The Tavern Club was founded in 1884 by Royal Whitman, Timothee Adamowski, B. C. Porter, Edward Burnett, George Munzig, and Frederick Prince.

In February, 1885, the club adopted the Totem of Bear, which continues today as mascot for the group.

Frequent dinners, lectures, and musical and theatrical performances take place in the club for the members and their guests.

Dinners have been given in honor of many others, including Elihu Vedder (1887), Rudyard Kipling (1895), Oliver Wendell Holmes (1902), John Singer Sargent (1903), Booker T. Washington (1905), Winston Churchill (1907), Norman Angell (1913), George Macaulay Trevelyan (1924), Owen Wister (1929), Ignace Paderewski (1930).

Also in 1907 Taverners in 16th century German costume participated in the Copley Society's artists festival, along with other local groups.