Just wanted to give some love to some bars not in seattle that kick some major ass in the beer department. The big boys (brouwers, dray/yard, uber, naked city, bambinos, pine box, burgundian, etc) all get a lot of love but there are some incredible bars outside of seattle that I've been going to when I'm traveling for a variety of reasons: -Eastside club tavern (Olympia) is a bar that I was told is one of the only bars to have Pliny on pretty much full time as well as a kick ass tap list. I've never been in without an outstanding taplist AND bottle list! -Red Hot (Tacoma) is a diamond in the rough that is tacoma! badass hot dogs and an amazing tap list! -Pine Lake Ale House (Sammamish). seeing as there is really nothing east of redmond, Pine lake consistently amazes me with their tap list and how awesome their food is. Stone IRS, sours, lost abbey and fun locals = fun! -North Bend Bar and Grille (North Bend). Fun local tap list with some exclusive beers for that bar and wine on tap! Worth checking out if you are out there -Elliot Bay pizza (bothell/mill creek). Kick ass beer and amazing pizza. Brian keeps probably the best tap list in WA state. Never a bad beer on tap!!! Where else do you like drinking outside of king county?
Porterhouse and Empire in Mount Vernon are killer. Green Frog (Acoustic Tavern), Copper Hog, and my personal favorite, McKay's Taphouse, all give Bellingham something to celebrate.
I visit Oly on occasion since my sis-in-law lives there, and yeah, the Eastside is great. Very chill place and yes, great tap list. Plus you can order some pretty kick-ass calzones (and other assorted Italian goodies) from the place next door (the name escapes me) through the window connected to the bar. Additionally, the grout pun graffiti in the men's room is some of my favorite bar bathroom graffiti ever.
The Dog and Pony in Renton is a great spot. Doesn't look like much on the outside, but they've got a killer beer selection. http://www.thedogandpony.com/ontap.html
Appreciate the love for the Eastside fellas. Drop me a line next time your coming to Oly and I'll buy you a pint. Italian joint next door is called Al Forno!
Up here in Tha 'Ham I'll give props to the Green Frog (I'm posting this from there), The Copper Hog, The Archer Alehouse, and (somewhat surprisingly, given the majority of it's clientele) the Up & Up. No bar in Bellingham has an outstanding bottle list, but you'll find something you've either never had or are looking for at these bars regularly. In Mount Vernon, the Porterhouse, Empire and Trumpeter are all very worthy stops (I sometimes take daycations to MV, the local bus is only $2 each way from the 'Ham and I can put on a solid buzz without worrying about getting home). In Anacortes I always have to make time for the Brown Lantern. And over in Port Townsend I love Sirens. I haven't been to the new place in PT, The Pourhouse, but have heard very good things.
I will give a shoutout to the Devilfish in Chehalis. Easily the best selection in Lewis County. I don't expect much around here, so the fact that they had Midnight Sun, Lagunitas, Silver City, Left Hand, and American on tap last time I was there made me happy. They have a great reuben sandwich as well, with some awesome cole slaw. Also an awesome place in Longview is the Hop n Grape. Last night on the way back from Portland, I had 10 Barrel Raspberry Sour, Wookey Jack, and Everybody's Cash Stout. Plus they have some good BBQ.
The Red Hot! E9! Best joints in Tacoma w/o a damn doubt. Eastside is still the best beer bar South of Seattle(even w/o Libbey being there, I love my Libbey lol).
+1 to Eastside in Oly & Elliott Bay Pizza in Mill Creek. Name another place in WA that has its own brew specially for them from a brewery in Kansas City! Always great stuff on tap at Elliott Bay. It's become my local pub. Matt makes it at Eastside. Not sure it would be the same without him. P.S. When ordering a pizza at Elliott Bay, consider the basil pesto instead of the basic tomato sauce - really makes it in my opinion.
+1 to H&G. Dave is a kind guy, and runs a great store with an awesome selection of bottles and taps and great BBQ. Longview is my hometown and I love going to H&G whenever I'm down from Seattle!
The Brick in Roslyn Washington. A fair selection of handles (Moose Drool, Roslyn Dark, etc.) and their bucket of Red Hook-battered prawns are tops! +1 for the Dog & Pony in Renton, but don't mind the Whistlestop in Renton or the Terrible Beauty in Renton either.
I'm a huge Northern Exposure fan, but I'm not sure I'd call the beer selection at the Brick badass. It's tolerable and the food is good.... probably doesn't help that I was completely underwhelmed by everything I tried from Rosalyn brewing.
I like Mackay's just fine. It's just that I'm usually looking for something I haven't had before, and they tend to have stuff on tap that I have had. Plus, when I'm out beering , I'm usually walking, and don't get over the hill.
Stopped in at Gustav's in Leavenworth for lunch with a friend and our two boys on the way to Wenatchee. Haven't been there in a few years --- don't remember the tap list being so good. Ended up having two pints (since I wasn't driving) of Icicle Brewing's Bootjack IPA and thought it was top notch.
Yakima- Bob's Keg & Cork. Two cask beers on tap pretty much all the time, the regular Co2 beers are all usually a solid mix of craft and better imports. Great wine selection.
I appreciate this, as I have a conference out in Yakima next week. I looked a bit into the place a bit further, and apparently the food isn't bad, either. It's a short walk from the Hilton, so I know where I'll be a week from tonight - thanks!
