Sydney was founded in a haze of quasi-legal rum tents, and as a result the debate over “Sydney’s oldest pub” is fierce, with several claiming the prize.
Oldest building?
Longest time on the same site?
Longest time since original liquor licence granted?
Longest unbroken time with liquor licence?
Depends who you want to believe. First half of the Nineteenth Century, in any event. Old by our standards, peanuts in the Northern Hemisphere.
In Buffalo NY, the oldest designation usually goes to Ulrich’s Tavern first opened in 1868 (warning: annoying web site). It would be category 3 as described in the OP – as far as I know, it took the names of its various proprietors in the early years, and didn’t settle on “Ulrich’s” until the early 1900s. During Prohibition, the main floor was a restaurant and alcohol was illegally served on the second floor under the cover of a members-only club.
This page has better photographs.
So how did all these pre-1920 US bars/saloons survive Prohibition? As restaurants, maybe?
(Never mind. I see delphica’s post pretty much answers the question.)
[QUOTE=Bridget Burke]
In Houston, the oldest building used as a bar is La Carafe, downtown.
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Great juke box.
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I love this place, even if it’s been a decade since I made the haul downtown… and the juke? Heh, no kidding. Plugged many a quarter into it. 
… and how about those candles!
[QUOTE=BabaBooey]
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Bar, established sometime in the 1770’s.
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Looking at it, when someone remarks it’s the oldest in America, your first thought ususally is “Yeah, I’m not going to argue that.”
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog]
Longest time since original liquor licence granted?
Longest unbroken time with liquor licence?
[/QUOTE]
This is what I wonder. Shouldn’t all of the American nominees date back to 1933?
I’m not sure if it fits the technical definition but the Pittstown Inn has been operating pretty much since 1760 or so (a couple of breaks in there, there was a fire that gutted it a one point for instance). It is known more as a restuarant than a bar but they serve alcohol and there is a bar.
Come on, no “BC” dates from the Middle East??
AFAIK, the oldest bar in Cleveland is the Harbor Inn, located in the Flats and established around 1900.
In Toronto, we’ve got the Wheat Sheaf, from 1849. It’s within walking distance of Old Fort York, and was apparently a regular haunt for the men of the Garrison.
thwartme
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird]
Best I could find in San Francisco was a bar named, fittingly, The Saloon, which is said to have been established in 1861 and survived the '06 earthquake.
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Dropped in to say just that - here’s more
The Buffalo Rose in Golden (the city next door to Arvada, and the county seat) started as “The International Bowling Saloon” in 1859, with the owner turning it into a soda shop during prohibition. New building in 1902, several name changes, new owners, repossession by the sheriff, some shoot outs, and used to have a 50 cent breathalyser machine with which we’d try for high scores.
[QUOTE=saoirse]
This is what I wonder. Shouldn’t all of the American nominees date back to 1933?
[/QUOTE]
Speaking of which, the **Berghoff ** in Chicago received liquor license #1 from the city in 1933, after the 21st Amendment was ratified. The framed license was prominently displayed behind the long oak bar. I say “was”, because, alas, the Berghoff closed recently. 
The Hatchet Inn is Bristol’s supposed oldest, est. circa 1606. Good for cheap steaks, young women and awful rock, as I remember it.
Moderator aside: This isn’t really Cafe Society, it’s really MPSIMS, I’d think. However, it’s gone on this long, and it’s peripherally about drinking, so I’ll leave it.
Maybe, but they don’t have liquor license #1 though. 
If we go with the longest time under license category in Denver, it would be.
Thanks for the responses. Now I know where I’m headed the next time I’m in Denver, Sacramento, or London (I’m less likely to make it to some of those other places, but if I do, I’ll be there).
[QUOTE=Lamar Mundane]
The Cruise Room in the Oxford Hotel in Denver has also been open since the day after prohibition ended, and is the best bar in town. Elegant and hip at the same time.
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Noted. I’m in Denver fairly often.
[QUOTE=yojimbo]
The Brazen Head. 1198
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Been there. That is one old bar! It really looks 800 years old.
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird]
Best I could find in San Francisco was a bar named, fittingly, The Saloon, which is said to have been established in 1861 and survived the '06 earthquake.
[/QUOTE]
Been there. They’ve usually got a good blues band playing there.
[QUOTE=Meurglys]
Looks like Edinburgh’s oldest is only 490 or so!
It’s less than a minute’s stroll from work…
White Hart Inn
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Been there. I think that’s where I had haggis.
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog]
Sydney was founded in a haze of quasi-legal rum tents, and as a result the debate over “Sydney’s oldest pub” is fierce, with several claiming the prize.
[/QUOTE]
Heh, I’ve been to at least two bars that claimed to be the oldest bar in Sydney.
[QUOTE=BabaBooey]
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Bar, established sometime in the 1770’s. I believe it’s the oldest in America. I’ve actually never been, much preferring uptown bars to Bourbon St.
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Been there. Dude, you live in one great town.
[QUOTE=wolfman]
Maybe, but they don’t have liquor license #1 though. If we go with the longest time under license category in Denver, it would be.
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Been there. Good to know about the controversy though.
I grew up in Reston, VA, a kind of prefabricated “planned community.” Even though it was built around the A. Smith Bowman Distillery, the oldest bar, Il Cigno, only goes back to around 1968. Hee!
[QUOTE=Krokodil]
I grew up in Reston, VA, a kind of prefabricated “planned community.” Even though it was built around the A. Smith Bowman Distillery, the oldest bar, Il Cigno, only goes back to around 1968. Hee!
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See, I think this is still pretty old. I was in Ocala, Florida and the oldest bar was some Irish bar that was 4 years old. As I said in the OP, in my town, Mel’s is pretty old and it opened in 1963. I was hoping that people wouldn’t be intimidated by the “Brazen Head” or the bar that Jesus Christ was hanging out when he got betrayed by Judas (Sorry Jesus, I left my wallet at home and don’t have enough money for the tab).