McSorley’s Old Ale House was shut down Thursday after health inspectors found rats, as well as food being kept at incorrect temperatures.
The tavern, which first opened in 1854 and is one of the city’s oldest bars, expects to be able to reopen once it clears up the problems cited by the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Bar owner Matthew Maher, who has run the bar at 15 East 7th St. since 1964, told DNAinfo that the reconstruction of Cooper Square nearby, which included tearing up the plaza to install a new gas main, caused the rat problem.
He and his daughter Teresa have hired an exterminator and bought a new refrigerator and are aiming to seal the building. They’ll go to a hearing on Monday to see if they can straighten things out and reopen.
