Gryphons Pub

You’re visiting your friend—let’s call him Benedict—a graduate student at the Yale School of Architecture (YSOA). Originally, you had planned to come up from New York City on Friday, but Benedict insisted you arrive on Thursday instead. He explained that Thursdays are uniquely lively, thanks to a weekly lecture series, but more so because of the post-lecture gathering at a bar called Gryphons.

After the lecture concludes and you've finished a themed cocktail, you follow Benedict and a crowd of his peers to Gryphons Pub. You turn down a side street and spot a line of twenty-somethings queued outside a sturdy brick building with stone masonry accents around its windows and doors. From the outside, it resembles a small church or a high-end residential complex rather than a dive bar.

But once the large wooden door swings open, you're immediately greeted by the unmistakable dive bar atmosphere: the scent of beer, the buzz of conversation, and the hum of laughter. Inside, a worn wooden floor, patchy cream-colored walls, and a scattered assortment of heavily used black leather couches stand in stark contrast to the building's imposing exterior. The disparity between the interior and exterior is striking—they feel entirely disconnected.

Despite the impermanent feel of the torn leather furnishings, Benedict assures you the bar has been around for decades and remains a cornerstone of the Yale graduate experience. The basement is packed with students enjoying discounted drinks, and the energy is high. Feeling slightly overwhelmed, you're relieved when Benedict leads you out to the courtyard. Beneath a wooden pergola and standing on a brick floor, a sense of calm washes over you. You’re ready for whatever the night has in store.

1926- late 1968: Alpha Delta Phi

1968-1972: Vacant

1972- today: Graduate and Professional Student Center

1972- 2019: Gypsy Bar

2019- today: Gryphons Pub

Before the site became part of the Yale University campus, the area was primarily occupied by small, locally owned businesses that sold regional goods. According to 19th-century Sanborn maps, the parcel was owned by E.H. Morse at that time. Adjacent properties included the Valley Garm Creamery and an antique store, reflecting the neighborhood’s commercial character. By the 1920s, however, the parcel had come under the ownership of Yale University.

The building that now houses Gryphons was originally constructed in 1926 for the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity at Yale. Designed by architect James Gamble Rogers, the structure was intended to be in architectural dialogue with a series of other fraternity houses built in the same period. Alpha Delta Phi occupied the building until 1968. Following the chapter’s departure, the building remained vacant until 1972, when it was repurposed as the Graduate and Professional Student Center—a role it continues to serve today.

Simultaneously, the building’s basement became home to the Graduate and Professional Student Center at Yale bar, known as GPSCY. The bar operated under that name until 2019, when it was rebranded as Gryphons.

Gryphons is located along a pedestrian pathway that connects York Street to Park Street. This walkway serves as a vital thoroughfare for students, providing convenient access between two major streets and to classrooms within the surrounding enclave.

The urban context of Gryphons is characterized by a cohesive architectural style, predominantly featuring brick Tudor Revival buildings. These structures primarily house graduate-level programs, reflecting the area’s historical roots as a former fraternity row.

Further along the pedestrian path are the Afro-American Cultural Center (AFAM) and the Cabaret, both of which share architectural similarities with Gryphons, reinforcing the visual and historical continuity of the streetscape.

The building is a quintessential example of Tudor Revival architecture. Its primary materials include red brick and gray stone masonry, with the stone serving as an accent material to frame window and door openings. The roofline features multiple gables clad in wood shingles, contributing to the building’s historic character. While the overall façade is relatively flat, it is articulated by two projecting bay windows and visible load-bearing elements that add depth and visual interest.