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I made the unfortunate choice of staying here one night. I wanted to save a little cash and thought it would be close to work and reasonable for a night or two until my apartment was ready.
Well...
I made the unfortunate choice of staying here one night. I wanted to save a little cash and thought it would be close to work and reasonable for a night or two until my apartment was ready.
Well it was a poor choice. Even for a cheap motel it was GROSS!! I was there three nights and on the first night I noticed that my "shower" which was a glorified tin can, was leaking water all over the place. By day two the room was about an inch deep in water and smelled like mildew. Well I had already paid and they didn't have any other rooms so I was forced to stay there.
The hotel is very shady and right on Aurora so there is a lot of prostitution, drug dealing and otherwise less than desirable stuff going on in front of the place. The staff is nice enough, even if they aren't very responsive or understanding. The rates are very cheap and the rooms are a decent size.
Furnishings on the other hand are Goodwill hand me downs and not worth calling "beds". If this is the last resort in your world, then do it. Otherwise go somewhere safer and cleaner like La Hacienda on First in SODO.
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Yes I gave it five stars and yes I know it is not exactly gourmet or even locally owned but hey good people go a long way.
As I stated before I do agree that it is kind of silly to review a...
Yes I gave it five stars and yes I know it is not exactly gourmet or even locally owned but hey good people go a long way.
As I stated before I do agree that it is kind of silly to review a corporate chain BUT if there is a good reason then WHAT THE HELL!!
This Taco Del Mar is hands down my favorite, the staff are very friendly, the cool little tiki bar feel is very cozy and they are always very kind and professional.
Just being located in Pioneer Square has it's challenges but being open past two AM brings a whole new set of challenges. These very professional employees put up with a lot of crap each night and they do it with a smile on their faces and while remaining focused on quality and customer service.
Even if you have a Taco Del Mar you frequent you should take a minute to stop by here one night and say hi, they will treat you with respect no matter how drunk you are and you will always leave full.
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Being a film geek and a film industry professional full time I do kind of have a bias when it comes to the Alibi Room. I love the atmosphere the setting, the kind of hidden away feel and the hints...
Being a film geek and a film industry professional full time I do kind of have a bias when it comes to the Alibi Room. I love the atmosphere the setting, the kind of hidden away feel and the hints of exclusivity.
What I don't like is the fact that they don't carry basic liquor like Captain Morgan. I am the furthest thing from a "frat boy" that you will ever find, matter of fact I rather despise them and take great pleasure in mocking them when they are drunk and rubbing up on each other, but I drink only Captain Morgan. Apparently, as pointed out by a fellow reviewer, Alibi seems to think that drinks like Captain and Jack are for "frat boys", so I am left trying to decide what to drink half the night.
Drink prices are a little high but they are good pours. Food prices are a little high but the food is amazing. The staff is kind and fairly social but they do manage to hang on to that "holier than thou" attitude unless you drop $100 in tips.
Great place to eat lunch, get away from the crowds. Great place to see and be seen. For those who like to get work done in a great setting this is also a great place to write, work on that pitch, or just plain read a book.
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Struggling for a number of years now the new location doesn't seem to be working for Flavor of India.
They have a lunch time buffet that no matter how hard they work never seems to draw more than...
Struggling for a number of years now the new location doesn't seem to be working for Flavor of India.
They have a lunch time buffet that no matter how hard they work never seems to draw more than a handful of customers. It is fairly limited and not all that exciting. The owners and the staff have their hearts in the right place but apparently not their recipes or marketing.
There are much better buffets and dining choices for Indian food in the city particularly on Capitol Hill. However, if you are in Pioneer Square and absolutely have to have Indian food you might as well try it. You won't have to wait for a table (they are all empty) and you will get prompt service. It won't kill you but it also won't be that memorable.
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Unfortunately this venue does pack in some of the best shows in one of the worst venues.
The owner is tied in with one of the largest promotions companies in the city so they always have dibs on...
Unfortunately this venue does pack in some of the best shows in one of the worst venues.
The owner is tied in with one of the largest promotions companies in the city so they always have dibs on some of the best shows in Seattle. That would be find if the venue was a lot more than it is.
The main room is an odd rectangle shape that is cramped, poorly ventilated, and very uncomfortable. You can't see the stage from the bar, so 21+ crowds who want a drink have to run off between sets. The staff is alright but nothing to write home about, they won't beat you up, but they might not stop somebody else from beating you up either.
For bands there are some big things that suck about the place. Merch tables are completely in the way and there are always people tripping over your stuff. There is a big a** pole in the middle of the stage, the ceiling is very low, and as evidenced on more than one occasion, if an angry fan wants to come at you while you are on stage, may the force be with you because you could find that security is busy patting down 12 year olds at the door.
Bonus for the bands though! The backstage areas and upstairs are decent and private, you can actually get some chill time in before your set or party your behind off, whatever floats your boat.
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Marcus'
Category:
Restaurants
88 Yesler Way
Seattle, Washington 98104
(206) 624-3323
Small quaint and friendly and probably the best words to describe Marcus' Martini Heaven.
It is in a very strange location next to a usually fairly empty but very good Pho Restaurant. Marcus'...
Small quaint and friendly and probably the best words to describe Marcus' Martini Heaven.
It is in a very strange location next to a usually fairly empty but very good Pho Restaurant. Marcus' serves good strong martinis (and more) and they always have a great staff who are very considerate and will take pretty good care of you. It is another great place to start the evening with a love interest and just get some talking time in before hitting the dance clubs. It is a very small lounge and very cozy, but perfect for some "get to know you" time.
Definitely worth checking out at least once to sip on a choice martini.
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The Showbox is a quality live music venue with some of the biggest names on the bills.
There is a lot to be happy with about the Showbox. It is very open and large, there are multiple bars and...
The Showbox is a quality live music venue with some of the biggest names on the bills.
There is a lot to be happy with about the Showbox. It is very open and large, there are multiple bars and the security is USUALLY very helpful and unobtrusive.
There are also a couple of OKAY things about the Showbox, as mentioned before it is a large room, so unless there is a good number of people filling the floor the acoustics tend to be less than desirable. They have a massive 44,000 watt system that had problems with empty rooms. So if you intend to see a show here it will sound best if you choose to go to a show that is sold out or close to sold out.
For the bands, the Showbox has a strong lighting system, solid sound system all the way around and is easy to load into and out of. They have great hospitality areas in the back by the Men's room with a private men's and women's bathrooms, two private green rooms and even a private lounge area. There are also multiple exits and entrances so you can slip out away from waiting crowds to your bus.
Overall the Showbox is one of the best venues in Seattle, it is also one of the biggest. This is a great place to catch a national act with a large crowd. If you want to catch a local act try the Crocodile, The Central or El Corazon.
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Contour
Category:
Night Clubs
807 1st Ave
Seattle, Washington 98104
(206) 447-7704
The Contour is a strange amalgamation of lost identities. It is hard to say just what the Contour is or what crowd they are aiming for.
The Contour is a fairly small club located on First Avenue...
The Contour is a strange amalgamation of lost identities. It is hard to say just what the Contour is or what crowd they are aiming for.
The Contour is a fairly small club located on First Avenue on the outskirts of Pioneer Square. Legal capacity is only about 199 and that might even be stretching it a little.
Contour has been known for a number of things, one of the longest running live hip-hop shows in Seattle, happy hour, after hours action, and that's about it.
Monday nights have always been live hip-hop night at Contour for the longest time. It is a pretty small crowd but they are all regulars and fairly respectful of each other without too much incident.
Contour Happy Hour is very good and there is a very eclectic selection of foods on the short menu. Prices are great (less than $2) for food items and they usually have at least one beer also for $2 or less during Happy Hour. It is a decent selection and really depends on your style and taste. If you want to hang around the "just off work" crowd then Contour is a good bet, if you want a little break from the office go check out the best Happy Hour in Seattle only two blocks up first McCormick and Schmicks.
Contour at night is VERY hit or miss, sometimes you might find a mediocre DJ spinning decent tracks, some days you might be so alone you decide to tend bar yourself. The crowds never really build here as the Contour is on that vital edge of Pioneer Square and they are not part of joint cover. So it is hard to justify paying ANY cover for a small bar with a small crowd when you can walk 100 feet and go to 9 bars for the same cover price.
Contour after hours is and always will be popular. The Contour features fire dancers, dj's and for the tweakers out there visual displays and lasers. Obviously catering to the pill popping candy kids and the all night tweakers the after hours scene is what it is. If that is your thing then you are probably safer here than you other options (Mantra and Fenix) and you might have more fun here. If you are a psych grad student and want to people watch or do research on drug abuse and it's affects on people, this is your after hours fishbowl.
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Regardless of how many seats and benches you install it is still "mall food".
Mexico Cantina has a very nice decor even if it is just mass produced with a corporate feel. The indoor fire pit is a...
Regardless of how many seats and benches you install it is still "mall food".
Mexico Cantina has a very nice decor even if it is just mass produced with a corporate feel. The indoor fire pit is a very nice touch and does add to the ambiance when sitting along the windows facing the street. The lamps are very unique I could not decide if they were supposed to me Chihuly rip offs or some abstract representation of chili-peppers.
The staff is very attentive and as mentioned by another reviewer they won't bother you but they will make sure you are taken care of. The have a great selection of spirits at the bar and about 15 different beers (9 of them bottled). The service is quick and friendly and very presentable.
The food was certainly on the mediocre side. My Chimichanga had several parts to it some good, some bad. The included beans were very good and had a great taste and texture and were not the usual liquefied mess you usually get in Mexican joints. The rice was colorful but lacked the taste to back up the presentation. The guacamole was very good and was very fresh. The salsa was very heavy on the Cilantro and ruined it. The Chimi itself was just okay, canned chicken in a fried tortilla that was obviously not made in house. It was nothing to write home about.
The over all presentation of the food was very good though, it was all served on a clean dishes with a banana leaf laid out under the food. Overall the experience was a pleasant one and it still remains a decent place to stop and take a load off while waiting for a film at AMC across the way.
Even if you don't go for the food, you should at least stop by to check out their drinks.
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Starbucks is Starbucks, but this is Starbucks in the Square. Take it or leave it.
Not everyone is open minded enough to be able to understand or handle living and/or shopping in a dense urban...
Starbucks is Starbucks, but this is Starbucks in the Square. Take it or leave it.
Not everyone is open minded enough to be able to understand or handle living and/or shopping in a dense urban environment. Me, well I can't get enough. So please keep in mind that in any city, and any densely populated urban environment, in front of ANY store or establishment you are going to have homeless people, "crazy people", and panhandlers.
So if you choose to hit up the Starbucks on First and Yessler please keep that in mind and understand that Starbucks did not make them homeless and it is NOT a problem with this store.
The staff inside is attentive if not a little pre-occupied a lot of the time. They have a lot to deal with considering they have to handle orders, please customers and wrangle the homeless trying to get into the bathrooms.
Overall quality of the food and drinks is very good as it is all very typical Starbucks fare. As for the experience, it is what you make it. If you walk around downtown with an open mind, then you will never notice or care that there are homeless guys outside. I think the fact that Starbucks even is nice enough to let them have a seat every now and then is very kind. It isn't common because there are clearly marked signs that state seating is for customers only, but they do allow them sometimes.
And hey if you don't like it, there is a Tully's right across the street.
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