According to the historical Sanborn Maps at the Smithsonian, Workers Cafe was first opened in 1906 to feed the newly unionized workers at the Union Fish Packing Cooperative (1896-1965) now called the Cannery Pier Hotel. Workers Cafe sat on post and beam over the river’s edge until its transformation in 1929 to a larger building with a full cement basement. 

Finnish natives William and Daisy Still were the longest owners of the Workers building from 1920 until their deaths in 1967 and 1969. William Still was known as a gambler throwing memorable “Anniversary” parties during prohibition with $100 prizes. He also worked seasonally in Alaska as a fisherman until 1954 and maybe even as a bootlegger. Parked in its central location in historic Uniontown, also known as Finntown, Workers has been serving the local fishermen and loggers of Astoria for over 100 years. It’s survived the Great Depression, two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, the first pandemic and the second plus disco, yuppies, and hipsters.

Workers is the oldest restaurant on the Oregon Coast maintaining its deep support of the workers who have survived and thrived next to the mighty Columbia River!

The two Workers Tavern Airbnbs are in the Workers Building at street level. Each apartment has a full kitchen and full bathroom. You can sleep with (or more appropriately on) Iron Jugs or Hussy, two wooden boat beds that house queen-size mattresses in the Marina room. Or stay in our smaller apartment tucked behind the building next to the campfire pit. When they say a bed is stumbling distance away from the bar, they were talking about Workers Tavern! 

It’s also a nice place to grab a nap after strolling the 5-mile-long Astoria Riverwalk and taking in numerous historic curiosities. The Marina Room sleeps six, the Hideaway sleeps two, is non-smoking, has a kitchen and full bath, and is reserved for patrons 21 and over. That means EVERYONE has to be 21 and over–it is literally attached to the tavern.

That means you’ll not only get to hear the barking sea lions, fog horns, and trucks rambling about, chances are you’ll hear a few barks from the occasional birthday party on the other side of the wall, too. But on the plus side, we’ll give you free coffee–just walk on into the tavern with your mug and help yourself. On second thought, it’s all plus side at Workers Tavern Airbnbs!