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 waiter Ronda Androski bought it to run with her son Chris Breeden.[1][5]
During prohibition the bar operated as a speakeasy.[1][4] The builiding is rumored to be haunted.[7]
Reception
In 2015, Thrillist named it "the most iconic bar in Ohio".[8] In 2013, David Wondrich of Esquire named it one of the seventeen "Best Bars in America," writing that "if it 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 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.
- ↑ Breslour, Lee (April 8, 2015). "THE MOST ICONIC BAR IN EVERY STATE (AND DC)". Thrillist. Retrieved January 13, 2016.