The 2025 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America® Most Historic Bars, Taverns, and Speakeasies List Is Announced

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 21, 2025 – Historic Hotels of America ®, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels from across the United States of America, is pleased to announce The 2025 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America Most Historic Bars, Taverns, and Speakeasies list. This collection of 25 bucket list lounges and pubs located in historic hotels across the United States highlights the ways in which history can be experienced through expertly crafted drinks, live entertainment, and good company.

Many of the venues selected for this list are hidden gems, although several well-known establishments like the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone (1886) and the Tonga Room at Fairmont San Francisco (1907) can also be found on this list. Whether well-known or well-kept secrets, these historic bars, taverns, and speakeasies preserve their original architectural styles, interior design, and historic ambiance, making for a more complete historic experience for guests. While perusing this list, Historic Hotels of America recommends keeping the effects of Prohibition in mind: during this era, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution prohibited the sale, transportation, and manufacture of alcoholic beverages. Bars in the United States were forced to close after the 18th Amendment passed, making a historic bar that opened before 1920 an uncommon find, even among historic hotels. While some of the historic taverns on this list survived Prohibition (1920-1933) through food service and non-alcoholic drinks, most of the bars on this list opened after Prohibition, although these bars are located in very historic spaces. There are exceptions, one of which is The Cave speakeasy at Omni Mount Washington (1902), which clearly opened at an opportune moment. Hotels often have the infrastructure in place to quickly pivot when hospitality laws change, so one hotel on this list was the first to get a liquor license in its respective city. Another was the first “daylight” bar in its state. Cultural and heritage travelers can experience all of these historic bars, taverns, and speakeasies today.

Nassau Inn (1756)

Princeton, New Jersey

Yankee Doodle Tap Room
Tucked within the walls of the historic Nassau Inn in Princeton, New Jersey, the Yankee Doodle Tap Room is more than just a bar; it is a living piece of American history. With a history of hospitality going back to 1756, the inn has served as a beloved gathering place for Princeton University students, longtime residents, dignitaries, and visitors for generations. In the tavern, rough-hewn wood beams and solid oak furniture set the scene, with many tables still bearing the carved initials of past patrons—among them, none other than Albert Einstein. The tavern’s centerpiece and namesake is situated above the grand oak bar, a striking 13-foot mural by Norman Rockwell, painted in 1937. The piece, titled Yankee Doodle, whimsically portrays the American legend in Rockwell’s signature style, and remains a source of fascination and pride. Rockwell also hand-painted the original Yankee Doodle Tap Room sign, which greets guests to this day. A walk through the dining room reveals framed senior portraits of notable Princeton alumni, paying tribute to the inn’s deep-rooted connection to the university. The Nassau Inn even played a part in Princeton’s sartorial traditions—the iconic beer jackets worn by students are said to have originated here after Prohibition, offering a washable solution to evenings spent enjoying the tap room’s lively atmosphere. With its distinctive American gastropub menu, regular live entertainment, and welcoming ambiance, the Yankee Doodle Tap Room remains a cherished piece of both Princeton’s cultural fabric and American history. Nassau Inn was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2024.      

Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn (1766)

Rhinebeck, New York

Tavern at the Beekman Arms | Signature Drink: Taconic Rye Old Fashioned
Since 1704, travelers and locals alike in Rhinebeck, New York, have gathered at the site of the historic Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn. The current iteration of the Beekman Arms was added to the original tavern in 1766, and this historic building has been welcoming guests ever since… [Read the full press release here!]

---

For more information, you are invited to explore HistoricHotels.org and sign up for the Discover & Explore newsletter to stay up to date on new member hotels and offers.