Restaurants & Bars
Original Oyster House, Pittsburgh's Oldest Restaurant, Reopens
The Original Oyster House had been closed for weeks; it's back with adjusted operating hours.
PITTSBURGH, PA — The Original Oyster House, the city's oldest restaurant, has reopened just in time for the beginning of the Lenten fish fry season. The iconic eatery shut down in January in what was said to be a temporary move, but regulars used to the fish sandwiches and oysters had to be nervous given the large number of restaurants that have permanently closed during the coronavirus outbreak.
The reopening was announced on the Original Oyster House Facebook page.
The wait is over!! We are back, we missed you, and ready to serve up your OOH favorites. We are open for dine in,...
Posted by The Original Oyster House Pittsburgh on Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Having opened in 1870, the Original Oyster House in Market Square possibly is the second-oldest bar in the state. McGillin's Old Ale House in Philadelphia opened in 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was president.
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According to the restaurant website, when the Oyster House first opened in 1870, oysters sold for a
penny and beers was 10 cents a glass. The enormous fish sandwiches, which require a special bun, were introduced by Louis "Silver Dollar Louie" Americus, who was the proprietor from 1916 to 1970. The coating on the fish and oysters, a recipe of his wife, is still utilized by the kitchen staff.
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