#2283 - The Modern Man, Portland, OR - 9/13/2013

It would be understandable if your first impression of The Modern Man was that it was just another prohibition-style barber shop serving complementary shots of Burnside bourbon, with a hidden entryway down a faux mineshaft to a speakeasy in a simulated, antique train. Then again, the key with anything that goes this far out on a limb is the execution, and from the decor to drinks to food to attitude to general vibe, the execution here is near flawless.

This is the third Modern Man opened in Portland by Chris and Emily Espinoza since 2011. The taxidermy, the antique books, the complementary craft whiskey and beer, and the hot towel razor shaves are all perfectly calculated to evoke a 1920s-era glorification of manhood, which could have easily slipped into cheesiness were it not for the deft handling of the owners. The barbershop on the main floor specializes in "traditional cuts, modern cuts, crew cuts, high & tights, medium regs, tapers, flat tops, pompadours, hot towel straight razor shaves, beard shaping and mustache trims."

In this particular location, you can also reserve a ticket to be escorted behind a curtain and down a simulated mine shaft into an antique train car setting, complete with private booths including televisions simulating the passing landscape. From there or at the bar in front, you can order a well-made Sazerac, Sidecar, or Manhattan,

I suppose that there must be a number of people out there for whom this would this would be entirely too ostentatious, particularly if hoisted atop an already existing aversion to Portland style, tattooed and bearded hipsters. But for anyone who interested more in enjoying life than criticizing the way others enjoy it, this place is the bees knees.

3956 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227 - (503) 522-8470
Est. Sep 8, 2013
Web site: themodernmanpdx.com - facebook
Reviews: thrillist - eater - aboutfacemag - yelp

#2648 - Harv's Lounge, Harvest Restaurant, Tacoma, WA - 11/2/2014

Harv's Lounge, Harvester Restaurant, Tacoma, WA

This building in Tacoma's Stadium District was constructed in 1925 and first held the Hillcrest Garage and Tacoma Wicker Company. By 1927 it hosted KVI Radio and by the 50s "Scotty's." For the last few decades it has hosted The Harvester, known in the area for it's traditional breakfasts, and known to many fewer as the home of Harv's Lounge in back, a bit of 70s fern bar frozen in time.

Scotty's Tray Vittles
Early fast food from the current Harvester location

29 N Tacoma Ave, Tacoma, WA 98403 - (253) 272-1193               
Est. year - Building constructed: 1925
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook  

#2282 - Bar Bar, Portland, OR - 9/13/2013

Bar Bar is associated with music venue Mississippi Studios next door and features burgers, beers, a nice patio, and Portland hipsters.

3939 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227 - (503) 288-3895
Est. July 10, 2010
Web site: mississippistudios.com - facebook
Reviews: talkeatdrinkportland - eater - barflymag - yelp

#2281 - Country Cousin, Centralia - 9/13/2013

Centralia Washington is the halfway point between Seattle and Portland and to people driving between the two cities it is known mostly for an outlet mall just off the highway. If you take the time to drive down to Tower Avenue you find an older part of Centralia with some quite nice old bars. But if you just linger by the outlet stores just off I-5, the area is dominated by Country Cousin, which looks just like you'd imagine, except larger and more crammed with old-timey artifacts. There's a tractor and a chicken coop outside, and the front door triggers a rooster crow. Step to the left and you're in the large restaurant and ready to order Country Pot Roast, Turkey N Dressing, or any number of other gravy-covered comfort foods, from a large menu that includes ads for towing services and tractor rentals. Step to the right and enter a smaller Hammer and Tong Lounge, where you can order from a small choice of beers, wines and common cocktails, from the warmly lit woody interior.  It's not shabby enough to be a dive, and not flinty enough to be a saloon, but it's fun stop as a classic roadside attraction.

1054 Harrison Ave, Centralia, WA 98531 - (360) 736-2200
Est. 1973 - Building constructed: 1973
Previous bars in this location: None
Web site: countrycousinrestaurant.com - facebook
Reviews: chowtimes - yelp - urbanspoon

#2280 #S1171 - Olaf's, Seattle - 9/12/2013

Long-time locals can't help but have mixed feelings about Olaf's, a neighborhood bar inspired by the March 2013 closure of The Viking after 63 years, and taking the place of the endearingly vulgar Copper Gate, which closed exactly two months later after 67 years just up the street. It's nice to see a local gin mill with personality in one of these old spaces, but one has to lament the departure of the viking ship bar, its vintage porn sail, and the lewd dioramas. Dismantling the ship bar seems like a crime, but if one can put the past behind and look at Olaf's as if it was starting tabula rasa, it's a nice little joint.

The sign out front manages a multiple part tribute to old Seattle, with letters shaped like Olympia Beer logo spelling out the name of the cartoon version of a viking. It's too brightly lit, too vibrant and healthy to really be an homage to old dives like The Viking, but it shares their suburban neighborhood vibe. It has a very simple menu -- a couple sandwiches, a couple burgers, and corn dogs -- but unusually well, as one might expect when the owners' resumes included Stumbling Goat, Ma'ono, and Le Gourmand.  What remains is the Pussy Room, named for its vaginal entry hall (and now apparently referred to as "the red room" or "the womb room"), gussied up a bit. And they have added a room of pinball machines, surrounded by murals by Narboo, a break from the hordes of Henry works that crowd north Seattle.  There are ten rotating taps of good beers and some decent cocktails as well. Maybe in ten years I won't keep looking for the ship bar every time I step in.



6301 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 297-6122
Est. Aug 31, 2013 - Building constructed: 1928
Previous bars in this location: The Copper Gate
Web site: facebook
Reviews: ballardnewstribune - thestranger - norway.com - eater - myballard - yelp - kelseykristinalarson

#2279 - Bar N9ne, Port Angeles, WA - 9/7/2013

Bar N9NE, Port Angeles, WA

Bar N9ne is a funky, homey place that hosts a range of characters, "Disco Stew" doing karaoke, live music, and serves significantly better than average bar food late. When we were there on a cold Saturday evening there were people playing cards and girls arriving by skateboard. The menu seems to lead with pizza, but ranges from some nice salads to bruschetta to pineapple chicken curry. It seems like a fun place and it seems like if I came back a couple times I'd probably want to add it to my highest recommended list.



Historical Notes: There have been many bars at this location over the years, but my records for the Port Angeles area are very spotty. The first bar I've found listed at the address is the Annex Tavern, which was there by 1939 and into the 40s. By 1959 the Colonial Inn is listed, and in 1969 it became Pieces of Eight. In between those two it appears to have been The Office and The Silver Dollar Bar, and at some point the Tugboat Saloon. In 1980 the Pub Tavern is listed at the address. Much later on (by 2000) it was Lid's Tavern, then Crazy Fish Baja and Beyond and Lyre's Club before Bar N9NE.

229 W 1st St, Port Angeles, WA 98362 - (360) 797-1999
Est. May 2010
Previous bars in this location: Annex Tavern, Colonial Inn, Pub Tavern, Pieces of Eight, Silver Dollar Bar, The Office, Tugboat Saloon, Lyre's Club, Crazy Fish Baja and Beyond, Pieces of Eight
Web site: barn9nepa.com - facebook
Reviews: peninsuladailynews - tripadvisor - yelp

#2278 - Mill Creek Bar and Grill, Forks, WA - 9/7/2013

Up until about a decade ago, before the era of sparkly, teenage vampires, if someone knew Forks, Washington at all, it was probably as the rainiest town in the contiguous United States, with an average of 212 days a year of precipitation. If not, they probably knew it for the rain forest, or perhaps for the timber industry that once dominated the local culture. Then Stephenie Meyer wrote her Twilight series, set largely in the town, Forks tourism trebled, and teenage vampires have ruled ever since.




That doesn't mean the economy was necessarily booming, and by the time we visited the Mill Creek Bar and Grill it was the only bar left in town. And it would close three weeks later.

New owners have remodeled and reopened it as "Blakeslee's Bar and Grill. We've not been since this happened, but I don't imagine it is that much changed, with the exception of eliminating the family-friendly restaurant section and making the entire place a bar (generally a welcome kind of change in my book). It's a fairly large place, with a sizable dance floor, karaoke, cover bands, bar food, Fireball shots and candy colored cocktails. It's not one of my favorite bars in the state, but every town needs a gathering place where local folks can dry out and unwind, and that has to be even more sharply felt when it's raining or snowing 212 days a year.


1222 S Forks Ave, Forks, WA 98331
Est. 2008 - Closed Sep 30, 2013
Web site: facebook - blog
Reviews: yelp