NYC’s 10 oldest bars are also some of the coolest in the city

By far NYC’s oldest bar, Fraunces Tavern is the city’s last surviving connection to 18th century boozing. The once-favored watering hole of George Washington reflects some of its original (restored) charm, with distinct spaces dedicated to elements of its famed 250-plus-year-old history, including the Piano Bar Upstairs, the Dingle Whiskey Room, and the craft beer-based Tallmadge room.

At “only” 200 and change years-old, The Ear Inn may not be the very oldest bar in NYC, but its history is undoubtedly some of the city’s most interesting. Housed inside of the James Brown House, built and named for George Washington’s African aide during the Revolutionary War, the ground-floor bar was reputed for decades as a men’s-only pit stop for sailors. Beginning in the 1970s, its doors opened to women and it became known as The Ear Inn, a reference to the partially burned out “BAR” sign out front that allowed the new owners to circumvent the landmark board’s length signage review process.

This self-described “most famous bar that you’ve never heard of” dates all the way back to early 19th century NYC, when it quickly became a beloved local legend. Nestled at the foot of a humble row house in Queens’ Woodhaven neighborhood, Neir’s once hosted a young Mae West, who danced here as a child, and the cast and crew of Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, who filmed some of the movie’s bar scenes here. 

For well over 150 years, McSorley’s has been serving up exactly two kinds of beer–light and dark–to patrons ranging in esteem from Abraham Lincoln to Boss Tweed. No stranger to controversial moments in history, during Prohibition, McSorley’s operations went underground, remaining active throughout the 13 year period, and it wasn’t until 1970 that the old ale house opened its doors to women for the very first time following a lawsuit that swelled in conjunction with the women’s rights movement.

At one point in the city’s history, more German immigrants poured into NYC than any other group, and with them came countless German-style beer halls. One of the few that remain from that era is Staten Island’s Killmeyer’s, where the only thing that rivals the beer list in authenticity is the food menu, which is made up of regional specialities like pierogis, spaetzle, and a variety of wursts and sausages.

In a neighborhood filled with rich history, Pete’s Tavern is in a league of its own. The Gramercy Park staple dates to 1864, when the country was mired in the depths of a civil war, and rumor has it that it was disguised as an unassuming flower shop during Prohibition. In the 1950s, it became one of the first pubs in the city to offer patrons the opportunity to dine “al fresco,” a nod to the European influence that continues to inspire the tavern’s food menu.

West Village mainstay White Horse Tavern holds the title as one of the most popular watering holes for some of NYC’s biggest literary and cultural icons, including Jane Jacobs, Jack Kerouac and James Baldwin. While the food and service here are admittedly nothing to write home about, the vibes are always immaculate, owing to its excellent cocktails, its lush and whimsical outdoor decor that changes with the seasons, and of course, to the front row seat it holds to the action and energy of the West Village. 

Priding itself on “fir[ing] up our grill before Lady Liberty fired up her torch,” P.J. Clarke’s does indeed date to a pre-Statue of Liberty era NYC. In the years since, four new locations have been added to its roster (including in other legacy American cities Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.), but the original Third Avenue location is the best place to really embrace the saloon’s storied history, which is rumored to include fondness from Frank Sinatra and Jackie Kennedy. 

Boerum Hill’s Brooklyn Inn is arguably the oldest bar in Brooklyn, though it’s unclear exactly when it opened (some say the 1870s, when the stunning, hand-carved wood bar made its way to the borough from Germany; it was definitely open by 1885). Its mysteriousness doesn’t stop there: known as a hidden, secretive locale for much of its early life, legend has it that the bar itself is rooted in “ancient magic.” Today, the biggest mystery here is how long it may take you to grab a seat or table, given how popular the inn has become amongst tourists and locals alike.

While technically a restaurant, Keens boasts one of the most magnificent vintage bars in NYC. As the only remaining holdout from the famed Herald Square Theater District era, Keens was once bustling with actors wearing full stage makeup as they popped in between shows to “fortify” themselves. If you’re up for more than just a drink–you can’t go wrong with the pint size bloody Mary or the Oaxacan old fashioned–the famed mutton chop lives up to the hype.