#888 - Kate's Pub, Seattle - 9/6/2009

309 NE 45th St. Seattle, WA 98127 - (206) 547-6832
myspace - seattle weekly - yelp - the stranger

#887 - Al's Tavern, Seattle - 9/6/2009

Okay, I'm knocking off two bars that I was 95% sure I'd been to before a few times, but wasn't certain until I verified them from inside. Al's has been around since 1940, and has a classic, neighborhood bar, poorly rendered but oozing with local personality mural on the back wall. It's a quite pleasant neighborhood dive.

Est. 1940 (also listed as Smithy's Tavern that year)

2303 N 45th St., Seattle, WA 98103 - 206-545-9959
seattle weekly - citysearch - yelp - the stranger

#886 - Jersey's, Shoreline, WA - 9/6/2009

In 1980, Dick Oldham bought a sputtering new bar across from the Kingdome parking lot called "Stanley's Ticker Tape," and renamed it "Sneakers." Of course, "sports bars" had existed for many, many decades in various cities, but Oldham did some things that few if any other bars in the country had done at the time. He got the idea to put televisions everywhere -- 10 TVs, so that patrons could follow simultaneous games and see them from anywhere in the joint. When lineman Reggie McKenzie was traded to the Seahawks, he flew in a chef to teach Oldham's crew how to make spicy chicken wings like they did back in Buffalo, NY (hence, "Buffalo Wings"). And he very actively collected an idiosyncratic set of memorabilia and autographs from local players/patrons and players from around the country. Sneakers (sold in 1996 and now "Sluggers") was often listed as one of the best sports bars in the nation.

Little did Oldham suspect, one must assume, that he was helping to invent one of the most ubiquitous and most boring bar themes across America.

Jersey's is one of these -- one of any number in every city and town. It has the TVs, the sports artifacts, and that essential set of old geezers carrying on as if they know much better than those yahoos actually filling the coaching and management jobs. But the space has no personality, let alone the appealing quirkiness of Sneakers' 15-foot-wide confines. And in sharp contrast to the personality of the Sneakers collection, the entire decor looks like it came from one trip to the mall, plus the blow-up props and posters from beer distributors. And they add pretty much every checkbox item for the current cookie-cutter sports bars -- the pulltabs, the plastic, electronic darts games, and the contraption of various disco lights hanging from the rafters for some godforsaken dance night.

I don't mean to single out Jersey's -- the food is fine, the liquor is the liquor, and there is nothing particularly out of sorts about the place. But that's exactly my problem with Jersey's -- exactly my problem with all of these places. A bar needs a personality, and decorating structures that could just as well be an Applebees with framed jerseys from a memorabilia store and football decorations from Budweiser is just no substitute for that.

1306 N 175th St (a block east of Aurora), Shoreline, WA 98133 - (206) 546-4054
jerseysgreatfood.com - yelp

#885 - Ricky's Bar & Grill, Shoreline, WA - 9/6/2009

Update: Ricky's closed in 2011.














632 N Richmond Beach Dr. (Richmond Beach Shopping Center, between N 3rd Ave & N 8th Ave) Shoreline, WA 98177 - (206) 546-4847
Est. 2008? - Closed 2011
yelp

#884 - Richmond Beach Grill House, Shoreline, WA - 9/6/2009

Update: Richmond Beach Grill House closed in 2010

---

This seems like a pleasant enough little complex for families, but I would not recommend going out of your way for the lounge.

1430 NW Richmond Beach Rd., Shoreline, WA 98177 -  206-533-1500
Previous bars in this location: Arden Inn Tavern (1970s)
Subsequent bars in this location: Swannies on the Alley
mygrillhouse.com - spinalley.com - yelp

#883 - The War Room, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 9/2/2009

Meh. Even the rooftop deck, which should have been a nice respite from the top 40 style music, was compromised by watching a mouse dart back and forth across the floor. Obviously not my kind of crowd, but the bartenders were cool, and they did have a slideshow showing much more interesting club people than their patrons.

 The War Room is closing Nov. 30, 2009

722 E Pike St. Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 328-7666
thewarroomseattle.com - yelp - citysearch - the stranger - seattle weekly

#882 - Maharaja, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 9/2/2009

Update:  The Maharaja closed Dec 31, 2010

I have it on good authority -- and yelpers confirm -- that it is a fine dive bar in the back of this establishment (the food, the bathrooms -- not so much). It was completely dead on the early Friday evening that I attended, so I obviously haven't seen it in top form. If you're on Capitol Hill and want a bar with stiff, basic drinks without the Capitol Hill prices, it seems like a reasonable choice. And the web site is, um, remarkable.

720 E Pike St, Seattle - (206) 320-0334
Closed Dec 31, 2010
seattlemaharaja.com - yelp - the stranger

#881 - Captain Black's, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 9/2/2009

If this were any place besides the embarrassment of bar riches area of Capitol Hill, I'd immediately give it my highest rating. The food gets mixed reviews and it's not the place you'd want to go for a really interesting cocktail, but if you're just drinking and it's just the basics, there aren't many better places in town. The small porch in front, the homey remodeled bungalow interior, and especially the large porch in back make this seem like a really nice resort town bar -- but with a more likable crowd.

129 Belmont Ave, Seattle, WA 98102-5602 - (206) 327-9549
captainblacksseattle.com - the stranger - yelp - urbanspoon - seattle weekly

#880 - Tavern Law, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 9/2/2009

My first impression of the much hyped Tavern Law was negative. After all, it was supposed to be a prime example of the new speakeasy trend, so what was it doing with a prominent sign out front identifying the place (even though anyone who even casually follows Seattle foodie and bar news knew exactly where it was)? I later realized that the speakeasy was hidden inside the public bar.

The space is nice, with lots of quirky angles, and the drinks and the food are absolutely lovely.

Thanks to (customer) Naomi for an enjoyable an informative conversation, and thanks to the TL/Spur crew for a great salmon and risotto and cocktails. I will very definitely be back.

Try the: Monkey Gland

1406 12th Ave (between Union St & Pike St), Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 322-9734
tavernlaw.com - blog - facebook - seattle times - yelp - seattlest

#879 - Lucid, Seattle (U-District) - 8/27/2009

Update: Lucid closed at the end of September 2015.

This is a very happening little jazz club, surprisingly downbeat, cozy, and hip for a U District bar. For me, Lucid and Cafe Racer give the district its first destination bars -- i.e. ones you'd repeatedly leave other parts of town and travel a distance just to experience for a while. It's a classic-feeling, intimate space that feels like lounging in your hip friend's basement, with musical talent wandering in and playing into the ongoing sets. It is run by the multifaceted philanthropist David Pierre-Louis, who interned at NASA, and works on progress for the people of Haiti, where his parents were born.

Est. 2008 - Closed Sep 2015 - Building constructed 1999

5241 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 369-3248

lucidseattle.com - facebook 

Articles: seattleglobalist - yelp - the stranger - visualismphoto's flickr

#878 - Jak's Grill Laurelhurst, Seattle - 8/27/2009

Est. 1996 - Building constructed 1948 - Closed Jan 7, 2024

3701 NE 45th St, Seattle - (206) 985-8545
jaksgrill.com - seattleweekly - yelp

#877 - The Sandpoint Grill, Seattle - 8/27/2009

5414 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle - (206) 729-1303
sandpointgrillseattle.com - yelp

#876 - The Caroline Tavern, Seattle (Lake City) - 8/24/2009

The Caroline is a nifty little neighborhood place that's been operating in the middle of nowhere since prohibition. It is said to have once been visited by Will Rogers, and now caters -- as one imagines it always has -- to a pleasant cross-section of ages, ethnic groups, and subcultures.







Historical notes:  There is no doubt that the Caroline is one of the 20 to 30 oldest bars in Seattle. The Caroline itself includes mentions of a start date in 1933, and this Seattle PI blog entry states that "The Polk directory shows the Caroline at that address at least as early as 1937." However, I'm pretty confident that this is mistaken, and that while the bar may possibly date back to 1933, it was at a location on Victory Way (now Lake City Way) until approx. 1940.
 
In the late 30s and early 40s the Caroline was owned by Mrs. Mary McNulty. The 1937 Seattle Polk guide includes no mention of the Caroline or McNulty, but the 1936 through 1939 telephone directories list the Caroline Tavern or a tavern under Mary McNulty at 12341 Victory Way (now Lake City Way). The buildings currently around this address date back to the 40s, so this structure probably no longer exists. Then in 1940 the telephone directories and eventually the Polk Guide begin to list the Caroline Tavern, Mary McNulty, or both at the current address. It is not unusual for Seattle directories of the time to be missing bars that are so far out from downtown, and I would not at all be surprised to see the that the Caroline does indeed date back to 1933 (although not likely at the current address). However until I see this from some primary source, I will list it as "1936 or earlier."

13702 15th Ave NE., Seattle, WA 98125-3102 - (206) 362-9879
Est. 1940 or earlier at this address, 1936 or earlier at previous address
pi lake city blog - yelp - the stranger

#875 - V Bar, Seattle (Belltown) - 8/22/2009

Update:  The V Bar closed in mid 2011

2120 2nd Ave. Seattle, WA 98121-2208
hideousbelltown

#874 - Sheraton Seattle Lobby Lounge, Seattle - 8/20/2009

Meh...

1400 6th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101
website

#873 - Tony Starlight's, Portland - 8/8/2009

3728 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland OR 97232
tonystarlight.com - myspace - portland tribune - willamette week - neighborhood notes - barflymag - yelp

#872 - Dancing Bare, Portland - 8/7/2009

Of course I did not go here voluntarily. It was those horrid Portland TikiKon people who dragged us in, and I just had to suffer.

#871 - Kenton Club, Portland, OR - 8/7/2009

The Kenton Club is a very nice neighborhood spot with good live music, no cover, and an amiable mix of hipsters and grizzled, white-bearded oldsters. The "world famous" part apparently comes from its use in the Racquel Welch movie "Kansas City Bombers." I visited the KC during the secret crawl portion of TikiKon VII Speakeasy event, and while we didn't exactly fit in, the back patio was quite welcoming.

2025 N Kilpatrick St., Portland, OR 97217 - (503) 285-3718
myspace - yelp

#870 - w xyz, Portland, OR - 8/8/2009

9920 NE Cascade Parkway, Portland, OR 97220 - (503) 200-5678
wxyzportland.com

#869 - Buffalo Wild Wings, Portland, OR - 8/7/2009

This is a chain sports bar, it was close to my hotel, and I knew what I was getting into, so if I'd just stuck with the sports bar food and beer, I would have been perfectly fine. But a berry margarita sounded refreshing, and thus I ended up with this glass of ugly mess that appeared to be made from tequila and some kind of sugary goop with extremely dubious connections to any actual berry. My bad.

9810 NE Cascades Parkway, Portland, OR 97220-6825 - 503-281-0351
buffalowildwings.com

#868 - Shuckers, Seattle - 8/1/2009

411 University St. Seattle, WA 98127 - (206) 621-1984
web site - yelp - zagat

#867 - The Lookout, Seattle - 7/31/2009

757 Bellevue Ave E. Seattle, Wa 98122 - 206 860-2752
(at the corner of Bellevue, Bellevue & Bellevue)
thelookoutseattle.com - facebook - the stranger - yelp - capitol hill blog

#866 - Stonehenge Tavern, Zillah, Wa - 7/27/2009

603 1st Ave, Zillah, WA 98953 - (509) 829-9411
stonehengeinzillah.com - urban spoon

#865 - M & J Tavern, Grandview, WA - 7/27/2009

110 W Wine Country Rd., Grandview, WA 98930 - 509-882-9697

#864 - Ben's Crow Inn, Boise - 7/26/2009

Ben's Crow Inn, 6781 Warm Springs Ave., Boise, ID 83716 - 208 342-9669 boise weekly - idaho eats - highbeam

#863 - Pair, Boise - 7/25/2009

Big and swanky, with some nice cocktail choices

601 W Main St. Boise, ID 83702-5935 - (208) 343-7034
eatdrinkshare.com - facebook - boise weekly - yelp - clubvibes

#862 - Mack & Charlies, Boise - 7/24/2009

Mack and Charlies closed in 2012

507 W. Main St., Boise, ID 83702
mackandcharlies.com - myspace - boise weekly

#861 - StoneHouse, Boise - 7/24/2009

665 Park Blvd, Boise, ID 83712
stonehouseidaho.com - boise weekly

#860 - Main Street Bitro, Boise - 7/24/2009

609 W. Main St., Boise, ID, 83702
myspace - boise weekly - yelp - idaho statesman

#859 - The Symposion Boise, ID - 7/24/2009

Updated Sep 26, 2019

The Symposion, Boise, ID

"In ancient Greece, the symposium (Greek: συμπόσιον symposion or symposio, from συμπίνειν sympinein, "to drink together") was a part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, recitals, or conversation." (wikipedia)

The Sympiosion -- or "The Sympo" to regulars -- appears much as I remember it when I last went there ten years ago. Founder and owner Victor Cocotis passed away April 12, 2018, but his creation, described as "The neighborhood bar without a neighborhood," carries on. At least for now that is, there are some articles about a new land owner and a potential ballpark on the property, which now seems to stand in a little oasis of undeveloped space between busy highways on the east side of Boise, the now demolished warehouses making its blue and white, columned doorway and surrounding trees seem all the more oddly out of place.

Inside there is still a fairly typical dive bar, but for the division into several separate rooms. Bartender Michelle was serving up the standard modern dive mix of cheap beers, craft beers, and strong, simple cocktails, in a structure built in 1918, a large "Cocktails" sign on the roof, and who knows what kind of residents preceding the bar. It's the sort of oddity one hopes survives as long as possible, and you'll want to remember to patronize now and then if you have the chance.

2801 Fletcher St., Boise, ID - 208-342-9420                              
Est. 1975 - Building constructed: 1918
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook
Articles: yelp - boiseweekly - tripadvisor - boisedev 

#858 - Players, Wildhorse Gaming Resort, Pendleton OR - 7/22/2009

72777 Hwy. 331, Pendleton, OR 97801
wildhorseresort.com -

#857 - The Saddle, Pendleton, OR - 7/22/2009

2220 SE Ct Ave., Pendleton, OR 97801

#856 - Crabby's Underground Saloon, Pendleton, OR - 7/22/2009

220 SW 1st St, Pendleton, OR 97801 - (541) 276-8118
myspace - goseeoregon - ohwy

#855 - Bern's Tavern, Prosser, Wa - 7/22/2009

How great is that sign?

618 6th St., Prosser, WA 99350 - bernstavern.com

#854 - Branzino, Seattle (Belltown) - 7/20/2009

Kellie and Dennis at Branzino

branzinoseattle.com - seattle pi - seattle times - seattle magazine - yelp - the stranger

#853 - Revyve, Seattle (Belltown) - 7/20/2009

revyveseattle.com - yelp

#852 - Brouwer's Cafe, Seattle (Fremont) - OOO

Update: Brouwer's closed in 2024

blog - yelp

#851 - Greenlake Bar & Grill, Seattle - 7/12/2009

There's a nice history of past Greenlake Grills at the current and other locations on the My Greenlake blog.

7200 E Green Lake Dr N, Seattle, WA 98115 - (206) 729-6179
website - yelp - the stranger

#850 - Bastille, Seattle (Ballard) - 7/11/2009

Update: After temporarily closing due to the Coronavirus in March 2020, the owners announced that Bastille would be refashioned into Sabine Cafe, which opened their cafe portion Oct 28, 2020. The bar portion remained closed to be reopened when conditions allow.

---

This may be the completion of the gentrification of Ballard and final concession of Seattle's hip neighborhood to Georgetown / SoDo. But if so, what a way to go.

The place is beautiful, with glowing, vintage sconces that will make steampunks envious, French subway accoutrements, very fine French brasserie style food, and a rollicking, sexy salsa scene in the gorgeous back bar. By comparision to the august interior, the patio looks rather plain, but also spacious and welcoming. And it detracted nothing my first impression that the place (in the location of the old Obermaier Machine Works building) was packed with beautiful women the Saturday night we went. Gentrification certainly has its benefits.

Est. 2010 - Closed March 2020 (refashioned into Sabine Cafe) - Building constructed 1927

5307 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107-4061 - (206) 453-5014
bastilleseattle.com - yelp - seattle times - myballard

#849 - Nijo, Seattle (downtown) - 7/8/2009

(Pat Roux photo)

83 Spring St. Seattle, WA 98104 - (206) 340-8880
Est. 2005 - Building constructed 1905
Previous bars at this location: None known
nijosushi.com - yelp - the stranger

#848 - The Loft, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

It's been a very long time since I'd been to downtown Edmonds and I really had low expectations for the bars. But while I don't see any particular reason to ever go back to Rory's or Johnny's, I was surprised by how much I liked the little trio of bars around 5th and Main. And The Loft was the most surprising of all.

It's small and romantic, with two floors and a very nice bamboo-lined patio. The food and drinks contain some fine, uncommon options. With the spring break type atmosphere at Taki Tiki and the classic neighborhood feel of Engel's, the swanky dark wood and dramatic lighting of The Loft make it the upscale alternative to perfectly complete the range of drinkeries. It gives people from Seattle a reason to return, and makes old town Edmonds feel like an alluring little resort town.

Try the: Glacier (Bartender Joe's cocktail contest entry)

515 Main St., Edmonds, WA 98020 - (425) 640-5000
theloftlounge.com - yelp - insider pages

#847 - Engel's Pub, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

A classic, small, neighborhood pub, just like every town should have.

113 5th Ave S Edmonds, WA 98020 - (425) 778-2900
Est. 1934
yelp - insiderpages

#846 - Johnny's Sports Bar, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

Mehhh....

101 Main St., Edmonds, WA 98020-3131 - (425) 778-1585
johnnyssportsbar.net - facebook - yelp

#845 - Rory's, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

105 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 - 425-778-3433
Previous bars in this location: Sail Inn Tavern (50s-90s)
yelp - citysearch -

#844 - A Very Taki Tiki Bar, Edmonds, WA - 7/4/2009

This is certainly not the sort of place that is going to please people who are really into tiki culture. But while the college-bar type crowd, the cheesy but charmless decor, and the overly sweet, sorority girl drinks are not my cup of tea, I do like to see a range of styles in bars and I think this one definitely has its place, nestled in with the swanky Loft and the comfortably divey Engel's.

518 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 - 425-778-3548
Previous bars at this location:None known
averytakitikibar.com - yelp

#843 - Pexos / Lake City Bar and Grill, Seattle - 7/4/2009

When I first stopped into this bar in July 2009, I wrote here how boring it was.  It seemed like the lifeless remnant of some 70s fern bar, with no distinct features, hardly anyone in the place, and a virtually lifeless bartender. Like many people, I assume it was the "Lake City Bar and Grill," as the signs outside proclaimed, and I assumed I'd never be back.

Hanging bar above the main bar bears vestiges of Neal's Nightcap.

What brought me back in Sep. 2012, was finding the unfamiliar name of Pexos Sports Bar. It turned out that Pexos is what many people call the Lake City Bar and Grill, as the investment of a new sign was apparently considered frivolous. I was glad I came back though -- the place was a bit more lively, there were more interesting characters, and I did a tiny bit better job at noticing various vestiges of the past. That past was then partially filled in by long-time resident and customer Ashley.

This clip art flyer beside the door was the only hint I saw of the "Pexos" name.

Ashley informed me that the place was previously Neal's Nightcap (hence the "N N" etched in the hanging bar), and earlier the Green Mill (odd, because there is a sign with a blue mill still on top of the building), and possibly also The Lantern (presuming she is not conflating this with the Beacon Light Tavern which used to be on the next block).  It also went by various versions of "O'Neill's up until 2005 or so (O'Neill's Family Restaurant, O'Neill's Pub and Eatery, O'Neill's Restaurant and Bar). Unfortunately, it is difficult to find primary records of establishments this far from the downtown area.



12725 Lake City Way NE., Seattle, Washington 98125 - 206-362-2911
Previous bars in this location: O'Neill's, Neal's Nightcap, The Green Mill?  The Lantern?
yelp 

#842 - 88 Keys, Seattle (Pioneer Square) - 7/2/2009

Update: 88 Keys closed in 2017

315 2nd Avenue South, Seattle, WA
Previous bars in this location: Jazz Alley Downtown, Celebrity, The Fenix
Subsequent bars in this location: Xtadium
88keyseattle.com - yelp

#841 - GLO at Ibiza - Seattle (Pioneer Square) - 7/2/2009

528 2nd Ave., Seattle, WA 98104
ibizadinnerclub.com - yelp - seattle times - the stranger

#840 - Smarty Pants, Seattle (Georgetown) - 6/27/2009

In any other Seattle neighborhood this would be a top destination bar. But the emphasis is on the restaurant here, and south Seattle is an embarrassment of riches of bars with character and great vibe. It's still a pretty good choice and probably has the best summer patio if you don't want to go all the way to Loretta's. The service is friendly and good even when they're slammed (I went during Artopia / Georgetown Music Fest). But I did not quite have the nerve to order the bacon-tini.

6017 Airport Way S., Seattle, WA 98108-2717
smartypantsseattle.com - yelp - the stranger - seattle weekly

#839 - Jabu's Pub, Seattle (Queen Anne) - 6/26/2009

Update: Jabu's Pub closed on Sep 6, 2014

The drinks are uninteresting, but it's a nice, quirky space, and it's more about the crowd than the menu. If I ever become a lesbian I'll probably hang out here before Storm games.

Est. 2002 - Closed Sep 6, 2014
174 Roy St., Seattle, WA 98109
jabuspub.com - myspace - facebook - yelp - the stranger