The Best of Skagway – Saloons

Worst bartender ever! I waited for 15 minutes to order a drink and he never once acknowledged me! Best of Skagway, indeed!

Today marks the start of a new Sunday blog series. It’s called “The Best of Skagway” and it’s all about the…. uh… best things in Skagway. Right. I figured we could begin with the best saloons in Skagway because that’s the first thing that popped into my head. I’m also including bars because it’s the same thing. They both serve booze. However, here in Skagway, we like to say “saloon” because it sounds like the old west Gold Rush days or something.

Skagway has a proud history of saloons

There have always been saloons in Skagway. Soapy Smith had his own saloon where he swindled the masses. I’m pretty sure the first building erected in Skagway was a saloon. People like to drink and the best place to do that is a saloon. Drinking at home alone is a sign that you have a problem. Okay, so let’s review the best of Skagway in regards to saloons and bars.

The best of Skagway – The Red Onion Saloon

The Red Onion Saloon has been around since the Gold Rush. Back then it was also a brothel, so you could commit multiple mortal sins in once establishment. Nowadays the Red Onion Saloon is a bar/restaurant/museum. No hanky panky. Order a beer or have them mix you a Mai Tai. When you’re in the Red Onion Saloon you really feel like some old west cowboy. Unless you’re a girl.

The best of Skagway – Happy Endings Saloon

This is Skagway’s newest saloon. It’s a very popular saloon where locals like to hang out. The owners have a three-legged dog named Mr. Stubs. He likes to hang out in the hotel office, which is right next door to the saloon. The name of the hotel is The Morning Wood Hotel, so you can see where they’re going with this. They make a good gin martini. Order that.

The best of Skagway – Skagway Brewing Co.

This is a local microbrewery, but they also have a full bar. I don’t know why they didn’t add the word “saloon” in there somewhere. They make a very good spruce tip ale that I recommend. It tastes very good and not all like pine trees, which is what I expected. They also serve food. Get some chicken wings to go with your beer because you’re smart.

The best of Skagway – Private Clubs – The Elks Saloon and the Eagles Saloon

These are private social clubs, so you can’t go in there unless you’re a member or know a member who will bring you as a guest. They don’t call themselves saloons but I just did. I wanted to maintain the theme of the blog. If you are a member, the Elks has a bowling alley that you can play on. My Men’s League team won the Championship this year because we are good bowlers.

The best of Skagway – The Mascot Saloon

If you go to this place for a drink, you’re going to be very disappointed. It is not a real saloon. It is a fake saloon with mannequins drinking fake booze. They call it a museum but I call it false advertising. Who wants to go to a bar to watch dummies standing around and… hold on. Maybe we should just disregard that question.