#1572 #S932 - Phoenecia, Seattle - 10/5/2011

Update: Phoenecia closed Dec 24, 2018.

My ratings are focused on bars, not restaurants, and thus this wine bar does not quite get my highest recommendation; but it would if I were based on the food.  It is my favorite food in West Seattle and among my top four favorite pizza locations in the city (after Serious Pie, it is in a rough tie with Bar Del Corso and Delancey).  The menu is Mediterranean focused, with some very fine tapas, and rotating special entrees on the chalkboard.   I had the Sausage & Peppers pizza (house-made fennel sausage, Mama’s Lil Peppers, fresh and whole milk mozzarella, Grana Padano, parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, and red sauce), which was terrific, and the Fiery Diver Sea Scallops, also very nice.

Phoenicia opened on California Ave in 1974, moved to Queen Anne from 1980 to 1992, then relocated to its present space back in West Seattle, across the road from Alki Beach.  After the much loved founder, Hussein Khazaal, passed away in 2009, his wife and daughters remodeled and continue to run the place, with a menu revamped by Byron Hummel (who trained  under Charles Walpole, now chef at Anchovies & Olives).  The family are friendly and engaging, and I especially like stepping into their warm confines on a rainy Seattle evening.

2716 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 935-6550
Est. 1992 (1974 on California Ave) - Closed Dec 24, 2018 - Building constructed: 1968
phoeneciawestseattle.com - facebook - seattletimes - westseattleblog - seattlemag - seriouseats - thestranger - urbanspoon - zagat
Khazaal's passing:  seattletimes - westseattleblog

#1571 #S931 - Outwest, Seattle - 10/4/2011

This is West Seattle's only gay bar -- the first since Guppy's West was in the space of the current A Terrible Beauty in the early 90s.  Given a fairly substantial LGBTQ population in the neighborhood, that may be enough to sustain the business, and perhaps the crowd and age will add some character as time goes by.  Right now it is a fairly bland, boxy space with mediocre drinks.


5401 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98136 - (206) 937-1540
Est. Aug 11, 2011 - Building constructed: 1925
outwestbar.com - westseattleherald - westseattleblog - sgn.org - yelp

#1570 #S930 - Pan Africa Grill, Seattle - 10/4/2011

Update: Pan Africa Grill closed March 7, 2013

As a bar, this is not much -- at least at the early date I visited.  And since this is a bar blog, I can't recommend it as a bar. But if I were reviewing restaurants this would would be one of my top three in West Seattle and in my top 20 for all of Seattle.  They have a very tasty rotation of entrees from different regions of Africa each month, along with dishes from owner Mulugeta “Mulu” Abate's native Ethiopia.

5905 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98136 - (206) 971-0698
Est. Sep. 27, 2011 - Closed March 7, 2013 - Building constructed: 1926
Other bars at this location:  None known (previously Ho-win Chinese, unknown whether this had a bar; subsequently Chopstix 
panafricagrill.com - facebook - westseattleherald - westseattleblog - westseattleblog - thrillist - yelp

#1569 #S929 - Pritty Boys Family Pizzeria, Seattle - 10/3/2011

Update: Pritty Boys closed in August 2014

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This is a new, family-oriented pizza place from the owners of Branzino in the former Madrona location of Dulce Latin Bistro.  I had already had dinner when I stopped in, and was only interested in the bar -- which is not very good, overly bright, and suffers from being right across from the children's play area.  The pizza did not look like anything special to me.  However since I have subsequently learned that the chef is the same one who did the excellent pizzas at West Seattle's Phoenicia (and trained under Charles Wadpole, of Anchovies and Olives), so I definitely will be back to give the food a try.

It's probably a quite good option if you have young children with you.  You will not want to go there for the bar.

1430 34th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 257-1319
Est. May 26, 2011 - Building constructed: 1996 - Closed Aug 2014
prittypizza.com - seriouseats - eater - thrillist - yelp

#1568 #S928 - June, Seattle - 10/3/2011

Update:  June closed in Dec 2011

An upscale but casual bistro from Vuong and Tricia Loc, featuring Vietnamese-influenced French cuisine.

I had an Aaron's Cucumber cocktail, the prawns with green cocktail sauce, the burger (ground bacon and beef, Kurtwood Farms camembert, fries).

1423 34th Avenue Seattle, WA 98122-3300 - (206) 323-4000
Est. May 2010 - Building constructed: year
juneseattle.com - seattleweekly - seattleweekly - thestranger - seattletimes - seattlemag - yelp

#1567 #S927 - The Cactus (West Seattle), Seattle - 10/2/2011

The West Seattle version of this popular Mexican restaurant does not have quite the neighborhood feel of the Madison Park version, but it does have a location right on Alki looking across the beach to the water and large roll-up windows for great summertime seats.  The Mexican food and margaritas are both better than average, and the airy, modern building makes it a sort of loungey, modish counterpoint to the funky and fun Chupacabra up the road.

2820 Alki Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116-2788 - (206) 933-6000
Est. 2006 - Building constructed: 2003
cactusrestaurants.com - gayot - yelp

#1566 #S926 - Via Tribunali (Belltown), Seattle - 5/13/2011

Many of us will miss the dirty foam and neon sheep and the divey atmosphere of the back bar in the original Crocodile.  But the remodel included many things done right, including the dark and swanky Via Tribulani in the back portion.  This was Mike McConnell's fifth and most romantic of his AVPN-certified Neapolitan pizza restaurants, with a bar that seemed like a central point instead of squeezed in.  The most striking features where the very high-backed black vinyl seats and the gorgeous paintings of Mt. Vesuvius, emphasized with carefully positioned Rembrandt lighting.

 When it closed after approximately one year, Via Tribunali left the wood-fired pizza oven made from ash from Mt. Vesuvius and the mahogany bar to the owners of the Crocodile.  They continue to sell very similar pizza and fairly decent cocktails, though no longer under the volcano paintings.

2200 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 441-4618
Est. April 16, 2009 - Closed 2010 - Building constructed: 1924
facebook - seattlepi - hideousbelltown - foodbuzz - seattleweekly - seriouseats - cornichon - belltownpeople - yelp  - zagat 

#1565 #S925 - Emerald City Beer Co, Seattle - 10/1/2011

The Emerald City Beer Lab is a medium-sized tasting room for the microbrew that has moved into the historic old Rainier Brewery between Airport Way and I5. The new brewery is also lager focused, but create a variety of craft brews.  The "lab" is somewhat spare, consistent with the industrial setting, with a good sized bar, two taps, and a big screen television.  The owner and staff are casual and friendly.

The tasting room is most notable to long-time residents for its historic location.  Beer has been brewed here since 1883, and the large R from the Rainier days was a Seattle icon.  The current building was constructed by Kopp & Hemrich brewery in 1887 and has been the site of major brewing from then until 1999 (around the prohibition years) under the names Bayview Brewery, Sick's Seattle Brewing & Rainier. 

The Mountain Room  ran within the brewery from the 30's until 1999, hosting at times Jim Whitaker (the first American to climb Mt. Everest), Mickey Rooney, and the Seattle Rainiers  baseball team. The brewery and Mountain Room were closed in 1999 and "Rainier"  subsequently sold to Pabst and brewed by Miller.  In recent years, developers have converted portions of it into artists studios and rehearsal spaces.

3100 Airport Way S, Ste 8100, Seattle, WA 98134 - (206) 351-8250
Est. Aug 21, 2010 - Building constructed: 1887 (Historic Bay View / Rainier Brewery)
Other bars at this address:  La Cantina, The Mountain Room (1930s - 1999)
emeraldcitybeer.com - washingtonbeerblog - seattlepi -  king5 - seattlest - yelp

#1564 #S924 - Epic Ales, Seattle - 10/1/2011

Epic Ales is a microbrewery run by Cody Morris with a tiny bar & tasting room in the KR Trigger Building in SoDo.  You'll need to ring the doorbell to be shown in.  On Saturdays he teams with a chef and presents upscale meals in the "gastropod," an upstairs room with lovely old wood and signs.  The room contains a lovely old bar made to look like a ship, which the landlord obtained from an old tavern in Spokane, and which now juts its bow through the wall into the next room.

The beers are adventurous and use some offbeat ingredients, and the food and beer pairings of the gastropod show the same creative considerations.  I had a lambic made with fresh hops called Zero Minute IPA.  Belgian-styles are not my personal favorites, but it was nice to have an intriguing set of tastes so different from the typical offerings.


3201 First Ave South, Suite 104, Seattle, WA 98134 - 206-351-3637
Est. January 22, 2010 (Brewery est. Dec 2008) - Building constructed: 1923
epicales.com - facebook - yelp - hessbrewing - beerblotter - eater.com

#1563 #S923 - Mars Bistro, Seattle - 9/30/2011

Mars Bistro (previously Blue Dog Kitchen) is a funky little spot on the north end of The Ave that focuses on organic breakfasts and lunch, along with teas and coffee.  But about a month ago they opened up a bar, and now in the evenings they offer an intimate, unfussy, little break between the frenetic Galway Arms and the sophisticated Lucid.

5247 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 632-5132
Est. 2011 - Building constructed: 1950
Other bars at this location: None known
organic-mars-bistrot.com - facebook - thestranger - yelp

#1562 - Goldfish Tavern, Ruston, WA - 9/24/2011

The Defiant Goldfish, Ruston, WA

Later Update: The Defiant Goldfish closed again September 3, 2017.


Update: After apparently being in business since shortly after prohibition, the Goldfish closed in the Fall of 2012, after the then owner, struggling with declining health, a drop in business and a lack of experience (she inherited the bar in a divorce settlement) fell into arears on the lease. While that certainly raised fears for the fans of this great little place right across the street from Point Defiance Park, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as a couple new owners with varied bar experience stepped in, added even more character than the bar had before (a rarity for remodels of old dives), as well as shuffleboard, an improved patio, some very tasty pizza and other food items, and a nice selection of beers and wines. Various financial challenges such as dealing with the ancient underground gas tanks of the one-time gas station were managed with the help of Kickstarter campaign and the city of Tacoma’s Community and Economic Development Department. So congrats to the owners, the locals, and the city government for all helping preserve this historical little gem. The Defiant Goldfish re-opened July 20, 2016.

The Defiant Goldfish, Ruston, WA

Luau Pizza, The Defiant Goldfish, Ruston, WA

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A nifty little dive bar across from Point Defiance Park, with a pretty decent beer selection (no liquor).  The sign says it's been around since right after prohibition, and a lot of the folks who have been there since have carved their names into the wooden bar and tables.

5310 North Pearl Street, Ruston, WA 98407 - (253) 759-7474
Est. 1933 - Constructed 1929
Website: defiantgoldfish.com - facebook
southsoundtalk - weeklyvolcano - yelp - thenewstribune

#1561 - Tanglewood Grill, Gig Harbor, WA - 9/24/2011

3222 56th Street Northwest, Gig Harbor, WA 98335-1359 - (253) 858-5555

tanglewoodgrill.com - yelp - tripadvisor - urbanspoon - patch.com

#1560 - Halftime Sports Saloon, Gig Harbor, WA - 9/24/2011

 So this appears to be the happening hangout on a Saturday night in Gig Harbor, with a sizable crowd and lively karaoke tucked in the corner of a strip mall. It's a fairly typical neighborhood dive, with the expected sort of pub food, pull tabs, and a mixed crowd. The one unique aspect apparent is that many of the ceiling tiles have been personalized over the years by patrons.

(Spell checking is apparently optional as well.)

5114 Pt. Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 - (253) 853-1456
Backwards baseball cap count: 7
Previous bars in this location: Charlie O Ale House
myspace - yelp

#1559 - Hy-Iu-Hee-Hee, Gig Harbor, WA - 9/24/2011

I've been unable to find out what the (Chinook?) phrase Hy-Iu-Hee-Hee means, but judging from appearances it is "big divey sports bar."  An earlier location, a couple miles north of the current venue, apparently burned down sometime during the 70s. 


4309 Burnham Dr, Gig Harbor, WA 98332 - (253) 851-7885
Est. 1984 - Constructed: 1984
facebook - gigharbor.patch.com - weeklyvolcano -  yelp - tripadvisor

#1558 - 7 Seas Brewing Taproom, Gig Harbor, WA - 9/24/2011

This microbrew has a nice little taproom and a nicer beer garden area hewn from the surrounding woods.  The beers are nice and the vibe is pleasant.  7 Seas is the first microbrewery in Washington state to can their own beer.  They were founded in 2008, moved after a fire, and the tap room has been open since at least 2009.  To find them, it's better to find the Inn At Gig Harbor, and just drive to the back of the parking lot.

3207 57th Street Court Northwest, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 - (253) 686-3703

7seasbrewing.com - facebook - seattlepi - kbbj - washingtonbeerblog - bainbridgeislandreview - yelp

#1557 - Tides Tavern, Gig Harbor, WA - 9/24/2011

The Tides has been a tavern of various names since prohibition, and was remodeled and renamed into the current incarnation in 1973.  From the tavern's web site:

'The building that now houses the Tides Tavern was built by Axel Uddenburg in 1910 and served the area as a general store. Located next to the "People's Dock", the town's only public ferry landing, it was called the West Side Mercantile. The ferry dock provided a steady stream of customers through the first half-century. With the end of prohibition in the 1930s, a tavern was added, and a tradition of good times began. Beer was sold for 10 cents a glass, and 20 cents a bottle. The tavern never made much money, but no one cared.

Through the years, the building has seen a number of colorful owners, not the least of which was "Three Fingered Jack," a Jerry Garcia look-alike whose tenor voice resonated across the dance floor on Friday and Saturday nights in the late 60s and early 70s.

In 1973, current owner Peter Stanley bought the run-down, but well-known tavern, and began a two-month re-construction project which culminated in the memorable opening of The Tides on the weekend of "Harbor Holidays."'

One of the things I liked about The Tides was that the staff were all running around working hard to serve a full house, but there was much smiling and laughter. It felt like the heart of this small town, for both locals and visitors, and both customers and workers seemed like they were glad to be there.

2925 Harborview Dr, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 - (253) 858-3982
Est. 1973 - Building constructed: 1910
Previous bars in this location: Ferry Tavern, Three-Fingered Jack's
tidestavern.com (history) - acoupleoffoodiesintacoma -  yelp

#1556 #S922 - Benihana, Seattle - 9/22/2011

1200 Fifth Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 - 206-682-4686Update: Benihana closed in April 2016

benihanaseattle.com - facebook - thestranger - urbanspoon - yelp

#1555 #S921 - Origin, Seattle -9/22/2011

I don't understand why they have a bar at all. Origin is a mediocre Vietnamese restaurant hidden from street view in the middle of a small shopping mall.  Does anybody really go to this bar?  You couldn't tell it from the bartender they hunted down for me, who served me a limp gin and soda when I ordered a gin and tonic.  Unless you have your own project to have a drink at every bar in Seattle, I don't know why you'd bother with the bar here.


1333 5th Ave, Ste 510, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 317-2979
Est. Sept. 4, 2011 - Building constructed: 1976
Other bars at this location: Navya Lounge
facebook - yelp