#1534 #S909 - Trago Cocina and Lounge, Seattle - 8/5/2011

Azteca, slightly updated for the striped shirt frat boy crowd.

701 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 623-2949
Est. July 2011
Previous bars at this location:  The Green Tavern, Outback Steakhouse
tragoseattle.com - facebook - thrillist - thestranger - yelp

#1533 #S908 - Splash Lounge, Seattle - 8/4/2011

Update:  Splash Lounge closed in January 2012

This near lounge and restaurant from Brian Fetty and Frank Leung in the old V Bar space has good Mediterranean and Asian fusion plates and decent cocktails.  It's a little too Belltown/Amber/Vegas/DList Magazine for my personal tastes, but still an improvement.

2122 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 269-2122
Est. Sep 29, 2011 - Building constructed: 1926
Other bars in this location:  V Bar, Saito's Japanese Cafe & Bar
splashseattle.com - facebook - seattlepi - belltownpeople - thestranger - seattlelite - yelp

#1532 #S907 - Pop Kitchen + Bar, Seattle - 8/2/2011

 Pop Kitchen + Bar is a great upgrade to the restaurant and lounge inside the Experience Music Project.  It is run by Cameron Reed Concepts, who do Chandy's Natural Cafe at Microsoft Commons and Soups On! downtown.  The food is interesting, upscale takes on American classics, and is very good.  They were doing tests with the new heirloom tomato pie, and so I got to sample this dish free, and it was excellent.  I also had a very good Pepito sandwich, and an enjoyable chat with the bartenders about bars in the Seattle area.

325 5th Avenue North (inside EMP), Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 770-2777
Est. July 22, 2011 - Building constructed: 2000
popkitchenseattle.com - facebook - dailycandy - seattlemet - thestranger - cbslocal - yelp

#1531 - Lit Cigar Lounge, Snoqualmie, WA - 7/30/2011

If you're going to do the casino experience, then this is the type of bar you want -- a bit ostentatious, a bit swanky, a bit intimate -- with overstuffed chairs and over-contented people puffing cigars and sipping bourbon.


37500 SE North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, WA 98065 - (425) 888-1234
Est. Nov. 6, 2008
snocasino.com - facebook - puff.com

#1530 - Club Sno - Snoqualmie Casino Lounge, Snoqualmie, WA - 7/30/2011

Not my kind of crowd, not my kind of vibe, not great cocktails, but worth a visit for the view.

37500 Southeast North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, WA 98065 - (425) 888-1234
Est. Nov. 6, 2008
snocasino.com - seattleweekly - seattlepi - voiceplaces - yelp

#1529 #S906 - Fine Diner, Seattle - 7/30/2011

"Fine Diner International Cuisine" was a strange placed that was open for just 2 months in the space of the former Seattle Crab Co. and the short-lived La Bera Cafe.  The space now hosts Patty's Eggnest.

The Fine Diner was an odd affair.  The decor was very sparse -- big, blank, green walls; and when we visited, there was a portable stereo blaring 70s hits (e.g. "We Will Rock You").  The food was of generous portions and reasonably good, though not what one would typically envision from the phrase "fine dining."  Cocktails were of the most basic sort. 

It's regrettable when someone's new business doesn't work out, but in some cases it's less surprising than others.



1000 NE Northgate Way, Seattle, WA 98125 - (206) 364-3463
Est. July 12, 2011, Closed Sep. 2011 - Building constructed: year
mapleleaflife - mapleleaflife - pinehurstseattle - yelp

#1528 - The Sports Page Grill and Bar, Snohomish, WA - 7/23/2011

Update: The Sports Page was replaced in this location by the 907 Grill in 2012

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The Sports Page Grill and Bar apparently now goes by Snohomish Spirits and Sports, says it was established in 2010, but that is only the start under the new owners.  It has live music and is packed and lively on Friday and Saturday nights.

907 1st St, Snohomish, WA 98290 - (360) 568-8202

snohomishspiritsandsports.com - yelp - yahoo