1. al Brindisi (1435) — Ferrara, Italy
Fun Fact: Copernicus, the astronomer who first theorized the sun was at the center of the universe, lived above al Brindisi and often drank there.
2. The Horse You Came In On Saloon (1775) — Baltimore, MD
Fun fact: The Horse was a regular standby of poet Edgar Allan Poe before his mysterious death in 1849.
3. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar (1722) — New Orleans, LA
Fun fact: Between 1772 and 1791, the property is believed to have been used by the Lafitte Brothers, Jean and Pierre, as a New Orleans base for their Barataria smuggling operation.
4. The Green Door Tavern Inn (1921) — Chicago, IL
Fun Fact: During Prohibition, a green door painted on a restaurant indicated the presence of a speakeasy, thus the name.
5. Gordon's Wine Bar (1890) — London, England
Fun fact: Rudyard Kipling lived in the house above Gordon's and wrote The Light That Failed in its parlor.
6. Sean's Bar (900) — Athlone, Ireland
Fun fact: Despite many disputes, Sean's Bar has officially been named by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the oldest pub in Ireland. It is currently being investigated whether or not Sean's is the oldest bar in the world.
7. Leopold Cafe (1871) — Mumbai, India
Fun fact: Leopold’s is a multi-cuisine restaurant that serves dishes from all over the world. There are over 140 items on the menu.
8. Herberg Vlissinghe (1515) — Bruges, Belgium
Fun fact: Herberg Vlissinghe was a famous hangout for well-known artists in the 19th century such as the painters Edmond Van Hove and Flori Van Acker, sculptors and Gustaaf Hendrik Pickery, and architects Louis Delacenserie and Rene Buyck.
9. Bar Marsella (1820) — Barcelona, Spain
Fun fact: Bar Marsella specializes in absinthe and has served the likes of Ernest Hemingway — which makes sense.
10. McSorley's Old Ale House (1854) — New York, NY
Fun fact: Women were not allowed in McSorley's until Aug. 10, 1970.
11. Cantina Hussong's (1882) — Ensenada, Mexico
Fun fact: Hussong's was founded by two German brothers who moved to New York, grew tired of it, and instead headed West to escape the city.
12. Michigan House Cafe & Red Jacket Brewing Co. (1905) — Calumet, MI
Fun fact: The flagship beer at Red Jacket Brewing Co. is flavored with oatmeal and espresso.
13. Hofbräuhaus (1589) — Munich, Germany
Fun fact: When King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden invaded Bavaria during the Thirty Years' War in 1632, he threatened to sack and burn the entire city of Munich. He agreed to leave the city in peace if the citizens surrendered some hostages — and 600,000 barrels of Hofbräuhaus beer.
14. Arnold's Bar & Grill (1861) — Cincinnati, OH
Fun fact: Arnold's is the oldest bar in Cincinnati. It only began serving food during prohibition when it was converted into a "café."
15. Mr. Thomas' Chop House (1867) — Manchester, England
Fun fact: Chop houses were originally places where businessmen dined and conducted their affairs over hearty plates of traditionally cooked meats, frequently grilled and washed down with fine wines or well-kept local beers.
16. El Rinconcillo (1670) — Seville, Spain
Fun fact: Before it was a bar, El Rinconcillo was a convent.