5. Union Oyster House
41 Union Street, Boston, MA
Photo source: unionoysterhouse.com
Opened in 1826 and designated a National Historic Landmark, the Union Oyster House is Boston’s oldest bar. I like to belly up to the semi-circular oyster bar for a brandy and a few plates of oysters, just as—story has it—the famous statesman Daniel Webster did. Another famous guest here was JFK, who obviously made more of an impression than I did as he has his own booth (#18), commemorated with a plaque.
Nowadays the oyster bar serves standard fare, like chicken wings and nachos, as well New England clam chowder and oysters galore—usually to fannypack-wearing tourists.
6. Musso & Frank Grill
6667 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
Opened in 1919, Musso and Frank is Hollywood’s oldest eatery, and as such, has had its fair share of famous diners and drinkers. Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks used to eat here, and its location near the Writer’s Guild made it a popular watering hole for authors such as Faulkner, Fitzgerald, and Hemingway. Not much has changed in the interior of the restaurant and they’re still known for super dry martinis, tasty Bloody Marys, and Welsh rarebit.
7. McSorley’s Old Ale House
15 East 7th Street, New York, NY
Photo source: mcsorleysnewyork.com
Beer, men, and a “be good or be gone” motto characterize McSorley’s, both then and now. Opened in 1854, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the bar reluctantly opened its doors to women, having to rebuke their philosophy of “Good Ale, Raw Onions, and No Ladies.” You can still get good ale, a bite to eat (more than just raw onions, too), and decide for yourself whether you agree with e.e. cummings, who describes the bar in his poem “I was sitting in McSorley’s as “snugandevil.”
8. Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop
941 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA
Photo source: Wikipedia commons
Lafitte’s is sometimes referred to as the oldest continually operating bar in the United States, and while that claim is hard to verify, the building in which it is housed is indeed old—thought to have been built before 1772. Made a National Historic Landmark in 1970, it has a scruffy exterior and a candlelight interior, where a piano man plays the oldies.
9. J-Bar at Hotel Jerome
330 East Main Street, Aspen, CO
Photo source: hoteljerome.com
Serving since 1889, the J-Bar is best known for the signature prohibition drink “Aspen Crud.” During the dry times, the bar was converted into a soda fountain, but those in the know ordered theirs “crud,” indicating to the bartender they wanted their milkshake with a couple shots of bourbon. Nowadays, the hotel and bar are anything but cruddy—the elegance, opulence, and highfalutin’ ways may make you pine for the days of yore.
10. Vesuvio
255 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA
Photo source: vesuvio.com
Located in North Beach and overlooking Jack Kerouac alley, Vesuvio has served its fair share of Beat Generation luminaries. Established in 1948, it hasn’t changed much since Kerouac, Neal Cassidy, and other artists, poets, and musicians frequented the place. Now you’ll find a nice mix of locals with a few tourists sprinkled about. A great spot to have a casual drink amidst the bustle of SF.
The are certainly many more historic spots to have a drink or five—finding them is half the fun.
