Locally owned and operated, Volstead Bar takes patrons back to the fascinating days of the speakeasy by artfully crafting classic cocktails. Housed in what was the old Dorn Winery and later the Green Door brothel, the Green Door Building is shrouded in Sandusky lore and has seen an array of tenants throughout the years.
Combining these intriguing historical remnants with the speakeasy practices of the aforementioned years, Volstead Bar harkens back to the days of Old Sandusky amidst the New Sandusky renaissance.
Here are a few choice selections of some of our signature drinks
View All Classic Cocktails
(serves 2)
Absinthe, Sugar Cube
This once illicit booze is said to make patrons hallucinate on account of the wormwood used in the barrel aging process. While it’s hallucinogenic properties were greatly exaggerated, “chasing the green fairy” is quite tasty and a perfectly acceptable form of imbibing.
Makers Mark Bourbon, Cointreau, Angostura Bitters, Peychaud’s Bitters, Champagne
This 1917 drink, named for the Louisville hotel where it was born, came about when a bartender there used a customer’s Manhattan to catch the overflow from a popped champagne bottle — at least according to writer Brad Thomas Parsons.
Hendricks Gin, Dry Vermouth, Regan’s Orange Bitters with Olive or Twist
With so much history and theories involving this famous cocktail’s origin, Baltimore native and satirist H.L. Mencken perhaps described this American-borne beverage best. “The only American invention as perfect as the sonnet.”
Plymouth Gin, Luxardo, Lemon Juice, Crème De Violette
Once regarded as the prince of cocktails, the scarcity of maraschino liqueur nearly sent the drink into beverage oblivion. The name of this poignant Depression-era cocktail is supposedly linked to air travel of the time, a risky venture not for the faint of heart.