The Basement Bar
Fort Worth, TX
In the bar business, when it comes to making claims, it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission. The most common claim a bar usually makes is that they're "the best bar" or "voted the best bar" in wherever, which is such a common claim that people generally disregard it like a ‘No Smoking’ sign in front of divorce court.
Things get trickier when bars start claiming that they're "the oldest bar" in wherever. This can be difficult to prove (or disprove) without some journalistic investigation. Prohibition lasted in the US from 1920–1933, during which time many bars operated illegally, or switched to another business and reopened for alcohol sales when it was legal again.
This is one reason why you might see several bars in the same city claiming they're "the oldest bar," "the oldest continually running bar," "the oldest liquor license," or something similar. Or, they just might lie like a mattress. The publicity is probably worth it.
In the case of @basementbarfw, it claims to be both the "world's smallest honky tonk" and "the oldest bar in the stockyards," the latter claim referencing its location in the famous Fort Worth Stockyards. Are both true? Who knows. Probably not! It's really not that small of a bar, and there's also a sign on the wall that reads, “BASEMENT BAR Est. 2009."
But that's okay, because telling tall tales is part of a great bar experience, and this seems like the perfect spot for it. The dim basement layout creates a good scene for day drinking, and the crowd was pretty loose on my visit. The men's bathroom looked like something out of an A24 horror movie, and I spent a good 10 minutes looking for various messages scribbled on dollar bills stuck to the wall. There's also a cigarette machine, disco ball, and taxidermied coyote. It's a fun spot.
Do you ever go to a bar and make up a completely new identity for yourself? Grab a seat, start chatting to the person next to you, and go completely off the rails on reality? If not, swing through Basement Bar and give it a try.
Ask for forgiveness later.