#1435 #S873 - Maya's Mexican Cantina, Seattle - 5/7/2011

You have to like an American Mexican joint with a huge menu and a small subsection titled "Mexican dishes."

9447 Rainier Ave. S Seattle, WA. 98178 - 206-725-5510
Est. 1979 - Building constructed: 1947
mayasrestaurant.com - seattletimes - yelp - urbanspoon  

#1434 - Sky Ultra Lounge, Bellevue, WA - 5/5/2011

Update: The Sky Ultra Lounge closed in April 2012

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Oh sweet jeeziz, no. Nothing personal or anything, but if you look at the pictures on this place's web site and have even the slightest urge to go here, we probably just won't be hanging out together much.

550 106th Ave NE, Ste 300, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 453-4300
skyultralounge.com - facebook - yelp

#1433 #S872 - Urban Enoteca, Seattle - 5/3/2011

Update: Urban Enoteca closed Jan 3, 2013

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A huge place one would expect to find in the rolling hills of central Washington rather than tucked under a bridge amidst the warehouses of the SoDo area.  Urban Enoteca has a fine restaurant, a very large tasting room, and a couple grand, additional rooms for special events.  I had the Lamb Crudo (Chimichurri, red onion, Castelventrano olives), the Nuts and Cheese (Candied walnut and blue cheese spread crostini) and a syrah that I forget.

4130 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134 - (206) 467-9463
Est. December 2010 - Closed Jan 3, 2012
urbanenoteca.com - seattlemet - winepeeps - komonews - yelp - seattlemag

#1432 - Pete's Club Tavern, Carnation, WA - 4/30/2011

Pete's has gone under various names (apparently it's "The Pete" to locals, but going under "Pete's Club," "Pete's Grill & Pub," etc. etc.).  Pete's is a large place that caters to bikers but attracts all types of people.  I have read that it was established in 1910, but I have also read some conflicting information, and have found no primary sources or reliable historical references. However King county tax records confirm that the building itself dates to 1910.
4640 Tolt Ave., Carnation, WA, 98014 - (425) 333-4300
Est. year - Building constructed: 1910
link - Don Lovett - yelp - urban spoon

#1431 - Fall City Roadhouse, Fall City, WA - 4/30/2011

The Fall City Roadhouse is a standard American diner with an open bar area and seven rooms for lodgers on the second floor. The building hast hosted businesses since 1916 (the upper rooms since 1931) and in 1990 the exterior was used for the roadhouse in David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" and "Fire Walk With Me."  The building was the "Colonial Inn" at the time (and since 1966).  Previously it was the "Riverside Tavern."

4200 Preston Fall City Rd SE, Fall City, WA 98024 - (425) 222-4800
Est. 2008 - Building constructed: 1916
fcroadhouse.com - seattletimes - yelp

#1430 - Last Frontier Saloon, Fall City, WA - 4/30/2011

The Last Frontier Saloon is actually a tavern (no hard liquor) with a ton of history and a commensurately large collection of oddball decor and memorabilia. It is on the very location of the town's founding, a trading post established in 1869, and where bars have subsequently been located  since before prohibition. Here's the brief section on it published in Jack Kelley's massive "Jack's History of Fall City" in 2006:

"The Last Frontier Saloon, currently owned by Alan Lind, is a beer parlor rather than a saloon because it doesn't carry hard liquor. This building replaced the Pioneer Saloon (torn down in 1929 when the road was widened) and was constructed by Edna Cheney in 1930. It was leased to Lars Johansen, who later turned it into a beer parlor. In about 1946 it was owned by Harry Read for a number of years; an owner by the name of Talkington called it Talk's Tavern in the mid-50s."

The bar has a small kitchen serving burgers and steaks and a fairly sizable patio out back that sometimes hosts musical events.  For whatever reason, the patio is dominated by a large mural of The Three Stooges, by Evan Jones.   And while it's on a somewhat touristy thoroughfare from Seattle to Snoqualmie Falls, happily the bar is generally full of older locals.


33813 SE Redmond-Fall City Rd, Fall City, WA 98024 - (425) 222-5640
Est. ? - Building constructed: 1930
seattle weekly -  yelp  

#1429 - Pandora Cellars, Carnation, WA - 4/30/2011

32305 NE 8th St, Carnation, WA 98014 - 206-227-5929
pandoracellars.com - facebook

#1428 #S871 - A Pizza Mart (downtown), Seattle - 4/28/2011

Update: This location closed Dec 31, 2017 and relocated across the street at 925 Stewart.

Like the U District version, the downtown A-Pizza Mart has a surprisingly lively little bar scene, with more character than you would guess from the exterior. The pizza and cocktails are not outstanding, but they are a little better than average.

910 Stewart St, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 903-8500

apizzamartseattle.com - yelp

#1427 #S870 - Sambar, Seattle - 4/26/2011

Update: Sambar (and Le Gourmand) closed in 2012.

Sambar is a tiny bar with no discernible sign, and attached to the back of Le Gourmand french restaurant.  The cocktails, crafted by Jay Kuehner are very good (I started with the Nocturne -- scotch, smoked black tea liqueur, caramel water, and orange bitters).  It serves fine food from the associated restaurant, and in summer has a patio that Providence Cicero describes as "like drinking in Monet's garden."

425 NW Market St., Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 781-4883
Est. 2004 (Le Gourmand 1985) - Building constructed: 1926
sambarseattle.com - seattletimes - monappetit - thestranger - seattleweekly - yelp

#1426 - PF Chang, Bellevue, WA - 4/25/2011

525 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 637-3582

#1425 #S869 - La Luna, Seattle - 4/25/2011

Update: La Luna closed in August 2015

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The former Opal and Flow Lounge space now hosts a romantic Mexican bar and restaurant, with good tapas, including some killer scallops, and fine margaritas.

2 Boston St, Seattle, Washington 98109 - (206) 282-2511
Est. April 2011 - Building constructed: 1906
Previous bars at this location: Opal, Flow Lounge
lalunaseattle.com - chowhound- seattle weekly - yelp

#1424 #S868 - Brave Horse Tavern, Seattle - 4/24/2011

Update: Brave Horse closed temporarily in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, then announced permanent closure as of July 15, 2020.

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A new tavern in the historic Terry Building by Tom Douglas.  There are 26 good beers on tap, including the house beers brewed by Schooner Exact. There are lots of good food choices, but the emphasis is on the fresh baked pretzels.

310 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 971-0717
Est. 2011 - Building constructed: 1915 - Closed July 15, 2020
bravehorsetavern.com - seattletimes - link

#1423 #S867 - Lunchbox Laboratory, Seattle - 4/22/2011

There is a fairly standard sized bar here, but this place is all about the monstrously-sized burgers.  Yes they do have a number of original drinks "straight from our mad scientists!"  But judging from their cocktail menu output, their team of scientists was apparently comprised primarily of  junior high school girls.

There is the "Kryptonite Shot" (Green Apple Jolly Rancher infused vodka), the "Astronauts Mimoso" (champagne topped with Tang), and you can do a good enough job guessing what goes into the  "Grape Ade" and "Barbie's Bana-tini."

So if it's not a good choice for a cocktail if you are over 16, but if you don't want to have to eat again for a week, or enjoy a real challenge as to how to actually fit your burger into your mouth, it's a fine option.

1253 Thomas St, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 621-1090
Est. Jan 2011 (originally opened in early 2008 at 7302-1/2 15th Avenue N.W)
Previous bars at this location: Southlake Grill
lunchboxlaboratory.com - facebook - seattletimes - seattletimes 2 - seattlemet - thestranger

#1422 #S866 - Chupacabra, Seattle - 4/21/2011

The quirky burrito and margarita joint from Greenwood is a great fit for this funky space across from Alki Beach. There's nothing spectacular about the food or drinks here, but it still feels like a perfect little neighborhood place.

Mind your goats!

2620 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 933-7344
Est. April 8, 2011 - Building constructed: 1916
facebook - westseattleblog - thestranger - yelp

#1421 #S865 - Cafe Flora, Seattle - 4/20/2011

A friendly, garden-like vegetarian restaurant with some inventive cocktails to boot. I enjoyed the Camp Ten Trees (pine infused tequila, St. Germaine, lime, orange twist).   I'm not quite ready to give up the wicked pleasures of seared animal flesh, but places like Cafe Flora, Plum Bistro and Carmelita are leaving me with fewer excuses.

2901 E. Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 - (206) 325-9100
Est. 1991
cafeflora.com - facebook - seattleweekly - thestranger - seattletimes - yelp

#1420 - Demetri's, Edmonds, WA - 4/18/2011

 In 2010, Sofeea Huffman of Kafe Neo turned the utterly stale Johnny's Sports Bar and Grille hard by the Edmonds ferry dock into Demetri's Woodstone Taverna.  The decor feels a little bit too much like some corporate chain for my tastes (I'd prefer some ramshackle individuality by the dock), but it is certainly a much nicer stop now, with decent cocktails and very good tapas.

101 Main St, Edmonds, WA 98020-3131 - (425) 744-9999
Est. 2010
demetriswoodstonetaverna.com - facebook - heraldnet - yelp

#1419 - Urban Onion, Olympia, WA - 4/17/2011

116 Legion Way SE, Olympia, Washington 98501 - (360) 943-9242
Previous bars at this location: The Village Forge
theurbanonion.com - facebook - yelp - tripadvisor - snoopf

#1418 - The Brotherhood, Olympia, WA - 4/17/2011

The Brotherhood Tavern/Lounge/Cigar Store and Bar dates back to at least the 1930s in this space in the 1887 Labor Temple building. It is now a funky, hip gathering place with a mid-century vintage decor, movies, and live music.

119 Capitol Way N, Olympia, WA 98501-1018 - (360) 352-4153
Building constructed 1887
thebrotherhoodlounge.com - facebook - yelp

#1417 - Mac's Tavern and Cardoom, Aberdeen, WA - 4/17/2011

The bartender at Mac's Tavern and Cardroom told us that the place has been around since the early 1900s, and that they did have a card room before the casinos moved in and a particular game they played just died out. Before that, she says, there would be lines out the door at 6:00am.

210 E Heron St, Aberdeen, WA 98520 - (360) 533-3932