#1077 #S634 - Flow Lounge, Seattle - 4/19/2010

For a place I read was reconfigured by the owner for more of a lounge focus, this has a pretty brief cocktail menu, and a bartender who doesn't have a lot to say when you ask for recommendations.  However the sazerac I had was very nice and so were the affordable small plates (I had the caprese salad, a salmon slider, and mini pot stickers, which were all three quite tasty).  The decor and the general vibe don't seem all that much different from the Opal days, but I like it a bit more.

2 Boston Street Seattle, WA 98109 - 282-0142
thrillist - queenanneview - yelp

#1076 #S633 - Mistral Kitchen, Seattle - 4/15/2010

The cocktail menu at the new Mistral Kitchen, in the able hands of Andrew Bohrer (formerly of Chantanee), is quite enjoyable.  On my first visit I had an excellent "Oak Aged Martinez" followed by a good, if a tad too sweet, "Trader Vic's style" mai tai.  And the cocktail menu is helpfully listed "in order of similarity to dreamy fluffy clouds transitioning to bitter angry poets."  Given that, I suppose I'll have to work my way through it starting from the bottom.

But the thing that will limit my visits is the unfortunate decor.  I guess a lot of people like very bright lighting and stark industrial modernism with their foie gras, but it is antithetical to the warm dark glow I prefer in a bar.

2020 Westlake Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 623-1922
mistral-kitchen.com - facebook - the stranger - seattle weekly - yelp - seattlepi

#1075 #S632 - Mecca Cafe, Seattle - (OOO)

While making a list of my favorite dive bars, I was rather stunned to discover that I somehow never added The Mecca to this blog. The Mecca Cafe is, of course, lower Queen Anne's version of the Five Point: Dive bar to the left, greasy spoon cafe to the right, strong cheap drinks, strong jukebox, good dive bar mix of people.

Near the height of the dotcom boom, I saw an ad in the Mecca mens room offering rewards for recommending computer techs. If ever there should have been a sign that things were getting out of hand ...

526 Queen Anne Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98109-4520 - (206) 285-9728
citysearch - yelp - the stranger -  seattle weekly

#1074 #S631 - The Diller Room, Seattle - 4/12/2010

The Diller Room opened in the back area of the Stella Cafe on April 1, and is hosting a grand opening party on Thursday April 22.  The web site say's "it’s time for The Diller Room’s return to its rightful place as the most opulent lounge in the City."  Well, it's not quite that.  But it is a nice room and bar with more character than most downtown Seattle bars, and pretty decent cocktails to boot.  And it's great to see the old sign and a worthy revival of what a part of Seattle's first luxury hotel (est. 1898) and later a (genuine) speakeasy.

1224 1st Ave., Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 619-3632
dillerroom.com - seattle weekly - thrillist - yelp - the stranger -

#1073 #S630 - The New Orleans, Seattle - 4/12/2010

114 1st Avenue S., Seattle, WA 98104 - (206) 622-2216
neworleanscreolerestaurant.com - yelp - citysearch

#1072 #S629 - Grizzled Wizard, Seattle - 4/9/2010

For a few years this was Tony's Liquid House and I was utterly unaware of its existence.  The space is almost covert (less noticeable than most of the new speakeasies), with a single door nestled between a UPS store and the Erotic Bakery.  Tony's is no more, but new owner (and first-time bar owner) Joe Couden has taken over and created a classic little neighborhood bar.  You'll never notice it from driving down the street, but now at least it has a (fairly subtle) name on the door. Joe said sales in the first couple weeks have been about 50% ahead of the business plan, and I'm glad to hear it, as it's just the sort of nifty little straightforward neighborhood place where I'd like to hang out now and then.

2317 N 45th St., Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 849-0062
grizzledwizard.com - thrillist - yelp - seattlemet

#1071 #S628 - Betty, Seattle - 4/9/2010

A nice cafe from the people behind Crow.  The emphasis is on the cafe, so the bar crowd tends to dwindle late as the restaurant closes.  But still the bar is more than just an afterthought and features some interesting cocktails.

1507 Queen Anne Ave N., Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 352-3773
eatatbetty.com  - the stranger - seattle times - seattlepi - yelp

#1070 #S627 - Treehouse Bar & Grill, Seattle - 4/8/2010

4332 Leary Way NW, Seattle, WA 98127 - (206) 297-8888
yelp

#1069 #S626 - Crown Hill Pub, Seattle - 4/7/2010

Update: The Crown Hill Pub closed after the death of long term owner Hope Greebaum in 2015.

A neighborhood dive where the bartender knew everyone by name (except me). Martina, the bartender, alternates between serving up Olympia and chatting on the phone ("Hi. I'm doing fine. Who am I speaking? I am making my dollar.") Another partner talks about his last time at the pub, when someone wanted to trade his '96 Ford F150 pickup for his cadillac (in all my visits to bars, no one's ever made me a serious offer to trade cars).

There has been a bar in this location since at least 1940, when the Polk guide lists a bar owned by Theo. Woelfert. Shortly thereafter it was briefly Johnny Olson's Tavern. From 1955 to 1959 it is listed as Sportsmen's Tavern, then the Terminal Tavern or Glaser's Terminal Tavern from 1961 to 1980. It is listed as Sidewinder in the early 80s, then the Water Hole from the late 80s to the mid 90s. I'm not sure when it became Crown Hill Pub but it was sometime between 1995 and 2000.




8511 15th Ave NW, Seattle, Washington 98117
Building constructed: 1927
Previous bars at this location: Johnny Olson's Tavern, Sportsmen's Tavern, Terminal Tavern, Sidewinder, The Water Hole
seattlest -

#1068 #S625 - Saltoro, Seattle - 4/7/2010

This virtually hidden place, with a nondescript facade on a fairly boring stretch of Broadview road, has a nice surprise when you walk inside. There's a warm, woody decor with a large fireplace, and a fine menu of cocktails and food. Managed by the same people who run Bick's, this shares the good food while providing a more romantic setting.

14053 Greenwood Ave N., Seattle, WA 98133 - (206) 365-6025
seattetimes - seattlepi - thestranger  - yelp

#1067 #S624 - Bisato, Seattle - 3/17/2010

Update: Bisato will close October 14, 2012

Good cichetti style small plates and pretty good drinks (although the eponymous Bisato Cocktail was overly sweet).  A very Belltown-ish addition to Belltown, in the old Lampreia space, by the same owner/award-winning-chef, Scott Carsberg.

2400 1st Ave., Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 443-3301
bisato.com - facebook - yelp - seattletimes

#1066 - Cantina Due (Hyatt Regency), Scottsdale, AZ - 3/29/2010

The web site claims that here you can experience "the quintessential cocktail...the best of the best."  That was not my experience, but the real reason you go here is for the water garden and luxurious views of this grand hotel.

7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Road Scottsdale, AZ. 85258 - 480-444-1234
hyatt.com -

#1065 - Cafe ZuZu (Valley Ho), Scottsdale, AZ - 3/28/2010

Cafe ZuZu maintains the midcentury-modern theme of the Valley Ho, and while the bar vibe seemed fairly restrained, it makes a nice neighbor to Trader Vic's.

6850 E Main St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 421-7997
hotelvalleyho.com - azcentral - chowhound - yelp

#1064 - Grazie, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/28/2010

A pleasant little wine bar and pizzeria.

6952 E Main St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 663-9797
grazie.us - azcentral - yelp

#1063 - The Grapevine, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/28/2010

This place has three distinct sections/personalities -- each of which has a crowd that helps put the "old" in Old Town Scottsdale. On entering there is a family Greek/Mediterranean restaurant, with the standard fountain and paintings of grape vines. Upstairs there is nice patio bar, which seems to draw mostly tourists. And in the back room of the lower portion there is a divey karaoke bar, which seems to be all long-time regulars.

4013 N Brown Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 994-1792
yelp - metromix

#1062 - Acua, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/27/2010

7144 E Stetson Dr., Ste 250, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 949-9000
acuaaz.com - newtimes - yelp

#1061 - Estate House, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/27/2010

A cool, tri-level space with a breezy patio on the upper floor.

7134 E Stetson Dr., Ste 200, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 970-4099
estatehouseaz.com - chowhound - yelp

#1060 - Devil's Martini, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/27/2010

4175 N Goldwater Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 947-4873
devilsmartini.com - yelp

#1059 - Mabel's on Main, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/27/2010

Mabel's on Main (formerly Mabel Murphy's) is a nice speakeasy themed lounge with very good cocktails and gourmet small plates (by chef and owner Aaron May). Nicki (sp?) the bartender (pictured) really knows her stuff, and was a great help with the cocktail suggestions.

But the star of the place is the hidden room (partially shown in pic).  Pull on a certain book and a section of the bookcase swings out to reveal a plush room complete with a one-way mirror to watch people in the bar.

7018 E Main St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 946-0363
mabelsonmain.com - newtimes - newtimes - yelp - chowhound

#1058 - The Rusty Spur, Scottsdale, AZ - 3/27/2010

The Rusty Spur is a fairly genuine honky tonk in the middle of Old Town Scottsdale.   It's in a structure built in 1921 and became a saloon back in1958 (claiming to be the oldest Saloon in Scottsdale).  It serves as "the destination of choice for the Hashknife Pony Express riders after completing the 200 mile relay ride over the grueling, mountainous trail from Holbrook to Scottsdale."

The house band -- the Psychobilly Rodeo Band -- told the audience "It's kinda crowded tonight, so if you're not gonna tip, we'd appreciate it if you got your cheap asses outta here."

7245 E Main St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251 - (480) 425-7787
rustyspursaloon.com - yelp - newtimes