#2006 #S1102 - Tailgaters, Seattle - 1/14/2013

Update" Tailgaters closed Sep 2013 and reverted to Bad Albert's

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The most recent owners of "Bad Albert's" in Ballard determined that they need to change the theme of the place to make it, and hence the additional televisions, cleaner look, sports-bar theme, and new name. The staff are nice, the menu is typical bar food in generous portions, and the drinks are pedestrian but generous pours. It's a very average sort of place, but perhaps Ballard needs a few of those along with the Moshi Moshis, Oaxaca's, and Bastilles.

Historical notes: The Palmer Building that hosts the bar was built in the "rough section" of Ballard in 1905 and hosted various businesses over the years. The first bar I have found there in the Tailgater's location is Trader Vans' Tavern, here from the 70s into the 90s. In 1995 it became Fat Alberts, and hosted jazz and blues bands.

While there on this night I had a pleasant conversation with Wally, a 73-yo fisherman who has lived on a boat in the same nearby slip for 20 years. Wally used to trade fish at the old sandwich shop down here. He has a place outside of New Orleans and lives and works there, in Seattle, and Alaska. Wally likes Ballard because it's an easy walk to the bars from his boat, and noted that he's only fallen in the water once.

5100 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 782-9623
Est. Dec 24, 2012 - Closed Sep 2013 - Building constructed: 1905
Previous bars in this location: Bad Albert's (1995-2012), Trader Van's Tavern (70s-90s)

Reviews: myballard - thrillist - thestranger - yelp

#2005 - Sunnydale Tavern, Seatac - 1/13/2013

Sunnydale Tavern, SeaTac, WA

This is a congenial, historic tavern in an area that the old-timers still call "Sunnydale," most the locals call "Burien," and government officials call "the city of Seatac." It is full of antique, western bric-a-brac and devoted, regular customers (one I met drives from Auburn five days a week).  After 70+ years, the place closed down briefly in 2012, until two long-time customers purchased and revived it -- and God bless 'em for preserving a bar with such history and personality.

Sunnydale Tavern, SeaTac, WA

European settlement in the area is said to date back to 1860s, and the original name of "Sunnydale" is attributed settler Mick Kelly from that time. But it was only a decade later that Gottlieb Burian moved with his wife from Seattle, constructed a cabin on the southeast corner of what is now Lake Burien, and started the community that, like the lake, would bear his slightly misspelled name. The surrounding area was mostly Italian farmers before SeaTac airport was constructed in 1944, and I am told that the road outside the tavern remained brick into the 1960s.

Antique chastity belt at Sunnydale Tavern, SeaTac, WA

Various sources including Carl, the current owner date the bar back 70+ years to approximately 1939. However, this must have been in a different building, as King County tax records date the current structure to 1955. Art Kleitsch owned the tavern from 1949 to 1975, and it was he who introduced the western vintage and antique items in 1960.

A number of customers were very willing to tell me what they knew about the place and why they loved it. I talked to Matthias, Brent, and others, with one customer noting that it "feels like you're in Colorado or Pendleton."

Sunnydale Tavern, SeaTac, WA

Though it is hardly convenient to my home or work, this is definitely a bar I will return to.

14404 Des Moines Memorial Dr S, SeaTac, WA 98168 - (206) 246-2029
Est. 1939? - Building constructed: 1955 
Previous bars in this location: None known

Reviews: link - b-townblog - nwkaraokeguide - yelp

#2172 - Broadway Saloon, Beaverton, OR - 5/18/2013

So there's a historic district of Beaverton -- who knew? Anyway, the Broadway Saloon was installed in an old building here which used to house the Hunt and Fish Club, perhaps beginning shortly after prohibition. The bar is constructed from the altar of an old Catholic church in Newberg, and much of the seating is formed by the old pews. They serve standard cocktails and contemporary pub food.

I had a pleasant chat about Portland area dive bars with customer Ruth, the self-described "queen of the dive bars." This made up for the jackasses across the room, who had apparently just discovered the "Charlie bit me" video and thought it was just endlessly HEE-larious to then inject "Chaw-wee" into every other sentence. "Where'd you get that money?" "Chaw-wee! Ha Ha Ha Ha!" Were it the old western saloon days that the owners are trying to evoke, I think there would have been a shooting.

12434 SW Broadway St, Beaverton, OR 97005 - (503) 641-7474
Est. 1993
Previous bars in this location: Hunt and Fish Tavern
Web site: broadwaysaloon.com - facebook
Reviews: link - yelp - urbanspoon

#2004 - Outback Steakhouse, Tukwila - 1/13/2013

I do miss the Outback Steakhouse in my neighborhood ...

16510 Southcenter Parkway Tukwila, WA 98188 - (206) 575-9705
Web site: outback.com
Reviews: yelp

#2003 #S1101 - Pazzo's, Seattle - 1/11/2013

Pazzo's is an Eastlake remains a go-to Seattle location for calzones, despite its founder being sent up river for 14 years for smuggling huge amounts of marijuana after multiple previous drug convictions.

The Pazzo's location has hosted bars for some 80 years or so. A bar owned by Charles Haines was there shortly after prohibition ended, by at least 1935. A Cecil R. Fish owned the bar there by the late 30s, and by the mid 40s and into the 60s it was Quinn's Tavern. From the late 60s to the early 80s it was Skipper's Tavern, then briefly became J.C. Fox and Sons in the mid 80s.

2307 Eastlake Avenue East Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 329-6558
Est. 1987 - Building constructed: 1924
Previous bars in this location: Quinn's Tavern, Skipper's Tavern, J.C. Fox and Sons
Web site: gopazzos.com - facebook
Reviews: seattlepi - thestranger - urbanspoon - yelp

#2002 - Palmers East, Redmond, WA - 1/10/2013

Medium-sized, fairly popular, neighborhood dive bar and favorite karaoke location.

7853 Leary Way Northeast Redmond, WA 98052 - (425) 867-3837
Est. 1956 - Building constructed 1910

Web site: facebook
Reviews: patch.com - urbanspoon - yelp
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#2001 - The Matador, Redmond, WA - 1/10/2013

Is anything the Matador guys do not instantly popular? This place has 246 yelp reviews. So there's lots of tequila here and fairly average Tex-Mex, but what drew me was that it is in the location of the old Bill Brown's Saloon. William Brown was mayor of Redmond from 1919 to 1948, and when he had this building constructed in 1913 its towering two stories made it the tallest building in Redmond. "When first built, the first floor held a saloon, barbershop, ice cream parlor, a drug store, and an undertaker. The second floor served as a community gathering place with a dance hall and a brothel." (redmond.gov)

Washington implemented state-wide prohibition beginning Jan 1, 1916 and the building subsequently held city hall, a dance studio, a hardware store and other various businesses, before the Matador moved in in 2007.

7824 Leary Way Northeast Redmond, WA 98052 - (425) 883-2855
Est. 2007 - Building constructed: 1913
Previous bars in this location: Bill Brown's Saloon
Web site: matadorseattle.com