# 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) | |
| 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. |
| 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 | |
| 1714 | 311 | William Penn Inn | Robert Evans | Lower Gwynedd | Pennsylvania | 40.20247°N 75.25618°W | One of the oldest restaurants in Pennsylvania. It was frequented by William Penn and his daughter Letitia. | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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. | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | | |
| 1743 | 282 | The Blue Bell Inn | unknown | Blue Bell | Pennsylvania | 40.15619°N 75.26693°W | Originally known as the White Horse Inn, George Washington and his troops are said to have frequented the inn during the Battle of Germantown. | |
| 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 | | |
| 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 City | 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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. | |
| 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 | | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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) | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 1848 | 177 | La Mallorquina | Antonio Vidal Llinás | San Juan | Puerto Rico | 18°27′55″N 66°06′55″W﻿ / ﻿18.46532°N 66.11524°W﻿ / 18.46532; -66.11524 | Claims to be first restaurant in Puerto Rico | |
| 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 California | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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. | |
| 1864 | 161 | Pete's Tavern | founder unknown | New York City | 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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) | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | [51][52] [53][54] |
| 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 | |
| 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. | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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. | |

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