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Jahooodie OP t1_iz1h1n8 wrote

Reply to comment by YetiSherpa in Merry Prohibition Repeal Day! What are the oldest bars in JC? (Also have a horrible Krampusnacht) by Jahooodie

"Say hello to what might be Jersey City's oldest bar." I mean yeah I guess.

But downtown's oldest bar probably isn't actually that old, couldn't be right? It's probably something like Barge Inn or Keyhole?

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badquarter t1_iz1ohi1 wrote

The bars that are now Lighthorse and Iron Monkey have been bars for about 100 years. Just not the same owners, not the same names, closed for stretches (including prohibition), but were always bars from what I understand.

edit: Also does Keyhole count since it was Rolon's before then sold? Barge Inn may be the answer. Or how old is Indio's?

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Jahooodie OP t1_iz1uq69 wrote

This is the conversation I wanted to start going, hopefully someone is as curious as I am to piece things together.

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YetiSherpa t1_iz1jf8o wrote

Good point about downtown. I guess back in the day Journal Square was the happening hub of JC.

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AVespucci t1_iz1oitu wrote

And the drinking life on the Square was centered on the Tube Bar on the "Concourse" abutting the old bus station that fronted on Sip Avenue.

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Jahooodie OP t1_iz1v727 wrote

They build it up so it was the glittering night jewel of modernity, with the large theaters & movie palaces, visible from the brand spakin new interstate on your way to the brand new tunnel to NYC. Car culture's overlayed on our DNA in some ways.

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AVespucci t1_iz1nvc6 wrote

Could be Healey's on Newark and 6th or 7th. It used to have a different name, and it was closed for a long period of time in the 80s and 90s.

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BeMadTV t1_iz1jmj0 wrote

https://www.jerseycityupfront.com/rolons-bar-to-reopen-as-the-keyhole-by-end-of-month/

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Probably is Grapevine. Which, I ashamed to say, I have never heard of until this moment.

Probably is Grapevine. Which, I am ashamed to say, I have never heard of until this moment.

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Midday_Shadows t1_iz1tsfq wrote

Grapevine is great. It's a true local, the same family has run it for a long time. The daughter told me her dad, who is in his 90s, only finally stopped bartending last year! They are really nice people.

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YetiSherpa t1_iz1lwfq wrote

I've walked by the Grapevine and was intrigued but never stepped inside.

I wouldn't have guessed it was the oldest bar in JC - needed google to remind me of its existence.

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Jahooodie OP t1_iz1l46v wrote

Yeah, I had never heard of it either!

I think the Rolan>>Keyhole thing is something to think of, if it's the same spot same liquor license does it count. This is why I was asking because NYC has various shades of answers, like longest at current location, longest operating (but moved a few times), ect ect.

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badquarter t1_iz1s7jv wrote

I thought Fanelli's would be the NYC answer as it's the same bar, same name, same location, and operated continuously.

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