#1581 #S941 - Shop Agora, Seattle - 10/18/2011

Unlike its sister Mediterranean deli in Phinney, the Capitol Hill version has a small wine bar and restaurant in back.  The food is excellent (I had the Pastitsio, which was very tasty, but wanted to try every item I saw served to the others around me, and a glass of Gouleyant Cahors malbec).  It's not a go-to place for a bar, but it is a fine stop for lunch or dinner.

346 15th Ave. E, Seattle, WA 98112 - (206) 322-1103
Est. Aug 3, 2011 - Building constructed: 2001
Other bars at this location:  None
theshopagora.com - facebook - seattlemet - thestranger - yelp

#1580 #S940 - Hilliard's Beer, Seattle - 10/14/2011

Hilliards was acquired by Odin Brewing in 2016 and the taproom at this location phased out. The space has been adquired by Lagunitas.

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The Hilliard's tasting room comprises a small bar, some wooden cable drum tables, and a few concrete seats tucked in the corner of a pretty sizable brewing warehouse in Ballard.  Ambitious new brewers Ryan Hilliard and Adam Merkl, who plan to skip the microbrew stage and go straight to regional brewers, covet the other half of the building, which currently hosts practices by a roller derby team.  Their self-financed facilities produce brews in 450 gallon lots and they can their beer with a machine that produces 24 cans a minute.

The owners are amiable and enjoyable to converse with.  They are carving a niche in the craft beer business by skipping the usual IPAs and starting with brews like an amber and a saison, and with large runs in cans.  The cans are very attractive, and the brewing facilities themselves are a great makeover of a dilapidated old auto warehouse.  It's large and industrial, but they pay attention to details, from the hops, to the cans, to the paint.

On Saturdays, you can also grab some dinner from visiting food trucks from the likes of Skillet, Snout & Co., and WhereYaAtMatt. 


1550 NW 49th Street, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 465-0078
Est. Oct. 7, 2011   Building constructed: 1947
hilliardsbeer.com - fueledbybeer - seattlemag - seattlebeernews - seattlemet - thestranger - yelp

#1579 #S939 - Momiji, Seattle - 10/12/2011

 I am not a great fan of sushi, so I cannot really advise on the food at Momiji.  It is, however, decidedly more elegant than Umi and the raucous Kushibar, owner Steven Han's Belltown establishments, and the bar in front glows with a welcoming wood and brick warmth.  "Momiji" means "maple," and in addition to the maples on the walls there are a couple live ones in the Kyoto-style garden courtyard in the middle of the back room restaurant portion.

The crowd is more typical of Belltown than Capitol Hill, and the cocktail list is large and dominated by sakes and shochu.  Again, these are not something I have any developed any particular taste for, so I don't feel any notes on my reactions would be helpful.  But it is at minimum a happily dark and graceful place for a meal and a drink.

1522 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 457-4068
Est. October 2011 - Building constructed: 1922, but heavily remodeled in 2011
momijiseattle.com - facebook - bizjournals - thestranger - itsyowyow- capitolhillseattle - seattlemet - yelp

#1578 #S938 - Crush, Seattle - 10/12/2011

Update: Crush closed Aug 28, 2015

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The Crush restaurant winds around the old rooms of a century-old Tudor, and serves very fine food from owner and award-winning chef Jason Wilson.  The prices are a bit upscale as well, but Crush now has a Happy Hour menu with small bites for $4 to $12, and for a romantic occasion it is hard to beat.  In addition to the extensive wine list, Crush has some different and enjoyable cocktails, and a seat at the small bar will afford you a good view of the food alternatives and their delicate preparations.

2319 East Madison Street, Seattle, WA 98112-5416 - (206) 302-787
Est. Feb. 22, 2005 - Closed Aug 28, 2015 - Building constructed: 1903
chefjasonwilson.com - seattledining - seattletimes - seattle weekly (slides) - seattle weekly - komonews - meatyair - thestranger - gayot - yelp

#1577 #S937 - Altura, Seattle - 10/11/2011

People have been raving about this new restaurant from chef Nathan Lockwood of "The Ruins," but I probably saw the place in it's worst light.  Having just had dinner, I stopped in for just a cocktail, and although the wine list is quite good, the list of spirits is not.  So I won't be stopping by just for drinks unless/until they up their game substantially, but I definitely will be back for dinner.


617 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 402-6749
Est. Oct. 5, 2011 - Building constructed: 1931
Other bars at this location:  None known
alturarestaurant.com - facebook - gastrolust - thestranger - seattlemet - yelp

#1576 #S936 - Bako, Seattle - 10/11/2011

Update: Bako closed Aug 23, 2012

Bako is lovely. First there are the Cantonese-style small plates, some of the best Chinese food in the city.  But there is also the small bar, manned by Guy Lafitte, lately of Vegas, a big fan of tiki drinks, and with a look and presence that might lead you to think you're in the most popular bar of gold rush era San Francisco.

Guy serves a mixture of classics, sometimes in their unfamiliar, original versions, and newly invented drinks.  The latter include the "Jimmy's Pearl," named to honor Jimmy and Pearl Woo, owners of the divey Jade Pagoda that preceded Bako in the location for 63 years (before closing in 2006 and being partially torn down for a new building in 2010).  The cocktail menu is divided into “Classic Variations”, “Colonial Heritage”, and “Bako Now” and ordered by spirit, "taste", and "effect."  Guy also features a "spirit of the week" and will create variations upon it to suit your tastes.

606 Broadway East Seattle, WA 98102-5391 - (206) 829-8958
Est. Oct 5, 2011 - Closed Aug 23, 2012 - Building constructed: 1926, substantially rebuilt in 2010
Previous bars at this location:  The Jade Pagoda (1943-2006)
bakoseattle.com - facebook - eater - capitolhillseattle - capitolhillseattle - thrillist - eater - seattlemet - rollwithjen - thestranger - yelp

#1575 #S935 - Diesel, Seattle - 10/10/2011

The soft jazz and romantic fire feature of Martin's are replaced with an unambiguous bear bar, with musclebound gay porn on the walls and televisions.  The cocktails are uninteresting, but that's probably fine for what is basically a blue-collar, neighborhood dive for large gay men, and a bit older crowd than many of the nearby alternatives.

Historical note:  There have been bars at this location since at least 1939.  By the 40s it was known as Fritz's Tavern, and by 1960 and into the 80s it was "The Cellar" or "Cellar Tavern."  It was Hombres Saloon in the 90s, The Sea Wolf by 2000, and Martin's Off Madison from 2005 to 2010.


1413 14th Avenue Seattle, WA 98122-4145 - (206) 322-1080
Est. Sep. 2, 2011 - Building constructed: 1928
Previous bars at this location: Fritz's Tavern, The Cellar, Hombres Saloon, Sea Wolf Saloon, Martin's Off Madison
dieselseattle.com - facebook - sgn -  yelp