#932 - Shelter Lounge, Seattle (Ballard) - 10/29/2009

The old location of the Station Bistro has been re-made into a lovely, half-indoor/half-outdoor, mid-century modern lounge that brings to mind Portland's Doug Fir. (And like several Portland bars, they feature a nice, jalapeno-flavored margarita.) The decor is a swanky dark combination of rock, wood, and flame. The central bar serves both indoor and outdoor patrons, and on summer evenings when the garage doors are fully opened, this is sure to be packed. (Opened 10/23/09, owned by Kevin Carlson)

4910 Leary Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 829-8568
my ballard - yelp - girl in the city

#931 - Andaluca, Seattle (downtown) - 10/28/2009

Good wine, good food, upscale but comfortable.

407 Olive Way, Seattle, Washington 98101 - (206) 382-6999
andaluca.com - yelp - the stranger

#930 - Athenian Inn, Seattle - 10/26/2009

Although I've eaten there many times, I've never made it to the bar at the Athenian Inn, probably because it just recently extended its closing time from 6pm to 7:30pm. The restaurant has now been there literally a hundred years, and the bar since 1933. It has a surprisingly large beer selection for a place that seems to cater to blue collar regulars who prefer Miller or Bud Lite, and a nice happy hour menu (try the elk sliders).

Along with the pleasantly inebriated regulars (Hi, Frank), it has a nice cross-section of old and young, tourists and locals, and of course it has that view (best witnessed in the colder months, when the sun sets before closing time). It was pretty foolish of me to live in Seattle for a quarter of its century-old life and not stop in for a drink before now.

1517 Pike Place, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 624-7166
athenianinn.com - seattle dining (history) - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp

#929 - Ventana, Seattle (Belltown) - 10/23/2009

Update: Ventana closed 7/3/2011

Ventana, named for the large windows looking out on Elliot Bay ("ventana" is Spanish for window), is owned by the same folks who own Twist next door. It has quite good food, quite good cocktails, quite nice service, and quite nice ventanas.

Try the: Cucumber and jalapeno margarita

2323 1st Ave., Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 441-9478
ventanaseattle.com - seattle pi - yelp