#1242 #S750 - Thirsty Fish, Seattle - 9/25/2010

"It's usually not like this," the bartender volunteered with no prompting from me, "It's usually mellow."  That would be a nice change from the screaming 22-year-olds with sideways baseball caps, apparently assembled for a birthday party.  The liquor choices and decor are both pretty limited and spartan, but this is positioned as a sports bar, which appears to simply mean that it has several TVs and mediocre food.  But the bartenders are friendly and likable, which can go a long way, so I plan to keep an eye on how it develops and come back when there's not a group of beginning drinkers trying too hard to leave an impression of being cool partiers.

Historical Notes:  This is the new bar in the location of the recently closed Acorn Eatery. The building was constructed in 1927 and it's hosted a bar since at least 1948.  Then and for many years afterward, including at least until 1980, it was known as Nicky's Holman Road Tavern or simply Nicky's Tavern.  By 1994 it was Atlantic Street Pizza and Comedy Stop, by 1999 it was the Ridge Pub and re-opened in 2001 as the Acorn Eatery, which closed in 2010.





9041 Holman Rd NW, Seattle, WA 98117 - (206) 782-1999   
Est. 2010 - Building constructed: 1927           
Previous bars at this location: Nicky's Tavern, Atlantic Street Pizza & Comedy, The Ridge Pub, Acorn Eatery
thethirstyfish.net - myballard - yelp - thrillist

#1253 #S758 - Gaudi, Seattle - 10/10/2010

Update: Gaudi closed Oct 1, 2016

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Gaudi is a very pleasant neighborhood Spanish tapas restaurant and bar, run by the husband and wife team who previously ran a restaurant in Barcelona.  Wife Jo works the front and bar, and created the stained glass pieces on the wall between bar and front room.  Husband Joan is the chef and created the drawings that adorn the menu.

Unfortunately I misplaced my notes and waited way too long to write up this summary of my experience to recall the specific dishes I had.  But I do recall being very pleased with each of the tapas, and having a very pleasant conversation with Jo. The vibe is relaxed and unhurried, with Jo letting you taste various Spanish wines, unless you prefer sangria or a classic cocktail.  It is definitely on my list of places to re-visit.

3410 NE 55th St, Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 527-3400
Est. Jan 2007 - Building constructed: 1931
gaudiseattle.com - seattle times - seattle weekly - yelp

#1241 #S749 - Venom, Seattle - 9/24/2010

Update: Venom closed Sep. 2, 2011.

Not that I stood out as an old white guy with no striped shirt and no product in my hair, but a young black woman who was a total stranger stepped up to me and told me she was "really proud of me" for showing up in the place.

As one yelper put it, "This place is about as close as it gets to the Jersey Shore here in the Pacific Northwest.  At least the Asian version."

2218 Western Ave #100, Seattle, WA 98121-3629 - (206) 448-8887
Previous bars at this location: Baccano, Club Medusa
venomseattle.com (warning: sound) - facebook - the stranger - yelp

#1240 #S748 - The Bourbon Bar - 9/24/2010

The Bourbon Bar just opened in August 2010 in conjunction with the refurbished Columbia City Theater, and the owners managed to snag Kim Warnick (of the Fastbacks and Visqueen) from the Cha Cha.  One might expect that a bar opened in the midst a cocktail boom and named "Bourbon Bar" would have a mind-blowing array of whiskeys, and some of the city's leading mixologists devoted to them.  The Bourbon Bar is not that, although they do have a moderate selection of whiskeys and whiskey-based cocktails, which may not be particularly well made, esp. if you are in the middle of a surge of customers waiting to get into a neighboring show.  But while the drinks are only average, it does have a pleasantly dark and woody decor and usually a pleasant crowd.

4916 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 - (206) 420-8285
columbiacitytheater.com - seattle weekly - yelp

#1239 #S747 - Columbia City Theater - 9/24/2010

The drinks are extremely limited here, but it's a very fine place for hearing music.  (Fortunately you can also bring in drinks from the adjacent Bourbon Bar.)  The recently remodeled and re-opened, historic space was constructed in 1920 (though it is often described as dating to 1917), and is said to have the first stage that Jimi Hendrix played on (while playing blues for Garfield High School).

It also shared action with the big Seattle swing and jazz scenes that once centered around Jackson St, hosting the likes of Fats Waller, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington.  The acoustics are quite pleasant and it has a quite interesting lineup of bands put together by Kevin Sur.

4916 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98127 - (206) 723-0088
columbiacitytheater.com - facebook - seattle historical sites - seattle pi - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp

#1238 #S746 - Tutta Bella (Columbia City) - 9/24/2010

4918 Rainier Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98118 - 206.721.3501
tuttabella.com - yelp

#1237 #S745 - Last Stop Lounge (Endolyne Joe's) - 9/21/2010

Endolyne Joe's is the West Seattle operation of the Chow Foods group, which also operates the Five Spot in Queen Anne and the Hi-Life in Ballard.  If you've been to either of those, you have a basic idea of what you'll get with Joe's and the Last Stop Lounge inside -- good food and a comfortable bar, with undistinguished drinks. 

After trying their Dark and Stormy and a Manhattan, I would recommend you go there for breakfast or dinner, but save your cocktail money for someplace like the Feedback Lounge.

9261 45th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98136 - (206) 937-5637
chowfoods.com - seattle weekly - the stranger - yelp