#1798 #S1032 - Green Leaf, Seattle - 5/27/2012

Green Leaf is the second incarnation of a popular Vietnamese restaurant in Seattle's International District, this one in a curious basement space in the old Labor Temple building. The building itself is between the heavy foot traffic areas of Belltown and lower Queen Anne, where one presumes that it is particularly critical to establish a reputation that will attract people a bit off the beaten paths.

This wasn't always the case. From the 40s into the 90s this location hosted the Labor Temple Restaurant and Lounge, a main hangout for a thriving union scene, where workers shared drinks in the windowless lounge area they called "The Pit." Indeed, it appears to have been in the late 90s the last remaining labor temple lounge in the country. As the labor movement faded, the owners changed the name in the late 90s to the "Samuel Gompers Steak House," remembered as simply "Gompers." But Gompers did not last long, and it has subsequently had a revolving set of restaurant-bars with wildly varying themes -- the Greek Zoey Blue Plate Special, the Italian Vela Pizzeria, the Mediterranean Mira! / Faina.

Green Leaf may have a longer lifespan in the space than those, with a well established reputation and a fairly large menu of some of the better Vietnamese dishes in the city. The delicate and ornate decor feel like a different world from the aging, functional exterior of the upper floors -- even including a small pond and grotto. The lounge area features an antique bar and some interesting cocktails.

2800 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 340-1388            
Est. May 16, 2012 - Building constructed: 1942
Previous bars in this location: Labor Temple Restaurant and Lounge, Gompers Steak House, Zoey Blue Plate Bistro, Vela Pizzaria & Lounge, Mira! / Faina
Web site: greenleaftaste.com -  facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - thestranger - seattleweekly - seattlemet - yelp - urbanspoon 

#1797 #S1031 - Easy Joe's, Seattle - 5/27/2012

Update: Easy Joe's closed in late July or early August 2018.

When Easy Joe's moved from North Bend to Capitol Hill (in the location now hosting Skelly and the Bean), the focus was on latter mid-century comfort foods. The new location, in a century-old building in the middle of Pioneer Square has turned much more toward the basics. There is more of sports theme, and the menu is a pretty straightforward set of options for burgers and familiar sports bar fare.

Easy Joe's, Pioneer Square, Seattle

704 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 - (206) 623-3440
Est. April 2012 - Building constructed: 1903
Previous bars in this location: Clipper Tavern, Yankee Clipper, Whoo's Inn, Oasis Tavern, Imo, Bonzai Asian Pub
Web site: easyjoes.com - facebook
Reviews: link - seattleweekly - thestranger - yelp - thrillist - pioneersquare.org 

#1796 - The Hub, Concrete, WA - 5/26/2012

The Hub has a 30-foot, single-plank, mahogany backbar that arrived in town in 1912 and is the longest single-plank bar in the state of Washington. The bar was originally installed in another building, the Olympia bar. Most of the buildings in this part of Concrete date back to the 1920s, after two large fires had destroyed most the buildings along Main Street by 1921.  I do not have a date for how long a bar has been in this space, but according to Charles Dwelley's local history "So They Called The Town Concrete," it was renamed from "The Club" to "The Hub" due "to first state liquor sale regulations." Presuming that this refers to the introduction of prohibition in Washington state, the renaming happened at the beginning of 1916, and the place was opened by a previous bartender at the Olympia sometime between 1912 and 1916.

The town of Concrete, just off state route 20 in the upper Skagit valley, near where the Baker River merges into the Skagit, has been struggling in various ways for over forty years. The cement factory that once supplied half the cement needed for Grand Coulee Dam, shut down in 1968, and the timber industry dried up as well. The city counsel now tries to deal with public drunkeness that sometimes involves shooting on Main Street. The population is less than the number that once worked on the Baker damn alone, and The Hub is the only real bar in a town that once supported eleven. European Americans were gold prospecting in this area by 1858, and settlements began arising on either side of the Baker River in the 1870s. Peg-leg Everett, the first to discover the large limestone deposits, had a homestead on the east bank, and by 1905 the Washington Portland Cement Co. was operating there, and the community was named "Cement City." Meanwhile, Richard Challenger had named the area on the opposite bank "Minnehaha," though by 1890 it was known as "Baker," and a competing cement company, the Superior Portland Cement Co., was in operation on the west bank by 1908. In 1909, Baker and Cement City merged into "Concrete, Washington."

Concrete has definitely had its colorful, small town moments, such as when town residents discovered that the local librarian was a professional dominatrix, when the winner of the mayor's race had to defeat Mercury the dog (ibid), and when a short circuit at the cement factory during Orson Welles' famed "War of the World" broadcast led to some particularly excitable reactions. Similarly, The Hub itself presents a general semblance of (dive bar) normality -- the standard beers and liquors, the pulltabs and pool tables -- but with some old, idiosyncratic touches mixed in. For example, there is the taxidermy bobcat that looks like it's spent a few generations in bobcat hell, and there's the wooden child's coffin adorned with a giant wood housefly (WTF?).

Presiding over the large bar on the night we arrived was one small and occasionally confused young woman, who provided all food and all drinks by herself. While there were not a lot of people there when we arrived, this seemed impressive given the occasional rushes, the fairly rough clientele who sometimes dropped by, a ghost, and the city council's concern over public drunkeness that has culminated in gunshots on Main St. But it was great sitting at the grand old bar, once our knees got accustomed to the short distance between stool and bar, and its the sort of place that one hopes will always be there.

86 List from The Hub Tavern, Concrete, WA

45914 Main St, Concrete, WA 98237 - (360) 853-8741           
Est. ?
Web site: facebook
Reviews: jeepspubtaverns
Walking tour of Concrete

#1795 - Three Fingered Jack's Saloon, Winthrop, WA - 5/26/2012

Three-Fingered Jack's Saloon, Winthrop, WA - est. 1972

On its web site and on a large sign hanging inside, Three Fingered Jack's bills itself as "The oldest legal saloon in Washington state." This has led various visitors and articles to assume that it is one of the oldest bars in the state. But in fact this designation refers back only to Aug 16, 1979, when the Washington State Liquor Control Board made it legal to use the word "saloon" in a bar's signs and ads for the first time since statewide prohibition. (The bar received a citation for using the word in their sign when they opened in 1972.) A life dating back to the early 1970s is a considerable accomplishment for a bar, but of course it does not put it among the oldest bars in the state.

(BTW, the current Winthrop Town Hall stands in a building constructed in 1891 to host Guy Waring's long running Duck Brand Saloon.)

 Like the rest of the the town of Winthrop, Jack's is designed in an old west theme. In 1972 the town decided to remake itself in a thematic way, to attract tourists off the new Highway 20. It's now a touristy but charming place, in the northeast corner of the scenic Cascade Loop, where Mule Deer wander onto the roads. Jack's is a fairly large place with a sort of lodge feel and a lively crowd in the bar. They have a decent selection of beers, basic cocktails and fairly good bar food (burgers, steaks, pizzas, etc.).

176 Riverside Ave, Winthrop, WA 98862 - 509-996-2411
Est. 1972
Previous bars in this location: Winthrop Pool Hall
Web site: 3fingeredjacks.com
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor - urbanspoon - travbuddy

#1794 - The Igloo, Wenatchee, WA - 5/26/2012

This is a place we stopped in strictly because of the name and sign (first spotted with Google street view). There were some friendly regulars there, including Maureen who first started coming in 1963. It's also nice when the bartenders actually know how old the place is, and bartender Frannie knew it to the exact day (St. Patrick's day, March 17, 1944).

Outside of the sign -- and an igloo-shaped cap inside -- it's a fairly typical neighborhood dive, with a predominantly older crowd who all know each other (to the point where Trista caused a bit of a stir when she first walked in). But the friendly welcome makes it a nice stop for strangers too.

1308 North Miller Street, Wenatchee, WA 98801 - (509) 663-4791
Est. March 17, 1944
yelp - raross - citysearch

#1793 - Club Crow, Cashmere, WA - 5/26/2012

Some folks have referred to Club Crow as the "oldest still operating bar in the State of Washington." Lots of bars make this sort of claim in one fashion or another, and it's hard to square the Crow's claim with a number of other bars that have been (legally) operating since shortly after prohibition ended (Dec 5, 1933), let alone the handful of bars that were in operation before prohibition. But it is quite old -- established as a pool hall, tobacco shop, and barbershop in 1918, and as a tavern in 1934. The original owner of the tavern, Stillman Miller, operated the club until 1978. The current owners have had the Crow since 2004.

Club Crow today is a nice combination of old and new.  The back wall mural of a camper with a hungry bear coming up from behind must date back to at least 50 years ago. And there are also some surprisingly well executed crows painted on the mens room stall doors. The sort of oddball collections that can only happen over long amounts of time -- stalactites and taxidermy trout, smokey old landscape paintings and a stuff bear with an American flag -- pop out of the ceiling and walls. It has been described as once a magnet for local farmers and orchard workers" but has refashioned itself into "the home of the blues for north central Washington."

 

108 1/2 Cottage Ave Cashmere, WA 98815 (509) 782-3001
Est. 1918 - Bar established 1934
Web site: clubcrow.net - facebook 
Reviews: yelp - urbanspoon

#1792 - A Terrible Beauty, Renton, WA - 5/24/2012

A Terrible Beauty is the first of two Irish pubs of that name, this one in a large (7,000 sq ft), two-story space in Renton that has hosted several other bars. When the previous resident, Finnegan's announced that they were closing down, Irish-born head bartender Jenna O'Brien and her husband Pat bought the place. They've turned it into a more earnest Irish pub than most, with better food and 28 taps of imported and local beers. The de rigueur Guiness ads are there, as always, but the place has a lot more personality than many cookie cutter Irish themed bars. The bar was made with with pieces of the bar at Belfast's Crown Pub, and the painted exterior includes the Yeats poem from which the bar gets its name.

It seems to be a quite popular place, and it is easy to understand why, with it's easy mix of character and comfort. The cocktails are just the basics, but that fits the theme. And you can only root for it more when you read the story of Jenna's acquisition of the space, while facing multiple sclerosis and concerned for the workers losing their jobs in the current economy.

201 Williams Avenue South Renton, WA 98057 - (425) 227-3396
Est. July 7, 2009
Previous bars in this location: Finnegan's
Web site: aterriblebeauty.com - facebook
Reviews: rentonreporter - rentonhipster - yelp - urbanspoon - tripadvisor

#1791 - Rubattino's, Renton, WA - 5/24/2012

Rubattino's was recommended to me by a fellow dive bar fan I met at another bar, who told me, "I like bars that have Christmas lights up in June." He recommended I go at noon, when odds are maximized for seeing "old people fighting." I didn't find that, but I did chat with regulars Valerie and Todd, who has been coming since 1979. Valerie noted wistfully that she didn't drink before she moved to Renton, "And then ... "

Rubattino's was the Owl Annex Beer Parlor, said to be established 1917. However, King County tax records indicate that the Rubattino's building was constructed in 1927, so it would not appear possible that there was a bar in this particular building until after prohibition. Later it was the Owl Cafe, and then the bar and card room portion called the "Owl Room," and there are vestiges of this in the around the bar and back entrance. It was very fine back in the day, Valerie explained, based on stories from her parents. The long bar portion runs astride the restaurant portion, which closes at 2pm. The restaurant serves classic American diner fare, and the "Fine Food" on the sign tends to come off as ironic.

But there's no question that it is a classic dive, with cheap drinks strongly poured, and an interesting cast of regulars.

808 South 3rd Street Renton, WA 98057 - (425) 255-3143         
Est. ? (1917 as The Owl?) - Building constructed 1927
Previous bars in this location: The Owl
Reviews: rentonhipster - patch - yelp

#1790 #S1030 - EVO, Seattle - 5/22/2012

Well, EVO closed Aug 13, 2012, before I could even get around to writing this blog entry.  Evidently being attached to Social and 300+ Facebook likes in three months is not enough to keep you afloat.  The space has now been turned over to the owners of The Social (area bar magnates Laura Olson and Chris Pardo).

EVO did serve Mediterranean tapas, with small plates based on dishes of Greece, France, Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Spain, and I liked all the items I tried. They also served fairly decent cocktails, which is a rarity, for whatever reason, among gay bars. It is a fairly attractive space, with modern decor playing off the old warehouse feel. Old photos of Seattle neighborhoods are projected in a continuous loop onto a high, exposed brick wall.

1715 East Olive Way, Seattle, Washington 98102 - 206-328-5293
Est. May 2012 - Closed Aug 13, 2012 - Building constructed: 1928
Previous bars in this location:
Web site: evo-seattle.com - facebook 
Reviews: seattleweekly - eater - capitolhillseattle - capitolhillseattle - yelp

#1789 #S1029 - Ravioli Station / Trainwreck, Seattle - 5/21/2012

Update:  Ravioli Station Trainwreck closed in early November 2012.

---

Bill Medin established this funky little bar and restaurant with his sisters Leann and Lennie, after he had worked as chef at the Sheraton Palace in San Francisco, and then at the Edgewater and Place Pigalle. They put in bar stools made from the pistons of fireboats that once floated in New York Harbor, and created a bar ledge that is a metal tube heated with hot water flowing through. They located it in a small, wedge-shaped building which has special significance to craft beer lovers, as it was the original location of the Red Hook brewery (est. 1981). Near the door is a statue with its head broken off, which various sources informed me happened during a particularly wild Thursday karaoke night, or was possibly done by Herman, the local, homeless crackhead.

On this visit I chatted with bartender Genevieve and long-time customer Linda. I was told that a few years ago Bill inherited some money, decided to move to Thailand, and sold the place to his bartender Hefe. Hefe has also worked at the Dexter and Hayes Public House and Jules Maes.  She has made a few changes, adding theme nights, adding a mural to the outer wall, and adding "Trainwreck" to the name -- or maybe just changing it to "The Trainwreck," it doesn't seem quite consistent. She's maintained the basic ravioli menu, but changed the focus much more toward the bar, though the liquor options are pretty basic. It's a sleepy little neighborhood place during the day, but it can get decidedly more boisterous on certain nights.

4620 Leary Way Northwest Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 789-6680
Est. Sep. 2000 - Building constructed: 1947
Previous bars in this location: None known (Red Hook Brewery)
Web site: facebook 
thestranger - seattletimes - thestranger - urbanspoon

#1788 - Opal, Tacoma, WA - 5/20/2012

The Opal Lounge, Tacoma, WA - 2020

Update June 2020: It's been a while since I've spent some time on South Tacoma Way, and many of the spaces along this stretch have been given substantial upgrades and/or host some cool new businesses. This includes the Opal Lounge, which was purchased about three years ago by Eric and Suvantha Dickerson, owners of Southbay Dickerson's Barbecue in Olympia, who stripped it down to its bones and refurbished it, while maintaining the name, the neon sign, the unique facade, and preserving the history. Eric showed me around on the visit, including the basement entry behind the bar, where barrels of beer were once received on rails. It's a shame I had other lunch arrangements, but I will definitely come back to try some great looking BBQ and spend a bit more time in one of the oldest bars in the state.

The Opal Lounge, Tacoma, WA - 2012

I have found quite inconsistent dates attributed to the opening of the Opal Saloon, including 1906 and 1912 and there is an old photo of the saloon behind the bar that was subsequently labeled "1902," but this shows the Opal in the building just north of the old Edison Soft Drink Parlor (constructed c. 1900), an address that is now 5220. The "Opal" name is not listed in any Tacoma Polk guides from pre-prohibition years. Nevertheless, I am fairly confident the Opal Saloon was established in its current location by 1901. Various documents associate the ownership in the early years with the Yorkheimer brothers, and Polk Guides list a saloon owned by "Yorkheimer Bros" and later just Frank Yorkheimer from 1901 through 1915. The Dec 31 1915 issue of the Tacoma Times, which includes comments from virtually all bar owners in town on what they planned to do when statewide prohibition went into effect Jan 1, 2016 also puts the Opal Saloon at the current 5226 address, and quotes owner Frank Yorkheimer saying, "I am going to put in a pool table and will sell near beer and lunches." Thus, at least in terms of a bar that maintains the basic name and has existed in the same building, the Opal is the oldest bar in Tacoma and one of the 5 to 10 oldest in the state of Washington.

Nowadays, the bar is a classic little dive, the senior citizen of stretch of dives along the old abandoned highway that is South Tacoma Way. Years ago, the place was known more for its pizza, which it served out through the window of what is now a karaoke stage. The place was purchased by Richard & Carol Charette in 2002.  Richard passed away about a year ago, and Carol put a For Sale sign in the window, but folks at the bar say that she's not willing to part with it for a price that anyone else would be willing to pay.

 Sometime in the last few years the outer facade was painted red, white and blue. The super patriotic theme continues inside with American flag after American flag hanging from the ceiling, and various military and patriotic stickers and tchotchkes lining the walls. The patriotism takes mostly positive, upbeat forms -- including posters for benefits and tributes; but in a few places it takes a more embittered form -- a urinal lined with "Hanoi Jane" stickers, another sticker telling people if they can't speak English they don't belong here. For better or worse, this stretch is lined with old drinking holes and some old ideas.

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2007/10/15/179437/strong-drinks-and-yes-a-little.html#storylink=cpy

5226 South Tacoma Way Tacoma, WA 98409 - (253) 473-2600
Est. 1901 or earlier

weeklyvolcano - thenewstribune - waymarking - yelp