Walk into McSorley’s Old Ale House on a Tuesday afternoon and the sawdust hits you first. It’s thick. It’s gritty. It smells like a century of spilled malt and wet boots. If you’re looking for the oldest Irish pub NYC has to offer, this is usually where the tour guides point their umbrellas. But history in Manhattan is never that simple. It’s messy.
New York City likes to pave over its past, yet a few stubborn saloons refused to budge. You’ve probably heard the claim that McSorley’s is the undisputed king. They even have the "We Were Here Before You Were Born" sign to prove it. But if you walk a mile or two over to Spring Street, the folks at The Ear Inn will give you a very different, very salty look.
The Battle for the Title of Oldest Irish Pub NYC
So, who actually wins?
McSorley’s Old Ale House opened its doors at 15 East 7th Street back in 1854. John McSorley, an immigrant from County Tyrone, started serving up mugs of ale and plates of raw onions to laborers and poets alike. It’s iconic. It feels like a time capsule because, frankly, it is. They didn’t even allow women inside until a 1970 court ruling forced their hand. Abraham Lincoln supposedly drank there. E.E. Cummings wrote poems about the "snug-and-dirty" atmosphere. It is, by all accounts, a legendary Irish institution.
But then there’s The Ear Inn.
Located in the James Brown House at 326 Spring Street, this spot has been pouring booze since 1817. That’s nearly 40 years before McSorley’s. The catch? It wasn’t always "Irish" in the branding sense. It was a pharmacy, then a tobacco shop, then a brewery, then a speakeasy. Because it’s right by the Hudson River, it served sailors of every nationality.
Does a pub have to be owned by an Irishman from day one to be the oldest Irish pub NYC honors? Or does "oldest continuously operating bar" take the trophy regardless of the name on the deed? Most historians lean toward McSorley’s for the "Irish" specific title, while The Ear Inn takes the "Oldest Bar" crown.
Why the Sawdust Matters
You won't find a Guinness at McSorley's. Don't even ask.
✨ Don't miss: The Long Haired Russian Cat Explained: Why the Siberian is Basically a Living Legend
They serve two things: McSorley’s Light and McSorley’s Dark. You get them in pairs. Two small glass mugs arrive on a tray, usually sloshing over the brim. It’s cheap, it’s efficient, and it’s how things have been done since the Franklin Pierce administration. The sawdust on the floor isn't just for aesthetic vibes either. Historically, it was there to soak up the "overflow" from the bar and the tobacco spit from the patrons. Today, it just keeps the floor from getting slick when the place gets packed with NYU students and tourists.
The walls are a different story.
Everything hanging on the walls has been there since 1910. The owner at the time, Bill McSorley, stopped adding or removing items after his father died. There are Houdini’s handcuffs attached to the bar rail. There are original "Wanted" posters for the conspirators of the Lincoln assassination. Most hauntingly, there are dusty wishbones hanging from the gas lamps above the bar.
Those wishbones were placed there by local boys heading off to World War I. The idea was they’d come back and take them down. The ones still hanging? Those are for the boys who never made it home. It’s a heavy piece of history that stays with you long after the ale wears off.
The Contenders: Pete’s Tavern and The Landmark
If we’re being honest, the fight for the "oldest" tag is a marketing war.
Pete’s Tavern on 18th Street claims they’ve been open since 1864. They famously stayed open during Prohibition by disguising themselves as a flower shop. O. Henry reportedly wrote The Gift of the Magi in one of their booths. It has a beautiful rosewood bar and an atmosphere that feels slightly more "upscale" than the grit of McSorley's.
Then you have The Landmark Tavern in Hell’s Kitchen. Opened in 1868 by Patrick Patrick Carley (yes, that was his name), it sat right on the edge of the Hudson before the city added the landfill that created the West Side Highway. It’s a classic Irish waterfront saloon. They have a legendary shepherd’s pie and a ghost story involving a Confederate soldier who died in a bar fight.
🔗 Read more: Why Every Mom and Daughter Photo You Take Actually Matters
- McSorley's: 1854 (Pure Irish lineage)
- The Ear Inn: 1817 (Oldest building/continuous service)
- Pete's Tavern: 1864 (The O. Henry connection)
- Landmark Tavern: 1868 (Hell's Kitchen staple)
Authenticity vs. Commercialism
New York is full of "Irish Pubs" that were designed by a corporate firm in Dublin and shipped over in a shipping container. You know the ones. They have the perfectly distressed wood and the generic Guinness posters. They’re fine for a quick pint, but they aren't the oldest Irish pub NYC authentic experience.
The real spots are drafty.
The bathrooms in McSorley’s are... an experience. The urinals are giant porcelain basins that look like they belong in a museum or a stable. There’s no music. No TVs. If you want entertainment, you talk to the person sitting next to you. It’s one of the few places left in the city where a construction worker and a hedge fund manager might actually end up in a shouting match over the Mets.
Surviving the 21st Century
How do these places survive when Manhattan rents are astronomical?
Mostly, they own the buildings. That’s the secret sauce. If McSorley’s had to pay market-rate rent in the East Village in 2026, a pair of ales would cost $45. Instead, they remain relatively affordable. They rely on volume and a refusal to change.
There’s a comfort in knowing that while the rest of the city is turning into a giant glass skyscraper, you can still sit in a chair that might have been sat in by Peter Cooper. You can eat a plate of cheddar cheese and crackers with hot mustard—the "McSorley's Lunch"—and feel like the world hasn't completely lost its mind.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Pubs
People think "oldest" means "best preserved."
💡 You might also like: Sport watch water resist explained: why 50 meters doesn't mean you can dive
Honestly? These places are lived-in. They are messy. If you go to The Ear Inn, the floor is slanted. Like, seriously slanted. You feel like you’re on a ship because the building has settled into the soft earth of the old shoreline over two centuries.
Another misconception is that these are tourist traps. While McSorley’s definitely gets a line down the block on Saturdays, go on a Monday at 1:00 PM. You’ll see the regulars. You’ll see the people who have been drinking there for fifty years. It’s a community hub that happens to be famous, not a museum that happens to serve beer.
The Practical Way to Visit the Oldest Irish Pub NYC
If you're planning a "history crawl," don't do it on a weekend. You’ll just be staring at the back of someone’s head.
Start at The Ear Inn in the late afternoon. It’s quieter. Grab a burger—they’re surprisingly good—and look at the nautical maps on the walls. Then, walk across town toward the East Village. Hit McSorley’s around 4:00 PM.
Order the dark ale. It’s got more character. Don’t try to order a Cosmo or a craft IPA. The bartenders have a very low tolerance for nonsense. They aren't being mean; they’re just busy. If you’re hungry, the liver and onions is a "love it or hate it" staple, but the burgers are solid.
Actionable Insights for the History Seeker:
- Cash is King: McSorley’s is cash only. Don't be that person trying to tap-to-pay with a smartwatch.
- Respect the Vibe: At McSorley's, seating is communal. If there's an empty chair at a table with strangers, ask if it's free and sit down. That’s how the place works.
- Check the Hours: These places have survived by being consistent, but sometimes they close for private events or "cleaning" (rare, but it happens).
- Look Up: The ceilings in these old pubs often hold the most history, from 19th-century tin to artifacts tucked into the rafters.
- The Ear Inn "Ear" Trick: Look at the neon sign outside. It used to say "Bar." They painted over the "B" to turn it into "Ear" to get around city permit laws for signage. That’s the kind of New York ingenuity you’re looking for.
Visiting the oldest Irish pub NYC offers isn't about the drink. It’s about the continuity. In a city that changes every five minutes, these four walls haven't changed in 170 years. That’s worth the price of a pair of ales.