The Neighbor Lady is a new bar from Stephan Mollmann and Shira Bray, owner and bartender respectively of the Twilight Exit. It is a heavily remodeled space in the location of the old
Thompson's Point of View, soul food cafe and lounge. Thompson's was probably the last bar in Seattle where you could generally count on being the only white person there, a sad but inevitable victim of growing gentrification and racial change in Seattle's Central District.
I happened to be in the area and stumbled across it open before it's
official opening date, but much of the menu and most the drinks were
available. The owners did a handsome job of remodeling and redecorating
the space, with dark wood, wine-colored damask wallpaper and
wainscoting. The physical configuration inside is completely different,
with the intimate, often crowded bar area walls removed and a larger,
open space devoted to drinkers. It has a Victorian house of ill repute
sort of decor, apparently modeled on such an institution of the same
name that the owner admired in Amsterdam.
The menu is focused on vegetarian items, being constructed by Meagan Lass, a former chef at
Cafe Flora. The drinks are much more redolent of a steady neighborhood dive, focused on the basics and generally poured with a heavy hand.
2308 East Union Street Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 695-2072
Est. May 1, 2012 - Building constructed:
1928
Previous bars in this location: Thompson's Point of View
Web site:
facebook
Reviews:
seattletimes -
thestranger -
seattlemet -
seattleweekly -
centraldistrictnews -
eater -
eater -
yelp