#2592 #S1274 - Maple Bar, Seattle - 8/19/2014

The Maple Bar, Seattle, WA

Search online for "Maple Bar Seattle" and you will find stories about an infamous late night maple bar heist from Top Pot Doughnuts by a former Seahawks star. But "The Maple Bar" bar is a joint that opened up in the space of the much beloved Maple Leaf Grill, which spent the last 15 years of its 25 year run tucked into this north Seattle bungalow. The cozy neighborhood restaurant is now run by cousins Libby Cook and Heather Ramsay, who have also been running Daphne's up north in Bellingham. In addition to the intimate, friendly atmosphere they serve some nice takes on traditional diner dishes, along with some refreshing shrubs and other cocktails with an emphasis on fresh juices. (And yes, at least the last time I was there, you can get a maple bar at the Maple Bar.)

8929 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115 - (206) 402-6135
Est. Aug 23, 2014 (soft open previous weekend) - Building constructed: 1925
Previous bars in this location: Maple Leaf Grill (1999-2014)
Web site: maplebarcocktails.com - facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - mapleleaflife - yelp - tripadvisor - thestranger 

#2591 #S1273 - Vittles, Seattle - 8/17/2014

Update: Vittles closed in October 2017, noting that they are looking for a new location.

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Vittles, Seattle, WA

I don't even know how to describe the menu at Vittles. It's as if someone took a broad menu from a cross section of American restaurants and told the chef, okay, make all these, but a little smaller and a lot more interesting. There are crab beignets, watermelon feta salads, polenta, poutine, calamari, and various fancy burgers and flatbreads and pastas and salads -- and all prepared a bit better than you normally see. They also have some pretty good cocktails, and for a while in 2016 employed Seattle's legendary bartender Murray Stenson (which must have garnered some attention from the folks at Rob Roy next door). You won't wind up here from thinking "I feel like XYZ cuisine tonight," but that shouldn't keep you from going.

2330 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 448-3348
Est. Aug 2014 - Closed Oct 2017 - Building constructed: 1950
Previous bars in this location: Madhu
Web site: vittlesseattle.com - facebook
Reviews: zagat - eater - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor 

#2590 #S1272 - Taylor Shellfish, Seattle - 8/16/2014

Taylor Shellfish, Seattle, WA (Pioneer Square)

Oysters. I'm not a fan. And I certainly can't understand anyone who would look at a geoduck and think, hey, I'd enjoy having that in my mouth. On the other hand, people are weird, lots of them treasure the slimey things, and people have been eating them in these parts for a few millenia. And if I'm honest, the dungeness crab that I see as one of the very most delightful things to have in your mouth is almost as counter-intuitive.

Washington state produces more oysters than any other state in the country, and the largest oystering company in North America is Taylor Shellfish. J. Y. Waldrip, the great-great-grandfather of the Taylors currently running the business started pulling oysters from the area in the 1890s. It was the current generation's father, Justin Taylor, who built the business into the largest in America, and at times he had to fight to do it, filing the first environmental lawsuit in Washington state to save and restore the south Puget Sound oyster populations from pollution killing off the industry in the 50s and 60s. The Taylors are also credited with saving the Kumamoto stock after it became virtually extinct in Japan. (Washington state is now home to all edible species of oyster, but with the exception of a small number of Olympias, these are not native to the area.) Today the Taylors remain vigilent on the environmental front, as ocean acidification from rising global carbon emissions once again threaten oyster populations.

Over the last few years Taylor Shellfish has opened three retail restaurants in Seattle, two of which I count as bars (i.e. having a physical area dedicated to alcoholic drinks where minors are not allowed). The Pioneer Square version is located in the Washington Shoe Building, constructed in 1891-92 in the wake of the Great Seattle Fire having destroyed the machine shop previously on the premises. The Washington Shoe Company operated here for eight decades before moving south to Renton in 1996. To date I have identified no bars previously in the space.

The interior of the restaurant is simple and pleasant with lots of exposed brick. The food focus is of course seafood, but they complement this with a very solid bar program featuring choices like Boulevardiers, Corpse Reviver $2s, Torontos, and Last Words. It's a pleasant stop just north of the sports stadiums -- You can have the oysters, I'll have the crab, and we'll leave the geoducks to the tourists.

410 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, WA - (206) 501-4060
Est. July 22, 2014 - Building constructed: 1892
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: taylorshellfishfarms.com - pioneersquare - facebook
Articles ranked: seafoodnews - thestranger - suzi-pratt - drunkentomato - seattlemet - oysterrater - yelp - tripadvisor - thrillist - eater 

#2589 #S1271 - Box House Saloon, Seattle - 8/16/2014

Box House, Seattle, WA (Pioneer Square)

The Box House, named for the theater-bar-brothels that peppered this side of "skid road" in the late 19th century, states that it keeps the spirit of those days alive and maintains a "country spirit." It's not abundantly clear how they're doing that, however, unless it's the 1800s-style flatscreen TVs playing sports or the old fashioned country disco balls and lasers. I guess the do have liquor, just like people did in the 1890s, and they have a couple Tex-Mex items on the menu. But the real play of the Box House is sports bar by day and dance club at night. I don't see a unique draw here and that could be a tough call with the competition on the same block in both areas, but they've already made it past the three year mark, by which approxiamtely half of all new bars and restaurants have closed.

124 S Washington St, Seattle, WA 98104 - (206) 748-9975
Est. Aug 14, 2014 - Building constructed: 1900 or earlier
Previous bars in this location: The Borderline, Dutch Ned's, Last Supper Club, The Fenix
Web site: boxhouseseattle.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp 

#2588 #S1270 - Monsoon, Seattle - 8/11/2014

Monsoon, Seattle, WA

Monsoon has been here since 1999 but they did not add the lounge until 2014, a few years after owners Eric and Sophie Bhan had begun expanding to new Monsoon and Ba Bar locations in the Seattle area featuring craft cocktail bars. This was the first restaurant from the Bahns, siblings who grew up in Saigon and fled with their parents to a Malaysian refugee camp, then Seattle by way of Alberta (seattleweekly). They currently run two Monsoon locations and three Ba Bars, all serving largely revolving menus of some of the better plates in the region, with a special focus on modernized versions of Vietnamese dishes using local northwest ingrediants. Some of the favorites people mention are the caramelized Idaho catfish claypot with fresh coconut juice,  and green onion, the oxtail pho, and the grilled Monterey squid stuffed with duck meat and La Lot beef. This location also includes a rooftop patio that I have yet to experience.

While the craft cocktails do not disappoint, this location in particular feels like much more of a dinner or lunch stop than a place where you would hang out at the bar. I may have to go a couple more times before I'm sure I'd put it among my top stops strictly as a bar, but if you're hungry I would not hesitate.

Monsoon, Seattle, WA

615 19th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112 - (206) 325-2111
Est. 2014 (bar), 1999 (restaurant)
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: monsoonrestaurants.com/seattle
Articles ranked: thestranger - seattlemag - winesandspirits - okgourmet - fearlesscritic - seattleweekly - seattlemet - richardsilverstein - edibleseattle - yelp - tripadvisor 

#2587 - J. Michael's Pub and Eatery, Redmond, WA - 8/3/2014

In most ways this is a standard suburban stripmall sportsbar (despite being just off Redmond Way and near downtown), but it is a little more homey than most. Along with better than average pub food, they have bingo, trivia, chili cookoffs and a bison head.

J. Michael's Pub & Eatery, Redmond, WA

Suburban Stripmall Sportsbar Checklist

Located in strip mall or shopping center
 On a highway
TVs with sports on
Lots of corporate beer paraphernalia
Pull Tabs
Pub Food Menu - Burgers, Salads, Pizzas, Wings, Tacos, Steaks
Karaoke
Pool Tables
Cocktail focus on sweet juices and flavored vodkas
75% male customers
Backwards baseball caps
 Middle aged cover bands (70s rock, soul, funk) on weekends

"Severed with chips"?

15770 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA 98052 - (425) 883-6065
Est. 1985? - Building constructed: 1966?
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook
Reviews: seattlepi - yelp - tripadvisor 

#2586 #S1269 - Bell + Whete, Seattle - 7/29/2014

Bell+Whete, Seattle, WA

Update:  Bell + Whete closed in early 2017 and was refashioned into Belltown Brewing.

Wait, what? Marcus Charles now has a new place with a menu based on the ancient Normans? Well, it's not as bleak as you might guess -- I actually like their modern take on European dishes (pork knuckles, boar, roasted fowl, oxtail, etc.) and they have a broad selection of beers and some fairly nice cocktails to boot. The decor features prints in the style of middle aged woodcut prints with just a little too much shiny metal to remind one of the old medieval themed steakhouses of a few decades ago (anybody remember Barnaby's near Northgate?). Locals know owner Marcus from about a several different bars in town, which currently include Local 360, just a block away, and a portion of the Crocodile Cafe and Mama's Mexican Kitchen also in Belltown. This place seems a little more fastidious and less informally cozy than most his other places have been, but it seems like a nice new alternative.

200 Bell St, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 538-0180
Est. July 12, 2014 - Closed 2017 - Building constructed: 2012                     
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: bellandwhete.com
Articles ranked: heedthehedonist - seattleite - heedthehedonist - gastrolust - seattlerefined - thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor - thrillist   

#2585 - The Office Bar and Grill, Tacoma, WA - 7/27/2014

The Office Bar & Grill, Tacoma, WA

The Office, with an exterior sign made to look like post-its, is a beer and sports centric bar with modern pub food in an old brick building in downtown Tacoma. While it does not appear to have housed many bars over the years (the spaces to the left and right of it have had a few more), I did find one un-named bar listed here in 1913, owned by an R. Rosenbind.

813 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402 - (253) 572-3222
Est. Aug 14, 2010
Previous bars in this location: Unknown 1913
Web site: theofficeonpacific.com - facebook 
Reviews: northwestmilitary - tnt - tnt - yelp

#2584 - Jimmy Mac's Roadhouse, Federal Way, WA - 7/27/2014

Jimmy Mac's Roadhouse, Federal Way, WA

Jimmy Mac's Roadhouse is one of a small chain of three Jimmy Macs in the area and part of a much larger group of restaurants in this style in mid-sized towns across America. The traditional American comfort food is pretty good and a pretty good value, and I wouldn't at all mind having a place like this somewhere in my neighborhood to help fill the Seattle steak gap (between crappy steaks and expensive steaks). The vibe is family-friendly, which is to say Pete-unfriendly, and the bar serves up candy flavored cocktails in 25-ounce glasses. (Beers are available in 25-oz, 16-oz or "Sissy 12 ounce.") The exterior is constructed to look like and old west town, while inside there are old signs and license plates on the walls, mid century diner vinyl seats, corregated metal, cutesy handwritten cardboard signs, and a big vat of peanuts (throw the shells on the floor!). The beef cuts are displayed under glass near the entrance -- and I'd be surprised if they didn't price out the possibility of having cattle wandering around that customers could select from like lobsters in a tank. If you are hungry and in a patient mood, it can be a fairly good choice.

P.S. If you stop here for food when it's nice out, consider slipping over the highway and spending a little time at West Hylebos Wetlands Park, which features some nice, short trails and the historic Denny Cabin.

34902 Pacific Hwy S, Federal Way, WA 98003 - (253) 874-6000
Est. 2007 - Building constructed: 2007
Web site: jimmymacsroadhouse.com - facebook
Reviews: seattletimes - yelp - tripsdvisor - zagat   

#2583 - Bud's Saloon and Steakhouse, Milton, WA - 7/27/2014

Bud's Saloon & Steakhouse, Milton, WA

Bud's says it has been around since 1934, but I haven't been able to find primary sources that go back further than the 90s, and tax records indicate that building was constructed in 1951 and either rebuilt or remodeled in 1989. Bud's is a large, suburban, sports bar, dance club, karaoke bar, pull tab room, and everything else, like many suburban bars these days. They feature DJs and live music from middle aged cover bands. The reviewer from  northwestmilitary noted 'One of the employees let me know that Saturday was more on the "country white" side, while Friday's were "more on the dark side." I appreciated his honesty, and the grand tour he gave me.'

So uhhhh, well, there you go.

2702 Milton Way, Milton, WA 98354 - (253) 952-7665
Est. year - Building constructed: 1951/1989
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: budsbarngrill.com - facebook
Reviews: northwestmilitary - yelp 

#2582 #S1269 - The Big Country - 7/26/2014

The Big Country Lakeside Saloon and Kitchen, Seattle, WA 

Update: The Big Country Lakeside Saloon closed in 2015.

The owners of A Terrible Beauty gave this big place on the south end of Lake Union a brief go as a one of those big suburban, western bars -- complete with peanuts, country western bands, and saddles and stuff on the walls. It was an ambitious plan and could have been a fun alternative if it caught on, but it's gone to boot hill.

1001 Fairview Ave N Ste 2000, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 588-1229
Est. July 4, 2014 - Closed 2015 - Building constructed: 1978
Previous bars in this location: 1Hundred Bistro, Citrus
Reviews: yelp - thestranger 

#2581 - King Solomon's Reef, Olympia, WA - 7/14/2014

King Solomon's Reef Lounge, Olympia, WA

In front "The Reef" (King Solomon's Reef Cafe and Lounge) is a mid-century diner serving both classic American diner food and more contemporary choices for the local student population (buffalo tempeh sandwich, chicken fried tofu strips, vegan chili, etc.). In back the Reef is a pleasantly dark dive bar. The lounge is currently referred to as simply the "Reef Lounge," after being known as the "Coral Room" for most of the second half of the 20th century. Highly recommended.

212 4th Ave E, Olympia, WA 98501 - (360) 742-3199                  
Previous bars in this location: Coral Room
Web site: kingsolomonsreef.com - facebook
Articles ranked: northwestmilitary - thesoundnews - yelp - tripadvisor - culturetrip - happycow 

#2580 #S1269 - Cyclops, Seattle - OOO

Cyclops, Seattle, WA

This entry is posted out of order, as somehow my initial list omitted Cyclops, despite my going there any number of times and it being the inspiration for my own basement bar. It was in admiring the lava lamps on the booths at Cyclops that it occurred to me that I could convert the unfinished full basement of my Seattle bungalow to a lounge, which in turn eventually led to my interest in tiki -- and interest that at first I didn't think anyone else in the world shared in the early 21st century -- and eventually to what I call the Monkey Skull Voodoo Lounge.

These were the days of Wilum Hopfrog Pugmire working in his Boy George get-up and Kurt Geissel's mini-television eyeballs slowly tilting back and forth within a metal pyramid frame. Years ago the business was established as Free Mars Cafe, notable for the jello mold covered exterior, before moving from Western Avenue in the late 90s and adding a bar. The new home on 1st Avenue is in the 1909 Glaser Building, orginally home to the Latona Hotel and used as a homeless shelter until the Ace Hotel folks remolded it into a boutique, 28-room hotel. (The Ace Hotel folks subsequently expanded to Portland, Palm Springs and Manhattan.)

But this location hosted bars well before the current building -- The Latona Beer Hall was here by 1890, continuing into the new building until prohibition. Shortly after prohibition the Sunset Tavern opened and remained here into the early 60s. It was briefly the Shaffer Beer Hall (a tribute to pre-prohibition owner H.L. Shaeffer one guesses) around 1983 before Cyclops and its Panther Room opened in 1999.

 The food is solid, the drinks are standard, the vibe is friendly and chill, and the decor is artsy, mid-century pop.

2421 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 441-1677                   
Est. Aug 1999 - Building constructed: 1909
Previous bars in this location:
Web site: cyclopsseattle.com - facebook
Articles ranked: seattletimes - seattleweekly - seattleweekly - tripadvisor - yelp - thestranger