Located in Independence National Historical Park, the present recreation was opened in 1976 for the American Bicentennial and operated as a restaurant which used typical 18th century recipes.

[1][2][3] The original structure housed a business which John Adams called the "most genteel tavern in America", and it was a favorite meeting place of some of the Founding Fathers and members of the First Continental Congress.

[4][5] The land on which City Tavern was built was conveyed in 1772 by Samuel Powel to a group of seven wealthy citizens, and the building was completed by subscription at a cost of more than £3,000.

[6] In the lead-up to the American Revolution, on May 20, 1774, more than 200 men gathered in the gallery of the building to respond to the request for assistance from Bostonians following the passage of the Boston Port Bill.

From 1994 to 2020, it was operated by Walter Staib, a chef and host of the television shows A Taste of History and Black Forest Cuisine: The Classic Blending of European Flavors.