#2033 - Picadilly Circus, Snohomish, WA - 2/9/2013

With the exception of an odd dome-ceilinged pool room in back, this bar is decorated like little old ladies think of England, with paintings of fox hunts and myriad other cliches. On the the Saturday afternoon that we came in, this was accentuated with bad country-western ballads and an overwhelming caramel smell from a scented candle. "I don't want my bar to smell like a bar," the owner explained. She was nice, but I prefer my bars to feel, sound, and smell like bars.

1104 1st St, Snohomish, WA 98290 - (360) 568-8212                      
Web site: piccadillycircuswa.com
Reviews: yelp - urbanspoon

#2032 - Cat House Pizza, Snohomish, WA - 2/9/2013

Not quite what people expect in a "New York style" pizza, but it's brick-fired and of fairly average quality. The folks there are nice. It has a few beer and wine choices and basically a sports bar theme, in an old Snohomish building that presumably once hosted women of ill repute and their clientele.

1120 1st St, Snohomish, WA 98290 - (360) 863-3626
Web site: cathousepizza.com - facebook
Reviews:  urbanspoon - yelp

#2031 - Old Inn Tavern, Snohomish, WA - 2/5/2013

"Snohomish had a sensational shooting match Saturday night, in which one man was killed and two wounded. Two highwaymen, John Moore and Ed. Collins, attempted to 'stickup up' the bartender of the Inn saloon resulting in the death of Moore and wounding of Collins. Shortly after 11 o'clock Moore and Collins, who had bought drinks at the saloon earlier in the evening, appeared and ordered all hands up. Gus Olson was behind the bar and jumped for his gun. Moore opened fire on but missed. At this juncture Patrolman Byllings appeared and took a hand in the melee. Moore was shot through the left eye and 'died' instantly. Collins was hit in the neck. Moore had wounded Byllings in the left leg. Collins says he met Moore working on the Cedar river dam, near Seattle. They quit and went to Everett, and after having a few drinks decided to go into the hold-up business, selecting Snohomish as the easiest place to begin operations. Moore was about 30 years of age and Collins is 27. Patrolman Byllings was congratulated on all sides for nerve he displayed and his good marksmanship."

John Moore and Ed Collins Attempt to Hold Up the Inn Saloon and Meet Their Waterloo - Monroe Independent, Jan 13, 1913

 As we can see from the preceding article, the "Inn Saloon," which became known as the "Old Inn Tavern at some point during the 1940s and still operates under that name today, is one of the oldest bars in the state of Washington. I do not have primary sources to confirm these exact dates, but from Don Thompson, the current owner, it appears that the the Inn Saloon dates back to 1898, and the building it has been in all this time dates to 1889, constructed at the end of the Union Pacific railroad line and providing rail workers a place to sleep and have a cold beer.  Along with Merchants and the Brick, this would make it one of the three oldest bars in the state, in terms of establishments that have been running with limited interruption (e.g. prohibition) and under basically the same name.

Archaeologists say that man has been living in this river valley since at least 12,000 years ago. Many millenia later, members of the Tulalip, Pilchuck, Snoqualmie and Snohomish tribes numbered about 1,000 people here. Europeans arrived in 1858 from Seattle, with agriculture and logging dominating the community for 100 years. As the town declined with the closure of the mills, it re-made itself into a historical and antiquing destination, including a lively bar scene.

The Old Inn Tavern is now a very comfortable local joint, off the main drag, and with the owner's appreciation for its history manifest in the large vintage photographs on the walls and artifacts like the newspaper article above. Snohomish is a fun little area for nightlife, and the Old Inn is well worth a visit for a night on the town and a piece of state history.

502 3rd St, Snohomish, WA 98290 - (360) 568-7835
Est. 1898 - Building constructed: 1889
Web site: oldinn.webs.com - Don Thompson Linkedin - tokens
Reviews: yelp

#2030 - 907 Grill, Snohomish, WA - 2/5/2013

907 1st St Snohomish, WA 98290 - (360) 568-8202                      
Est. Dec 2012
Previous bars in this location:  Sports Page Grill and Bar
Web site: facebook
Reviews: yelp

#2029 #S1115 - Grub, Seattle - 2/1/2013

Update: Grub closed Feb 15, 2015


Grub was opened in the old Ototo Sushi space on upper Queen Anne by Sharon Woo Fillingim (Le Reve Bakery, Jimmy's Table, Cool Hand Luke). It has a small, open bar, but they are primarily a family-friendly restaurant selling "American fusion, including Asian, Spanish and French flavors." It should probably not be your first choice in the area when you are just looking for a bar -- it was noisy with children even on this 9pm Saturday visit, and it's a little too bright and limited in spirits. But the food is very good, so it is a nice stop for a fairly nice cocktail with a non-intimate but quite tasty lunch or dinner. Both my appetizer (seared sea scallops with roasted tomatillo salsa and smoked cumin chili oil) and my salmon entree were very pleasing, and the "Cori's Sour Cherry Old Fashioned" (Bulliet rye, house-made cherry syrup, orange bitters) and Manhattan were well made.

7 Boston St, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 216-3628
Est. Aug 2012 - Closed Feb 15, 2015 - Building constructed: 1968
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: letsgogrub.com - facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - cornichon - seattlemag - urbanspoon - yelp - thestranger - bizjournals - thrillist

#2028 #S1110 - Brass Tacks, Seattle - 1/29/2013

Update: Brass Tacks closed Nov 4, 2018.

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Brass Tacks is pretty much perfect for Georgetown. First, it brings the neighborhood some unique and fine cocktails, with a tantalizing set of infusions lining the shelves behind the bar. Second, it brings some unique and fine food choices, from chef Chris Opsata, formerly of Urban Enoteca (Would I like some candied bacon with winter spice and pomegranate? Is that a trick question?)  Third,all this arrives not in some shiny, sleek modern form, but in a woody warehouse, with various gewgaws and gimcracks -- an expansive, quirky, blue-collar extension of the funky Ground Control deli and bar next door.

I drank a "Georgetown" (Old Overholt, Punt e Mes, Maraschino, and cherry) with the lamb meatballs (chickpea, curried cucumbers, and mint), with one or two other cocktails that I can no longer recall, but recall enjoying quite a bit. With a casual vibe, woodwork done by the owners, and such intriguing possibilities on the menu and behind the bar, I expect to make repeated trips here.

6031 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108 - (206) 397-3821
Est. Jan 25, 2013 - Closed Nov 4, 2018 - Building constructed: 1929
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: georgetownbrass.com - facebook
Ranked Best Reviews: seattleweekly - seattletimes - seattlemet - seattlemag - thrillist - eater - yelp - thestranger

#2027 - Cactus Moon Saloon, Everett, WA - 1/26/2013

An expansive sports bar in a suburban strip mall is not a type of bar I get particularly enthused about. But this place has more personality than most modern sports bars, nice folks, and a pleasant vibe.

717 128th St SW A116 Everett, WA 98204 - (425) 745-9855
Web site: thecactusmoonsaloon.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp