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sleeptrain123 t1_j4iul3v wrote

Yeah it’s a tourist trap but still one of my favorite bars on earth

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Melodic-Upstairs7584 t1_j4j8a1d wrote

I wouldn’t even call it a tourist trap, just a great old bar. They’re cheaper than most other bars in that neighborhood plus the staff is very friendly. You could do much worse around there as a tourist

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sleeptrain123 t1_j4jc1ui wrote

Yeah I didn’t mean it in the negative sense, just that most of the time it’s full of tourists as it’s in all the guide books. I still love it either way.

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OverlordXenu t1_j4jd9h0 wrote

seemed more like local finance bros the couple times i went, albeit pre covid.

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Eurynom0s t1_j4jhfvl wrote

Either way it gets absurdly packed at night. Better to go in the middle of the day if you can.

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Vegetable_Fennel7997 t1_j4l0kxw wrote

I define a tourist trap as a shitty place locals would never go to because the food sucks, but us in an area popular for tourists.

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Lopsided_Response_51 t1_j4k0n3f wrote

4 of us tourist managed to stay trapped in there for 2 hours one Sunday back in 2004. Had a great time 😁

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Pool_Shark t1_j4lrvhs wrote

It’s the best when you are there and it’s not packed

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grubas t1_j4iz3sr wrote

Yeah but this would have been back when they didn't have women's bathrooms.

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LeicaM6guy t1_j4izdbj wrote

Isn’t that what the sawdust is for?

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grubas t1_j4j1ucc wrote

In 42 it was still Men Only. The city had to force them to let women in in the 70s and they didn't add bathrooms for them until the late 80s.

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LeicaM6guy t1_j4j79sp wrote

I know - I was just making a funny.

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grubas t1_j4jcxt9 wrote

I know, I just wanted to randomly spout that because it fascinates me how they just basically told the city to fuck off lol

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OverlordXenu t1_j4jd4db wrote

because women started dressing up as men and going there, forcing their hand.

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Pool_Shark t1_j4ls4uh wrote

And even then apparently the woman’s bathrooms had holes in the door. They did everything they could to avoid having women want to go there

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n3vd0g t1_j4jklpq wrote

A trap? I think you’re using that word wrong. Maybe an attraction, but a trap seems like a stretch

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sleeptrain123 t1_j4l9nfc wrote

Yeah, I know, that’s not really what I meant. I just meant that most places that are packed with tourists are usually to be avoided, but this isn’t one of them

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letsfixitinpost t1_j4k9yu6 wrote

I lived in NYC for over a decade and still popped in for a drink there sometimes

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Danimal_House t1_j4j86r5 wrote

Perfect description of it

Edit: not sure why you jabronies are downvoting a compliment. I have extremely fond memories of that place, before it was a really bad tourist trap and even now. It’s probably the only “tourist” trap in the city that feels genuine at the same time.

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fsuthundergun t1_j4j741v wrote

Light or dark?

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fletcherkildren t1_j4j8c81 wrote

2 dark

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SufficientAnalyst383 t1_j4jn7l6 wrote

It doesn’t matter if you say “two” or not. You are getting two…

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MILF_Lawyer_Esq t1_j4keq6s wrote

My friend kept doing this last week. He was explaining the place to a newcomer on the walk there like “It’s great, when you ask for one beer they give you two small beers.” And then he asked for two every time he ordered all night.

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angryWinds t1_j4mwrig wrote

I think the rationale is so that they can pour them faster. Giving one full pint, they'd have to pour, let it settle a bit, then top it off. That process takes a few minutes. So insted, they just crank out two small ones that are both 1/4 foam, but still adds up to about a pint.

Would appreciate it if someone 'in the know' could confirm or deny my theory.

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MILF_Lawyer_Esq t1_j4mx2fl wrote

More like half foam but they go down easy.

No idea if you’re right or not but it makes sense. My assumption was that way back in the eighteen hunnerds “a beer” was smaller than “a beer” today but they’re sticking with the glasses they’ve been using for over a century and just doubling up instead of making you ask for beer twice as often.

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Cyase311 t1_j4kx2cm wrote

I dont think ive ever tried light. Dark is just so damn good

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ogbubbleberry t1_j4jacdd wrote

One of my cringe memories is the first time I walk in there and ordered a Heineken.

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problemheresir6 t1_j4jexis wrote

I did the same thing but asked for a Guinness

Great bar though

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ogbubbleberry t1_j4jt36o wrote

Then they informed me they serve only Sorley’s light or dark, I said give me one of those LOL

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iamiamwhoami t1_j4jz80a wrote

They probably have that same conversation 100 times per day.

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BurningBeechbone t1_j4lrmbd wrote

Don’t feel too bad, I ordered a cider. Then, since I’m allergic to wheat, just had to sit there without anything because while my friends drank because there’s no other options. Such a dumb place.

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Pool_Shark t1_j4lsdvj wrote

It is what it is. Not every place nears to cater to everyone. Sucks having a wheat allergy but now you know not to go there.

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fletcherkildren t1_j4j8ae2 wrote

Fuck I love this place. When I lived on St. Mark's in the 90's I was there almost daily

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nocturno65 t1_j4jfts1 wrote

I used to work at NYU and went there for a beer with coworkers at lunch time the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We left at 7 hours later drunk beyond belief. Good times were had at that place.

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earlymountainrain t1_j4j1j5i wrote

48 stars on the flag too (pre-Alaska & Hawaii)

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d4ng3rz0n3 t1_j4lvdj1 wrote

The Ace Hotel in Midtown has a flag with like 30-40ish stars on it. Super interesting !

Edit: just checked. It has 43 Stars

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W00DERS0N t1_j4m82ym wrote

I'll be dead in the cold hard ground before I recognize Missour-uh

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leg_day t1_j4jproj wrote

NEAT. Check out the flags. They have the old 48 star grid (8 wide by 6 tall) from before Alaska and Hawaii were added as states. Fun fact: our current flag was only adopted in 1960.

If you ask most Americans to "draw the stars" of the flag, they will almost inevitably draw an even grid and try to make the math work. Our current flag requires the rows to be offset, so there are not an even number of stars per row.

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JetmoYo t1_j4jln8v wrote

John Sloane made some paintings of McSorley's in the early 20th century (link below). Sloane was part of the Ashcan school of painting that sought grittier slices of modern and city life. George bellows' boxing paintings are a famous example. Edward Hopper was affiliated with this group but transcended it in many ways. Coincidentally there's a large NYC focused show of Hopper at the Whitney that people shouldn't miss.

https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/john-sloan-paints-many-moods-of-mcsorleys-bar/

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darklost t1_j4jfpas wrote

I got kicked out of this bar. Old staff dude's a surly wanker.

10/10, been back many times since.

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Ok-Strain-9847 t1_j4kypyc wrote

Was there in the 70's. Asked for an ashtray. Was told, 'why? We have a floor'.

They also had ONE bathroom and no one had a problem with it, until.....now the ladies bathroom is a literal broom closet.

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waveball03 t1_j4kr6tc wrote

Place is already old in this photo.

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ECK-2188 t1_j4ih0ma wrote

In my mind still made famous by Garth Ennis’s Preacher GN

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Ok-Strain-9847 t1_j4kym76 wrote

Try the chili. Comes with an entire sleeve of saltines.

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likerazorwire419 t1_j4jd0ki wrote

I got my two 18 year old coworkers in this place without a blink from the door guy haha.

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lostarchitect t1_j4jfsa2 wrote

When have they ever had a door guy?

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likerazorwire419 t1_j4jhf9n wrote

Somebody carded us. I just told that person I was their manager haha(which was true).

Edit: this was 2012ish

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ripform t1_j4jx4ka wrote

Since I can remember they always had a door guy.

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lostarchitect t1_j4kw9pr wrote

Huh. Guess I'm just old. I used to live on the next block, never had one then.

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KillroysGhost t1_j4kv5w6 wrote

My first time there I did what I did at every new NYC bar and asked for a drafts list. The bartender said “Look, we serve light ale and dark ale. Pay in cash.” That was it and I was sold immediately. Thank you to Andrew, Sean, Ryan, Brendan, and all the others for keeping a fun bit of history alive

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shroomthumb t1_j4l3ivb wrote

Wonderful place! Didn’t allow woman in the place until 1970!

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fuhgdat1019 t1_j4iz4nx wrote

Crazy. They were there before I was born.

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Mr_Stillian t1_j4j08ka wrote

Long before anyone in this picture was born too lol

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fuhgdat1019 t1_j4j1n7a wrote

Good ale. Raw onions. No ladies.

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ithrowtools t1_j4j6l6a wrote

The mustard's got some zip too

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KillroysGhost t1_j4kvaya wrote

They have to be adding horseradish to it. I order the liverwurst when I need to clear my nose in the winter

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Vegetable_Fennel7997 t1_j4l19r3 wrote

No that's just English mustard. Try Coleman's, when I made at home I couldn't keep eating it because it was so painful. And I love wasabi and such.

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jumbod666 t1_j4luv6k wrote

They use Coleman’s mustard. It’s English I believe. It’s available at many grocery stores.

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intoxicated_potato t1_j4j9ny5 wrote

I was a tourist, someone recommended going here. I went and got 2 light...and didn't know they only take cash. Luckily I had exactly $7 for the beers. That was the last of my cash and I flew out the next morning. Charming memory

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dman928 t1_j4jm9jn wrote

Be good or be gone

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pegs22 t1_j4jp6rz wrote

This place means a lot, to many. Many memories with family and friends.

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borderskitz t1_j4kvaxp wrote

If you want to know their story, read Up In The Old Hotel by Joseph Mitchell, one of the best books you'll ever read.

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paddyshousealeslager t1_j4lg01b wrote

Looks like Matty Maher himself having a mug out front. RIP. Matty was so welcoming which I always thought was special. Even though I've only been there a dozen or so times, I always felt like a regular thanks to Matty's way with people.

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suitcase88 t1_j4kyknp wrote

Read the old New Yorker Magazine story by Joseph Mitchell. It gives the history of the place. McSorleys Wonderful Saloon.

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metromade t1_j4l7ygw wrote

Has this been colorized?

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jericho74 t1_j4lmb97 wrote

Wow. That puts life into perspective.

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mulvi747 t1_j4lpm6x wrote

Nothing like ordering a light and a dark and getting them back half filled and half foam. Love the cheese plate there.

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1234qwert t1_j4lsqa1 wrote

i can smell it from here

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jumbod666 t1_j4luola wrote

You know you go here too much when the waiters know you by name and have your favorite seat ready.

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deweyweber t1_j4m6b8x wrote

I'll take one port-n-ale please.

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Packer12121212 t1_j4mihwh wrote

Get me some of that spam and crackers w about 20 darks

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kjuneja t1_j4ly06d wrote

So much love for this place when it has a mixed history....

Remembering How McSorley's Banned Women Until 1970: https://gothamist.com/food/remembering-how-mcsorleys-banned-women-until-1970

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thedifferenceisnt t1_j4m44ti wrote

This unfortunately wasn't unusual so I wouldn't hold it against them too much. Lots of bars in Ireland were the same up until the 70s also. Or they had a snug and sometimes allowed women in that part.

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kjuneja t1_j4m9juv wrote

The owners pushed this into court. They were unusual in their stubbornness:

From the link above

>However, the judge concluded, 'The answer is that McSorley's is a public place, not a private club, and that the preference of certain of its patrons is no justification under the equal-protection clause of the United States Constitution.'"

And how about this:

>Female customers were admitted to most bars by about 1960, but McSorley’s was the last bar in New York City to admit only men. Despite pressure from the women’s movement, it fought to maintain its exclusivity, which was a common practice established long before Prohibition. The women presented their case with a lawsuit in 1970, Seidenberg vs. McSorley, that ultimately resulted in “McSorley’s law,” prohibiting sex discrimination in bars, hotels, restaurants, airplanes, golf clubs, and other public accommodations. Because the law stated that establishments only needed to provide “sanitary facilities” for their employees, McSorley’s only had one bathroom until 1986, when a women’s restroom was finally installed. https://www.6sqft.com/the-urban-lens-inside-mcsorleys-old-ale-house-nycs-oldest-bar/

#1986.

I stopped going here after I read into it.

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UDown2Clown t1_j4imh3g wrote

Total shithole and staff sucks

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GoRangers5 t1_j4ioutc wrote

Hard disagree, every time I've been in there, I've been treated like royalty.

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Rugger01 t1_j4j4y3g wrote

You need to adopt "Don't be a wanker" as your life goal. Perhaps then you can enjoy the nice things like everyone else.

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