Rotgut.org Blog

Friday, September 16, 2011

#1462 - Trio's Bar and Grill, Hoquiam, WA - 6/5/2011

So when I asked a bartender and small group of patrons what other Hoquiam bar I should go to, the first response was, "Does it have to be in Hoquiam?" When I asked again, saying, yes, Hoquiam, and I'm look for a bar with personality, they all said together, "Trio's!"

Trio's was a good choice, with a funky, mixed crowd -- a tattooed gal bartender, people in cowboy hats and flipflops, and elderly men with white shirts and checkered sports jackets. Thanks for the suggestion.

716 Simpson Avenue, Hoquiam, WA 98550-3610 - (360) 533-9966
Previous bars in this location: Swede's Place (1939)
myspace - yelp

Thursday, September 15, 2011

#1461 - 8th St. Ale House, Hoquiam, WA - 6/5/2011

207 8th Street, Hoquiam, WA 98550-2507 - (360) 612-3455
Est. 2010
facebook - yelp

Sunday, September 11, 2011

#1460 - NW Passage, Aberdeen, WA - 6/5/2011

This is a large, friendly, divey bar in Aberdeen. Nothing I could write about it is as interesting as this bizarre review that has been picked up by multiple sites and which reads like an automated translation from Chinese of a description of an utterly different bar:

"NW Passage bar is position at 617 W Curtis St,Aberdeen, WA. There are many things to do to enjoy the nightlife of Aberdeen, staying within the city of Washington. Therefore, the best thing to do in Aberdeen is to visit the many bars that offer great entertainment for tourists at night. So spend a night and enjoy the night in Aberdeen."

"For people who want to experience the sophisticated nightlife of Aberdeen, then visiting the Northwest Passage is wise. NW Passage is a bar that frequented by locals and tourists who want to experience a sophisticated night out with friends. For tourists who want to enter the bar, they should dress appropriately. People are denied entry into bar if they are using running shoes, sweatshirts and casual clothing and the dress code is smart casual or a suit. The price of drinks at the bar is also expensive and usually costs about $ 15 to $ 30. The bar is open 21:00 to 2:00."

"Lots of choices and options in the menu. They offer the wonderful environment to entertain. visitor could find that the team is friendly and the owner is the perfect host. The environment is really just fine. NW Passage has a great name of luxury , glamour and night life."

617 W Curtis St, Aberdeen, WA 98520 - (360) 532-0161
citysearch - yelp

#1459 - Barbecue Inn, Lakewood, WA - 6/3/2011

Update: The Barbecue Inn closed in 2013.

A Ft. Lewis combination barbecue restaurant and dive bar. The BBQ is okay and the drinks are fairly cheap.

8102 Maple St SW, Lakewood, WA 98498 - (253) 584-0832
myspace - yelp - urbanspoon

#1458 - Double D Bar and Grill, Kenmore, WA - 5/28/2011

Update: The Double D closed sometime in 2012, and was replaced by TAB's Bar and Grill.

7211 NE 181st St, Kenmore, WA 98028-2711 - (425) 483-9606

Est. ? - Closed: 2012 - Building constructed: 1966

Previous bars in this location: Lemm's Tavern, McDuffie's Tavern

Subsequent bar in this location: TAB's Bar and Grill
yelp

#1457 - Ikiiki Sushi, Kenmore, WA - 5/28/2011

6512 NE Bothell Way, Kenmore, WA 98028 - (425) 486-9441
ikiikisushi.com - facebook - yelp

#1456 - Tai Ho, Kenmore, WA - 5/28/2011

A classic old American Chinese restaurant lounge, which relocated to Kenmore in 1983 after operating in Seattle's International District since 1977. To quote the web site, "TAI HO RESTAURANT MANDARIN CUISINE SPECIALIZE IN HAND-PULL NOODLES COCKTAIL LOUNGE / ORDER." In addition to the hand-pulled noodles, you might ask them to take a look at the other menu, which is Korean-Chinese. As for the cocktails in the lounge, one is best advised sticking to the very basics.

6312 Bothell Way NE, Kenmore, WA 98028 - (425) 485-4020
Est. 1983 (since 1977 in I.D.)
taihorestaurant.com - seattlepi - gastrolust - seattle weekly - yelp

#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

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

#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

Monday, September 05, 2011

#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

Sunday, September 04, 2011

#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.

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."