Arnold's Bar and Grill
Arnold's Bar and Grill | |
---|---|
Restaurant information | |
Current owner(s) | Ronda Breeden Androski |
Previous owner(s) | Susan Fawcett, Simon Arnold, Jim Christakos, Jim Tarbell |
Food type | American |
Street address | 210 E 8th St |
City | Cincinnati |
County | Hamilton |
State | Ohio |
Postal code/ZIP | 45202 |
Country | USA |
Coordinates | 39°06′19″N 84°30′36″W / 39.10514°N 84.51011°WCoordinates: 39°06′19″N 84°30′36″W / 39.10514°N 84.51011°W |
Website |
arnoldsbarandgrill |
Arnold's Bar and Grill is the oldest continuously-operating bar[1][2] in Cincinnati, Ohio and one of the oldest in the United States.[3]
History
The establishment was first opened in 1838 by Susan Fawcett as "a whorehouse," according to Cincinnati historian Mike Morgan.[1][4] In 1861, new owner Simon Arnold operated it as a bar and lived upstairs.[1] The Arnold family operated the bar through three generations until 1959,[5] when they sold it to former professional wrestler and mob collector Jim Christakos,[6] who also lived upstairs.[1]
In 1976, Cincinnati City Council member Jim Tarbell purchased it from Christakos and also moved in upstairs.[1] He expanded the bar to include a large outdoor courtyard.[1] In 1998 longtime Arnold's server, Ronda Breeden bought it to run with her son Chris Breeden.[1][5]
During prohibition the bar operated as a speakeasy.[1][4] The building is rumored to be haunted.[7]
Reception
One of America's oldest[3] and most celebrated[8] bars, Arnold's Bar and Grill in Downtown Cincinnati has won awards and accolades from several National media publications. Including Esquire Magazine's "Best Bars in America",[9] Thrillist's "Most Iconic Bar in Ohio",[10] The Daily Meals "150 Best bars in America"[11] and Seriouseats.com's "The Cincinnati 10".[12] America's Foremost Cocktail Guru,[13] David Wondrich stated that "if Arnold's were in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, or Boston – somewhere, in short, that people actually visit – it would be world-famous."[3]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Restivo, Danny (April 2014). "Arnold's Way". Cincinnati Magazine. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ↑ Pennebaker, Holly (April 14, 2015). "Thrillist: Cincinnati's oldest bar is Ohio's most iconic". WCPO-TV. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Wondrich, David (June 2013). "The Best Bars in America". Esquire. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- 1 2 "Arnold's Brothels, Bootleggers, and Booze Tours". QueenCityHistory.com. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- 1 2 "History". Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ↑ "The Greek Who Made the Spaghetti "authentic" at Arnold's". QueenCityHistory.com. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ↑ Alter, Mixim (October 21, 2015). "Weird shadows. Loud bumps in the night. Is Arnold's Bar haunted? Creepy signs point to yes". WCPO-TV. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ↑ "Arnold's Website Awards Section". Arnold's.
- ↑ Weldon, Casey (May 27, 2013). "Downtown fixture Arnold's Bar and Grill voted among '16 Best Bars in America' by Esquire Magazine". WCPO. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ↑ Breslour, Lee (April 8, 2015). "THE MOST ICONIC BAR IN EVERY STATE (AND DC)". Thrillist. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ↑ Steigerwald, Shauna (April 23, 2015). "THE 150 BEST BARS IN AMERICA". The Daily Meal. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ↑ Pandolfi, Keith (February 29, 2016). "Serious Eats's The Cincinnati 10". Serious Eats. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ↑ Christopher Hughes (November 17, 2014). "David Wondrich on Dive Bars, Booze, and 'Opinionated' Bostonians". Boston Magazine. Retrieved April 29, 2016.