Step inside the ByrdCage, and you might never want to leave your perch. As the first LGBTQ bar and restaurant to open in Atlantic City for more than 20 years, all are welcome. Whether you want to cozy up to the elegant bar, savor the tasty, freshly prepared food, or dance the night away in a lively atmosphere, the ByrdCage promises to be an inclusive and safe space for you and your flock to savor.
Since opening in January, the ByrdCage has gained considerable momentum, in part due to its dazzling social media that helped get the word out early on, drawing thousands of followers in just a few short weeks before it opened. City officials welcomed the space as a long overdue home for the LGBTQ community, as hundreds turned out for the opening weekend.
The name alone conjures up the fun evoked in the hilarious 1996 movie The Bird Cage. Progressive for its time, anyone could relate to the nightclub — owning gay couple who begrudgingly pull off laugh-out-loud antics as they deliver an important message about the absurdity of having to hide who you are to gain approval. At this ByrdCage, there is no hiding, only fun antics. You are invited to proudly be yourself.
Your palate will thank you for stopping in. Jason Tell, the visionary and creator behind the ByrdCage is well-known locally for his creative culinary skills. Over the years, Tell launched innovative dining concepts for multiple successful ventures in Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and Cape May County.
“This has been a dream for an eternity. I’ve been looking at properties for years,” says Tell, whose nickname, by the way, is J. Bird. “I’ve had the concept in my back pocket and business plans created. It was just a matter of activating them once the right location was found.”
The perfect property turned out to be a two-story venue in the University District of the city’s Chelsea neighborhood, which was previously the Good Dog Bar that closed last year. Tell, along with Giulietta Consalvo, a seasoned food and beverage veteran with a background in performing arts, and Richard Helfant, executive director of Lucy the Elephant, are the creative team behind the ByrdCage.
Spread Your Wings
The space is roomy, yet comfortable and intimate, with a splash of posh. There’s a spacious dance floor upstairs, complete with high-tech sound and lighting, and a DJ on the weekends. Or you may prefer to delight in the sounds of the piano bar or come for the drag brunches, trivia nights, and Sinatra Sundays. There is a robust calendar of themed events.
“We want this place to be a reflection of everything the community represents, and first and foremost, that’s kindness and love,” says Consalvo. “You walk through that door, and you’re going to feel the love and be welcomed as if you are family. It’s a love fest.”
The decor is chic and edgy, accented with ornate birdcages, gold-textured feathered wallpaper, colorful pop art, and rainbows. China bowls that hang on the walls are reminiscent of the very same China featured in the movie’s hysterical dining room scene. (If you know, you know.) Come before sunset, and you may very well catch a rainbow that’s cast by the sunlight piercing through the tinted front windows, and spilling onto the piano bar.
The good vibes extend to the delicious food. You’re eating healthy without knowing it, and that’s the intention. Tell says he wants everyone to have a good feeling in their bellies when they leave. The menu features gluten-free American comfort food and vegan-friendly options, all made in-house with fresh, high-quality ingredients — all consciously prepared.
With about 22 items on the dinner menu, including appetizers, soups, salads, and entrees, there’s something for everyone. You might try the Bougie Bae pineapple & balsamic marinated skirt steak or the Shrimply Irresistible — a tasty gluten-free take on fried shrimp, but lighter and encrusted in a corn-flake crumb. Another fave is a jumbo lump crab cake or a vegan chickpea version of it if you’re so inclined. If you must have gluten, there’s a smash burger on a brioche bun served with sassy sauce, one of several dipping sauces on the menu.
The cocktail menu features drinks inspired by the movie, such as the Agador Spartacus, a fittingly spicy Jalapeno-infused tequila cocktail.
A Nod To Atlantic City’s Rich History Of Gay Culture
The ByrdCage aims to fill an unmistakable void in Atlantic City. Its opening picks up on the legacy left by philanthropists and partners John Schultz and Gary Hill, who developed gay culture in Atlantic City from the 70s onward. Schultz opened Studio Six, the Brass Rail, and many other establishments in the neighborhood on New York and Kentucky Avenues and “Snake Alley,” the windy road that connects the two streets.
“For me, Studio Six provided a safe space, a place where I could be myself, where I could meet other people like me and sort of spread my feathers if you pardon the birdcage pun,” says Helfant. “It was more than just a bar.”
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Schultz pointed out that places like The ByrdCage are what is needed to bring young people together and that he believes there is an absence of unity in the younger generation that has been lost to social media and dating apps.
“The bar scene was our glue that kept us together as a gay community,” Schultz says. “You went there for the social connection.”
For more on memories of the gay nightclub scene in AC, visit NJLifestyleMag.com, Remembering The Days Of Studio Six, click below.
