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Bars where Pete has had a Drink (5,608 bars; 1,754 bars in Seattle) - Click titles below for Lists:


Bars where Pete has had a drink

Sunday, December 20, 2015

#2423 - Alpine Inn, Portola Valley, CA - 2/28/2014

Alpine Inn, Portola Valley, CA
There are fine old dive bars, and then there are great old dives. The Alpine is one of the coolest and oldest in the country, serving drinks since the 1850s, on the National Register of Historic Places, and steeped in history from the gold rush to the invention of the internet. 49ners drank in this bar -- not football players, actual 49ners. The exact founding date is uncertain, but it was sometime during the 1850s and commonly placed at 1852, two years after California became a state. And some patrons still arrive on horseback. Nestled in the Portola Valley trees hovering over Los Trancos Creek, seemingly a thousand miles from civilization -- but actually only seven from Stanford University -- it's easy to get the impression that little has changed such then. (Indeed, stepping inside and glancing at the taxidermy heads and bric-a-brac on the walls, one might wonder if it has been dusted since the 1850s.)

"Beginning of the Internet Age" marker, Alpine Inn, CA
The Casa de Tabletla ("house of cards") drinking, dancing, and gambling roadhouse was built and run by Felix Buelna, former mayor of San Jose, catering to Spanish-speaking Californios and their horses along the Old Spanish Trail to the coast. In 1868 Felix relinquished the place to Scotch-Irishman William Stanton, apparently losing it in a poker game, and under Stanton it becomes an English-speaking joint. Over the years the joint had many owners and many names -- it was  and "Chapete's Place" under Rodriguez "Black Chapete" Crovello, and later "The Wunder" under Charles Schenkel in the early 1900s. It's most abiding name dates back to 1940, when Enrico and Teresa Rossotti purchased it and renamed it "Rossotti's." Officially Rossotti's last only about a decade, but after half a century, locals still refer to it as "Zott's," and the sign out front still says "Formerly Rossotti's."

Alpine Inn, Portola Valley, CA
When Stanford University was founded a few miles away in 1885, it became popular with the students, who have helped sustain it ever since. This was not necessarily with the approval of the university provosts: '1908 - 'Stanford president David S. Jordan writes San Mateo County supervisors complaining that "The Wunder has a reputation for being vile, even for a roadhouse, a great injury to the university, and a disgrace to San Mateo County." The county, however, does not close the saloon.' (unknown article posted in the bar)  Over the years it benefitted from various prohibition measures. Palo Alto went dry in the 1890s; nearby Mayfield closed 23 saloons in 1903; and one can safely assume that the owners did not complain when a state law prohibiting the sale of alcohol within a mile and half of Stanford University was put in effect from 1909 to 1970.

And then there is the start of the internet. The event most commonly considered as the first internet message is when UCLA professor Leonard Kleinrock and student Charley Kline sent a two-letter message from UCLA to the Stanford Research Institute (the two letters being "l" and "o," since the system crashed while trying to send "login." But a key to the "internet" is the ability to link dissimilar networks. Thus when SRI researchers parked the SRI Packet Radio Van next to a picnic table behind the Alpine Inn on August 27, 1976 and transferred a message from the table via the van's equipment to SRI and then on to Boston via ARPANET, it is natural that Computer Science Division Vice-President Don Nielson called it “the first internet transmission" and that many people mark it as "the beginning of the internet age."

Today the bar hosts a broad variety of patrons from Hells Angels to Stanford physics professors. The Mercury News notes "It's one of the few places where landscapers and technology CEOs, Little Leaguers and retirees, Stanford students and bikers -- of both kinds -- brush up against one another." I chatted with customer John, who fondly remembered when there lines out the door in the 70s and 80s, and girls from Stanford in bikinis. The food is old school bar grub -- cheeseburgers and basic sandwiches -- and there are 17 beers on tap. Virtually every wood surface has many decades of names carved into it, and outside is a large, shady beer garden. "Are you going to buy the place?" John asked me out of the blue. Well, I'm not in a position in life where I'm ready to buy a bar. But if I was, I can't think of any that would be more fun to own.




3915 Alpine Rd, Portola Valley, CA 94028 - (650) 854-4004
Est. 1959 (1852 under different name) - Building constructed: 1852
Previous bars in this location: Casa de Tableta (1852-1868), Fernando's, Philpott's (1870-1875), Stanton's Saloon (1875-?), Chapete's Place, The Wunder (1904-?), Rossotti's (1940-1959)
Web site: alpineinnbeergarden.com - facebook
Articles ranked: paloaltoonline - beaucamera - atigerinthekitchen - sutromedia - mv-voiceyelp - tripadvisor - findery

Saturday, December 19, 2015

#2422 - Harry's Hofbrau, Redwood City, CA - 2/28/2014

Harry's Hofbrau, Redwood City, CA
Harry's in Redwood City is the senior of three family-run classic mid-century hofbrau style cafeteria carveries, where you slide your plastic tray along the rails collecting heaping helpings of American comfort foods deluged in boatloads of gravy. Their featured item remains the whole roasted turkey, as one guesses it was then they opened this location in 1954. But a few years ago one of the younger family members returned from college and added a new attraction, converting their large, 70s fern bar style lounges into mini Meccas of craft beer. The bar at the Redwood City location has 28 taps featuring very nice choices, sometimes including both Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger. One can only assume that young adults all over the city are suddenly much more content to let Grandpa choose where to eat.

Harry's Hoffbrau, Redwood City, CA



Oddly soiled Charles Schulz characters at Harry's Hofbrau
Redwood City, CA
1909 El Camino Real, Redwood City, California 94063 - (650) 366-3733
Est. 1954
Web site: harryshofbrau.com - facebook
Reviews: sfgatesanleandrotimes - examiner - yelp

#2421 - The Saddle Room, Redwood City, CA - 2/28/2014

A fine, old, neighborhood dive.




1607 Woodside Rd, Redwood City, CA 94061 - (650) 361-9756
Previous bars in this location: The Green Frog (50s)
Web site: Nope!
Reviews: almanacnews - yelp - indulgery

#2420 #S1223 - Flying Fish, Seattle - 2/25/2011

After 15 years in Belltown, James Beard award winning chef Christine Keff moved her highly regarded seafood and Asian themed restaurant to South Lake Union -- one of the early upscale restaurateurs to settle in the area as it was just starting to a massive makeover driven by Paul Allen and Amazon.com. In 2013 she sold the business to Xiao Ming Liu, who had moved to Seattle after running several high end restaurants in China.

300 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 728-8595
Est. 2010 (this location) - Building constructed: 2006
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: flyingfishseattle.comfacebook
Articles ranked: seattletimes - bizjournals - seattleweekly - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor - seattlemag - thrillist 

#2419 #S1222 - Nacho Borracho, Seattle - 2/22/2014

Nacho Borracho, Seattle

I really like Nacho Borracho. Gray days or not, for a long time I've felt Seattle is lack one of those bars one finds in New Orleans or Miami with rows and rows of slushy adult drink choices. Nacho Borracho is not one of those, but they do have a small selection of slushy drink choices that are substantially better than such places -- e.g. the passion fruit margarita, avocado margarita and pink guava moscow mule. It is run by Rachel Marshall and Kate Opatz of "Montana" and Rachel's Ginger Beer, so you know it has a funky personality. This one also delivers quite tasty "Mexican street food" from the Neon Taco kitchen in back, with a menu by Monica Dimas, who comes from such highfalutin kitchens as Spinasse and Mkt.


209 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 466-2434                   
Est. Feb 20, 2014 - Building constructed: 1911
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: nachoborrachoseattle.com - facebook
Articles ranked: seattletimes - capitolhillseattle - eaterseattlemagseattlemet  - seattleglobalist - yelp - eatinseattlethestranger

Thursday, December 17, 2015

#2418 #S1221 - Vidiot, Seattle - 2/22/2014

Update: Vidiot has moved from this to a new location with the same street number, leaving the suite that once hosted to the Shipwreck Tavern for the space that recently hosted the epic Benbow Room.









Vidiot Seattle (original location)
I'm old, never liked video games much, and don't drink beer as often as I used to. So I'm about as far away from the demographic of this "barcade" as one could be, even with the nod toward older games. But it looks like a fairly cool neighborhood joint if you are NOT old, you DO like video games, and you DO quite like your beer. So you probably won't run into me there, but have fun.







Vidiot, Seattle (original location)



4210 SW Admiral Way, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 280-8190
Est. Jan 3, 2014 (first location) - Building constructed: 1926
Previous bars in first location: Happy Hour Tavern, Ye Olde Hour, Luther's Pub, TNT's Place, Shipwreck Tavern
Previous bars in current (Suite A) location: Benbow Room
Web site: facebook
Reviews: westseattleherald - westseattleblog - yelp

#2417 #S1220 - Cassis Bistro, Seattle - 2/22/2014

Update: Cassis closed on Dec 19, 2015.

Cassis was a highly regarded French restaurant on Capitol Hill from 1997 through 2004. Now owner Jef Fike is opening a version of it across from Alki Beach and next door to The Cactus. It seems a bit of an odd location for the delicate French dishes, with the Alki Ave vibe being more like a college part of town, and sunlight streaming through the large, garage door windows of the newish building. But then again, perhaps this is not so unlike the touristy seaside French commune for which it is named. For this version Fike has recruited Chef Andy Dekle from their days together at The Ruins. The food and cocktails are both quite nice, and it certain provides a change of pace from neighbors like The Cactus and Fatburger.

2820 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 743-8531
Est. Feb 19, 2014 - Building constructed: 2003
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: cassisalki.com - facebook
Articles ranked: seattlemet - seattletimes - seattlemag - yelp - tripadvisor - seattlemag - eater - thestranger 

#2416 #S1219 - Bar Cantinetta, Seattle - 2/19/2014

This is the newest, smallest and most intimate of the four locations of this Seattle area group of Tuscan-style restaurants. This version seems if anything a bit more wine centric, and features the same very fine and creative Italian themed dishes.



2811 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 - (206) 329-1501                    
Est. Aug 30, 2013 - Building constructed: 1984
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: barcantinetta - facebook 
Articles ranked: culinaryfool - seattlemag - madisonparkblogger - madisonvalley.orgeater - seattlemet -  yelp - tripadvisor - thestranger - seattleweekly

Sunday, December 13, 2015

#2415 - Oddfellas, Auburn, WA - 2/16/2014

Oddfellas Pub, Auburn, WA
Someone has obviously put some loving attention into Oddfellas Pub and Eatery in Auburn. Replacing The Pit, a fairly cookie-cutter, suburban sports bar closed in 2009, Oddfellas glows with custom woodwork, done by the owners themselves. and featuring their monocled, bowler-hatted logo.

Located in the bottom floor of the Truitt building in downtown Auburn, the hometown of Sir Mix-A-Lot some 28 miles south of Seattle, Oddfellas is part of a substantial downtown revival of the former Slaughter, WA. 'Auburn was originally incorporated as Slaughter, Washington after Lt. William Slaughter, who died in a skirmish fighting Native Americans which are now apart of the modern day Muckleshoot tribe in 1855. At the time, the main hotel in town was called the "Slaughter House." In 1893, a large group of settlers from Auburn, New York, moved to Slaughter, and renamed the town to "Auburn."' (wikipedia)

The Pastime Tavern, Auburn, WA, c. 1933
Property of White River Valley Museum via University of
Washington Digital Archives
Tax records list the Truitt building as constructed in 2003, but sitting in a location that hosted an Oddfellows fraternity a century ago, and from the early 1930s into the 2000s hosting the Pastime Tavern and Card Room. The current Oddfellas is a large, brick space which serves a broad menu of modern pub food with hints of English and European themes, with a selection of 25 craft brews on tap.


Oddfellas Pub, Auburn, WA

102 W Main St, Auburn, WA 98001 - (253) 939-7278
Est. Dec 31, 2010 - Building constructed: 2003
Previous bars in this location: The Pit, Pastime Tavern / Card Room
Web site: oddfellaspub.com (warning: super obnoxious audio) - facebook
Reviews: auburn-reporterbestcraftbeer - foodspotting - yelp

Saturday, December 12, 2015

#2414 - Rainbow Cafe Lounge, Auburn, WA - 2/16/2014

There isn't anything particularly attractive about the bar potion of the Rainbow Cafe, which was created in the mid 1980s as the Rainbow expanded into an adjacent business. It is overly bright for a bar, has little personality in the decor, closes early, and serves standard dive-bar style drinks. A previous bar existed in the current meeting room before that, but I have been unable to find opening or closing dates. Little signs hanging from the ceiling direct customers to their desired section of the establishment.

It is the cafe portion, established 1929, which is the focus of the Rainbow. It is a historic landmark and said to be the "longest running restaurant in the state with the same name." Here they serve classic American diner food, surrounded by historical photos and western artifacts on the walls.













112 E Main St, Auburn, WA 98002 - (253) 833-1880
Est. 1980s (current bar, restaurant in 1929)
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: web site - facebook
Reviews: auburn-reporter - yelp - auburntourism

Saturday, December 05, 2015

#2413 - Schooner Pub and Galley, Lakewood, WA - 2/16/2014

The Schooner, Lakewood, WA
Update: The Schooner Pub closed July 26, 2017.

I like pretty much any bar that seriously embraces an elaborate theme, and the more kitch the better, particularly when the has been sitting in some bland suburbs for a few decades. The Schooner in Lakewood is all in for its antique sailing vessel concept (although apparently the current level of dedication doesn't extend quite so far as getting around to dusting). Entering the establishment via a gangplank over a small pool in a suburban parking lot, you walk into a fairly sizable space of glowing, brown wood, rigging, and nautical knickknacks. From above the bar, life-sized and somewhat unnerving ship's officers gaze down at you, while a rigger reaches toward lanyards over a crow's nest and a maniacal cook reaches out a ship window extending a skillet containing a dusty blob. A prow and figurehead rise above a fireplace at the back of small dance floor, surrounding by sailing ship railings, pins and cordage. In a slightly lowered dining area classic black vinyl seats surround rope framed, thickly-lacquered tables in an area resembling a forecastle.

The Schooner Pub, Lakewood, WA
In the early 70s, Donald Dean Kitchen left the construction business to build and run a bar and restaurant, opening the doors to the Schooner in 1972. Vestiges of the 70s include a coin-operated cologne plunger in the men's room. The bar provides the sort of wide range of functions that suburban bars often do -- comfort food restaurant, nightclub, sportsbar, karaoke joint, etc. Don passed away in 2013 and the place is now run by his children Mike and Rita, but may have little time left as the owners appear to be negotiating with people looking to replace the 43 year institution with a Chick-fil-A drive-thru (newstribune). If you're in western Washington and haven't been there, you should probably go while you still can.

The Schooner Pub, Lakewood, WA

The Schooner Pub, Lakewood, WA


5429 100th St SW, Lakewood, WA 98499 - (253) 584-1919
Est. 1972
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: theschoonerpub.com - facebook
Reviews: northwestmilitary - tripadvisor - yelp

#2412 #1218 - Cask and Trotter, Seattle - 2/13/2014

There's nothing particularly outstanding about the bar at this new barbecue joint in South Lake Union, but they do have some good whiskey choices and fairly good barbecue and comfort foods to go with your drinks.


711 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 453-4756
Est. 2013 - Building constructed: 1914
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: caskandtrotter.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor

#2411 #1217 - Tallulah's, Seattle - 2/1/2014

Tallulah's ("a neighborhood cafe") is one of my favorite new restaurants in the Seattle area. It is the first brand new space designed by Linda Derschang, who is better known around the neighborhood for transforming existing spaces with funky, hipster-friendly, rustic decor. This place is more sleek and elegant than most of her earlier places, and is said to be "inspired by a recent trip to Morocco and Spain, a love of mid-century design and the feeling of Big Sur in the 1970’s." (aneighborhoodcafe.com)

They describe the menu of chef Walter Edwards (Crush, Tilth, Golden Beetle) as "vegetable-driven without being vegetarian." I tried the grilled Halloumi cheese with roasted pears, which I thought was excellent, and a very nice lamb burger with zucchini, Harissa and fries. For cocktails I had a "Lost Acre" (rye, Dolin Blanc, Amaro Meletti, Peychauds), which I found excellent, and a "Benchmark" (rye, sweet vermouth, Campari, grapefruit) which was also quite good, and had pleasant conversation with various folks at the bar.


550 19th Ave E, Seattle, Washington 98112 - (206) 860-0077
Est. Dec 26, 2013 - Building constructed: 2014
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: aneighborhoodcafe.com - facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - seattlemeteater - capitolhillseattle - seattlemag - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor