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Two bartenders and a chef are working on a new Greenwood bar called Dark Room, coming soon to the corner of N 85th Street and Greenwood Avenue N. Chef Amy Beaumier and bartenders Matthew Gomez and Matt Hassler have all shared the news on Instagram, though Beaumier tells Eater she can’t reveal further details quite yet. Nonetheless, the trio appear to be taking over the home of clever cocktail bar Teachers Lounge (8505 Greenwood Ave N), whose website thanks the neighborhood for nearly 10 years and says, “We have sold the bar, so watch out for a new lounge in this space opening in early 2023.”
Gomez, aka Friendly Gomez, hints at the Teachers Lounge connection with a recent post about the Teachers Pet, a calvados and amaro cocktail he says will be a staple at Dark Room. Gomez has held outstanding pop-ups over the years at Greenwood’s Shanghai Room, including Wu-Tang Clan-themed Wu-Tails — hence why he was slated to curate the drinks for chef Syd Suntha’s 36-course Wu-Tang dinner this year, though he ended up not participating “due to unforeseen circumstances.” He’s also putting the finishing touches on a mobile cocktail bar called Grain and Garnish. The team’s other bartender, Hassler, is also a singer-songwriter and the frontman for the bands the Hasslers and Hi Wasted.
You may recognize Beaumier as the former chef of Ballard restaurant Joli. She co-founded that restaurant in 2017 before leaving after about six months, just as rave reviews were piling up. She has since worked at a variety of places, including Eric Rivera’s Addo; in her Instagram announcement, she shouts out a number of more-recent working relationships, including acclaimed pop-ups Chachi’s and Guerilla Pizza Kitchen, Tio Baby’s new home for stoner food in Fremont, Eastlake classic Serafina, and hot pizzeria siblings Lupo and Stevie’s Famous. While Dark Room only promises snacks, you can bet they’ll hold their own alongside excellent drinks.
Keep a close eye on this one on Instagram, wherever it lands.
