The Old Town Tavern is a townie bar on the northeast corner of Liberty and Ashley streets. Sunday nights features live music.
Surprisingly good food at reasonable prices; specials change weekly and daily.
Home of the world's saddest vegetarian burrito.
Meet under the Rubenesque painting in the back.
Or sit at the front windows (allegedly the best seat in the Midwest) and watch Dave Askins bike to and from the post office.
Timeline
- 1998: Jerry Pawlicki sold the business to his sons Chris and Steve Pawlicki who continue to provide top notch, friendly service. The Old Town Tavern is a favorite destination for both Ann Arbor residents and visitors alike.
- 1972: George Merkel sold the bar to Jerry Pawlicki who renamed it The Old Town. Jerry restored the building and renovated the interior, preserving its original tin ceiling.
- 1935: The business was sold to a Mr. Richard Kearns, and became known as The Union Bar.
- 1917: The business was sold to William Seagert as the United States entered World War I. Mr. Seagert had the dubious fortune of owning a saloon during both Prohibition and the Great Depression. He dodged Prohibition by selling home brewing products, near beer and bitters.
- 1902: Glen V. Mills' Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Directory now lists Nicholas Schneider as taking over the Bismark from Berger.
- 1898: John Berger gives his saloon the name The Bismark (or sometimes, "Bismarck," the correct spelling for the German Chancellor). During these years, Ann Arbor underwent great changes. Horses became a rare sight as automobiles appeared and gas lights were replaced with electric as the 19th century turned to the 20th.
- 1897: Ann Arbor council passes an ordinance reforming the city's address numbering system; 16 West Liberty (NE corner of Ashley) becomes #122.
- 1895: Glen V. Mills' Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Directory lists John Berger as keeping a saloon at 16 W. Liberty. In 1894 his saloon had been listed at 37 S. Ashley.
- 1890: Polk's Ann Arbor City Directory lists Jacob Dupper as keeping a saloon at 16 W. Liberty.
- 1890: Ann Arbor's original Second St is renamed "Ashley" in honor of James Ashley, and the recently-opened train depot on this street. There are no longer two different intersections of "Liberty & Second" (the former "West 2nd St." on the Old West Side remains).
- 1880s: City directories after 1883 list a saloon at 16 (or 18) West Liberty run by George A. Weidelich—variously spelled Wiedelich, Weidelick, Waidelich, etc. (Weidlich would be most probable in modern German). Weidelich operated an earlier saloon on Washington and a later one on Detroit St., a career covering several decades.
- 1866–68: The Schaeberle family (Adam, Anton, and Henry) construct brick buildings on West Liberty, to be used for their harness-making business. Address numbering is still a bit casual at this time and so the Chapin's City Directory of Ann Arbor for 1868 just refers to "NE corner of Liberty and Second" (but see note for 1890).
