#798 - The Cabin, Richmond Beach - (OOO)

A hidden gem. The Cabin is in a currently suburban neighborhood where you'd never stumble upon it if you weren't seeking it explicitly or lived next door. But it was a working port with a few summer homes when the structure was built in 1927, and when, in 1933 it received one of the first five or six post-prohibition liquor licenses in the state of Washington, and became what is now the oldest continually running business in Shoreline.

The Cabin has better than average tavern food, a good selection of beers and standard drinks, and a very nice patio area where you can see the sound. But what gives the place it's essential character is the undulating floor and bar as the place has unevenly settled over the years after being moved on (and apparently left on) logs.

Pictures don't capture the odd tilts of the place, but the second one here gives a hint if you look at the far end of the bar. (In the foreground is the lovely Heather, whose weekend was such that her initial stories didn't get around to the part where she saved someone's life.)


yelp - seattle weekly - beer advocate

#797 - Chez Gaudy, Seattle (Capitol Hill) - 4/11/2009

A roomier but even more hidden version of Bleu Bistro. The food and cocktails are both very good and the decor is a romantic labyrinth. Walking around the barely identifiable exterior, down the alley, through the forlorn looking screen door, and through the winding interior rooms gave me the sense of being in the restaurant of a remote, Tuscan agriturismo. Their MySpace page has music by Dresden Dolls and Emilie Autumn, which are very good indicators of the vibe of the place.

1802 Bellevue Ave (at E Belmont Ave) (map)
Est. 2005 - Closed 2010
myspace - the stranger - yelp - citysearch

#796 - The Duchess Tavern, Seattle - 4/10/2009

2827 NE 55th St
Est. 1934
map - yelp - the stranger

#795 - IMO Asian Bistro, Seattle - 4/8/2009

No more naked sushi?

704 First Ave
Est. 2006 (formerly Bonzai Asian Bistro)
Other bars at this location:  Clipper Tavern (40s through 70s), Oasis Tavern (80s)
yelp - sushimonsters.com - the stranger

#794 - Mitchelli's, Seattle - 4/8/2009

 Mitchelli's (AKA Trattoria Mitchelli) closed on 12/31/2009

84 Yesler Way, Seattle
mitchellis.com

#793 - Slim's Last Chance, Seattle - 4/4/2009

Slim's Last Chance Chili Shack and Watering Hole

5606 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108 - (206) 762-7900
Est. 2008 - Building constructed: 1969
Previous bars at this location: None known
web site: slimslastchance.com - facebook - myspace
Articles: seattleweekly - thestranger - seattletimes - seattlemet - thestranger -  yelp

#792 - Habesha, Seattle - 4/3/2009

Update: Habesha closed in October 2012.

There's not much to the bar part of this (Ethiopian) restaurant, and I can't say much about the bar conversations because I was basically the only one there speaking English. But the entire space is perfectly lit and lovely, particularly at night, which makes it a nice little stop for a nightcap.

1809 Minor Ave (between Howell St & Stewart St) - (map)
habeshaseattle.com - seattle weekly - seattle times - yelp

#791 - The Ruins, Seattle - 3/2/2009

The Ruins, Seattle, WA

I paused before including this in K-Bar, as it is a private dining club, but decided it belonged because it's a type of place I very much want to go to to have a drink. I love hidden places like this and after waiting for a long time for an invitation to attend (perhaps I need a better class of friends?), it did not disappoint. Rather than try to describe it to anyone not already familiar with it, I'd refer you to the photos on the web site.

570 Roy St. (map)
theruins.net - seattle times - yelp - citysearch

#790 - Snoose Junction (Part Dieu), Seattle (Greenwood) - 3/28/2009

Update: Snoose Junction closed March 9, 2013. (The first location in Ballard closed May 31 2012.)

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Even the bar area upstairs is too much of a pizza place to really make this a destination bar, but this is a great addition to the neighborhood and likely to be one of my favorite places, even if not the first thought when you just want to go out and get a drink.

The bar area upstairs is beautiful all around, a comfortable triumph of local artists and designers. But the real attention grabber is the hand hammered copper sculpture (by Lisa Geertsen and Andy Blakney from Georgetown's Firelight Forge) that wraps owls, bats, and snakes over and around the back bar.

The food is good, the beers and liquor selection quite serviceable, and since they play only vinyl, the bartender does an interesting balance of server and DJ. Parking is a bit of an issue, and perhaps that's not a coincidence given the green ethics of the owners (Snoose delivers by bicycle). Seattle institutions like the Sunset Bowl and Garfield High's old wood floor reappear in beautiful new form, and fit well in a place that already gives the impression of being an essential institution of the area.

10406 Holman Rd. N. (Next door to the unenticing looking but fabulous tasting Manna Texas Style BBQ on Holman and 105th - map
Est. March 6, 2009 - Closed 2013 - Building constructed 1988
web site - myspace - phinneywood

#789 - Pillagers Pub, Seattle (Greenwood) - 3/28/2009

Update: Pillagers Pub closed Nov, 30, 2012.


All of a sudden, this little neck of my neighborhood has an embarrassment of riches for the drinker, and particularly the beer drinker. Two of the greatest dive bars in this city, recently joined by (and pleasantly contrasted with) the hip Gainsbourg's, now share a block with two new beerlovers' destinations with Naked City and Pillager's pub, opened earlier this week.

The latter looks a little hastily assembled, and the space is a bit too light and too obviously designed for a different sort of business. But Pillager's now gives us access to the brews of Baron Brewing and Three Skulls Ales, in addition to a small but nice menu of late night eats.

This pub seems much more of an iffy business proposition than an instant neighborhood institution like Snoose Junction, but cheers and best wishes to small brewers bringing us something new.

8551 Greenwood Ave - map - pillagerspub.com - yelp
Est. March 2009 - Closed Nov 30, 2012
Previous bars at this location: None

#788 - Art Lounge (The Four Seasons), Seattle (downtown) - 3/25/2009

Update: ART closed March 16, 2015. It was replaced by the Goldfinch Tavern.

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Once again, there's not a whole lot of the bar part of the bar here, but the space is nice, with a nice view of the steam factory and Elliot Bay. Appetizers are pretty good too -- though I always feel ridiculous putting the tiny lettuce, tomato and condiments on my tiny slider hamburgers. (The things we do to fool ourselves into dressing things up as a delicacy.)

Try the: Pearfection

web site - map - yelp - seattlemag - stranger

#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

#780 - Red Fin, Seattle (downtown) - 3/12/2009

Update: Red Fin closed in July 2013

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There are certain people you work with in corporations who are assholes, but not to everybody. If you're in their select group -- equal to or above them in the reporting chain, or perceived as an ally, as opposed to most other departments -- they may seem like perfectly friendly people. But to people below them, people they unilaterally decide are internal competitors, people who are not their gender, etc. etc. -- these people they treat like shit. And while it's tempting to ignore that if you happen to get into one of the groups they don't treat like shit, I don't think you should forget the fact that they are assholes toward a lot of other people.

There are bars like that too. Red Fin is like that. They give the impression of place created by 30-somethings who made a good chunk of money in software, and picked up enough foodie pretensions and acquaintances that they feel like they could make it just catering just to their crowd, and are pained to sacrifice any time and effort for outsiders.

Thus, when I sat down at the bar, without knowing anyone and without a backwards baseball cap, the bartender some 15 feet away reading a magazine felt it a higher priority to finish his article, chat with a friend, and lazily peruse some wine labels, before eventually checking to see if perhaps I might have sat down at his bar because I was interested in having a drink. And it wasn't just one person either -- other workers wandered into the bar area and lazily prepared drinks without so much as a nod to the customer who was sitting there twiddling his thumbs behind an empty bar counter.

In their defense, Red Fin is less of a bar than a downtown sushi joint, and pretension and attitude are the primary products of many a downtown sushi joint. But if you'd prefer to avoid assholes altogether -- whether or not you are lucky enough to be in the group that doesn't experience the asshole side -- I strongly suggest skipping Red Fin.

612 Stewart St., Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 441-4340
Est. 2005 - Closed 2013
Previous bars in this location: None known
Subsequent bars in this location: Millers Guild
redfinsushi.com - yelp - citysearch

#779 - Suite 410, Seattle (downtown) - 3/12/2009

This may be my favorite downtown Seattle bar. Now, that's a fairly low bar (so to speak), and there's nothing really unusual or spectacular about this bar. But it's a small, fairly hidden, internally dark and swanky place -- "like a New York bar," as Benji the bartender put it. The crowd is comfortably balanced between hip and pretentious, young and old, and the vibe is romantic. I think I'll wind up here often.

410 Stewart St, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 682-4101
(suite410.com, facebook, Seattle Weekly, yelp)