#1222 #738 - Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Seattle - 9/10/2010

This is a fairly classic jazz club, featuring large paintings of various jazz players from the old Pete's Poop Deck.  You go here for the music, not the cocktails (which are pretty pedestrian).  It was started in the U District in 1979 in what was around the nadir for the jazz scene in Seattle -- a city that once had a rollicking after hours scene that featured 34 jazz nightclubs just along Jackson St between 1st and 14th Avenues, and the likes of Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Ernestine Anderson, and Patti Bown bouncing from club to club.  The current Jazz Alley location is swankier than the previous one, with small tables, two levels, and a dinner option.  They tend to get the bigger names in the related genres, and they claim to now be the third longest running jazz bar/nightclub in the country.

2033 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 441-9729
jazzalley.com - myspace - seattle weekly - urbanspoon - yelp
For a good description of the history of Seattle's jazz/swing/bebop scene, see Paul de Barros's Jackson Street After Hours

#1221 #S738 - 35th Street Bistro, Seattle - 9/9/2010

Update: The 35th Street Bistro closed Nov. 29, 2012

---

This is the French/European bistro in the old Still Life space, with a small separate bar room offering better than average cocktails and appetizers.  I had a Drunken Cherry Manhattan (Makers with cherry juice in lieu of bitters), and a 35th Street Martini (vodka muddled with fresh seasonal fruit and simple syrup) and liked them both.

709 N. 35th St., Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 547-9850
Est. 2004 - Building constructed 1909 - Closed Nov 2012
35bistro.com - yelp

#1220 #S737 - Enza Cucina Siciliana, Seattle - 9/8/2010

This is an Sicilian restaurant, formerly Sorrentino, presided over by Mamma Enza, a classic Italian lady with big, Jacki-O glasses and a tendency to tell you exactly what she thinks.  The bar is small and doesn't offer anything particularly interesting beyond the wine.  But if you're in the mood for some good Italian food and a nice glass of vino, I suggest going in off hours so you'll have a better chance of engaging Ms. Enza in various conversations.

While I was there, her mushroom provider came in, and had trouble convincing her that his delivery was a large as he said it was ("That'sa not'a five pounds").  A bit later, as he stood there eating gelato, she tells me, "Last week he sell'a me truffles.  But truffles not good.  But (sigh), he'sa muh friend."

enzaseattle.com - yelp

#1219 #S736 - The Ram (Northgate), Seattle - 9/7/2010

I'm not a fan of big corporate sportsbars/brewpubs -- particularly when they're in big shopping malls.  But I will say that bartender Brandon made the drinks and this visit enjoyable.

401 NE Northgate Way #1102 (Northgate Mall), Seattle, WA 98125-8538 - (206) 364-8000
theram.com - yelp

#1218 #S735 - Scorecard Bar and Grill, Seattle - 9/2/2010

This place is fairly new, but the style is strictly old school -- it's a bit like stepping into 1975.  There are old school drinks (rum and cokes) being consumed, old school bar food being served, and old school gals working the bar who call every customer "Babe" or "Hon."  And apparently everyone in the place smokes (odd how often that goes together with "sports" bars).

Despite the name, the sports theme doesn't appear to go any deeper than any typical suburban, strip-mall bar.  The interior is fairly large and utterly devoid of any charm or character, but there do appear to be some real characters among the customers and staff.

543 NE Northgate Way, Seattle, WA 98125-6155 - (206) 367-2620
yelp

#1217 #S734 - Staple and Fancy, Seattle - 9/2/2010

Staple and Fancy Mercantile is the newest restaurant from Ethan Stowell and crew, with much of the staff coming from the recently deceased Union (and Ethan himself often in the kitchen).  The bar is fairly small and the place is usually packed, like all ES joints.  But the interior is more warm and pleasant of Stowell's restaurants, and one can have a cocktail while hovering for an open bar seat.  I started with a very nice "De la Louisianne" (rye, Benedictine and Pastis), which made hovering quite bearable. A sweet cream ricotta with heirloom tomato appetizer, a second cocktail (a "Caliana" -- gin, Aperol, grapefruit and soda), and some pleasant company at the bar made the wait well worth it.

4739 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 789-1200
ethanstowellrestaurants.com - seattle times - crosscut - seattle weekly -  the stranger

#1216 #S733 - Auto Battery, Seattle - 9/1/2010

Auto Battery, from the people behind Po' Dog next door, has a few vestiges of the past captured in its name, which prevents the new Capitol Hill sports bar from being totally generic. But its not very far from that, and will not be of any particular interest to anyone who hankers for anything beyond a beer and sports on TV.

1009 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 322-2886
facebook - seattlemet - yelp

#1215 #S732 - Anchovies and Olives, Seattle - 9/1/2010

Update: Anchovies and Olives closed Dec 31, 2017.

Sharing dinner items with three friends provided a pretty good sampling of the food here, which generally lived up to expectations (or as close as reasonable, given outsized accolades such as being in Bon Appetit's best ten restaurants in America).  I didn't like it as much as I've enjoyed other Ethan Stowell places, but I'm not personally a fan of oysters or raw seafoods, so I am probably not one of the better judges of the menu.

The drinks -- some classics and some designed by bartender Kiara -- were better than average, but the bar section is a bit too appertaining and the ambiance of the entire place a bit too open and condo for me to consider it highly when one is looking strictly for a bar.

1550 15th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 838-8080
ethanstowellrestaurants.com - seattle weekly - seattle foodies - thestranger - yelp

#1214 #S731 - Bandolero, Seattle - 8/31/2010

Update:  Bandolero closed around Oct. 3, 2011

The latest incarnation of the "Pour House," in the old Luau space.  This version seems more likable than the PH.  The Mexican food and drinks were both above average and Ryan the bartender was efficient and funny.

2253 N 56th St, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 633-5828
bandoleroseattle.com - seattlepi - thrillist - yelp

#1213 - The Dresden Room, Los Angeles - 8/24/2010

The Dresden Room is a must-see, old school, Rat-Pack-style Los Angeles icon due to Marty & Elayne.  I missed their signature version of "Stayin' Alive," but I did catch much of their act, including various snippets of patter between Marty and our table ("Is Seattle in a different time zone?"). 

The Dresden has been around since 1954, and although they seem like they've been there even longer, Marty and Elayne have been regulars since 1982.  I couldn't put it any better than Laura B., on yelp, "Marty & Elaine are fantastic - timeless LA legends - well maybe not so timeless."

1760 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027 - (323) 665-4294
thedresden.com - "Swingers" scene - time - newyorkerinhollywood - yelp

#1212 - Cuba Libre, Los Angeles - 8/24/2010

1745 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027 - (323) 661-5900
yelp - citysearch

#1211 - The Bahooka, Rosemead CA - 8/24/2010

Update: The Bahooka closed in March 2013

This may be my favorite tiki bar I've ever been to.  Yes, the Mai Kai is grand, and perhaps holds an edge thanks to the gardens.  But inside Bahooka Ribs & Grog has the dark, ramshackle, non-corporate vibe that I love in a tiki bar.

The food is fairly plain and the drinks do not compete with the best tiki joints (though they are better than average), but the fact that there is nothing fancy about their food somehow makes it all the more likable.

Then, of course, there are the aquariums (over 100 of them) and the alluring feeling of being lost in the labyrinth hold of a sunken ship.  Each booth is surrounded by fish and seafaring paraphernalia, dark and woody with the tables hanging by a large iron chain.

It is out of the way enough to have a shack ("bahooka") feel to it from the outside, and the small bar, where a turtle paddles under your drinks, preserves the vibe of an old neighborhood joint.

I love this place.

(More photos)

4501 Rosemead Boulevard, Rosemead, CA 91770-1476 - (626) 285-1241
Est. 1967 - Closed March 2013
bahooka.com - critiki - myspace - facebook - tikizone - yelp

#1210 - El Compadre, Los Angeles - 8/24/2010

7408 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046 - (323) 874-7924
elcompadrerestaurant.com (cheesy music & web graphics warning) - yelp

#1209 - Angels and Kings, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

Peter Gronquist sculpture at Angels and Kings, Los Angeles, CA

Swanky club by Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz.

Angels and Kings, Los Angeles, CA

  

1708 N Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028 - (323) 468-8815
angelsandkings.com - 944 - yelp

#1208 - L'Scorpion, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

215 Tequilas in a now well familiar format (Seattlelites think "Matador").  Had some good tequila and met a cool Austrian couple there (who seemed impressed that I knew Einsturzende Neubauten).

6679 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028 - (323) 464-3026
scorpionhollywood.com - myspace - yelp

#1207 - Kubar, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

Kubar Mediterranean Cafe & Hookah Bar

6669 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028-6220 - (323) 962-5555
kubarrestaurant.com - facebook - yelp

#1206 - Te'Kila, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

Bartender Elena, from Te'Kila

A new place with Mexican food, cocktails, 100 and some tequila choices, and in the Hollywood spirit, a $300 burrito option.

6541 Hollywood Blvd; Hollywood, CA - 323.960.2404
eater.com - savoryhunter - thrillist - yelp

#1205 - Five O Four, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

I happened upon the soft opening of this New Orleans style restaurant and bar, and chatted with Roger, one of the owners.  All the seating is on an outdoor patio, with the exception of a single table.  I know it's not quite the weather one associates with it, but I wish Seattle had at least one place with the rows of daquiri machines like this (and so many bars in the south).


6541 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA -(323) 960-0224
five0four.com - savoryhunter - yelp

#1204 - Power House, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

This bar has been around since at least the early 50s and guestofaguest calls it "By far the diviest and most random bar to grace Los Angeles."

1714 North Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028-4404 - (323) 463-9438
facebook - citysearch - yelp - zagat

#1203 - The Woods, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

Don't be put off by the strip-mall location -- this is a swanky place with a dark, woodsy interior and a bit of a Twin Peaks vibe, somewhat redolent of the Doug Fir in Portland.

There are antler chandeliers, a starlight ceiling, woody and rocky decor, reasonably good cocktails, and a small, cool crowd.

1533 North La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046 - (323) 876-6612
vintagebargroup.com - citysearch - yelp  - zagat