#2274 - Porter Saloon, Elma, WA - 9/7/2013

AKA Porter Creek Saloon, the only bar between Oakville and Elma has been around for a very long time, but its beginnings are unclear. Kay Lee, the current owner, believes it was established, as the "Porter Saloon," in 1919, with the physical bar purchased in the 30s, and that it is the "second oldest bar in the state of Washington." But that would have been during statewide prohibition -- so it seems unlikely that it would have been established with an "Saloon" name in that period (let alone a liquor license) -- and numerous bars across the state make the claim to being the first or second liquor license after prohibition. A newspaper article in the bar contains an interview with previous owner Opal Butterfield, who says she purchased the place with her husband in 1935.  Grays Harbour Polk Guides show one bar in Porter in 1937 owned by Ed Butterfield, and one in 1935 owned by A.B. Miller.

Wikipedia says that "Porter Saloon was re-built" in 1925, a year after a fire destroyed it and much of the town. The Wikipedia article adds that "When it re-opened in 1933 following the repeal of Prohibition, it was one of the first establishments to receive a liquor license in the State of Washington," but contains no references. Thus with no primary references, my best guess from what I've found so far is that there was some kind of business built here in 1919, it burned down in 1924, and was rebuilt in 1925, it became a tavern in Dec. 1933, has been the Porter Saloon for many years, and in the last few years has had a quite remarkable remodel by Ms. Lee.

3 Porter Creek Rd, Elma, WA 98541 - (360) 482-4443
Est. 1933? - Building constructed: 1925
Reviews: yelp

#2273 - Brooklyn Tavern, Cosmopolis, WA - 9/7/2013

The Brooklyn Tavern, Brooklyn, WA

"There's an old tavern up in the mountains somewhere, in the middle of nowhere, and it has a creek running through it."  I heard a couple mentions of this legendary bar from patrons at other out-of-the-way dives around the remote parts of the state, but no one could tell me exactly where it was, or even what the name was. Finally I stumbled upon the site for the Brooklyn Tavern, and planned a road trip around what would definitely live up to my expectations of one of the great, hidden gem bars in the state of Washington (or anywhere else).

The Brooklyn Tavern, Brooklyn, WA

It does indeed seem like the middle of nowhere -- up a very pretty drive along the North River, about halfway between highways 12 and 101, 18 miles and 40 minutes from the nearest towns or other bars. From the east it can only be reached by navigating some narrow dirt logging roads. The "Brooklyn" area has been dying out since the 40s, when the Saginaw Lumber Mill closed, and the tavern is pretty much all there is to it now. The tavern happily embraces the remote nature of the place; there are no televisions or cell reception, no pulltab bins or cardboard beer corporation memorabilia, the only heat comes from a woodburning stove, and there's a sign behind the bar noting that if you are not happy here there are bars available just 18 miles away (only one of which turns out to be still open). It also embraces Brooklyn past, with passels of memorabilia, much of it celebrating the old lumber business.

The Brooklyn Tavern, Brooklyn, WA

The building isn't really that old -- it was rebuilt in 1991 after burning down the previous year. But it was built with a sort of cabin-like rusticity its predecessor appeared to have, constructed in 1927, and serving drinks to thirsty local loggers and rail workers since shortly after prohibition if not during. The "creek" -- "Snoose Creek" as it is known for its utility in flushing away spent chaw -- doesn't look quite like I envisioned. It is very similar to the plumbed little gutter in The Brick in Roslyn, and years ago much more common in the saloons and the occasional "latrine bar." Serving us was Ciara, a bartender here for three years, who recently married the owner's son Warren. The couple is now in the process of buying the place, and happily treasure the historic nature of the joint and plan few changes. At the front end of the bar were Dottie and Bruce, who have been coming here for the last 20 years. When we remark on how nice it is up here, Bruce asks if we've been here in the Winter. Another man drops in just to pick up an 18-pack. "Just write me up," he says, heading out the door.

Shotgun shell christmas lights and nekkid ladies decorate the
men's room at the historic Brooklyn Tavern, Brooklyn, WA

I don't know when we'll make it back, but we will. In the meantime I feel a bountiful amount of gratitude to Warren and Ciara, Warren's dad Ray, and all the others in the past who have kept this jewel of a joint in the woods waiting for our discovery.

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Postscript Oakville:  Seeing the sign about bars 18 miles in either direction surprised me a bit. I knew about the Artic Tavern to the west, but, I asked Ciara, pointing east, "there really is a bar that way?" She told me there was, but that it was owned by an old fellow who only opened when he felt like it. So we changed our previous plans and headed down North River Road to find it.  In a few miles, the pavement turned to gravel, and then the gravel turned to dirt.  As the single lane dirt road wound around around the curling, steep hillsides for about seven miles, I thought if there is really a bar out in this remote area, it must be the best bar ever. But eventually the dirt flattened out into pavement again, and then to civilization, in the form of Oakville, WA. The bar, once quite appropriately named "The Only Bar," was now not even that. A glance through the windows told us that if the owner opened when he felt like it, he hadn't any such feeling for the last several years. So we departed Oakville, and by a different route, on flat wide pavement from which I never questioned might whether I might at any minute reach a point unnavigable by my small, low sportscar.


2611 N River Rd Cosmopolis, WA 98537 - (360) 533-2324
Est. ?  1930s? - Building constructed: 1991
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: historicbrooklyntavern.com
Reviews: seattleweekly - link - link

#2272 - John's River Lodge, Aberdeen, WA - 9/7/2013

The John's River Lodge is listed in Aberdeen, but it's really quite a ways from Aberdeen proper, and considerably closer to Westport, sitting on the west side of state highway 105, about a thousand feet from where John's River tumbles toward Grays Harbor. The bar there is packed with personality and artifacts aggregated over the years, with a collection of t-shirts hanging from the ceiling and assorted knickknacks all around. Jeff Kuni, the current owner, is a very friendly host. Jeff's dad purchased the bar in 1976 -- Jeff recalled from memory that it was on this very day of that year (Sep 7). Outside is a great old tavern sign that came from the old Bright Spot, on south G Street in downtown Aberdeen. If you like dive bars with lots of character, this is a must stop when you are in the area.

1564 State Route 105, Aberdeen, WA 98520 - (360) 648-2319
Est. 1956
Reviews: sandiegoreader - yelp - niceshirtamerica

#2271 - Local Bar and Grill, Grayland, WA - 9/6/2013

Local Bar and Grill, Grayland, WA

County tax records indicate that the Local Bar and Grill building was constructed in 1992, but the current building looks just like the one in Michael Caldwell's Taverns West, which was published in 1985 and claims the place had been a roadhouse for 50 years prior. Caldwell also claims that it was originally used as a steambath by the local Finnish residents.

Nowadays it seems like a relatively typical small community bar with its televisions and pull tabs, except that it is lit up as bright as a hospital cafeteria and seems to especially draw the heavier of the locals. Expect fairly standard dive bar drink choices and cafeteria comfort foods.

Local Bar and Grill, Grayland, WA

2183 State Route 105, Grayland, WA 98547 - (360) 267-5071
Reviews: tripadvisor - yelp - yelp

#2270 -The Knotty Pine, Westport, WA - 9/6/2013

This is the bar where the locals go to get drunk. A bland exterior opens into a classic dive inside, with beach community touches like minimal bits of driftwood on the walls, hinting at much more elaborate displays in the distant past, gradually worn down by the tides of drunk people.

201 E Dock St Westport, WA 98595 - (360) 268-0591
Est. 1942 - Building constructed: 1942
Previous bars in this location: None known
Reviews: google - yelp - urbanspoon - tripadvisor

#2269 - Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill, Westport, WA - 9/6/2013

Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill is located on the northern tip of the southern peninsula surrounding Gray's Harbor on the southwest Washington state coast. It is a bit touristy, but this is a small town trying to be touristy, with quaint shops, fishing charters, surfing, and the tallest lighthouse in the state.
The bar looks out on the marina and what it lacks in cocktail craft it seems to attempt to compensate for with bright colors and volume. It's a fun place to visit.

421 Neddie Rose Dr, Westport, WA 98595 - (360) 268-9166
Web site: halfmoonbaybarandgrill.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp

#2268 #S1170 - The London Plane, Seattle - 9/5/2013

Update: London Plane closed Dec 24, 2022

London Plane is a high end "cafe, specialty foods grocery, and ... floral workshop" from James Beard award winning chef Matt Dillon (Corson Building, Bar Sajor, Sitka and Spruce) and Katherine Anderson (Marigold and Mint). It is not completely clear whether to count this as a bar, as it is much more a cafe -- brightly lit, awash in white, never open past 9, and nary a beer to be found. But they do classify themselves as a wine bar, and there is a physical bar/counter where people will sit for a glass, perhaps after dropping in for some castile soaps and wild mushroom mix. The food is mostly delicate, small plates, and enough to make Bon Appetit's top ten Best New Restaurants in America 2014.

London Plane is actually located in two separate spaces, on the opposite ends of the historic State Building, constructed in 1890-1891, and from whence the Schwabacher Brothers sold dry goods for many years, including a boom period during the Klondike gold rush. Now the upscale restaurants and art galleries of the Occidental pedestrian mall and the western end of the old jazz district on Jackson, along with the encroaching sports stadia, condos, and office spaces encroaching from the south, continue to pinch the vagrants and seedier bars and clubs of the original "skid road" area into a smaller and smaller space, in what may now be Seattle's most diverse set of eating and drinking establishments.

322 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, Washington 98104 - (206) 624-1374
Est. Aug 6, 2013 - Closed Dec 24, 2022 - Building constructed: 1891
Previous bars in this location: Pacific Northwest Brewing Co.
Web site: thelondonplaneseattle.com
Articles ranked: seattletimes - seattleweekly - seattlemet - seattlemag - bizjournals - thestranger - eater - eater

#2267 #S1169 - Bloom, Seattle - 9/4/2013

Bloom is a nice little "farm to table Japanese cuisine" restaurant from Jason Harris, who was previously the chef at Showa and then served bento boxes from a pop-up at Kylie's Pizza. The bar part of Bloom is quite limited both in size and options, but it has apparently expanded a bit since this visit, going from just a few straight spirits -- bourbons, sakes, and soschus, with no cocktails -- to reports of shaved ice mai tais, shaved ice Moscow mules, and "a cucumber pepper drink."  I shall obviously have to give the bar here a second look.

5410 17th Ave NW Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 706-8080
Est. Aug 14, 2013 - Building constructed: 1946
Previous bars in this location: Kelly O'Brien's, Le Marche
Web site: bloomballard.com - facebook
Reviews: myballard - yelp - seattlemet - urbanspoon - eater - thestranger

#2266 #S1168 - The Old Sage, Seattle - 9/3/2013

Update: Old Sage closed June 17, 2016

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Oh man, do I love these guys' places. Old Sage is another restaurant/bar from my favorite Seattle chefs, Brian McCracken and Dana Tough (Tavern Law, Spur, Coterie). This place has an emphasis on smoked meats -- and a smokey vibe in general -- though the smokiness is more subtle than barbecue. And just as in their other places, they've delivered bartenders who craft excellent cocktails (here with a malty, smoky, scotch theme) and I love pretty much every item I order, even in a magician type way when the ingredients are not ones that would generally entice me. I started with the malted emmer, with a bit of local apples and mountain cheese, and it was delicious. Emmer! Emmer was delicious.

It was a little less surprising that they could also make Coho salmon, my second dish, so delicious. After getting a bit my tastes, bartender Miles added a pretty much perfect cocktail to top things off; the Expat was made with blended scotch, Carpano Antica, Campari, Averna and sassafras.

With the small plates and craft cocktails flowing, evenings at McCracken and Tough's places can quickly start to get a little pricey. But when I'm in the mood for a drink and fine meal there is simply no place in Seattle I like better.

1410 12th Ave Seattle, Washington 98122 - (206) 557-7430
Est. July 31, 2013 - Building constructed: 2007
Previous bars in this location: Local Vine
Web site: theoldsageseattle.com - facebook - blog
Ranked articles: seriouseats - seattletimes - thrillist - eater - seattlemet - seattlemag - eater - capitolhillseattle - thestranger - seattlemet - eater - yelp

#2265 #S1167 - Masala, Seattle - 8/30/2013

Masala ("spice mix") is a fairly standard Punjabi style Indian restaurant which tends to be ranked among the better ones in Seattle -- at least outside of the U District. They operated just a little bit down Northgate Way for a decade or so before moving into this new building in 2013 and adding a substantial lounge. They have super nice people working there. The lounge portion remains a mystery to me, as I've only gone in the afternoon and it's just very difficult for me to imagine a crowd gathering here that matches the club-like decor -- or any crowd, to be frank.  I suppose I need to swing by on Saturday night sometime to get any idea of what kind of bar it really is, but in the meantime it is a very satisfactory lunch or dinner stop.

507 NE Northgate Way, Seattle, WA 98125 - (206) 417-1118
Est. March 19, 2013 - Building constructed: 2008
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: masalaofindia.com - facebook - facebook
Reviews: thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor

#2264 #S1166 - Westcity Sardine Kitchen (West Seattle), Seattle - 8/30/2013

Update: Westcity Sardine Kitchen closed June 13, 2019.

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 If I was to try and think of the Seattle restaurant names that seem least enticing to me, I can't think of any I'd put ahead of this one. Thankfully, the "sardine" part of the name came from the feeling of walking through the narrow space rather than the full content of the menu ("Well there's sardines, sardines, eggs and sardines ..."). Indeed, the "sardine" part was actually removed from the official name before they opened. They serve some nice, fairly fancy food with a Mediterranean theme. The bar is not the sort you relax and hang out in, with its bright colors and somewhat cramped quarters, but they do serve some quite nice, creative cocktails while you get a bite to eat.

3405 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 937-0155
Est. Aug 2, 2013 - Closed June 13, 2019 - Building constructed: 1924
Previous bars in this location: The Bohemian
Reviews: seattletimes - westseattleblog - westseattleherald - yelp

#2263 #S1165 - Pecado Bueno (West Seattle), Seattle - 8/30/2013

This is the second Pecado Bueno ("good sin") from James Schmidt, co-founder of Taco Del Mar, and it is the 5th Mexican restaurant in the Junction. It has better than average Mexican food, better than average margaritas for $3, and a good salsa bar.

4523 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 457-8837
Est. Aug 15, 2013 - Building constructed: 1946
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: pecadobueno.com - facebook
Reviews: link - yelp - thestranger - westseattleblog - westseattleherald

#2262 - Bent Prop Pub (Sharp's Roasthouse), Seatac, WA - 8/29/2013

Sharp's Roasthouse and the Bent Prop Pub were established here by the Seatac Airport in 1990 by Tim Firnstahl of "Von's Roasthouse" in downtown Seattle (Firnstahl also co-established Jake O'Shaughnessey's and FX McRory's in the mid 70s) . Like the new Von's on the Harbor Steps, it is now run by his daughter Merrisa, and like the previous Von's, it caters to American roast beef and mashed potato style standards, with seasoned chickens turning on a large roaster and spin-the-wheel specials amidst a TGIFridays sort of decor. It is not a craft cocktails sort of place, but again like the new Von's, it has a very large assortment of spirits.

18427 International Blvd, SeaTac, WA 98188- (206) 241-5744
Est. Dec 18, 1990 - Building constructed: 1990
Previous bars in this location: None
Web site: sharpsroasthouse.com - facebook
Reviews: northwestgoldcoast - northwestgoldcoast - yelp