By Delaney Crawford
Get ready to raise your glasses to love in Atlantic City! The city has just welcomed ByrdCage, a vibrant new gay bar that promises to be a haven of inclusivity, celebration, and unforgettable nights. Whether you’re looking for a safe space to connect, dance, or simply enjoy great drinks and delicious food, this new spot is here to shake up the local scene with style and love.
On Friday, Jan. 24, ByrdCage opened its doors to the public for the first time and many members of the community stepped out and had a night. Now, a week later, ByrdCage continues to deliver with its signature blend of American comfort food, refreshing cocktails, and inclusive good vibes for everyone who steps through its doors.
Prior to ByrdCage taking flight in AC, 3426 Atlantic Ave was home to Good Dog Bar for roughly one year. After Good Dog shut down in August, the process of gaining new owners for this unique spot started. Now six months later, Jason Tell, an entrepreneur who has over 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, has stepped up to transform this spot into a safe space for all.
Atlantic City hasn’t had a full-service gay establishment in town for over two decades, so Tell and his team are ecstatic to bring diversity back to the community. The city is already home to a thriving LGBTQIA+ community, making it the perfect home for this bar and a reason Tell aimed to build this space here.
“AC has always been near and dear to me. I left when I was 19 to go to Philly to experience my gayness, but I always had family here, so would come back each summer and could never let this place go,” Tell said. “I’ve had dreams of opening an establishment all over the place. Every time I travel, I would pick a new location, but this is just it.”
While it was always Tell’s goal to have a restaurant in Atlantic City, the exact location felt like destiny as he had eyes on this very spot years ago.
“Before Heather and Dave (owners of Good Dog) bought this bar and renovated it, I looked at it six years ago,” Tell said. “It needed a lot of money put in and a lot of work done, so I walked away and then they bought it and did all the beautiful renovations. Now it came back to me and here we are, so it was definitely meant to be.”
The spot has drastically changed in more ways than one with the exchange of ownership. While the bones of the establishment are the same, the interior couldn’t be more different. ByrdCage offers a whimsical and unique charm. It’s welcoming and homey, yet sprinkled with playful, unexpected touches that give it a unique edge.
One of the highlights many members of the community are thrilled with are the tinted windows in the front that display the pride flag for all to see. This showcases the fact that ByrdCage is truly a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community.
While the windows may draw people in from near and far, the bathrooms are aimed to make you stay, showing the fact that every detail in this space was accounted for. Tell and his partners were excited to decorate each bathroom in a unique and eccentric way, even hinting that the main first-floor bathroom, not done at the time, would be the best, and most out there, one.
In addition to the wow factor on the eyes, the food also hits the spot. Delicious American comfort-style food that is all gluten-free. ByrdCage specializes in gluten-free dishes, while also offering a variety of vegan and vegetarian options as well. Tell emphasized that the entire menu is very diverse, offering something for every taste bud while accommodating dietary restrictions.
“I thought, let’s make a place where everyone can eat. Don’t have to worry about if it’s good for you, they can all eat it and no one will even miss the gluten. You’re never going to know it’s gone,” Tell said.
With the unique food and drinks going down easy, ByrdCage can be a space for all to come and hang out. And that’s exactly what Tell envisioned for his bar.
“This is a place where I want everyone to be able to come seven days a week, morning, noon and night,” Tell said. “I want people to be able to get a great meal that’s super healthy, inexpensive, but really great for you with quality ingredients, and it came together here. We were like, ‘Here’s our space, it’s our time, let’s do it now.’”
The name ByrdCage comes from the iconic and well-known comedy-drama from 1996. Tell hopes that with a name like ByrdCage, everyone will immediately associate the space as a gay bar, whether you are within the LGBTQIA+ community or not.
The overall goal of ByrdCage is to offer joy and happiness to not just the gay community but to the city as a whole. This space offers a safe, welcoming and inviting atmosphere to all, and that’s just what Tell intended.
When asked what everyone should know about ByrdCage, Tell summed it up perfectly: “It’s whimsical, inviting, and feels like home. The moment you walk through the door, you’ll take a deep breath, look around, and instantly know you’ve found a comfortable, safe space where you can be unapologetically yourself — no judgment, just good vibes.”
Delaney Crawford is a dynamic entrepreneur with a passion for storytelling and digital marketing. After earning a BA in Communications, Delaney built a successful career in the newspaper industry, honing skills in, news writing, media, and content creation. Driven by a desire to empower local businesses, Delaney founded DC’s Social Media & Content Creation, a company dedicated to helping businesses enhance their brand image and thrive online.
