The next time you’re craving a hearty meal and want to be surrounded by Northern California history, head on over to the Golden Gate Saloon in the Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley. Built in 1852, it’s the old­est con­tin­u­ously oper­at­ing saloon west of the Mis­sis­sippi. Come and see for yourself why you should try out this Gold Country staple and you might even feel like you’ve been transported back to the 1860s.

The Golden Gate Saloon has been around since 1852. It's part of the Holbrooke Hotel, which was built up around the bar in 1862 in Mother Lode masonry architectural style.
Wikipedia/ Frank Schulenburg
Today, it serves up classic American fare such as fried chicken, burgers, fries and salads. It's a fun place to eat a hearty meal and see some of the gold rush history firsthand.
Yelp/ Adam X.
The Saloon was built by Clara and Stephen Smith and in 1855, a fire made it necessary to rebuild. The Saloon was converted from a single story building to a two-story hotel.
Yelp/ Adam X.

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In the 1870s, the hotel was renamed for the new owner, Mr. Holbrook. By then the name of the bar inside was well known, however, and to this day the building is still referred to as the Golden Gate Saloon.
Yelp/ Adam X.
Several famous historical figures were patrons of the hotel and/or saloon over the years. The list of notable visitors includes: "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, Lotta Crabtree, Bob Fitzsimmons, Bret Harte, Jack London, Lola Montez, Emma Nevada, Mark Twain, and five US Presidents: Grover Cleveland, James Garfield, Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, and Herbert Hoover.
Yelp/ Dave K.
While we are used to modern day luxuries out west, back in the 1800s Grass Valley was as wild as they come. Saloons were a common part of life in a gold rush town, which had few women and even fewer laws.
Yelp/ Dave K.
Located in Nevada County, the Saloon became an official California Historical Landmark on March 18, 1978. It's a time honored slice of our region's past.
Wikipedia/ Frank Schulenburg

If you just can’t get enough of the Golden Gate Saloon in the Holbrooke Hotel, here’s an interesting slideshow with even more photos:

The Saloon and Hotel are located at:

212 W Main St
Grass Valley, CA 95945

And you can learn more by calling (530) 273-1353 or visiting them online.

What do you think about the Golden Gate Saloon, and are you interested in visiting this historic establishment anytime soon? We’d love to know what you think!

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