Get an inside look at McGillin’s Olde Ale House, the oldest continuously operating tavern in Philadelphia, on this episode of Neat & Mixed Questions. We sit down with Irene Levy Baker to explore the remarkable history behind McGillin’s and her book, Cheers to McGillin’s: Philly’s Oldest Tavern. From opening its doors in 1860, the same year Abraham Lincoln was elected president, to surviving the Civil War, Prohibition, fires, pandemics, and generations of change, we uncover the stories that have made McGillin’s a Philadelphia institution for more than 165 years.

We also discuss the tavern’s unique atmosphere, the rare continuity of being owned by just two families, and how it became woven into the fabric of Philadelphia’s culture. Irene shares fascinating stories from the book, including hidden history, local traditions, ghost stories, celebrity visits, sports memories, and the moments that helped transform McGillin’s from a neighborhood bar into one of America’s most iconic historic taverns.