J & M Cafe and Cardroom is said to be Seattle’s oldest bar. Named for its original owners, Jamieson and McFarland, it was established in 1889 and occupies a three-story brick building that was built after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. It’s gone by several names throughout its life, but it took on J & M Cafe during Prohibition so that it could stay in business while it served “soft drinks.”

During the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896 to 1899, it was a popular spot among prospectors for drinking, gambling, and dancing (among other vices).

There’s no gambling there today, but there’s still plenty of drinking and occasional dancing, along with rounds of pool and live music. And there’s always a game on TV.

The bar (which was a backdrop for the 1974 John Wayne movie McQ) has seen some changes throughout the years. It was closed around 2009 and many of its furnishings and its fixtures were auctioned off after the previous owner filed for bankruptcy. It reopened the following year after a major remodel.

It still oozes history, though, with the pressed-tin ceiling, crown molding, and original stained glass features above the entrance. When you're seated at the bar, it's not hard to imagine what kind of shenanigans occurred in the space back when Wyatt Earp reportedly dealt cards there.

And speaking of rumors, there's a reason that J & M Cafe is the starting point of Spooked in Seattle’s Pioneer Square Haunted Pub Tour; it's said the building's basement has an otherworldly occupant.