Mc Sorleys Old Ale House Inc   

Old John is gone, but his spirit lives on. Founded in 1854 by "Old John" McSorley, who modeled it after a saloon in his Irish hometown of Omagh, McSorley's is the oldest bar in New York City. Not much has changed since it was a watering hole for immigrant butchers, bricklayers and teamsters, except for John's motto -- "good ale, raw onions, no ladies" -- which had to be amended in 1970 after women were finally allowed to drink at this East Village landmark. Aged hardwood floors, tables and chairs make up the furniture. Sawdust is still spread out on the floor and swept up each night. And the urinals are Brobdingnagian. People don't come here for the pub food; they come for the ale, which is served in pairs and available in 'dark' or 'light.' Along with happy hour, they also come for the history, which, despite the recent pilgrimage of college kids and tourists, remains rich and rowdy. Read New Yorker writer Joseph Mitchell's definitive profile of the place before coming -- you'll feel like you fit right in.