700s, when George Washington and other historical figures frequented it.
Right across the street, you can look into a portal to the old New York – archeological ruins that can be viewed under glass.
In an area where so many skyscrapers have been built, it’s nice to get a glimpse into the past. Fraunces Tavern not only has historical significance but also remains a pleasant place for a drink & a meal today.
For more New York City history, visit the Museum of the City of New York and the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space.
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