#1172 #S713 - Bad Monkey Bistro, Seattle - 7/3/2010

I regard with suspicion anyone who does not love monkeys and monkey things. I'm also wary of sports bars, so who knew what awaited in the new Bad Monkey Bistro in South Lake Union?

The bar choices seemed pretty standard, and my Hendricks & tonic was fairly weak. But their menus have a number of unusually interesting snacks. E.g. their nachos are root chips w/condiments of kidney beans, guac, sour cream and slices of flank steak; and they have a "Seamonkey Burger" a seasoned mixture of rock lobster, shrimp, halibut and salmon formed into a patty, served with lettuce, red onions, tarter sauce and tomatoes on a Kaiser roll. Their brunch menu includes choices of omelette ingredients including lobster and crab; I went with an option with pesto mixed in the eggs and quite liked it.

The decor seems fairly spartan for a monkey theme -- perhaps I associate monkey's too much with jungles, but it would be nice to see them accrue a few more in theme decorative touches. As all right-thinking people know, you can't have too much monkey.

400 Boren Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 467-1111
badmonkeybistro.com - yelp

#1171 #S712 - El Norte, Seattle - 7/2/2010

Update: El Norte closed Dec 31, 2016.

I hadn't heard of the Rose Garden Tavern until the local papers started publishing stories about its imminent loss of its liquor license due to drugs and other problems.  Apparently it was the heart of a part of the Lake City neighborhood that locals and police knew as "Little Beruit."  Owned at the time by a retired drug-enforcement agent, in less than a year there were 10 assaults reported at the Garden, one stabbing of a bouncer, one patron returning to a fight with an axe, and undercover cops were apparently 5 for 5 in attempts to buy crack inside.

The stories warned of the license expiring by the end of the month so I hurriedly added it to my to-do list, but the Rose Garden actually closed just a week later, thus precluding my chances of ever getting it included in this project.

When I visited El Norte in the old Rose Garden space, there was nary a hint of its gangster past.  It's now a club that hosts soft jazz, of all things, with new ownership (of Mr. Villa) serving Latin small plates and drinks.  It later focused on goth/darkwave events. For a while the city fought the new owner's desire to insert another bar in the space, but the new venue has been praised by many of the neighbors for the vast improvements.  The only possible vestige I saw was a boarded window in the men's room, blocked by a 2x4 as if expecting an attack by injuns.  The decor, the bands, and the patrons are all seemed exceedingly genteel during the day.


Update: I'm not sure how or when this happened, but at some point not too long after it opened, El Norte became a hangout for the Seattle goth crowd.

Historical Notes:  The building currently holding El Norte was constructed in 1921 and the first bar I have found at this address in city guides is Rebel's Inn, owned by Fred Amos in 1936.  Since then names of bars in this location include Chuck's Tavern (1948), Margie's Tavern (1960), B&E Tavern (1970), Burd Dawg Tavern (1977), Chuck and Mary's Tavern (1980), Out-Zen Inn (1983), Dorsey's (1985) and by 1990 the Rose Garden.

13717 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98125 - (206) 954-1349
Est. May 5, 2010 - Closed Dec 31, 2016 - Building constructed 1921

 mapleleaflife - seattle pi - seattlecrime - yelp

#1170 #S711 - Industry Lounge, Seattle - 7/2/2010

Another very pleasant SoDo area dive bar.  The Industry Lounge, as the name implies, is a working man's bar, with a nice mix of African-American, Latino and white patrons, several wearing union logos and factory card keys.

Even the karaoke was fine for a few moments, with a stocky black guy belting out Mustang Sally and a middle-aged blonde woman doing a serviceable impersonation of Peggy Lee through Fever.  It was only when the DJ and a patron decided to do a duet of "Islands in the Stream" that I realized I really wouldn't be able to get nearly drunk enough for this bar unless I was going to be taking a cab home.

6601 E Marginal Way South, Seattle, WA 98108-3239 - (206) 762-3453
facebook - myspace - the stranger - yelp

#1169 #S710 - Bezt Lounge (Mr. D's Greek Restaurant), Seattle - 7/2/2010

Update: This location of Philoxenia / Mr. D's and the Bezt Lounge closed at sometime in 2016 or shortly thereafter.

Mr. D's Greek Restaurant and Lounge -- AKA "Philoxenia," AKA "Bezt Lounge," and not to be confused with Mr. D's Greek Delicacies now located in what was once the Montana Horse Meat Market -- is a first rate neighborhood dive.  I was exhorted to visit by my friend Frank, who had a fairly comic adventure ordering a Manhattan here.  Unfortunately Frank violated Pete's First Rule of Dive Bars, which is never order a drink that doesn't include all ingredients in the name.  Gin & Tonic, Jack & Coke, Bud Lite -- these are fairly safe bets.  Newfangled and obscure concoctions such as this "Manhattan" thingie -- not so much.  And don't even ask about the time my friend Ray aspired to order a White Russian at the Baranof.  (Okay, by that I really mean do ask, if you haven't already heard the story.)

The lounge at Mr. D's contains all the essential elements of a great dive.  The interior is decorated with a crazy hodgepodge of styles from various decades (check out the wood burning stove and standup piano in front of the brushed steel). 

The hand-done signs fall charmingly short of a recognizable stylistic goal.  It's dark and not too overly dominated by big beer corporation paraphenalia.  And most importantly of all, it has a set of earthy, chatty workers and regulars.  During my visit the elderly female bartender was arguing with the elderly female off-duty employee about the exact twist needed to coax one of the beer taps to work.  The conversation was convivial, but animated with many f-bombs and a few threats of imminent violence.

I like this place.

97 S Lander St, Seattle, WA 98134 - (206) 624-9851
seattle weekly -  yelp

#1168 #S709 - Denny's Lounge, Seattle (Northgate) - (OOO)

Okay, this was many years ago, but I didn't get it on the list yet and I clearly remember having a drink here just for the absurdity of it. There used to be a Denny's on Northgate Way (current "Saffron") and this Denny's had a lounge.

Just think of that for a bit. Who decides to have a nice night out, considers all the options for having a drink or two, and concludes that the optimal place to go this evening would be Denny's? (Yes, yes -- I did it a couple times. But there aren't that many people like me out there, are there?)

2132 N Northgate Way, Seattle, WA 98133

#1167 #S708 - West Seattle Bowl Lounge, Seattle - 6/30/2010

It's a lounge in an old bowling alley.  I think any additional description would be superfluous.

4505 39th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 932-3731
westseattlebowl.com

#1166 #S707 - Christo's on Alki, Seattle - 6/30/2010

The bar here is tiny and utterly typical.  But it did have a full house (that would be about eight people) when I visited on this Wednesday night.

2508 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 923-2200
christosonalki.com - facebook - yelp