#1147 #S693 - Habana SoDo, Seattle - 6/19/2010

I am not a big fan of salsa, but I am a big fan of hot women in tight clothing.  What first appears to be a smallish, glass enclosed space opens into a large warehouse space in back where the dancing action takes place.  As for the bar, well you don't go there for the cocktails.

2942 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134 - (206) 829-9956
facebook - yelp

#1146 #S692 - Club Kolbeh, Seattle - 6/19/2010

Update: Club Kolbeh is now closed.

The bar at Kolbeh, AKA Astoria, is pretty standard -- that is, the liquor bar, not the hookah bar around the corner, I wouldn't begin to know how to judge the latter.

The service has received quite a few bad reviews, and was not very attentive when I went, though not terrible.  The Persian food I had was quite good, and I would have liked to have been able to stay longer to check out the music.

1956 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134 - (206) 224-9999
the stranger - yelp - citysearch 

#1145 #S691 - Targy's Tavern, Seattle - 6/18/2010

I had never even seen Targy's before this date and had a picture in my head of a boring bar somewhere in lower Queen Anne. What I found was a very fine neighborhood dive, nearly hidden in a residential area of Upper Queen Anne since shortly after prohibition.

The one-armed bartender informed me that it was I had never even seen Targy's before this date and had a picture in my head of a boring bar somewhere in lower Queen Anne.  What I found was a very fine neighborhood dive, nearly hidden in a residential area of Upper Queen Anne since shortly after prohibition.  originally across the street.  The decor is a likable dive sort, with varying vestiges of decades past like the blue sofa across from the black and red vinyl booths in front of 70s orange and mirror patterned wallpaper.


600 W Crockett St, Seattle, WA 98119 - (206) 352-8882
myspace -  the stranger - yelp

#1144 #S690 - Buckley's (Queen Anne), Seattle - 6/18/2010

I'm not a fan of sports bars generally, and the ones I do like tend to be old ones, where the memorabilia has the appearance of accruing over years with a personal touch, rather than a single trip to the mall.  Nevertheless, I like this Buckley's.  The crowd is likable, the service is friendly, and the decor is lots of dark wood and books.  Even if the books are of the buy-by-the-yard variety, they give the place an older, more comfortable feel.

232 1st Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119 - (206) 691-0232-
buckleysseattle.com - facebook - seattle pi - the stranger - yelp

#1143 #S689 - The Signature, Seattle - 6/18/2010

Update: The Signature closed in mid-April 2012.  It was replaced by Red Papaya Ale and Spirits.

A very nice Vietnamese restaurant, which in the evenings turns into one of the most gawdawful karaoke bars imaginable.

530 1st Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 283-6614
thesignaturerestaurant.com - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp

#1142 #S688 - Grand Jumbo Chinese Cocktail Lounge, Seattle - 6/17/2010

The Grand Jumbo Chinese Restaurant is not prone to understatement, and above the door to the lounge there are large letters spelling out "BOSS," which makes me wonder if it is actually the Grand Jumbo Boss Lounge?

I didn't have the opportunity to eat there, and at 10-ish on a Thursday evening the large space hosted only one large table of patrons taking turns singing Vietnamese karaoke, and three or four more sitting at the bar.  The lounge is partitioned off in the manner of hotel meeting rooms, and my googling indicated that it sometimes hosts raves.  The gals working the bar were apologetic that their regular bartender was not there to prepare cocktails, but they were very solicitous in gathering the ingredients for a gin and tonic.


As the web site notes (to the tune of a lilting piano), "In 2009 the GJR proudly welcomed Danny to the management team.  Danny is kind, accessible, and very always entertaining."  The complete text of the "Bar" page is currently "Bar Menu:  Bar."  I didn't meet Danny, so I can't personally confirm that he is very always entertaining, but the people working the bar were very pleasant and attentive.

grandjumbochineserestaurant.com - seattle weekly - seattle times - the stranger - urban spoon - ravelinks - yelp
4208 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 - (206) 760-9200

#1141 #S687 - Columbia City Ale House, Seattle - 6/17/2010

From the folks who pretty much invented the grastropub in Seattle, The Columbia Ale House is the sister to the Hilltop and 74th Street.  That means they have very good food, excellent rotating specials and soups, and a very good selection of craft beers in a British pub sort of setting.

4914 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 - (206) 723-5123
seattlealehouses.com - facebook - seattle times - the stranger - yelp