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Bartenders Reveal Their Under the Radar Drinking Joints

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When one serves drinks for hours, one needs an escape at the end of the night — preferably to a dim-lit establishment where stiff, cheap drinks are always on tap and the general population is not. In continuing with Cocktail Week 2013, some of Seattle's booze slinging proletariat dish on the under-the-radar bars they like to visit off-shift.

Do you have a favorite under-the-radar (or underrated) bar? Don't forget to tell us about it on the Open Threads!

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Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant

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Anu Apte, Rob Roy: "I like going to Fadó to watch fútbol and drink beer. When I do have cocktails, I go to places that aren't under the radar because I know they'll make the drink right. I also like going to Tavolata, Black Bottle, or Tillikum, for food and wine."

[Photo Credit]

The Yard Cafe

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Robert Rowland, Oliver's Twist: "I have my preshift pint at The Yard. Always great beer on tap and paired with a couple of adobada tacos and some fresh guacamole fortifies me for the looming shift to come."

[Photo Credit]

Polar Bar

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Gavin DeCantillon, Percy's & Co.: "The bar at the Arctic Club (The Polar Bar). It's grown and sexy, and has one of the best bartender's in Seattle. It's a gem."

[Photo Credit]

Sully's Snowgoose

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Jesh Madden, The Gerald: "$2 pints on Tuesdays, plus Caitlin is a super cute bartender."

[Photo Credit]

Loretta's Northwesterner

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Linda Derschang, Linda's/Oddfellows/King's/Bait Shop/Smith: "My new favorite place is Loretta's in South Park. My old favorite is Bottlehouse in Madrona. [Proprietors] Soni and Henri let me bring my dog Jack during the summer."

[Photo Credit]

Tyler Stamon, Stoneburner: "Beers and brown backs in all the hotel bars! You also get the most random crowd types. It's fun to meet business types or tourists. Plus, there's never industry there.
For vino, Marché in the market. Best patio and wine list in Seattle. Lots of variety and always a good experience. Cyril is a wine OG and all should pony up — he's a wealth of knowledge.
For a drink, though, Vito's and Cicchetti. Great little neighborhood bars with good spirits and food. Dive bars: Teddys on Roosevelt, Nickerson Street Saloon, The Zoo Tavern, and Laredos. I'm addicted to margarita machines!"

[Photo Credit]

The Grizzled Wizard

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Brady Sprouse, Smith and Oliver's Twist: "Grizzled Wizard for sure. It's a tiny little metal bar with a great beer selection and solid spirits. There's pinball and some Buck Hunter back there. And The Tin Hat is awesome because it's The Tin Hat. It has one of the best punk jukeboxes in the city."

[Photo Credit]

The Tin Lizzie Lounge

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Murray Stenson, Il Bistro: "The Tin Lizzie. It was pretty lame at first, with a sign out front saying it's a speakeasy. People would walk in and say 'Where's the speakeasy?' And it was right off a hotel lobby. But now they have a new management team and decent drinks. And they care. We needed an adult bar in Lower Queen Anne.
Branzino is great. Peter Lam, who built Il Bistro, also built it. So it has that great lighting, it's cozy, and has a good bar staff. They're professionals and they have that hospitality down, but with personality."

[Photo Credit]

Summit Public House

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Josh Haney, 418 Public House: "The Summit Public House. It was the first bar I walked into when I moved here from San Francisco, and it reminded me of the little places I used to hang out in. And The Lookout makes me feel like a tourist, without having to actually be a tourist, and has a great view. But the ultimate is The Quarter Lounge. It's a divey-ass bar, not a cocktail bar. Their drink special is a Touchdown. And they have really good corndogs. All they serve is corndogs and DiGiornio pizzas. No matter how drunk you are...well, it's a good last stop. They've called my girlfriend from my cell to come get me before."

[Photo Credit]

Lecosho

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Heather Mercier, Bar Ferd'nand: "I always go to Lecosho cuz it's so close to my house. And they have food till 1 every night! And I always drink rosé because they always have a nice one and rosé is easy to chug."

[Photo Credit]

Golden City

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Travis Clark, King's: "If I'm trying to go incognito, I do Golden City. I'm most at ease in the divey-est environments. If you were to look for me on a free day, I'll be at Suite 410 or Art Bar. My after work spots are Golden City, The Ballard Smokeshop, and Tarasco's. I like to drink beer. But hey, sometimes you will see a cocktail menu and think, WTF? That's the drink I'll try. Outside of that, I subscribe to the champagne is ALWAYS acceptable school of thought."

[Photo Credit]

Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant

Anu Apte, Rob Roy: "I like going to Fadó to watch fútbol and drink beer. When I do have cocktails, I go to places that aren't under the radar because I know they'll make the drink right. I also like going to Tavolata, Black Bottle, or Tillikum, for food and wine."

[Photo Credit]

The Yard Cafe

Robert Rowland, Oliver's Twist: "I have my preshift pint at The Yard. Always great beer on tap and paired with a couple of adobada tacos and some fresh guacamole fortifies me for the looming shift to come."

[Photo Credit]

Polar Bar

Gavin DeCantillon, Percy's & Co.: "The bar at the Arctic Club (The Polar Bar). It's grown and sexy, and has one of the best bartender's in Seattle. It's a gem."

[Photo Credit]

Sully's Snowgoose

Jesh Madden, The Gerald: "$2 pints on Tuesdays, plus Caitlin is a super cute bartender."

[Photo Credit]

Loretta's Northwesterner

Linda Derschang, Linda's/Oddfellows/King's/Bait Shop/Smith: "My new favorite place is Loretta's in South Park. My old favorite is Bottlehouse in Madrona. [Proprietors] Soni and Henri let me bring my dog Jack during the summer."

[Photo Credit]

Vito's

Tyler Stamon, Stoneburner: "Beers and brown backs in all the hotel bars! You also get the most random crowd types. It's fun to meet business types or tourists. Plus, there's never industry there.
For vino, Marché in the market. Best patio and wine list in Seattle. Lots of variety and always a good experience. Cyril is a wine OG and all should pony up — he's a wealth of knowledge.
For a drink, though, Vito's and Cicchetti. Great little neighborhood bars with good spirits and food. Dive bars: Teddys on Roosevelt, Nickerson Street Saloon, The Zoo Tavern, and Laredos. I'm addicted to margarita machines!"

[Photo Credit]

The Grizzled Wizard

Brady Sprouse, Smith and Oliver's Twist: "Grizzled Wizard for sure. It's a tiny little metal bar with a great beer selection and solid spirits. There's pinball and some Buck Hunter back there. And The Tin Hat is awesome because it's The Tin Hat. It has one of the best punk jukeboxes in the city."

[Photo Credit]

The Tin Lizzie Lounge

Murray Stenson, Il Bistro: "The Tin Lizzie. It was pretty lame at first, with a sign out front saying it's a speakeasy. People would walk in and say 'Where's the speakeasy?' And it was right off a hotel lobby. But now they have a new management team and decent drinks. And they care. We needed an adult bar in Lower Queen Anne.
Branzino is great. Peter Lam, who built Il Bistro, also built it. So it has that great lighting, it's cozy, and has a good bar staff. They're professionals and they have that hospitality down, but with personality."

[Photo Credit]

Summit Public House

Josh Haney, 418 Public House: "The Summit Public House. It was the first bar I walked into when I moved here from San Francisco, and it reminded me of the little places I used to hang out in. And The Lookout makes me feel like a tourist, without having to actually be a tourist, and has a great view. But the ultimate is The Quarter Lounge. It's a divey-ass bar, not a cocktail bar. Their drink special is a Touchdown. And they have really good corndogs. All they serve is corndogs and DiGiornio pizzas. No matter how drunk you are...well, it's a good last stop. They've called my girlfriend from my cell to come get me before."

[Photo Credit]

Lecosho

Heather Mercier, Bar Ferd'nand: "I always go to Lecosho cuz it's so close to my house. And they have food till 1 every night! And I always drink rosé because they always have a nice one and rosé is easy to chug."

[Photo Credit]

Golden City

Travis Clark, King's: "If I'm trying to go incognito, I do Golden City. I'm most at ease in the divey-est environments. If you were to look for me on a free day, I'll be at Suite 410 or Art Bar. My after work spots are Golden City, The Ballard Smokeshop, and Tarasco's. I like to drink beer. But hey, sometimes you will see a cocktail menu and think, WTF? That's the drink I'll try. Outside of that, I subscribe to the champagne is ALWAYS acceptable school of thought."

[Photo Credit]

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