Tavern on Camac

We liked the atmosphere and piano on the ground floor even though the layout is a bit cramped. Very hard to get a drink. The bartender was friendly enough, but they definitely needed more than one bartender on the 4th of July.

Been to this bar a couple of times when visiting Philly. Really enjoyed each visit. If you enjoy a piano bar, this one is really nice. The drinks are good, and when I was there, the piano was wonderful. Terrific piano player, who had a lot of music books for people to choose from if they wanted to exercise their pipes. The player was great, and had a terrific voice and style. A very good song stylist. Drinks are good, and the bartenders attentive and quick. There is a restaurant downstairs (reachable from separate entrance from the street) that was excellent! And if you're lucky enough to have John as your waiter, it's even nicer. I'd highly recommend the Lo Mein dish! Overall, a very fun place to spend an evening!

Writing this review while everyone is bored on the dance floor. Such trash DJ-ing. If you want to listen to butchered songs or songs no one knows, this would be the place for you. Drinks are well priced, but every time I come here, the music/DJ is absolutely trash. All my friends would rather listen to an auto-play Spotify list at home, than go here for dancing.

Honestly the vibe wasn’t even all that bad . What disturbed me the most was how the bartender by the name of Chuck continued to serve all white customer around me as I waited patiently for him to acknowledge me . It seemed race related but anyways . Thank God for Tommy! The bartender that was very impartial and did his job well. If it wasn’t for him I probably would’ve have left .

Had a great experience at this tavern. The live piano was a nice touch. Blueberry Lemonade cocktail was delicious 😋 Deviled Eggs were yummy. It was the perfect casual, yet sophisticated, place for conversation over an adult beverage.

I went here 2 Saturdays ago. Not the worst, but definitely not the best bar gay bar I've been too. I got there around 12am. Had to stand in line for a bit. When you go in, they make you go to the right up a steep, narrow set of stairs (beware if you are claustrophobic) that leads into a bar & dancefloor area. It was SUPER packed. It was uncomfortably packed, like fire-hazard packed. I literally had to push people out my way to get to the through the crowd. I eventually made my way out that room and went downstairs. There's a piano bar. It was crowded but not uncomfortably like upstairs. The vibe in the piano room was okay. I didn't love the performers though. They weren't bad, they just weren't my cup of tea. I had one drink and left. TLDR: Dancefloor area gets uncomfortably packed. The piano bar section is cute, but the performers can be kinda boring. Not sure I'll go back.

Every city needs a gay piano bar. Philly has Tavern and I love it. The service isn’t always great but it’s always a lovely time.

A staple of the Philly gay community and one of the best places to gather and to meet new people. The Piano Bar is fantastic (especially when Max is playing - go see him on Tuesday nights after 9). There’s one or two piano players I don’t care for - they don’t know even basic show tunes; IMO, a pre-requisite for a gay piano bar…you need to have, at least, a few Sondheim & Jerry Herman hits in your repertoire. Don’t sleep on the restaurant on the bottom level! Very cozy, attentive & friendly service, and really good, uncomplicated food. A hidden gem, especially for a cute little date night in the gayborhood.

Has something for everyone. Downstairs is a chill and classy piano bar where people can come up to the mic and sing. There are old gays and the girls singing all night. Upstairs is the club, which has no cover but often a line to get in. The dance floor is small but packed. The music is good, much better than most other clubs around. The drinks are typical gay bar strong, which makes me feel better about the slightly above average costs. I went on a hot night and the bartenders kept giving out cold water and worked super fast to get drinks out.

This is my favorite bar in the country. I travel a lot and I cannot express how much this place just feels like home. The piano bar is open for folks to step to the mic and they are open to folks of all talents. It truly feels like a wonderful place deep in the heart of the gayborhood. Be warned: this is a queer establishment. The drinks will be very very strong!!

Had a great time at the piano bar. The piano player was charming. Sang two songs. And the upstairs club was very nice.

Have been here a couple times and didn't realize I never rated. Very cool hangout spot no matter what you're looking for. Downstairs restaurant, middle floor piano bar and lounge, or the upstairs club for dancing. Bartenders are great on the piano bar level. The club music can be hit or miss depending on the DJ but it's fun regardless. Haven't yet been to the restaurant for food but have heard good things.

I've been there a couple of times and I liked the atmosphere. Great vibes at the piano bar and fantastic music tunes played by the live DJ on the second level floor. A very diverse crowd dancing. The drinks are not watery and all the staff is respectful and friendly. Had lots of fun, it was a really great night!!

The bouncers are subcontracted through Mainline Security Services, they're not gay friendly and have a bad attitude towards the crowd. The Manager was rude and lacks professional skills. The drinks were watered down and not consistent.

Waited in line for 30 mins on a weekend to get into the upstairs dance club with my friends. No problem, as they were at capacity. Got in, the bar upstairs was crowded, so I went downstairs. I bought my drink, and tried to go back upstairs. The security at the steps informed me I was not allowed back up. I explained I was just grabbing a drink and that all my friends were still upstairs. He said he didn't care, what I was trying to do was not allowed, and I needed to leave, go back outside, and wait in line again, which was now even longer. Completely ruined the night as I was not about to wait in line for another 30+ minutes by myself. Security wouldn't budge no matter what I said. Tavern, if you don't want people upstairs going downstairs to get a drink, that's fine, but you need to make it clear to the guests. Put up a sign. Have the security inform people as they come down. Anything. Maybe locals know this strange rule, but visitors don't. Security acted like I was a criminal for simply walking to a less crowded area of the club and trying to return.

Came here again recently and the food was incredible, much much better overall experience than last time. Can't wait to return.

This goes out to that obnoxious piano player we had last Friday at 10 PM, some dude named Michael or whatever. Seriously, the guy's singing was atrocious, and don't even get me started on his attitude. I saw how he snapped back at customers asking for songs or just making remarks. His snarky comebacks were just plain rude. Why is someone this grouchy and unpleasant even allowed to play in a classy joint? Zero patience for grumpy piano players. Note, this is not the same person on TOC website scheduled on Fridays 10PM named Jeffrey.

Bartender refused me water after buying one drink. He said I have to spend money at the bar, I can't just come in for water. Even though I had the drink in my hand I just just bought. Extremely rude, and eventually bargained to spend $15 on water, which is ridiculous. I understand bartenders can get a lot of rude people, but when someone asks for water after only having one drink (not drunk), refusing such a basic need is outrageous.

Used to love Tavern but the security is running a scam. Was upstairs with a group of friends, two went down to use the bathroom, two of us followed. When we tried to go up, we were told we had to "Go back around to the front". Obeyed and the security guy in front said he'd let us back up if we paid him. Scam. So we went back to see the first security guard letting certain people up, so tried to go back and he physically accosted me and started screaming. Our other two friends got out the bathroom and he was letting them up until they were like "these are our friends" and he still didn't let two of us back upstairs, then got his scammer security friend to try to kick us out because we called him out for his bullshit. They get away with this because they're one of the few gay bars in Philly, but no ugly ass security guard should put his hands on someone else because he's running a scam.

I appreciate the queer atmosphere, drinks, and staff. However, the music here is always TRASH. I don't understand what dj's they hire, but they are never good. If they played better music, Tavern would be by far the best queer bar in philly, but until that point, your just happy you didn't have to pay to get in. PS please play more current gay bops

I normally don't give ratings, but my friend was playing the piano tonight which he is amazing but I'm sitting at the bar and got asked what would I have. With it being a work night I chose not to drink and just asked for a water as I'm trying not to drink soda and sparkling water doesn't do it for me. Then got proceeded to be told by the bartender tonight that I can't just hang around I have to buy a drink. Like SERIOUSLY!! If you want to hear good piano playing and singing on a Wednesday night you should come here but be prepared to be told you have to order a drink.

Fun fun fun Great piano bar. Went there twice in the same weekend What a bunch of nice talented people.

Good vibes with cheap drinks and a heavy hand. I am a straight male and had a good time with friends who were just looking for a change of pace. Friendly guests and good service.

I have visited Tavern many times over the years..noticed I haven't checked in all those times - I am thinking this is because by the time I usually end up here - it is the destination after the night's bar crawl! Tavern is the destination you want to end your night on - for sure! It is always lively! The bar always has good bartenders and drinks and the music on both floors is awesome! The piano area is usually packed because the pianists and singers are great and the song selections inspire sing alongs and great fun! The upstairs area is a club vibe and the dancing keeps the party going all night long! How can you not enjoy your time at Tavern on Camac - Always a good time and for those who haven't been - do yourself a favor and have a fun night out!

This place has been on my radar for a while and finally my other half and I decided to pay Tavern a visit on a Friday night because frankly, I didn't feel like searching for another place. The restaurant portion of this establishment is downstairs from the actual bar and piano shindig. The door is incredibly difficult to open, resulting in embarrassment and shame when everyone inside is staring at you struggling to open the door. I'm chuckling at the recollection. We were seated at a two top in a slightly awkward location, I had the pleasure of the kitchen entrance in my direct line of vision. The dining room was decorated festively given the holiday season. The place was initially pretty empty upon our arrival at slightly past 7 however towards the end of our stay maybe like around 9, many more tables were occupied. The menu contains appetizers, small plates, sandwiches, and entrees. DEVILED EGGS is one of their apps and I absolutely love those little balls of eggy goodness. There's a tiny dollop of sriracha-esque sauce on top of each egg which adds a robust element of flavor. We ordered the cheese plate to share. There was a bleu (literally on every single cheese plate on earth, I dare you to find me one that does not include bleu), a brie-like soft cheese, and a very hard cheese I suspect is in the parmesan family. Accompaniments include a few marmalades, bread slices, I think something else that I cannot recall, and prosciutto. The brie was very good but I wasn't head-over-heels for the other two cheeses. The presentation was impressive, I did not waste any time slapping that shit on my insta. I ordered a wedge salad with an iceburg lettuce wedge covered in bleu cheese dressing (here we go again), bacon and WITHOUT the onions. Bae ordered one of their burgers and a side salad. Unfortunately, the salad came out absolutely covered in red mother fucking onions so I took them up on their offer to make another one for me. My fiance's burger sat slowly approaching room temperature while I waited. Our actual waiter came over and inquired as to where my meal was and when I told him about the onions he replied, "that's strange, I definitely asked for it without onions". Either way, it was annoying. Thankfully the wait wasn't too long and I was served the salad devoid of onions. The diced bacon was entwined with itty bitty pieces of sundried tomatoes which was a nice touch. I ordered 2 vodka diets, and tinasaurus ordered a vodka soda first and then a glass of champagne. The mixed drinks are in rocks glasses which is a major pet peeve. Our waiter had a strange attitude about him. Maybe it's just a version of RBF? I didn't get a warm and fuzzy feeling. My experience was intermediate. I'm not one for conclusions.

This is my second time to this place and unfortunately it's terrible it's the worst experience I've ever ever had in my entire life it seems that they don't like my name or my looks or my accent I have no idea but every time I go there I am treated like a piece of shit the bartender today was awful. She really needs lots and lots of training. I can tell she got the job because she knows somebody. I'm an HR professional and I won't ever consider someone like her in my team. But we all know how this works. Ugh.... It's sad that customers are not respected and a bartender argues in 2021 with us. Terrible. I'm going to dispute my transaction with my credit card provider because that terrible bartender doesn't deserve my generous 30% tip. It was that bad.

First things first: I love this bar, I really do. The security guard out front was kind and professional (and vigilantly weeding out fake vax cards! thank goodness!) and the pianists are incredible. I've had nothing but positive interactions with the customers. The drinks are good and very strong. I will probably return again. HOWEVER! Last night at the Sondheim memorial, I stood for about 30 minutes at the bar waiting patiently to be served. When I finally got the bartender's attention, I ordered 3 cocktails ($11 each, $33 total) and handed the bartender a $50 bill expecting to get change, and then use that change to tip her, generously. But not as generously as the bartender had in mind! She glanced at the bill, looked me in the eye and said "Thank you so much," in this super grateful, sincere tone. Then she dropped it into the register and went back to ignoring me. I was so stunned by her confidence and the boldness of her assumption, and so tired of struggling to get her attention, that I gave up and took my $50 cocktails back to our table. So awkward! So weird! Ultimately it's on me for not saying anything, but I'm a socially anxious guy and I try to avoid confrontation as much as possible. I truly don't think I did anything to suggest the $50 bill was 100% for her, and I don't think I behaved in any way that would have justified screwing me over. I did not rush her, I said please and thank you. The only thing I can think of is that it's because a) I was one of the only people wearing a mask and perhaps that irked her or b) I ordered manhattans, which are admittedly more complicated to make than just handing me a beer, but hey, it's a frickin' cocktail bar. I didn't catch the bartender's name, but she looked to be a white woman in her 40s with shoulder length wavy hair. Might have had some gray in it, but it was hard to tell in the low light. Is this the bartender many of the other reviewers are having issues with? If so, what the hell!

The staff is incredibly rude and awful overall. It started when my friends and I wanted to order food, which the staff was obviously annoyed with. We were then given an attitude when we wanted to sit at a table to eat our food. Were we expected to eat our plate of food standing up? (The entire section of dining tables was empty aside from one.) Don't offer food if you don't want people ordering it and if you're going to act incredibly inconvenienced when they do. We then moved upstairs to the dance floor and after 15 minutes of dancing an older security guard came over and told my friend she was being "too loud" which was not true. Also, I'm sorry, what is "too loud" for a club?? We were not even two drinks in by this point so we were well aware of ourselves. We moved down to the piano bar to finish our drinks before leaving and this man had the audacity to follow us. So we left. Absolutely ridiculous and so rude. 0/10 would not recommend coming here and we will not be back.

Nice staff, but I wish I could like the food. The veggie burger is an open face burger, so you are missing half of the bun. The deviled eggs were also served in 3 pieces. Why? If I'm going to pay for eggs, would like the whole egg not half an egg. You know what I'm saying? We went here for dinner and Trivia night. Although the Trivia was fun at first, it got harder and tedious. We started to lose interest. Also, although I'm not much of a drinker, they do have good beverage selections. I'd probably give them another chance, but I'd have to get dinner somewhere else first.

Tavern on Camac is an incredible place. Not only does it have an incredible atmosphere as well as drinks but the true highlight is the staff that works there. Every-time I have been to Tavern on Camac the service has been the best part. The bartenders do an amazing job creating one of a kind cocktails and the bar back, especially the one on Saturday evening, I think his name is Greg is nothing but spectacular. As I was sitting at the bar I witnessed Greg clean out an ice cooler, clean every table in the piano bar as well as help a guest with an issue with the bathroom. Thank you to all the great employees of Tavern for making my night a truly amazing experience! Keep up the amazing work, it does not go unnoticed.

The place itself is great. There is a nice dining area downstairs and a low lit dining area/bar area upstairs with a piano player that sings and plays as well as a mic for the singers in the crowd who want to take a turn or two singing a tune. It's a sweet vibe... and as my good friend (who I was hanging out with) said, "This is the best place to go on a Monday night. Every other place is dull on a Monday but this is still vibrant." All true. Why not four stars? Had I stopped my order at cocktails, I would have rated a solid four. However, I ordered dinner. My mushroom veggie burger tasted raw. It was complete mush. The fries that accompanied it would have been decent but some of them weren't cooked long enough and a bit raw inside. If you go to drink and enjoy the piano...this is a stand out place. I can't at all recommend the veggie burger, though.

I have been wanting to try this piano bar for such a long time. This year we were in an apartment right up the block. On a Thursday night before meeting friends for Christmas dinner, F and I stopped in for a cocktail. The scene was totally relaxed and cozy. CJ Steinway was playing a variety of tunes. Christmas, show tunes, etc. We absolutely loved it. So much so, we came back later and sat at the piano. It seems everyone knows each other, but we didn't feel left out. We came back on Friday night, but it was a different vibe...much more crowded (which is expected for a Friday night) and there was club music playing over the piano... So, we will DEFINITELY be back, but not on a Friday or Saturday night.

was really excited to visit this place as it was recommended by a close friend but was horribly disappointed. Upon arrival we were met with an insulting and pathetic aura. Vince behind bar was cold and ultimately must have a vendetta against lesbians who don't want to get shitfaced on a wednesday night. get your french 75 somewhere else.

It's a Saturday night. Bartenders are slamming it. The DJ...um. The DJ is VERY clear about no request. BUT the DJ is also playing shit music. You have to hurt grin and bear it. The DJ sucks. Otherwise all is good.

I understand that gay bars are far and few between which allows them to charge a premium, but it shouldn't mean they are predatory. Me and two of my friends came to tavern on a Saturday night. We checked our three coats together at the coat check under one ticket to make things easier since we arrived together and would be leaving together. When we went to leave they couldn't find our ticket. After making us wait for EVERYBODY to collect their coats after closing, they told us they didn't have our coats. The manager did an abysmal job of rectifying the situation. He told us to email him and then took two months to respond to a follow up email. We had told him how much the coats were purchased for and he gave us gift cards to the establishment for arbitrary numbers that were less than the cost of the coats. Honestly, it's a pathetic way to rectify the situation. When you take somebody's $200 coat and give them a $50 gift card to the establishment in exchange it's insulting.

Went to this bar this past weekend with some friends who came to visit philly. This was definitely on my list and was so happy I went. The drinks were reasonably priced and all of the service was so friendly (&fun). Love supporting local LGBTQIA+ bars.

Do you like dancing? Do you like no cover charge? You'll love this place! Sure the dance floor is not very big and you have to go upstairs to get there, but it's still a lot of fun. It seems most people stay downstairs, where there is definitely more of a bar feel as opposed to a nightclub scene. This isn't a problem, since it means more room on the dance floor. The downstairs also has a dueling piano trope, so you're never without entertainment here. Drink prices and variety are typical for the area. My only real complaint is that the bathrooms are set up in an odd way so that any lines end up blocking the stairs and sometimes even winding down them. It's hard to explain, but let's just say it's annoying to try and break through a line of people to get to the bar. A decent place, I really like it here and plan on coming back.

What a GEM!! I just fell in love with this spot. So much fun, laid back and great people! Don't delay stopping by to have a great glass of wine and listen to some wonderful Piano music! I can't wait to go back. There are 3 different venues and we did two - the dining room downstairs and the piano bar upstairs. The food was very good and the wine pours are healthy!! No skimping on oz's here !!

Sorry to say walked upstairs to dance bar With friend. I ordered cosmopolitan and bartender named Michael put a glass in front of me with a drink in it and I said I wanted a cosmo and he responded I'm too busy. I have no idea what was in the glass he placed in front of me but, if I order a cosmo and your unable to make one then let me know so I can go elsewhere!. What a Miserable person who has been working there way too long.

Been going occasionally for years. Last night stopped in ... ordered a Tito's & club. One taste ... disgusting. Went back to the bartender and said "sorry, I ordered Tito's". His reply, "that's the bottle I used". Come on guys ... putting cheap liquor in better bottles is illegal and bad for business. Not going back.

Bartender Jonathan, my friend Diana owes you a much bigger tip for how awesome you were to us but you were so awesome that we stayed quite late and got quite altered. I will always feel bad about that. My shame aside, this place has that magic quality, at least on a Friday night, with piano-playing-Karaoke-singing type of fun going on. If I'm back in Philly I'll be back in here.

Celebrated my 27th birthday here! Went to Ascend at 9 and it started pretty empty and the music was pretty low. But within the hour it was filled with people and everyone was dancing!!! The music was amazing! There was no cover on this Saturday night. The crowd is straights and gays and friendly! People of all ages were there! Everyone was smiling and seemed to be truly enjoying the evening! Around midnight- it was PACKED. Line down the stairs to enter! The bartenders were sweet and responsive and the ledge around the dance floor can hold your drink! Music and lighting and fog marine create such a groovy ambiance! I felt so comfortable and will absolutely be back to tavern! Thank you sooo much!

Tavern is one of my favorite gay bars in the country. It's in the gayborhood but just off in an alley where you feel like you are in on the secret when you find it. The bartenders are great, the drinks are "gay bar strong," and the piano player is a lot of fun. Defiantly a Philadelphia institution. If you are in town, stop in!

Tavern on Camac is still one of the best bars I know of, and I'm not just talking gay bars. The DJs[1] draw a crowd, and always seem to be on point, playing a mix of classics and dance pop to keep everyone pumped til the wee hours. This is a dependable spot; I regularly entertain out-of-town friends here. There's no cover, but you'll be spending money on booze. Beer seems to be a bit pricey here, but liquor remains reasonable. Remember, they're cash only, but there's an ATM downstairs if you need it. [1] Not sure if there's one or more DJs that spin here.

This was an absolute amazing experience. I wish I had found it sooner on my trip. I would have come back so many times. Amazing environment and great people.

This is a fun bar in the "gayborhood". While a mixed crowd, it does tend to be more men than woman ( birth certificate speaking:-). We were there after shroud dinner mix of men and women. A very festive atmosphere with a great piano player and a lot of sing along and "open mike" singers. I was impressed by the quality of the guys that jumped up to to sing. Pretty much a compendium of show tunes (go figure right? ). Some stereotypes are accurate I guess lol. Little small but definitely a neighborhood vibe. As long as you are comfortable in an alternative lifestyle bar and enjoy livid music, I'd recommend a visit - people watching is good as well.

Such a friendly spot with good vibes. Big boozy pours on drinks. Large piano in the middle and plenty of show tunes to go around. Lots of seating and many good times to be had.

Tavern on Camac, commonly known as TOC, is one of those nifty gay alley bars harkening back to days of yore with a good general cross section of ages from the rather young to the senior citizens, a lesbian or two, and few straights (or so they said). TOC serves a great drink at reasonable prices and best of all is the piano. The night I was there, the piano player was really terrific. Next time I'm in Philly, I'll be back.

Absolutely love this place! Incredible pianists and a great atmosphere. One of our favorite places to go in Philly

Been here multiple times since my move to Philly and I can say that I could take it or leave it honestly. Naturally, Tavern on Camac is a gay bar, but the vibe is no present when you walk in. On certain nights you can feel it with the piano playing or the showtunes playing upstairs on the second level, however I feel this bar lacks identity. As mentioned before, I have ventured here multiple times...there has not been one bartender, drink or night that has stuck out for me. While I enjoy the opportunity to come in and listen to piano every now and then, Tavern on Camac is not top 3 for gay bars in Philly.

The upstairs bar has show-tunes Sunday and it is so much fun! They play songs from broadway, musicals, movies, and TV shows. It ranges from Disney & Glee to Spice World & Titanic. Downstairs is a piano bar with karaoke (in my experience it's a lot of ballads; a much slower pace than upstairs). The drinks are strong and you're in good company.

This bar is awesome - so much fun. There's a big crowd on Saturday nights, but we were lucky enough to snag seats at the piano. The pianist and singers were all super talented and performed great songs. There is an upstairs as well with a DJ and dancing, but we preferred the piano area downstairs. Fair priced beers, including 16 oz cans of lager for $3 (couldn't tell you what it was, but for that price, it's good with me). Looking forward to coming back!

We were on the dance floor - and had been for hours, buying drinks - and the bartender refused to give my friend some water unless she bought another drink. Not only was he super rude, that's just unsafe - people who've been drinking alcohol and dancing/sweating for hours need to stay hydrated.

It's fun to be my age and grab a drink and carry it as I walk around. I think I should have ordered two.

A beautiful gem I drunkenly stumbled upon one night, and was introduced to an amazing community. Love to come here for drinks and a show on the bottom floor, or to dance the night away on the second floor. TOC rocks, and always impresses any guests I bring along!

came here the other night for a birthday party and had a great time! cheap drinks but STRONG drinks which is a huge plus. it's also pretty clean and i think it's a well decorated bar! downstairs is a piano karaoke bar and upstairs is more of a club vibe with a DJ and dancefloor. both floors are fun and a great break from each other.

LOVE the Tavern!! But not so much the food. Come for the drinks, outside tables, fun inside up and down.... Tables get shut down early for the neighbors. :). Always a good time!