#1414 - Katie Downs, Tacoma, WA - 4/14/2011

The modern answer to the mid-century's Harbor Lights, Katie Downs Tavern and Eatery server pizza, seafood, and simple cocktails in a bright location on the bay.  The bar is uninteresting, but the reasonable food and the great setting make it a very pleasant stop, particularly on sunny days.

3211 Ruston Way, Tacoma, WA 98402-5334 - (253) 756-0771
Est. 1982
katiedowns.com - facebook - weeklyvolcano - yelp

#1413 - Harbor Lights, Tacoma, WA - 4/14/2011

Founded by Yugoslavian immigrant Anton Barcott 62 years ago, Harbor Lights is owned by the Anthony's chain now, but it preserves its mom and pop individuality, especially in the lounge.  The restaurant and bar hover over Commencement Bay, and caters to old school seafood fans.

The lounge is full of vintage liquor bottles, vintage workers, and vintage patrons, and serves strong, cheap drinks.

2761 North Ruston Way Tacoma, WA 98402 - (253) 752-8600
Est. 1959
web site - tacomanewstribune - tacomanewstribune - seattletimes - yelp - tripadvisor

#1412 - The Spar, Tacoma, WA - 4/14/2011

The Spar is rich in Tacoma history and the oldest bar in that city -- at least by a certain reckoning.  It is on the site of the original Old Tacoma Bar, established 1884, which served as a house of ill repute until Washington State enacted prohibition in 1916, whereupon it was torn down.

A new structure was built the following year was operated by the Radonich brothers as shop selling men's furnishings, billiards, and soft drinks (and apparently some less legal methods of quenching one's thirst).  It was named The Spar by the 1920s, and became a bar again with the national repeal of Prohibition in 1933.  A remodel in 1988-89 opened up a back room and view of Commencement Bay to customers. It is now a very comfortable tavern and restaurant in the heart of Old Tacoma.

The Spar in 1949, Tacoma Public Library photo

2121 N 30th Street, Tacoma, WA 98403 - (253) 272-2122                
Est. as bar: 1933 - Building constructed: 1917
Previous bars at this location: Old Tacoma Bar (1884-1916)
the-spar.com - weeklyvolcano - tacomaweekly- seattletimes - yelp

#1411 #S864 - Rock Box, Seattle - 4/13/2011

This is just an incidental sort of bar in a Japanese style karaoke joint. What the bar is missing are TVs showing the various  private rooms full  people doing karaoke, which a switch to choose which one you want the sound for.

1603 Nagle Pl, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 302-7625
Est. 2011
rockboxseattle.com - facebook - capitolhillblog - thestranger - seattleweekly - yelp

#1410 #S863 - Varro, Seattle - 4/13/2011

Update:  Varro closed in July 2011, after being open for approximately 3 months.

Casual Italian bar with Fellini-era decor, small plates and cocktails.

1542 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 324-4400
Est. 2011
varrolife.com - facebook - seattlemet - thestranger - yelp

#1409 - Twisted Cork, Bellevue, WA - 4/12/2011

900 Bellevue Way NE, Ste 100, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 698-4100
web site - bellevuescene - yelp

#1408 #S862 - KiKi Tap & Eatery, Seattle - 4/7/2011

Update:  Kiki closed in April 2012

Several tasty Vietnamese and Asian fusion  dishes and a better than average bar.

600 E. Pine, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 320-7777
Est. April 1, 2011
Other bars at this location: Kurrent
kikiseattle.com - facebook - seattle.eater -  yelp

#1407 #S861 - Cuoco, Seattle - 4/2/2011

Update: Trattoria Cuoco closed temporarily in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, then announced permanent closure as of July 15, 2020.

Cuoco ("cook") is the Italian third Italian of the new Tom Douglas triptych in the historic Terry Building in South Lake Union (along with the Ting MoMo Tibetan dumpling cafe and Brave Horse Saloon).  Although we did not have time for dinner (it's Italian and Tom Douglas, so it seems pretty much a slam dunk), we were treated well at the bar by bartender Cody.  They were still working on a cocktail menu, and we will certainly be back.

320 Terry Ave N. Seattle, WA 98109 - phone
Est. 4/2/2011 - Building constructed: 1915 - Closed July 15, 2020
cuoco-seattle.com - thestranger - seattleweekly - dailycandy - yelp - greenbuilding - constructor

#1406 #S860 - Boom Noodle (U Village), Seattle - 3/30/2011

Pan Asian restaurant with a decent bar. Now closed.

2675 NE Village Ln, Seattle, WA 98105

2675 NE Village Lane Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 525-2675

Est. 2010
boomnoodle.com - dailyuw - carolinethecity - yelp

#1405 #S859 - Blue C Sushi (U Village), Seattle - 3/30/2011

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

There is a tiny, unremarkable bar in the U Village version of the local kaiten sushi chain.

2675 NE University Village St, Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 525-4601
Est. April 2005 - Closed Jan 6, 2019 - Building constructed 1956
bluecsushi.com - facebook - thestranger - sushimonsters - yelp

#1403 #S857 - Piatti, Seattle - 3/30/2011

 Piatti is a nationwide chain of somewhat upscale restaurants, though they encourage each location to personalize the menu.  The bar here is pretty standard and the food is Italian focused and quite good.

2695 NE Village Ln, Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 524-9088

piatti.com - heedthehedonist - thestranger -  yelp

#1402 #S856 - Tommy Gun, Seattle - 3/28/2011

Update: Tommy Gun closed Jan 17, 2015

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A darkly wooded bar that is envisioned as the go-to neighbor bar for the Capitol Hill Light Rail Station. The decor and drinks have very slight nods to the prohibition and gangster eras.  The servers are nice and willing to experiment with your drinks, but despite the themes, the bar seems rather unremarkable -- like a Linda Derschang bar without the budget to fill it full of animal heads and vintage signs.  It will be interesting to see how much it thrives in a neighborhood with so many other choices.

1703 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA - (206) 323-4866
Est. March 24th, 2011 - Closed Jan 17, 2015 - Building constructed: 1993
tommygunseattle.com - facebook - capitolhillseattle - seattleweekly - yelp

#1401 #S855 - Poquitos, Seattle - 3/28/2011

A large, ornate Mexican restaurant and bar from the owners of Bastille and along the lines of Pesos.  It has better than average food, decent drinks, and is usually full.

1000 East Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 453-4216
Est. March 2011 - Building constructed: 1912
vivapoquitos.com - facebook - seattlemag - seattleweekly - thestranger

#1400 #S854 - Blackboard Bistro, Seattle - 3/22/2011

Update: Blackboard Bistro closed Aug 19, 2017

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The bar is really an afterthought here -- the place is really about the food, a revolving set of quite good menu items on the various blackboards.

3247 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 257-4832                 
Est. Aug 2010 - Closed Aug 19, 2017 - Building constructed 1910
Other bars in this location:  Les Tamales, Ovio Bistro, Beato, Eness
blackboardbistroseattle.com - seattletimes - westseattleblog

#1399 #S853 - The Cask, Seattle - 3/22/2011

The Cask closed in October 2014.

2350 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 938-2275                   
Est. July 8, 2010
thecaskseattle.com - seattlepi - westseattleblog

#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