Cafe Racer in the University District is home to the Official Bad Art Museum of Art, an entire roomful of sad-eyed puppies, scary clowns, Elvises, Jesuses, and one red-haired lady being menaced by a lobster. The walls of the OBAMA appear to be reaching capacity, and at least one donation—they are sometimes ditched on the doorstep in the middle of the night—comes in per week.
If Cafe Racer could be said to have an identity, it might be as a
motor-scooter bar—a disco-ball-mirrored Vespa sits in the
museum, and some number of various makes are always parked outside. But
the main attribute of Cafe Racer is its happy hodgepodgery; here are
some clean-cut college types drinking beer, here is a lady with poppy
red lipstick and a big fur hat claiming your drink is her own in a
friendly but insistent manner, here is the fiddle player from the band
sneaking potato chips off an abandoned plate. (The menu is
simple, with Racer Dogs being the clear favorite. Of note in menu
verbiage: “We take pride in the fact that we are a friendly place… If
you want your food in 30 seconds, go to McDonald’s. If you don’t want
anyone to talk to you, go to Starbucks.” It’s true: The food takes a
while, and people will talk to you.) The decor is absolutely genuine
accumulation: mismatched furniture, a brass elephant with a dented
posterior standing on the bar, a king-size box of Alka-Seltzer
along with lots of stuff on shelves (some of it unidentifiable, no
matter how much you stare).
Bands play at one end of the museum directly in front of one of the
Jesuses, a large-scale savior rendered in marshmallow Peeps.
(The museum is also known as the Ruby Room, and it has another smaller
room protruding off it; the whole wing is a recent annexation of a
former ceramics shop. Rumor has it that another planned
space-appropriation will result in Cafe Racer’s own barbershop, to be
known as Cafe Razor. True? A joke? Hard to say; if ever a place
were full of people ready, willing, and able to pull your leg, Cafe
Racer is it.)
Last Thursday, a folk singer from Alaska opened for Shmootzi the
Clod, a star of the not-long-for-this-world Circus Contraption.
Shmootzi, a sort of gaunt, gallant, satanic clown, played songs
like “(I’ve Got a) Red Hot Pussy for Sale” with his band (fiddle,
washboard, etc.), which may or may not be called God’s Favorite Beef
Curtain. (Again, if legs are available, they will be pulled
here.) Find out next Thursday, or the Thursday after
that—Shmootzi’s band, by whatever name, is booked weekly for the
foreseeable future. 
the owner Kurt Geissel is the best part. Check his back story, he is an artist and possesses incredible wit. I am far from being a college kid, the clientele is quite eclectic and diverse in that sense. Beautiful vibe.
The posted hours are wrong…check our website for service hours at:
http://caferacerseattle.com/
Hope to see you soon!
Cissy
I like going to the Racer on weekend mornings for a bagel with cream cheese, cup of drip coffee and a copy of the Stranger (my weekly tradition.) The folks who work there as well as the patrons are generally friendly, sarcastic and witty. Lots of odd folks and old drunks seem to hang out, but nobody looks at me funny when I ride up to the scooter bar on my bicycle.
I love this place. Especially the people who work there.
I love thes place too. Set aside the mostly indifferent/rude bartenders, this place is one of the best hangout’s in the city. The food is tasty n filling and the brunch menu on the weekend’s is wonderfull.
I wish they would fence up the area around the tables on the sidewalk for drinking outside in the summer then it would be just about perfect.
I can be found here just about every Friday. There are some great bars in Seattle but what’s unique about Cafe Racer is there never seems to be anything to put me on my guard. Also there’s something very alluring about a bar that’s also a cafe that’s also a living room.
Cafe Racer is also the secret headquarters of “Friends of the Nib”, a group of cartoonists and illustrators.
You know how in “It’s a Wonderful Life” the happy, genteel, Italian-folksinging, Martini’s gets transformed into Nick’s Place?
Cafe Racer is both of those places rolled into one!
terrific corned beef hash on the weekends. and casual, friendly ambience always. and if you go in alone, you’re welcome with open arms. go once and you’ll go back.
I had my birthday party there and it was super fun. I have a picture of me in a big pink boa sitting on that lovely disco-ball sparkly Vespa. I have had some of the best times EVER at the Racer. Please don’t go there becuase its starting to get too crowded. But if you do go have Kurt make you a hot dog without bread. He makes them best!!
I hate the Cafe Racer. The bartenders are all filthy and they smell bad. The service is atrocious and the food is to die from. And God’s Favorite Beef Curtain is the worst band EVER! I’d avoid it like the plague if I were you, but I’m not you so you can do whatever you deem appropriate to, but if yer offended you can’t sue, ’cause skunks don’t have any money. Bugs ‘N’ Fishes, Mommy
The back room is the Official Bad Art Museum of Art, also known as OBAMA. It’s full of paintings of scary clowns, children and kitty’s with big eyes, Dogs Playing Poker, paint-by-numbers, and even a few black velvet Elvi. http://www.OfficialBadArtMuseumofArt.com
“cafe racer…where WE’RE not happy till YOU’RE not happy. i’m going there right now. Brunch with the bickersons! how could i not?
Awesome place! Always a great vibe. One of Seattle’s best hangout spots.