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Bars have long held on to their reputation as places to sip, socialize and relax — some more than others.
24/7 Tempo conducted research to determine the most noteworthy oldest bars in America’s biggest cities:
“According to the multi-industry research site IBISWorld, there were about 66,700 bars and nightclubs in the U.S. as of 2022. Of course, these kinds of places open and close all the time, so the number is constantly changing.
Some bars, though, have shown remarkable longevity. There are bars around the country that have been in business (though sometimes with hiatuses) for more than a century – and a few that were founded originally in the 1700s.
Bars (or inns, or taverns) have been a part of American life since colonial times. Unless they belonged to religious groups with strict rules about imbibing (and sometimes even if they did), early European immigrants to these shores were often heavy drinkers, quaffing ale, cider, applejack, whiskey, and other strong beverages with abandon, and places to indulge were an important part of the landscape…
There are some very old bars in some of the largest U.S. cities, too, however…
All the bars on our list are more than a century old and a few have passed their 200th birthday.”
Louisville is considered a large city with its population of 624,444. Founded in 1885, the oldest bar in Louisville is The Mellwood Tavern:
“What is now the Mellwood Tavern was opened as the Rendezvous Inn and has had several other names since then, including Gibson’s Restaurant, the Rush Inn, and Mellwood Inn. There was once a dancehall in the basement and probably a brothel upstairs. When the current owners bought it in 2016, they harked back to an earlier era by rechristening it the Mellwood Tavern. (A private event space has been dubbed the Rendezvous Room.) The Mellwood is now known for its live music and its fried chicken.”