Best Bars
The Smart Drinker's Guide to Seattle
By James Ross Gardner, Jessica Voelker, and Christopher Werner
The New Eastside Story
In the beginning there was Bellevue, a little city with a ragged skyline of towers anchored by eateries splashed with neon and conceived by men in corporate boardrooms. Then came Seattle hospitality vet Mikel Rogers and chef Bradley Dickinson to rescue the people from menus and floor plans and servers that looked the same in Bellevue as they did in Bakersfield or Dallas. They opened Pearl Bar and Dining in November 2008. In back, Dickinson dished Northwest fare. Up front, Rogers lorded over the bar. Concoctions like the Perfect Pearl Martini (with Spokane-distilled Dry Fly vodka) and the Shiso Wild Drop (shiso leaves ground with huckleberry sugar and wild berry vodka) lured patrons, who beheld the silvery, spangled scene—the shimmering glass sculpture, the speckled bar top reflecting galaxies of light. All this gave the impression that one was not just a warm body with a credit card, but special, a pearl sitting inside an oyster shell. And these patrons, these acolytes of this new oyster cult, drained the spirits from their glasses and thanked the heavens for Pearl. Pearl Bar and Dining, 700 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, 425-455-0181; www.pearlbellevue.com
A Little Mystery
Know what? We’re not even going to tell you the best thing about The Buck, the cowboy-themed bar that opened on the hill last September. Because the best thing about the Buck isn’t the thin-crust pizza, the boot-shaped shot glasses made for throwing back whiskey, or the way your Olympia arrives in a mug frostier than a Ford Bronco’s windshield on a Wyoming winter’s day. The best thing about the Buck, the thing that encapsulates the overall playfulness of the place—even more than the log-cabin paneling or the servers’ habit of climbing into the booth with you—is in the restroom. Yes, the restroom, the one to the left, to be exact. Go. Look. And you’ll keep coming back, partner. The Buck, 1506 E Olive Way, Capitol Hill, 206-329-2493; www.myspace.com/thebuckseattle
Drinks Lab
You go to Canlis when Grandma turns 90, when Cousin Fred makes partner, when the divorce papers are final. You do not go to Canlis for experimental cocktails. But you should. Because back in the lounge, bartender James MacWilliams is quietly leeching phenolphthalein from fruit skins, steeping botanicals in special stills to create potent oils, cooking garnishes sous vide on his induction burner. The results—drinks that change color, consistency, and taste as you sip them—are simply not to be missed. Canlis, 2576 Aurora Ave N, Queen Anne, 206-283-3313; www.canlis.com
Raising the Bar Fare
Maybe it’s an ante raiser born from the law requiring them to serve food, but for some reason Seattle bars serve up some of the world’s best pub grub. Case in point: Oliver’s Twist, where chef Dan Braun (he co-owns with Sarah Braun) is quietly redefining fun food. How we could go on about dipping the mini grilled cheese sandwich into a foamy tomato soup “cappuccino”; smothering fingerling potatoes dripping with duck fat in homemade aioli, and finishing the meal off with a melty chocolate-and-marshmallow-brioche sandwich. If we weren’t so distracted by Braun’s bites, we’d surely be gushing over the drinks named for Dickens characters (Mr. Sowerberry packs a puckery grapefruit punch). Made with fresh herbs and juices, they are, in a word, perfection. Oliver’s Twist, 6822 Greenwood Ave N, Phinney Ridge, 206-706-6673; www.oliverstwistseattle.com
Published: May 2009
TAKE THE LINDA'S QUIZ
Legendary watering hole Linda’s Tavern celebrated its 15th anniversary this year. But you knew that. What else do you know about one of the city’s most beloved bars? Linda’s Tavern, 707 E Pine St, Capitol Hill, 206-325-1220
1. What famous actress was booted from Linda’s for underage drinking?
2. Which one of these bands does not have a member who worked at Linda’s?
a) The Shins
b) Murder City Devils
c) Modest Mouse
d) Pretty Girls Make Graves
3. How many tattoos do the current Linda’s employees have combined?
4. Where did Kurt Cobain sit during his last visit?
5. Which of the following items have been stolen from Linda’s?
a) Bobcat
b) Men’s room toilet
c) Pay phone
d) All of the above
ANSWERS Check page 7.
How is it possible that you did a profile of Seattle best cocktails without mentioning Spur Gastropub? David’s drinks are, by far, some of the best and most inventive in the city, and happy hour pricing is only $6 for all Spur Cocktails (they usually run from $9-$12). In my opinion, this was a very serious omission on your part.
We definitely love Nelson’s drinks. Check out this Sauced post! http://www.seattlemet.com/blogs/sauced/spur-davidnelson-0428/
We started out with a long list of bars. Spur was on it. Along the way, we eliminated establishments where we encountered issues in service, product, atmosphere, etc. Spur did not, in the end, make the cut, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some amazing qualities—cocktails chief among them.
So…any other serious omissions?
-JV
Knee High is a great hideaway in plain sight. Coming from NYC, we frequented Knee High while in Seattle recently, and felt right at home in its scene (great ppl watching and atmosphere). We loved the cocktail and food prices: average $5 drinks (my favorite was the pomegranate and pimms concoction called P&P) and $6 dishes (must have homemade chicken potpie). Everybody working there including the proprietors Jack and Michelle were always on hand to look after us, and this extra TLC made our experience that much more memorable.
From what I’ve read, Tini’s won all their awards being progressive in cocktails pre-2008 if I’m not mistaken.
By not copying recipes from the 40’s because it was hip at the Pegu Club 5 yrs ago.
“It’s not as packed as it use to be…” He said it, not me.
Hey buddy, will ya buy me a drink?
this is only a test