Amongst the tall, gleaming skyscrapers of the Financial District stands Fraunces Tavern, a witness to a triumphant moment in American history. Samuel Fraunces opened the tavern (then called Queen’s Head Tavern) in 1762, and it was used by New York citizens and then the British during the Revolutionary War during their occupation of the city, although it should be noted that Samuel Fraunces, sympathetic to the American cause, left the city and entrusted the tavern to his son-in-law. After the British lost the war they finally left the city on November 25, 1783, called Evacuation Day. On December 4, 1783 George Washington invited his officers to Fraunces Tavern to say good-bye to them, before journeying to the Continental Congress.

Today, Fraunces Tavern still stands as both a museum and its original purpose as a tavern. The museum stands above the tavern and preserves the room in which George Washington said his good-bye to his officers. The room is set up similarly to how it looked at the time, with descriptions of tavern life in general and the momentous occasion the room witnessed. Other rooms in the museum preserve American paraphernalia, old flags, and Revolutionary-era memorabilia.

After our time in the museum we went downstairs to the modern-day tavern, which retains the original character of the building with wooden beams overhead. The tavern is filled with wooden cabinets with different alcohols displayed in them. We tried one of the many different beers the tavern had on tap, along with a very tasty charcuterie board. The tavern also has traditional pub food, but with high quality ingredients, for those wanting bigger meals. We enjoyed our time at the tavern, finding our food and drink delightful, and made even better given the historical significance of the tavern.

Both the museum and tavern were well worth a visit and are probably amongst are favorite things we’ve done in the city. If you’re looking for something to do beyond the typical tourist attractions, or if you live in the area and haven’t yet made it there, we recommend checking out Fraunces Tavern.