#2133 #S1134 - Rview, Seattle - 4/15/2013

RView appears to be attempting to upgrade their game a bit with barrel-aged Manhattans and a bit of mid-century modern remodel of the tedious trapped crowd hotel bar "Visions." It's still a fairly pedestrian hotel bar, perhaps even a bit more annoying for embracing an "ultra lounge" model. But the reason to go to this bar is not irresistible craft cocktails or the unique personality, but the view. If you like hotel bars or simply would enjoy a fairly good view of the city from the 28th floor, it's worth a visit.

515 Madison St, Seattle, WA 98104 - (206) 583-0300
Est. 2013 - Building constructed: 1983
Previous bars in this location: Visions Lounge
Web site: facebook - blog 
Reviews:  yelp - tripadvisor 

#2132 #S1133 - Bada Bistro, Seattle - 4/15/2013

Update: The Bada Bistro closed Aug 5, 2013

When the Alki Bakery moved across the street to 2738 Alki, John and Sharon Bang took over the space, establishing the Alki Cafe. When the popular bakery finally closed after 25 years, the Bangs again took over their old space, establishing the Beachside Cafe in Spring 2011. In March 2013, the Bangs refashioned the cafe into the Bada Bistro, adding a Pacific Rim based menu and made from scratch cocktails emphasizing fresh juices and infusions. It's a sort of odd combination of menu choices, but quite tasty, from start to finish, and somehow the jumble of choices seems appropriate for a place on the beach.

2738 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 257-5554
Est. March 20, 2013 - Closed Aug 5, 2013 - Building constructed: 1915
Previous bars in this location: None known
Subsequent bars in this location: Fat Burger
Web site: badabistro.com - facebook
Reviews: westseattleblog - yelp - thestranger

#2131 #S1132 - Standard Brewing, Seattle - 4/13/2013

"Standard Brewing" may sound like a faceless, corporate brewery, but at least this version is run mostly by one familiar face and is about as small as a brewery and brew pub get. Justin Gerardy, familiar to craft cocktail fans from the Hideout and Vito's, churns out one-barrel batches of interesting beers and serves them in a cozy tasting room with 8 seats and a landscape painted by his grandmother. I had the tasty rye IPA. Standard is a pleasant, intimate place to relax with a good pint.

Historical notes: While it may not look it from the exterior, at least some basic parts of the underlying building here were constructed back in 1915, and in what one must presume was a very different configuration there was once a neighborhood tavern in this space. The Mount Baker Tavern was at this address from at least the 1950s into the 1980s. If anyone has any photos or information on the tavern, I'd love to see them.)

2504 S Jackson St, Suite C, Seattle, WA 98144 - (206) 535-1584
Est. March 20, 2013 - Building constructed: 1915
Previous bars in this location: Mount Baker Tavern
Web site:  standardbrew.com - facebook
Reviews: seattlemet - seattlebeernews - centraldistrictnews - thrillist - yelp - thestranger

#2130 #S1131 - Peddler Brewing, Seattle - 4/12/2013

Another Ballard microbrewery and tasting room (10 breweries within 2 square miles at least count), this one with a range of their brews on 12 taps, and niceties for bikers such as a bike hanger and community bike repair stand.

1514 NW Leary Way, Seattle, WA 98107 - (360) 362-0002
Est. March 8, 2013 - Building constructed: year
Previous bars in this location: None known (former brewing space for Maritime Pacific Brewing)
Web site: peddlerbrewing.com - facebook
Reviews: thestranger - wedrinkyourbeer - thrillist - untappd - beeradvocate - seattlemet - myballard

#2129 - Lake Trail Taproom (192 Brewing), Kenmore, WA - 4/12/2013

Settings for bars do not come much more thoroughly unique than this. The Lake Trail Taproom is a couple small rooms carved out of a large warehouse, serving microbrews from 14 taps including a couple brewed by the owners, who run 192 Brewing. Their beers (first licensed in 2009) are brewed in a 12x16 shed behind the owner's house, its 192 square feet leading to the company name. The taproom location has fashioned a funky beer garden and live music venue from the warehouse and surrounding grounds it shares with a topsoil supplier and koi pond supply company. Their Facebook page includes announcements like "What's new? A mirror in the bathroom!"

The beers are pretty good, the people are friendly, and the setting feels like more of some small town in the Cascade mountains than a suburb of Seattle. I need to go back on a warm day to get some better photos, including the outside grounds.

7324 NE 175th St, Ste F Kenmore, WA 98028 - 425-424-2337
Est. May 22, 2012 - Building constructed: 1956
Previous bars in this location: None
Web site: 192brewing.com - facebook
Reviews: ratebeer - yelp

#2128 #S1130 - The Lost Pelican, Seattle - 4/12/2013

Update: The Lost Pelican closed in mid 2016.

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In this space that once hosted a fancy pants Lampreia and the slightly less fancy pants Bisato, Michael Forte of The Lookout has now created a Creole themed place that serves some fairly good craft cocktails and pretty good Cajun food.  I liked the Bensonhurst (bourbon, vermouth, Cynar and maraschino liqueur). It's definitely worth a stop, but the building, decor and overall vibe are a little aloof for a bar -- and especially a New Orleans style bar.

2400 1st Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 441-5132 
Est. April 8, 2013 - Building constructed: 1994
Previous bars in this location: Lampreia, Bisato
Web site: thelostpelican.com - facebook
Best articles: cornichon - seattletimes - yelp - seattlemag - thestranger - thrillist

#2127 #S1129 - Bar Cotto, Seattle - 4/9/2013

pork belly bruschetta, Bar Cotto, Seattle

For folks outside of Seattle and celebrity chefdom, Ethan Stowell is a celebrated local chef who has been establishing a mini empire of restaurants across Seattle (e.g. his Anchovies And Olives next door was picked by Bon Apetit as one top ten restaurants in America). So you can count on some interesting food when he opens up a salumeria and cocktail bar. And indeed I had a very nice Salame pizza and pork belly bruschetta, accompanied by a cocktail that I liked pretty much as much as any I've ever had. This was the Old Loathsome Bastard (oak cask aged Old Overholt and Averna, Strega, Pur Blood orange, and each bitters), which some might say seems almost named with me in mind.

The space is narrow and the bar is small, but it's a nicely dark at the bar, and if not entirely unfussy, it's about as homey as one could expect an Ethan Stowell salumeria to be.

1546 15th Ave Seattle, Washington 98122 - (206) 838-8081                  
Est. Feb 15, 2013 - Building constructed: 2008
Previous bars in this location: None
Web site: ethanstowellrestaurants.com - facebook
Reviews: seattlemag - capitolhillseattle - thrillist - thestranger - yelp