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For decades, McSorley's Old Ale House was a male-only establishment, until an ordinance in the 1970s forced the bar to let women in. In fact, CBS2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer's picture is in a New York Daily News article posted in the window – she was one of the first women to be let in. The Health Department said it closed the popular bar, established in 1854, because of public health hazards including rats, food held at the "wrong temperature," and conditions conducive to "vermin and pest" activity.
City Shuts Down Historic McSorley's Old Ale House Over Health Violations
Look closely and you’ll spot an original wanted poster for Abe Lincoln’s assassin as well as Babe Ruth’s farewell photo from Yankee stadium (a donation from the photographer-a regular himself). McSorley's has been frequented by numerous celebrities throughout history. John Lennon was a regular there in the 1970s, Robin Williams would stop by the bar for an ale, and E.E. Cummings wrote one of his most famous poems sitting at a window seat in the pub. Though famous, McSorley's hasn't always been on the right side of history. According to The New York Times, women have only been allowed inside the bar since 1970, when two members of the National Organization for Women sued the bar for violating the equal-protection ordinance of the 14th Amendment.
Houdini’s handcuffs
Adjacent to the free lunch he kept a quart crock of tobacco and a rack of clay and corncob pipes—the purchase of an ale entitled a man to a smoke on the house; the rack still holds a few of the communal pipes. Old John was thrifty and was able to buy the tenement—it is five stories high and holds eight families —about ten years after he opened the saloon in it. He lived with his family in a flat directly over the saloon and got up every morning at five; he walked to the Battery and back before breakfast, no matter what the weather.
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The walls in McSorley’s are covered with the history of New York City and McSorley’s. Over time, the 5 points neighborhood has developed into the Lower Eastside. Now consisting of courthouses, parks, and high-rise apartments, the Lower Eastside, rather than being the weak part of town it is now one of the most affluent parts of the city. The days of the immigrant having a beer at McSorley’s is long gone. The crowd today consists of many Irish who enjoy the traditions of McSorley’s as well as citizens of the neighborhood and tourists who come to see a bit of New York’s History.
Middle East & India
The bar's co-owner, Gregory de la Haba operates the venue alongside his wife, Teresa, who took over the business from her father, Matty Maher. And the bar holds a special place for the pair, as it's where they first met, after Matty commissioned artist Gregory to paint a portrait of Teresa to mark her becoming the bar's first female bartender in the 1990s. ” and they will instantly know you are referring to the venerable institution of McSorley’s Old Ale house.
Spending eternity at McSorley’s
The turkey wishbones were left as a good-luck charm, and those who returned would bring their wishbone back down. The bones left still hanging represent the troops who did not return. As the bar had upmost respect for the soldiers fighting for America, their way of extending their gratitude came in the form of food and beer as they thanked them for allowing immigrants to have freedom in the United States. O’Connell retired from the Department two days before he purchased the saloon.
The bar is also home to a few other historical mementos like Houdini's handcuffs and World War I-era wishbones dangling from a gas lamp above the bar. US Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Theodore Roosevelt also reportedly stopped by McSorley's, according to NBC New York, adding to the joint's historic reputation. I enjoyed both the light and the dark ale, though I preferred the light, and thought they went down smoothly. Ahead of St. Patrick's Day 2023, I wanted to visit the bar given its rich history and connection to my heritage. My grandparents were first-generation Irish immigrants who later moved to England. That fact, in combination with my very Irish name, makes me proud of the close connection to my heritage.
Health & Wellness
McSorley’s is not a big bar and there are no bad seats, providing you can get one as it is always busy. From the ceiling to the sawdust covered floor, you will find photographs, antiques, and hundreds of years of history. From wall to wall history surrounds patrons as they enjoy their choice of light or dark ale. McSorley’s operated throughout the Prohibition when beer, ale and other liquor sales were illegal.
Defying war, 9/11, and Covid, New York's McSorley's Old Ale House keeps ale flowing at 170 - Forbes India
Defying war, 9/11, and Covid, New York's McSorley's Old Ale House keeps ale flowing at 170.
Posted: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The Top 10 Secrets of McSorley’s Old Ale House in NYC
Overall, McSorley’s Old Ale House is jam packed with both New York City and American history as it continues to uphold its original traditions from the 1850s. As it is one of New York City’s oldest bars, it draws a large crowd daily of patrons looking to be asked whether they want their ale light or dark. Originating as an Irish workingman’s saloon, McSorley’s has spread a lot of Irish tradition to New York City as well as patrons of the saloon. In my opinion, and being a patron myself in the past, I highly recommend McSorley’s Old Ale House to any individual looking for a historical saloon experience. It is quite near impossible to put into words the McSorley’s experience.
We recommend using this Google map for directions to this historic New York bar. The closest subway stations are Astor Place (for the 6 line) and 8th Street/NYU (for the N + R lines). This quotation reflects how John McSorley wished to take a piece of Ireland with him to America.
A Bellevue interne once said that for many mental disturbances the smell in McSorley’s is more beneficial than psychoanalysis. A mechanic in greasy overalls gets as much attention as an executive from Wanamaker’s. The only customer the bartenders brag about is Police Inspector Matthew J. McGrath, who was a shot-and hammer-thrower in four Olympics and is called Mighty Matt. Today, McSorley’s gives individuals a window into changing New York City.
The father was by no means a lush, but the son carried temperance to an extreme; he drank nothing but tap water and tea, and bragged about it. He was so solemn that before he was thirty several customers had settled into the habit of calling him Old Bill. He worshipped his father, but no one was aware of the profundity of his worship until Old John died. After the funeral, Bill locked the saloon, went upstairs to the family flat, pulled the shutters to, and did not come out for almost a week. Subsequently he commissioned a Cooper Union art teacher to make a small painting of Old John from a photograph.
During World War I, McSorley's began a tradition of giving troops heading off to war a turkey dinner and, of course, pints of ale. Unlike the drinks, which are slammed on the bar seconds after ordering, change arrives slowly at McSorley’s. In 1994, Teresa Maher de la Haba, daughter of current owner Matthew Maher, became the first woman to tend the battered wooden bar. The décor hasn’t changed much in the past 165 years—pieces are rarely added or removed and everything is perpetually dusty. Today, the sawdust-covered floors of this East Village establishment have many secrets to share, from early 20th century memorabilia to its association with rock icons and prominent political figures.
No Deliveries, you have to kick it old school and come to the pub for food and drinks. Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker. This story was originally published in March 2023, and most recently updated on March 17, 2024. Despite how busy the bar was, I was pleasantly surprised by the friendly and fast service I received from the bar staff and bouncer. If you're looking for an immersive experience, you can't feel much closer to Ireland anywhere other than McSorley's.
Bill was consistent in his aversion to noise; he didn’t even like the sound of his own voice. He was able to go for days without speaking, answering all questions with a snort or a grunt. A man who drank in McSorley’s steadily for sixteen years once said that in that time Bill spoke exactly four intelligible words to him. They were “Curiosity killed the cat.” The man had politely asked Bill to tell him the history of a pair of rusty convict shackles on the wall. He learned later that a customer who had fought in the Civil War had brought them back from a Confederate prison in Andersonville, Georgia, and had given them to Old John as a souvenir. Established in 1854 in NYC and brewed by McSorley’s Brewery in Wilks-Barre, PA.
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