#848 - The Loft, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

It's been a very long time since I'd been to downtown Edmonds and I really had low expectations for the bars. But while I don't see any particular reason to ever go back to Rory's or Johnny's, I was surprised by how much I liked the little trio of bars around 5th and Main. And The Loft was the most surprising of all.

It's small and romantic, with two floors and a very nice bamboo-lined patio. The food and drinks contain some fine, uncommon options. With the spring break type atmosphere at Taki Tiki and the classic neighborhood feel of Engel's, the swanky dark wood and dramatic lighting of The Loft make it the upscale alternative to perfectly complete the range of drinkeries. It gives people from Seattle a reason to return, and makes old town Edmonds feel like an alluring little resort town.

Try the: Glacier (Bartender Joe's cocktail contest entry)

515 Main St., Edmonds, WA 98020 - (425) 640-5000
theloftlounge.com - yelp - insider pages

#847 - Engel's Pub, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

A classic, small, neighborhood pub, just like every town should have.

113 5th Ave S Edmonds, WA 98020 - (425) 778-2900
yelp - insiderpages

#846 - Johnny's Sports Bar, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

101 Main St., Edmonds, WA 98020-3131 - (425) 778-1585
johnnyssportsbar.net - facebook - yelp

#845 - Rory's, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

105 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 - 425-778-3433
yelp - citysearch -

#844 - A Very Taki Tiki Bar, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

This is certainly not the sort of place that is going to please people who are really into tiki culture. But while the college-bar type crowd, the cheesy but charmless decor, and the overly sweet, sorority girl drinks are not my cup of tea, I do like to see a range of styles in bars and I think this one definitely has its place, nestled in with the swanky Loft and the comfortably divey Engel's.

518 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 - 425-778-3548
averytakitikibar.com - yelp -

#843 - Lake City Bar and Grill, Seattle - 7/4/2009

This looks rather boring from the outside. But once you come in you realize it was even more boring than you imagined.

2725 Lake City Way NE., Seattle, Washington 98125 - 206-362-2911

#842 - 88 Keys, Seattle (Pioneer Square) - 7/2/2009

315 2nd Avenue South, Seattle, WA
88keyseattle.com - yelp

#841 - GLO at Ibiza - Seattle (Pioneer Square) - 7/2/2009

528 2nd Ave., Seattle, WA 98104
ibizadinnerclub.com - yelp - seattle times - the stranger

#840 - Smarty Pants, Seattle (Georgetown) - 6/27/2009

In any other Seattle neighborhood this would be a top destination bar. But the emphasis is on the restaurant here, and south Seattle is an embarrassment of riches of bars with character and great vibe. It's still a pretty good choice and probably has the best summer patio if you don't want to go all the way to Loretta's. The service is friendly and good even when they're slammed (I went during Artopia / Georgetown Music Fest). But I did not quite have the nerve to order the bacon-tini.

6017 Airport Way S., Seattle, WA 98108-2717
smartypantsseattle.com - yelp - the stranger - seattle weekly

#839 - Jabu's Pub, Seattle (Queen Anne) - 6/26/2009

The drinks are uninteresting, but it's a nice, quirky space, and it's more about the crowd than the menu. If I ever become a lesbian I'll probably hang out here before Storm games.

174 Roy St., Seattle, WA 98109
jabuspub.com - myspace - facebook - yelp - the stranger

#838 - Solo, Seattle (Queen Anne) - 6/26/2009

Low key and swanky, I liked one yelper's description of Solo as the "anti-Pesos." And while this blog is not about food, it would be a shame to go there and not try the rabbit mole tacos.

200 Roy St., Seattle, WA 98109-4150 - (206) 213-0080
solo-bar.com - facebook - yelp - the stranger

#837 - Jelly Bar, Seattle (downtown) - 6/25/2009

This is the bar attached to Long Provincial restaurant, the new Vietnamese restaurant from Tan Nguyen, the owner of Tamarind Tree, and replacing QUBE. It now has a dark, romantic interior, minus the bright, modernist coldness of QUBE, though with curved, wooden bar stools that look nice but are virtually impossible to sit upon for any length of time. They have some fairly interesting and good cocktails, along with food from Long if you like, which makes it quite a reasonable down tempo stop.

1901 Second Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101
longprovincial.com - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp

#836 - Tavolata, Seattle (Belltown) - 6/24/2009

The cocktails I tried were average, but they have good Italian food.

2323 2nd Ave., Seattle, WA 98121

tavolata.com - seattle weekly - the stranger - seattle times - yelp

#835 - The Torch 2, Boise - 6/18/2009

A Boise friend noticed that Casey's Beer Depot was on the K-Bar, noted that it had changed ownership, and asked me how I handled that. I responded that I count it again if the new owners change it substantially. Well, there's no doubt that The Torch 2 counts as a substantial change.

610 Vista Ave, Boise, ID
myspace - thetorchlounge.com -
Boise moves to shut down Torch 2 bikini bar (Idaho Statesman)

#834 - Bardenay, Boise - 6/18/2009

Some interesting cocktails and very pleasant on the patio on a warm, weekday evening. I'm not so sure I'd like it inside on a Friday night.

Try the:  Ginger Rum Cocktail      

610 W Grove St., Boise, ID 83702
bardenay.com - yelp - Boise Weekly

#833 - Taberna del Alabadero, Seattle (Belltown) - 6/12/2009

#832 - Txori, Seattle (Belltown) - 6/11/2009

If this list were about food, I would give this my highest rating. As a bar it's still a fine stop, especially if you can get a seat on the hidden patio on a warm summer evening.

2207 2nd Ave (between Bell and Blanchard)
txoribar.com - the stranger - seattle pi - seattle times - seattle met - yelp

#831 - Barolo Ristorante, Seattle (Downtown) - 6/10/2009

While most downtown fine dining establishments have a standard sort of bar that serves only the basics and a specialty or two, Barolo actually manages to have a range of interesting drinks that is enough to make the bar a destination in itself.

Try the: South Beach Mojito

1940 Westlake Ave
baroloseattle.com - seattle times - vezeo - yelp - the stranger - zagat

#830 - Smith, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 6/9/2009

It's getting close to feeling to formulaic, but this is another fine Linda Derschang joint, and any place with reasonably good drinks, high ceilings, and animals on the walls is a fine place to have.

332 15th Ave E (between Harrison St & Thomas St)
smithseattle.com - seattle times - yelp - the stranger

#829 - Knee High, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 6/9/2009

I'm not saying I can prove I personally caused this, but the start of Project K-Bar neatly coincided with an explosion in quality, craft cocktails and bars with personality, to the great benefit of the project and commensurate damage to my budget and liver. And now comes the speakeasy trend, and I must say it is pretty dang swell.

So on this night I went to Knee High, where you are greeted by only an unmarked door and a man standing outside to usher you in if you aknow where you're going. Genuine prohibition-era drink recipes are de rigueur for the speakeasy set, and apparently someone passed a regulation requiring all new bars to have fancy, art deco absinthe servers. (Like most people, I like virtually everything about absinthe -- the preparation rituals, the accoutrements, the mystery, the old ads -- pretty much everything except the actual absinthe.) Knee high is small and dark and filled with good drinks and pretty women, and I find that I can live with that sort of thing.

Try the: Hemingway

1356 Olive Way
seattle weekly - metblogs
New York Times on the speakeasy trend

#828 - The Tiger Lounge, Seattle - 6/6/2009

This is now probably my favorite bar in the Seattle area. Hip yet welcoming, it has more of a feel of going to the coolest house on a home bar tour than of a business, keeping you wondering what is around the next corner.

After a brief life as invitation-only after-hours destination, this now is a full bar, with bands, go-go dancers and other events on various nights. They don't feature the classic tiki drinks, but the tiki crowd will enjoy its retro decor. (more pics)

412 Orcas Street (between S 4th Ave & S 5th Ave, around the corner from Marco Polo)
myspace - culturemob - yelp

#827 - Loretta's Northwesterner, Seattle - 6/6/2009

Saturday night's exploring found two excellent bars to add to the riches of south Seattle. Neither had extraordinary drinks, but their decor and their vibe put them on my highly recommended list.

Remodeled about a year and half ago by the owners of 9 Lb Hammer, Loretta's Northwesterner has the feeling it's been around for a hundred years. It has three distinct ambiances: The main bar is lovely dark wood and glowing, vintage beers signs, and a very classic tavern feel; out back there is a summery, open patio area, with another bar; and the final touch is parked in this patio area -- an Airstream decked out in a swanky, vintage 60s/70s look, with enough vinyl and turntables to have your own party. The patrons are a nice mix of grizzled, old veterans and a younger crowd.

8617 14th Ave S (between Cloverdale St & Donovan St)
lorettasnorthwesterner.com - yelp - seattle weekly - mid beacon hill blog

#826 - North Shore Pub, Kenmore, WA - 5/30/2009

This is a great discovery for a dive bar fan like me and by the time I arrived late Saturday night (i.e. early Sunday morning), most the patrons were utterly decks awash.

Sample conversation:

Hooched-up patron: Is there a restaurant attached to this place?
Female bartender: Does this look like the kind of place that would have a restaurant attached?

18017 68th Ave Ne, Kenmore, WA
yelp - citysearch

#825 - Thrashers Corner Pub, Bothell, WA - 5/30/2009

As a pub this has all the unique charm of an Applebees. But I did find one interesting sign.

20805 Bothell Everett Hwy, Bothell, WA 98021
thrasherscorner.com/pub.htm - yelp - urbanspoon

#824 - Bert's Tavern, Bothell, WA - 5/30/2009

I heard Bert's described as a dive bar, but it's not really. It's very much a high-fiving white guy bar, and its decor is primarily the typical Coors and Bud promotional crap. But the idiosyncratic building, the hand-made signs, the porch, and the nice big horseshoes area out back all give it a nice feel of some mountain resort town tavern.

17902 Bothell Everett Hwy, Bothell, WA 98012
yelp - citysearch

#823 - Die BierStube, Seattle - 5/27/2009

This is a very attractive stop if you love authentic German beers. I do not, and I'm old enough that half the women there looked 12 years-old to me. But it's a pleasant neighborhood place nonetheless.

6106 Roosevelt Way NE
diebierstube.com (At the time of this writing, this site had content only for the owner's other German-based bar, Prost, in Greenwood)
the daily - yelp - ratebeer.com - citysearch

#822 - Lottie's Lounge, Seattle - 5/21/2009

A fine neighborhood joint.

4900 Rainier Ave S. (map)
lottieslounge.com - myspace - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp

#821 - Club Motor, Seattle (SoDo) - 5/21/2009

Club Motor can be a lot of fun, but if you're going there, you're going for the events; you're not going for the place itself and you certainly are not going for the drinks or food.

1950 First Ave. S.
clubmotorseattle.com - eventful - the stranger

#820 - The Tin Table, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 5/21/2009

Try the: Amendment 21

Very good cocktails, very good food, good prices, romantic atmosphere, and sexy salsa dancers dropping in from the Century Ballroom dance floor next door -- what's not to like? Yet another fine new choice on Capitol Hill.

915 E Pine St. (above Odd Fellows and across from Century Ballroom)
thetintable.com - yelp - seattle metropolitan - capitol hill blog - the stranger

#819 - Boom Noodle, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 5/21/2009

Try the: Cucumber Mint Fizz

1121 E. Pike St.
boomnoodle.com - yelp - the stranger

#818 - Crocodile Cafe (new), Seattle - 5/13/2009

Of course I would have preferred that the old Belltown institution stayed around forever, along with its smoke-stained neon sheep, but the the new owners just did a crackerjack job in remodeling the place. The Croc itself now makes much more sense as a space for music; no more spilling out into the rather pointless cafe area or peeking around the beams in front of the stage. The walls are lined by large photos of various Seattle area rockers (The Sonics, et. al.), which would be cheesy if the photos weren't so dang cool.

The old back bar portion is now a sexy Via Tribulani, which feels like a bar with good food, rather than a restaurant that serves drinks. The booths have great, high backs and the entire interior is circled by dramatic black and gold paintings of erupting volcanoes, with each lit by a single lamp that accentuates the Rembrandt lighting. They're even booking interesting bands again. The Croc is definitely back.

2200 2nd Ave Seattle, WA 98121
thecrocodile.com - yelp

#817 - Umi Sake House, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/13/2009

Try the: St. Valentines

2230 1st Ave Seattle, WA 98121
umisakehouse - seattle weekly - yelp - seattledining

#816 - Buckleys, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/13/2009

This feels like a bit more welcoming place to watch sports than the other large options downtown, though I've yet to go there when it's full of people.

2331 2nd Ave, Seattle WA 98121
web site - yelp - citysearch

#815 - List, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/13/2009

I wasn't very excited about another Belltown wine bar, but this is a nifty little place from the owners of Barolo, with a pleasant crowd, excellent food that they serve until midnight, friendly bartenders, and fine wine.

2226 1st Avenue Seattle, WA 98121 (map)
seattle times - the stranger - yelp - urban spoon

#814 - Dinette, Seattle - 5/8/2009

1514 E. Olive Way
dinetteseattle.com - yelp - zagat - the stranger - seattle weekly - seattle times -

#813 - Yuji's Lounge (Kona Kitchen), Seattle - 5/6/2009

#812 - 5th Avenue Tavern, Seattle - 5/6/2009

A nifty, old neighborhood tavern -- one of the oldest in Seattle. Like any good neighborhood place, it has no spectacular features (though there's an interest mural wrapping around the back room), and its continuing attraction depends on the quality of conversation among the regulars. So it's nice to find people like James the bartender and Dan the long time regular who love to talk local history, whether its what the area was like 100 years ago or what the local music scene was like 15 years ago

8507 5th Ave NE
myspace - yelp

#811 - Sun Liquor, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 5/2/2009

Another fine craft cocktail bar in the Capitol Hill area. I haven't yet given this my highest recommendation, but my stay was brief, the decor and vibe were fine, and I may well upgrade it after another visit or two.

sunliquor.com - nwsource - yelp - facebook

#810 - Summit Public House, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 5/2/2009

A very friendly place, in keeping with the name. But why is it that every bar that refers to itself explicitly as a "public house" (from which "pub" was derived, of course), no matter where it is, seems like a college bar?

601 Summit Ave E # 102
summitpublichouse.com - seattle pi - yelp - the stranger - seattle weekly

#809 - Casablanca, Seattle (downtown) - 4/29/2009

This is a fairly big place but it was a small and intimate crowd when I visited, and though the bar itself is fairly unremarkable, the merguez was good and the company and conversation were first rate. I hope to see Ben, Salah, Belan, and the rest again soon.

casablancaseattle.com - yelp

#808 - Wedgewood Broiler Lounge, Seattle - 4/23/2009

#807 - O'Asian, Seattle (downtown) - 4/20/2009

This is a lot bigger and considerably swankier than I'd expected. (I would have taken several pictures if my camera didn't go on the fritz today.)

#806 - The Traveler, Seattle (Ballard) - 4/19/2009

AKA "The Leary Traveler. Nice place.

4356 Leary Way NW    
consupo - yelp - the stranger - urbanspoon

#805 - Golden City, Seattle (Ballard) - 4/19/2009

Now this is a fine dive bar! This has more of what I was hoping to find in the Ballard Smoke Shop. It's dark, it's intimate, it has backlit "Chinese" art, a huge, old, and terribly executed painting of an antebellum riverside scene, and it has a slightly creepy history to match. (I was informed by a regular that in the old days this place was named "The Plantation.")

I need to return and do some more research.




5518 20th Ave NW        
seattlest - yelp

#804 - Ballard Smoke Shop, Seattle - 4/19/2009

This is a decent, old, dive bar, but it's too light, too open, and too big to have the sort of intimacy you want in a great dive. I recommend walking a few blocks to Golden City.

5439 Ballard Ave NW    
the stranger - ballardgossipgirl - yelp

#803 - Volterra, Seattle - 2008 (OOO)

5411 Ballard Ave NW

volterrarestaurant.com - the stranger - yelp - fodors - seattletimes

#802 - Jade, Seattle - 4/16/2009

The latest residents cycling through this large space next to a biker AA hangout are a very friendly Chinese family. As far as the lounge goes, well, there was one older lady there when I dropped by and she told me the bartender made very good cocktails -- then a few minutes later had to explain to her what serving a drink "neat" is.

When I first moved to the neighborhood many years ago this was a popular native American bar where you could count on seeing cop cars pretty much every Friday and Saturday night. You could always count on the most drunk people on the #6 bus (and that's a fairly high standard) getting off at that stop and staggering in. It had a nice little run as a second Steel Pig BBQ, but I don't know if it's ever been half full since those early days. I'd like to see the current residents make a go of it, but there's a Chinese place with a far less imposing exterior almost right across the street, and you may want to give the bartender a year or two to pick up her trade.

8904 Aurora Ave N.
jaderestaurant.net - yelp

#801 - The Funhouse, Seattle - 4/15/2009

I somehow missed getting this on my starting list, so I'll count my last visit Wednesday night, though of course I've been here many times before.

While this is now a regular venue for punk bands, I remember when it was Tex's Tavern and they first started trying out having live music. The back stage area didn't exist then, and the bands played by the front window, and when they started up they immediately emptied the place of 3/4 of the patrons -- the old folks who at that time were the primary clientele. For an illustration of just what kind of place it was for the bands in those days, I remember a time the bartender interrupted the set of my brother Spud's band, because a patron wanted cigarettes and they had to unplug the amps to plug in the cigarette machine. That same night LeRoux gave a dressing down to a guy for sneaking drinks from her beer, and then refused to buy him a pitcher in exchange for his engagement ring.

At any rate, the Funhouse is now a fine, dark alternative to the Disney-esque EMP and Seattle Center across the street, and the flickr search provides a pretty good sense of the place (and hence is not entirely work safe).

206 5th Ave N. (map)
funhouseseattle.com - myspace - yelp - flickr

#800 - Frank's Oyster House and Champagne Parlor, Seattle - 4/16/2009

The unremarkable entry to Frank's opens into a funky and very pleasing wood interior, and the experience only gets better with the cocktails. My drinking partner and I sampled a pretty fair share of the cocktail menu and there wasn't a bad one in the bunch. Every one was balanced with the multiple tastes left varied and not dominated by any one ingredient, and ably mixed this night by Trevor, who's work I enjoyed here even more than past run-ins with it at the Saint and Triple Door.

This is my favorite Seattle cocktail menu outside of Capitol Hill (where The Hideout, 22 Doors, Liberty, and perhaps the Grey Gallery may still enjoy a slight edge due to more fresh juices and a tad more experimentation). It's great to see a boom in fine cocktails around the city and it's excellent to have a place like Frank's in this neighborhood.

2616 NE 55th (north of U-Village) - map
franksoysterhouse.com - seattletimes - thestranger - culinaryfool flickr - urbanspoon - yelp

#799 - Cantinetta, Seattle - 4/15/2009

If this blog were about food and restaurant service, I'd give Cantinetta very high marks. The entrees are very tasty and the service is friendly and makes you feel well looked after even if they are slammed and you're hovering around the bar hoping for a seat. But as a bar, this is not a destination. There's no cocktail menu and there are only ten seats, which are typically filled by people who would have preferred a table. So I am unlikely to return for a nightcap, but will keep the place on my shortlist for dinner.

3650 Wallingford Ave.
web site - seattle times - yelp - urbanspoon

#798 - The Cabin, Richmond Beach - (OOO)

A hidden gem. The Cabin is in a currently surburban neighborhood where you'd never stumble upon it if you weren't seeking it explicitly or lived next door. But it was a working port with a few summer homes when the structure was built in 1927, and when, in 1933 it received one of the first five or six post-prohibition liquor licenses in the state of Washington, and became what is now the oldest continually running business in Shoreline.

The Cabin has better than average tavern food, a good selection of beers and standard drinks, and a very nice patio area where you can see the sound. But what gives the place it's essential character is the undulating floor and bar as the place has unevenly settled over the years after being moved on (and apparently left on) logs.

Pictures don't capture the odd tilts of the place, but the second one here gives a hint if you look at the far end of the bar. (In the foreground is the lovely Heather, whose weekend was such that her initial stories didn't get around to the part where she saved someone's life.)


yelp - seattle weekly - beer advocate

#797 - Chez Gaudy, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 4/11/2009

A roomier but even more hidden version of Bleu Bistro. The food and cocktails are both very good and the decor is a romantic labyrinth. Walking around the barely identifiable exterior, down the alley, through the forlorn looking screen door, and through the winding interior rooms gave me the sense of being in the restaurant of a remote, Tuscan agriturismo. Their MySpace page has music by Dresden Dolls and Emilie Autumn, which are very good indicators of the vibe of the place.

1802 Bellevue Ave (at E Belmont Ave) (map)
myspace - the stranger - yelp - citysearch

#796 - The Duchess Tavern, Seattle - 4/10/2009

2827 NE 55th St
map - yelp - the stranger

#795 - IMO Asian Bistro, Seattle - 4/8/2009

No more naked sushi?

704 First Ave
yelp - sushimonsters.com - the stranger

#794 - Mitchelli's, Seattle - 4/8/2009

mitchellis.com

#793 - Slim's Last Chance, Seattle - 4/4/2009

Slim's Last Chance Chili Shack and Watering Hole
5606 1st Ave. S.
slimslastchance.com - myspace - yelp

#792 - Habesha, Seattle - 4/3/2009

There's not much to the bar part of this (Ethiopian) restaurant, and I can't say much about the bar conversations because I was basically the only one there speaking English. But the entire space is perfectly lit and lovely, particularly at night, which makes it a nice little stop for a nightcap.

1809 Minor Ave (between Howell St & Stewart St) - (map)
habeshaseattle.com - seattle weekly - seattle times - yelp

#791 - The Ruins, Seattle - 3/2/2009

I paused before including this in K-Bar, as it is a private dining club, but decided it belonged because it's a type of place I very much want to go to to have a drink. I love hidden places like this and after waiting for a long time for an invitation to attend (perhaps I need a better class of friends?), it did not disappoint. Rather than try to describe it to anyone not already familiar with it, I'd refer you to the photos on the web site.

570 Roy St. (map)
theruins.net - seattle times - yelp - citysearch

#790 - Snoose Junction (Part Dieu), Seattle (Greenwood) - 3/28/2009

Even the bar area upstairs is too much of a pizza place to really make this a destination bar, but this is a great addition to the neighborhood and likely to be one of my favorite places, even if not the first thought when you just want to go out and get a drink.

The bar area upstairs is beautiful all around, a comfortable triumph of local artists and designers. But the real attention grabber is the hand hammered copper sculpture (by Lisa Geertsen and Andy Blakney from Georgetown's Firelight Forge) that wraps owls, bats, and snakes over and around the back bar.

The food is good, the beers and liquor selection quite serviceable, and since they play only vinyl, the bartender does an interesting balance of server and DJ. Parking is a bit of an issue, and perhaps that's not a coincidence given the green ethics of the owners (Snoose delivers by bicycle). Seattle institutions like the Sunset Bowl and Garfield High's old wood floor reappear in beautiful new form, and fit well in a place that already gives the impression of being an essential institution of the area.

10406 Holman Rd. N. (Next door to the unenticing looking but fabulous tasting Manna Texas Style BBQ on Holman and 105th - map
web site - myspace - phinneywood

#789 - Pillagers Pub, Seattle (Greenwood) - 3/28/2009

All of a sudden, this little neck of my neighborhood has an embarrassment of riches for the drinker, and particularly the beer drinker. Two of the greatest dive bars in this city, recently joined by (and pleasantly contrasted with) the hip Gainsbourg's, now share a block with two new beerlovers' destinations with Naked City and Pillager's pub, opened earlier this week.

The latter looks a little hastily assembled, and the space is a bit too light and too obviously designed for a different sort of business. But Pillager's now gives us access to the brews of Baron Brewing and Three Skulls Ales, in addition to a small but nice menu of late night eats.

This pub seems much more of an iffy business proposition than an instant neighborhood institution like Snoose Junction, but cheers and best wishes to small brewers bringing us something new.

8551 Greenwood Ave - map - pillagerspub.com - yelp

#788 - Art Lounge (The Four Seasons), Seattle (downtown) - 3/25/2009

Once again, there's not a whole lot of the bar part of the bar here, but the space is nice, with a nice view of the steam factory and Elliot Bay. Appetizers are pretty good too -- though I always feel ridiculous putting the tiny lettuce, tomato and condiments on my tiny slider hamburgers. (The things we do to fool ourselves into dressing things up as a delicacy.)

Try the: Pearfection

web site - map - yelp - seattlemag - stranger

#787 - Il Bistro, Seattle (downtown) - OOO

Probably had a bit of a mental block in adding this one from long ago -- for reasons I won't go into right now.

#786 - Urbane (Olive 8), Seattle - 3/23/2009

It's almost unfair to judge this as a bar. Not because it's only been open for five weeks, but because once again it's an afterthought to the restaurant. I had a couple good conversations with the patrons to either side, I liked the bartender, and my "Pill Hill Sling" was very tasty. But the bar is too small, too bright, and too much like it's stuck in a hallway -- almost like an airport bar out on some extended terminal.

So kudos to the building for being LEEDS certified and I heard good things about the hotel service; and I liked most the decor, even if I find the exterior a bit of an eyesore. But this is not a bar worth going out of your way for.

1635 8th Avenue (map) - olive8.hyatt.com - yelp

#785 - Hurricane Cafe lounge, Seattle (Belltown) - 3/23/2009

One would be tempted to call this the classic greasy spoon dive lounge, were it not occupying the carcass of the much more classic old Dog House. And it's the bar that's suffered the most in its transformation. It has characters but no innate character, and again suffers from inevitable comparisons to drunken old fogeys croaking out classics around the Dog House piano bar.

Of course any good city's got to have a couple places like this for 3am after-the-show greasy eggs and get-togethers. But I'd just as soon keep going for a few blocks to make to the Five Point.

2230 7th Ave (map) - myspace - seattlest ("Bastion of Darkness") - The Stranger - yelp - citysearch

#784 - Brasserie Margaux, Seattle (downtown) - 2008 (OOO)

#783 - Skylark, Seattle (West Seattle) - 3/21/2009

A nifty, little West Seattle club where there's lots of good live music and it's always no cover. The decor includes painfully hokey (e.g. street signs on the walls) to delightfully so (the leopardskin carpet on stage) and rotating art. When I went there Lushy was playing with Johnny Astro, the place was packed, and the party was on.

3803 Delridge Way SW - map - SkaylarkCafe.com - music calendar - blog - myspace - yelp - The Stranger

#782 - Turf Lounge, Seattle (downtown) - 3/19/2009

Most people think of Turf as the greasy hangout of bums, drunks and the down-on-their-luck -- the people on the surrounding streets that lead white collar people in nearby offices like mine to know local businesses by nicknames like "Creepy Coffee" and "Scary Teriyaki." And so it is to a pretty fair degree.

But the Turf Lounge is an honest bar, and makes no apologies for it's age -- as evidenced by the two massive Smokeeters® that still dominate the small space -- and no apologies for its clientelle -- as evidenced by the two ladies chuckling at the man lying supine on the sidewalk across the street (a fellow who seemed to be familiar to them).

It's tiny, with small versions of all the standard dive bar features -- one small pull tabs bin, one game screen, one TV -- and I like it. I'm not ready to give it my "great dive bar" rating, but I'll probably be back a few times and the right combination of clientele could lead me to change my mind.





Turf patron?

















200 Pike St - yelp

#781 - Odd Fellows Cafe, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 3/16/2009

The small bar counter in the cavernous restaurant makes the bar appear to be a bit of an afterthought. But the historic old building and -- more to the point -- the finely crafted cocktails more than make up for it. Another fine addition to Capitol Hill.

oddfellowscafe.com - flickr - seattlest

#780 - Red Fin, Seattle (downtown) - 3/12/2009

There are certain people you work with in corporations who are assholes, but not to everybody. If you're in their select group -- equal to or above them in the reporting chain, or perceived as an ally, as opposed to most other departments -- they may seem like perfectly friendly people. But to people below them, people they unilaterally decide are internal competitors, people who are not their gender, etc. etc. -- these people they treat like shit. And while it's tempting to ignore that if you happen to get into one of the groups they don't treat like shit, I don't think you should forget the fact that they are assholes toward a lot of other people.

There are bars like that too. Red Fin is like that. They give the impression of place created by 30-somethings who made a good chunk of money in software, and picked up enough foodie pretensions and acquaintances that they feel like they could make it just catering just to their crowd, and are pained to sacrifice any time and effort for outsiders.

Thus, when I sat down at the bar, without knowing anyone and without a backwards baseball cap, the bartender some 15 feet away reading a magazine felt it a higher priority to finish his article, chat with a friend, and lazily peruse some wine labels, before eventually checking to see if perhaps I might have sat down at his bar because I was interested in having a drink. And it wasn't just one person either -- other workers wandered into the bar area and lazily prepared drinks without so much as a nod to the customer who was sitting there twiddling his thumbs behind an empty bar counter.

In their defense, Red Fin is less of a bar than a downtown sushi joint, and pretension and attitude are the primary products of many a downtown sushi joint. But if you'd prefer to avoid assholes altogether -- whether or not you are lucky enough to be in the group that doesn't experience the asshole side -- I strongly suggest skipping Red Fin.

612 Stewart St., Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 441-4340 - redfinsushi.com - yelp - citysearch

#779 - Suite 410, Seattle (downtown) - 3/12/2009

This may be my favorite downtown Seattle bar. Now, that's a fairly low bar (so to speak), and there's nothing really unusual or spectacular about this bar. But it's a small, fairly hidden, internally dark and swanky place -- "like a New York bar," as Benji the bartender put it. The crowd is comfortably balanced between hip and pretentious, young and old, and the vibe is romantic. I think I'll wind up here often.

(suite410.com, Seattle Weekly, yelp)

#778 - Oliver's (Mayflower Hotel), Seattle (downtown) - 3/12/2009

This has a lot of things you expect in a decent hotel bar -- high ceilings, interesting sconces, and big, curtained windows looking out on a busy downtown street -- and the people are nice and competent enough (the margarita -- er, Oliverita -- is fairly standard but also fairly good). But it also has nothing you don't expect in a hotel bar. So if you're not staying at the hotel, I don't know why you'd go, and even if you are staying there, it would be an odd choice given that Suite 410 is right across the street.

#777 - Boud's Pinehurst Pub, Seattle - 3/9/2009

A nifty neighborhood bar. The decor is utterly undistinguished (assuming you don't count Cassie, the sexy, Helen-Huntish bartender), but it's a very pleasant cross section of patrons. I'll be swinging by again.

11753 15th Ave NE
myspace, yelp - the stranger

#776 - Chester Club & Oyster Bar, South Bend, WA - 3/1/2009

If you want to find the real characters in the Willapa Bay area -- and there appears to be no shortage of them -- this is the place to go.

#775 - Artic Tavern, Cosmopolis, WA - 2/26/2009

Depending on which sign you go by, this is either the Artic Pub and Smokehouse, or the Artic Tavern and RV Park. When I checked it out on a Thursday afternoon, this looked like a fine place to come in and warm up your overalls by the wood burning stove, pop a cold one, and catch the judge shows on daytime TV. But even though this is in the middle of nowhere, it looks like they sometimes get some pretty rocking bands.
(map)

#774 - The Triangle Pub, Seattle (Pioneer Square) - 2008 (OOO)

(trianglepub.com - map - flickr - yelp)

#773 - Madison Pub, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 2/14/2009

"I’m in a weird situation because i like rainbows.. but I’m not gay. So, i wear a rainbow on my shirt - but then under it, it says “not gay ” .. but I’m not against gay people, so under that i have to put “but supportive.” I just think its weird that one group took refracted light. That’s pretty greedy gays." -- Demetri Martin

#772 - Neighbors Underground, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 2/14/2009

"I'm not quite dead yet." -- The Vogue

Since I've only been there on Vogue night, I'll take The Stranger's word for it that this is still Neighbors but "the dance floor is smaller, the bar lines shorter, and the vibe more casual."

#771 - Poco Wine Room, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 2/14/2008

I didn't have a great first impression when I saw this was built in to one of the condominium complexes that are methodically eating away at the character that made neighborhoods like Capitol Hill attractive to people in the first place. But this is an attractive, cozy, and friendly place (that's right, a wine bar with a friendly owner and staff) and my new favorite place for a glass of wine in the hill area.

Check out the new art piece they've added over the stairs (pictured).

#770 - Licorous, Seattle - 2/14/2008

A semi-swanky little place with fine, craft cocktails. I haven't given this my highest recommendation, but may change my mind after tasting a few more of the drinks.

#769 - Cafe Presse, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 2008 (OOO)

If you've been to Le Pichet, you know exactly what you're getting here -- although they do add soccer viewing (of course the more popular American spectator sports are déclassé). The food is very good, but this blog is about bars, and the drinks are unremarkable and the decor boring (self-consciously trying to appear unself-conscious). Still, a fine stop for a little wine and snack. Though it's entirely unclear to me what the idea is behind making one of the world's ugliest web sites.

#768 - Pike's Bar & Grill, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 2007 (OOO)

#767 - Fuel, Seattle (Pioneer Square) - 1/29/2009

Sometimes this project is serendipitously thematic, and such was the case tonight, as I departed the bad art auction at Tether Design and the company of intrepid subculture explorers and bad art connoisseurs Jo and Marlowe to grab a nightcap at Fuel, a sports bar that is utterly generic with the exception of a series of impossibly bad portraits of the characters in "Caddyshack."

#766 - Fort St. George, Seattle (ID) - 1/29/2009

#765 - Fortune Sports Bar, Seattle (ID) - 1/29/2009

#764 - Joe's Bar and Grill, Seattle (ID) - 1/29/2009

For hard-scrabble, roily bars in Seattle it's hard to beat south Pioneer Square and the International District, and perhaps the hard-scrabbliest, roiliest one of them all is Joe's Bar and Grill (Happy Hour 7am to noon). I like it, and though I didn't give it my "great dive bar" rating, if I go again, I may be persuaded.

#763 - Norm's Eatery and Alehouse, Seattle (Fremont) - 1/23/2009

#762 - Clever Dunne's Irish House, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 1/19/2009

I found no apparent cleverness.

#761 - The Crescent, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 1/19/2009

Definitely gives The Rickshaw a run for the money.


Update: Now that I know that Amber from Go Like Hell, touring with the Genitorturers, etc. etc. works there (and easily clinches the most sexy bartender title), I have to boost this over the Rickshaw for top Seattle karaoke dive and to my highly recommended list.


seattle weekly - yelp - the stranger

#760 - The Elite, Seattle (Capitol Hill, Olive Way) - 1/19/2009

Ostensibly gay, but it looks like it was decorated by the Rodney Dangerfield character in "Caddyshack."

#759 - The Bus Stop, Seattle (Capitol Hill, Olive Way) - 1/19/2009

Small, spartan, and inhabited by a number of people who loudly seem to just seem to be getting used to this drinking thing, but I like it. It's particularly interesting on 3D-Glasses night.

#758 - Redwood, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 1/19/2009

Man, I had no idea a bar like this was hidden away on Capitol Hill. And while it has only been there a couple years, it feels like it's been around for 50. An excellent option for people who want a more relaxed and unpretentious watering hole, as if it were in the hills around some small college town.

514 E Howell Street, Seattle, WA 98122
web site (or perhaps more accurately, web page)
yelp - the stranger - seattle weekly

#757 - The Saint, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 1/19/2009

A nice, romantic bar -- especially for tequila lovers. (And thanks to Adam for the drink and Redwood tip.)

#756 - The Buck, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 1/19/2009

Some very fine additions over the past year or so make this stretch of Olive Way one of my favorite bar areas in the city. The Buck is cozy, western-themed bar by the owners of Bleu Bistro, with a mixed gay and straight crowd. I didn't get much of a feel for the vibe of the patrons, as I went on a Monday evening, but Janine the bartender is quite cool and the decor is swell (even if they really need to start giving some serious thought to taking down the Christmas tree).

#755 - The Pub at 3rd Place, Seattle (Ravenna) - 1/13/2009

I love this place. I love all the wood, the good beers, the Greek restaurant and bookstore open late upstairs. But what I liked most was the customers and vibe. Late 20s and 30s, on laptops, reading books, playing cards, relaxed but with a good energy. A hidden gem and one of my new favorite places. (web site)

#754 - Pied Piper Ale House, Seattle (Ravenna) - 1/8/2009

A pleasant place with good food and beers. A bit more of a family place than I personally look for in bars, but I'll go back there to eat.

#753 - Juno, Seattle (downtown) - 1/8/2009

#752 - The Daily Grill, Seattle (downtown) - 1/5/2009

#751 - Jolly Roger, Portland - 2/4/2009

In the previous post I noted how rare it to find a charming sports bar. This is one. (web site)

#750 - Blitz Ladd, Portland - 1/4/2009

This is a very large sports bar, which means it's fairly impossible to have any of the charm I generally look for in a bar. But as large sports bars go, it was very comfortable and unassuming, and I liked the couches, picnic tables, and plywood, and it seems to fit well in the Ladd's Addition neighborhood.
(web site)

#749 - Tennessee Red's, Portland - 1/4/2009

#748 - Voleur, Portland - 1/2/2009

Nice.

#747 - Capt. Ankeny's Well, Portland - 1/2/2009

Utterly unremarkable, but the bartenders were cool.

#746 - Dirty, Portland - 1/2/2009

New (about 10 months) bump and grind, thumping music, spray-on-tan club in the Old Town area. Not my type of place, but if you're going to have a club like that, why not outfit it with stripper poles and a swing over the bar?
(NapkinNights pics from the night I was there)

#745 - Crush, Portland - 1/2/2009

On the Friday night I went it was crammed with hot, scantily-clad lesbians. What's not to like?
(web site)

#744 - Hanigan's ("The Vern"), Portland - 1/2/2009

A nice little ramshackle pub, locally known as "The Vern" thanks to a neon sign with the T & A not working.

#743 - Heaven, Seattle (Pioneer Square) - 12/14/2008

The old "Catwalk" with very little changed (except the Men's and Women's rooms inexplicably switched), and the crowd and vibe varying greatly with particular nights and events.

#742 - Fourno's, Seattle (U District) - 12/11/2008

Bump and grind for Greek Row -- I'm surprised it took so long for a place like this on The Ave.

#741 - A-Pizza Mart, Seattle (U District) - 12/11/2008

An unpretentious but happening little night scene. Who knew?

#740 - Canterbury Ale & Eats, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 12/11/2008

#739 - The Shanty Tavern, Seattle (Lake City) - 12/05/2008

#738 - Celtic Swell, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/29/2008

#737 - Bamboo, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/29/2008

#736 - Gainsbourg, Seattle (Greenwood) - 11/28/2008

Try the: Jane Birkin

The first non-coy, unapologetically hipster venue in Greenwood. In certain aspects it is ridiculous, of course, like the perfectly-spaced, brick-revealing holes in the plaster. But the place was packed and there were no little horns in the front of the hair, zero untucked long sleeve striped shirts, and only one backwards baseball cap. And what the hell, I like hipsters.

8550 Greenwood Ave. N. - map - myspace - seattle times - yelp - phinneywood - seattle weekly

#735 - Beveridge Place, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/28/2008

I'm a sucker for lots of wood and old books in a bar.

#734 - Yen Wor Village, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/28/2008

The standard Chinese restaurant dive, with a small bar, karaoke, cheap decor, overpowering smell of cleaner, and a brilliant range of patrons, from the giggling girls to the absolutely smashed old men.

#733 - Admiral Pub, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/28/2008

A clone with absolutely zero character or physical attractions. You'd have to really love the patrons there to skip so many less boring bars in the area.

#732 - Mission, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/28/2008

Another lovely West Seattle bar

#731 - Cozy Inn Tavern, Kenmore, Wa - 11/17/2008

The Cozy Inn Tavern has no Inn, but it is cozy, and it is a tavern (no liquor). A comfortable neighborhood place with lots of wood and microwave pork rinds.

#730 - Martin's Off Madison, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 11/11/2008

This is why I love this project. I would have never stumbled upon this place if not for K-Bar.

#729 - C.C.Attles, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 11/11/2008

#728 - Osteria la Spiga, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 11/11/2008

#727 - Bill's Off Broadway, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 11/11/2008

#726 - Kurrent, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 11/11/2008

#725 - Spring Hill, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/9/2008

This relatively new place (6 mos. old) looks like a fine restaurant. But this list is about bars, and the bar here is an afterthought.

#724 - Poggie Tavern, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/9/2008

I suddenly felt like I was in a tavern in the mountains in Idaho. A classic dive, with guys with big beards and gals with big hair. The large bartender, in levis suspenders and plaid shirt said of a just-departed patron, "He's a character. But ain't we all?"

Indeed.

#723 - The Corner Pocket, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/9/2008

Nothing special to look at, but I like the downstairs location and I liked the people hanging out there. I might give this my Great Dive rating if the Poggie Tavern weren't right down the street.

#722 - Shadow Land, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/9/2008

I almost gave this my Highly Recommended rating, based on the magnificent sign, the bartender Jay, and the one cocktail I had -- a bartender's muddled choice which is informally, if not that appetizingly, called the "Plumber's Crack." But the place was pretty dead when I went there on a Sunday evening, and I couldn't get any sense for what the vibe and crowd are like when it's busy. I must revisit soon on a Friday or Saturday evening.

#721 - Elliot Bay Brewery, Seattle (West Seattle) - 11/9/2008

Try the Dry Hopped IPA, which immediately hopped onto my favorite beers list (along with Manny's Pale and Diamond Knot Industrial).

It finally occurred to me, as it must have to many others, that West Seattle is Seattle's Portland. They've very nicely mixed in the new with the old, like a small town with an inexplicable amount of variation. And the 4400-4700 stretch of California Ave. is the best and most varied set of drinking establishments in the city, from the ultra-swanky Ama Ama, to the hip and funky West 5, from the young people's dive at the Corner Pocket, to the classic older folks' dive at Poggie Tavern. And Elliot Bay Brewery is one of a number of nice places in between.

#720 - Naked City, Seattle (Greenwood) - 10/30/2008

Another great addition to the Greenwood area for beer lovers, with a broad range of rotating taps.

BTW, this makes 100 new bars in 2008.

#719 - Holy Mountain, Seattle - 10/25/2008

A great, underground, happening scene that I haven't seen in Seattle in many years.

#718 - Victory Lounge, Seattle - 10/25/2008

MySpace, Stranger, yelp

#717 - Cafe Racer, Seattle (U-District) - 10/25/2008

Just the sort of quirky, artsy, weird little joint to wake up the neighborhood. There's hope for the U-District. Suffice it to say that when these guys took the stage:












They said of the previous act, "They're weird!"

Cafe Racer also features the Official Bad Art Museum of Art (OBAMA) room, curated by Jo and Marlowe.
(Cafe Racer)

#716 - The Stepping Stone, Seattle - 10/14/2008

(ballardsteppingstone.com)

#715 - Tiger Sports Bar, Seattle (Greenwood) - 10/13/2008

#714 - B-Side Tavern, Portland - 10/5/2008

#713 - Rontoms, Portland - 10/5/2008

#712 - Mulligans Bar & Grill, Portland - 10/5/2008

#711 - The Grey Parrot Brewpub, Long Beach, WA - 9/27/2008

This is a charming little place where Phil and his wife brew beers and serve food in a double wide mobile home filled with souvenirs from his travels, and marked by his home carved signs out front.

#710 - Gear Shed Lounge, Long Beach, WA - 9/26/2008

Features a very nice lodge sort of room.

#709 - The Lamplighter, Seaview, WA - 9/26/2008

Backwards baseball cap required.

#708 - Columbia Bar (Lightship Restaurant), Long Beach WA - 9/26/2008

#707 - Doc's Tavern, Ocean Park WA - 9/26/2008

This and the Grey Parrot Brewpub are my favorite bars on the peninsula.

#706 - Long Beach Tavern, Long Beach, WA - 9/25/2008

#705 - The Sea Hag, Ilwaco, WA - 9/25/2008

http://seahagilwaco.com/

#704 - The Little Red Barn Loaf'n Shed, Grand Mound, WA - 9/25/2008

#703 - Juju, Seattle (Belltown) - 3/19/2008

#702 - The Polar Bar, (Arctic Club Hotel) Seattle - 3/19/2008

#701 - The Crimson C, Seattle (downtown) - 3/19/2008

When I went there on an early Wednesday evening it was just big, red, and empty. I'll have to try again some Friday or Saturday night. (web site)

#700 - Ama Ama Oyster Bar, Seattle (West Seattle) - 9/4/2008

The most swank bar in Seattle -- absolutely beautiful everywhere you look, like a living Shag painting.

Try the: Starrlight




4752 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 (map)
(ama-amaseattle.com - facebook - yelp - Seattle PI)

#699 - Red Onion Tavern, Seattle - 7/11/2008 (OOO)

#698 - Impromptu, Seattle - 7/11/2008 (OOO)

#697 - The Cactus, Seattle (Madison Park) - 7/11/2008 (OOO)

#696 - West Five, Seattle (West Seattle) - 9/4/2008

Kitschy cocktails. Cool. (web site)

#695 - Jolly Roger Taproom (Pacific Maritime Brewery, Seattle (Ballard) - 9/4/2008

#694 - The T-Bird Tavern, Seattle (Ballard) - 8/31/2008

#693 - Hazelwood, Seattle (Ballard) - 8/31/2008

This bar had the small personality of a bar in the Adams Morgan district of Washington DC (which is the best strip of small personality bars in the country, as far as I've seen). I wasn't quite as knocked out by the drinks or vibe as most of the places I highly recommend, but this is an intimate, unique space, with a cool crowd and some adventurous cocktails, and what more could you ask?

#692 - Ocho, Seattle (Ballard) - 8/31/2008

A very nice, hopping, little place.

Try the Ten Dollar Margarita and the Sangria Rioja.

#691 - Havanna, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 8/27/2008

#690 - Vermillion, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 8/27/2008

People on Capitol Hill put up galleries with wine bars like some neighborhoods put up lemonade stands.

#689 - Liberty, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 7/23/2008?

Nice.

#688 - 22 Doors, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 7/23/2008?

Excellent cocktails and a nice vibe. Highly recommended.

Try the cucumber cosmo

http://www.twentytwodoors.com/

#687 - Wild Rose Tavern, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 8/17/2008

Try the Pink Panty Dropper.
This is not exactly aimed at my demographic, of course, but it's a nice place and if I was wearing pink panties at the time, I might well have dropped them. (web site, Yelp)

#686 - The Honey Hole, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 8/17/2008

The Honey Hole has a great vibe, even on a Sunday evening, and the seductive barbeque smells wafting through the bar hut ensure that I'll be back during the day as well. (web site, Yelp, The Stranger)

#685 - Rosebud, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 8/17/2008

Try the Luke's Special.
Maybe I caught it on a bad night, but this spot left me a little cold and full of itself. It does feature a serendipitous, small back patio where you'd never expect it, and I've heard good things, so perhaps it needs another chance or two.

#684 - Grey Gallery, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 8/17/2008

Try the Ginger Gimlet. This cucumber based cocktail is second only to the complex and delicious cocktails of The Hideout and 22 Doors, which puts it in fine company indeed.

#683 - Cha Cha(new), Seattle - 8/17/2008

The new underground space is much nicer and it now serves beers that you don't have to pretend to be a starving rock band to like. But what it has added is exactly what is missing from the original -- the utter lack of an intrinsic reason to go there, except for the people you expected to be there. It remains to be seen how a location with its own attractions will carry on. (web site)

#682 - Bimbo's Bitchin Seattle Kitchen (new), Seattle - 8/17/2008

#681 - Oxford Tavern, Snohomish, WA - 8/13/2008

#680 - Stewart's Place, Snohomish, WA - 8/13/2008

A bit of the local talent (contains sound)

#679 - The Great Nabob, Seattle (lower Queen Anne) - 8/13/2008

I finally made it to this bar. I like the crowd and if I go at a busier time I might make it one of my recommendations. And I'm a sucker for bars with fezzes in their logos. But it's a pity that the decor of the bar itself doesn't contain a bit more of the character of the logo.
(web site / Yelp)

#678 - Crow, Seattle (lower Queen Anne) - 8/13/2008

#678 - Veil, Seattle (lower Queen Anne) - 8/13/2008

Swanky and spare. I went when it was still light out, which was an error (unless you're headed from there to the opera like the gals next to us were). Try the lamb sliders.
http://veilrestaurant.com/

#677 - O'Finnigan's Pub and Grill, Everett, WA - 8/3/2008

Another characterless sports, pull tabs, and karaoke bar.
(web site)

#676 - King Cobra, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 7/26/2008

King Cobra website

#675 - The Macau Grill (Red Dragon Casino), Mountlake Terrace, WA - 6/24/2008

#674 - Harvey's Tavern, Edmonds, WA - 6/24/2008

#673 - Oliver's Twist, Seattle (Greenwood) - 7/5/2008

Try: The Mr. Sowerberry
Oliver's Twist website

Along with The Hideout, this is my favorite bar discovery of the year. Adventurous cocktails, fine food, art, and a vibe and clientele perfectly between hip and comfortable.

#672 - Eva, Seattle - 7/3/2008

#671 - Place Pigalle, Seattle - 7/2/2008

Place Pigalle history

#670 - Pause, Portland - 6/27/2008

#669 - Gotham Tavern, Portland - 6/27/2008

http://www.gothamtavern.com/

#668 - 820 Lounge (Mint), Portland - 6/27/2008

#667 - Red Lion Terrace Garden (downtown), Seattle - 6/20/2008

#666 - Agua Verde, Seattle - 6/17/2008

#665 - Eastlke Bar and Grill - Seattle - 6/14/2008

#664 - Twilight, Seattle (Belltown) - 6/10/2008

#663 - Zayda Buddy's, Seattle (Ballard) - 6/9/2008

#662 - The Night Owl (13 Coins Lounge), Seattle - 6/8/2008

#661 - Yen Wor Garden (China Jade), Seattle (Greenwood) - 6/7/2008

Amazing. For years I've felt that The Baranof was the ultimate Seattle dive bar, and tonight I discover one that may top it virtually right across the street. It has the olive-skinned, gangster looking guy in a silk shirt singing motown, the squat bewhiskered cowboy, the patrons staggering around like ladders in a windstorm. Epic.

#660 - The Crosswalk Tavern, Seattle (Greenwood) - 6/7/2008

Basically everything that's boring and characterless in a dive bar -- a poor cousin to the classic dives up and across the street.

#659 - Atlantic Crossing, Seattle - 6/7/2008

A surprisingly diverse and fun clientele, and ultra sexy bartender Elizabeth
http://www.theatlanticcrossing.com/

#658 - The Jones, Seattle (Maple Leaf) - 6/5/2008

Good drinks, very good food - thejonesbistro.com

#657 - Maximiliens in the Market, Seattle - 6/5/2008

#656 - The Local Vine, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/30/2008

web site

#655 - Zoe, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/30/2008

web site

#654 - Six Seven, Seattle (Edgewater Hotel) - 5/30/2008

#653 - The Blarney Stone, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/29/2008

Another surprise - a big neighborhood bar with a typical cross-section of blue collar patrons (complete with entertaining drunks), smack between dives like Kelley's and the upscale Belltown scene.

#652 - Zeitoon, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/29/2008

Small, unimaginative beer selection, no interesting cocktails, a better wine selection and really good food; Andrea the bartender told me that Jean Enerson is a kleptomaniac whose illness and lawyer brother keeps her out of trouble, and that she (Andrea) could get away with murder because she has migraines. I didn't challenge her story because she's cute and also because she can get away with murder.
http://www.zeitooncafe.com

#651 - The Ould Triangle, Seattle - 5/24/2008

I've actually been here several times before, but never managed to doc for K-Bar. A pleasant enough place.

#650 - Tigertail, Seattle - 5/24/2008

The swanky, Asian decor would seem to make this a fine addition to the swell little bar area on 65th around the Tin Hat, Molly Maguires, etc. I have no clue why it was dead on the Saturday night I went.

#649 - The Dray, Seattle - 5/24/2008

A tiny, pleasant source of beer, a few choices of wine, and expresso

#648 - Chez Shea, Seattle - 2/16/2008

web site

#647 - Calamity Janes, Seattle - 5/24/2008

CalamityJanes.biz

#646 - The Hideout, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 5/18/2008

"Art is social ..."

Try: The Lark.

A most excellent Seattle bar discovery, The Hideout immediately leaps into my Top 5 of Seattle area bars. As always, the vibe is the most important aspect, but this bar manages to be swanky and romantic without emulating either the cookie cutter upscale wine bar theme or the faux blue collar hipster theme. It's a bonus that the bar features adventurous and excellent cocktails, comfortable company, a regular publication of the doodles and poems of customers, and the ever-present chance that he customer next to you may be a part of a performance artwork, or that you might catch a glimpse of the strange monkey creature spotted only in brief, mysterious moments in the upper regions of the room.

#645 - Chac Lounge, Seattle - 5/18/2008

Capitol Hill Arts Center Lounge

#644 - Sixth Ave. Bar & Grill, Seattle - 5/14/2008

#643 - 1st Hill Bar & Grill, Seattle - 5/14/2008

#642 - Quarter Lounge, Seattle - 5/14/2008

A pleasant surprise near downtown Seattle (sorely lacking in good bars) -- the best bar that side of the 5-point.

#641 - Vitos, Seattle - 5/14/2008

#640 - 700 Club, Seattle - 12/23/1999 (out of order)

#639 - Ravenna Alehouse, Seattle - 5/11/2008

#638 - Faina, Seattle - 5/9/2008

Was Mira's. Entertaining chat with Gus the bartender.

#637 - Sonya's, Seattle (downtown) - 5/9/2008

A nice variation for Belltown. Look down (literally) on the Pink Door.

#636 - Jimmy's (Seattle) - 5/6/2008

#635 - The Ballard Loft (Seattle) - 5/2/2008

I don't know what went wrong here. The bartenders are cool, the space is nice, the drinks are good. But the patrons are awful -- backwards baseball cap wearing frat boys and other assorted airheads. I still love Ballard, but this place is not a good omen.

#634 - Portalis, Seattle (Ballard) - (out of order)

Portalis Wine Shop & Wine Bar

#633 - Rollin Log Tavern, Issaquah - 4/26/2008

#632 - Twin Peaks Tavern, San Francisco - 4/21/2008

"Gateway to the Castro" http://www.twinpeakstavern.com/

#631 - Kells, San Francisco - 4/21/2008

#630 - Lefty O'Doul's, San Francisco - 4/20/2008

http://www.leftyodouls.biz/

#629 - Gold Dust Lounge, San Francisco - 4/20/2008

#628 - Cha Cha Cha, San Francisco (Mission St.) - 4/19/2008

http://www.cha3.com/

#627 - Scala's, San Francisco - 4/19/2008

#626 - The Commodore, Portland - 4/5/2008

#625 - The Driftwood Room, Portland - 4/4/2008

A tiny, romantic gem of a hotel bar.

#624 - The Chesterfield, Portland - 2/23/2008

#623 - Bilbao, Seattle (U-District) - 1/26/2008

http://www.bilbaorestaurant.com/
(Bar not shown on this site.)

#622 - Earls on the Ave, Seattle (U-District) - 1/26/2008

#621 - Vessel, Seattle (downtown) - 1/10/2008

#620 - Pure Austin TX (6th St.) - 11/19/2007

#619 - Blind Pig Pub, Austin TX (6th St.) - 11/19/2007