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Bars where Pete has had a Drink (5,608 bars; 1,754 bars in Seattle) - Click titles below for Lists:


Bars where Pete has had a drink

Sunday, June 28, 2009

#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

Saturday, June 27, 2009

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

Update: Jabu's Pub closed on Sep 6, 2014

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.

Est. 2002 - Closed Sep 6, 2014
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

Update: Long Provincial and Jelly Bar closed Oct 31, 2020.


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 

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

#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
Est. 2003
Previous bars at this location: Casey's Beer Depot, Blue Macs
myspace - thetorchlounge.com - shut down

#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

Thursday, June 11, 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

Monday, June 08, 2009

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

Update: The Tiger Lounge closed in September 2011


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






Sunday, June 07, 2009

#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.

Historical Notes:  Loretta's opened in May 2008, but the structure was built in 1918 and there's been a bar there at least as early as 1939 (the city guide lists a beer parlor owned by Mrs. Lou Mansfield).  The location hosted Kelly's Tavern for many years -- by 1948 and into the 1970s, though it moved across the street by the 1980s.

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