#2318 - Oak Harbor Cafe Bar, WA - 10/12/2013

Hidden in the back of a diner in a motel parking lot and accessed through a funky door in back of the swimming pool, the Oak Harbor Bar seems like a cross between local dive and hotel lounge. But they pour a generous glass of cheap wines, and keep a small mix of locals and tourists three sheets to the wind.

430 Southeast Pioneer Way, Oak Harbor, WA 98277 - (360) 675-9100
Reviews: google

#2317 - La Conner Pub, La Conner, WA - 10/11/2013

The La Conner Pub, known locally as simply "The Tavern," feels like the heart of this town. It's a gambrel ceiling joint that's been around for almost 80 years, mixing a smattering of tourists into an atmosphere firmly set by the locals, and serving dive bar style drinks with old school cafe seaside comfort foods. And like a lot of small town bars, it tends to have a little of everything -- family diner, dive bar, community meeting hall, live music venue, pool tables, darts, pull tabs, and a fine patio looking out on

It was here that we met Reed, who had just had three teeth pulled, and was methodically "medicating." Reed talked about starting a drunk driving school, the main key appearing to be experience. Pointing to his shot of whiskey he explained "If you only do this once in a while, you're in trouble."

702 1st Street, La Conner, WA 98257 - (360) 466-9932                   
Est. 1937 - Building constructed: 1900 or earlier
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: laconnertavern.com - facebook
Reviews: tripadvisor - yelp - urbanspoon

#2316 - 1890s Lounge, La Conner, WA - 10/11/2013

The 1890s Lounge inside La Conner Seafood and Prime Rib House, is a re-opening of a sort of 60s/70s rock joint in a historic building that once served loggers and fishermen. "Most stories include a woman named Rosanna (who managed the live-music bookings for the 1890’s lounge, and whose nickname was Rosanna Pianna), as well as late-night escapades centered around a rather cannabis-induced haze." (laconnerseafood.com)

La Conner itself is now an amiable, fairly touristy town strung along the Swinomish Channel, just a few thousand feet from where the Washington state coast approaches the Pacific in the form of Skagit Bay. A trading post was established here in 1869 by J.S. Conner, who named the place not with a French "La" but for the initials and last name of his wife Louisa Ann Conner. In 2005 La Conner proclaimed the wild turkey the Official Town Bird, a motion that lasted 5 years before the residents had enough of turkey feces, destroyed gardens, and nuisance complaints for the town counsel to officially name them a nuisance and arrange for their removal. (e.g. see NPR)

The current restaurant and lounge must be a far cry from gambling hall that greeted the old sailors and lumbermen, let alone the club that once hosted John Lee Hooker and Taj Mahal. But its genteel decor does include several nods to the past beyond the name, including some great old photos, and it now hosts some standout local artists like Knut Bell and Brent Amaker. The food is slightly upscale seafood and the drinks include some nice cocktail options. In the summer you should try to nab a table on the deck looking over the Swinomish.

614 S First St, La Conner, Washington - (360) 466-4014
Est. June 2, 2012 (Restaurant est. 1986) - Building constructed: 1900 or earlier
Previous bars in this location: Mal’s Tavern, 1890’s Lounge (late 70s, early 80s)
Web site: laconnerseafood.com - facebook

#2315 #S1179 - Ohana, Seattle - 10/9/2013

Somehow I previously missed listing Ohana, which looks something like a tiki bar, but is a bit more of a Hawaiian and Japanese themed restaurant and karaoke bar. It gets a pretty fun late night crowd, and feels like a joint pleasantly thrown together on a beach walk with whatever decorations and gewgaws were at hand.

2207 1st Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 956-9329
Est. 1999 - Building constructed: 1910
Previous bars in this location: Bell Town Tavern, Tugs, Vina Wine Bar
Web site: ohanabelltown.com - facebook
Articles Ranked: critiki - thestranger - seattletimes - urbanspoon - yelp - tripadvisor - thestranger

#2314 - Habitant, Bellevue, WA - 10/9/2013

Yes, Habitant is a cocktail bar smack in the middle of Nordstrom in Bellevue Square, and described by the company as an experiment, though one could hardly fathom how it could fail (at least in this location). The vibe is more that of a frozen yogurt shop than a bar, with only slight railings separating it from the racks of women's slacks and blouses. My drinks fell a bit short of the quality I anticipate from a place described as providing craft cocktails, however they do have a nice selection of fresh juices and quality spirits, and while I would not go out of my way to get a drink there, it could certainly serve as a welcome respite when I am coerced into the mall.

100 Bellevue Square, 2nd Floor, Bellevue, WA 98004 - (425) 455-5800
Est. July 26, 2013 - Building constructed: 1946
Web site: nordstrom.com
Reviews: seattletimes - seattlemet - eatdrinksing - bizjournals - yelp - untapped

#2313 - Red Robin, Bellevue, WA - 10/9/2013

408 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA - (425) 453-9522
Web site: redrobin.com 
Reviews: yelp

#2312 #S1178 - Central Pizza, Seattle - 10/4/2013

Central Pizza was opened by a small group of people with Belltown Pizza connections in the former location of All-Purpose Pizza, on the gentrifying edge of Leschi and the Central District. In addition to some pretty good thin-crust pizza, they've added a bar, and while their comments about "straightforward" and "decent price point" cocktails might lead you to fear dive-bar quality, they in fact have some very nice and well-balanced classics and well as new creations (I enjoyed the "Aperol You've Done").

There seems to be a trend in sports bars and pizza joints in particular using reclaimed wood from old neighborhood gymnasiums and bowling alleys (e.g. Rookies in Columbia City, Bills on Greenwood, and Snoose Junction / The Alibi Room). Here it is the old Lakeside High basketball court that now compose the bar and tables.

Central Pizza, Seattle

2901 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144 - (206) 602-6333
Est. Aug 26 2016 - Building constructed: 2004
Previous bars in this location: None Known
Web site: centralpizzaseattle.com - facebook
Reviews: seattlemet - komonews - centraldistrictnews - yelp - urbanspoon