Links



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, August 06, 2017

#2559 #S1259 - Revolver Bar, Seattle - 6/8/2014

Revolver Bar, Seattle, WA






"Vinyl. Booze. Food." says the web site. If you're old enough, Revolver Bar will feel like sitting in the rec room of your friend with the really cool parents in about 1975. It's a retro hipster Capitol Hill joint built around the inherited record collection of owner Gary Reynolds, of Electrokitty Recording Studio. The items that will jar you our of your rec room memories will be the modern sandwiches and snacks and the quality cocktails. I had three excellent ones from bartender Mario, and a fine bar conversation about life with patrons Mark and Jonah. (At least it seemed more pleasant than the conversation of a customer across the bar, whose discussion included observations like "That fucking fuck ... fucking, fuck her.")



1514 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 860-7000              
Est. May 8, 2014 - Building constructed: 1924
Previous bars in this location: Dinette
Web site: revolverbarseattle.comfacebook
Articles ranked: seattlemagcapitolhillseattleeater - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor

Saturday, August 05, 2017

#2558 #S1258 - Chuck's Hop Shop, Seattle (Central District) - 6/8/2014

Chuck's Hop Shop, Central District, Seattle, WA
After converting a nondescript north Seattle convenience store into a locally legendary craft beer stop, Chuck Shin has now selected and remodeled a bar and shop on the opposite side of town. It is very different from the Greenwood original, capacious, shiny wood, long communal tables and electronic beer list reader boards. But many elements also remain the same -- a casual, family atmosphere (augmented with ice cream), outdoor patio (a bit nicer here than the one carved out of the mini parking lot of the original) and a huge, interesting selection of beers. In this location there are 50 brews on tap and over 1000 bottled choices. I had a nice Snipes Mountain Buckaroo Session IPA.


2001 East Union Street, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 538-0743
Est. Jan 3, 2014 - Building constructed: 1972
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: chucks85th.com - facebook
Articles ranked: seattletimestheinfatuation - washingtonbeerblog - centraldistrictnews - capitolhillseattlecapitolhillseattle - thestranger - restaurantguru - yelp - tripadvisor - beeradvocate -  untappd

#2557 #S1257 - Aragona, Seattle - 6/4/2014

Strange pork and bean thing, Aragona, Seattle, WA
Update: Aragona closed in September 2014 and was refashioned into Italian themed Vespolina, which itself closed less than a year later. Stratton noted that while many people loved the Aragona menu, many others were slow to warm to it. Zach Geballe of the Seattle Weekly attributes the failure to a wine program too unfamiliar and ambitious for this space, despite being managed by two of the city's leading sommeliers:
"The goal was to get guests to take a chance on unfamiliar wines—to trust in the wine team’s skill in a way that is still largely uncomfortable for many diners. Setting aside the more outlandish suggestions, like drinking sherry with entrĂ©es, a list that offered few familiar touchstones was always going to challenge the staff and diners alike. Yet I can’t help but appreciate the optimism of such a move, even if in the long run it seemed unlikely to succeed. Indeed, as time passed and the restaurant struggled, the somm team that opened it departed. It was clear that the center could not hold."
Geballe adds that he has "no doubt" that the concept could have worked in a smaller space in a more hip neighborhood such as Capitol Hill or Ballard.



Strange ice cream thing, Aragona, Seattle, WA
Aragona is a Spanish-inspired restaurant from extolled local chef Jason Stratton. As Ronald Holden noted:
'Stratton, of course, is known to all as the "boy wonder" who took over Spinasse in its convulsive first months (when the investors dismissed founder Justin Niedermeyer), and has since continued with Artusi. To run the kitchen of the new spot, which will concentrate on Spanish fare, Stratton has turned to his longtime sidekick (and current Top Chef contestant) Carrie Mashaney.'

Strange sculpture thing, Aragona, Seattle, WA
Aragona would be recognized at a James Beard semifinalist for best new restaurant of 2014. So it was very buzzy in foodie land when Stratton took over this almost hidden space on the southern edge of tourist-filled Pike Place Market. I've lost my notes on what these food items were, but it was quite tasty while it lasted and I suppose that doesn't matter now. But we also enjoyed both the cocktails and conversation with bartender Aaron.












Strange diced thing, Aragona, Seattle, WA
96 Union St, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 682-3590
Est. Dec 9, 22013 - Closed Sep 6, 2014 - Building constructed: 1985
Previous bars in this location: Leo Melina, The Other Place, 96 Union, Harbor Place, The Islander, Thoa's
Web site: aragonaseattle.com
Articles ranked: seattleweekly - thestranger - cornichon - fb101 -  bizjournals -  foodandwine -  seattlemag - seattlemag - seattlemag - seattleappetizer -  tripadvisor - seattlerefined - thrillist - metropolismag - hansonphotogroupkatejessup

#2556 #S1256 - R Place, Seattle - 6/1/2014

R Place, Seattle, WA
For about five years "R Place" was a classic dive gay bar at the foot of the Hotel Waldorf on Pike Street, across from what is now the Seattle covention center. In 1989 they opened up in the four-story building on Pine that remains their current location (the Hotel Waldorf was demolished in 2000 and the old location now contains a Cheese Factory).

At first the place had few differences from the old -- only the first two floors were open at the time, and they continued to sell only beer and wine amidst a sports theme and pull tab bins. In 1997 new owners took over, expanded to hard liquor, and added a dance floor, and eventually converted the third floor into a clubby dancing section. Or as thestranger describes it:
R Place, Seattle, WA
'For centuries, R Place was where fratty A&F-ers went to pose with beer and dartboards. Now it's a tri-story dance emporium ruled by bonsai eyebrows and thrusting retail hips. And a cover charge. The first floor remains pretty much the same (a bar, some boys), but the second floor is now the loungey "living room" decorated in mod furniture. And the third floor? Dance, dance, dance!'
Over the years they added events like the "legendary Lashes Drag show" and a weekly amateur strip show. General manager Floyd Lovelady explained the origins of the latter to seattlegaynews:


"In 2001, Lovelady and company created the famous Thursday-night Amateur Strip Show - more commonly known as ASS - when they added the strip pole. 'The liquor laws in our city prohibited us from serving alcohol and paying performers to strip,' he explains. 'That's why clubs like DejaVu and others, who employ female dancers, only serve beer and wine. But I thought, 'What if it was a contest and the clientele was allowed to strip?' We checked with the liquor board and were given the thumbs-up! That's how ASS was born!'"
It remains "Seattle’s semi-beloved old school gay bar" (seattlegayscene) with Wet Wednesdays, Thirsty Thursdays, karaoke the first three days of the week and a "twerkologist" on Tuesdays.


619 E Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 322-8828
Est. 1989 (1984 in earlier location) - Building constructed: 1917
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: rplaceseattle.com - facebook
Reviews: seattlegaynews - capitolhillseattle - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor

#2555 #S1255 - Eetbar, Seattle - 6/2/2014

Eetbar closed in November 2015

Eetbar is latest of a rapidly rotating set of bars and lounges in this two level space at the foot of a condo building. It is named after a Dutch cafe the owners remember fondly, and is sometimes listed as Filipino cuisine, though they actually have dishes from all over the globe. The most important thing for me is that they preserved the Nitro sandwich, a spicy spin on the French Dip that is one of my favorite sandwiches in the city.

1556 NW 56th St, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 783-0131
Est. April 2, 2014 - Closed Nov 2015 - Building constructed: 2000
Previous bars in this location: Amber Den, Nick's Off Market
Reviews: yelp