#838 - Solo, Seattle (Queen Anne) - 6/26/2009

Low key and swanky, I liked one yelper's description of Solo as the "anti-Pesos." And while this blog is not about food, it would be a shame to go there and not try the rabbit mole tacos.

200 Roy St., Seattle, WA 98109-4150 - (206) 213-0080
solo-bar.com - facebook - yelp - the stranger

#837 - Jelly Bar, Seattle (downtown) - 6/25/2009

Update: Long Provincial and Jelly Bar closed Oct 31, 2020.

---

This is the bar attached to Long Provincial restaurant, the new Vietnamese restaurant from Tan Nguyen, the owner of Tamarind Tree, and replacing QUBE. It now has a dark, romantic interior, minus the bright, modernist coldness of QUBE, though with curved, wooden bar stools that look nice but are virtually impossible to sit upon for any length of time. They have some fairly interesting and good cocktails, along with food from Long if you like, which makes it quite a reasonable down tempo stop. 

1901 Second Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101 

longprovincial.com - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp

#836 - Tavolata, Seattle (Belltown) - 6/24/2009

The cocktails I tried were average, but they have good Italian food.

2323 2nd Ave., Seattle, WA 98121

tavolata.com - seattle weekly - the stranger - seattle times - yelp

#835 - The Torch 2, Boise - 6/18/2009

A Boise friend noticed that Casey's Beer Depot was on the K-Bar, noted that it had changed ownership, and asked me how I handled that. I responded that I count it again if the new owners change it substantially. Well, there's no doubt that The Torch 2 counts as a substantial change.

610 Vista Ave, Boise, ID
Est. 2003
Previous bars at this location: Casey's Beer Depot, Blue Macs
myspace - thetorchlounge.com - shut down

#834 - Bardenay, Boise - 6/18/2009

Some interesting cocktails and very pleasant on the patio on a warm, weekday evening. I'm not so sure I'd like it inside on a Friday night.

Try the:  Ginger Rum Cocktail      

610 W Grove St., Boise, ID 83702
bardenay.com - yelp - Boise Weekly

#833 - Taberna del Alabadero, Seattle (Belltown) - 6/12/2009

Taberna del Alabadero closed 5/31/2011

#832 - Txori, Seattle (Belltown) - 6/11/2009

If this list were about food, I would give this my highest rating. As a bar it's still a fine stop, especially if you can get a seat on the hidden patio on a warm summer evening.

2207 2nd Ave (between Bell and Blanchard)
txoribar.com - the stranger - seattle pi - seattle times - seattle met - yelp

#831 - Barolo Ristorante, Seattle (Downtown) - 6/10/2009

While most downtown fine dining establishments have a standard sort of bar that serves only the basics and a specialty or two, Barolo actually manages to have a range of interesting drinks that is enough to make the bar a destination in itself.

Try the: South Beach Mojito

1940 Westlake Ave
baroloseattle.com - seattle times - vezeo - yelp - the stranger - zagat

#830 - Smith, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 6/9/2009

It's getting close to feeling to formulaic, but this is another fine Linda Derschang joint, and any place with reasonably good drinks, high ceilings, and animals on the walls is a fine place to have.

332 15th Ave E (between Harrison St & Thomas St)
smithseattle.com - seattle times - yelp - the stranger

#829 - Knee High, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 6/9/2009

Update: Knee High Stocking Co. closed early December 2025

I'm not saying I can prove I personally caused this, but the start of Project K-Bar neatly coincided with an explosion in quality, craft cocktails and bars with personality, to the great benefit of the project and commensurate damage to my budget and liver. And now comes the speakeasy trend, and I must say it is pretty dang swell.

So on this night I went to Knee High, where you are greeted by only an unmarked door and a man standing outside to usher you in if you aknow where you're going. Genuine prohibition-era drink recipes are de rigueur for the speakeasy set, and apparently someone passed a regulation requiring all new bars to have fancy, art deco absinthe servers. (Like most people, I like virtually everything about absinthe -- the preparation rituals, the accoutrements, the mystery, the old ads -- pretty much everything except the actual absinthe.) Knee high is small and dark and filled with good drinks and pretty women, and I find that I can live with that sort of thing.

Try the: Hemingway

1356 Olive Way
seattle weekly - metblogs
New York Times on the speakeasy trend

#828 - The Tiger Lounge, Seattle - 6/6/2009

Update: The Tiger Lounge closed in September 2011


This is now probably my favorite bar in the Seattle area. Hip yet welcoming, it has more of a feel of going to the coolest house on a home bar tour than of a business, keeping you wondering what is around the next corner.

After a brief life as invitation-only after-hours destination, this now is a full bar, with bands, go-go dancers and other events on various nights. They don't feature the classic tiki drinks, but the tiki crowd will enjoy its retro decor. (more pics)

412 Orcas Street (between S 4th Ave & S 5th Ave, around the corner from Marco Polo)
myspace - culturemob - yelp

#827 - Loretta's Northwesterner, Seattle - 6/6/2009

Saturday night's exploring found two excellent bars to add to the riches of south Seattle. Neither had extraordinary drinks, but their decor and their vibe put them on my highly recommended list.

Remodeled about a year and half ago by the owners of 9 Lb Hammer, Loretta's Northwesterner has the feeling it's been around for a hundred years. It has three distinct ambiances: The main bar is lovely dark wood and glowing, vintage beers signs, and a very classic tavern feel; out back there is a summery, open patio area, with another bar; and the final touch is parked in this patio area -- an Airstream decked out in a swanky, vintage 60s/70s look, with enough vinyl and turntables to have your own party. The patrons are a nice mix of grizzled, old veterans and a younger crowd.

Historical Notes:  Loretta's opened in May 2008, but the structure was built in 1918 and there's been a bar there at least as early as 1939 (the city guide lists a beer parlor owned by Mrs. Lou Mansfield).  The location hosted Kelly's Tavern for many years -- by 1948 and into the 1970s, though it moved across the street by the 1980s.

8617 14th Ave S (between Cloverdale St & Donovan St)
lorettasnorthwesterner.com - yelp - seattle weekly - mid beacon hill blog

#826 - North Shore Pub, Kenmore, WA - 5/30/2009

This is a great discovery for a dive bar fan like me and by the time I arrived late Saturday night (i.e. early Sunday morning), most the patrons were utterly decks awash.

Sample conversation:

Hooched-up patron: Is there a restaurant attached to this place?
Female bartender: Does this look like the kind of place that would have a restaurant attached?

18017 68th Ave Ne, Kenmore, WA
yelp - citysearch

#825 - Thrashers Corner Pub, Bothell, WA - 5/30/2009

As a pub this has all the unique charm of an Applebees. But I did find one interesting sign.

20805 Bothell Everett Hwy, Bothell, WA 98021
thrasherscorner.com/pub.htm - yelp - urbanspoon

#824 - Bert's Tavern, Bothell, WA - 5/30/2009

I heard Bert's described as a dive bar, but it's not really. It's very much a high-fiving white guy bar, and its decor is primarily the typical Coors and Bud promotional crap. But the idiosyncratic building, the hand-made signs, the porch, and the nice big horseshoes area out back all give it a nice feel of some mountain resort town tavern.

Bert's is also the oldest running business on the Bothell Everett Highway, moving to its current location in 1954, when it had a hitching post for the customers who would arrive on horseback.

17902 Bothell Everett Hwy, Bothell, WA 98012
Est. 1954
yelp - citysearch

#823 - Die BierStube, Seattle - 5/27/2009

This is a very attractive stop if you love authentic German beers. I do not, and I'm old enough that half the women there looked 12 years-old to me. But it's a pleasant neighborhood place nonetheless.

6106 Roosevelt Way NE
diebierstube.com (At the time of this writing, this site had content only for the owner's other German-based bar, Prost, in Greenwood)
the daily - yelp - ratebeer.com - citysearch

#822 - Lottie's Lounge, Seattle - 5/21/2009

A fine neighborhood joint, recently acquired by Bo, who worked for years in the 74th St. Alehouse family of pubs.

Historical notes:  This is in a building constructed in 1892.  In 1903 it became the Hotel Dakota, and then the Columbia Hotel from 1904-1920, hosting the likes of Bullalo Bill Cody.  It was the "Bright Spot Tavern" from at least 1946 into the 1970s, and was Slim's Tavern in 1980.


4900 Rainier Ave S. (map)
lottieslounge.com - myspace - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp - seattle.gov

#821 - Club Motor, Seattle (SoDo) - 5/21/2009

Update: Club Motor closed March 7, 2012

Club Motor can be a lot of fun, but if you're going there, you're going for the events; you're not going for the place itself and you certainly are not going for the drinks or food.

1950 First Ave. S.
clubmotorseattle.com - westseattleherald (closure) - eventful - the stranger

#820 - The Tin Table, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 5/21/2009

Try the: Amendment 21

Very good cocktails, very good food, good prices, romantic atmosphere, and sexy salsa dancers dropping in from the Century Ballroom dance floor next door -- what's not to like? Yet another fine new choice on Capitol Hill.

915 E Pine St. (above Odd Fellows and across from Century Ballroom)
Est. Feb 28, 2009 - Building constructed 1908
thetintable.com - yelp - seattle metropolitan - capitol hill blog - the stranger

#819 - Boom Noodle, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 5/21/2009

Update: Boom Noodle on Pike closed Aug 21, 2016

Try the: Cucumber Mint Fizz 

Est. 2007 - Closed Aug 21 2016

 1121 E. Pike St. boomnoodle.com - yelp - the stranger

#818 - Crocodile Cafe (new), Seattle - 5/13/2009

Of course I would have preferred that the old Belltown institution stayed around forever, along with its smoke-stained neon sheep, but the the new owners just did a crackerjack job in remodeling the place. The Croc itself now makes much more sense as a space for music; no more spilling out into the rather pointless cafe area or peeking around the beams in front of the stage. The walls are lined by large photos of various Seattle area rockers (The Sonics, et. al.), which would be cheesy if the photos weren't so dang cool.

The old back bar portion is now a sexy Via Tribunali, which feels like a bar with good food, rather than a restaurant that serves drinks. The booths have great, high backs and the entire interior is circled by dramatic black and gold paintings of erupting volcanoes, with each lit by a single lamp that accentuates the Rembrandt lighting. They're even booking interesting bands again. The Croc is definitely back.

2200 2nd Ave Seattle, WA 98121
thecrocodile.com - yelp

#817 - Umi Sake House, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/13/2009

Try the: St. Valentines

2230 1st Ave Seattle, WA 98121
umisakehouse - seattle weekly - yelp - seattledining

#816 - Buckleys, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/13/2009

This feels like a bit more welcoming place to watch sports than the other large options downtown, though I've yet to go there when it's full of people.

2331 2nd Ave, Seattle WA 98121
web site - yelp - citysearch

#815 - List, Seattle (Belltown) - 5/13/2009

I wasn't very excited about another Belltown wine bar, but this is a nifty little place from the owners of Barolo, with a pleasant crowd, excellent food that they serve until midnight, friendly bartenders, and fine wine.

2226 1st Avenue Seattle, WA 98121 (map)
seattle times - the stranger - yelp - urban spoon

#814 - Dinette, Seattle - 5/8/2009

Dinette closed on Dec 23, 2013 and the owner is said to be looking for a larger location.

1514 E. Olive Way
Est. 2005 - Closed 2013
Previous bars in this location: None known
dinetteseattle.com - bostonglobe - yelp - zagat - the stranger - seattle weekly - seattle times -

#813 - Yuji's Lounge (Kona Kitchen), Seattle - 5/6/2009

#812 - 5th Avenue Tavern, Seattle - 5/6/2009

A nifty, old neighborhood tavern -- one of the oldest in Seattle. Like any good neighborhood place, it has no spectacular features (though there's an interest mural wrapping around the back room), and its continuing attraction depends on the quality of conversation among the regulars. So it's nice to find people like James the bartender and Dan the long time regular who love to talk local history, whether its what the area was like 100 years ago or what the local music scene was like 15 years ago

8507 5th Ave NE
Previous bars in this location: Stewart's Tavern (1930s)
myspace - yelp

#811 - Sun Liquor, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 5/2/2009

Another fine craft cocktail bar in the Capitol Hill area. I haven't yet given this my highest recommendation, but my stay was brief, the decor and vibe were fine, and I may well upgrade it after another visit or two.

807 Summit Ave E, Seattle, WA
sunliquor.com - nwsource - yelp - facebook

#810 - Summit Public House, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 5/2/2009

A very friendly place, in keeping with the name. But why is it that every bar that refers to itself explicitly as a "public house" (from which "pub" was derived, of course), no matter where it is, seems like a college bar?

601 Summit Ave E # 102
summitpublichouse.com - seattle pi - yelp - the stranger - seattle weekly

#809 - Casablanca, Seattle (downtown) - 4/29/2009

This is a fairly big place but it was a small and intimate crowd when I visited, and though the bar itself is fairly unremarkable, the merguez was good and the company and conversation were first rate. I hope to see Ben, Salah, Belan, and the rest again soon.

113 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 448-3590
casablancaseattle.com - yelp

#808 - Wedgewood Broiler Lounge, Seattle - 4/23/2009

8230 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115-4817 - (206) 523-1115

#807 - O'Asian, Seattle (downtown) - 4/20/2009

This is a lot bigger and considerably swankier than I'd expected. (I would have taken several pictures if my camera didn't go on the fritz today.)

800 5th Ave #1, Seattle, WA 98104-3176 - (206) 264-1789

#806 - The Traveler, Seattle (Ballard) - 4/19/2009

Update: The Leary Traveler closed Oct 30, 2018.

---

AKA "The Leary Traveler. Nice place.

4356 Leary Way NW
Previous bars at this location: Carl's Tavern (1930s), Harvey's Tavern (40s-90s)
consupo - yelp - the stranger - urbanspoon

#805 - Golden City, Seattle (Ballard) - 4/19/2009

Update: Golden City closed in 2022

Now this is a fine dive bar! This has more of what I was hoping to find in the Ballard Smoke Shop. It's dark, it's intimate, it has backlit "Chinese" art, a huge, old, and terribly executed painting of an antebellum riverside scene, and it has a slightly creepy history to match. (I was informed by a regular that in the old days this place was named "The Plantation.")

And indeed The Plantation was located here from at least the 1940s into the 1980s.

5518 20th Ave NW 
Est. 1988 - Closed Aug 27, 2022 - Building constructed 1946
Previous bars at this location: Bayou Room (The Plantation Restaurant)   
seattlest - yelp

#804 - Ballard Smoke Shop, Seattle - 4/19/2009

This is a decent, old, dive bar, but it's too light, too open, and too big to have the sort of intimacy you want in a great dive. I recommend walking a few blocks to Golden City.

5439 Ballard Ave NW    
the stranger - ballardgossipgirl - yelp

#803 - Volterra, Seattle - 2008 (OOO)

5411 Ballard Ave NW
Est. 2005 - Building constructed: 1945
Previous bars in this location: The Suds (1934, not current building), Disalvo's Tavern, Freddy's Tavern, Burk's Cafe

volterrarestaurant.com - the stranger - yelp - fodors - seattletimes

#802 - Jade, Seattle - 4/16/2009

The latest residents cycling through this large space next to a biker AA hangout are a very friendly Chinese family. As far as the lounge goes, well, there was one older lady there when I dropped by and she told me the bartender made very good cocktails -- then a few minutes later had to explain to her what serving a drink "neat" is.

Historical Notes:  This structure was built in 1933 and by 1943 it was the "White Stone Tavern," which it appears to have remained at least into the 70s.  The river rock which comprise virtually the entire exterior of the building have since gone though various color changes, including orange and now yellow.  When I first moved to the neighborhood many years ago this was Travelers III, a popular native American bar where you could count on seeing cop cars pretty much every Friday and Saturday night. You could always count on the most drunk people on the #6 (now #358) bus getting off at that stop and staggering in.

In 1980 it is listed as the "Brooklyn Bridge Tavern" and in 1983 as "Rose Garden." After Travelers, it had a nice little run as a second Steel Pig BBQ, but I don't know if it's ever been half full since those early days. I'd like to see the current residents make a go of it, though there are at least three other Chinese restaurants within a couple blocks, with a less imposing exterior. And you may want to give the bartender a year or two to pick up her trade before going there for cocktails.

8904 Aurora Ave N.
Constructed: 1933
Previous bars in this location: White Stone Tavern, Brooklyn Bridge Tavern, Rose Garden, Travelers III, Steel Pig
jaderestaurant.net - yelp

#801 - The Funhouse, Seattle - 4/15/2009

Update: The Funhouse closed Oct. 31, 2012

I somehow missed getting this on my starting list, so I'll count my last visit Wednesday night, though of course I've been here many times before.

While this is now a regular venue for punk bands, I remember when it was Tex's Tavern and they first started trying out having live music. The back stage area didn't exist then, and the bands played by the front window, and when they started up they immediately emptied the place of 3/4 of the patrons -- the old folks who at that time were the primary clientele. For an illustration of just what kind of place it was for the bands in those days, I remember a time the bartender interrupted the set of my brother Spud's band, because a patron wanted cigarettes and they had to unplug the amps to plug in the cigarette machine. That same night LeRoux gave a dressing down to a guy for sneaking drinks from her beer, and then refused to buy him a pitcher in exchange for his engagement ring.

At any rate, the Funhouse is now a fine, dark alternative to the Disney-esque EMP and Seattle Center across the street, and the flickr search provides a pretty good sense of the place (and hence is not entirely work safe).

206 5th Ave N. (map)
Other bars at this location: Lex's Tavern, Tex's Tavern, Zak's 5th Avenue 
funhouseseattle.com - myspace - yelp - flickr

#800 - Frank's Oyster House and Champagne Parlor, Seattle - 4/16/2009

The unremarkable entry to Frank's opens into a funky and very pleasing wood interior, and the experience only gets better with the cocktails. My drinking partner and I sampled a pretty fair share of the cocktail menu and there wasn't a bad one in the bunch. Every one was balanced with the multiple tastes left varied and not dominated by any one ingredient, and ably mixed this night by Trevor, who's work I enjoyed here even more than past run-ins with it at the Saint and Triple Door.

This is my favorite Seattle cocktail menu outside of Capitol Hill (where The Hideout, 22 Doors, Liberty, and perhaps the Grey Gallery may still enjoy a slight edge due to more fresh juices and a tad more experimentation). It's great to see a boom in fine cocktails around the city and it's excellent to have a place like Frank's in this neighborhood.

2616 NE 55th (north of U-Village) - map
franksoysterhouse.com - seattletimes - thestranger - culinaryfool flickr - urbanspoon - yelp

#799 - Cantinetta, Seattle - 4/15/2009

If this blog were about food and restaurant service, I'd give Cantinetta very high marks. The entrees are very tasty and the service is friendly and makes you feel well looked after even if they are slammed and you're hovering around the bar hoping for a seat. But as a bar, this is not a destination. There's no cocktail menu and there are only ten seats, which are typically filled by people who would have preferred a table. So I am unlikely to return for a nightcap, but will keep the place on my shortlist for dinner.

3650 Wallingford Ave.
web site - seattle times - yelp - urbanspoon

#798 - The Cabin, Richmond Beach - (OOO)

A hidden gem. The Cabin is in a currently suburban neighborhood where you'd never stumble upon it if you weren't seeking it explicitly or lived next door. But it was a working port with a few summer homes when the structure was built in 1927, and when, in 1933 it received one of the first five or six post-prohibition liquor licenses in the state of Washington, and became what is now the oldest continually running business in Shoreline.

The Cabin has better than average tavern food, a good selection of beers and standard drinks, and a very nice patio area where you can see the sound. But what gives the place it's essential character is the undulating floor and bar as the place has unevenly settled over the years after being moved on (and apparently left on) logs.

Pictures don't capture the odd tilts of the place, but the second one here gives a hint if you look at the far end of the bar. (In the foreground is the lovely Heather, whose weekend was such that her initial stories didn't get around to the part where she saved someone's life.)


yelp - seattle weekly - beer advocate

#797 - Chez Gaudy, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 4/11/2009

A roomier but even more hidden version of Bleu Bistro. The food and cocktails are both very good and the decor is a romantic labyrinth. Walking around the barely identifiable exterior, down the alley, through the forlorn looking screen door, and through the winding interior rooms gave me the sense of being in the restaurant of a remote, Tuscan agriturismo. Their MySpace page has music by Dresden Dolls and Emilie Autumn, which are very good indicators of the vibe of the place.

1802 Bellevue Ave (at E Belmont Ave) (map)
Est. 2005 - Closed 2010
myspace - the stranger - yelp - citysearch

#796 - The Duchess Tavern, Seattle - 4/10/2009

2827 NE 55th St
Est. 1934
map - yelp - the stranger

#795 - IMO Asian Bistro, Seattle - 4/8/2009

No more naked sushi?

704 First Ave
Est. 2006 (formerly Bonzai Asian Bistro)
Other bars at this location:  Clipper Tavern (40s through 70s), Oasis Tavern (80s)
yelp - sushimonsters.com - the stranger

#794 - Mitchelli's, Seattle - 4/8/2009

 Mitchelli's (AKA Trattoria Mitchelli) closed on 12/31/2009

84 Yesler Way, Seattle
mitchellis.com

#793 - Slim's Last Chance, Seattle - 4/4/2009

Slim's Last Chance Chili Shack and Watering Hole

5606 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108 - (206) 762-7900
Est. 2008 - Building constructed: 1969
Previous bars at this location: None known
web site: slimslastchance.com - facebook - myspace
Articles: seattleweekly - thestranger - seattletimes - seattlemet - thestranger -  yelp

#792 - Habesha, Seattle - 4/3/2009

Update: Habesha closed in October 2012.

There's not much to the bar part of this (Ethiopian) restaurant, and I can't say much about the bar conversations because I was basically the only one there speaking English. But the entire space is perfectly lit and lovely, particularly at night, which makes it a nice little stop for a nightcap.

1809 Minor Ave (between Howell St & Stewart St) - (map)
habeshaseattle.com - seattle weekly - seattle times - yelp

#791 - The Ruins, Seattle - 3/2/2009

The Ruins, Seattle, WA

I paused before including this in K-Bar, as it is a private dining club, but decided it belonged because it's a type of place I very much want to go to to have a drink. I love hidden places like this and after waiting for a long time for an invitation to attend (perhaps I need a better class of friends?), it did not disappoint. Rather than try to describe it to anyone not already familiar with it, I'd refer you to the photos on the web site.

570 Roy St. (map)
theruins.net - seattle times - yelp - citysearch