The list below is an on-going project attempting to list the oldest bars still operating in the United States. This was originally a post that I did in August of 2008, prompted by another website’s list that contained many inaccuracies and omissions. My list is far more comprehensive, and is based on reader comments to the original post plus some of my own research and poking around. If you know of any others that should be on this list, please do let me know by posting a comment or sending me an e-mail.
- White Horse Tavern; Newport, RI (1673)
- Jessop’s Tavern; New Castle, DE (1724)
- Red Fox Inn; Middleburg, VA (1728)
- General Lafayette Inn & Brewery; Lafayette Hill, PA (1732)
- Middleton Tavern, Annapolis, MD (1750)
- Fraunces Tavern, New York, NY (1762)
- City Tavern, Philadelphia, PA (1773)
- Jean Lafittes Blacksmith Shop; New Orleans, LA (1775)
- Horse You Came In On; Baltimore, MD (1775)
- Griswold Inn; Essex, CT (1776)
- The Tavern; Abingdon, VA (1779)
- The Union Hotel (a.k.a. The Allentown Hotel, now DiMattias Restaurant & Lounge);
Allentown, NJ (1779) - The Warren Tavern; Charlestown, MA (1780)
- Gadsby’s Tavern; Alexandria, VA (1785)
- Wiggins Tavern; Northampton, MA (1786)
[tavern moved from Hopkinton, New Hampshire] - Bell In Hand; Boston, MA (1795)
- Old Absinthe House; New Orleans, LA (1815, possibly 1807)
- Broadway Hotel & Tavern; Madison, IN (1834)
- Knickerbocker Saloon; Lafayette, IN (1835)
- The Old Tavern; Niles, MI (1835)
- Spread Eagle Tavern & Inn; Hanoverton, OH (1837)
- Landmark 1850 Inn; Milwaukee, WI (1847; but currently closed for renovations)
- Ye Olde Trail Tavern; Yellow Springs, OH (1848)
- The Slippery Noodle; Indianapolis, IN (1850) [Wikipedia]
- Deer Park Tavern; Newark, DE (1851)
[occupying the same spot as St. Patrick's Inn, founded in 1747, but burned down in 1848] - Breitbach’s Country Dining; Balltown, IA (1852)
- Genoa Bar & Saloon; Genoa, NV (1853) [new]
- McSorley’s Old Ale House; New York, NY (1854)
- Anvil Restaurant & Saloon; Ste. Genevieve, MO (1855)
- Old Ebbitt Grill; Washington, DC (1856)
- Tujague’s; New Orleans, LA (1856)
- McGillin’s Olde Ale House; Philadelphia, PA (1860)
- Arnold’s Bar and Grill; Cincinnati, OH (1861)
- The Saloon; San Francisco, CA (1861)
- Waterfront Hotel; Baltimore, MD (1861; building built in 1771)
- Pete’s Tavern; New York, NY (1864)
- Scholz Garten; Austin, TX (1866)
- The Original Oyster House; Pittsburgh, PA (1870)
[Bear Tavern also opened on same site in 1827] - Ulrich’s Tavern; Buffalo, NY (1870)
- Puddler’s Hall; Milwaukee, WI (1873; historical info)
- Ear Inn; New York, NY (1874)
- Shooting Star Saloon; Hunstsville, UT (1879)
- White Horse Tavern; New York, NY (1880)
- P.J. Clarke’s; New York, NY (1884)
- The Uptowner; Milwaukee, WI (1884)
- The Little Shamrock; San Francisco, CA (1893) [thanks to LS bartender Mike Flynn for correcting the date. The LS opened October 28, 1893, not 1863]
Arguably America’s oldest bar, the White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island.
The following are also contenders, but for one reason or another it isn’t clear if they were originally bars. They’re old, but they weren’t necessarily bars from their beginning or at a remote enough date in the past to make the list above.
- The Pirates House; Savannah, GA (1753)
- Napoleon House; New Orleans, LA (1797)
Also, the Green Dragon in Boston, MA opened in 1654 so presumably might be considered the oldest. In 1764, the St. Andrews Lodge of Freemasons bought the tavern. Unfortunately, the original location on Union Street was demolished in 1854. Its present location at 11 Marshall Street was built at a later date, but I can’t find out exactly when. It’s certainly old, but probably not more than 100 years, if that.
UPDATES: Karsen Luthi sent me information about the Genoa Bar in Nevada (thanks, Karsen).
don’t forget heinhold’s over here in Oakland. 1883
Additionally, Bell in Hand Tavern, claims to be the oldest continually run bar in the US. The other contenders have not been taverns continuously since opening.
Yes, I know they claim that, but I’m not convinced. The website states that the Bell in Hand “is currently housed in a building that dates back to 1844, which means they’ve moved at least once. That calls into question, at least in my mind, their own continuous operation. Not to mention every bar or tavern in America was closed (or at a minimum not operating as a bar or tavern) for thirteen years during Prohibition so in reality no place can possibly have been continuously open since before then to the present.
At any rate, their saying so is hardly proof anyway. If someone can prove that all 14 of the 15 (one admits to moving) that claim to have opened before the Bell in Jar have moved or closed sometime other than Prohibition then fine, but records are notoriously bad back in history that far, and besides this is just for fun anyway.
We’re #2! When you live in Delaware little things matter.
Whether or not Bell in Hand has been continuously running is irrelevant. Middleton Tavern has been around longer and has also been continuously operating since its inception.
Arnold’s Bar and Grill in Cincinnati has continuously operated, never closing since 1861. For the 13 years of prohibition they served food. Additionally there remains a bathtub in the second floor dining room (their claim to fame) where bathtub gin was made during prohibition. So they have continuously been a place serving spirits since 1861. Not claiming to be the oldest. Just sayin’.
and thank you for putting together the most comprehensive list I have seen anywhere on the internet.
#4 General Lafayette is closed also
There is bar named NEIR’S in Woodhave, Queens County, New York State, which is located on the 87-00 block on 78th Street.
The said NEIR’S opened sometime between 1830 and 1860, as it was across the street from the Union Course Race Track was was the preeiminet trotting track in the east. I believe the said bar has a web site, but most of the info I receive on NEIR’S comes from googling UNION COURSE RACE TRACK, QUEENS COUNTY, NY.
Thanks for this list, it’s been a big help in our project (we’re making a documentary series on historical bars throughout the US), and have hit quite a few of these. There are some missing though, like Old 76 House in Tappen, NY (1688), Bridge Cafe in New York (1794), My Brother’s Bar in Denver (1870), and Crystal Palace in Tombstone (1892). Cheers!
aren’t there any older bars /taverns in Boston – older than the Bell in Hand ??
Not that I’ve found.
Wouldn’t the oldest bar be in America’s oldest city, St. Augustine, FL ?? Kinda bummed ’cause I went to McGillin’s in Philly because I thought it was the oldest bar there. Didn’t know about City Tavern
Only if the St. Augustine bar opened at the same time the city was founded … and then never closed (apart from those pesky 13 years of prohibition).
Unfortunately, the Old Ebbitt Grill has moved locations from its original site in China town a few times. It made its most recent move in 1983 to its current location.
The Bidwell Tavern, Coventry, CT. Birthplace of Captain Nathan Hale. The Bidwell was established in 1822.
Yes! In the 1960′s I spent many spare hours enjoying the hospitality of the proprietor, Fred Flaherty. Three bottles of beer and a bag of cheese popcorn for one dollar. This place was a favorite for UConn students and “swamp Yankee” locals alike.
City Tavern in Philadelphia is DEFINITELY NOT the 7th oldest bar in America – the original Tavern closed in 1854 and reopened in a replica building in 1976 – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Tavern. This is a Disney version of an old tavern.
its cool to see some really old pubs/bars around in the states …im american and have had the opportunity to own my own pub here in the uk. my pub dates back to 1555 but that is not even the oldest in my village lol but really interesting website…thanks
Captain Daniel Packer completed construction of the building bordering Water Street in 1756.
The monopole in plattsburgh,N.Y. opened in the 1890′s.
Hi. Thanks for a great page.
It’s unclear to me whether you count a bar that has been continuously operating (with the exception of prohibition) even if they changed names? If name changes are allowed, I believe the Oak Harbor Tavern in Oak Harbor, Washington should be on the list. I have not seen any primary sources, but local historical author Peggy Darst Townsdin, who has written a couple books on the area, appears to have some reasonably good information that the current Oak Harbor Tavern resides in a building that was established as a saloon and store by sea Captain Edward Barrington circa 1852, and dragged across the street and made into just a bar sometime by 1856. It appears to have been a bar since then, and taken the name “Oak Harbor Tavern” in 1939 (previously Forner’s Tavern).
Also, Merchants in Seattle, has many historical references to being opened in 1890, the year after the Great Seattle Fire, and run pretty much continuously as a bar under that name since then, with the exception of prohibition (which commenced in Washington state on Jan 1, 1916, slightly before the federal war-time prohibition and then the 18th amendment).
P.S. I have constructed a web page on the oldest bars in Seattle and am working on a similar page for the oldest in Washington state:
http://peterga.pbworks.com/w/page/54455735/Oldest%20Bars%20in%20Washington%20State
http://peterga.com/kbar-old.htm