Void Where Prohibited

Enjoy a drink and the history!During a recent day trip up north we passed through Point Reyes Station and  decided to stop and have a drink at Old Western Saloon again. Although we have visited the bar many times over the years, it never gets old! One of our fun memories is a visit years ago when then the gentleman bartender who knew a lot about the local ciders educated us on all things cider and introduced us to pear cider! Until then, I did not know such thing existed! So, ever since then, every time we stop by, we have at least one pear cider! :- ))Those who know me know that I love history. When I decided to write an update for Old Western Saloon, I spend about 45 minutes online, but could not find a history about the establishment itself, but learn a lot about the town of Point Reyes Station and a little bit about the building which hosts the bar. So here we go!Point Reyes area used to be home to Coast Miwok Indians. Then the Europeans settlers arrived and started raising cattle and farming. In 1875 the North Pacific Coast Railroad arrived. The town was called Olema Station at the time, then the name was changed a few times before becoming Point Reyes Station.I found a 100 year old photo in Marin Independent Journal (See the link at the bottom). In this photo, the author explains, the building that hosts the bar was the Grandi Mercantile Co. At some point, during the early years, the building used to be a brothel, and then a bootlegger stash house. I read somewhere that legend has it that some rowdy locals used to ride their horses into the bar! No worries though, all the above is behind us! The place was safe enough in 2005 that Prince Charles decided to visit it! You can see his photos hanging above the bar. By the look of it, you can tell that the bar itself has seen a lot! It is full of lines and cracks and that adds to the character of the place I think! There is a pool room in the back if one is interested and the entire place is decorated with old and interesting stuff. If you are sitting at the bar check out the cash register! It is an original National cash register!I have not tried any cocktails there, but the beer is good and is served in chilled glasses. If you visit, you may even ask them about ciders if you feel like it!!! :- ))Marin history: How Point Reyes Station came to be<a href="/redir?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marinij.com%2F2019%2F05%2F27%2Fmarin-history-point-reyes-station%2F&amp;s=9160defe03483e39e59966db8adfe9b5b2ed71e220e9406c72461ca0cb401aa7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">marinij.com/2019/05/27/m…</a> In West Marin, the past lives on through dive bars<a href="/redir?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfchronicle.com%2Frestaurants%2Farticle%2FIn-West-Marin-the-past-lives-on-through-dive-bars-11508132.php%23photo-13386105&amp;s=59c7befd65b88c527ba3132143fa25947dd68aeb341b9c3a47894409c18db899" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">sfchronicle.com/restaura…</a> More...

Reviewed on Yelp

After a great hike, I grabbed a drink and the vibes in this place are great. I left satisfied and happy. From the music to the pool tables to the locals and even to the bartender. This place is a must go to if you go to the light house in point reyes or even if your just in point reyes. More...

Reviewed on Yelp