#2272 - John's River Lodge, Aberdeen, WA - 9/7/2013

The John's River Lodge is listed in Aberdeen, but it's really quite a ways from Aberdeen proper, and considerably closer to Westport, sitting on the west side of state highway 105, about a thousand feet from where John's River tumbles toward Grays Harbor. The bar there is packed with personality and artifacts aggregated over the years, with a collection of t-shirts hanging from the ceiling and assorted knickknacks all around. Jeff Kuni, the current owner, is a very friendly host. Jeff's dad purchased the bar in 1976 -- Jeff recalled from memory that it was on this very day of that year (Sep 7). Outside is a great old tavern sign that came from the old Bright Spot, on south G Street in downtown Aberdeen. If you like dive bars with lots of character, this is a must stop when you are in the area.

1564 State Route 105, Aberdeen, WA 98520 - (360) 648-2319
Est. 1956
Reviews: sandiegoreader - yelp - niceshirtamerica

#2271 - Local Bar and Grill, Grayland, WA - 9/6/2013

Local Bar and Grill, Grayland, WA

County tax records indicate that the Local Bar and Grill building was constructed in 1992, but the current building looks just like the one in Michael Caldwell's Taverns West, which was published in 1985 and claims the place had been a roadhouse for 50 years prior. Caldwell also claims that it was originally used as a steambath by the local Finnish residents.

Nowadays it seems like a relatively typical small community bar with its televisions and pull tabs, except that it is lit up as bright as a hospital cafeteria and seems to especially draw the heavier of the locals. Expect fairly standard dive bar drink choices and cafeteria comfort foods.

Local Bar and Grill, Grayland, WA

2183 State Route 105, Grayland, WA 98547 - (360) 267-5071
Reviews: tripadvisor - yelp - yelp

#2270 -The Knotty Pine, Westport, WA - 9/6/2013

This is the bar where the locals go to get drunk. A bland exterior opens into a classic dive inside, with beach community touches like minimal bits of driftwood on the walls, hinting at much more elaborate displays in the distant past, gradually worn down by the tides of drunk people.

201 E Dock St Westport, WA 98595 - (360) 268-0591
Est. 1942 - Building constructed: 1942
Previous bars in this location: None known
Reviews: google - yelp - urbanspoon - tripadvisor

#2269 - Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill, Westport, WA - 9/6/2013

Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill is located on the northern tip of the southern peninsula surrounding Gray's Harbor on the southwest Washington state coast. It is a bit touristy, but this is a small town trying to be touristy, with quaint shops, fishing charters, surfing, and the tallest lighthouse in the state.
The bar looks out on the marina and what it lacks in cocktail craft it seems to attempt to compensate for with bright colors and volume. It's a fun place to visit.

421 Neddie Rose Dr, Westport, WA 98595 - (360) 268-9166
Web site: halfmoonbaybarandgrill.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp

#2268 #S1170 - The London Plane, Seattle - 9/5/2013

Update: London Plane closed Dec 24, 2022

London Plane is a high end "cafe, specialty foods grocery, and ... floral workshop" from James Beard award winning chef Matt Dillon (Corson Building, Bar Sajor, Sitka and Spruce) and Katherine Anderson (Marigold and Mint). It is not completely clear whether to count this as a bar, as it is much more a cafe -- brightly lit, awash in white, never open past 9, and nary a beer to be found. But they do classify themselves as a wine bar, and there is a physical bar/counter where people will sit for a glass, perhaps after dropping in for some castile soaps and wild mushroom mix. The food is mostly delicate, small plates, and enough to make Bon Appetit's top ten Best New Restaurants in America 2014.

London Plane is actually located in two separate spaces, on the opposite ends of the historic State Building, constructed in 1890-1891, and from whence the Schwabacher Brothers sold dry goods for many years, including a boom period during the Klondike gold rush. Now the upscale restaurants and art galleries of the Occidental pedestrian mall and the western end of the old jazz district on Jackson, along with the encroaching sports stadia, condos, and office spaces encroaching from the south, continue to pinch the vagrants and seedier bars and clubs of the original "skid road" area into a smaller and smaller space, in what may now be Seattle's most diverse set of eating and drinking establishments.

322 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, Washington 98104 - (206) 624-1374
Est. Aug 6, 2013 - Closed Dec 24, 2022 - Building constructed: 1891
Previous bars in this location: Pacific Northwest Brewing Co.
Web site: thelondonplaneseattle.com
Articles ranked: seattletimes - seattleweekly - seattlemet - seattlemag - bizjournals - thestranger - eater - eater

#2267 #S1169 - Bloom, Seattle - 9/4/2013

Bloom is a nice little "farm to table Japanese cuisine" restaurant from Jason Harris, who was previously the chef at Showa and then served bento boxes from a pop-up at Kylie's Pizza. The bar part of Bloom is quite limited both in size and options, but it has apparently expanded a bit since this visit, going from just a few straight spirits -- bourbons, sakes, and soschus, with no cocktails -- to reports of shaved ice mai tais, shaved ice Moscow mules, and "a cucumber pepper drink."  I shall obviously have to give the bar here a second look.

5410 17th Ave NW Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 706-8080
Est. Aug 14, 2013 - Building constructed: 1946
Previous bars in this location: Kelly O'Brien's, Le Marche
Web site: bloomballard.com - facebook
Reviews: myballard - yelp - seattlemet - urbanspoon - eater - thestranger

#2266 #S1168 - The Old Sage, Seattle - 9/3/2013

Update: Old Sage closed June 17, 2016

---

Oh man, do I love these guys' places. Old Sage is another restaurant/bar from my favorite Seattle chefs, Brian McCracken and Dana Tough (Tavern Law, Spur, Coterie). This place has an emphasis on smoked meats -- and a smokey vibe in general -- though the smokiness is more subtle than barbecue. And just as in their other places, they've delivered bartenders who craft excellent cocktails (here with a malty, smoky, scotch theme) and I love pretty much every item I order, even in a magician type way when the ingredients are not ones that would generally entice me. I started with the malted emmer, with a bit of local apples and mountain cheese, and it was delicious. Emmer! Emmer was delicious.

It was a little less surprising that they could also make Coho salmon, my second dish, so delicious. After getting a bit my tastes, bartender Miles added a pretty much perfect cocktail to top things off; the Expat was made with blended scotch, Carpano Antica, Campari, Averna and sassafras.

With the small plates and craft cocktails flowing, evenings at McCracken and Tough's places can quickly start to get a little pricey. But when I'm in the mood for a drink and fine meal there is simply no place in Seattle I like better.

1410 12th Ave Seattle, Washington 98122 - (206) 557-7430
Est. July 31, 2013 - Building constructed: 2007
Previous bars in this location: Local Vine
Web site: theoldsageseattle.com - facebook - blog
Ranked articles: seriouseats - seattletimes - thrillist - eater - seattlemet - seattlemag - eater - capitolhillseattle - thestranger - seattlemet - eater - yelp