Bar Exam

The best place to watch a Sounders match is, obviously, at Qwest
Field, with its marching band and giant-sized glitter that rains
down on the Astroturf. (Is that not distracting to the players? Maybe
they’d be scoring more if they played sans constant dazzlement?) But
even the $20 cheap seats plus stadium-priced beer and snacks is
a fast wallet-emptier.

If you want to experience the joy of victory, the agony of defeat,
or the seeming inevitability of a tie en masse without mass expenditure
(or for away games), the George & Dragon Pub (206 N
36th St, 545-6864) in Fremont provides the highest quotient of
Sounders-regalia-wearers. Everyone’s a fanatic, making for extremely
satisfying mass reactions—the entire crowd responds as one
lime-green-and-blue organism, fueled by pints and decent fish ‘n’
chips. In 2006, the George was voted one of the top 10 places to
watch un-American football in the United States by GQ. If
(hope springs eternal) the new home team goes anywhere playoffs-wise,
this will be where the party is. Bonus: a good-sized deck with TVs,
too.

Across the street and down a block is Seattle’s newest soccer bar,
Azzurri Vino Bar (223 N 36th St, 547-1050). As detailed recently
here, it’s kind of grubby, but Italian owner/proprietor Michele Zacco
is awesome; he broadcasts occasional decisive commentary while
handing out Peroni and pouring wine. Where the George is a reproduction
of a dark British pub, Azzurri’s a low-key, thrown-together
neighborhood place. Bonus/warning: Children may be present.

On Capitol Hill, Cafe Presse (1117 12th Ave, 709-7674) is
entirely civilized; if you want a perfect omelet and a Lillet with your
soccer, this is the place. Some people are glued to the game; some have
one eyeball on it while reading the newspaper with the other. The
Summit Public House (601 Summit Ave E, 324-7611) is like a pleasant
cave that happens to have several TVs and 22 beers on tap. Food: chips
(or pizza from next door). Then there’s the Elite (1520 E Olive
Wy, 860-0999), an airy, wholesome gay bar where everyone’s welcome and
discussion is bound to turn to jock straps and the contents
thereof. Bonus: good drink specials to go with the good
one-liners.

In the Seattle classic department: the Roanoke (2409 10th Ave
E, 324-5882), where local soccer teams have gone to drink after games
since the beginning of time, is another Sounders headquarters, with the
benefit of quite above-average pub food. Also: ping-pong on the
back deck for halftime. And in the destined-to-be-a-classic category:
Ballard’s the Dray (708 NW 65th St, 453-4527), which is all
toasty-colored wood, with pretty great sandwiches and a mighty
impressive beer selection. Soccer or no, you should go.