#1296 - Rocco's Bar, Portland OR - 11/21/2010

931 SW Oak, Portland, OR 97205 - (503) 223-9835
roccosbar.com - facebook - yelp

#1295 - Mother's Bistro, Portland OR - 11/21/2010

A nice (and popular) place, especially for breakfast, but with some decent cocktails.  Our server was great.

212 SW Stark St, Portland, OR 97204 - (503) 464-1122
mothersbistro.com - urbanspoon - yelp

#1294 - Bo Asian Bistro, Portland OR - 11/20/2010

A bar from Bo Kline, the Typhoon! chef.  Happily, I think they are no just Bo Asian Bistro and have given the "Restobar" a rest.

400 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205 - (503) 222-2688
bobistro.com - citysearch - yelp

#1293 - Tugboat Brewing Co, Portland OR - 11/20/2010

This is a nifty little nautical-themed brewpub.  Nice beers, nice crowd, and very comfortable.

711 SW Ankeny St, Portland, OR 97205 - (503) 226-2508
web site - barfly - yelp

#1292 - Someday Lounge, Portland OR - 11/20/2010

125 NW 5th Ave, Portland, OR 97209-3811 - (503) 248-1030
somedaylounge.com - yelp

#1291 - Portland City Grill, Portland OR - 11/20/2010

Not my favorite kind of crowd, but a nice view of the city.

111 Southwest 5th Ave #3000, Portland, OR 97204-3633 - (503) 450-0030
portlandcitygrill.com - yelp

#1290 - Saucebox, Portland OR - 11/20/2010

214 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205-3724 - (503) 241-3393
saucebox.com - yelp

#1289 - Palm Court, Benson Hotel, Portland OR - 11/20/2010

A nice, low-key lounge in an old historic hotel.  The servers were good and they were happy to tell you about the history of the 1912 building -- the presidents who have stayed there, the columns carved from one giant piece of rare Circassian walnut, the coo-coo clock which was the first piece added to the hotel.

Simon Benson himself was a teetotaler, but Jonah the bartender serves up some very good cocktails.  My favorite was the Chupacabra (Jalapeno, cilantro, lime, Hornitos, citrus liqueur).

309 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205 - (503) 228-2000
bensonhotel.com -  yelp

#1288 #S781 - Japonessa, Seattle, WA - 11/17/2010

I'm not a sushi fan, so I can't judge Japonessa Sushi Cocina -- although sushi fans I know seem to like it quite a bit.  The bar is okay, but not likely to pull you in if you're not there for the food.

The name means "Japanese lady" in Spanish, and reflects the "90% Japanese, 10% Latin fusion" food, from folks associated with Wasabi Bistro and Kushibar.

1400 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 971-7979
japonessa.com - facebook - seattlemet - seattle weekly - yelp

#1287 #S780 - La Puerta, Seattle, WA - 11/15/2010

Update: La Puerta closed in August 2012

No frills Mexican food, from the place that ran for years where Quinn's now stands.  Quinn's has much better food and drinks, but it can't replace that late night diner feel that the old location had.  Of course the new incarnation in the mall doesn't have that either.

the stranger - yelp
401 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 324-6211

#1286 #S779 - Highline, Seattle, WA - 11/15/2010

Good beers, very good sandwiches, and some interesting infusions, from the owners of Squid and Ink.  You probably won't even notice that it's vegan.

And of course the best thing about this place is that it displaces the gawdawful Club Lagoon.

210 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 328-7837
highlineseattle.com - the stranger - chs - yelp

#1285 - Palomino, Bellevue WA - 11/15/2010

#1284 #S778 - Perche No, Seattle, WA - 11/14/2010

Update: Perche No is closing Dec 18, 2019

This is a very interesting place.  They moved from a cramped little space on Queen Anne to a somewhat ostentatious, two-story, new building behind Kidd Valley in Wallingford (replacing a beautiful old brick home, BTW).  It is an Italian restaurant run by a Chinese couple, David and Lily Kong.  David is the chef, while Lily makes her way around and chats with the guests.  She talked about missing the opera performers coming into the old location on their breaks, and how they had a limo that would take customers to the Highlands just to see the view.

Unlike the old location, the new Percho no ("Why not?") has a dedicated bar area -- with a two-story high ceiling and chandelier made of wine glasses.  The cocktails are pedestrian, but they have a large selection of wine (there was a wine tasting wrapping up upstairs when I visited), and better than average Italian food.

1319 N 49th St, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 547-0222
Est. Aug 2006 - Closed Dec 18, 2019 - Building constructed 2006
perchenopastaandvino.com - culinary fool -  surly gourmand - seattle foodster - yelp

#1283 #S777 - Pan Africa Market, Seattle, WA - 11/12/2010

Update: Pan Africa Market closed April 14, 2012; plan to re-open across the street.

The drinks here are not particularly interesting, but it's well worth it if you are hungry. Our meals were both very good and we coveted those of our neighbors at the bar.  There are better cocktail options, but it's on my short list for favorite places to eat downtown.

1521 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 652-2461
panafricamarket.com - seattle times - seattle pi - the stranger - yelp

#1282 #S776 - Easy Joe's, Seattle, WA - 11/10/2010

Update: Easy Joe's closed in October 2011, and is said to be reopening in the future at 1st and Cherry in Pioneer Square.

This place just opened nine days ago and doesn't yet have a cocktail menu. They do have pretty decent diner/comfort food (I had the Sloppy Joe).

2359 10th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 325-1233
easyjoes.com - chs - the stranger - yelp

#1281 #S775 - Dilettante Martini Bar, Seattle, WA - 11/9/2010

Update: Dilettante closed Jan 2017.



A fine place for women who feel like they deserve a splurge and that there is no such thing as a too-sweet cocktail.



538 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 329-6463
Est. 2008 - Closed Jan 2017
Web site: dilettante.com
Reviews:  the stranger - chs -  yelp

#1280 #S774 - Poppy, Seattle, WA - 11/9/2010

I had no idea what Poppy was before I popped in, other than a bar to add to this list where I could probably get some decent food.  Well now Poppy  is  one of my top 5 or so places to eat in Seattle. 

While the tapas boom is great for tasting several dishes in a single visit, it can start to get very costly fast if you're hungry.  At Poppy, long-time Herb Garden chef Jerry Traunfeld borrows the "Thali" (large platter) concept from India, and serves 7 to 10 pretty excellent different bites at a time.

The cocktails are good too.  I had a tasty Papi Delicious (tequila, curacao, red bell pepper, jalapenos, lime and mint) and a Six Twenty Two (rye, Amarao Nonino, rhurbarb, and Angostura bitters).  The decor is a little open and cold for a bar, but the food and drinks will definitely keep this high on my list of dinner choices.


622 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 324-1108
poppyseattle.com - seattle pi - seattletimes - seattletimes 2 - the stranger - seattle weekly - yelp

#1279 #S773 - The Counter, Seattle, WA - 11/7/2010

Update: The Counter closed in March 2012.

There is a bar (counter?) at The Counter, and there's liquor, but it's pretty minimal after the beer.  But of course people go there for the food porn monster burgers, not a fine cocktail.

4609 14th Avenue, NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 706-0311
thecounterburger.com (sound/flash) - seattle times - urbanspoon photos - the stranger - myballard - yelp

#1278 - Maggiano's Little Italy, Bellevue, WA - 11/5/2010

Old school American Italian food, like your (non-Italian) grandparents like to eat.  Order a pasta dish, get a second one free to take home.

10455 Northeast 8th St, Bellevue, WA 98004-4346 - (425) 519-6476
maggianos.com - yelp

#1277 #S772 - Pnk Ultra Lounge, Seattle, WA - 11/4/2010

I suppose you should go see it, if you haven't, just to have taken in the spectacle.  But at its essence it's the worst of Belltown, with a dash of Vegas, grinding its way to its logical conclusion -- a location in a shopping mall.

600 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101, #403 (206) 623-2222
Previous bars at this location: Stars Bar and Dining
pnkultralounge.com - facebook - yelp

#1276 #S771 - Bar Ferd'nand, Seattle, WA - 11/2/2010

Bar Ferdinand closed in Feb 2020.

1531 Melrose Ave, Suite 3, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 682-1333
Est. 2010 - Closed Feb 2020 - Building constructed 1912
ferdinandthebar.com - facebook - the stranger - seattle met

#1274 - Tap House Grill, Bellevue, WA - 10/28/2010

550 106th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 467-1730
taphousegrill.com - yelp

#1273 #S769 - Gambas, Seattle, WA - 10/23/2010

2230 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121-2019 - (206) 728-5092
Est. 2009 - Closed Sep. 2012
gambasrestaurant.com - yelp

#1272 #S768 - Blush Lounge, Seattle, WA - 10/22/2010

101 Denny Way, Seattle, WA 98109-4910 - (206) 448-3035
blushseattle.com - the stranger - yelp

#1271 #S767 - Sullivan's Steakhouse, Seattle, WA - 10/22/2010

Sullivan's Steakhouse closed May 31, 2017

621 Union St, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 494-4442
Est. 2010 - Closed 2017 - Building constructed 1989
Previous bars at this location: Union Square Grill, Lost Lady American Cantina
web site - seattle times - yelp

#1270 #S766 - Naam Thai Cuisine, Seattle, WA - 10/20/2010

1404 34th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 568-6226
naamseattle.com - seattle weekly - seattlemag -

#1269 #S765 - St. Clouds, Seattle, WA - 10/20/2010

Update: St. Cloud's closed Oct 28, 2018.

---

This is a nice little bar where I kinda crashed a party, with a bunch of friends celebrating the birthday of "Toxic," who passed away this year.  Nothing fancy in terms of cocktails, but a cozy little place for a glass of wine.

1131 34th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 726-1522
Est. 2000 - Closed Oct 28, 2018 - Building constructed 1903
Previous bars in this location: None known
stclouds.com - seattle times - the stranger - yelp

#1275 #S770 - Brella's, Seattle, WA - 11/1/2010

Update: Closed sometime around 2019?

Purportedly a sports bar, there was one other customer in this large bar when I dropped in during a world series game.

200 Taylor Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

200 Taylor Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 448-9444

web site - seattle pi - the stranger - yelp

#1268 #S764 - Madrona Eatery & Ale House, Seattle, WA - 10/20/2010

Update: The Madrona Eatery and Ale House closed in July 2015.

1138 34th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Est. 1996 - Closed July 24, 2015 - Building constructed 1935
Previous bars in this location: None known
Subsequent bars in this location: Madrona Arms
seattle times - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp

#1267 #S763 - McGilvra's, Seattle, WA - 10/20/2010

There are some horror stories about the service (e.g. see yelp), and it was a little disappointing for me even though I sat at the bar on a casual afternoon.  But what they have been successful at is creating a new bar with a feeling like it's been there a long time, and in an enviable location in the summer.  So I'll be checking back.

BTW, did you realize that Madison is the only street in Seattle that will take you from the salt water of Puget Sound to the fresh water of Lake Washington?  I didn't think about that until I read the McGilvra back story.

4234 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112-3237 - (206) 325-0834
mcgilvrasirishpub.com - madisonparkblogger - seattletwist - seattleweekly - yelp

#1266 #S762 - Bottlehouse, Seattle, WA - 10/20/2010

This is a very pleasant place that just opened in May over the Wilridge Winery in Madrona. I was fortunate enough to catch it on an stunningly gorgeous October day, when turtles were sunning themselves on the nearby Denny Blaine Lake, and the patio on the side of the building was particularly inviting.

Bottlehouse is, of course, a wine shop and cafe -- and I can't think of a nicer such venue in the city. I had an Impulse (a syrah-based blend), a tasty apple and brie sandwich, a nice chat with Soni (one of the owners), and more than one thought about how nice it would be to be permanently retired so I could do this every day.

1416 34th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 708-7164
bottlehouseseattle.com - facebook - thestranger - seattle weekly - yelp 

#1265 - McMurphy's, White Center, WA - 10/19/2010

If you're looking for a quaint little Irish bar, McMurphy's ain't it. It's a fairly sizable, classic dive in White Center, where aging cover bands play 70s arena rock and the front patio is a well-used smoking area.

The bands weren't yet playing when we visited, and instead I ended up sitting beside what must have been the loudest domino game ever.  Snippet of conversation overheard on the patio:  "He didn't have a knife when I tried it."  (I didn't ask.)

This location was formerly the Firedog Inn.

11069 16th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146 - (206) 431-1916
facebook -  PI (local violence)

#1264 #S761 - Roxbury Lanes Lounge, Seattle - 10/19/2010

On old-fashioned bowling alley lounge.

2823 SW Roxbury St, Seattle, WA 98126 - (206) 935-7400
roxburylanes.com - yelp

#1263 #S760 - Skybox Sports Lounge, Seattle - 10/19/2010

Nice folks, average sports pub fare, but I'll be surprised if they're around two years from now.

315 First Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 588-2070
skyboxseattle.com (loud obnoxious music warning) - yelp