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Bars where Pete has had a Drink (6,255 bars; 1,764 bars in Seattle) - Click titles below for Lists:


Bars where Pete has had a drink

Saturday, January 12, 2013

#1896 - Hans's Place, Tacoma - 9/21/2012

Hans's Place is a divey little neighborhood tavern on South Tacoma Way that is populated mostly by older folks and known for its fried chicken. The menus say it has been around since it was founded by Hans Hanson in 1942, but city guides show a bar at 6403 owned by Mr. Hanson by 1940 (it is unclear whether 6403 at the time is now the current Hans' or the vacuum shop next door, now listed as 6405 and 6401 respectively). It is decorated with copper sailboats, NASCAR memorabilia, and the occasional old photo and patriotic paintings. I liked the touch of adding the bartender gals' names to the menu. The drinks and food are pretty much what you would expect from a divey, neighborhood tavern.



Hans's Tavern, 1951 (Tacoma Public Library)
6405 South Tacoma Way Tacoma, WA 98409 - (253) 474-6503
Est. 1942, probably earlier
Reviews:  yelp

Thursday, January 10, 2013

#1895 #S1070 - Q, Seattle - 9/15/2011

Queu at Club Q, Capitol Hill, Seattle
The owners did not want Q to be positioned as a gay bar -- answering questions about that with "At Q, everyone is welcome." I must admit that "New York City big-room style" electronic dance music clubs are not my favorite kinds of music or bar, so I'm not sure how to judge this one. But I do like the fact that they don't have the ridiculous VIP rooms, and that they have a whiskey bar in back. And of course it's super gay.

1426 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122
Est. Sep 8, 2012 - Building constructed: 1912
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: qcapitolhill.com - facebook
Reviews: eatinseattle - seattlegayscene - edgeboston - thrillist - capitolhillseattle - eater - yelp

#1894 #S1069 - Rumba, Seattle - 9/15/2011

Rumba is a new craft cocktail bar from Travis Rosenthal (Tango) serving rum-centric, tiki and Caribbean drinks. The drinks are quite good and the look is classic Hemingway era Havana.  Original cocktails are from bar manager Connor O’Brien, who has been making fine tasting drinks at Vito's the last couple years.  The unusual focus, romantic vibe, and 250+ rum choices make this a great addition to Seattle cocktail options.



Historical notes: I can only find hints of one previous bar here, the Nikko Garden Tavern in the late 80s / early 90s.  I have no clue what this tavern was like, but an older version, closer to downtown was described as "a go-go joint with awful dancers, but if you complained, a barmaid swatted you with a stick."

1112 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 583-7177
Est. Sep 14, 2012 - Building constructed: year
Previous bars in this location: Nikko Garden Tavern
Web site: rumbaonpike.com - facebook  
Ranked Reviews: seattlemet - eater - seattleweekly - seattletimes - measureandstir - seattleite - capitolhillseattle - therumcollective - thestranger - yelp

#1893 #S1068 - Tippe and Drague, Seattle - 9/13/2012

Before you try looking up those Shakespeare characters you missed, "Tippe and Drague" is an old English-ey dressing up of the hot air ballooning term "tip and drag." The bar of that name is a beer-centric, neighborly, little place on Beacon Hill with 16 taps (and a "no crap on tap" policy) and various hit and miss comfort food items.

3315 Beacon Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98144 - 206-538-0094
Est. Sep 1, 2012 - Building constructed: 1926
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: tippeanddrague.com - facebook  
Best Reviews: seattlebeernews - thestranger - ratebeer - yelp

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

#1892 #S1067 - Essex, Seattle - 9/8/2012

Try the: Moab


I don't think you'll get your very favorite cocktails at Essex, but what you will get are very good cocktails and very different cocktails -- lots of home-made ingredients and tastes that you have never quite had before. I most enjoyed the Moab (Reposado, red pepper, pickled chile brine, lemon, salt, pepper) and the H.M.S. Theodore Roosevelt (Voyager gin, Extra Special Orange (house version of Grand Marnier), Campari, sparkling wine).  We also tried the Red Medicine (house aged rye, Delancey fernet, Rachel's Ginger Beer, rhubarb) and the George Brown (Gin, wood-roasted peach, citrus, Meyer's float), which were also interesting but not quite as good as the aforementioned.

Jordan our bartender was very friendly and happy to discuss the place and their cocktails. It is owned by Brandon Pettit and Molly Wizenberg of the adjacent, excellent pizza joint Delancey, assisted by bar manager Gary Abts (Licorous, La Bete). It has a nice, homey feel with damask wall paper featuring sperm whale silhouettes, and a small, pleasant patio out front. Along the top shelf you can see bottle after bottle of bitters and infusions, promising any number of interesting concoctions in the future. It has some very nice cheeses and small plates (though if I were there really hungry I would definitely just save the room for a Delancey pizza and Jersey Salad).


All around, it is the sort of place you want to come back to often.


1421 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA 98117 - (206) 838-1960               
Est. Aug 15, 2012 - Building constructed: 1926  
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: essexbarseattle.com - facebook
Best Reviews: link - seriouseats - meandmrpants - thestranger - seattlemag - seattlemet - thrillist - yelp

#1891 #S1066 - El Quetzal Bar, Seattle - 9/8/2011

The quetzal is a colorful bird that was sacred to ancient Mesoamericans, and the national bird and name of the currency in Guatemala. El Quetzal on Beacon Hill is a bar / gallery from Almendra Sandoval, with a lot of art (much of it erotic) and apparently quite hopping on weekend evenings (gangster rap was lingering from the previous night). It's a very cool, little space and serves some fairly good magaritas.  You can also order some fairly good Mexico City-style street food from the restaurant portion next door.



3209 Beacon Avenue South Seattle, WA 98144 - (206) 329-2970
Est. Jan 29, 2012 - Building constructed: 1927
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - thestranger - urbanspoon - yelp - tripadvisor   

#1890 #S1065 - Ambassel Restaurant, Seattle - 9/7/2011

Ambassel is a good Ethiopian restaurant with a small bar that serves very basic drinks and a web site that is a marvel of animated gifts, scrolling text, jumbled frames, and other circa 1996 web design. Some of the staff's understanding of American accents is imperfect so you may need to take care (e.g. the bartender heard our request for "menus" as "Manny's").


1224 East Jefferson Street Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 860-7074
Previous bars in this location: Simon's Place (70s)
Building constructed 1909
Web site: ambasselethiopianrestaurant.com - facebook     
Reviews: yelp

Sunday, January 06, 2013

#1889 #S1064 - Zobel Restaurant, Seattle - 9/7/2011

Zobel ("gathering place" in Amharic), is one of a large number of Ethiopian restaurants in this part of the Central District of Seattle. It was created in 2003 by Enana Kassa, who immigrated from Ethiopia in 1983 and eventually established the smaller Blue Nile in the same area. The food is good and the bar is casual and just the basics.



1219 East Jefferson Street Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 323-1408
Est. 2003 - Building constructed: 1949
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: zobelrestaurant.com - facebook  
Reviews: yelp - urbanspoon

#1888 #S1063 - Kickin Boot Whiskey Kitchen, Seattle - 9/6/2011

Kickin Boot Whiskey Kitchen, Seattle, WA
Update: Kickin Boot closed in October 2017

Try the:  Dark Sparrow

Kickin Boot Whiskey Kitchen is large and instantly popular, and people like to criticize big, popular places. But I'm a fan. The Matador guys (Zak Melang and Nathan Opper) have done a great job of remodeling the 1927 Henry Whyte warehouse, which once hosted Ballard Millwork, Union Wines, and then Olsen Furniture. The place is large, rustic and industrial. It is very pretty, but also rather corporate -- you won't find charming little shabby and personal touches, no items from childhood or inherited from Uncle Hank. In that sense it seems a bit out of place in Ballard and even Seattle -- it immediately feels more like a place in Dallas or Scottsdale.


Nevertheless it is a beautiful setting, and a fine alternative, I believe, to the more hole in the wall sorts of BBQ joints which pepper the Ballard area. The BBQ and choice of 5 sauces at your table are not knock your socks of good, but they are quite adequate. And the cocktails are more than adequate. The horse shoe shaped bar is the center of attention, backed by a giant triangle of whiskey in the large back window. The emphasis, as the name says, is on whiskey, and they have flights for tasting and whiskey (Buffalo Trace) on tap.


Kicking Boot Whiskey Kitchen, Seattle, 
Some BBQ purists may resent that it's an attraction as much or more for socializing and its large patio as it is for its smoked meats or sauces. But I see it as a fine bar and dinner alternative.



5309 22nd Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 783-2668
Est. Aug 16, 2012 - Building constructed: 1927
Previous bars in this location: None
Web site: kickinboot.com - facebook  
Best Reviews: seattleweekly - thestranger - seattletimes - myballard - building history - seattlemet - seattlemag - thestranger - yelp

#1887 #S1062 - Cafe 56, Seattle - 9/5/2012

Update: Elliot's Seafood Cafe changed its name to Cafe 56 in early 2013.
Update: Cafe 56 is now closed


This is a nice little casual option, particularly on sunny days at the waterfront, to the more formal main restaurant at Elliott's, and I suppose tourists and oyster lovers will enjoy the sidewalk oyster bar. But I shall miss humble Steamer's, where guys who looked like they could have been cooking on some old ship for 40 years pulled hunks of salmon and corn on the cob from under smokey hoods.

1201 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 623-4340             
Est. 2012
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: elliottsoysterhouse.com 
Best Reviews: christinecox - seattlemet - northwestwiningandining - seattleweekly - thrillist - thestranger - yelp - eater

Saturday, January 05, 2013

#1886 #S1061 - Nick's Off Market, Seattle - 9/4/2011

Update: Nick's was further reconfigured into "Eetbar" in 2014, which closed in Nov 2015.

Tonight's dinner has forced me to reshuffle my list of Favorite Sandwiches in Seattle:

1. Crab BLT - Seatown Snackbar
2. Nick's Nitro Prime Dip - Nick's Off Market
3. Cuban Roast - Paseo

NOM is a substantial reconfiguration of the shortlived Amber Den. It is now less of a wine bar, less of a fern bar, more casual, with more beer choices and cocktails. The cocktails and "Northwest comfort food with a twist" are both pretty good, and the Nitro Prime Dip (prime beef, chorizo, red onion, mushrooms, pepperoncinis, pepperjack cheese, chipotle mayo and au jus) is must-try sandwich.


1556 NW 56th St, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 783-0131
Est. Aug 1, 2012 - Building constructed: 2000 - Closed 2014
Previous bars in this location: Amber Den
Web site: nicksoffmarket.com - facebook
Best Reviews: myballard - thrillist - bloomspot - eater - thestranger - yelp

#1885 #S1060 - Outlander Brewery and Pub, Seattle - 9/4/2011

Outlander Brewery is an adventuresome nanabrewery with a pub located in a 100-year-old Victorian house in the Fremont neighborhood. Owners Dragan Radulovic and Nigel Lassiter use a 1-barrel brewing system to churn out two kegs at a time of brews like Peanut Butter Stout, Strawberry Wheat,  Vanilla Jasmine Porter, Yam Ale, Chili Amber Ale, Oyster Robust Porter. These are not just names, they are actual ingredients. They also have a monthly poll that allows their customers to select new brews from multiple options.

 Dragan was friendly and engaging from behind the small bar created from an old church door and located in the old house kitchen.  The house has retained the original room structure, and aside from the bar and taps in the kitchen appear very much like your grandmother might still live there. It's a great fit for Fremont and a very nice stop for beer lovers.




225 N 36th St, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 486-4088             
Est. Aug 3, 2012 - Building constructed: 1900 or earlier
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: outlanderbrewing.com - facebook
Best Reviews: thestranger - fueledbybeer - sauced - seattlebeernews - thrillist - yelp

#1884 #S1059 - Add-A-Ball Arcade, Seattle - 9/4/2011

"We weren’t going for the creepy-uncle’s-rumpus-room feel," Add-a-Ball owner Travis Echert told Komo News, "But, that’s kind of what happened." Travis and his Partner Brad Johnson used to run ADD Motorworks here, fixing scooters in a basement space off an alley in the building that hosts the Piece of Mind head shop. Parties and pin-ball tournaments evidently led to converting to a new business that hosts vintages pin-ball and video games for the over 21 crowd along with beer. The games are mixed in with funky garage items, old board games, piles of spark plugs, and oddities.

I had a pleasant chat with Brad and customer Meredith at the 2-seat bar with 2 taps and a decent choice of beer in cans. Brad was in the midst of expanding to their second location, John John's Game Room on Capitol Hill. I'm not much of a gamer myself, but it is a cool little hangout.



315 N 36th St, Unit 2B, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 696-1613
Est. Dec 2011 - Building constructed: 1900 or earlier
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: add-a-ball.com - facebook
Best Reviews: komonews - fremontuniverse - fremocentrist - thrillist - skill-shot - findwell - yelp

#1883 #S1058 - Tin Lizzie Lounge, Seattle - 9/3/2011

The Tin Lizzie lounge is a darkly attractive bar created in the historic Marqueen Hotel on lower Queen Anne, across from the street from Toulouse Petit, in a building where the Seattle Engineering School used to retrain blacksmiths to work at the Ford assembly plant on Lake Union. It has a pressed tin roofs, ornate antiques, and multiple semi-private rooms off the main space. It has been positioned as hub for fine cocktails with a speakeasy vibe, although the bartenders don't have the craft cocktail chops that one usually finds in such places. But it is definitely one of the most pleasant drinking spaces in the city.



600 Queen Anne Avenue North, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA - 206.282.7407
Est. Aug 8, 2012 - Building constructed: 1918  
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: marqueen.com - facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - eater.com - yelp