‘WE ARE OPEN:’ Buckhorn Tavern welcomes back diners via social media, quashes rumor of its demise

The Buckhorn Tavern at 8800 Meeker Road in Butler Twp. reopened its dining room in late May with a reconfigured seating layout and new procedures that comply with state-mandated social distancing requirements, and they started promoting their dine-in reopening over the weekend.

Buckhorn Tavern’s dining room and bar are open, with temporary hours of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

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The restaurant is seating guests at every other table, and those whose tables are not ready are asked to wait in their cars for a call to alert them to come into the restaurant.

On Saturday, the same day that they started promoting the dining-room reopening on social media, Buckhorn Tavern’s owners quashed a rumor that their restaurant was closing permanently, after an establishment with an identical name located in San Jose, California announced it was shutting down for good. The rumor picked up steam on social media when a Dayton-based web site that focuses on local restaurants and dining erroneously identified the local Buckhorn Tavern as shutting down. The post has been taken down.

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"It has come to our attention that a rumor has surfaced of our closing. This is NOT TRUE of THE Buckhorn Tavern of Dayton, Ohio," the owners wrote on the restaurant's Facebook page Saturday. "There is an unrelated restaurant in California named Buckhorn that is closing. Rumors have spread that it is in Dayton, Ohio. This is not true."

The confusion did not appear to dampen customers’ enthusiasm.

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“Thank you all for your overwhelming support yesterday and throughout this pandemic,” Buckhorn Tavern’s owners wrote on Sunday, the one day of the week the restaurant is closed. “It's so very unfortunate what is happening to some businesses. Thankfully though, because of all of you, we are still going #daytonstrong. Thanks for supporting local business and The Buckhorn Tavern!”

Curbside pickup remains available. Buckhorn Tavern's menu is available at www.buckhorntaverndayton.com/menus. Orders can by placed by phone at 937-890-3261.

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