McSorleys Old Ale House

 

McSORLEY'S

SINCE  1854

One of New York & AMerica's Oldest Bars

McSorley's Old Ale House

New York

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McSorley's Old Ale House, generally known as McSorley's, is the oldest Irish Saloon in New York City. Opened in the mid-19th century at 15 East 7th Street, in today's East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, it was one of the last of the "Men Only" pubs, admitting women only after legally being forced to do so in 1970. The aged artwork, newspaper articles covering the walls, sawdust floors, and the Irish waiters and bartenders give McSorley's an atmosphere reminiscent of "Olde New York". No piece of memorabilia has been removed from the walls since 1910, and there are many items of historical paraphernalia in the bar, such as Houdini's handcuffs, which are connected to the bar rail. There are also wishbones hanging above the bar; supposedly they were hung there by boys going off to World War I, to be removed when they returned, so the wishbones that are left are from those who never returned.

Two of McSorley's mottos are "Be Good or Be Gone", and "We were here before you were born". Prior to the 1970 ruling, the motto was "Good Ale, Raw Onions and No Ladies"; the raw onions can still be had as part of McSorley's cheese platter.

McSorley's is considered to be one of the longest continuously operating ale houses in the city due to the fact that during Prohibition it served a "near beer" with too little alcohol to be illegal. In 2005, New York magazine considered McSorley's to be one of New York City's "Top 5 Historic Bars"

Who drank there? Since 1854, McSorley's has seen many luminaries walk through its doors for a Liverwurst Sandwich and a couple mugs of Ale. Who? None other than Abraham Lincoln had a couple ales at McSorley's after he made his famous Cooper Union Speech just a few feet from the bar. Lincoln was not the only President who drank at McSorley's both Teedy Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, as well as Civil War General and 18th President of The United States, Ulysses S. Grant drank a couple pints at McSorley's as well.

The writer EE Cummings and artist John Sloan who did a couple monumental paintins of McSorley's were known to frequent the bar also. 

McSORLEY'S

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McSorley's 1937

Women were not permited inside McSorley's until a court order in 1970.

McSorley's Old Ale House

East 7th Street, New York NY

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McSORLEY'S OLD ALE HOUSE

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