#2012 - Reel M Inn, Portland, OR - 1/19/2013

This is a swell example of the sort of places that make Portland such a good bar town. There's chalk graffiti on exposed wood, a door handle made from an oar, and an upside down umbrella that collects a surprising amount of cash for the Make A Wish foundation. It's an unassuming neighborhood dive, with a nice mix of ages, and enough ramshackle personality that you can easily feel as if it were on the side of a small lake in the mountains.

2430 Southeast Division Street Portland, OR 97202 - (503) 231-3880

Reviews: barfly

#2011 - Dockside Saloon, Portland, OR - 1/19/2013

The Dockside  is a blue collar restaurant across the street from an industrial area on the banks of the Willamette River. It's been around sine 1986 but there's been a restaurant in the building for 90 years or so. It's more of a diner than a bar (it closed at 3pm on Saturdays), but the woody interior, hodge-podge of wall decorations, and the friendly staff make it a pleasant place to grab an early cocktail.

The Dockside's brush with fame came courtesy of Tonya Harding, when they inspected several bags of trash someone had thrown in their dumpster and found various bits of evidence connecting to the clubbing of Nancy Kerrigan (including Nancy's practice schedule in Tonya's handwriting).

2047 Northwest Front Avenue Portland, OR 97209 - (503) 241-6433
Est. Sep 15, 1986 - Building constructed: c.1925
Previous bars in this location: Doc's Sternwheeler, What's Up Doc?
Web site: docksidesaloon.com - facebook
Reviews: barfly - portlandmercury - yelp

#2010 #S1106 - Joule, Seattle - 1/16/2013

Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi started the Korean fusion restaurant Joule in 2007, and in 2012 moved it to this new location across from The Whale Wins in the Fremont Collective building. There is a new emphasis on steaks, and as they demonstrated with Quoin/Revel, they can deliver some really good cocktails with their excellent food. My Pork belly ham, salted shrimp and chili oil was quite tasty, and every dish coming past looked great. For cocktails, I had a very good and interesting "Jalisco Campire" (tequila, Lapsang Souchong, agave, Thai chile, and lime) and a fairly good "35 Stone Buck" (bourbon, Asian pear, honey, cinnamon, Rachel's Ginger Beer, bitters). Perhaps this last one was an idiosyncratic reaction, as I am not particularly fond of Rachel's Ginger Beer in cocktails, and this seems to put me in a tiny minority.

3506 Stone Way N Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 632-5685
Est. 2012 (2007 in previous location) - Building constructed: 1964
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: joulerestaurant.com - facebook
Best Reviews: seattlemet - seattletimes - thestranger - seattleweekly - yelp

#2009 #S1105 - Ampersand Lounge, Seattle - 1/15/2013

Update: The Ampersand Lounge is now closed (as of sometime in 2014?)

After a brief run as the Empire Lounge, the Copper Cart folks are back, and running the Ampersand Lounge in a form I can distinguish from neither of the predecessors. However, if you go early on a Tuesday afternoon, you'll find a sedate, nearly empty place where "Mama" makes tacos for $1 each.





113 Bell St, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 239-0830
Est. Dec 5, 2012 - Closed 2014? - Building constructed: 1930
Previous bars in this location: Copper Cart, Empire Lounge
Web site: ampersandlounge.com - facebook
Reviews: thrillist - yelp

#2008 #S1104 - The Grill from Ipanema, Seattle - 1/15/2013

Marco Cazas Breaux has established some of the more provocative Latin nightclubs in the city (Madrid 522, Club Sur), owned the Buenos Aires Grill in Belltown, and started the palace of Brazilian churrascaria Ipanema at the top of the Harbor Steps. The Grill from Ipanema revives the latter, in another romantic location, which has recently housed Fandango, Twist, and the shortlived Mestizo. Marco is an old school restauranteur, roaming the premises and making sure everything is just right for the regulars. The salad bar alone is a treat, but the star of the show is the rodizio, where gauchos bring skewers of various tasty meats from the fire pit. Marco employs chef Jared Velasquez (Il Bistro, Avenue One, Volterra, Ipanema) and bartender Alberto Meza. Dinner is a well worth the relatively high price, but you can also get essentially the same great rodizio choices for considerably less at lunch time. As for the bar, you are pretty much obligated to have a caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil.

2313 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 457-4885                                     
Est. Jan 12, 2013 - Building constructed: 1999
Previous bars in this location: Fandango, Twist, Mestizo Tequila Ultra Lounge
Web site: seattlegrillfromipanema.com - facebook 
Reviews: seattlepi - eater - thrillist - tripadvisor - yelp

#2007 #S1103 - The House Sports Pub, Seattle - 1/14/2013

Yes, another sports bar -- this one taking over the space that was Pillagers Pub, and again, with no particular soul, but a limited set of memorabilia which could have well all been purchased in one day at the mall. They do have a fairly good beer selection, though very limited liquor, with average food and serious TV coverage.

8551 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 403-1464
Est. Dec 21, 2012 - Building constructed: 2000
Previous bars in this location: Pillagers Pub (2009-2012)
Web site: thehousesportspub.com
Reviews: thestranger - yelp

#2006 #S1102 - Tailgaters, Seattle - 1/14/2013

Update" Tailgaters closed Sep 2013 and reverted to Bad Albert's

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The most recent owners of "Bad Albert's" in Ballard determined that they need to change the theme of the place to make it, and hence the additional televisions, cleaner look, sports-bar theme, and new name. The staff are nice, the menu is typical bar food in generous portions, and the drinks are pedestrian but generous pours. It's a very average sort of place, but perhaps Ballard needs a few of those along with the Moshi Moshis, Oaxaca's, and Bastilles.

Historical notes: The Palmer Building that hosts the bar was built in the "rough section" of Ballard in 1905 and hosted various businesses over the years. The first bar I have found there in the Tailgater's location is Trader Vans' Tavern, here from the 70s into the 90s. In 1995 it became Fat Alberts, and hosted jazz and blues bands.

While there on this night I had a pleasant conversation with Wally, a 73-yo fisherman who has lived on a boat in the same nearby slip for 20 years. Wally used to trade fish at the old sandwich shop down here. He has a place outside of New Orleans and lives and works there, in Seattle, and Alaska. Wally likes Ballard because it's an easy walk to the bars from his boat, and noted that he's only fallen in the water once.

5100 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 782-9623
Est. Dec 24, 2012 - Closed Sep 2013 - Building constructed: 1905
Previous bars in this location: Bad Albert's (1995-2012), Trader Van's Tavern (70s-90s)

Reviews: myballard - thrillist - thestranger - yelp

#2005 - Sunnydale Tavern, Seatac - 1/13/2013

Sunnydale Tavern, SeaTac, WA

This is a congenial, historic tavern in an area that the old-timers still call "Sunnydale," most the locals call "Burien," and government officials call "the city of Seatac." It is full of antique, western bric-a-brac and devoted, regular customers (one I met drives from Auburn five days a week).  After 70+ years, the place closed down briefly in 2012, until two long-time customers purchased and revived it -- and God bless 'em for preserving a bar with such history and personality.

Sunnydale Tavern, SeaTac, WA

European settlement in the area is said to date back to 1860s, and the original name of "Sunnydale" is attributed settler Mick Kelly from that time. But it was only a decade later that Gottlieb Burian moved with his wife from Seattle, constructed a cabin on the southeast corner of what is now Lake Burien, and started the community that, like the lake, would bear his slightly misspelled name. The surrounding area was mostly Italian farmers before SeaTac airport was constructed in 1944, and I am told that the road outside the tavern remained brick into the 1960s.

Antique chastity belt at Sunnydale Tavern, SeaTac, WA

Various sources including Carl, the current owner date the bar back 70+ years to approximately 1939. However, this must have been in a different building, as King County tax records date the current structure to 1955. Art Kleitsch owned the tavern from 1949 to 1975, and it was he who introduced the western vintage and antique items in 1960.

A number of customers were very willing to tell me what they knew about the place and why they loved it. I talked to Matthias, Brent, and others, with one customer noting that it "feels like you're in Colorado or Pendleton."

Sunnydale Tavern, SeaTac, WA

Though it is hardly convenient to my home or work, this is definitely a bar I will return to.

14404 Des Moines Memorial Dr S, SeaTac, WA 98168 - (206) 246-2029
Est. 1939? - Building constructed: 1955 
Previous bars in this location: None known

Reviews: link - b-townblog - nwkaraokeguide - yelp

#2172 - Broadway Saloon, Beaverton, OR - 5/18/2013

So there's a historic district of Beaverton -- who knew? Anyway, the Broadway Saloon was installed in an old building here which used to house the Hunt and Fish Club, perhaps beginning shortly after prohibition. The bar is constructed from the altar of an old Catholic church in Newberg, and much of the seating is formed by the old pews. They serve standard cocktails and contemporary pub food.

I had a pleasant chat about Portland area dive bars with customer Ruth, the self-described "queen of the dive bars." This made up for the jackasses across the room, who had apparently just discovered the "Charlie bit me" video and thought it was just endlessly HEE-larious to then inject "Chaw-wee" into every other sentence. "Where'd you get that money?" "Chaw-wee! Ha Ha Ha Ha!" Were it the old western saloon days that the owners are trying to evoke, I think there would have been a shooting.

12434 SW Broadway St, Beaverton, OR 97005 - (503) 641-7474
Est. 1993
Previous bars in this location: Hunt and Fish Tavern
Web site: broadwaysaloon.com - facebook
Reviews: link - yelp - urbanspoon

#2004 - Outback Steakhouse, Tukwila - 1/13/2013

I do miss the Outback Steakhouse in my neighborhood ...

16510 Southcenter Parkway Tukwila, WA 98188 - (206) 575-9705
Web site: outback.com
Reviews: yelp

#2003 #S1101 - Pazzo's, Seattle - 1/11/2013

Pazzo's is an Eastlake remains a go-to Seattle location for calzones, despite its founder being sent up river for 14 years for smuggling huge amounts of marijuana after multiple previous drug convictions.

The Pazzo's location has hosted bars for some 80 years or so. A bar owned by Charles Haines was there shortly after prohibition ended, by at least 1935. A Cecil R. Fish owned the bar there by the late 30s, and by the mid 40s and into the 60s it was Quinn's Tavern. From the late 60s to the early 80s it was Skipper's Tavern, then briefly became J.C. Fox and Sons in the mid 80s.

2307 Eastlake Avenue East Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 329-6558
Est. 1987 - Building constructed: 1924
Previous bars in this location: Quinn's Tavern, Skipper's Tavern, J.C. Fox and Sons
Web site: gopazzos.com - facebook
Reviews: seattlepi - thestranger - urbanspoon - yelp

#2002 - Palmers East, Redmond, WA - 1/10/2013

Medium-sized, fairly popular, neighborhood dive bar and favorite karaoke location.

7853 Leary Way Northeast Redmond, WA 98052 - (425) 867-3837
Est. 1956 - Building constructed 1910

Web site: facebook
Reviews: patch.com - urbanspoon - yelp
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#2001 - The Matador, Redmond, WA - 1/10/2013

Is anything the Matador guys do not instantly popular? This place has 246 yelp reviews. So there's lots of tequila here and fairly average Tex-Mex, but what drew me was that it is in the location of the old Bill Brown's Saloon. William Brown was mayor of Redmond from 1919 to 1948, and when he had this building constructed in 1913 its towering two stories made it the tallest building in Redmond. "When first built, the first floor held a saloon, barbershop, ice cream parlor, a drug store, and an undertaker. The second floor served as a community gathering place with a dance hall and a brothel." (redmond.gov)

Washington implemented state-wide prohibition beginning Jan 1, 1916 and the building subsequently held city hall, a dance studio, a hardware store and other various businesses, before the Matador moved in in 2007.

7824 Leary Way Northeast Redmond, WA 98052 - (425) 883-2855
Est. 2007 - Building constructed: 1913
Previous bars in this location: Bill Brown's Saloon
Web site: matadorseattle.com

#2000 #S1100 - Speckled and Drake, Seattle - 1/6/2013

Update: Speckled and Drake closed in 2022

"Do you have a cocktail menu?" I asked the bartender in this new place, in the space of the old Living Room, which used to serve some nice ones. The bartender/owner answered that he was working on one, explored my preferences, and served a nice variation on an Old Pal / Negroni sort of thing (the particulars I forget). From his answer I could tell he'd heard that question several times now, despite setting out to found a sort of instant dive, focused on a simple menu of blue collar beers and shots. I was the only one in the place at the time, and J.D. the owner was still working out some of details of the place. A bit later a friend joined me, and asked him if he had a cocktail menu.

J.D. (Justin Martinsen) grew up in the Seattle area (Roosevelt HS), then moved to Brooklyn and opened a bar called "duckduck" in Williamsburg in 1996. "Speckled" and "drake" are references to the female and male Mallard, and J.D. told The Stranger that the duck them came from his old haircut, which "flipped up in the back and looked like a duck's ass." The menu he does have is a list of boilermakers, various shots paired with blue collar beers, such as the "Fisherman's Friend" (Olympia and well whiskey) and the "Horny Woodsman" (Rainier and Woodford).

The woodwork, vintage bar, the various reclaimed signage and other items, and free Cheetohs reinforce the divey, garage-y feel of the place, and perhaps it will eventually carve out a Capitol Hill crowd that prefers the Oly and PBR. But until the word gets out, a new bar on Olive Way is going to come with certain expectations. As we sat there on a lazy Sunday evening, a few local gals popped in to check out the new place, taking in the new decor and the chalkboard of boilermaker combinations, and asked, "Do you have a cocktail menu?"

1355 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122                            
Est. Dec 2012 - Building constructed: 1925
Previous bars in this location: The Living Room

Ranked articles: capitolhillseattle - thestranger - seattlemet - thrillist - yelp

#1999 #S1099 - The Hillside Bar, Seattle - 1/6/2013

This place has a great, comfortable feel, and I have had many nice experiences at some of the owners' other place (Hooverville in SoDo), so I am not going to judge it long term by my first experience and I expect to upgrade this rating after another visit. But tonight's experience was ridiculously bad.

Maybe they gave their regular staff the day off to watch the Seahawks playoff game. But in any case, I would not have left a new bar trying to make an impression in the hands of the single, burned-out, red-faced fellow behind the bar tonight. He acknowledged me almost right after I sat down, then socialized and ate peanuts for over 10 minutes before seeing what I wanted to drink. God only knows how long he could have taken it I didn't have a meeting set with friends and walked down to the other end of the bar to get his attention.

I ordered a Manhattan. His mixology expertise did not extend to this rare concoction and I heard him asking another fellow at the bar how to make it. At that point I quickly shifted to a gin and tonic -- my go-to drink for inept bartenders.  A G&T with Hendricks turned out to be $9, another negative for a place that is not exactly positioned as Canlis.  I gave him a twenty and watched as he struggled for several minutes to calculate my change.  Eventually he brought me $12 change for my $9 drink.

From a certain perspective I admire the people who own a business and provide some income to a person who is so comically unable to care for himself or others -- and barely able to perch himself on a stool -- even at the risk of the reputation of their new business venture. Indeed, if I see service like this again I will assume that it is not a bar at all but some sort of absurdist performance art piece.

1520 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 324-0154
Est. Dec 8, 2012 - Building constructed: 1924
Previous bars in this location: The Elite
Web site:  facebook
Reviews:  capitolhillseattle - thestranger - yelp

#1998 #S1098 - Cafe Pettirosso, Seattle - 1/3/2013

Update: Cafe Pettirosso closed Feb 6, 2022

A personable little cafe and bar almost hidden on Capitol Hill, Cafe Pettirosso actually shut down in 2011, but re-opened in 2012, now owned by former employee Yuki Sodos and her sister Miki. The Sodos also run Bang Bang Cafe in Belltown, and they expanded the Pettirosso space and added a full bar, and some funky ceiling lights from an old Seattle gym. It's still more of a cafe in spirit than a bar, catering to expresso lovers and featuring many vegan lunch options, but they also serve some fairly nice drinks. I had a pleasant chat with Nick the cook and Briand the bartender.

1101 E Pike St Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 324-2233
Est. Oct 30, 2012 (bar) - Building constructed: 1911
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: pettirossoseattle.com - facebook 
Best articles: capitolhillseattle - seattletimes - seattlespectator - thestranger - veganscore - thrillist - yelp

#1997 #S1097 - Sam's Tavern, Seattle - 1/3/2013

Sam's Tavern is immediately comfortable in a woody, lodge-y, taxidermy, Linda Derschang-y sort of way, offering very average cocktails and some pretty good burgers. The name is an homage to the original tavern on the edge of Lake Union, which became Sam's Red Robin and eventually the Red Robin chain. The burgers made Eater's 25 Hottest Hamburgers in American Right Now -- which presumably was instantly out of date.

Sam's Tavern, Seattle, WA

1024 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 860-4238
Est. Dec 31, 2012 - Building constructed: 1913
Previous bars in this location: Chino's
Web site:  samstavernseattle.com - facebook
Reviews: thrillist - seattlemet - seattlemag - eater - thestranger - yelp