Background: Restaurant and brewery owner and operator Monty Dahm, a Marine veteran who owns the national trademark and proprietary rights to the name Tun Tavern, recently entered into an agreement to acquire the Lucha Cartel restaurant in the historic Old City Philadelphia and will convert it to a Tun Tavern®, expanding the restaurant and owner’s trademark into the city.
Location: 207 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The existing structure was built in 1970. The property was purchased from Ronald Voluck.
Size: 2,419 sq. ft. of space available for restaurant and bar use. A banquet facility and living museum will be added as part of the expansion phase.
Purchase Price: Not disclosed. It is a self-funded endeavor.
Management: The new Tun Tavern® will be managed by MBB Management, a restaurant and hotel management company with more than 100 years combined experience in Hospitality Management. Current Lucha Cartel restaurant employees will be offered positions in the new establishment.
Vision: The new Tun Tavern® will open within the existing structure. It will be redesigned to replicate the original Tun Tavern that was built around 1700 along Philadelphia’s waterfront – a block from where the new Tun Tavern® will be located. The renovations will include adding two additional stories and a new facade. Once complete, the new Tun Tavern® will be home to a restaurant, banquet space, museum and area for merchandise that honors the important historical events including being the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps.
What Patrons Can Expect: An atmosphere steeped in history, honoring the birthplace of the Marine Corps with food and beverages inspired by colonial traditions.
Timeline: Prior to reaching settlement in mid-November, Dahm is aiming to transition the operations management before November 10, 2025 (before the 250th U.S. Marine Corps Birthday.) Phase 2 will commence in 2026 and include a multi-million-dollar renovation to complete the expanded portion of the site.
Additional: A non-profit board will be created consisting of Marine and military veterans. A percentage of the sales will go toward veterans’ support services. Additionally, the board will coordinate community engagement efforts, such as support opportunities with the Mason’s, which have a historical connection to the U.S. Marine Corps, especially the original Tun Tavern being a recruiting spot.

Check back here and on our social media for new information as it becomes available.