List of the oldest restaurants in the United States

This list of the oldest restaurants in the United States includes currently operating restaurants that were founded before 1900. Most of the establishments are located in the Northeastern United States, many of them predate the Civil War, and a handful predate the Revolutionary War.

List of the oldest restaurants in the United States

Year of opening Age (years) Restaurant Opened by City State GPS Claim to fame Sources
1673 352 White Horse Tavern William Mayes, Sr. Newport Rhode Island 41°29′29″N 71°18′50″W / 41.491340°N 71.313755°W / 41.491340; -71.313755 Oldest restaurant in America (non-continuous) [1][2][3][4]
1686 339 The Wayside Inn David Howe as "Howe's Tavern" Sudbury Massachusetts 42°21′28″N 71°28′5″W / 42.35778°N 71.46806°W / 42.35778; -71.46806 Titular inn in Longfellow's Tales of a Wayside Inn; oldest restaurant in America (continuous) The inn's archive has documents from 1686 onward, including the official inn license granted to the first innkeeper, David Howe, in 1716.[5]
1706 319 Ye Olde Centerton Inn unknown Pittsgrove New Jersey 39°31′32″N 75°10′03″W / 39.5254486°N 75.167618°W / 39.5254486; -75.167618 One of the oldest restaurants in NJ [6]
1716 309 Concord's Colonial Inn unknown Concord Massachusetts 42°27′42″N 71°20′58″W / 42.46179°N 71.34954°W / 42.46179; -71.34954 One of the Inn's original buildings was used as a storehouse for arms and provisions during the Battles of Lexington and Concord [7]
1728 297 The Red Fox Inn & Tavern Joseph Chinn Middleburg Virginia 38°58′05″N 77°44′11″W / 38.9681°N 77.7364°W / 38.9681; -77.7364 Oldest continuously operating inn and tavern in Virginia [8]
1737 288 Stage House Tavern John Sutton Scotch Plains New Jersey 40°39′05″N 74°23′55″W / 40.65137°N 74.39857°W / 40.65137; -74.39857 Originally called the Stage House Inn. It's rumored that Gen. George Washington enjoyed a pint or two there. [9]
1742 283 Black Horse Tavern & Pub Ebenezer Byram Mendham New Jersey 40°46′34″N 74°36′05″W / 40.7760096°N 74.6013081°W / 40.7760096; -74.6013081 Started out as just an Inn [10][6][11]
1743 282 The Clinton House unknown Clinton New Jersey 40°38′07″N 74°54′52″W / 40.6352389°N 74.9145386°W / 40.6352389; -74.9145386 [10][6]
1745 280 Rocky Hill Inn Harrison family Rocky Hill New Jersey 40°23′59″N 74°38′12″W / 40.3997905°N 74.636788°W / 40.3997905; -74.636788 [10][12]
1754 271 The '76 House Casparus Mabie Tappan New York 41°01′11″N 73°56′31″W / 41.019666588°N 73.941996232°W / 41.019666588; -73.941996232 Oldest restaurant New York state. The '76 House, Retrieved August 8, 2021
1762 263 Fraunces Tavern Samuel Fraunces New York New York 40°42′12″N 74°00′41″W / 40.703394°N 74.011335°W / 40.703394; -74.011335 Oldest standing structure in Manhattan [1][13][14][4]
1775 250 The Horse You Came In On Saloon unknown Baltimore Maryland 39°16′53″N 76°35′39″W / 39.28151°N 76.59417°W / 39.28151; -76.59417 Oldest continuously operating saloon in the United States
1776 249 The Griswold Inn Sala Griswold Essex Connecticut 41°21′05″N 72°23′13″W / 41.3512692°N 72.3868961°W / 41.3512692; -72.3868961
 Oldest Inn in America [1][15][16][4]
1779 246 Old Talbott Tavern George Talbott Bardstown Kentucky 37°48′33″N 85°28′03″W / 37.80905°N 85.46750°W / 37.80905; -85.46750 Oldest western stagecoach stop still in operation
1780 245 The Cranbury Inn unknown Cranbury New Jersey 40°18′28″N 74°31′04″W / 40.3078249°N 74.5178106°W / 40.3078249; -74.5178106 Built in 1750 and 1765 as a place to eat, drink, get horses and rest. [17][10][18][6]
1780 245 Warren Tavern Eliphelet Newell Charlestown Massachusetts 42°22′27″N 71°03′48″W / 42.3741169°N 71.0633136°W / 42.3741169; -71.0633136 [19][20]
1783 242 The Milleridge Inn Mary Willets Jericho New York 40.791607669553045, -73.5377810359943 Started by Quakers; quartered soldiers during the American Revolution; house became inn in 1783 [21]
1785 240 Gadsby's Tavern John Wise Alexandria Virginia 38°48′20″N 77°02′37″W / 38.8056197°N 77.043648°W / 38.8056197; -77.043648
(second tavern on site built 1785, enlarged in 1792, first tavern on site Mason's Ordinary opened in 1749) 		Historic Confederation/Federalist Period tavern & ballroom [22]
1795 230 Bell in Hand Tavern Jimmy Wilson Boston Massachusetts 42°21′41″N 71°03′25″W / 42.3614873°N 71.0570777°W / 42.3614873; -71.0570777
 Oldest continuously operating tavern in US (except for Prohibition) [20]
1803 222 The Golden Lamb Jonas Seaman Lebanon Ohio 39°26′01″N 84°12′30″W / 39.433611°N 84.208333°W / 39.433611; -84.208333 Oldest continuously operated inn and restaurant in Ohio [23]
1826 199 Union Oyster House Hawes Atwood Boston Massachusetts 42°21′41″N 71°03′25″W / 42.3612904°N 71.0569038°W / 42.3612904; -71.0569038 Oldest continuously operated restaurant in America [1][24][4]
1831 194 New Hudson Inn Unknown New Hudson Michigan 42°30′42″N 83°36′53″W / 42.5116556°N 83.6148471°W / 42.5116556; -83.6148471 Oldest business in Michigan [25]
1834 191 J. Huston Tavern Joseph Huston, Sr. Arrow Rock Missouri 39°04′12″N 92°56′42″W / 39.0699503°N 92.9450889°W / 39.0699503; -92.9450889 Oldest continuously serving restaurant west of the Mississippi River [26][27][28]
1838 187 Arnold's Bar and Grill Susan Fawcett Cincinnati Ohio 39°06′19″N 84°30′36″W / 39.10514°N 84.51011°W / 39.10514; -84.51011 Oldest continuously operating bar in Ohio [29][30]
1840 185 Antoine's Antoine Alciatore New Orleans Louisiana 29°57′24″N 90°03′59″W / 29.9567166°N 90.0664811°W / 29.9567166; -90.0664811 Oldest family-run restaurant in America [1][31][32][4]
1849 176 Tadich Grill Nikola Budrovich
Frano Kosta
Antonio Gasparich 		San Francisco California 37°47′36″N 122°23′58″W / 37.7934198°N 122.399472°W / 37.7934198; -122.399472
(moved here in 1967) 		Oldest continuously running restaurant in San Francisco [1][33][4]
1852
(August 23) 		173 Breitbach's Country Dining founder unknown Balltown Iowa 42°37′38″N 90°49′13″W / 42.627308°N 90.82037°W / 42.627308; -90.82037 Oldest restaurant in Iowa [1][34][4]
1854 171 McSorley's Old Ale House John McSorley New York City New York 40°43′44″N 73°59′23″W / 40.7288135°N 73.9896631°W / 40.7288135; -73.9896631 Oldest Irish saloon in NYC and one of the last of the "Men Only" pubs, admitting women only after legally being forced to do so in 1970 [35]
1856 169 Old Ebbitt Grill William Ebbitt Washington District of Columbia 38°53′53″N 77°02′00″W / 38.898056°N 77.0333288°W / 38.898056; -77.0333288
(moved here in 1983) 		Oldest saloon in Washington [36][4]
1857 168 Gluek's Restaurant & Bar Gottlieb Gluek Minneapolis Minnesota 44°58′46″N 93°16′26″W / 44.9794701°N 93.2739892°W / 44.9794701; -93.2739892 Oldest continuously operated business
in Minneapolis 		[37][4]
1860 165 McGillin's Olde Ale House Catherine McGillin
William McGillin 		Philadelphia Pennsylvania 39°57′01″N 75°09′45″W / 39.9502014°N 75.1625754°W / 39.9502014; -75.1625754 Oldest bar in Philadelphia [1][38][4]
1861 164 The Old Clam House founder unknown San Francisco California 37°44′35″N 122°24′17″W / 37.7430779°N 122.4048487°W / 37.7430779; -122.4048487 Began as a bar in 1891. Became a restaurant in 1940. [39][40]
1864 161 Pete's Tavern founder unknown New York New York (state) 40°38′52″N 73°57′46″W / 40.6478789°N 73.9626685°W / 40.6478789; -73.9626685 Oldest continuously operated bar in New York City [41][4]
1866 159 Scholz Garten August Scholz Austin, Texas Texas 30°16′40″N 97°44′11″W / 30.27778°N 97.73639°W / 30.27778; -97.73639 Oldest restaurant in Texas [42]
1867 158 Sam's Grill & Seafood Restaurant Michael Bolan Moraghan San Francisco California 37°47′27″N 122°24′12″W / 37.7909164°N 122.4034528°W / 37.7909164; -122.4034528 opened during California gold rush [43][44]
1870 155 Claudio's Tavern Manuel Claudio Greenport New York (state) 41°06′07″N 72°21′33″W / 41.1018204°N 72.3590323°W / 41.1018204; -72.3590323 Oldest restaurant continuously owned
by the same family (until 2018) 		[45][4]
1870 155 Original Oyster House Hugh Lynn Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 40°26′27″N 80°00′09″W / 40.440748°N 80.002375°W / 40.440748; -80.002375 Oldest bar and restaurant in Pittsburgh [46]
1870 155 Weidmann's Felix Weidmann Meridian Mississippi 32°21′47″N 88°41′56″W / 32.363020°N 88.699006°W / 32.363020; -88.699006 Oldest restaurant in Mississippi [47]
1879 146 Huber's Huber Portland Oregon 45°31′12″N 122°40′29″W / 45.5200272°N 122.6748297°W / 45.5200272; -122.6748297 Oldest restaurant in Oregon [48]
1885 140 Tivoli Bar and Grill Angelo and Giovanni "John" Della Maggiora San Diego California 32°42′38″N 117°9′32.3″W / 32.71056°N 117.158972°W / 32.71056; -117.158972 Oldest bar/restaurant in San Diego [49][50]

[51][52]

1885 140 Keens Steakhouse Albert Keen New York City New York (state) 40°45′03″N 73°59′11″W / 40.750773°N 73.9864091°W / 40.750773; -73.9864091 Only remaining business of what was the Herald Square Theater District [53][4]
1886 139 Fior d'Italia Angelo Del Monte San Francisco California 37°48′16″N 122°24′49″W / 37.8043304°N 122.413506°W / 37.8043304; -122.413506 The current restaurant at the San Remo Hotel (2237 Mason St.) is the seventh location for the former bordello and eatery, including a tent operation for nearly a year after the 1906 earthquake and fire. [54]
1887 138 Browne's Irish Market & Deli Ed and Mary Flavin Kansas City Missouri 39°04′03″N 94°35′34″W / 39.0676114°N 94.5928806°W / 39.0676114; -94.5928806 Oldest Irish business in North America
Oldest retail business in Kansas City 		[55][56][57]
1887 138 Peter Luger Steak House Peter Luger Brooklyn New York (state) 40°42′36″N 73°57′45″W / 40.7098661°N 73.9625564°W / 40.7098661; -73.9625564 New York's top-rated
Zagat steakhouse 		[58][4]
1888 137 Katz's Delicatessen Morris Iceland
Hyman Iceland 		New York City New York (state) 40°43′20″N 73°59′14″W / 40.7223431°N 73.987353°W / 40.7223431; -73.987353
(moved here in 1970) 		New York's oldest deli [59][4]
1893
(November 17) 		132 Buckhorn Exchange Henry Zietz Denver Colorado 39°43′56″N 105°00′18″W / 39.7322529°N 105.0051124°W / 39.7322529; -105.0051124 First liquor license in Colorado [1][60][4]
1893 132 Commander's Palace Emile Commander New Orleans Louisiana 29°55′44″N 90°05′03″W / 29.928869°N 90.084213°W / 29.928869; -90.084213 Oldest continuously operated restaurant in Uptown New Orleans [61][62][4]
1898 127 Louis' Lunch Louis Lassen New Haven Connecticut 41°18′23″N 72°55′49″W / 41.306370°N 72.930382°W / 41.306370; -72.930382 one of the oldest hamburger restaurants [1][63][4]
1895 130 The Berghoff Herman Berghoff Chicago Illinois 41°52′45.5″N 87°37′42.2″W / 41.879306°N 87.628389°W / 41.879306; -87.628389 German restaurant [64]
1896 129 Rao's Raos New York City New York (state) 40°47′38.16″N 73°56′3.2″W / 40.7939333°N 73.934222°W / 40.7939333; -73.934222 One of the country's oldest family-owned restaurants running in its original location. [65]

Closures

Samuel Cole opened Cole's Inn 391 years ago on March 4, 1634, and was the first tavern in America. It was on Washington St., now Downtown Crossing, in Boston, Massachusetts. The building was destroyed by fire in 1711, 314 years ago.[66]

Buckman Tavern was built 315 years ago in 1710 by Benjamin Muzzey (1657–1735). His license was granted 332 years ago in 1693. It was the first public house in Lexington, Massachusetts. His great-granddaughter and her husband John Buckman owned it at the time of the Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775). Several dozen militiamen gathered there to await the arrival of the British troops. It ceased restaurant operations in the 1910s and is now a museum.[67]

Boston landmark Durgin-Park was founded 198 years ago in 1827, and closed its doors on January 12, 2019 after operating for nearly 192 years.[68]

Jack's Restaurant was opened 162 years ago in 1863 by George Voges in downtown San Francisco, California. [69] It became a brewery in 2002, and permanently closed in May 2009, 16 years ago. It has been a San Francisco landmark since 1981.[70]

The Jacob Wirth Restaurant was founded 157 years ago in 1868, operated for 150 years in Boston before permanently closing 7 years ago on June 9, 2018, after a fire damaged the building.[71][72]

Jules Maes Saloon had been open since 137 years ago in 1888 and was possibly the oldest restaurant in Seattle, but it closed permanently 5 years ago in July 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.[73][74]

See also

References

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