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One of the few (yet ever-threatened) establishments in New York City to have withstood and defied the winds of change for nearly 160 years is McSorley's Old Ale House. Located at 15 East 7th. Street in Manhattan's East Village, this is truly an old-fashioned saloon in every sense: from the memorabilia (none of it removed since 1910) that adorns its walls down to its sawdust floors. This was a "men only" sort of joint where "men were men" and women were excluded until 1970.

Famous people ranging from Abraham Lincoln to Boss Tweed to E.E. Cummings to John Lennon have passed (and sometimes passed-out) through McSorley's; the less famous (such as myself in my NYU days) were often observed there in states of mirthful ossification. Cummings wrote a poem describing McSorley's as "the ale which never lets you grow old"....and described the bar as "snug and evil." (Let me add here that after one of my visits to McSorley's, I actually understood Cummings' poetry!!!...if only for a brief spell.)

While McSorley's possesses the ambience of an Olde New York saloon, it also possesses its deficiencies. A motto which stated "Good Ale, Raw Onions and No Ladies" was updated (thankfully) in 1970 with the admittance of women (and ladies) ,while leaving the good ale and raw onions.

McSorley serves only two ales: light and dark, priced at $4.50; each order consisting of two half pints. Raw onions arranged around a cheese platter, with a condiment of extremely hot mustard, is about all the "cuisine" the good people (and they are good people) have to offer a patron. Finally, when the unfailing urge to visit the restroom comes upon a drinker of beer, McSorley's "restrooms" are second to none in total lack of grace and comfort...be he or she drunk or sober.

However, for those who love a taste of New York City's past (or the past in general), McSorley's will offer that in all its heartwarming and disappointing glory.

(Acknowledgements: Wikipedia/related links)