#2326 - McCloud's Grill House, Bremerton, WA - 10/19/2013

McCloud's Grill House, Bremerton, WA

It is completely understandable that when Andy Graham bought McCloud's in June 2010, some people thought he was crazy. In various incarnations going back to when it wsa "Brad's" in the 60s, the bar had a notorious reputation, and Andy himself recounted stories of raucous fights and guys throwing bottles at the bands, who were protected by chicken wire. Graham had worked in the slightly different environs of Daniels Broiler and McCormicks in Seattle. But while he kept the name, Graham turned the capacious space into a spic and span, family friendly steakhouse and barbecue house during the day, with a rotating set of events for adults at night, ranging from line dancing lessons to jazz nights to salsa to country bands to Texas Hold'em games to, of course, karaoke. On our visit with Kitsap Historical Society, Andy also told stories about previous owner Ron Ross, whose job at 14 was to carry a large bolt around and smash stolen liquor bottles in the pockets of thieves. It is Ron's buffalo head that still hangs in the place today.

McCloud's remains a strongly themed western space, but the big barrels of peanuts and shells strewn across the floors are gone. There's a fairly typical selection of beers, wines and cocktails, along with chef Curtis Vanorsby's barbecue, which now complements the traditional steak house options. If you're unusually hungry you can take the 72oz Porter Challenge, although only one person has won it, and only one other come close.

Owner Andy Graham discusses the history of McCloud's
Grill House with members of Kitsap Historical Society's
2013 bar tour.

2901 Perry Ave #13, Bremerton, WA 98310 - (360) 373-3093
Est. year - Building constructed: 1965
Previous bars in this location: Brad's (60s), Noodles (1987), Castaways East (early 90s), Annie's Garden Buffet (late 90s), Harborside Nite Club
Web site: mccloudsgrillhouse.com - facebook
Reviews: bremertonpatriot - yelp - tripadvisor - urbanspoon

#2325 - National Tavern, Bremerton, WA - 10/19/2013

The National Tavern, AKA National Public House, National Roadhouse Pub, was built in the 30s as a family home, became the National Cafe shortly after that, then during the war years became a tavern, as Navy personnel were not looking for soup and sandwiches as they enjoyed the illegal card room in back. While it is a casual space with a spacious back yard, current owners Doug and Beverlee Hansen have it too cleaned up to be easily described as a dive. I don't know if they still feature live bands on the roof, but there's a strong selection of beers with dive bar cocktail options.

4102 F St Bremerton, WA 98312 - (360) 373-8306
Est. ? Late 40s? - Building constructed: 1944
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook
Reviews: yelp - urbanspoon

#2324 #S1180 - mkt, Seattle - 10/16/2013

mkt, Seattle, WA

This is a little sliver of a restaurant from Seattle's award winning chef Ethan Stowell, with this kitchen headed by Joe Ritchie (The Herbfarm, Ray's, other Stowell restaurants). The name, pronounced "market," is explained as "from Meridian, which was the traditional name for the neighborhood; the historic Keystone Building it’s housed in; and Tangletown, as the area is now known." The space is limited and the furnishings are spare, and whether it will feel cozy or cramped will probably depend on your mood coming in and perhaps how long you have to wait for one of the 28 seats. But if you find it in the virtually hidden Tangletown neighborhood near Greenlake, you will enjoy some very tasty small plates and cocktail choices.

2108 N 55th St Seattle, Washington 98103 - (206) 812-1580
Est. Sep 27, 2013 - Building constructed: 1910
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: ethanstowellrestaurants.com - facebook
Articles ranked: gastrolust - seattlemet - seattletimes - surlygourmand - yelp - seattlemag - seattleweekly - urbanspoon - thestranger - eater

#2323 - Kuhnle's Tavern, Marysville, WA - 10/14/2013

Kuhnle's Tavern, Marysville, WA

Kuhnle's ("koon lees") appears to have been in business at this location since 1918, owned and operated by the Kuhnle family for 93 years, before it was sold to two of "Kuhnle's girls" who had each worked at the bar for decades. Some say the building and bar history date back to the 1890s, but county tax records date the structure to 1913. Kuhnle's did not start out as a bar -- statewide prohibition began two years earlier in Washington -- but served in various capacities including a confectionary and tackle shop until the end of prohibition. It is still listed as a confectionary in the 1936 Polk guide but is listed under beer parlors in the 1937 edition. Some say it served as a bar unofficially even longer, and indicate a trap door and tunnel supported the trade.

Brunswick bar at Kuhnle's Tavern, Marysville, WA

Founder Edward Kuhnle and his wife Clair sold the bar to their son Kay in 1955. Kay later married his wife JoAnn, who started to help run the place in 1959 and continued until 2011, five years after Kay passed away. At that time it was sold to Tanya Buttke and Gloria Phillips, two of "K's girls" who had worked there since 1989 and 1976 respectively.

Today Kuhne's Tavern remains a comfortable neighborhood hangout, with a clientele leaning toward the older side, and a beautiful, 100-year-old Brunswick-Balke-Collender back bar. I chatted with Tanya about the place, as well as with patron Harv, who appears to be a sort of local institution, and proclaimed the bartender "the best Indian in the whole United States."

Kay Kuhnsle

204 State Ave Marysville, WA 98270 - (360) 659-9910
Est. 1936/1937? - Building constructed: 1913
Web site: kuhnles.com - facebook
Reviews: marysvilleglobe - yelp

#2322 - Red Sky Bar and Grill, Marysville, WA - 10/14/2013

The people at the Red Sky were nice enough, but it seems to have all the down sides of a local dive (e.g. bad cocktails, people getting beaten and even shot in the parking lot), with virtually none of the up sides (e.g. character, a range of interesting personalities). For my tastes, nearby long-time joints like Kuhnle's and Smokey's would make a much better choice.

1508 2nd Street, Marysville, WA 98270 - (360) 386-8875
Web site: facebook
Reviews: yelp

#2321 - Red Top Tavern, Darrington, WA - 10/14/2013

The Red Top, one of the few true taverns (beer and wine only) left in the state, has been here in the old logging town of Darrington and in the shadow of White Horse Mountain since shortly after prohibition. Darrington lies on a gravel plain between the North Fork of the Stillaguamish and the Sauk River, about 25 miles from the Washington coast, and about halfway between Washington highways 2 and 20, the upper and lower boundaries of the scenic Cascade Loop. The first known residents were the Sauk-Suiattle tribe, with Europeans arriving in the 1890s. The latter knew the area as "The Burn," "Sauk Portage," and "Starve-out," before a card flip and a post office misspelling settled the matter in 1895.

A thriving mining and logging community by the first decade of the 20th century, Darrington remained unincorporated and thus was ineligible to vote to remain wet after Snohomish County was voted dry in 1910, and there would be no more legal bars until then end of federal prohibition. Tax records show that the current Red Top building dates back to 1951, but city guides list a Red Top Beer Parlor in town since at least 1935. The current cinder block building that houses the tavern is attached to a semi-circle log cabin, which used to be the Timber Bull Restaurant and is now a rarely used event space.

Inside the Red Top is a horseshoe shaped bar, and walls personalized by locals and visitors. There is a stream of outsiders who drop by, most on their way to hiking, rafting, camping, fishing and the other recreational activities that are now as large a part of the local economy as logging. But it is still predominantly a local joint, with tributes to its logging history and rural character in various photos and notes. Once in a while it becomes even more, as when one of the long time regulars passes away, or especially as locals gathered to mourn and support each other after friends and family were lost in the Oso landslide just 12 miles up the road. In good times and bad, it's a dandy old place to have a cold one.

1020 Darrington St,  Darrington, WA 98241 - (360) 436-1590
Est. 1951, 1935 or earlier in another location - Building constructed: 1951
Previous bars in this location: None
Web site: facebook
Reviews: heraldnet - yelp
Darrington: historylink

#2320 - China Pearl, Friday Harbor, WA - 10/13/2013

On the surface this appears to be your typical small town Chinese Restaurant / Pizza Parlor / Sports Bar / Karaoke Joint / Dance Hall. But a closer look at the upstairs portion shows it can also get a hint risque now and then.

View from China Pearl Restaurant, Friday Harbor, WA

51 Spring Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 - (360) 378-5254
Web site: chinapearldining.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor - urbanspoon