#1342 #S806 - Panevino, Seattle - 1/17/2011

A very large selection of pasta dishes, good selection of wine, and decent cocktails with fresh squeezed juices

416 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 328-7817
Opened: June 2010
panevinoseattle.com - the stranger -  facebook - seattle met - yelp

#1341 #S805 - Siam on Eastlake, Seattle - 1/15/2011

This thai restaurant and long has moved up the road onto Eastlake, where it curves into Lake Union.  But  new (opened 10/15/2010) location is still much more Lake Union than Eastlake.  It's big, modern and somewhat swanky -- more Joey's than Eastlake Zoo.  The food is very good and the cocktails quite serviceable.  I had a catfish dish with a Sleepless in Manhattan (bourbon, Grand Marnier, Tuaca, sweet vermouth, champagne float)

siamthairestaurants.com - the stranger - yelp

#1340 #S804 - Gim Wah, Seattle - 1/11/2011

There are a number of good dive bars attached to Chinese restaurants in Seattle, but for me the Gim Wah in Magnolia tops them all.  This is largely due to the fact that it is too small for karaoke, and in too remote a neighborhood to concede much seedy integrity to a younger, more ironic crowd.

When I mention that I am headed to the Gim Wah, the owner of a neighboring restaurant tells me that the last time he passed by he saw a man out front of the place putting out his cigarette with one of the swim flippers he was wearing.  "It's always something at the Gim Wah," he tells me.  When I actually arrive there, there are ten customers -- all male, all over 40, and more of them outside smoking than inside drinking (though none wearing flippers).  Eventually a woman enters -- an older lady with a great swirl of blue hair and an overwhelming amount of soapy perfume.  Some of the men are loudly telling stories about crab traps and tides and how easy it was to dig up a bucket of clams 30 years ago.  As each new customer wanders in, he is greeted with some jest of recognition -- "Uh-oh, here comes trouble.  Ha ha ha!"  "You have the truck out tonight?" "Yeah, Trans Am don't go so good in the snow."  "Ha ha ha!"

When one of the regulars hears me order some Chinese food, he warns me "Four out of five stars?  That will blow your head off!"  But the meal is actually very bland by most standards.  Eventually a stylish couple with perfect hair, expensive overcoats, and neat scarves come in, looking like they just rolled in from the opera.  The male is clearly demonstrating his depth of character with this visit, and sits there amidst the rope light and faux marble, chatting up the bartender and commenting on how great everything is.

At the other end of the bar is a scary looking guy -- he looks stone sober and dead serious, a placid, impatient scowl beneath his thin mustache.  He is a big, Latino man who rarely speaks, but seems to lie in a steady orbit of drunk locals around him, who elaborate their problems to him.  The big man speaks quietly, so you can make out only the other, drunker side of the conversations.  "He don't pay me nothin."  "Life is hard.  I take care of my mother."  "You can be a good guy for so long, and then fuck it, it ain't workin."

There's snow starting to fall outside -- more is predicted overnight and people are wondering aloud if it will lead to the sort of traffic debacles that the last storm did.  The latest drunk guy to have been chatting up the stoic big man seems to be calling it a night.  The big man makes one last imperceptibly quiet comment, and the drunk man slides off his stool in the general direction of the front door.  "No," says the drunk guy, "I don't need your help to get home."  I decide to call it a night too, but I'll be back.

3418 West McGraw St, Seattle, WA 98199-3212 - (206) 284-7000
Est. ?;  Building constructed: 1946
seattle weekly - yelp  - magnolia voice - insider pages - dine.com

#1339 #S803 - Magnolia Village Pub, Seattle - 1/11/2011

I chatted with Joel Stedman, who had been the owner for about a month at this point, about his new place and the upgrades he is gradually making to this neighborhood sports bar.  Nice folks working there, good beer selection, decent pub food, good neighborhood feel.

3221 W McGraw St, Seattle, WA 98199 - (206) 285-9756
magnolia-villagepub.com - facebook - magnoliavoice - the stranger - yelp

#1338 #S802 - Swirl Wine Bar, Seattle - 1/11/2011

A pleasant little wine bar in Magnolia.  I had a Don Tiburci Malbec blend, some truffled popcorn, and a very pleasant conversation about Seattle bars with Annie, the owner, and Aaron, the bassist/customer.

3217 West McGraw St, Seattle, WA 98199 - (206) 327-9221
swirlmagnolia.com - seattle weekly - yelp - where.com

#1337 - The Spot Off Main, Bellevue, WA - 1/10/2011

20 103rd Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 646-6434
thespotoffmain.com - yelp

#1336 #S801 - Quoin (Revel), Seattle - 1/5/2011

Quoin ("coin") is the bar section of the new restaurant Revel, from Joule's Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi.  I have yet to try the Korean street food inspired restaurant, but the bar makes some high quality cocktails.

403 N 36th St, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 547-2040
revelseattle.com - gruman-nicoll.com - seattle met - thrillist - seattlest - yelp

#1334 #S799 - Bing's, Seattle - 1/3/2011

Update: Bing's closed in August 2019

Since 1999, Bing's Bar and Grill, AKA Bing's Bodacious Burgers, has been selling somewhat upscaled diner food (or "comfort food," if you prefer) in Magnolia. It's a pleasant, casual place to have a drink and some dinner, particularly -- as was not the case on this visit -- on a warm afternoon when the patio is open.

4200 East Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112-3237

4200 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 - (206) 323-8623
bingsbarandgrill.com - dogjaunt - yelp

#1333 #S798 - Needle and Thread, Seattle - 12/31/2010

If you pick up a phone at Tavern Law, you can be admitted into the "secret" bar upstairs, Needle and Thread. You go through the bank vault, wind up the narrow, woody stairs, past old photographs of naughty ladies, and enter into a sort of lavish, 19th century den of iniquity. The food is from the kitchen downstairs, which is to say, it is as good as anywhere in the city, and the cocktails, as below, are marvelous (although it was the upstairs bar that made GQ's list of best cocktail bars in the country).

Best not to order a particular drink here, but rather give your bartender some basic parameters and let him create something lovely. Tavern Law and its sister restaurant Spur are my favorite Seattle dining experiences and cocktail bars, and the cozy N&T is the best space to enjoy them.

1406 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 322-9734
seattle weekly - gq - yelp

#1332 #S797 - Local Vine (Capitol Hill), Seattle - 12/31/2010

The new Capitol Hill location of the award-winning Bellevue wine bar, with some nice food and cocktails.  I had a Blueberry Tea (ammaretto, Grand Marnier, Earl Gray tea).

1410 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 257-5653

thelocalvine.com - seattlepi - thestranger - yelp

#1331 #S796 - Seastar, Seattle - 12/28/2010

2121 Terry Ave Ste 108, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 462-4364
seastarrestaurant.com - seattletimes - seattlepi - yelp

#1330 #S795 - Pau Hana, Seattle - 12/27/2010

Update: Pau Hana closed in late August 2012, with plans to move to Pioneer Square, which apparently did not work out.

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Hawaiians like some disgusting foods. As lovely as the islands are, it's hard for me to identify with people who treasure poi and spam. But there are some very tasty items on the menu at Pau Hana. I had the very good Kalua pig and excellent sweet chili chicken wings.

Pau Hana (Hawaiian for "After Work" or "After Work Drink") was opened by one-time Hawaiian residents Peter Duane, Derrick Rowland and Bruce Wilson in November, in the former location of Huiyona (and Galerias and Cellar Bistro and Ortegas and Spaghetti Red's). As the litany of recent owners attests, it will be tough to make a go of it in this location off the beaten path (around the corner for the also new Easy Joe's).

It probably won't be the tiny bar that makes the difference, and while I like the food much more than the overly sweet cocktails, I think the place would have a better shot if it was more of a bar that served food, rather than a restaurant that has a bar. But in any case it is nice to have another different option for good food, and I wish them the best.

2355-1/2 10th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 323-4262
pauhanaseattle.com - facebook - the stranger - yelp

#1329 #S794 - The Highliner Pub, Seattle - 12/26/2010

Update: The Highliner closed in 2011

This is a serious fisherman's bar, nestled in the too-modern building at Fisherman's Terminal.  It has photos of customers and their vessels, massive burgers, and somewhat grumpy staff.

3909 18th Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119-1659 - (206) 283-2233
highlinerpub.com - the stranger - seattle weekly - seattleweekly - yelp

#1328 - The Inn Sports Bar, Lynnwood, WA - 12/25/2010

16716 Highway 99 # D, Lynnwood, WA 98037 - (425) 743-0700
yelp  - uptake.com

#1327 - Foxy's Steak and Spirits, Everett WA - 12/25/2010

9601 Evergreen Way, Everett, WA 98204 - (425) 513-0960
yelp

#1326 - Shotze's, Everett WA - 12/25/2010

9602 Evergreen Way, Everett, WA 98204 - (425) 355-5766
yelp

#1325 - Barking Frog, Woodinville, WA - 12/25/2010

14580 NE 145th St, Woodinville, WA 98072 - (425) 424-2999
willowslodge.com - seattle times - the stranger - yelp

#1324 - Pearl, Bellevue, WA - 12/22/2010

Pearl is nothing special in terms of cocktails, but its food offerings give it a reputation as the best happy hour in Bellevue.

700 Bellevue Way NE, Ste 50, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 455-0181
pearlbellevue.com - seattle times - komo

#1323 #S793 - Bottleneck Lounge, Seattle - 12/21/2010

A hodgepodge of a neighborhood bar that seems like a lonely last stand among the French cafes of Madison. A nifty little place.

2328 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98138 - (206) 323-1098
bottlenecklounge.com - seattle weekly - yelp

#1320 - Bis on Main, Bellevue, WA - 12/17/2010

10213 Main St, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 455-2033
bisonmain.com - the stranger - yelp

#1319 - Wild Ginger, Bellevue, WA - 12/14/2010

11020 NE 6th St Ste 90, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 495-8889
wildginger.net - seattle times - yelp

#1318 - The Pumphouse, Bellevue, WA - 12/14/2010

Just across 405 from downtown Bellevue you step into the Pumphouse and it's like suddenly you're nowhere near Bellevue.  The decor isn't Bellevue, the staff isn't Bellevue and the clientelle are not Bellevue.

No augmented breasts and white striped shirts, just a blue collar crowd eating burgers and drinking big steins of beer.  It's as if you stepped over the highway and into Sequim.

11802 NE 8th St, Bellevue, WA 98005 - (425) 455-4110
Previous bars in this location: Lon's Place (1950s)
pumphousebellevue.com - yelp

#1317 #S791 - Harlow's Saloon, Seattle - 12/13/2010

Update: Harlow's closed in Sep. 2011

A new divey bar from the owners of Moshi Moshi and Bricco.  It's in a great space and successfully feels like regulars have been hanging in it for 50 years.

5200 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 327-9804
Est. Dec 2010 - Closed Sep 2011
facebook - seattle weekly - yelp - seattleballard

#1316 #S790 - Five Corner Market, Seattle - 12/13/2010

Update: Five Corner Market closed April 12, 2011

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With the old Lombardi's location and chef Sam Crannell from Quinn’s and Oddfellows, the 5 Corner Market brings offers some reasonable cocktails and quite good food.  They were still working on a cocktail menu when we dropped in, and they are supposed to be heavy on bourbon-based drinks, so I'll definitely have to give the bar (which has moved downstairs) another try soon.

2200 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 816-3310
Est. Dec. 2010; closed April 12, 2011
5cornermarket.com - thrillist - myballard - gastrolust - yelp

#1315 - Boom Noodle, Bellevue, WA - 12/13/2010

504 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 453-6094
boomnoodle.com - seattletimes - yelp

#1314 - The Mukilteo Lodge, Mukilteo, WA - 12/10/2010

Nice, big, woody, lodgy sports bar

7928 Mukilteo Speedway, Mukilteo, WA 98275 - (425) 374-3333
mukilteolodge.com - urbanspoon - yelp

#1313 - Amici Bistro, Mukilteo, WA - 12/10/2010

8004 Mukilteo Speedway, Mukilteo, WA 98275-2653 - (425) 438-9544
yelp

#1312 - Seastar, Bellevue, WA - 12/9/2010

Fancy seafood from John Howie (and part-owner Gary Payton)

205 108th Avenue NE #100, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 456-0010
seastarrestaurant.com - seattlepi - seattletimes - yelp

#1311 #S789 - The Blue Glass, WA - 12/8/2010

The Blue Glass, which opened 12/2/2010 in the location that previously housed Tigertail, is owned by Dan Cowan, of the Tractor Tavern.  It is a very different vibe, but still comfortable, and with some nice cocktails and food.

I had a Maple Rye Old Fashioned (Old Overholt rye, maple syrup, cherry and orange soda), and a very nice pork tenderloin sandwich (carmelized apple, onion, fennel).



704 NW 65th St., Seattle, WA 98117 - (206) 420-1631
Est. Dec 2, 2010 - Building constructed: 1938
Previous bars at this location:  Tigertail
theblueglass.net - facebook - myballard - yelp

#1310 - Ristorante Luciano, Bellevue, WA - 12/7/2010

515 Bellevue Square # A, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 283-5877
ristoranteluciano.com

#1309 - Z'Teja's Southwestern Grill, Bellevue, WA - 12/6/2010

To close January 26, 2013.


535 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 467-5911
ztejas.com