The open non-mesh-based inguinal hernia repairs are rarely performed now since the introduction of the Lichtenstein repair. The most common non-mesh-based inguinal hernia repairs include the Shouldice repair, the Bassini repair, and the Desarda repair. Knowledge of how to perform these procedures is important if the standard mesh-based repairs, like the Lichtenstein repair, are contraindicated. In this review, we will look at the Shouldice repair, the Bassini repair, and the Desarda repair, looking at their complications and comparing them with the mesh-based repairs.