The Hideout

just good atmosphere. various art… one of the best zines in seattle.

The Adam Hunter Trio has been playing there on Saturdays lately…I’m not sure if it’s an official schedule but they’ll be there this Saturday (May 27th). It’s upbeat, danceable bossa nova – Adam is a friend of mine and has a voice like dark velvet and his new sax player really rounds out their sound. Not to leave anyone out…all his players are great; the configuration changes.

^{Adam Hunter Trio at Loft Party in May 2006}

The owners are great guys and the bartenders are awesome. I highly recommend drinks with juice cause they squeeze it right there with an old fashioned press. I usually order a Salty Dog.

Oh and the art! I’m sure others have covered it but where else can you drunkenly doodle your night away? Doodles, poetry, etc can be submitted to appear in the Vital 5 Review, the bar’s homebrewed zine.

I was charged $1,334.40 for last night’s office hours festivities. I think this means I officially have a tab at this place. Yay!

The Hideout is not somewhere that I’d send a visitor to Seattle. Strange neighborhood (near hospitals) on a street with not much else on it. It attracts a small, eclectic crowd who choose to go out of their way to drink at this watering hole.

An art gallery mixed with Gaudy-meets-Americana bar vibe … but nothing is perfect about it. Some of the art is good, some of it is not so good. The service is personal yet unpro at times. The ornate mirrors don’t really mix with the 50s cooler behind the bar. But all these uneasy quirks make the place hum. That, or Erik’s regular office hour gatherings have altered my perception.

I suspect The Hideout could dissolve as fast as it appeared and like the great film you stumble into to escape a rainy day that never releases on DVD, you’ll miss it if you blink.

I did spend more money than I wanted to, but this place is worth the extra buck. I started off with an Andy Warhol (cosmopolitan + a polaroid of yourself) and was so pleased with the cosmo that I bought three more. Oh, and the server was fantastic. I was afraid the place might be swarming with Resident-types but I only heard one medicine-related conversation (phew). The server will be more than happy to call a cab at the end of the evening if you find yourself enjoying the drinks a little too much as well.