The Old Timer Restaurant

Go anywhere and say you are from Clinton, Massachusetts and the first thing you will hear in response is "I've been to the Old Timer." The Old Timer Restaurant has been the landmark restaurant for three generations of Clintonians. Every politician, sports star and celebrity who has visited Clinton since 1929, has been to the Old Timer.

Started by John and Helen McNally in 1929, they converted the street-side flower shop into a bar called the "Tap Room." The name "Old Timer" was derived from the older patrons who became daily fixtures when the bar first opened. The greatest honor the "Tap Room" can bestow on a patron is to retire their hat above the bar. There are dozens of hats on display and they will be glad to tell you the story behind each one.

The dining room was added in 1934 and is virtually unchanged today. Even the murals done by German artist Fred Gentsch are still intact. In 1941, the McNallys opened the Clinton Hotel next door which was connected to the Old Timer Restaurant. The 33 room hotel has since been converted to condominiums.

In the 1930s, diners would be entertained by the likes of Sammy Davis, Jr. with the Will Mastin Trio, singer Jim Brown, Shermis Midgets from Germany, orchestras, roller skating acts, dance bands, and even trapeze acts. Trapeze acts? The trapeze support rings are still visible in the dining hall support beams.

Today, music is still a part of the Old Timer Restaurant. An afternoon buffet is still served every Sunday and includes entertainment ranging from piano music,singing groups or Jim McNally (the singing chef) serenading the patrons.

With an extensive menu including fresh seafood, poultry and pasta dishes, and burgers and wraps, the Old Timer Restaurant is sure to please all patrons that walk through its historic doors. Coupons not valid on restaurant holidays.