The original building where the Buena Vista sits today was a boardinghouse until 1916 when the landlord converted the first floor into a saloon. That saloon was named the Buena Vista, meaning "Good View" in Spanish. The view was good indeed and it served as a warm meeting place for hundreds of fishermen and handlers who worked for the nearby Sardine Cannery. There they could take in a whiskey while scouting the bay for incoming fishing boats which would mean, "Quick! Finish your drink and back to meet the boats!" In 1952, with the help of a Pulitzer-Prize winning writer, the Buena Vista introduced to the world its now famous Irish Coffee. The recipe has never changed and the view is still as good.