“You cannot write a guide to the legendary drinking dens of New York without mentioning McSorley’s,” proclaims esteemed online gastronomy hub Food Republic. Indeed, the legendary Old Ale House first opened in 1854 and has inhabited the same premises at 15 East 7th St. in the east village area of Greenwich Village ever since – so there’s lots to write about.
For example, the list of noted patrons starts with Abe Lincoln, and includes Teddy Roosevelt and John Lennon. Woodie Guthrie is said to have “inspired the union movement,” from a table there and ee cummings wrote a poem about the pub in 1925 (“I Was Sitting at McSorley’s”). It has also inspired paintings, books, and has been profiled in Life and the New Yorker magazines, amongst others.
Believed to the oldest Irish saloon in the Big Apple, McSorley’s claims to in fact be “America’s oldest continuously operated bar.”
It was also famously one of the last men’s-only saloons in New York, having been forced by Supreme Court ordinance to at last admit women in 1970 after adhering to the strict historical policy: “Good Ale, Raw Onions, and No Ladies.” Alas, the first ladies loo was not installed until 1986.
Other important features include the big old wood bar (standing only) and a working coal burning stove.
In most respects, McSorley’s seems untouched by time, and has the floor sawdust to prove it. The premises are delightfully dark and every nook and cranny is cluttered with antiques and framed pictures, paintings, and signage on the walls, including one declaring the pub’s golden rule: “Be good or be gone.” Keen-eyed observers will also discover an original “wanted” poster for Abe Lincoln’s assassin and an original photo of Babe Ruth’s final game at Yankee stadium, plus a host of music-themed paraphernalia.
The family-owned establishment is proudly the antithesis of the modern craft brew establishment and is lovingly called a “dive” by regulars. Notably, only two beers are served – light and dark ale, a standing practice following a “brief experiment” in 1905-06 in which hard liquor was added to, but then removed, from the menu. (Soda is the only other beverage served).
McSorley’s truly is a place where “history pours as freely as ale from the taps.” Moreover, it’s a place that “retains, to this day, a static serenity… an oasis in an age of disposable objects, quick fixes and attention spans that sputter and stall in short order…”
Unchanged for 166 years, they are clearly on to something.
Check out this short VIDEO.
(“Pub Crawl” is an ongoing series in which we reveal some of our favourite public houses, both at home and abroad – and, in the spirit of the establishment, invite you to share with us yours. Send suggestions to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com. Cheers!)
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