#1170 #S711 - Industry Lounge, Seattle - 7/2/2010

Another very pleasant SoDo area dive bar.  The Industry Lounge, as the name implies, is a working man's bar, with a nice mix of African-American, Latino and white patrons, several wearing union logos and factory card keys.

Even the karaoke was fine for a few moments, with a stocky black guy belting out Mustang Sally and a middle-aged blonde woman doing a serviceable impersonation of Peggy Lee through Fever.  It was only when the DJ and a patron decided to do a duet of "Islands in the Stream" that I realized I really wouldn't be able to get nearly drunk enough for this bar unless I was going to be taking a cab home.

6601 E Marginal Way South, Seattle, WA 98108-3239 - (206) 762-3453
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#1169 #S710 - Bezt Lounge (Mr. D's Greek Restaurant), Seattle - 7/2/2010

Update: This location of Philoxenia / Mr. D's and the Bezt Lounge closed at sometime in 2016 or shortly thereafter.

Mr. D's Greek Restaurant and Lounge -- AKA "Philoxenia," AKA "Bezt Lounge," and not to be confused with Mr. D's Greek Delicacies now located in what was once the Montana Horse Meat Market -- is a first rate neighborhood dive.  I was exhorted to visit by my friend Frank, who had a fairly comic adventure ordering a Manhattan here.  Unfortunately Frank violated Pete's First Rule of Dive Bars, which is never order a drink that doesn't include all ingredients in the name.  Gin & Tonic, Jack & Coke, Bud Lite -- these are fairly safe bets.  Newfangled and obscure concoctions such as this "Manhattan" thingie -- not so much.  And don't even ask about the time my friend Ray aspired to order a White Russian at the Baranof.  (Okay, by that I really mean do ask, if you haven't already heard the story.)

The lounge at Mr. D's contains all the essential elements of a great dive.  The interior is decorated with a crazy hodgepodge of styles from various decades (check out the wood burning stove and standup piano in front of the brushed steel). 

The hand-done signs fall charmingly short of a recognizable stylistic goal.  It's dark and not too overly dominated by big beer corporation paraphenalia.  And most importantly of all, it has a set of earthy, chatty workers and regulars.  During my visit the elderly female bartender was arguing with the elderly female off-duty employee about the exact twist needed to coax one of the beer taps to work.  The conversation was convivial, but animated with many f-bombs and a few threats of imminent violence.

I like this place.

97 S Lander St, Seattle, WA 98134 - (206) 624-9851
seattle weekly -  yelp

#1168 #S709 - Denny's Lounge, Seattle (Northgate) - (OOO)

Okay, this was many years ago, but I didn't get it on the list yet and I clearly remember having a drink here just for the absurdity of it. There used to be a Denny's on Northgate Way (current "Saffron") and this Denny's had a lounge.

Just think of that for a bit. Who decides to have a nice night out, considers all the options for having a drink or two, and concludes that the optimal place to go this evening would be Denny's? (Yes, yes -- I did it a couple times. But there aren't that many people like me out there, are there?)

2132 N Northgate Way, Seattle, WA 98133

#1167 #S708 - West Seattle Bowl Lounge, Seattle - 6/30/2010

It's a lounge in an old bowling alley.  I think any additional description would be superfluous.

4505 39th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 932-3731
westseattlebowl.com

#1166 #S707 - Christo's on Alki, Seattle - 6/30/2010

The bar here is tiny and utterly typical.  But it did have a full house (that would be about eight people) when I visited on this Wednesday night.

2508 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 923-2200
christosonalki.com - facebook - yelp

#1165 - Roanoke Inn, Mercer Island - 6/30/2010

What a swell place for the inhabitants of Mercer Island (those poor suffering bastards).  Originally built as a "chicken-dinner inn" in 1914 and named the "Grandfather Inn" by 1916, it has apparently served as a hotel, brothel, and speak-easy (with "illegal booze served in coffee mugs") in the interim before becoming a tavern sometime after prohibition.  Nowadays the food and liquor are pretty standard pub fare, but it's the setting that makes the Roanoke a fine place.  In contrast to the dreary, multi-use strip mall abodes of most other island businesses, the Roanoke has a cozy, almost lodge-like interior that makes it a fine place for wet weather, and an expansive set of outdoor patios for sunny days.  (And as if to emphasize the preppy surroundings, they'll loan you a croquet set in the Summer.)


1825 72nd Ave SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040 - (206) 232-0800
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#1164 #S706 - In the Red Wine Bar, Seattle - 6/29/2010

"In The Red" (get it?) was designed as a wine, light plate, and coffee shop with affordable prices to reflect the post-financial collapse times.  One happy side effect of this is that it avoids the formulaic decor of most wine bars -- the modernist furniture and hanging halogen lights are replaced by a hodgepodge of collected chandeliers, a bar designed like a skateboard halfpipe, bar chairs from the Hit It Here Cafe, and a wainscot made of doors.  These all give it a much more comfortable personality.  And while I didn't see any at the relatively late hour that I dropped in, right now the entire place, including the bar, is open to children as well, though they are likely to portion off the bar area when they eventually get liquor.

Neither the food nor the wine selections are particularly interesting -- it appears most of both come directly from Trader Joe's -- but that's not really the point of In The Red.  It's more like a slightly more modern version of good diner, providing decent wine and lattes at a decent price.  I had the cheese plate and the (tomato-based) bruschetta, along with a Sawbuck Malbec and then a Substance Syrah.  Again, none of these were particularly remarkable, but they were agreeable, as was the conversation with co-owners Chad and Brian, though they were slightly exhausted from the recent opening festivities and long days.

6510 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 420-8992
intheredwinebar.com - queen anne news - seattlemet - thrillist - yelp