#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.

Bert's is also the oldest running business on the Bothell Everett Highway, moving to its current location in 1954, when it had a hitching post for the customers who would arrive on horseback.

17902 Bothell Everett Hwy, Bothell, WA 98012
Est. 1954
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, recently acquired by Bo, who worked for years in the 74th St. Alehouse family of pubs.

Historical notes:  This is in a building constructed in 1892.  In 1903 it became the Hotel Dakota, and then the Columbia Hotel from 1904-1920, hosting the likes of Bullalo Bill Cody.  It was the "Bright Spot Tavern" from at least 1946 into the 1970s, and was Slim's Tavern in 1980.


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

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

Update: Club Motor closed March 7, 2012

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 - westseattleherald (closure) - 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)
Est. Feb 28, 2009 - Building constructed 1908
thetintable.com - yelp - seattle metropolitan - capitol hill blog - the stranger

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

Update: Boom Noodle on Pike closed Aug 21, 2016

Try the: Cucumber Mint Fizz 

Est. 2007 - Closed Aug 21 2016

 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 Tribunali, 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

Dinette closed on Dec 23, 2013 and the owner is said to be looking for a larger location.

1514 E. Olive Way
Est. 2005 - Closed 2013
Previous bars in this location: None known
dinetteseattle.com - bostonglobe - 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
Previous bars in this location: Stewart's Tavern (1930s)
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.

807 Summit Ave E, Seattle, WA
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