#1398 #S852 - The Bridge, Seattle - 3/22/2011

The Bridge is a comfortable and sometimes incongruous neighborhood joint, with motorcycles and blue collar vehicles parked out front, but inside a menu of sashimi ahi, crab dip, and chicken caprese sliders.  (It also has a tasty burnt creme with fresh berries soaked in Jack Daniels.)  They occasionally have live music and even had one of the local high school drum teams in.

The decor is fairly standard but the owners have worked a number of interesting places, so it will be interesting to see if it grows a bit more pronounced personality.  But it seems like a step up from the Redline, which itself was a step up from Legends.

4439 35th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126 - (206) 402-4606
Est. Feb. 24, 2011 - Closed Dec 2, 2013 - Building constructed 1926
Previous bars at this location:  Redline Music and Sports, Legends Sports Bar
thebridgeseattle.com - facebook - westseattleblog - westseattleherald

#1397 - Daman's Bar and Grill , Redmond, WA - 3/18/2011

14810 NE 24TH St, Redmond, WA 98052 - (425) 881-8801
damansbarandgrill.com - yelp
Est. 1982

#1396 #S851 - Saigon Nice, Seattle - 3/16/2011

Update: Saigon Nice closed (2013?)


My brief stop in at Saigon Nice, which opened in the former location of the Tan Tuu Quan restaurant, was a curious one.  I was the only one in the rather large place, and from their fairly limited liquor stock I decided that I better go with my "safe" drink when I don't trust the skills of the bartender, a simple gin and tonic.  But this turned out to be not simple enough.  The elderly Vietnamese lady behind the bar just pointed at the bottles there and asked, "Which one, you see?"

I didn't see, so I went with a bottle of beer.  And for the entire time drinking it, the woman sat right across the bar from me, watching me.  She didn't seem suspicious or like she hoped I would get out so she could close -- it seemed like she just had nothing else to do.  But it appears that there is no lack of action later in evenings, including multiple stabbings.

4864 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108 - (206) 723-6353
beaconhillblog - yelp
Est. 2008
Previous bars at this location:  Long time location of the Jolo Tavern (at least 60s through the 90s), Tan Tuu Quan restaurant

#1395 #S850 - St. Dames, Seattle - 3/16/2011

Good vegetarian food and cocktails in a surprising location from Amy Weems and Sarah Murphy.  I had the "New Zealand 75" (gin, kiwi syrup, champagne).


4525 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Seattle, WA 98108 - (206) 725-8879
facebook -  thestranger - seattle weekly
Est. Nov 2010

#1394 #S849 - Cafe Ibex, Seattle - 3/16/2011

3219 Martin L King Jr Way S #B, Seattle, WA 98144-6046 - (206) 721-7537
ibexseattle.tripod.com - thestranger - yelp

#1393 #S848 - Blue C Sushi downtown, Seattle - 3/12/2011

Update: This Blue C Sushi location closed Jan 6, 2019.


The 6th location from the local kaiten sushi chain.  The bars are certainly secondary here, and pleasant enough, but would not be your first choice if you weren't going for the food.

1510 7th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 467-4022
Est. Oct. 13, 2009 - Closed Jan 6, 2019
bluecsushi.com - seattletimes - yelp

#1392 #S847 - Mondello, Seattle - 3/10/2011

Nice Sicilian joint in Magnolia with a small wine bar from the Palermo buddies who brought us  La Vita è Bella Café.


2435 33rd Ave W, Seattle, WA 98199 - (206) 352-8700
Est. July 2005
mondelloristorante.com - facebook - seattletimes - yelp

#1391 #S846 - Jager Bar, Szmania's, Seattle - 3/10/2011

Update: The owners of Szmania's sold it on April 1, 2014 and on April 1, 2015 the name was changed to Rogo's Restaurant and Bar


"Jager" is something that can have widely varying connotations in different contexts, but it was still a little surprising to me the neon "Jager Bar" sign over the quaint suburban wine bar in Chef Ludger and wife Julie's fine bistro.

It's a little charming for my taste in bars, but it's a very nice dinner option (I had the curry wurst and prawns saute) and I enjoyed the "Red Vyalin Manhattan" (Knob Creek bourbon, Vya sweet vermouth, Peychaud's bitters, hint of cherry juice, served up with a brandied cherry)

3321 West McGraw St, Seattle, WA 98199-3209 - (206) 284-7305
Est. 1990, lounge opened 1994
szmanias.com - seattletimes - yelp

#1390 #S845 - Daniels Broiler Leschi, Seattle - 3/9/2011

All three of the Daniels have nice settings, but this one is the best, nestled in Leschi where it feels like a small town.

200 Lake Washington Boulevard Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 329-4191
schwartzbros.com - seattledining

#1389 - Bellevue Grille Lounge, Bellevue, WA - 3/8/2011

100 112th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 455-3330
starwoodhotels.com

#1388 - Three Lions Pub, Redmond, WA - 3/8/2011

8115 161st Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052-3806 - (425) 284-3399
thethreelionspub.com - yelp

#1387 #S844 - Plum Vegan Bistro, Seattle - 3/7/2011

Update: Plum closed Jan 5, 2025

I'm not quite willing to give up the illicit pleasures of heated animal flesh, but places like this remove a lot of my excuses.  And with a number of tasty dinner options, they serve some pretty good cocktails as well.  I had some bruschetta with a glass of wine, and the Spicy Cajun Mac N Yease accompanied by a Blueberry Basic cocktail (Spiced Cinzano rum, sugar, blueberries, basil, lime, soda).

1429 12th Avenue Seattle, WA 98122-3905 - (206) 838-5333
Est. July 25, 2009
plumbistro.com - seattlemetro - seattletimes - thestranger - seattleweekly - yelp

#1386 - Daniel's Broiler, Bellevue - 3/7/2011

Good steakhouse with a nice view, and like a lot of upscale restaurants, they've been forced to up their cocktail game over the last couple years.

10500 Northeast 8th, 21st Floor, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 462-4662
schwartzbros.com

#1385 #S843 - Horses Cut Shop, Seattle - 3/5/2011

Horses Cut Shop is only regularly open the first Sunday of the month, insofar as I can tell, but it is my favorite bar experience in Seattle. They have Sunday brunch, chicken shit bingo, and live music in a space they describe (accurately) as "part high octane bad idea, part Ameircana in all it's wooly glory."

Behind the bar was a sign reading "Horses Cut Shop has gone 185 Days Without Someone Throwing Up."  They ban civil war reenactments and Marshall Scott Warner.  In September they're driving 100 cases of Rainier in a 1974 Ford Camper Special to Austin, TX, where they will swap it for 100 cases of Lone Star and turn around and come back.

This is excellence.

4306 Fremont Avenue North
Est. 2010 - Closed 2012
Subsequently Underwood Stables, 2012-2014
Web site: horsescutshop.com
Articles: stackeddmagazine -  cozyland - flickr

#1384 #S842 - Empire Pub, Seattle - 3/5/2011

Update: The Empire Pub closed in either 2011 or 2012

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The Empire Tavern, named for its old location on Empire Way (before it was changed to Martin Luther King Jr. Way), is a classic neighborhood dive. It's been in the current location for about four years, but has a fine collection of old geezers. The walls are filled with Nascar paraphernalia and completed jigsaw puzzles featuring eagles, turkeys, Mt. Rushmore and Thomas Kincade-like cottages. It's a good place to wear your dirty baseball cap and have a beer and some microwave popcorn.

9501 Rainier Ave, Seattle, Washington 98118 - (206) 725-7714
Est. 1948 or earlier, at 5701 Empire Way (later Martin Luther King Jr Way), forced to move due to Sound Transit construction - Closed 2011 or 2012
Previous bars at this location: None known
Subsequent bars at this location: Souvanny's Restaurant and Lounge
yelp

#1383 #S841 - El Sombrero, Seattle - 3/5/2011

4868 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118-1742 - (206) 725-1418
seattletimes -  thestranger - yelp 

#1382 #S840 - Island Soul, Seattle - 3/5/2011

Very good jerk chicken and some tasty rums.

4869 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 - (206) 329-1202
seattletimes - seattle weekly - yelp

#1381 #S839 - Crepe Cafe and Wine Bar - 3/3/2011

Good wine and very good crepes.

2118 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115-6936 - (206) 527-7147
Est. 2005
crepesandwine.com - facebook - thestranger - yelp  

#1380 #S838 - A Caprice Kitchen, Seattle - 2/24/2011

Update:  Caprice Kitchen closed July 9, 2011

There is actually a bar here, and it's a quite pleasant place to have a glass of wine (although it is not open late -- closing by 9pm -- and it is not open Mondays and Tuesdays).  However the focus is clearly on the food and people seem to especially enjoy the weekend brunch.  It is small and fairly intimate, and feels like some little roadside farm cafe where a fine chef moved after getting sick of the city.  There is an emphasis on sustainable, organic, local, and seasonal (hence the "caprice") ingredients.  I've seen some mixed reviews of the food but all the items I have had have been uniformly yummy.

1418 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA 98117 - (206) 371-2886
Est. 2008
capricekitchen.com - thestranger - seattleweekly - yelp

#1379 #S837 - Tidbit, Seattle - 2/22/2011

Update:  Tidbit closed Aug. 27, 2011

Tidbit has some very good (Spanish and Italian) food, some interesting cocktails, and a pretty amazing happy hour with good wines and $1 (!) well drinks (4-6 and 9-close Tues-Fri).  I tried the "Esta-te" (gin, rum, Triple Sec, vodka, Chinotto, lime, and lemon) and the "Peach Sangria-tini" (Absolut Peach, tempranillo, Triple Sec, orange juice, muddled oranges, limes, lemons).

The actual bar portion of Tidbit is tiny and not easy to sit at.  But it's a fine little stop for tapas, wine, and what has to be the most affordable happy hour drinks on Capitol Hill


1401 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122 - Tel 206-323-0840
Est. 2007 - Building constructed: 1996
tidbitbistro.com - closure -  seattletimes - thestranger - yelp