March 18, 2010

Food & Drink

The Athenian in the Market

by Marti Jonjak

Athenian Seafood Restaurant and Bar

1517 Pike Place, 624-7166

Description: An antiquated bar and eatery in the Pike Place Market.

Decor: Views of Puget Sound, which are everywhere.

Celebrity happenings you already know about: A scene from 1993's Sleepless in Seattle was filmed there, featuring Tom Hanks (of Bosom Buddies fame) and Rob Reiner (five-time guest of The $10,000 Pyramid) enjoying beer and oysters. (By the way, fresh oysters on the half shell are $1 during happy hour.)

Celebrity happenings you haven't heard of till now: According to a Seattle Post-Intelligencer article written by Jim Moore in 2006, puffy comedian Jimmy Kimmel was an Athenian regular back in 1989, when he was living in White Center (!) and cohosting a radio show on KZOK. (They fired him after 10 months.)

What Kimmel drank at the Athenian "every single day after the show": Heineken.

Happy hours: Mon–Sat 4–7 pm.

Happy-hour drink specials: $2.50 Budweiser, $3 well drinks, $3.50 microbrews served in frosty mugs (Flagship Red Alt Ale, Hale's Troll Porter), $4.95 house wine.

Happy-hour food specials: A nice menu with specials falling within a $1.99–$3.99 range ($3.99 elk sliders with chipotle, $3.99 fresh salmon gyros).