Tom Bergin’s celebrates its 90th year on St. Patrick’s Day
L.A.’s oldest Irish bar, Tom Bergin’s celebrated 90 years of keeping the neighborhood “refreshed.”
ST. PATRICK’S DAY. Bergin’s celebrates 90th anniversary in 98-degree heat.
CROWDS WERE THICK at the 98-degree celebration.
This year’s St. Patrick’s Day bash at the historic 1936 venue was another one for the ages. On March 17, die-hards showed up at 6 a.m. for a traditional Irish breakfast, with choices of corned beef hash, brussels sprouts, smashed potatoes, honey mustard and scrambled eggs, or the Bergin’s Slam, featuring sliced corned beef, crispy mashed potatoes, and scrambled eggs. By noon, every table was packed both inside and out.
The 98-degree heat was no joke, but the die-hards weren’t bothered. If you were lucky enough to have found a seat at one of the picnic tables outside, the revelers enjoyed music, an Irish lunch, a live bagpiper, Guinness beer, green beer, Irish coffees (yes, even in the heat—these crazy people!!) and a new addition to this year’s menu of libations: pickle beer! By 4 p.m. the line out front stretched from the Bergin’s entrance all the way to 8th Street, everyone wanting a piece of the St. Patrick’s Day action in the city’s place to be.
BROTHERS AND OWNERS David and Francis Castagnetti on stage with CD5 Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky.
The extravaganza was celebrated by city officials and neighborhood leaders with several commendations to the historic institution, including by Council District 5 Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, Jennifer Hull from Mayor Karen Bass’ office, and Michelle Persoff from State Assemblymember Isaac Bryan’s office. The commendations were presented to owners and brothers Francis and David Castagnetti, who thanked everyone who worked so hard to keep Bergin’s open through both good and hard times.
A LIVE BAGPIPER kept the crowds entertained.
With the soon-to-be-opened La Brea/Wilshire and Fairfax/Wilshire D Line Metro stations, Yaroslavsky said, “this stretch of Wilshire is becoming one of the most active cultural corridors in the city…it means more people, more activity, more energy in this neighborhood, small business foot traffic coming back in a really big way…and Metro is already planning a rail line to connect this area to LAX, to West Hollywood, and the Hollywood Bowl. Places like Tom Bergin’s are rooting this community in place, making itself continue to feel like home for all of us…so cheers to 90 years and sláinte to the next 90!”
STRAIGHT FROM IRELAND, lass Eimear Callaghan and Jack Lancaster raise a glass. Sláinte!
Spotted throwing back a pint or two or three of Guinness beer were Eileen Lanza, the Lancaster family, the Houlihan family, Ellie Goralnick and Laura Browder, Ed De La Torres, Tom Lockyer and Catherine Mann.
Category: Real Estate
