contents

Bar Listings Find a list of local imbiberies and their locations! 4

the muggy awards Annual awards given to the Bars and with the most coolness! Band 8 3 Extra of the Year Clark County wine Looking for the NWs Premiere Modern establishments Rock Band? Element 57 Answers the Call 12 are not few. An Ode To The Dive Bars of Clark County 11

October 2010 Welcome to YOUR annual Bar Guide • 3rd Edition The Bar Guide is a special section of Clark County Bar Guide The Vancouver Voice PUBLISHER Third Edition Guy Everingham

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ast year I wrote of days when The Voice’s newsroom Philip Ossie Bladine was stock full of eager interns who could be sent across this county to investigate every nook and ADVERTISING DIRECTOR L Christy Nielsen cranny of the local bar scene and report back for the annual bar guide. Alas, those days are still not here. Yet, Clark ADVERTISING MANAGER

October 2010 Charlotte Johnson County’s greatest guide to local

watering holes returns for its third ADVERTISING Sales annual edition. This year’s guide is Lindsay Johnson simplified, in a manner of speaking. PRODUCTION MANAGER We wanted the focus to be on the Chris Miles bars themselves, not our snarky two PRODUCTION ARTISTS cents. After all, who cares what we Kristin Pond Bar Guide think of the bars? The only opinion John Rutherford that counts is that of the fine - Travis Wilson and spirit-swilling patrons of SW 1.877.666.3150 Washington. Two years ago, I set ©2010 The Vancouver Voice Phillip Ossie Bladine out to learn about Clark County by P.O. Box 366 • Vancouver, WA 98666 Editor-in-Chief visiting every . email: [email protected] It’s what I like to think of as the www.vanvoice.com heart of SW Washington (though I’m sure MADD members COVER & LAYOUT DESIGN cringe at the thought). So get out and explore the many Kristin Pond Voice Vancouver The options of boozy culture and drabble nightlife to be offered PRINTED BY 2 here. Life is short – spend it with friends. Oregon Lithoprint, Inc. Room The Elbow honors, is honors, that it the walks line of dive and joint bar. lowbrow classy It’s a line most The greatest thing about four there. years shehasbartended ToThe wit:sherules. Elbow Room, and fitting for this year’sannual top Christmas bar Eve gathering. To wit: she she once has bought missed over only a downtown one for hundred Friday reason gifts Vancouver’snight a major for that in love her secret the no it’s affair customers Also, with to door. the at hand The can out Elbow checked be during Room pretension all any and and her is its gracious for entertainment, screen , flat one there’s Jen. solid, To wit: or Irish coffee in front of them avoid (oh, distractions how and we focus love solely the on Irish that a coffees). draft swank beer,The ‘70s jukebox whiskey lounge isand décor. coke, just Therelong to drink. Connected to islandare town Paul’s no in Restaurant, windows The Elbow place in Room the sports best bar, the allowing patrons to Room – it is because down hands the 2010 Thus, bar of the drinking. yearis is and Thetaverns pubs Elbow bars, of characteristic establishment, theimportant be wrapped into a trip to a drinking escaping the “real world” may all the catching scene and socializing, foremost for drinking. While chasingtail, and first are fact, bars but overlooked an often is It bars teeter off to one side or another, but The Elbow Room walks that line AWARDSAWARDS MUGGY MUGGY with style andgrace.with style To you, dearElbow we Room, toast. Best Best K

in Music araoke BAR OF THE YEAR page AWARDS MUGGY & More , Best Bars... ofBest Happy

awards 10 Hour

on , 3 www.VanVoice.com Your Local Watering Holes... 2010

Take the VanVoice Bar Get Your Drink on!Challenge: visit every bar listed in this guide in the up- coming year. Prizes for complet- ing the challenge include culture, wisdom, respect and a stronger liver.

Map illustration byTravis Wilson October 2010

Bar Guide

Voice Vancouver The 4 www.VanVoice.com 5

DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER Thai Orchid The Atrium Lounge 1004 Washington St., Vancouver 606 Broadway St. 360.695.7786 Beaches www.ThaiOrchidVancouver.com 1919 SE Columbia River Dr. : 3 - 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close Brickhouse Bar & Grill 109 W. 15th St. Thai Orchid delivers a fresh and flavorful Charlie’s Bistro on Asian Cuisine, featuring our all new Sushi 1220 Main Street, suite 100 and Specialty Martini’s. Come in and experience Chronis’ our Award Winning Menu today!!! 819 Main St. Dublin Down 813 Main St. Tip Top 2100 Main St. El Presidente Mexican 312 E Evergreen Blvd The Elbow Room (Paul’s) 1800 Broadway Fat Tuesdays 809 Washington St. Tommy O’s Lounge 801 Washington St. Gold Rush Lounge 611 Main St. Top Shelf 2100 Main St. Grant House, the 1101 Officer’s Row Woody’s Tacos 210 W. Evergreen Blvd. #700 Grey’s at the Park 301 West 6th St. Xokdee Lounge 312 W 8ths St. Hula Boy 1109 Washington St. Joe’s Crab Shack CENTRAL/EAST VANCVOUER 101 SE Columbia Way Lepellah Applewood 2520 Columbia House Blvd., Suite 108 (Ripe Apple Lounge) 212 NE 164th Ave. Suite 11 Main Event Sports Grill 800 Main St. Auto’s 16209 SE McGillivray Blvd. McMenamins on the Columbia 1801 S.E. Columbia River Dr. BackAlley Bar and Grill 6503 E Mill Plain Blvd. Mojo’s 1819 Main St. Big Al’s 16615 SE 18th St. Northbank Tavern 106 6th St. Cactus Ya-Ya 15704 SE Mill Plain Blvd. O’Shansky’s 108 W 8th St. Cameo Cafe & Lounge Peking garden 7703 NE 72nd Ave. 2101 Main St. Cascade Bar & Grill Provecho 15000 SE Mill Plain 1801 Main St. Cascade Springs Quay Bar, The 516 SE Chkalov Dr. # 31 (AT THE RED LION AT THE QUAY) 100 Columbia St. Cathedral Tapitia 707 SE 164th Ave. Rock Woodfired Pizza and Spirits, THE 2420 Columbia House Blvd, Charlie’s Tavern & Grill 3315 NE 11th Ave. #A1 R Place 1101 4th Mill Plain DODGE CITY Saloon 4250 E Fourth Plain blvd. Salmon Creek Brewery & Pub 108 W Evergreen Blvd. club zoo 9310 NE 76th St. Shanahan’s Pub 209 W. McLoughlin Blvd., Fourth Plain Tavern 13206 NE Fourth Plain Tap Room, the (at By the Bottle) 104 W Evergreen Blvd. Gustav’s Pub & Grill 1705 SE 164th Ave. 6 The Vancouver Voice Bar Guide October 2010 Hudson’s Bar & Grill 7805 NE Greenwood Drive CAMAS/WASHOUGAL Irishtown Bar & Grill 11600 SE Mill Plain Blvd. Adam’s Street Bar & Grill/Mill Tavern 422 NE Adams St./204 NE 4th Ave., Camas Jay’s Restaurant and Lounge The Angel Bar & Grill 5620 NE Gher Rd. 1926 B St., Washougal Lair, The Big Foot Inn 6718 NE Fourth Plain 105 7th St., Washougal McMenamin’s East Chinese Garden Restaurant & Lounge 1900 N.E. 162nd Ave. Suite B107 3218 NE 2nd Ave., Camas Ming’s Restaurant & Lounge Heller’s Lounge 11909 SE Mill Plain Blvd. 745 34th St., Washougal Orchards Tap Tavern Parker’s House, the 10514 Fourth Plain 56 S 1st St., Washougal Oscar’s Roots Restaurant and Bar 400 NE 112th Ave. 19215 SE 34th St. #110, Camas Out-a-Bounds sports bar ShowBoat Pub & Grill 14415 SE Mill Plain 389 E. St., Washougal Quarterdeck Smead’s Pub 4300 Fourth Plain 3395 Evergreen Way, Washougal Sports Page, The 8052 E Mill Plain HAZELL DELL/ST JOHN’S/SALMON CREEK Spot Bar & Grill, The Billygan’s Roadhouse 7225 NE Fourth Plain 13200 NE Hwy. 99 Tommy O’s Eastside Bills Lounge 4101 SE 192nd Ave. 2200 St. Johns Blvd.

Vinetopia (AT CINETOPIA) Cedar Room (At Hazel Dell Lanes) 11700 SE 7th St. 6300 NE Highway 99 www.VanVoice.com 7 Cliff’s Tavern 8614 NE St. Johns Rd. NORTH COUNTY Fat daves 1511 NE 99th St. Battle Ground City Grill 1710 S.W. 9th Ave., Battle Ground Halftime Bar & Grill 7115 NE Hazel Dell Ave. Jollie’s / Kozy Kamp Tavern 17701 Union Rd., Ridgefield Hazel Dell Brew Pub 8513 NE Highway 99 La Center Tavern 107 E 4th St., La Center Jake’s Bar & Grill 4602 NE St. Johns Rd. Laurelwood Brewing Co 401 SE Rasmussen Blvd., Battle Ground Korner Street Bar & Grill 6403 NE St. Johns Rd. Main Street Station Bar & Grill 805 E. Main St., Battle Ground Legend’s 7005 NE Highway 99 Nick’s Bar & grill 22011 NE 399th St., Amboy Rosemere Bar 3215 Z St. Prairie Bar & Grill 14925 NE Caples Rd., Brush Prairie Sellberg Tavern 2110 St. Johns Blvd. Rancho Viejo Sports Bar & Grill 705 S.E 1st St., Battle Ground Starhouse Tavern & Lounge 10604 NE Highway 99 Red Fir Inn 303 N Amboy Ave., Yacolt The Hideaway Sportsman Bar & Grill 4909 NE Hazel Dell Ave. 121 N Main Ave., Ridgefield The Icehouse The Tall Man’s Saloon 7804 NE Highway 99 105 W Yacolt Rd., Yacolt Three Monkey’s Pub Timber Saloon 7917 NE Highway 99 39813 NE 216th Ave., Amboy 8 Bar Band of the Year

Riff heavy, groove oriented

by Ossie has been playing the pushes it Bladine forward as an easy call for Bar Band of the Year. The four piece rock outfit (Galyon is joined by Ja- Bar Band year’s son Wilbur on saxophone, Mark Banner on drums This a little Year comes with of the and Andy KallenbergerSpot on Barbass) and has Grill, been Prairie seen asterisk. Like some local bands at the Brickhouse, The marketing to a national audience, Bar, Cascade Bar & Grill, Top Shelf and more. Element 57 lists Portland, Ore. E57’s 2008 album, Ripcord, garnered as their hometown on MySpace national attention and critical acclaim. The and Facebook, when in fact the group was listed as an MTV2 “Emerging Artist” entire band resides in Vancouver. last year for its efforts. The group’s infusion of “It’s a promoting thing,” said gui- melody strong songwriting into its powerhouse tar/vocalist Chris Galyon. rock sound sets it apart. The band claims Ya, we understand. But it still grinds comparisons to modern rock heavyweights Audioslave and Velvet Revolver – but the sound our gears. has been Regardless,Element 57 is much more. It’s as if Dave Matthews and Filter a beacon of bar entertainment in the conceived a child. It pumps out a similarFloater, feeling as Northwest Post Grunge fan favorites All images are last year. While the band’s quality shows courtesy of sans the depressing alcoholism and trippy tribal Element 57 put it up for the honors, it’s the quantity of shows E57 sounds.

www.VanVoice.com 9 This year, however, the band has expanded even further to fit the various venues it plays. Audioslave doesn’t quite fit a TopS helf Saturday night, after all. Galyon said the band’s vast live schedule as of late has been to earn cash for recording its follow-up to Ripcord.To fit the bill, the foursome retrofitted its set list to include a number of covers to get the booze-filled patrons moving. “It’s funny how you spend your whole career churning out original music, and as soon as you start playing a bunch of cover, the fans come out of the woodwork,” Galyon said. E57 plans to release five songs by year’s end, and to have the full – much anticipated Check - album released toward the end of summer 2011. it Out: Upcoming gigs for Element 57 include The Voice’s current issue has a Top Shelf on Oct. 29, Brickhouse on Oct. 30 and music section dedicated to The Spot on Dec. 3. For more info, visit www. listing what bands are playing @ myspace.com/element57 or www.facebook. com/element57. VV which bars this week. 10 The Vancouver Voice Bar Guide October 2010 MUGGY AWARDS Best of Bars... www.VanVoice.com 11 Clark County DIVE BARS In bar guides of past, The Voice has used the term “dive” to describe certain bars of iStockPhoto.com Clark County. We have since received word that certain bar owners of said establish- ments have not appreciated the term, con- sidering it slanderous slang. This could not Don’t Call It be further from the truth. When we give the label “dive” to a bar, it is done so with more A Dive Bar: than a touch of deference. While dive bars An Ode To The Dive can get the stigma as scuzzy and rotten, the Bars of Clark County overlying fact is they are an essential part of our lives that we hold near and dear to our hearts.The 2010 Playboy Guide to America’s Greatest Bars summed it up best: “A church Well-worn, well shots, well for down-and-outers and those who roman- let’s discuss the dives, ticize them, a rare place where high and low The humble spots of ‘lore rub elbows — bums and poets, thieves and where drunks commence, A church for those with slumming celebrities. It’s a place that wears down-and-outer lives, its history proudly.” So, to smooth things

Where high and low can flock over (hopefully), we present to all this peace without pretense. offering of a poem for the dive bars. The owners have declared, “How dare! Says you, Us a dive? You Scallywags with ink,

You taint our bar with pens and mock us too!

To Hell with you!” Now time for a stiff drink.

A man asleep, passed out, face on the bar, Tobacco stains on walls from yesteryear, All day the tube plays highlights of NASCAR, A quaint swill-slinging hole that’sEndeared quite dive sincere. bars, please heed the words we write, We cheers! your Poem by Ossie Bladine charm, relaxed, booze- filled delight. iStockPhoto.com WINE EXTRA – Wine in Clark County: An urban-rural connection invite all to enjoy good times in some of Clark Clark County’s wine scene is on the County’s most majestic settings. up and up. For one, wineries continue But it’s not just a rural thing. The wine to produce grapes and wine in industry here bridges the gap between rural the north part of the county. Most and urban living, bringing its fermented recently, Heisen House Vineyards grape loveliness to our downtowns for opened for business in the past year. Five urbanites to enjoy. There are retail businesses years in like Evergreen Wine Cellars the making and located and Gougér Cellars. on a national and There are restaurants like La state historic site in Botegga serving the needs of Hockinson, Heisen adds local winos, as well as events to what’s becoming like Uptown Village’s annual a vital part of Clark Sip and Stroll. And, finally, County business and wine bars are popping up, culture. From bocce like the recently opened Niche ball tournaments at Wine and Art in downtown English Estate Winery, Vancouver. Nestled in a beautiful urban bar to movies on the lawn at Rusty Grape, to some setting right next to historic Kiggins Theater, of the best concerts of the year (East Fork Niche offers great food, plenty of vino and Cellars, for one, has become one of the area’s friendly banter (it’s also The Voice’s favorite top entertainment venues, spearheaded by the place to wind down after work, being just a Tim Dawdy Variety Show), our local wineries stone’s throw away and all). October 2010

Bar Guide

Voice Vancouver The 12 Tuesday-Friday 12-6PM Evergreen Wine Cellar of themonth5-8PM Friday nighttasting last three Fridays Saturday 10-5 HOURS: vineyards often glow elegance Clark CountyClark and beauty. 6>˜VœÕÛiÀ]Ê7ÊUÊÎÈ䰙™Î°nnnä 2608 EastEvergreen Boulevard Domestic &Worldwide Reds Specializing in: for Disconcerting Palates Largest LocalSelection Sparkling of ItalianWines Champagne Ports

13 www.VanVoice.com To be a part of next year’s Bar Guide contact Charlotte at 1.877.666.3150 ext. 2 October 2010

Bar Guide

Voice Vancouver The 14 15 www.VanVoice.com