Life Behind Bars
I work within a few steps of the soon-to-debut South Lake Union Trolley ... er, Streetcar. Like so many who work in the Cascade ... oops, I mean South Lake Union area, I will soon be able to hop the streetcar at lunchtime and dine at the upper-crust establishments in Westlake Center: They have a McDonald's and a Sbarro.
By Geoff Carter | October 16, 2007
Life Behind Bars
For the All-American sports fan coming out for the usual games, this is everything you'd expect in a sports bar: big TVs, cheap beer, chicken wings and a few half-time distractions such as pool and video games. For those with more worldly concerns, The Spectator is a "sporting establishment": the same thing, only with a few extra syllables, an implied foreign accent and unusual opening hours that signal to fans of soccer, rugby and other more exotic sports that this is their place, too.
By Cody Ellerd | March 21, 2007
Life Behind Bars
Located inside the space once occupied by Ballard Hardware (the faded letters of the former occupant's sign are still visible) and between longtime Ballard Avenue magnets Hattie's Hat and the Tractor, King's Hardware is the rarest kind of new bar: From its hardwood fixtures to its wall festooned with tacked-up vintage photos, the place feels as old as the hills. If I were visiting this part of Ballard for the first time, I could easily take King's Hardware for Old Ballard – simply a no-nonsense bar with a pool table, a Skee-Ball machine (why not?), a giant outdoor seating area and a killer menu of burgers 'n' brews. Plus, it has an adjoining door with a new branch of Rudy's Barbershop - so not only can you get a snappy new haircut nearby, but you don't have to walk far for a celebratory, post-shearing cocktail.
By Geoff Carter | September 6, 2006
Life Behind Bars
Seattle barflies seem to disregard the Eastside, but just over the 520 Bridge are some swanky new clubs and long-time favorite taverns. Whether you're after a dive bar where you can listen to Pat Benatar or a place to be seen with your Prada purse, there's a perfect spot for you outside of the Seattle city limits.
By Katherine Sather | March 6, 2006
Life Behind Bars
At the intersection of Ballard Avenue and Market Street, the BalMar marks the intersection of two generations: old Ballard and the new, urban village it has become.
By Lori Hinton | December 2, 2005
