Jon Taffer’s DC restaurant closes after two years in Chinatown

Crime concerns lead to Taffer's Tavern closure

"After more than two years of serving the Washington, D.C. community, the safety of our guests and employees remains our top priority," Taffer's Tavern said in a statement. The popular D.C. bar is closing.

A D.C. restaurant named after the man made famous by the show "Bar Rescue" has closed.

The show features Jon Taffer giving restaurants recommendations on how to stay open and thrive.

Jon Taffer acted as a spokesperson for Taffer’s Tavern in Chinatown.

But FOX 5 was told by a spokesperson that it was the Executive Chef’s decision to close.

"After more than two years of serving the Washington, D.C. community, the safety of our guests and employees remains our top priority. Due to increasing security concerns in the area, including the necessity of daily armed guards, we have made the difficult decision to close Taffer’s Tavern," the statement said.

FOX 5 has followed up with the executive chef for more information and, as of this writing, has not heard back.

Last spring, Taffer spoke with FOX 5 and made a reference to hiring armed guards and making sure people felt safe, while reiterating the restaurant’s commitment to Chinatown.

"We’re committed here at Taffer’s Tavern. We’re doubling down. A lot of restaurants have closed in the city. We’re not. We’re proud to be here. We’ve put security in place a few months ago, we have a safe environment here, people feel good coming here. So we, like the arena, aren’t going anywhere," Taffer told FOX 5.

The restaurant’s concerns are at odds with declining crime rates in the District of Columbia.

District-wide, violent crime is down 35% year to date compared to this point last year, according to D.C. Police Data. Property crime is down 11% across the District.

In a nearly quarter-mile radius around Taffer’s Tavern, violent crime has dropped nearly 75% and property crime has been roughly halved.

FOX 5 has extensively covered issues with crime in Chinatown.

Mayor Muriel Bowser created a task force to look at these issues, D.C. Council passed Secure DC legislation to address some related issues, the mayor’s office started a Commercial Corridor Hub to connect people with city resources, among additional police resources in the area for event nights at the arena.

Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis announced the teams would stay at Capital One Arena, and when FOX 5 asked him about the decision to stay, he said the safety improvements were noticeable.

FOX 5 spoke with Tamara Johnson, who works in the area. She says she und

"It’s not that bad, but it’s a little bad," Johnson said, "On this side, it’s mainly not that bad, because they have police. I feel like it has gotten better than before, but it’s still kinda bad."

Howard Marks is a Chinatown resident who first spoke to FOX 5 in December 2023, exasperated by crime and other issues in his neighborhood.

In just a year, he says he’s seen a reinvigoration driven by other restaurants coming to the area, and the announcement that the Wizards and Capitals will stay in the area.

"My wife and I have lived here since 2014. We take our dog out four times a day, including after 9 p.m., between 9 p.m., and 11 p.m., we’ve never felt threatened at all by any kind of violence," Marks said, "It’s provided a great deal of zest and good feelings here in the neighborhood. We’re going to thrive with the Caps being here, the Wizards, the Mystics."

DC continues effort to curb crime in Chinatown with ‘Safe Commercial Corridor Hub’

For much of the last year, Chinatown has been a focal point of sorts with the surge in crime D.C. experienced in 2023. Mayor Muriel Bowser created a Chinatown Task Force, the D.C. Council passed the Secure D.C. bill aimed at improving public safety and now, community safety ambassadors have joined the efforts of the "Safe Commercial Corridor Hub" in Chinatown.