Rotgut.org Blog

Saturday, November 10, 2012

#1815 #S1037 - Ground Control, Seattle - 6/15/2012

A funky little spot in Georgetown for cocktails and sandwiches, with model airplanes and friendly servers.

6105 13th Avenue South Seattle, WA 98108 - (206) 268-0411
Est. Dec 1, 2011 - Building constructed: 1929
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: groundcontrolseattle.com - facebook
Reviews: seattleweekly - yelp - thestranger

#1814 #S1036 - Far Eats, Seattle - 6/15/2012

Geogy Chacko, chef and owner of Belltown Burger, Dos Amigos, Beba's and 3 Asian, has opened this upscale Indian restaurant in the location of the first Amore. The cocktails are only average, but the food is very good. I had the curry lobster and goat chili soup and love both.

2301 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 770-6007
Est. June 7, 2012 - Building constructed: ?
Previous bars in this location: Spice, Amore
Web site: geogychacko.com
Reviews: cornichon - gastrolust - thrillist - seattleweekly - franticfoodie - yelp

#1813 #S1035 - Olde 99 Pub, Seattle - 6/13/2012

When the Kangaroo and Kiwi moved out of this space, Gabe McMurray, one of the bartenders, partnered with Glen, the owner of Sophie's downtown, to create the Olde 99. It features a nifty, distressed sign, but the interior still seems a bit random and thrown together. The beers, cocktails and food are fairly pedestrian, so the future of this place really depends on their ability to catch on as just a comfortable neighborhood joint.

For many years, from at least as early as 1948 into the 90s, this location hosted the "Meet Me Here Tavern." (I'd love to find some a picture or two of this place.) It became the Greenlake Ale House in the 90s, and then the popular Kangaroo and Kiwi was established in 2001. I did not go there that often but I have a few fond memories of the old places -- including the Greenlake Tavern erupting in screams at a shot of Bobby Ayala warming up in the Mariners bullpen, and some Aussies at a Seahawks game at K&K yelling "Kill 'em! Kill 'em!" Here's wishing Olde 99 good luck.

7305 Aurora Ave N Aurora Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 687-7047
Est. June 2012 - Building constructed: 1926
Previous bars in this location: Meet Me Here Tavern (40s-90s), Greenlake Ale House, Kangaroo and Kiwi (2001-2012)
Web site: facebook
Reviews: thrillist - komonews - yelp

#1812 #S1034 - Hunger, Seattle (Fremont) - 6/12/2012

Update: Hunger closed April 12, 2014

The very fine stop for cocktails and Mediterranean and Spanish tapas has moved a few blocks south into the old Dad Watson's space. Spirits include a house-made, spicy, red absinthe. Try the Velvet Bullfighter.

3601 Fremont Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 402-4854
Est. May 2012 (current location); July 2010 original location - Closed April 14, 2014; Building constructed: 1996
Previous bars in this location: Dad Watson's
Site: hungerseattle.com - facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - bulldogsandbrownsugar - thestranger - thestranger - yelp

Sunday, November 04, 2012

#1811 - Town Pump, Mount Vernon, WA - 6/10/2012

A neighborhood dive bar in a funky old gas station, with a castle-like exterior.

1903 South 3rd Street Mount Vernon, WA 98273 - (360) 336-9607
Est. 2005

yelp - citysearch

#1810 - Lyman Tavern, Lyman, WA - 6/10/2012

Lyman, Washington is a town of about 400 people, mostly retirees, just off the North Cascade Highway, some 30 miles or so from the Canadian border. The Lyman Tavern is a moderately large place, festooned with hunting trophies, including what I read somewhere as 177 pairs of horns. The bar thus refers to itself as "the horniest tavern in the northwest (wink wink)." The theme is reinforced by a much photographed neon sign of mating elk.

Debra Heinzman has been the owner of the tavern since Jan 1, 2005. She is also the mayor of Lyman, stepping in when she heard that if no one ran, a mayor would be selected by county commissioners. Although Heinzman is vegetarian, the tavern specializes in steaks, and features a fairly standard sort of range of beers and liquors (bearing in mind that one can generally estimate your distance from the nearest large urban area by the portion of the liquor selection comprised of flavored vodkas). The Heinzmans appear to have upgraded the food options and added liquor, and the place is friendly and lively.

White people started settling in the Lyman era in the 1870s, with hunters followed by loggers and stump farmers. I haven't been able to find the age of the orignal Lyman Tavern, but it appears to have been on the same location as the current one for many years before burning down on the morning of Feb. 9th, 1950. This is one of the more enjoyable bar stops along the Cascade Loop.

8328 S Main St, Lyman, WA 98263 - (360) 826-4131
Est. 1950? (current building)

jeepspubtaverns - skagitvisitor

#1809 - Rockport Pub, Rockport, WA - 6/10/2012

Apparently in the Rockport Pub they don't much cotton to strangers who don't know exactly what they want as soon as they step. The big bartender glowered at Trista as she looked at the taps and considered the options. The bar is off the road a piece, and the only one in town, and it appears to be mostly locals and bikers who know it as a regular stop. It has minimal food (burgers, chips, hotdogs), and a small but decent beer selection on tap. There's a sizable patio out back with picnic tables and horseshoe pits. A tiny sign on a tall pole out front indicates that at one time it was the "Pleasant View Inn Tavern."

If you like dive bars, it's worth a swing off the road. But you might want to try and be quick on the drink selection.