A new neighborhood tavern is taking shape in Mercer Village, filling the footprint once held by Mercer Village Pizza with a concept built around smash burgers, pizza and a bourbon-heavy bar. The project, called 1833 Tavern, comes from chef David Bartlett and is going up in the space beside ZBeans, directly across from the Mercer University bookstore.
The new space will replace the footprint of Mercer Village Pizza, according to mercercluster.com, which reports the concept comes from chef David Bartlett. The outlet notes the restaurant sits adjacent to ZBeans and across from the university bookstore, putting it squarely in the heart of the shopping and dining strip that serves Mercer's campus. Renovations have been underway at the site, and Bartlett has said the actual opening date will not be locked in until inspections and permits are complete, per the same report.
A Name Rooted in Mercer's History
The tavern's name is not just a nod to old-timey branding. According to mercercluster.com, the concept's name is a nod to the year Mercer University was founded, tying the restaurant's identity directly to the school whose students and families make up much of Mercer Village's foot traffic. That kind of campus-adjacent branding fits a strip that has cycled through several dining concepts in recent years, including the same source's note that the venue has seen three businesses in the last six years, with Sauced, JAG's Pizza and Mercer Village Pizza all previously occupying space in the area.
Other Mercer Village storefronts have seen similar turnover and reinvestment. Margaritas Mexican Grill expanded into a former Bear Burgers space in the same shopping area in January 2025, opening a private dining room there, according to the Macon Telegraph. Mercer Village Pizza took the space in 2024 and closed over the summer. JAG's Pizza, a different tenant, ran for nearly four years before closing in 2023.
What's on the Menu and Behind the Bar
The planned food lineup leans casual and familiar: smash burgers, pizza, sandwiches and salads, per mercercluster.com's reporting on the project. On the drinks side, the bar is expected to pour a strong bourbon and whiskey selection, cocktails, local and Georgia spirits and beers, the outlet reports, suggesting a tavern atmosphere geared toward lingering over a drink as much as grabbing a quick bite.
Separately, WhatNow reports that Bartlett also owns Macon Supper Club, which launched in late 2025 as a pop-up southern-inspired Sunday supper concept. WhatNow reports that Macon Supper Club hosted a sneak peek meal featuring 1833 Tavern menu items on October 18, and that Macon Supper Club is expected to begin operating within 1833 Tavern once it opens, according to the Macon Supper Club website.
Murals Up, Opening Date Still Unknown
Visible progress on the build-out has already started showing up on social media. An Instagram post declared, “Murals complete for the new Tavern 1833 coming soon to Mercer Village in Macon Ga!!!” signaling that the space's interior artwork is further along than the dining room itself.
Still, there's no firm timeline for walking through the door. Bartlett and the project's backers plan to wait until all inspections and permits have been completed to finalize it, mercercluster.com reports, meaning hungry Mercer Village regulars will need to keep watching for updates rather than circling a date on the calendar.
