#1635 #S969 - Fusion Ultra Lounge, Seattle - 12/2/2011

Update: Fusion closed in March 2015

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An all-ages nightclub with a separate bar area.

"According to police, officers have been called to Fusion, located at Northeast 45th Street and Eighth Avenue Northeast more than 30 times in the past year for events ranging from traffic-stopping, 50-person brawls, to shooting, to security staff pulling a gun on a drunk patron." (komonews)

Historical notes: This has hosted bars since at least 1939, most notably The Rainbow (Rainbow Tavern, Fabulous Rainbow Room, etc.). It was the Rainbow from at least 1941 into the 60s, renamed the Sandpiper Tavern for a while, then renamed The Rainbow in 1973, and hosted a wide range of musical styles and artists including Robert Cray, Bo Diddley, George Thorogood, and Sound Garden.


722 NE 45th St, Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 774-9296

Previous bars at this location: Rainbow Tavern/Room, Sandpiper Tavern
clubfusionseattle.ning.com - yelp

Number Adjustment Notes

A systematic review of my starting data has led me to adjust my counts of both total bars and Seattle bars, and the next several posts will reflect these changes:

• 11 bars listed under "Seattle area" and previously counted in the Seattle total are/were not technically within the Seattle city limits
• 8 bars have been removed entirely, either because they were duplicates, not actually bars (e.g. an all ages club was included), or simply cannot be confirmed
• 5 Seattle bars were added due to a refinement in my definition of what counts as a bar

Thus I will suspend the numbering of bars after this post for 14 Seattle bars and 3 bars overall to make up for the difference.

#1635 #S969 - The Innkeeper, Seattle - 12/2/2011

Update: The Innkeeper closed in November 2017 and replaced by The Jerk Shack later that month.

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The Innkeeper looks much the same as Marco's Supperclub, but manages to have both a little more personality and a little less attitude. The menu is focused on Latin American and Caribbean dishes, with a few good cocktails to boot. I had the Penn Cove Manila Clams and Chorizo, which were spicy and tasty and had me ordering extra bread to sop up every drop of the broth. I also had a cup of the Ham Hock White Bean soup which was also very fine.

 The cocktails were fairly good, though not quite as well balanced as one would expect at, say, Spur or Canon. I had a fairly good "Fleur de Lys" and an okay Corn n'Oil, while my friend had a slightly sweet but enjoyable Dark and Stormy.

The Innkeeper is run by the folks behind Black Bottle and here they provide the same sort of affordable, quality food in perhaps a slightly more casual atmosphere. I'm eager to go back, particularly if the back patio is open on warm evenings.

2510 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 718-7817
Est. Nov. 28, 2010 - Building constructed: 1954
Previous bars at this location: Tokyo West Tavern (70s), Seoul Tavern (80s), Wheelhouse Suds (80-90s), Marco's Supperclub (1994-2011)
innkeeperseattle.com - seattletimes - seattlemag - thestranger - eater - yelp

#1634 #S968 - Lost River Winery, Seattle - 12/2/2011

The Lost River Tasting Room, just north of Pike Place Market, offers glasses of the selections from the Mazama, Washington winery.

2003 Western Ave Ste 100 Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 448-2124
Est. Oct. 1, 2011 - Building constructed: 1981
lostriverwinery.com - facebook -  yelp

#1633 #S967 - Cactus (South Lake Union), Seattle - 11/30/2011

The new Cactus in South Lake Union shares the menu of the other three Seattle are restaurants, which means quite good southwestern and Tex-Mex food and some good margaritas with fresh lime and citrus juices.  My personal favorite is the Baja (El Jimador Blanco with cilantro, jalapeño and fresh citrus juices).


Like the Alki location, the SLU space has a more open and modern decor than the original Madison Park location (est. 1990), and it tends to have a younger crowd, including staff from nearby Amazon.com.

350 Terry Ave N, Seattle, Wa 98109 - 206.913.2250
Est. Nov 12, 2011
Web site: cactusrestaurants.com - facebook
Best articles: seattletimes - seattletimes -  bizjournals - thestranger - seattleandrestaurants - lookatlao - thrillist - seattlemet - yelp

#1632 - T&T - Tacos and Tequila, Las Vegas - 11/27/2011

3900 Las Vegas Blvd S (Luxor), Las Vegas, NV 89119 - (702) 262-5225
tacosandtequilalv.com

#1631 - Drai's After Hours, Las Vegas - 11/26/2011

3595 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89109-8918 - (702) 737-0555
afterhours.drais.net - facebook - draislasvegas.com - draisafterhouse.com - yelp