Princeton’s Yankee Doodle Tap Room Makes List of America’s Top Historic Bars

The Yankee Doodle Tap Room in Princeton, New Jersey, has earned a spot on Historic Hotels of America's top 25 list of historic bars and taverns. This recognition comes as part of their annual selection of the nation's most storied drinking establishments.

Tucked inside Nassau Inn at Palmer Square, this watering hole traces its roots to 1756. The current bar section, built in 1937, boasts a striking 13-foot Norman Rockwell mural. The artwork depicts Yankee Doodle on horseback in Princeton, with British troops looking on.

This site played a vital role during the fight for independence. Patriots used it for Committee of Safety gatherings. George Washington and his fellow revolutionaries sketched battle strategies within these walls.

Time has left its marks. One table still bears Albert Einstein's carved initials. Senior pictures of notable Princeton graduates fill the wall as a silent witnesses to countless student celebrations and late-night discussions.

Modern guests find a mix of past and present. The tap room runs daily from dawn till night, serving classic American dishes. Weekend brunches draw crowds to this centuries-old setting.

In 2024, Nassau Inn received another distinction, joining the main roster of Historic Hotels of America. Despite updates through the ages, the building keeps its original spirit intact.

The tap room stands among New Jersey's historic drinking spots. The Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern, dating from the 1790s, shares space on the National Register. Other time-tested establishments include Mendham's Black Horse, Clinton's namesake house, and the stately Bernards Inn.

Yet some colonial-era bars vanished into history. Morristown Green lost Arnold's Tavern, Basking Ridge bid farewell to Widow White's, and Hackensack's Archibald Campbell's exists only in old records.