Fraunces Tavern
“There was a stairway leading to a museum devoted to the rich history of the place (once frequented by George Washington himself!).”
“There is a small whiskey bar, a main bar in the back and a couple or three restaurant/rooms plus a museum.”
“This place has legit American food – from Chicken Pot Pie and Beef Stew to Bacon Wrapped Chicken and Steak on a Stone.”
Fraunces Tavern
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Coat Check: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Updating my review to 5 stars, largely for the incredible burger I enjoyed last night, accompanied by delicious salty, greasy fries. The burger was cooked perfectly, and though the servers were racing around to manage the crowds, we nevertheless never waited too long.
I had been to this bar in 2008 and noticed some renovations on my recent visit. You wouldn't know anything had been changed though with its old world charm still intact. The coolest thing is knowing that George Washington was here back in the 1700's speaking to his troops!
Besides the historical, novelty Fraunces Tavern has to offer, the bites here are also different- at least to my bf and I. The Pintxos Plates offer a unique variety of cured meats and cheeses- all pretty good stuff if you're an adventurous eater. We also indulged in the cured anchovies and the pickled mussels- both of which were delicious. Pickled mussels was a new one for us. They were quite delectable and flavorful- not sour or tart like one might imagine "pickled" to be. I would love to find such a treat in my area!
Besides the food and extensive selection of beers (even ciders), the atmosphere is full of energy from the charismatic bartenders and some of the other patrons from the Wall Street area. They do have a more formal dining room which looks kind of like an interior of an older, small, quaint church and a small museum upstairs. The bf and I did not bother with either although they might be of interest to others.
We would return to Fraunces Tavern next time in the Wall Street area though. If you're from out of town, it is definitely worth a visit!
We are HUGE Hamilton fans, and many of you who are also will know the bit of trivia that the song Story Of Tonight takes place here. We swung by on a Saturday night and were escorted to the Porterhouse area which was pretty chill. The waiter came by pretty quickly to grab our drink orders. The first beer my date ordered from the menu was not available. Then I ordered a beer that was also not available. The waiter told us the menu's had just been printed, so they didn't have everything on them. Finally we nailed down two beers that they actually had and got them quickly. We were enjoying ourselves and considering another round when a guy comes over to out table excitedly mumbling something about a DJ. We were like huh? Then he said more clearly that they needed to set up his DJ booth where we were sitting so we had to move. Since we just had a couple of sips of beer left anyway, we were like, ok we are leaving in a second. Then the dj dude had the waiter come over and tell us we had to move again. We were like- ok bring us the check and we will get out of your way. The whole douchy DJ scene is not our vibe so we were more than happy to get out before that started.
Anyway, it's fun to drink in the oldest bar in NYC once but probably wouldn't ever come back for seconds. We didn't want to try the food here based on the horrible reviews.
Wonderful food and great drinks in am iconic American tavern. Where else can you say that you drank at the same tavern as George Washington? We had the Pan Roasted Free Range Chicken on recommendation and it didn't disappoint. If you're there, say "Hi" to the bartender Richard.
For all you history buffs out there … and better yet beer/whiskey lovers, make this a destination!
For all of the history, monuments, landmarks that New York encompasses, Fraunces Tavern is right up there with the most historic of them. When you read George Washington, American Revolution, Manhattan's oldest surviving building, American Whiskey Trail, National Historic Landmark and Museum — you normally don't think of bars, but this one is VERY very special.
Every time I approach and step in, I can FEEL the colonial authenticity oozing out of this landmark – the brick exterior, the dark interior setting, the polished wood counters, the rustic hardwood floors and the many, many rooms to relax and knock down your drink. There's no glitz and glamour here like the fancy modern bars on rooftops with thumping music or swaggalicious unpronounceable cocktails. There's just a chill atmosphere of adults coming here for an after-work drink on weekdays.
Having been here a few times, I can't comment on every drink (since I'm not an alcoholic), but the menu of drinks is as far as the eye can see — long! My coworkers and I have ordered the works — wine, beer, whiskey, shots — you name it, they definitely got it. I would say any time is a great time to drop by for tourists or natives, but if you want the lively crowd then swing by after weekday work hours. There's a real good mix in the crowd from the power suits to the casual walking around town groups. Even better is that they have a daily happy hour from 5-7pm, which includes whiskey flights, non-draft beers and mixed cocktails so if you want to drink on the cheap that's your cue.
The food, as in bar food, is also delicious. I haven't been lucky enough to inhale an entire meal (appetizer, entree, dessert) here, but I've had the chance to try their fries and wings (which are enormous). Both were nothing short of what I expected, great. OK, so it's not a huge sample size, but I wouldn't expect anything less here for their food so keep those standards up when you set foot in here. No need to drop them to your knees.
What else can I say? If you want a whiff of real American History and walk on the ground of real American icons, without setting foot in Philadelphia, you have to look no further than the bar they call Fraunces Tavern.
Fraunces Tavern
NY Manhattan FiDi
3pm Thursday 17th March 2016 (St. Paddy's Day)
Three Stars
This historic place was actually way more fun than expected. The space is huge. Upon entering, The right side is the restaurant where you can sit at various picnic tables. On the Left, there was a fire place lounge with plush leather seats. Just beyond that was the huge bar area. They were blasting Flogging Molly and the place smelled of freshly made fish and chips. The cow-skin booths were an interesting touch. I went sat at the bar and ordered a stout to get in the Irish spirit. They were out of the one I wanted so I took whenever they had ($7.5). I also had some braised Short Ribs with Crispy Fingerling Potatoes. The Dish was way too salty but I rather have over-seasoned food than bland. The meat was tender but it felt like the remnants of another dish because of how shredded the meat was. The thinly sliced fingerling potatoes were crispy to start but they soften with the thick gravy. It encompassed the entire spectrum of texture. I will come back to try this place on a more normal night.
Cool historic tavern. Great decor and vibe. Good beer selection. Did not try the food.
Also, George Washington was here! It says so in one of the bathroom stalls! It actually doesn't but he really did spend time here.
I came here after the Dead Rabbit around the corner and was bummed that the museum upstairs was closed – they close at 5pm. So don't be like me – make this an earlier stop and stock up on history before getting sloshed.
Fraunces tavern is pure history. It was built in 1719and is one of the oldest bar restaurants in America. George Washington gave one of his last speeches here. I'm so glad I was able to experience this piece of Americana history. I was greeted by one of the managers, Eddie Travers who is super awesome in explaining the history of the restaurant. He walked me through each room and spoke about all the nostalgia in regards to George Washington and The Revolutionary War. Upstairs they have a museum where Washington gave one of his final speeches. As far as the food. I had to go with the traditional Irish breakfast which includes bangers, ham,white and black blood pudding bacon tomatoes and mushrooms and baked beans. Absolutely delicious. I was waited on by Tara, who is fabulous. When in Manhattan, you must make Fraunes Tavern one of your destinations. You won't regret it. Thanks Eddie and Tara.