#992 - Wayne's World Tavern, Seattle - 2/13/2010

So here's one of several reasons I will not be going back to Wayne's World Tavern: On this particular night, I was by myself and had things to do and only wanted to get one drink and go. They have Manny's on tap, so I order a pint. Keep in mind that this is a dive bar south of Boeing Field, not a New York airport bar or El Bulli. The bartender apologetically explained that pints were $6!  But mini-pitchers, she added, were only $7.

 So I'm all for heavy drinking, but what kind of dive bar won't sell beer in any increments smaller than 32 ounces? Do they get kickbacks from the Tukwila PD for each DUI? "She [the owner] says that pints are hard to pour," the bartender explains.

1832 S 120th Street, Seattle, WA 98168 - (206) 433-8658
yelp

The Cactus, Boise, ID - 1979?

An entry for one of the bars already included in my starting list for this project and one I've returned to many times in my life. It is perhaps Boise's quintessential dive bar, lazily elbowing its way through the flashier, more teeming bars that come and go in Boise's busy downtown bar district.

Note: It is very common to hear the Cactus described as the oldest bar in Boise, but this does not appear to be accurate.

517 W Main St Boise, ID 83702 - 208-342-9732
boise weekly -sneaky sunday best dives - nile guide - yelp

#991 - Capital Grille, Seattle - 2/6/2010

This is a fine, dry-aged steakhouse on par with the Met and El Gaucho, and with some pleasantly non-standard drinks.  The infused (peach?) vodka was very pleasant and the Hemingway Daiquiri was delicious.  This is part of a national chain but it's pleasantly localized by large paintings of various Seattle celebrities and business luminaries (we sat facing Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Lee in business attire).  The prices are pretty standard for an upscale steakhouse -- $35 to $42 for the entrees you'll want (ala carte) -- and proportions of most steaks and sides are huge.  It also has one of the city's best crab cocktails (10 legs for $21). Judging strictly as a bar, I still give El Gaucho a slight nod for the rat pack, romantic ambiance, and I give an ever so slight edge to the crab cocktail at The Met. But I'll prefer the Capital when I am looking for an interesting cocktail.

1301 4th Ave., Seattle 98101 - (206) 382-0900                                            
thecapitalgrille.com - seattle times - seattle foodster - seattle magazine - yelp