The Zeller Inn Tavern was originally, The Court Place Tavern, immediately west of the Zeller Inn Hotel. The Hotel and Tavern were built in 1871, by Jacob C. Zeller. Jacob C. Zeller founded the establishment at 615 Columbus Street, which for decades was known as The Zeller Inn. It also was celebrated for its Gilded Age brilliance tiled mahogany bar, carved gargoyles, pressed-tin ceiling and solid oak backbar, hand placed mosaic tiled floors and bar. Zeller’s initials, JCZ, are still visible in tiled mosaic on the side of the bar and in the glass light domes that hang from the ceiling. There is also a trough, located at the base of the bar which had running water, for the male patrons to utilize as a spittoon. The Zeller Inn Hotel originally stood in the patio area of the current Zeller Inn Tavern & Eatery; it was demolished in 1982. Ottawa, Illinois was known as the mosaic tile palace of the United States; the tile and woodwork displayed throughout the tavern demonstrates the architectural genius of the time.
