#849 - Nijo, Seattle (downtown) - 7/8/2009

(Pat Roux photo)

83 Spring St. Seattle, WA 98104 - (206) 340-8880
Est. 2005 - Building constructed 1905
Previous bars at this location: None known
nijosushi.com - yelp - the stranger

#848 - The Loft, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

It's been a very long time since I'd been to downtown Edmonds and I really had low expectations for the bars. But while I don't see any particular reason to ever go back to Rory's or Johnny's, I was surprised by how much I liked the little trio of bars around 5th and Main. And The Loft was the most surprising of all.

It's small and romantic, with two floors and a very nice bamboo-lined patio. The food and drinks contain some fine, uncommon options. With the spring break type atmosphere at Taki Tiki and the classic neighborhood feel of Engel's, the swanky dark wood and dramatic lighting of The Loft make it the upscale alternative to perfectly complete the range of drinkeries. It gives people from Seattle a reason to return, and makes old town Edmonds feel like an alluring little resort town.

Try the: Glacier (Bartender Joe's cocktail contest entry)

515 Main St., Edmonds, WA 98020 - (425) 640-5000
theloftlounge.com - yelp - insider pages

#847 - Engel's Pub, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

A classic, small, neighborhood pub, just like every town should have.

113 5th Ave S Edmonds, WA 98020 - (425) 778-2900
Est. 1934
yelp - insiderpages

#846 - Johnny's Sports Bar, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

Mehhh....

101 Main St., Edmonds, WA 98020-3131 - (425) 778-1585
johnnyssportsbar.net - facebook - yelp

#845 - Rory's, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

105 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 - 425-778-3433
Previous bars in this location: Sail Inn Tavern (50s-90s)
yelp - citysearch -

#844 - A Very Taki Tiki Bar, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

This is certainly not the sort of place that is going to please people who are really into tiki culture. But while the college-bar type crowd, the cheesy but charmless decor, and the overly sweet, sorority girl drinks are not my cup of tea, I do like to see a range of styles in bars and I think this one definitely has its place, nestled in with the swanky Loft and the comfortably divey Engel's.

518 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 - 425-778-3548
Previous bars at this location:None known
averytakitikibar.com - yelp

#843 - Pexos / Lake City Bar and Grill, Seattle - 7/4/2009

When I first stopped into this bar in July 2009, I wrote here how boring it was.  It seemed like the lifeless remnant of some 70s fern bar, with no distinct features, hardly anyone in the place, and a virtually lifeless bartender. Like many people, I assume it was the "Lake City Bar and Grill," as the signs outside proclaimed, and I assumed I'd never be back.

Hanging bar above the main bar bears vestiges of Neal's Nightcap.

What brought me back in Sep. 2012, was finding the unfamiliar name of Pexos Sports Bar. It turned out that Pexos is what many people call the Lake City Bar and Grill, as the investment of a new sign was apparently considered frivolous. I was glad I came back though -- the place was a bit more lively, there were more interesting characters, and I did a tiny bit better job at noticing various vestiges of the past. That past was then partially filled in by long-time resident and customer Ashley.

This clip art flyer beside the door was the only hint I saw of the "Pexos" name.

Ashley informed me that the place was previously Neal's Nightcap (hence the "N N" etched in the hanging bar), and earlier the Green Mill (odd, because there is a sign with a blue mill still on top of the building), and possibly also The Lantern (presuming she is not conflating this with the Beacon Light Tavern which used to be on the next block).  It also went by various versions of "O'Neill's up until 2005 or so (O'Neill's Family Restaurant, O'Neill's Pub and Eatery, O'Neill's Restaurant and Bar). Unfortunately, it is difficult to find primary records of establishments this far from the downtown area.



12725 Lake City Way NE., Seattle, Washington 98125 - 206-362-2911
Previous bars in this location: O'Neill's, Neal's Nightcap, The Green Mill?  The Lantern?
yelp 

#842 - 88 Keys, Seattle (Pioneer Square) - 7/2/2009

Update: 88 Keys closed in 2017

315 2nd Avenue South, Seattle, WA
Previous bars in this location: Jazz Alley Downtown, Celebrity, The Fenix
Subsequent bars in this location: Xtadium
88keyseattle.com - yelp

#841 - GLO at Ibiza - Seattle (Pioneer Square) - 7/2/2009

528 2nd Ave., Seattle, WA 98104
ibizadinnerclub.com - yelp - seattle times - the stranger

#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

#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.

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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 

longprovincial.com - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp

#836 - Tavolata, Seattle (Belltown) - 6/24/2009

The cocktails I tried were average, but they have good Italian food.

2323 2nd Ave., Seattle, WA 98121

tavolata.com - seattle weekly - the stranger - seattle times - yelp

#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

#833 - Taberna del Alabadero, Seattle (Belltown) - 6/12/2009

Taberna del Alabadero closed 5/31/2011

#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