Tavern on Camac

One of the worst and most unsafe bars I’ve ever been to. My female friend tried to use their gender-neutral bathroom and was assaulted by a man inside. When another friend stepped in to help her get out safely, he was called a “fag” and punched for absolutely no reason. The security staff stood around doing almost nothing and didn’t even stop the attacker while we were calling 911. Completely unacceptable behavior from both the customer and the staff. If you care about your safety, stay far away from this place!

Was recommended by a bouncer at another club. (U bar- all gay men) Tavern had a great mix of men and women (lesbians) and the vibe was immaculate. it wasn’t too crowded 9pm on a friday, but you can tell it’s a locals spot.

On Christmas Day, while sitting at the main bar at the 254 Club in Philadelphia, my boyfriend and I witnessed something so unhygienic and irresponsible that it completely overshadowed any holiday spirit. A random patron casually put his bare hands into a stranger’s food order and ate from the French fries, showing zero concern for basic sanitation, decency, or public health. This wasn’t subtle, accidental, or questionable—it was blatant, careless, and disgusting. Any establishment that serves food should immediately recognize this as unacceptable behavior requiring swift intervention. What makes this situation significantly worse is what happened next: the food was still sent out to the actual customer for delivery, with no disclaimer, no acknowledgment, and no visible effort to discard or remake the contaminated order. At that point, the issue went far beyond one ignorant individual and became a serious failure of responsibility on the restaurant’s part. Once a stranger’s hands have been in someone else’s food, there is no ambiguity—that food is compromised. Who knows where those hands had been before touching it? When we attempted to raise the issue with the delivery person, the response we received was a flat, cooker-less “okay,” with no follow-up, no concern, and no indication that the matter would be addressed. This raises an important question: does the customer who unknowingly received contaminated food get a disclaimer, a remake, or even a discount—or is consuming someone else’s hand-grazed fries simply the Christmas surprise 254 Club is comfortable sending out from its kitchen? Food safety is not optional, and indifference to it is unacceptable. Food for thought—no pun intended.

Had a wonderful dinner experience sitting at the bar. Austin was the bartender and he was wonderful. He recommended the oysters and they were outstanding. The braised beef was like a slow cooked and tender short rib. It was delicious and paired well with a celery root purée. The vibe was great with live piano music too! I couldn’t have had a better experience for my first time visiting.

We read some mixed reviews, but decided to give it a try and glad we did. The food was all fantastic and the staff were friendly and attentive. Jason was our waiter and he made sure our drinks were kept full and made some great suggestions on what to order. The atmosphere was cozy and we would most certainly come back again.