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Bars where Pete has had a Drink (5,736 bars; 1,754 bars in Seattle) - Click titles below for Lists:


Bars where Pete has had a drink

Saturday, December 17, 2011

#1594 #S950 - Cafe Lago, Seattle - 10/30/2011

A very good Italian restaurant (Peter Reinhart's “American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza" called it the best pizza in America in 2003).  It also has a small bar with limited cocktail options.  It serves thin crust pizza and a terrific looking antipasti plate that I will certainly order next time.

2305 24th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112 - (206) 329-8005
Est. Oct 10, 1990 - Building constructed: 1922
Previous bars at this location: None known
cafelago.com - seattletimes - bonappetit - seattlepi - yelp

#1593 #S949 - Electric Tea Garden, Seattle - 10/28/2011

 A small-ish club that caters to DJs and electronica, with an "infusion lounge that specializes in tea based cocktails and elixirs," hidden around the corner and upstairs from an artificial limb store.


1402 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 568-3972   
Est. March 10, 2007 - Building constructed: 1909
Previous bars in this location: None known
electricteagarden.com - facebook - yelp

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

#1592 #S948 - Pecado Bueno, Seattle - 10/27/2011

Pecado Bueno ("Sin Well") serves pretty standard American Mexican dishes, with a bit more quality than average and a good deal more personality.  They have a salsa bar, but to taste the Diablo sauce you need to sign their "Unconditional Waiver and Hold-Harmless Stipulation" where the customer agrees to "hold the ownership, management and employees of Pecado Bueno utterly without blame for any discomfort, pain, first, second or third degree burns, ruined mascara, and/or loss of self-esteem and/or respect from one's peers resulting from ingestion"

The owner is one of the founders of Taco del Mar, the margaritas are affordable and drinkable, and the food stresses local, organic, sustainable ingredients.

  
4307 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 457-8837
Est. Oct 2011 - Building constructed: 1952
pecadobueno.com - facebook - seattleweekly - thrillist - williamson.ws - fremontuniverse - eater - yelp

Sunday, December 11, 2011

#1591 - Afriq, Skyway WA - 10/25/2011

Afriq is a night time place.  It opens at 9pm.  It's a Kenyan-owned dance club, with food and drinks from across Africa.  The best nights to go are Saturdays, which are reggae nights.

12619 Renton Ave S, Skyway, WA 98178-3712 - (206) 772-6300
Est. Feb 2008
thedjpeter.com

#1590 - Roman Casino, Seattle - 10/25/2011

The unincorporated Skyway area, just south of the Seattle city limits and an on-again/off-again subject of annexation by surrounding communities (Seattle, Tukwila, Renton), is not quite like anyplace else in the greater Seattle area.  It is probably the most ethnically and racially diverse large area -- one of the few where whites a (slight) minority.

The Roman Casino is one of those places that accentuates both the diversity and the ethnic cohesion of the area.  The workers seem split evenly between white, black and Asian, while the customers appear about 95% Vietnamese, and the whole is surrounded by the ersatz simulacra of famous Roman art, including a mini Michelangelo's "David" in a fountain.

 The cheesy decor does not lead to cheap food and drinks.  The mostly Vietnamese and Chinese menu ranges from $50 for lobster-based dishes, to $40 for crab-based plates, appetizers $9-$17, standard American Chinese dishes (beef with broccoli) $12-$18.  The drinks are pretty much what you would expect.  The casino is housed in a sort of shopping center structure, with a Pawn Pros store conveniently located around the corner.




11829 Renton Ave S, Skyway, WA 98178-3723 - (206) 772-7524

#1589 - Skyway Park Bowl and Casino, Seattle - 10/25/2011

A cheesy mini casino, bowling, a lounge serving cheap, strong drinks and chicken and waffles.  What else could you possibly want?  (How about a web site that is "Copywrite 2011"?)

11819 Renton Ave S, Skyway, WA 98178 - (206) 772-1220

skywayparkbowl.comfacebook - yelp

#1588 - Skyway Sports Bar, Seattle - 10/25/2011

This has recently changed it's name from "Best Damn Sports Bar." Since no aspect of the place provides any hint of how that could ever have been taken seriously, and for people like me who like these sorts of places, I'd suggest just going the straightforward route and naming it "Dive-iest Damn Dive Bar."

12833 Martin Luther King Jr, Skyway, WA 98178-3513 - (206) 432-9379
Est. ? - Building constructed: 1950
Other bars at this location: Town & Country Tavern, Grumpy's Too, Whitey's T&C Tavern, Willy's Too, Best Damn Sports Bar

#1587 #S947 - Amore Infused, Seattle - 10/23/2011

Update:  Amore Infused closed after a fire in January 2012.

Amore Infused is the new version of Sean Lanagan's Italian restaurant which once lived just around the block.  Lanagan's range of events, charitable work, and personality make you root for the place, and the food and drinks make that easier.  The new name seems to accent the bar a little more, and the interesting infused spirits such as ginger limoncello, vanilla whiskey and chai rum.

I had a Cucumber Mist (house cucumber vodka, lime, sweet and sour, mist of fresh black pepper) and then a Winter Sazerac (absinthe, bourbon, Grand Gala Orange Liqueur, blood orange juice, fresh black pepper, bitters).  The cocktails tend to be a tad on the sweet side for my tastes, but these two were really tasty, and Ernie the bartender makes it a pleasure to explore your personal tastes.


522 Wall St, Seattle, WA 98121 - 206.770.0606      
Est. Feb 11, 2011
tasteofamore.com - facebook - seattletimes  - seattletimes (Thanksgiving dinners)- yelp

#1586 #S946 - Local Vine (U Village), Seattle - 10/21/2011

Local Vine has a terrific array of choices (100 wines by the glass), a few interesting cocktails, and their goal is laudable -- "a place where you can hang out the way you would in a coffee shop while learning about or just enjoying wine." In addition, the servers are very nice. But this location is in the middle of the University Village shopping mall, which is about as far as humanly possible from the setting in which I would like to sit back and enjoy a glass of wine. It would be like going to the middle of GameWorks to do yoga.

So I would never make this my choice for a drink (beginning with the extensive hunt for a parking space) if I was not already in the shopping center. But it's a nice little stop if you have already had the misfortune of being there.


2620 NE University Village St, Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 527-6222
Est. Oct. 13, 2011
thelocalvine.com - facebook - seattlemet - seattlemet - yelp

Saturday, December 10, 2011

#1585 #S945 - Delancey, Seattle - 10/20/2011

As a bar Delancey is simply a friendly suburban neighborhood joint where you can get a good glass of wine.  So it doesn't get the a highest recommendation on this bar blog, and it's not recommended that you go (and probably wait) when you are simply seeking a bar.  Bur of course the main attraction of the place is the pizza, which has been praised by all kinds of local critics as well as the New York Times and other remote sources that know their pizza.

The accompaniments are also quite good -- I had a delicious Jersey salad, with a glass of PR Corsini Docetto blend, before the sausage pizza (tomato sauce, fresh and aged mozzarella, Grana, housemade sausage).  Delancey pizzas are thin crust and wood-fired, and I prefer them to the certified authentic Neapolitan style pizza of Via Tribulani or Tutta Bella, where the crust and pie tend to become goopy in the center.  Also, the ingredients on the Delancey pies seem a tad better to me (though I still give a slight edge to Serious Pie here).

You'll often have a wait but it's well worth it.

Historical notes:  While I've found no previous bars listed at the 1415 address, the "Pantry at Delancey," which is behind the pizzeria and hosts dinner parties and classes, is listed at 1417.  This leads me to believe that at least a portion, if not all, of the street-facing Delancey was the previous location of several bars listed under the 1417 address.  These include the "West Seventieth Street Tavern" from the 40s into the 60s, "Sam's Place Tavern" in the 70s, the "Guardsman Tavern" in the 90s, Don & Ila's by 1975 and Burt and Flo's Tavern by 1977.  The brick building of which Delancey is a part was constructed in 1926.


1415 Northwest 70th Street, Seattle, WA 98117-5340 - (206) 838-1960
Est. Aug 2009 - Building constructed: 1926
Previous bars at this location:  West Seventieth St. Tavern, Sam's Place Tavern, Guardsman Tavern, Don & Ila's Tavern
delanceyseattle.com - nytimes - gastronomyblog - seriouseats - seriouseats - seattlepi - yelp

#1584 #S944 - Cafe Campagne, Seattle - 10/19/2011

French bistro cuisine with a tiny bit of a bar.


1600 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 728-2233
Est. 1994
campagnerestaurant.com - facebook - foodpluswines - seattleweekly - seattleite - seattlemag - seattledining - gayot - zagat - yelp

#1583 #S943 - Marche, Seattle - 10/19/2011

Update: Marche closed Feb 28, 2014


The long time Seattle institution Campagne has been remodeled into a somewhat more relaxed format under owner/chef Daisley Gordon. (Cafe Campagne remains downstairs.) The white table clothes and wall between restaurant and bar are gone, and the menu offers more diversions from the central French theme.  The bar offers some interesting cocktails and, of course, wines (with some more adventuresome by-the-glass offerings thanks to the preserving powers of their new Enomatic preserver.





86 Pine Street Seattle, WA 98101-1531 - (206) 728-2800
Est. Oct 7, 2011
marcheseattle.com - facebook - seattleweekly - yelp

#1582 #S942 - C.C.Attles, Seattle - 10/18/2011

People go to CC Attles for the people at CC Attles, not for the unique decor or a fine cocktail.  So there are a lot of people very happy to see the much liked bear bar back in action.  But for the sake of variety, it's sad to see someplace as different as Café Metropolitain replaced with a remodel as utterly boring as CC's.

Café Metropolitain was by no means a great bar.  But it took the space in one more of those boring condos-above / retail-below buildings steadily diminishing the character from our neighborhoods, and turned it into something unique and surprising. One walked under the condos and into a Disney-like slice of Paris streets at night, with a fountain, cobblestones, and string lights.

CC's pours dive bar style cocktails (poorly made, but cheap and strong), and tries to replace the patio of the old location with, essentially, a hallway at the side of the room. If you want to have a night out with burly, gay men, CC's still seems to be one of your better choices, and the owner promises "no attitude." I'm obviously not in their target demographic, and perhaps boring and plain decor (with the exception of a large, plaster, Tom of Finland style figure) is just the right complement for a neighborhood bear bar that resents attitude. But speaking strictly from the personal tastes of someone who rather "collects" bars and likes to feel a strong, unique character, no matter what kind of bar it is, a little more attitude might have gone a long way.

1701 E Olive Way Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 726-0565
Est. June 11, 2011 (relocated from 1501 E Madison)  - Building constructed: 1993
Other bars at this location: Café Metropolitain  (Henry's Off Broadway in a previous building)
ccattles.net (NSFW) - facebook - thestrangeryelp

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

#1581 #S941 - Shop Agora, Seattle - 10/18/2011

Unlike its sister Mediterranean deli in Phinney, the Capitol Hill version has a small wine bar and restaurant in back.  The food is excellent (I had the Pastitsio, which was very tasty, but wanted to try every item I saw served to the others around me, and a glass of Gouleyant Cahors malbec).  It's not a go-to place for a bar, but it is a fine stop for lunch or dinner.


346 15th Ave. E, Seattle, WA 98112 - (206) 322-1103
Est. Aug 3, 2011 - Building constructed: 2001
Other bars at this location:  None
theshopagora.com - facebook - seattlemet - thestranger - yelp

#1580 #S940 - Hilliard's Beer, Seattle - 10/14/2011

Hilliards was acquired by Odin Brewing in 2016 and the taproom at this location phased out. The space has been adquired by Lagunitas.



The Hilliard's tasting room comprises a small bar, some wooden cable drum tables, and a few concrete seats tucked in the corner of a pretty sizable brewing warehouse in Ballard.  Ambitious new brewers Ryan Hilliard and Adam Merkl, who plan to skip the microbrew stage and go straight to regional brewers, covet the other half of the building, which currently hosts practices by a roller derby team.  Their self-financed facilities produce brews in 450 gallon lots and they can their beer with a machine that produces 24 cans a minute.

The owners are amiable and enjoyable to converse with.  They are carving a niche in the craft beer business by skipping the usual IPAs and starting with brews like an amber and a saison, and with large runs in cans.  The cans are very attractive, and the brewing facilities themselves are a great makeover of a dilapidated old auto warehouse.  It's large and industrial, but they pay attention to details, from the hops, to the cans, to the paint.

On Saturdays, you can also grab some dinner from visiting food trucks from the likes of Skillet, Snout & Co., and WhereYaAtMatt. 


1550 NW 49th Street, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 465-0078
Est. Oct. 7, 2011   Building constructed: 1947
hilliardsbeer.com - fueledbybeer - seattlemag - seattlebeernews - seattlemet - thestranger - yelp

Sunday, December 04, 2011

#1579 #S939 - Momiji, Seattle - 10/12/2011

 I am not a great fan of sushi, so I cannot really advise on the food at Momiji.  It is, however, decidedly more elegant than Umi and the raucous Kushibar, owner Steven Han's Belltown establishments, and the bar in front glows with a welcoming wood and brick warmth.  "Momiji" means "maple," and in addition to the maples on the walls there are a couple live ones in the Kyoto-style garden courtyard in the middle of the back room restaurant portion.
The crowd is more typical of Belltown than Capitol Hill, and the cocktail list is large and dominated by sakes and shochu.  Again, these are not something I have any developed any particular taste for, so I don't feel any notes on my reactions would be helpful.  But it is at minimum a happily dark and graceful place for a meal and a drink.




1522 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 457-4068
Est. October 2011 - Building constructed: 1922, but heavily remodeled in 2011
momijiseattle.com - facebook - bizjournals - thestranger - itsyowyow- capitolhillseattle - seattlemet - yelp

#1578 #S938 - Crush, Seattle - 10/12/2011

Update: Crush closed Aug 28, 2015


The Crush restaurant winds around the old rooms of a century-old Tudor, and serves very fine food from owner and award-winning chef Jason Wilson.  The prices are a bit upscale as well, but Crush now has a Happy Hour menu with small bites for $4 to $12, and for a romantic occasion it is hard to beat.  In addition to the extensive wine list, Crush has some different and enjoyable cocktails, and a seat at the small bar will afford you a good view of the food alternatives and their delicate preparations.



2319 East Madison Street, Seattle, WA 98112-5416 - (206) 302-787
Est. Feb. 22, 2005 - Closed Aug 28, 2015 - Building constructed: 1903
chefjasonwilson.com - seattledining - seattletimes - seattle weekly (slides) - seattle weekly - komonews - meatyair - thestranger - gayot - yelp

#1577 #S937 - Altura, Seattle - 10/11/2011

People have been raving about this new restaurant from chef Nathan Lockwood of "The Ruins," but I probably saw the place in it's worst light.  Having just had dinner, I stopped in for just a cocktail, and although the wine list is quite good, the list of spirits is not.  So I won't be stopping by just for drinks unless/until they up their game substantially, but I definitely will be back for dinner.


617 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 402-6749
Est. Oct. 5, 2011 - Building constructed: 1931
Other bars at this location:  None known
alturarestaurant.com - facebook - gastrolust - thestranger - seattlemet - yelp

Saturday, December 03, 2011

#1576 #S936 - Bako, Seattle - 10/11/2011

Update: Bako closed Aug 23, 2012

Bako is lovely. First there are the Cantonese-style small plates, some of the best Chinese food in the city.  But there is also the small bar, manned by Guy Lafitte, lately of Vegas, a big fan of tiki drinks, and with a look and presence that might lead you to think you're in the most popular bar of gold rush era San Francisco.

Guy serves a mixture of classics, sometimes in their unfamiliar, original versions, and newly invented drinks.  The latter include the "Jimmy's Pearl," named to honor Jimmy and Pearl Woo, owners of the divey Jade Pagoda that preceded Bako in the location for 63 years (before closing in 2006 and being partially torn down for a new building in 2010).  The cocktail menu is divided into “Classic Variations”, “Colonial Heritage”, and “Bako Now” and ordered by spirit, "taste", and "effect."  Guy also features a "spirit of the week" and will create variations upon it to suit your tastes.



606 Broadway East Seattle, WA 98102-5391 - (206) 829-8958
Est. Oct 5, 2011 - Closed Aug 23, 2012 - Building constructed: 1926, substantially rebuilt in 2010
Previous bars at this location:  The Jade Pagoda (1943-2006)
bakoseattle.com - facebook - eater - capitolhillseattle - capitolhillseattle - thrillist - eater - seattlemet - rollwithjen - thestranger - yelp

#1575 #S935 - Diesel, Seattle - 10/10/2011

The soft jazz and romantic fire feature of Martin's are replaced with an unambiguous bear bar, with musclebound gay porn on the walls and televisions.  The cocktails are uninteresting, but that's probably fine for what is basically a blue-collar, neighborhood dive for large gay men, and a bit older crowd than many of the nearby alternatives.

Historical note:  There have been bars at this location since at least 1939.  By the 40s it was known as Fritz's Tavern, and by 1960 and into the 80s it was "The Cellar" or "Cellar Tavern."  It was Hombres Saloon in the 90s, The Sea Wolf by 2000, and Martin's Off Madison from 2005 to 2010.


1413 14th Avenue Seattle, WA 98122-4145 - (206) 322-1080
Est. Sep. 2, 2011 - Building constructed: 1928
Previous bars at this location: Fritz's Tavern, The Cellar, Hombres Saloon, Sea Wolf Saloon, Martin's Off Madison
dieselseattle.com - facebook - sgnyelp