#1524 #S903 - The Forge Lounge, Seattle - 7/21/2011

 The Forge Lounge sits in a small space off the pedestrian overpass to the ferry dock along Marion.  Established by two firefighters, it has an industrial, working-man theme.  But it doesn't serve the Bud Lites and fried food of your average blue-collar dive bar.  Instead it has creative sandwiches and cocktails, and a funky, intimate vibe which fits brilliantly into the old waterfront.  Having a bar with this much personality is certainly a welcome addition to the downtown area.

65 Marion St., Seattle, WA 98104 - (206) 623-5107
Est. June 24, 2011 - Building constructed: 1906
Previous bars at this location:  None found
theforgelounge.com - facebook - seattlemag - seattleweekly - thrillist (video) - thestranger - yelp

#1523 - Cypress Lounge, Bellevue, WA - 7/20/2011

600 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 - 425-638-1000
starwoodhotels.com - facebook - culinaryfool -  yelp

#1522 #S902 - Pizzeria 22, Seattle - 7/18/2011

 Cary Kemp worked in a pizzeria on Via Tribulani in Naples, then helped launch the the Neapolitan, wood-fired pizza trend in Seattle.  He's recently had a mobile Neapolitan oven, and now he has a place of his own in West Seattle, around the corner from Yen Wor Village, and it is very much in the VT mold (including some of the dramatic Mt. Vesuvius paintings that briefly graced the Via Tribulani in the Crocodile).

4213 SW College St, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 687-7701
Est. June 27, 2011 - Building constructed: 1908
pizzeria22.com - facebook - seattleweekly - westseattleherald - westseattleblog - seattletimes - eater - urbanspoon - yelp

#1521 - Market Street Pub, Chehalis, WA - 7/18/2011

Market Street Pub and Grill, Chehalis, WA

The Facebook page says that the Market Street Pub was established in 1994, but city guides list it under that name for several years before that. During the 80s it was home to the Smoke Shop Tavern, which had been in operation in multiple other locations on Market Blvd since shortly after prohibition. One would guess that the Smoke Shop and its long history were the source of the grand, antique Brunswick-Balke-Collender back bar, which may be the "Empire" model, and is somewhat similar to the bar in The Shire, around the block, and even more similar to a smaller piece in the Central Saloon in Seattle.  The building now hosting the pub has a couple historic markers on the front exterior dating construction back to 1918.

Brunswick-Balke-Collender antique bar
Market Street Pub, Chehalis, WA

523 North Market Boulevard, Chehalis, WA 98532-2109 -(360) 748-6777
Building constructed: 1918
Previous bars in this location: Smoke Shop Tavern
web site: facebook  
yelp - urbanspoon

#1520 - Billy Ray's Neighborhood Dive, Portland OR - 7/18/2011

 Billy Ray's has two fairly distinct parts.  The ground floor is a pretty classic dive bar, the kind that caters to oldtimers and hipsters at the same time.  But once you ascend the stairs to the second floor, you're suddenly in the game room of your childhood friend with the coolest dad -- decked out in video games, old couches, and paintings of scary clowns and other odd creatures.

2216 NE M L King Blvd, Portland, OR 97255 - (503) 287-7254

barfly - mercury - urbandrinks - yelp

#1519 - The Chapel Pub, Portland OR - 7/18/2011

 As they do, McMenamins remodeled a great old building here into a nice neighborhood pub -- in this case what was previously the "Little Chapel of the Chimes," nee "Wilson-Chambers Mortuary," a former funeral home in Portland's Piedmont neighborhood.  There is a sort of vestibule, a main room with a bar, a couple additional rooms and a nice patio (the upper floor is McMenamin's headquarters).  It may seem a little formulaic at times, but God bless 'em for saving and restoring all these great old spaces for the northwest public.

If you've ever been to a McMenamin's, you know what you're in for.  If you have not been to a McMenamin's, expect some pretty good beers brewed by the company, some funky artwork and decor, and better than average pub food.

430 N. Killingsworth St., Portland, OR 97217 - (503) 286-0372
Est. 2006 - Building constructed: 1932
mcmenamins.com - beeradvocate - tripadvisor -  barfly - yelp

#1518 - Mock Crest Tavern, Portland OR - 7/17/2011

3435 N. Lombard, Portland, OR 97217 - (503) 283-5014
Est. 1947
mockcrest.com - facebook - mercury -  barfly - yelp

#1517 - The Twilight Room, Portland OR - 7/17/2011

 The Twighlight Room is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year, but that's only under the current management.  It is said to have been established in the late 40s and owner Doug Penner was a bartender here himself going back to 1949.  He and his twin brother purchased the bar in 1961, and over the following years expanded it four times, incorporating a former barbershop, refrigeration shop, and insurance business.

So it is now a pretty large place, and a comfortable neighborhood bar for both college students and local old timers.

5242 North Lombard Street, Portland, OR 97203 - (503) 283-5091
Est. late 40s
thetwilightroom.com - facebook - oregonlive - wweek - barfly - yelp

#1516 - Kenton Station, Portland OR - 7/16/2011

8303 North Denver Avenue, Portland, OR 97217-6707 - (503) 286-9242
kentonstationportland.com - facebook -  mercury - barfly - yelp

#1515 - Tavern on Denver, Portland OR - 7/16/2011

8234 North Denver Avenue, Portland, OR 97217-6624 - (503) 285-7010
barfly - yelp

#1514 - The Original, Portland OR - 7/16/2011

300 Southwest 6th Avenue, Portland, OR 97204 - (503) 546-2666

originaldinerant.com - talkeatdrinkportland - oregonlive - barfly - yelp

#1513 - Bulldog Tavern, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

1650 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209 - (503) 894-8492

bulldog-tavern.com - barfly - yelp

#1512 - Marathon Taverna, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

A large bar with a curious mixture of classic dive bar patrons and 22-yo girls.  Chatted with Steve, who was reading a book at the bar, and has been coming here since '68 or '69, when it was The Acropolis.

1735 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209 - (503) 224-1341
Est. year - Building constructed: year
barfly - mercury - yelp - urbanspoon  

#1511 - Kingston Bar and Grill, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

2021 Southwest Morrison St, Portland, OR 97205-1600 - (503) 224-2115
Est. 1982
kingstonsportsbar.com - barfly - yelp

#1510 - The Bitter End, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

1981 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209-1918 - (971) 222-2000
portlandbitterend.com - facebook - barfly - yelp

#1509 - Tony's Tavern, Portland, OR - 7/15/2011

1955 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209-1918 - (503) 228-4574
barfly - mercury - yelp

#1508 - Ella St. Social Club, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

A small club in an old mortuary in the Goose Hollow portion of town, the Ella Street Social Club hosts live music in an intimate, almost-speakeasy sort of setting.

714 SW 20th Pl, Portland, OR 97205 - (503) 227-0116
ellastreetsocialclub.com - barfly - yelp

#1507 - The Matador, Portland OR - 7/15/2011

1967 West Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97209-1918 - (503) 222-5822
thematadorbar.com - facebook - barfly - yelp

#1506 #S901 - Ba Bar (Capitol Hill), Seattle - 7/7/2011

Ba Bar serves upscale Vietnamese street food and some very fine cocktails in the former space of Watertown Coffee across from Seattle University.  I had a fantastic pork belly, along with a Sazerac and then a Gilded Age (Domaine de Canton, Noilly Pratt Dry, Stone Pine liquer, Ricard, maple honey).  Ba Bar is from Eric Banh, the owner of Monsoon and Baguette Box, named for his Chinese father ("Ba" = father), and designed to reflect the spirit of a Vietnamese quan (cafe).

Despite some early drama with the folks manning the bar, he has created a very comfortable space to enjoy just a drink and snack or a nice dinner.  (The bar is now run by Even Martin, formerly of Chantanee.)  12th Avenue seems to be becoming something of a bourbon mecca -- Ba Bar stocks 175 types of bourbon alone and Jamie Boudreau's Canon which opened right down the street shortly after Ba Bar.

550 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 328-2030
Est. July 7, 2011 - Building constructed: 1920
Other bars at this location:  None known
babarseattle.com - facebook - seattleweekly - eater - seattletimes - seattlemet - seattlemag - yelp

#1505 - Max's Bar and Grill, Yakima, WA - 7/5/2011

Update: Max's closed in 2015

1107 S 3rd St, Yakima, WA 98901 - (509) 457-8041
facebook - yelp - urbanspoon