contents
PUB
CRAWLS
BREWPUBS
BREW
CLUB PROFILE
BRITISH,
IRISH
CHI-CHI
COCKTAILS
THE
SCIENCE OF DRINKING
FUN
AND GAMES
GAY
BARS
KARAOKE
OUTDOORS
SPORTS
BARS
THE
YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
WINE
WINE
WORDS
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Bars, pubs, taverns, inns, beerhalls...they're all
the same, aren't they? For some, this may be true. These are
the amateurs, the oh-I-think-a-beer-sounds-good-tonight types
who only get drunk on St. Paddy's Day or if the eggnog was
spiked in secret.
Others are more picky when it comes to choosing where to
imbibe. Yuppies don't quaff hefeweisen at rafters-and-taxidermy
taverns, and cowboys don't frequent frou-frou wine bars
seeking a lovely new blush or chardonnay. Drinking establishments
appeal to certain personalities--and if your inner voice
is a sullen wino-in-training who slurs, "Feed me," you are
drawn to places where serious drinking is done. Some call
them dives. Others affectionately label them old-man bars.
And a few just call them home.
Why home? Because these are the types of bars where, as
the song goes, "everybody knows your name," and the drink-slingers
wink at you and automatically bring you "the usual." Or,
at the opposite end of the spectrum, the waitress acts like
an angry mom, stressed out after a long day of work and
in no mood for your noise and shenanigans. In either case,
these bars make few pretensions: no contrived thematic décor,
no trendy and expensive lighting fixtures, no greedy posturing
at target markets and high-end demographics. The drinking's
the thing. All else is extraneous.
HUNG FAR LOW
See Pub Crawl 1.
112 NW 4TH AVE., 223-8686.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
JEANNE'S (A.K.A. THE GARLIC GULCH)
Though it's one of the smallest bars in town, there's almost
always a free booth at this often-overlooked spot for a
quick mixed drink. It's got everything you want in an amiable
dive--a variety of liquor, low lighting, puffy vinyl seats--and
almost none of what you don't, like rednecks looking to
fight and scammers looking to score. Maybe I'm just a sucker
for any place that has gold-veined mirrors.
1101 SE DIVISION ST., 236-4393.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
JOE'S CELLAR
A down-to-earth sanctuary in yuppie Northwest, Joe's Cellar
is a lounge in the best sense of the word: It's dark and
makes you feel like drinking. It also has a sweet pool table
with lion heads on the corners. If the owners wanted to,
they could add some hip lighting and retro chairs and court
the cocktail nation, but they're too smart for that--trends
fade, but Joe's should be here for a while. Unfortunately,
the residential neighborhood decrees it has to close by
1 am.
1332 NW 21ST AVE., 223-8825.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
MY FATHER'S PLACE
Like many borderline dives, My Father's Place verges on
hipster hangout during prime hours--mainly for weekend brunches
and pre-concert vittles. Two pool tables, video poker, pinball
and arcade games cater to these tattooed folk, while the
inexpensive well drinks and glasses of Hamm's are there
for all. Some wonder about the decorations, which feel like
someone raided grandma's memory chest and grandpa's tool
chest, but my question is, "Where--and why--did they collect
all those airline bottles of liquor?"
523 SE GRAND AVE., 235-5494.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
SANDY HUT
The Hut's vaguely triangular shape is perhaps its most
distinguishing feature from the outside. Inside, it's an
odd selection of angles and nooks, with an anachronistic
kidney-bean cutout in one ceiling section and numerous games
tucked here and there (including pool, shuffleboard, video
poker and the ubiquitous Golden Tee golf game). The food
is inexpensive and perfectly filling, and if you tip right,
your drinks will be the same. For added entertainment, see
if you can name all the caricatures in the old celebrity
mural.
1430 NE SANDY BLVD., 235-7972.
OPEN DAILY. BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR.
SPEAKEASY TAVERN
The basement location of this joint used to be one of its
main charms, but it's become one of its main drawbacks:
The neighbors in the apartments overhead now force it to
close at an early hour (10 pm weekdays, midnight weekends).
Still, if you motivate instead of procrastinate, you can
get a $1.50 PBR and shoot a game of pool or shuffleboard,
or just hang out in the low-ceilinged room to get your recommended
daily allowance of second-hand smoke. It's blue collar all
the way, with the occasional biker, too, so you know the
rich kids will stay away.
6091/2 SE TAYLOR ST., 234-8991.
OPEN DAILY. BEER AND WINE.
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