#1455 #S880 - 418 Public House, Seattle - 5/25/2011

Update: The 418 Public House closed Oct 19, 2019

This is an unassuming new place in the former location of Reading Gaol, just up the road from the Tin Hat, and from the owner of The Summit Public House on Capitol  Hill.  It now serves a good selection of 12 beers on tap, some refreshing cocktail choices, and Mexican food (I enjoy their generous servings of pico de gallo).  At least for now the decor is very sparse -- it is very clean, brown, and plain (we "gave it a haircut" co-owner Sam told me), with a small number of English, Irish, and American decorations.  They seem like very nice people running the place and I'll be interested to see what sort of customer base evolves.

Historical notes:  This location has hosted several bars since at least the 40s.  The building was constructed in 1925 and by 1945 it was Johnny's 65th St. Tavern.  By the late 40s it was Ben's Tavern, then Dan's Tavern and Dan's Fifty Sixth St Tavern from the mid 50s to the mid 60s, The Playhouse Tavern in the late 60s, Uncle Paul's Tavern in the 70s, briefly Fantasy Tavern, then Hagar's Tavern by 1980 and through the mid 90s.  From 1997 to 2011 it was the Reading Gaol.


418 NW 65th St, Seattle, Washington 98117 - (206) 783-0418
Est. May 2011 -  Closed Oct 19, 2019 - Building constructed: 1925
Previous bars at this location: Johnny's 65th St Tavern, Ben's Tavern, Dan's Tavern, Playhouse Tavern, Fantasy Tavern, Uncle Paul's Tavern, Hagar's Tavern, Reading Gaol
418publichouse.com - facebook - thestranger - seattleweekly - seattleweekly - yelp

#1454 #S879 - The Yard, Seattle - 5/23/2011

A new place in an odd little space along Greenwood, near 85th, from the owners of The Dray. "Yard" is "Dray" backwards, and the location has a patio space out front that is surprising in this commercial stretch. The Yard serves a pretty decent beer selection, okay cocktails, and better than average Mexican food.   They also have 100 lockers for members of the Founders Club:

'For $250, members get a personal 20-ounce beer mug that they can lock inside, a T-shirt, and invitations to special events and the occasional “special surprise” inside their locker (the café’s owners will have a master key to all lockers). Co-owner Travis Eaton says the mug is a dimpled old-style pub mug with The Yard Cafe emblem.'  (phinneywood)

"... these lockers come with a 20-ounce mug which can be filled with beer at the same price that normal patrons pay for a 16-ounce pour. Doing the math, one would have to drink about 892 beers to make that a good deal.  The lockers are sold out."  (seattle weekly)


8313 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, Washington - 206.588.1746
Est. 5/19/2011
theyardcafe.com - alixcompton - phinneywood - seattle weekly - yelp

#1453 - The Frontier Tavern, Ellensburg, WA - 5/22/2011

"Watering Holes of the Northwest" claims that a saloon was established in this location in 1873, which would make it possibly the oldest bar location, currently hosting a bar, that I have found in Washington state (depending upon when the Oak Harbor Tavern was moved to its current location). However, that building burned in 1889 fire, and the current building was constructed a few years later.

I found bars at this address listed under W. E. Neuman in 1911, and Kingery & Lee in 1913. By 1937 it was known as the "High Line Pool Hall," and by 1949 as simply "The Hi-Line."

111 West 4th Ave, Ellensburg, WA 98926-3127 - (509) 925-9229

yelp - urbanspoon - insiderpages

#1452 - The Tav, Ellensburg, WA - 5/22/2011

This location hosted "The Tavern" since at least 1937, shortening the name to "The Tav" in 1967.  I have not found the age of the building but was informed it was much older, hosting a restaurant before the tavern.  It is located near the Central Washington U campus, and is a popular place with students and locals, known for its burgers, including the Super Mother Burger which has its own fan club (you can get a fan club membership card when you order one).   It is also known for the many names of patrons that have been engraved into the brick walls over the years. 

117 West 4th Ave, Ellensburg, WA 98926-3127 - (509) 925-3939
Est. 1965
facebook - dailyrecord - collegehotsheet - Jack Leinbach obit - yelp - urbanspoon

#1451 - Madrid's Place, Pasco, WA - 5/22/2011

Madrid's is a curious fusion of cultures.  Everything about the people and recent activities -- the customers, the owner, the music blaring from the jukebox -- is Mexican.  But the signage and longer term decor are all Irish.  Indeed, the main sign out front has a hand-painted leprachaun, and a sign reading "AKA Shamrock II" added to the top.  (This portion is newer than the Madrid's piece, judging from a an older photo I found.)

Behind the bar on piece of cardboard is a list of people who have been 86'd, with some names curiously covered in masking tape.  The owner explained that those are the names of people who have passed away, something he started after a patron started crying at the bar when she looked up and saw the name of her departed father's name on the list.

1901 4th, Pasco, WA

#1450 - Hazy's, Connell, WA - 5/22/2011

A pleasant small town dive bar with a nifty old sign out front and a collection of signs and knickknacks that shows the many years it has taken to assemble.

245 N Columbia, Connell, WA 99326 - (509) 234-4700

#1449 - Crows Nest, Kennewick, WA - 5/21/2011

A fairly nice hotel restaurant with a view of the Columbia river from the top of the Clover Island Inn, and a good seafood buffet on Fridays

435 Clover Island Dr, Kennewick, WA 99336 - (509) 586-0541
hotelkennewick - video - yelp

#1448 - Cedars, Kennewick, WA - 5/21/2011

A nice, somewhat upscale restaurant on the banks of the Columbia river.

355 Clover Island Dr, Kennewick, WA 99336 - (509) 582-2143
Est. 1976
cedarsrest.com - facebook - yelp - urbanspoon - tripadvisor

#1447 - White Buddha Lounge, Kennewick, WA - 5/21/2011

A swanky new alternative for the Tri-Cities area.

1360 N. Louisiana St, Kennewick, WA 99336-7171 - (509) 619-0600
Est. Feb 14, 2010
myspace (bad music warning) - yelp - urbanspoon  

#1446 - The Bluebird Inn, Bickleton, WA - 5/21/2011

Update: The Bluebird Inn appears to be not quite the oldest bar in the state.  See Oak Harbor Tavern.

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The Bluebird Inn is in downtown Bickleton, Washington -- population 90 -- and it is the oldest bar in Washington state, constructed and starting business as a saloon in 1882, seven years before Washington became a state.  (The Brick, in Roslyn, is the oldest bar running under the same name.)   Previous names have included The Pool Hall, The Club, The Bickleton Tavern, and The Bluebird Tavern.  Bickleton is known as "the bluebird capitol of the world" for its population of Mountain Bluebirds and Western Bluebirds, and the roads and hills are now peppered with thousands of birdhouses put up by the locals.  (Note that the clock in the photo runs backwards.)

The Bickleton bar itself is decorated with local brands, after the previous owners held a branding party.    Just in front of it and still in use is an 1884 Brunswick pool table that has been in the tavern since 1902, and is coveted by Brunswick for their museum.  Behind the bar is a list of seven people who have been 86'd.  (If these are all locals, they comprise close to 10% of the population of town.)  There was also a list of "Honorary" 86'd -- it was never completely clear what these people did.  The Bluebird is currently owned by mother and daughter Nelda and Candice Flores and Lisa Still.  (No women were allowed into the tavern until the 1960s.)

The food is pretty standard diner fare and drinks are pretty standard as well.  But one doesn't drive all the way to Bickleton for unique drinks, but rather for the history: From bickleton.org:  "This is the only building left in town that has not been burned by the major fires that have ravaged the town since it’s beginning. The oiled wooden floor is original and in good shape considering the many feet that have walked on it. Some of the footprints are now being made by forth generation customers."

"Two hay rake wagon wheels hang from the ceiling with fruit jar light fixtures. A picture of Bickleton’s founder, Charles N. Bickle and his wife Fanny E. (Bacon) Bickle, share a wall with board paintings and deer antlers put up by local hunters. Two card tables used for pinochle and poker have a half circle cut into them for a previous owner so he could reach the cards. His belly was quite large."

121 E Market St, Bickleton, WA 99322 - (509) 896-2273
Est. 1882 - Building constructed: 1882
facebook - bickleton.org - theviewfromrighthere - yelp

#1445 - The Palm, Benton City, WA - 5/21/2011

603 9th St, Benton City, WA 99320 - (509) 588-3139
Est. 1990s
myspace - yelp   

#1444 - Horse Heaven Hills Brewery, Prosser, WA - 5/20/2011

1118 Meade Ave, Prosser, Wa 99350 - (509) 781-6400

horseheavenhillsbrewery - beerblotter - dorandbob -  yelp - dogberrypatch  - prosserchamber - 

#1443 - Whitstran Brewing Co., Prosser, WA - 5/20/2011

1427 Wine Country Rd, Prosser, WA 99350 - (509) 786-4922
whitstranbrewing.com - yelp - urbanspoon

#1442 - The Pastime, Roslyn, WA - 5/20/2011

The Pastime, Roslyn, WA

Update: The Pastime appears to be transitioning to the "Roslyn Roadhouse," as of early 2016

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I am looking to confirm this, but if the claims made on the Pastime's MySpace site (and in Michael Caldwell's "Watering Holes of the Northwest) are correct, this may be one of the two oldest bars in the state of Washington. From the site:
"The Pastime was originally named The Palace, back in 1885. It would have been the oldest operating bar in the state of Washington, but for two years during prohibition, it became Owens Meat Market. At that time, it was the first refrigerated meat house in the state. During the 1920's it also endured some major remolding [sic] and in 1974 became known as Jean's Pastime. In 1990 it changed owners again to Lonnie and Jody, our current owners. It is the oldest commercial building in Roslyn and is said to be haunted. There has been two suicide deaths, by gunshot. One in the 1920's and the other in the 1980's. Our closing bartenders have reported strange noises and their have been the sound of people playing pool after the doors have been locked."

Roslyn Pastime sign as of February 2016

But some elements of this story (not just the ghost stories) seem dubious.  E.g. I don't understand how this would have been the oldest operating bar except for two years as meat market during prohibition, since A) there were, of course, no licensed bars at all during prohibition; and B) prohibition in Washington state lasted a minimum of 17 1/2 years. In addition, there is no "Pastime" listed among bars in the 1937 nor 1949 Polk Guides (I cannot determine if there was any bar listed at the location due to changes in street numbering). Finally, I received this information from the president of the Roslyn Historical Museum: "The date is wrong Roslyn didn't exisit until 1886 when coal was discovered. We have an old ledger book from The Palace.  It is dated 1888 the owner was a person with the last name of Bryant." (Nick Henderson, personal correspondence, June 11, 2012)  I hope to find more about the bar's history, and perhaps even some primary sources.

The Pastime, Roslyn, WA - Sep 2012

204 West Pennsylvania Avenue, Roslyn, WA 98941 - (509) 649-3125
Previous bars at this location: Howard's Place (40s), Clem's Tavern (70s)
yelp - yahoo - urbanspoon

#1441 - The Brick, Roslyn, WA - 5/20/2011

The Brick, Roslyn, WA

The Brick is a large bar in a small Washington town, although perhaps most people think it is in Cicely, Alaska. But it is not remarkable only for the use of its exterior in the "Northern Exposure" television series. For example, the bar features an old running water spittoon below the main bar, which once a year hosts racing:  "This Saturday, March 12th, is the 23rd annual Spittoon Race at The Brick Tavern in Downtown Roslyn.  People racing everything from matchbooks to soap.  So that no one gets too much of an advantage, the races are divided into classes by type of boats and there are some strict size and weight guidelines.  In years past, the weighs in started around 11 AM (11:00 in the morning to be really clear) and racing started around 1 PM.  The races, which pit two spittoon racers at a time, can go into the night depending on how many people compete."  (roslynandcleelum.com)

The Brick claims to be the oldest existing bar operating under one name in the state and it is the one I seem to hear most commonly cited as the oldest bar in the state. It's a fine old place and deserves attention, but I do not see any reasonable way it can be defined as the oldest in the state. Accounts differ over whether the current building was constructed in 1889 (after a major fire in Roslyn in 1888) or in 1898. The wikipedia page on Roslyn actually contains both claims. However, with some help help from the Roslyn Museum and local historians, we can determine that it is pretty clearly the latter date:

The Brick, Roslyn, WA

'[Peter] Giovanni and [John] Buffo moved their business to the corner of Pennsylvania and First Street in 1898 and built a structure using 45,000 bricks and named the tavern “The Brick.” ... The museum has a framed copy of the bill for the bricks used to build The Brick, dated 1898, which technically makes their claim that they have been operating since 1889 incorrect. Giovanni and Buffo's tavern may have started operations that year, but The Brick didn't come into existence until 1898.' (Sue Ritchfield, personal correspondence, April 3, 2016)

So as far as time operating under one name, it is plainly preceded by Merchants (1890) in Seattle, The Exchange (1890 or earlier) in Spanaway, and the Horseshoe in Bellingham (though the latter has moved buildings). If, on the other hand, one calculates age by time as a continuous business, regardless of changes in name, location, ownership, and building, then it is predated by the Oak Harbor Tavern, the Bluebird Inn in Bickleton, Kuk's Tavern in Northport, Bellingham's Horseshoe, Tacoma's Spar, and Seattle's Queen City Grill. But in any case it remains the historic centerpiece of a captivating little town just 5 miles off I-90.

The Brick has a 100-year-old English-made bar, a small, sunny, patio, 17' ceilings, an adjacent area that serves as both family dining area and stage for musical acts, and a haunted basement that is said to have once served as the town drunk tank (although the prison cells in the basement were actually installed for the filming of "The Runner Stumbles"). It serves basic pub food, simple cocktails and has a good selection of beers. The crowd is usually a nice set of locals with a sprinking of people passing through.

Union label on back bar at The Brick, Roslyn, WA

The Brick, ca. 1889, Roslyn, WA
(Washington State University photo)

The Brick, Roslyn, WA - April 2016

100 E Pennsylvania Ave, Roslyn, WA 98941 - (509) 649-2643
Est. 1898 - Building constructed: 1898
westernperspective - wikipedia - roslynandcleelum.com - beeradvocate - yelp

#1440 #S878 - 106 Pine, Seattle - 5/15/2011

A wine shop and tasting room extension from Michel and Valerie Brotman, the folks behind Chocolate Box, across 1st Avenue from the Pike Place Market.  The folks here are friendly and knowledgeable about northwest wines, and host urban wine tours of the city.


106 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101 - 206 443-1106
Est. April 2010 - Building constructed: 1909
106pine.com - seattleweekly - thestranger - yelp

#1439 #S877 - Paratii Craft Bar, Seattle - 5/14/2011

Update: Paratii Craft Bar closed Feb 15, 2013

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A new Brazilian bar and restaurant from Samir Hassan, who previously established All Nations Sports Bar and Samba.  Of course that means cachaca and caipirinhas, but in this case it also means a good range of well-executed cocktails.  I had a tasty "Flirting With Spring" (gin, blanc vermouth, vanilla liqueur, blood orange liqueur, mint, cinnamon, , Chamomile citrust bitters) and"Sam's Cuba Libre."

There are some quite good traditional Brazilian dishes (the chef is Kal Gellein, previously of Kallaloo in Columbia City), but the emphasis is on the cocktails. The decor has multiple nods to Ballard's shipping traditions, items crafted or refurbished by the owner.  

5463 Leary Ave NW, Seattle, Washington 98107 - (206) 420-7406
Est. May 4, 2011 - Building constructed: 1950 - Closed Sep 15, 2013
paratiicraftbar.com - seattleweekly - seattlemet - urbanspoon - yelp

#1438 #S876 - Cure, Seattle - 5/11/2011

A nice little wine and cheese joint tucked across the alley from the tennis courts at Cal Anderson park.  We had some nice combinations of Prosciutto di Parma, Piave cheese, tomato jam, speck, Carmody cheese, spicy pickled vegetables, pepper jelly and cream cheese.


1641 Nagle Pl, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 568-5475
Est. May 11, 2011
cureseattle.com - eater - thestranger - yelp