#1152 #S695 - Redline Music & Sports, Seattle - 6/23/2010

Update:  The Redline closed in Sept. 2010.

As I headed out to the Redline, a friend who lives in the West Seattle area warned me that she would not go to this place dressed as I was.  It was a rare sunny Seattle 2010 day, and I was looking pretty touristy, with shorts, tiki shirt, and straw hat.  The friend warned of a bar filled with clientele recently released from prison.  Naturally, this just made me all the more interested in checking out the Redline, and I was sorely disappointed when I found only a small group of frumpy patrons doing karaoke.

I don't know exactly what my friend has experienced, but the Redline I saw had basically a college spring break sort of vibe, with a calendar full of things like 25 Cent Wings night, $1 Taco night, bikini contests, and a visit from the Jager Girls.  The new owner does allude to a previous reputation for the location, but the only thing threatening that I saw was way too much Wazzu Cougar paraphernalia. 

4439 35th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126 - (206) 938-3598
Established 2007 - Closed Sep 2010 - Building constructed 1926
Previous bars in this location: Legends Sports Bar
redlinemusicsports.com - myspace - west seattle blog - yelp

#1151 #S694 - The Market Arms, Seattle - 6/22/2010

From the owner of the George & Dragon, a somewhat more gentrified British Pub style place with typical pub food, sexy servers, good beer, and soccer on TVs.

2401 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107 - 206-789-0470
themarketarms.com - thrillist - the stranger - seattle weekly - yelp

#1150 - Hell's Kitchen, Tacoma, WA - 6/20/2010

Hell's Kitchen closed in late June 2012 (people involved later opened The Lochs in this space).

 
928 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402-4402 - (253) 759-6003
Est. ? (approx. 2002) - Closed 2012
hellskitchenonline.com - myspace - yelp 

#1149 - The Swiss, Tacoma, WA - 6/20/2010

Update: The Swiss announced their permanent closure on Sep 12, 2020.

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The Swiss is a great example of urban renewal via giving new life to great old abused spaces .  The large rooms were first The Swiss Club in 1913, "a meeting place for Swiss immigrants to conduct business, hold dances, throw back a few, and just enjoy the company and fellowship of others." 

It was subsequently "improved" and then abandoned, until the current owners, three friends who worked at Engine No 9, reclaimed it from the drug dealers, rescued much of its original character, and reopened in 1993. 

They sanded the Kelly green paint off the original South African mahogany bar, removed the acoustic tiles hiding the pressed tin ceiling, chased away drug dealers and added art and good beer.  They added a stage and music schedule (and at one time plays). 

It's a great victory for people who love old bars.

1904 S. Jefferson Ave., Tacoma, WA, 98402 - (253) 572-2821
theswisspub.com - history - myspace - yelp

#1148 - Acme Grub Cage Tavern, Tacoma, WA - 6/20/2010

Update: The Acme Grub Cage closed Aug 5, 2017.

How can you resist a place called the Acme Grub Cage?  This is a fairly typical, medium-sized, neighborhood dive, with beer company decor mixed with Halloween decorations.  They have some interesting beers, a stage area for live bands, Twister, and a stripper pole.  Rob the bartender told me the Grub Cage has been around since 1932 (this would, of course, been during Prohibition), and that it moved to its current location sometime in the 40s or 50s.  New owner Steve Campagna apparently cleaned the place up considerably a few years ago.

1310 Tacoma Ave S, Tacoma, WA 98402 - (253) 272-1892
Previous bars at this location: None known
Subsequent bars at this location: The Camp Bar
facebook - northwest military - yelp

#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