Jason is Seattle's real-life version of the Soup Nazi. And he is awesome.

Yep, Jason is awesome. Here's an exchange I witnessed:

Jason: What are you gonna drink?
Customer: Um, just water.
Jason: We're out of water.

I still have my order memorized: White on dark, berry to go, easy mayo.

Bakeman's was the highlight of working in Pioneer Square. I really miss their food.

Jason is the best. So goddam funny. I rarely made it through the line without cracking up.

turkey mixed white and dark on wheat with mustard and horseradish onion lettuce tomato cranberry salt and pepper to go. boom. Line can be all the way to the non functional bar and you'll be outta there in 5-10 mins.

Meatloaf is good, too.

As a postscript, though I haven't been going long enough to remember when the bar was a bar, but do remember when that was the smoking section.

Yep, Jason was my go-to lunch guy for the years I worked nearby. More courthouse lawyers than city bureaucrats, in my memory. Even now, I stop in a couple times a year; he remembers my face but not my order. Great guy, great place.

Bakemans is one of the very few good things about pulling jury duty.

Bakeman's is the best. They saved my life back when I was broke in the mid nineties. I ate there nearly every day for four years. Jason would often slip me free pie or let me have a "tab." Finally when I got a decent job I came in to settle up and he was like "What? We don't do charity here. No way I ever gave you free stuff. You must've forgot paying."

That is fucking class right there.

Turkey mixed on white, extra mayo, tomato. Heaven. (Every so often I would confuse the "what are you having?" lady by ordering meatloaf w/ mustard and horseradish.) Add a side salad of iceberg with Italian dressing. Or chips and/or a slice of pickle. I ordered a diet ginger ale a couple of times and after that it was always handed to me at checkout whether I wanted it or not.
Thanks for reminding me. I ate there a million times while working in the area. I think I'll go back for lunch.

Best thing is the meatloaf sandwich

An excellent place that I don't get to very often because I am usually working in a different part of town when they are open. I think it was the Stranger that first made me aware of them in the late 90s. Regardless of the clientele, it's a wonderful blue collar type of eatery that the Stranger reviews too rarely nowadays. Reviews of more of these types of places would be a welcome change.

Turkey mixed on wheat, mayo, lettuce, tomato, cranberry. I never "got" turkey sandwiches until I tried this place. Love it. And I've had the cornbread or poppy cake dropped into my bag after I've paid the bill. Aces.

I worry a little about the place - as much as the growth of Pioneer Square food options make me (and my stomach) happy, I hope Bakeman's isn't lost in the shuffle (the lines don't seem as long or as consistent as they use to).

The closest thing i have to a daily affermation: Light on dark, swiss and yellow mustard for here.

white on wheat, mustard horseradish lettuce.

the Minestrone doesn't happen often, but get it when you see it.

yay Jason - good guy.

IT'S THE SANDWICH YOU MAKE THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING!

(i was told they roast 9 turkeys a day there)

Yum!yum! NOTHING beats their turkey and cranberry sandwich!

Turkey berry mixed on dark with lettuce and mayo to go. And a bowl of whatever soup made from turkey is on tap (they always have turkey noodle, but the turkey with wild rice is to die for). I remember when the bar was a bar, and Jason was a lot younger. Of course, I was, too.