#787 - Il Bistro, Seattle (downtown) - OOO

Probably had a bit of a mental block in adding this one from long ago -- for reasons I won't go into right now.

#786 - Urbane (Olive 8), Seattle - 3/23/2009

It's almost unfair to judge this as a bar. Not because it's only been open for five weeks, but because once again it's an afterthought to the restaurant. I had a couple good conversations with the patrons to either side, I liked the bartender, and my "Pill Hill Sling" was very tasty. But the bar is too small, too bright, and too much like it's stuck in a hallway -- almost like an airport bar out on some extended terminal.

So kudos to the building for being LEEDS certified and I heard good things about the hotel service; and I liked most the decor, even if I find the exterior a bit of an eyesore. But this is not a bar worth going out of your way for.

1635 8th Avenue (map) - olive8.hyatt.com - yelp

#785 - Hurricane Cafe lounge, Seattle (Belltown) - 3/23/2009

Update: The Hurricane Cafe closed Jan 1, 2015

One would be tempted to call this the classic greasy spoon dive lounge, were it not occupying the carcass of the much more classic old Dog House. And it's the bar that's suffered the most in its transformation. It has characters but no innate character, and again suffers from inevitable comparisons to drunken old fogeys croaking out classics around the Dog House piano bar.

Of course any good city's got to have a couple places like this for 3am after-the-show greasy eggs and get-togethers. But I'd just as soon keep going for a few blocks to make to the Five Point.

2230 7th Ave (map)
Est. 2002 - Closed 2015 - Building constructed 1940
Previous bars at this location: The Dog House Piano Lounge
myspace - seattlest ("Bastion of Darkness") - The Stranger - yelp - citysearch

#784 - Brasserie Margaux, Seattle (downtown) - 2008 (OOO)

401 Lenora St, Seattle, WA 98121-2508 - (206) 777-1990
Est. 1999

#783 - Skylark, Seattle (West Seattle) - 3/21/2009

A nifty, little West Seattle club where there's lots of good live music and it's always no cover. The decor includes painfully hokey (e.g. street signs on the walls) to delightfully so (the leopardskin carpet on stage) and rotating art. When I went there Lushy was playing with Johnny Astro, the place was packed, and the party was on.

3803 Delridge Way SW - map - SkaylarkCafe.com - music calendar - blog - myspace - yelp - The Stranger
Est. 2006 - Other bars at this location:  Delridge Tavern, Madison's Café, Steel Sky Bistro, Madison's Café II

#782 - Turf Lounge, Seattle (downtown) - 3/19/2009

 Update:  The Turf closed to remodel into Ludi's in 2011

Most people think of Turf as the greasy hangout of bums, drunks and the down-on-their-luck -- the people on the surrounding streets that lead white collar people in nearby offices like mine to know local businesses by nicknames like "Creepy Coffee" and "Scary Teriyaki." And so it is to a pretty fair degree.

But the Turf Lounge is an honest bar, and makes no apologies for it's age -- as evidenced by the two massive Smokeeters® that still dominate the small space -- and no apologies for its clientelle -- as evidenced by the two ladies chuckling at the man lying supine on the sidewalk across the street (a fellow who seemed to be familiar to them).

It's tiny, with small versions of all the standard dive bar features -- one small pull tabs bin, one game screen, one TV -- and I like it. I'm not ready to give it my "great dive bar" rating, but I'll probably be back a few times and the right combination of clientele could lead me to change my mind.

Historical notes: The Turf Smoke Shop Restaurant, featuring the Waggin Tongue Tavern, was at 1407 3rd Ave since at least 1948, and moved to 107 Pike in 1988 (a space that later became "Johnny Rockets").  It moved to this last location at 2nd and Pike at some time in the early 2000s.  "For decades the diner and bar has been a sort of one-stop shop and service center for downtown's poor, its pensioners, odd-jobbers and welfare recipients.  Here they could get their benefits or temporary labor checks cashed, without having to mess around with the banks." (Danny Westneat)   More history can be found at this homage to owner Pat Altshuler.





Turf patron?

















200 Pike St - seattletimes - yelp

#781 - Odd Fellows Cafe, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 3/16/2009

The small bar counter in the cavernous restaurant makes the bar appear to be a bit of an afterthought. But the historic old building and -- more to the point -- the finely crafted cocktails more than make up for it. Another fine addition to Capitol Hill.

oddfellowscafe.com - flickr - seattlest

1525 10th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122-3806 - (206) 325-0807
Est. 2008