You came home for Thanksgiving.
Maybe you drove hundreds of miles. Or you dragged your ass through airports at the most aggravating time of the year to fly. Or you just had to take the bus from your apartment in Georgetown to your parents' house in Magnolia.
However you got home, kid, you did your duty.
Then you did the polite-small-talk thing with relatives you barely know or can't stand. Then you did the eat-dry-turkey-and-store-bought-pie-all-gummy-with-corn-syrup thing. Then you did the watch-your-relatives-slowly-go-comatose-in-front-of-the-TV thing.
Now what?
How about the have-a-drink thing? But no family this time—you've earned a little alone time. Escape from the family to a bar owned by someone wise and compassionate enough to keep the place open on Thanksgiving. And don't think of it as a bar full of depressed strangers. Think of it as a bar full of one-night stands you haven't had yet.
We've pulled together a list of suggested bars—places that are open Thanksgiving night—where you can get a sanity-restoring drink after your family obligations are taken care of. What are you waiting for? Mom's asleep already and your father never really cared about you anyway. So slip out of the house. Booze and strangers—it's how God intended us to drink. Give thanks and tip well.
—Dan Savage
(Listings edited by Hannah Levin)
CAPITOL HILL/CENTRAL DISTRICT
LIBERTY
517 15th Ave E, 323-9898
On a holiday based, loosely, on flight from persecution (and also the serving of turkey), there may be no better place to escape than an establishment inspired, however loosely, by the theme of liberty (and also the serving of sushi). Liberty is medium-swanky, with reasonably priced cocktails, loud and sometimes bad music, puffy couches, and—for no other reason than that it goes well with liquor—sushi. (Vegetarian options are available, and tasty.) ANNIE WAGNER
ELITE
622 Broadway E, 324-4470
You know what's nice? Old gays. Having lived through shit today's queers can hardly imagine, aged gays are tough, sweet, and compassionate freaks who can hold their liquor and are most welcoming of newcomers. And while it's guaranteed that any nonelderly male visitor to the Elite will be hit on at least once by at least four different guys old enough to be his father, nervous newbies should know that old gay men rarely refuse to take no for an answer and are very easy to outrun. Plus, darts! DAVID SCHMADER
MARTIN'S OFF MADISON
1413 14th Ave, 325-7000
With the sad demise of Thumper's, Martin's Off Madison is left to carry on the vaguely upscale, piano-bar vibe on Capitol Hill all by itself. Like Thumper's, Martin's serves food; as with Thumper's, the food is not the draw. Booze and company are Martin's stock-in-trade. And for the gays and those who love them, Martin's is the proverbial clean, well-lighted place—also featuring the most phallic fireplace in the Western Hemisphere. DAVID SCHMADER
LINDA'S
707 E Pine St, 325-1220
Once your tryptophan coma has worn off and your family-tolerance levels have reached critical, a trip to Linda's can turn into a Thanksgiving-salvaging experience. Few bars are as comfortable, few pours as stiff, and few jukeboxes as stacked. Plus, if you didn't get enough to eat—or found yourself abandoned because your family, in fact, hates you—the food is a cut above the standard pub grub. BRADLEY STEINBACHER
KINCORA
518 E Pine St, 325-0436
Kincora is great because while it might be resting on the corner of the hippest street in the city, it's far more punk rock than the neighboring Cha Cha, Linda's, and Bus Stop—combined. You get your average hipsters in there, but there are also metal, punk, and skater dudes—the kids who don't sweep their poorly dyed black hair over their eyes and wear multiple belts. It's the real cool-kids club. MEGAN SELING
HAVANA
1010 E Pike St, 323-2822
If the holidays make you want to flee to another country—say, a small island nation under the control of a Communist dictator for the past 47 years—then Havana offers a decent, and much closer, substitute. Spacious and dimly lit, the bar is marbled glory, the walls artfully rustic, and the dance floor a well-polished wood. Drinks run from the standards to insanely complicated tropical concoctions; the mojitos, especially, are spot-on. Take a seat, down a few, and pretend you've made a getaway from the gloom of familial duties. BRADLEY STEINBACHER
CANTERBURY ALE & EATS
534 15th Ave E, 322-3130
Canterbury doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is—a grubby refuge with cheap liquor, pool tables, a fireplace, and fried bar food. It is perfectly situated, almost equidistant from a hospital (Group Health) and a cemetery (Volunteer Park). Because this is how we should spend the long, cold days between infancy and death—sitting by a fireplace with a book and a glass of booze. BRENDAN KILEY
TWILIGHT EXIT
2051 E Madison St, 324-7462
Twilight Exit is a very good place to go to forget about everyone else. It's a neighborhood bar for a peculiar, changing neighborhood. It's big. You don't really go for the food, although if you're hungry, its menu is generous. There are murals of nature scenes and pool tables and a jukebox and bartenders with personality and lots of different seating arrangements and windows with a view of some of the most theatrical crack activity to be watched anywhere in Seattle. It has the cozy, old-timey feel of holidays, minus any cuteness. CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE
U-DISTRICT/WALLINGFORD
FLOWERS
4247 University Way NE, 633-1903
Hot toddies are the nectar of the gods. Especially when the rain is pounding down, the Ave is flooded, and you are so soaked through that the cute bartenders make snide comments about the puddles you leave on the floor. Hot toddies are warm, sweet, and perfect at Flowers. Lean back, look up at the mirror on the ceiling, and admire your own brilliant idea of sneaking out and avoiding Grandma's hemorrhoid-prevention lecture. ARI SPOOL
BLUE MOON
712 NE 45th St, 545-9775
If the holidays fill you with regret—Thanksgiving again, and you still haven't finished writing the great American novel?—it's time to visit Blue Moon. Everyone's heard ad nauseam how it was embraced by world-class drunkies Dylan Thomas and Allen Ginsberg, and that supposedly Bob Dylan and Jack Kerouac were Blue Lunatics back in the day. That means you can relax your aspirations: The "legend" bit is taken care of; now just get blotto in history's afterglow. PAUL CONSTANT
EASTLAKE
CAFE VENUS AND THE MARSBAR
609 Eastlake Ave E, 624-4516
There's no better place to hide from holiday hell than Cafe Venus and the MarsBar, which is quite possibly one of the most laid-back and comfortable bars in the city, while still being pretty hip. Cafe Venus is the cozy little cafe in the front that serves a delicious menu until 10:00 p.m. on weekdays, and the attached MarsBar's got your liquor and beer, if you need more than amazing mac 'n' cheese to make it through the evening. MEGAN SELING
EASTLAKE ZOO
2301 Eastlake Ave E, 329-3277
Should you be in search of an unpretentious venue to comfortably corral a large group of friends in search of nothing more than barroom rock and ice-cold beer, this is your destination. There's no shortage of diversions—between the Ms. Pac-Man video game, shuffleboard, pool, and darts, anyone can snap out of a tryptophan-induced coma at the Zoo. Just remember that they only take cash and if you want anything stronger than a bottle of Rainier, you're better off ransacking your parents' liquor cabinet. HANNAH LEVIN
FREMONT
THE FREMONT DOCK
1102 N 34th St, 633-4300
I spent the evening of 9/11 at the Dock because I just needed to hunker down with close friends in a blue-collar bar and get completely, utterly annihilated. Along with the neighboring Pacific Inn, there are few better north-end bars for just such an escapist endeavor. The presence of a satellite jukebox means you can download everything from vintage Springsteen to the Hold Steady. The women tending bar are virtually always a delight, keeping the occasional loudmouth in line with sharp wit and merciless sarcasm. If your conservative uncle is making you want to cut and run, this is an excellent, salt-of-the-earth sanctuary. HANNAH LEVIN
TOST
513 N 36th St, 547-0240
If you want beer, go to the grocery aisle. This is for escape artists in need of heavy cover. It's dark and the DJ loudly stumbles from Salt-N-Pepa to smooth jazz. The drinks are gracefully brawny. Grab a cushion in the corner near the fire and start in with the Mercer Island Tea, a convicted mother-in-law killer: Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire, Bacardi, and Sauza Hornitos ($10). (There's wireless, too, so you can even call it work.) JEN GRAVES
BALLARD
HAZELWOOD
2311 NW Market St, 783-0478
Owners Drew Church and Ben Shepherd are old friends; liberal, literate fellows; and occasionally collaborative musicians, so perhaps that's why stepping through the doors of Hazelwood feels like entering a slightly upscale, but inviting, clubhouse (or perhaps a salon that could attract Lewis Lapham's entourage on the right night). The cocktails are crafty, old-school classics and the intimate atmosphere makes it an ideal rendezvous point for old, out-of-town friends who want to meet, spill secrets, and get elegantly wasted reminiscing about all the hell they raised "back in the day." HANNAH LEVIN
THE BIT SALOON
4818 17th Ave NW, 782-1680
Couldn't sneak a smoke at your parent's place? Well, the Bit built itself a legally sanctioned smoking deck out back where you can indulge your love of liquor and nicotine in tandem. Granted, it's not glamorous, but it's covered and space heaters make it (relatively) cozy, and you'll undoubtedly encounter plenty of other patrons bonding over their shared vices and collective relief that they're done with dinner and on to the important task of drinking to dull the pain. HANNAH LEVIN
GREENWOOD/PHINNEY
EL CHUPACABRA
6711 Greenwood Ave N, 706-4889
If you're a fan of margaritas and Day of the Dead aesthetics, yet the Cha Cha sets off your pretentious hipster alarm, this is your new favorite bar. The owners are old-school punk and metal aficionados and it shows on the jukebox (the Toy Dolls, the Dils, Slayer, and the Undertones are all in heavy rotation), while the margaritas are always freshly composed and vigorously hand shaken. The fact that it's a converted old-world bungalow with a fireplace just adds to the homey vibe—and all but guarantees that the place will be packed with orphaned rockers on Thanksgiving night. HANNAH LEVIN
BELLTOWN/REGRADE
SIX SEVEN
2411 Alaskan Way, 269-4575
The Edgewater Hotel may have originally garnered its infamous status because of a much-ballyhooed fishing expedition conducted between Led Zeppelin and an inexplicably receptive groupie, but this waterfront hotel underwent a major remodel a few years ago and now houses Six Seven, an exceptionally well-run seafood restaurant with stunning views and a lovely, low-key cocktail lounge. Should you be hoping to get laid after you're done with family time, this is an ideal setting for seducing your date—especially since you can always grab a room afterward. HANNAH LEVIN
DOWNTOWN/PIONEER SQUARE
OWL 'N THISTLE
808 Post Ave, 621-7777
If your crappy retail job is keeping you stuck in Seattle for Thanksgiving, there's nowhere more full of teary-eyed homeward yearning than the Owl 'N Thistle. Occupying the opposite side of the block from a faux-Irish corporate bar, the Thistle is bursting with Irish expats who'd be perfect companions for a Thanksgiving in exile. You're sure to start conversations with real or adopted McFolk who are willing to buy you a Guinness, share a bowl of stew, and cry over yer departed mum, be she separated from you by an ocean or the Holy Ghost. PAUL CONSTANT
QUEEN ANNE
THE GREAT NABOB
819 Fifth Ave N, 281-9850
Belly up to the long, slinky bar, order a pantalones del fuego (Mazama Pepper vodka, crème de cassis, fresh lime juice, with salted rim) and chat with owner Devlin McGill about pre-prohibition cocktails versus post-, Peruvian fertility monkeys, and his mother's aborted career as a Benedictine nun. Or retreat to a private table with a delicious bourbon basil cooler (guaranteed to woo both bourbon and basil skeptics) and contemplate a better world in which you are an only child. CIENNA MADRID
WEST SEATTLE
POGGIE TAVERN
4717 California Ave SW, 937-2165
From the overhead-fluorescent brightness to the 45 different pull-tabs for sale at the bar, West Seattle's Poggie Tavern earns its nickname, "Little Reno." Unlike the actual Biggest Little City in the World, however, Poggie only sells beer and wine, and its only food offering is made-to-order DiGiorno pizza. Nevertheless, an evening at Poggie Tavern is a surreal delight. (And if you're a beer drinker who loves pull-tabs, it's heaven on earth.) DAVID SCHMADER
ALKI TAVERN
1321 Harbor Ave SW, 932-9970
Judging by its name, one would expect West Seattle's Alki Tavern to be a brewpub filled with upwardly mobile rollerbladers. In fact, it's an old-school, one-room, lodge-styled bar, and a total fucking charmer. Offering everything any normal person could want in beer and liquor (here, tavern is a state of mind, not an alcoholic restriction), the Alki also slings good and plentiful grub, with Thursday bringing the legendary, beloved-by-bikers $1 Taco Night. If there's a more entertaining way to spend Thanksgiving than getting drunk in a thrillingly unpretentious bar offering $1 tacos, it's illegal. DAVID SCHMADER
SODO AND BEYOND
HOOVERVILLE
1721 First Ave S, 264-2428
If your idea of giving thanks for life's bounty involves beer and Johnny Cash, it's time to give Hooverville a try. The floor's covered with peanut shells and the video games are cowering in the back; this is a bar for shooting the shit, telling a dirty joke or two, and guzzling a pitcher too many. The surrounding no man's land of Sodo probably helps with the blue-collar vibe, but if you walk inside and the first and second words on your mind aren't "honest" and "good," son, there's something wrong with you. PAUL CONSTANT
RED FRONT Tavern
500 S King S, 223-9266
Are you getting all aggro because your mom won't loan you money for crack? Red Front Tavern is the perfect way to get a break! As you enter, you can smell the familiar reek of alcohol and bodily musk. A coke and whiskey, served with no coke, will soothe your frazzled nerves. Look through the jukebox and choose between pure funk and Paul Simon, play some pool, or get in a mumble fight with a fellow bum. ARI SPOOL
TOWER LANES
6323 Sixth Ave, Tacoma, 253-564-8853
Back home and want to reanimate your trashy former self? The bowling alley is a beautiful place to drink. Especially when accompanying the thin beers, bitter wines, and clatter of bowling pins are beautiful, beautiful pull-tabs, video games, pool tables, and an indoor minigolf course whose decrepitude makes any life look good in comparison, even one with three days left to go in the childhood bed. JEN GRAVES
UNDER THE BRIDGE
The beach on the southern side of Agate Pass, Bainbridge Island, no phone
Back in high school, we used to gather at night, on the beach, under the bridge, looking across the black waters of Agate Pass to the dark forests of the Suquamish reservation. We built small beach fires, drank filched booze, sometimes sang, and mostly talked. Once, two policemen came down the muddy trail to the beach. We saw their flashlights, heard them crashing through the brush, and scattered. Sometimes, around Thanksgiving or Christmas, you will find one of us home for the holidays, sitting alone with a small fire and bottle of booze, staring across Agate Pass and thinking about our younger days, when we drank under the bridge with friends. BRENDAN KILEY
VINO VOLO
Sea-Tac International Airport Central Terminal Marketplace, 433-5388
This excellent, excellent wine bar is in Sea-Tac International Airport. It's all fancy, new, and offers local wines at reasonable prices. (You can even get a decent Merlot for $6!) As Stranger writer Bethany Jean Clement pointed out [Bar Exam, Nov 2], the general mood of the place is up and positive. You don't feel like you are downing your last whiskey before boarding a doomed plane. Here there is hope; here there is life; here you can finally breathe after a long day with your stifling relatives. CHARLES MUDEDE
EASTSIDE
VINTAGE LOUNGE
10500 NE Eighth St, 21st floor, Bellevue, 425-462-4662
If possible, you'll want to come here at happy hour (4–6:30 pm) because the wines are not cheap (during happy hour, the price of the house wine, $12, is cut in half). The wine bar is part of Daniel's Broiler, a hardcore steak house, and is located on the 21st floor of the Bank of America building at Bellevue Place. Nothing like thin air, sky, clouds, and a glass of excellent wine to give you that sense of safe distance from the heaviness of the world, the family, and the turkey dinner. CHARLES MUDEDE
THE SHARK CLUB
52 Lakeshore Plaza, Kirkland, 425-803-3003
I doubt they'll be having their weekly $500 bikini contest, but as usual there will be 11 free pool tables, five screens for football on TV, and Jell-O shot drink specials. I'm told DJ Vinnie B, who usually spins on "Forbidden Fridays," will by spinning. And of course you can escape it all on the Shark Club's heated waterfront deck. JOSH FEIT
ROLLING LOG TAVERN
50 E Sunset Way, Issaquah 425-392-2964
Just because you're stuck out with your family on the Eastside doesn't mean you can't escape to a delightful dive bar after dinner. Originally a favorite hangout of loggers in the 1930s, this downtown pub is now a welcoming, rustic spot for locals and visitors looking for a laid-back locale to shoot pool and put away a pitcher (or several, as the case may be). HANNAH LEVIN
