#2497 - Top of Tacoma Bar, Tacoma, WA - 4/4/2014

Top of Tacoma, Tacoma, WA

Crammed full of hipsters, the Top of Tacoma bar replaced long-running "Harry's Place," typically described as a "seedy dive," with a lively joint that has helpled revitalize the McKinley neighborhood, The art deco back bar apparently (?) came with Harry's, which had been here from at least the 50s until 2007. Along with Harry's, the owners also acquired Big Nick's Pizza next door and coverted it into a deli that also serves the bar with a solid menu of better than average modern pub food including sandwiches, tacos, salads, and pasta. If I lived in the area, I'm pretty sure this would be a regular stop.

3529 McKinley Ave E, Tacoma, WA 98404 - (253) 272-1502
Est. 2007 - Building constructed: 1945
Previous bars in this location: Harry's Place (1950s - 2007)
Web site: facebook
Articles ranked: movetotacoma - kevinfreitas - northwestmilitary - TNT - tacomaweekly (beer garden crash) - yelp - tripadvisor - instagram - dhomeyer

#2496 - Flying Boots (Spur Room), Tacoma - 4/4/2014

Flying Boots, Tacoma, WA

After 75 years in business, the Flying Boots Cafe and Spur Room bar closed on July 27, 2013. Thank the bar gods that new owners have snagged it and are trying to revitalize it. The current version has a relatively tiny selection of spirits (one hopes they'll be successful and expand the choices) and they have replaced the old school cafe menu with a typical contemporary bar food menu. The new menu emphasizes the wings (the name of the business is now "Flying Boots & Wings"). They also host live bands, and if this particular night was any indication, probably the worst karaoke singers in the northwest. But it was a fun crowd, and I had a pleasant chat with Dave, who is 71 years old and has been drinking here since 1964. Dave was happy to see the place re-opened and he approved of the night's young female bartender ("I like the whole package").

Flying Boots & Wings, Spur Room, Tacoma, WA

It's great to have any bar operating under that splendid sign, and the new joint is a nice place to have a beer and some wings and chat up some old locals. I like the whole package.

614 S 38th St, Tacoma, WA 98418 - (253) 475-9628
Est. July 1938 - current version reopened April 4, 2014 - Building constructed: 1960
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook
Articles: tnt - yelp - tacomaweekly - exit133

#2495 - The Mountain Tavern, Tacoma - 4/4/2014

The Mountain Tavern, Tacoma, WA

The Mountain is an old school, working man's dive that has been here on Pacific Avenue for a long time. Pierce County tax records list this building as having been constructed in 1939. However, city guides show a Mountain Tavern at this address at least as far back as 1935. With the standard Washington suburban bar features -- pulltabs, paraphernalia from the big beer corporations, pool, and characters of virtually all ages, the Mountain serves old school bar food including having Smitty Burgers on the menu for 30 years. I enjoyed chatting with local Rebecca about the bar and neighborhood.

The Mountain Tavern, Tacoma, WA

5520 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98408 - (253) 472-2993                 
Est. 1935 or earlier - Building constructed: 1939
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook
Reviews:  yelp

#2494 #S1233 - The Fuse Box Moto Tavern, Seattle - 4/3/2014

Fuse Box Moto Tavern, Seattle, WA

Seattle's smallest biker bar was created in a shack snug by Seattle Used Bikes on Aurora Avenue, just south of the city zoo. Jeremiah Robinson and Sean Westlake (a founder of the Cretins Motorcycle Club) opened the tiny joint with a focus on vintage motorcyles and local beers. It's a nifty, tiny spot for locals and bike lovers.

Fuse Box Moto Tavern, Seattle, WA

4911 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 701-9411              
Est. Oct 9, 2013 - Building constructed: 1936
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: fuseboxmoto.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor - thestranger

#2493 #S1232 - Twisted Pasty, Seattle - 4/2/2014

Twisted Pasty closed on Jan 7, 2016

Twisted Pasty opened for what would be a two-year run in Belltown with a menu built around the pasty ("pass-tee"), which originated in Cornish mining communities and spread to the American midwest. While the classic pasty wrapped beef, onion, potato and rutabaga in pie crust sort of wrapper, the "twisted" versions provided by the mother and daughter team here included things like curry chicken, chile verde, Philly steak, and chicken cordon bleu.

If you never went there, you may be envisioning a rustic diner with red and white checked tablecloths and 19th century tools on the walls. But Twisted Pasty was hosted in a dark-wooded, high-ceilinged space that feels like an old school steakhouse, including well-stocked wine racks and craft cocktail bartender Kevin (Vessel, Tavern Law, Knee High, Sun Liquor). E.g. I had a "Burning Redwoods," cedar-infused bourbon, Punt e Mes, maraschino liqueur, and orange bitters.

In short, it was a fine option for having some nice and affordable food you couldn't find anywhere else in the city, and while enjoying a top notch cocktail. In my bar data I gave it a 15% chance of making it three years, but that doesn't mean I personally won't miss it.

2525 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 402-3831                     
Est. Feb 26, 2014 - Building constructed: 1990 - Closed Jan 7, 2016
Previous bars in this location: Shallots, Henry and Oscar's
Web site: twistedpasty.com - facebook
Articles ranked: seattletimes - seattleweekly - eater - seattlemag - mybelltown - yelp - tripadvisor

#2492 #S1231 - Russell's Bar, Seattle - 3/30/2014

I'm not particularly fond of locations on the ground floor of newish condo buildings. But if you're going to do it, this is a good way -- with a neat, rectangular presence that feels like a neighbor's juiced up garage. The eponymous Joe Russell is a friendly, engaging guy, and thankfully he agrees with me that Sunday is the best drinking day of the week. His small bar reflects his amenable personality and provides a neighborhood joint for casual conversation. But it also provides a modern menu of elegant small plates -- and homemade pies -- which almost seems like a relief in this area where most the new joints have been emphatically high brow, and not a place where you'd just hang. They make some pretty good cocktails as well -- I enjoyed Joe's Sidecar.

Russell's, Seattle, WA

4111 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 547-1653                  
Est. March 21, 2014 - Building constructed: 2012
Previous bars in this location: None
Web site: russellsseattle.com - facebook
Reviews: seattlemet - wallyhood - yelp - eater - thrillist - thestranger

#2491 #S1230 - The Rhino Room, Seattle - 3/29/2014

The Rhino Room, Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA

The economic model of the urban dance club is a mystery to me. They always seem to packed with people when I see them, and often with a subset of guests only too eager to drop cash ostentatiously into vacuous perks like VIP sections. They may have limited hours, but when open they pack far more customers per square inch of space than other bars. They can't spend much money on liquor -- the tastes of their customer base tends to run toward things like candy flavored vodka concoctions at craft cocktail prices -- and their staff and fixed costs seem like they should be well understood. And yet they can never seem to stay in business.

The Rhino Room, Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA

You might glibly write off the management of these clubs as prone to the same excesses generally associated with their club scenes, but if the model worked, surely there would be cooler headed capitalists to step in and herd the cash cows back into the black. And yet, with the exception of one or two old school gay clubs, they never seem to outlast the suburban tavern that never has more than five people in it. Do laser lights and fog machines just have untenable maintenance costs?

Despite emulating Studio 54, the Rhino Room may not be strictly comparable to the clubs I have in mind. It's smaller, and it's run by folks with a deep history in upscale restaurants -- Patric Gabre-Kida (Book Bindery, Anchovies and Olives), Jacob and IL Mihoulides (Tavolata, How to Cook a Wolf), Emma Schwartzman and Chris Rice. And I have a fondness for bars named "The Room" especially if the is a random, remarkable artifact (Gabre-Kidan found the rhino on Craigslist).

I dropped by on a lazy Spring Saturday afternoon when I was one of two customers in the place. I had a nice cocktail, but not having stood in line for an hour to get in on a throbbing Saturday night, I'm really in no position to assess the place. Then again, even if I was, I'd have no idea if it will still be here tomorrow.

1535 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122                                        
Est. March 7, 2014 - Building constructed: 1906
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: therhinoroom.com - facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - seattlemet - capitolhillblog - capitolhillblog - yelp - thestranger