#979 -Hudson, Seattle - 1/20/2010

This is a cool little place with good cocktails and very good food (I had the sliders and they were excellent).  I'll definitely be coming back, for breakfast as well as the cocktails and dinner.  It's located in the Georgetown area under a big haunted house sign that's been up for two years and which I personally hope is up for another 50.

5000 East Marginal Way S., Seattle, WA 98134 - (206) 767-4777
hudsonseattle.com - seattle weekly - seattle weekly 2 - seattle times - yelp

#978 - The Eagle, Seattle - 1/17/2010

As in most large cities, Seattle's "Eagle" is a leather bar, roughly in the mold of Tom's Saloon in Hamburg. But again like most other large cities, it's considerably less edgy and the crowd more diverse than when gay life was less broadly accepted in the general public. Since it is not exactly designed with people like me in mind, rather than opine upon it, I'm going to list a few quotes I came across in the yelp reviews:

Apparently, I missed its glory days:  "The sling is gone, no free pool table, sex is not allowed and a 5$ cover for an empty bar filled with trolls." 

"The DJ leaves alot to be desired. It's a little Asian guy who wears 2 baseball hats at once. I may be a little bias, but I played much hotter music than he does. I was out on the patio one Saturday night and swore I could hear "sail away" by Enya. On a Saturday night?!! Fire him!!!"  (Okay, this is probably terrible prejudice, but I'm 100% behind firing anyone who wears two baseball caps at once.)

"The windows are blacked out, there is no sign marking it as a legitimate establishment, it kind of smells like urine, and there is a "swing" in the corner."

"Just then, a man with white toothpick legs, above-the-knees denim shorts, and a loose wife-beater tank top burst out the door and onto the sidewalk as if there'd been an explosion inside. He had dark hair, glasses, and a mustache that looked so much like a caterpillar that I thought it would crawl around.  Linda peeked in the door before it closed again. "Oh you couldn't even handle it, honey!" the man said to Linda."

"The Horror."  (That's the complete review.)

Historical notes: The Eagle dates its origin to 1980, which is not the year it was first named The Eagle, but rather the year it was purchased by James Allen Veres and Lance L. Hughes, who purchased the "Le Chateau" lounge and began it's transition to a gay leather bar. They renamed it the "J&L Saloon" in the early 80s, and "The Eagle" later that decade. The space has hosted bars since at least the 40s. It was called the "East Pike Tavern" from the mid 40s to late 50s, then was "Gordy's Tavern" by 1959, became "The Piker" around 1965, then "The Odyssey" by 1968 and through most of the 70s, and Kelly's Ring Side Pub in 1979.


314 E Pike St., Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 621-7591
Web site: seattleeagle.com
Articles: capitolhillseattle - yelp - the stranger

#977 - Kingfish Cafe, Seattle - 1/17/2010

Update: The Kingfish Cafe closed Jan 25, 2015

A pleasant place with great old photos. But not pleasant enough for an $8.50 Hendricks and tonic, and much more interesting cafe (southern food) than as a bar.


602 19th Ave E., Seattle, WA 98112 - (206) 320-8757
Est. 1997 - Building constructed: 1909 - Closed Jan 25, 2015
Previous bars in this location: None known
thekingfishcafe.com - seattle pi - yelp - citysearch - the stranger

#976 - Barrio, Seattle - 1/17/2010

Update: Barrio closed Aug 30, 2024 

1420 12th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122 -(206) 588-8105
barriorestaurant.com - seattletimes - yelp

#975 - Tower Tavern, Centralia, WA - 1/11/2010

114 S Tower Ave., Centralia, WA                    
Previous bars at this location: The Nimble Nickel (30s)

#974 - The Olympic Club, Centralia, WA - 1/11/2010

This is my favorite yet of the great old, preserved spaces in the McMennamins chain. It is said to have been built in 1908 and to remain "virtually unchanged from the time of its opulent remodel in 1913."  Originally named the Oxford Hotel and owned by "King of the Bootleggers, Jack Sciutto (the 1910 Lewis County Polk guide lists the owner as J. Schutto), over the years lured many a logger, miner, and rail worker to its billiard room, liquor, and welcoming working women in the rooms upstairs. (McMennamins)


(more photos)

112 N Tower Ave., Centralia, WA 98531 - (360) 736-5164
Est. 1908
mcmenamins.com - yelp - urbanspoon

#973 - Darrell's Tavern, Shoreline - 1/7/2010

I despaired of ever getting Darrell's on my list.  I made several trips hoping to find it open, to no avail (I could find no phone number and certainly no web site).  As I did my "research" in various bars around the neighborhood, I began to fill in the back story.  The owner, now in his 80s, who also collected cars and worked as a CPA in an office upstairs (and may or may not have lived up there for a while), had once had the place relatively thriving with the help of his gregarious Korean wife.  People told me his wife left him and the place started to dwindle, with the old guy not much caring about when he was open or closed, and probably well ready to retire at any rate.

So I was delighted to find it actually open on this night, and even more pleased to talk to Dan, the new owner, who is now combining a fine appreciation for the vintage 60s decor (he dropped nine grand into refurbishing and moving the sign out front alone) with some much needed upgrades, including a web site and soon live music.  "The place your dad used to drink," is how Dan describes it.  And while it's a little out of the way for most Seattlelites (just south of Aurora Village and Sky Nursery), it is well worth the trip.  Go out and support people keeping these great old bars alive.

18041 Aurora Ave N., Shoreline, WA
darrellstavern.com - seattle weekly