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Al's Tavern

3.6 (48 reviews)
InexpensiveDive Bars, American
Closed 3:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

Al's Tavern Photos

Business Info

AL'S TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Divey
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Al's Tavern

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Reviews With Photos

Men's room
Dan D.

Dank lighting, funky smell, faded formica, vinyl half booths, stale chips, surly staff, stray dogs, irregular regulars, janky pool table. Stay away. You'll just ruin it.

Brian C.

This place is a shithole and it smells weird. It's also spacious and the bartender seems like a nice guy. Look, this place really deserves 3 stars but from a pinball players perspective I can only give it 2 because of the way they jammed the fucking pinball machine behind some booth (see photos) and there was a broom leaning up against it (again, see photos). I don't want to play pinball with some broom leaning against the machine. There was a weird smell. The only machine they have is Dr. Who and they don't have a machine to get quarters. It seemed like a decent place (besides the smell) but not really a great place to play pinball although the machine was in good/decent shape.

Pretty much everything you need to know...
Matt T.

Update: I'm going with Brad F's strategy to give it an anti-rating. This bar is too good as it is; too good to be ruined by hordes of kids sullying it with their inanity. This place is as good as it gets. It's a neighborhood bar; lots of regulars; I-Dream-Of-Genie decor; never crowded. The bartenders are cool and you can talk to them. Come in for Sunday football and they'll probably change the channel to what you want to watch. They have a good selection of taps (incl. my running faves from Fremont Brewing Co.). Skinny jeans, goth punk, neighborhood drunks in shorts and cross-trainers, industry types all occupy the same space just fine here. Don't be a douche, dig the low-volume vibe, chill out with your amigos and you'll probably love this place too. Oh, and bring cash. And unless you want some pickled eggs, eat before you come.

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Review Highlights - Al's Tavern

Simple, no frills, stiff drinks, friendly bartenders, and improv bluegrass on Monday nights.

Mentioned in 2 reviews

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Blue Star Cafe & Pub

Blue Star Cafe & Pub

3.4(739 reviews)
0.5 miWallingford
$$

Saying goodbye to the Blue Star feels like saying goodbye to an old friend…read more I've been coming here for decades - with colleagues, friends, and out-of-town guests (including one who saw the Blue Star on The Food Channel). Cozy, warm & welcoming - with wooden booths and back bar - old world charm that can't be matched by today's cool contemporary restaurants. Vintage photos on the walls, and an old-fashioned community bulletin board in the back. It had a private room in the back - I reserved it a few times for larger gatherings. Yes, spaces like this are disappearing. On my last visit to the Blue Star - today- I met a kind man (Tracey Outlaw) who shared more Blue Star history with me. Thank you to Wendy Morales for many years of community service while running this wonderful institution. It will be missed~

I've been meaning to try this spot for a while so when I heard they were closing soon, I had to…read morebump it to the top of my list. I really liked the food - my scramble was AMAZING. I got the Top Gun but subbed Morningstar sausage for the bacon. The side of potatoes plus (also ordered no bacon) was really good too. They have lots of vegan and vegetarian options or mods too! My partner just thought his breakfast burrito was ok and could have used more seasoning or perhaps less potatoes, but overall he did like it. My mimosa was just kinda ok and honestly I probably would have liked the OJ on its own better. The service was mixed. Our server was great - the kitchen put bacon in my first side of potatoes and she apologized and fixed it right away. The front hostess however ignored us and 4 other people who were waiting for tables for almost 10 minutes when we walked in and answered the phone and walked off several times, only for us to find out we could just go seat ourselves immediately at the bar. All the other staff seemed great, though perhaps overwhelmed and harried (understaffing?). The ambiance at the bar was chill - we got to watch the game on the tv and there wasn't too much activity aside from servers grabbing drinks nearby from the very friendly bartender. Overall, I'm sad this spot is closing soon because I would definitely go back.

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Blue Star Cafe & Pub - Let's Eat!

Let's Eat!

Blue Star Cafe & Pub
Blue Star Cafe & Pub

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Blue Moon Tavern - Lack of Respect 2/2/24

Blue Moon Tavern

3.8(107 reviews)
0.5 miUniversity District
$

20 MAY 2026 -- I performed poetry from Purple Rose: The Stars Carry Her Name -- Letters from Me to…read moreHer at the historic and legendary Blue Moon Tavern in Seattle. Originally opened in 1934, the Blue Moon carries the kind of atmosphere you cannot recreate -- walls covered in decades of music, art, stickers, photographs, and stories. A dimly lit room packed with musicians, writers, artists, and people who genuinely appreciate creativity in its raw form. Throughout the night, the stage moved between live music, poetry, and performances from local artists while the crowd filled the tavern from the bar to the stage floor. Places like this remind me why independent art still matters. As an author traveling all over the United States -- and as someone who lived in the Seattle area for 2 1/2 years -- standing on that stage reading poetry from Purple Rose in a venue with this much history behind it was really something special. What I loved most was how welcoming the environment was. This is a very LGBTQ-friendly, art-friendly space where people genuinely support one another. If you are brand new to open mics or nervous about sharing your work for the first time, this is the kind of place where you will absolutely be shown kindness and encouragement. There were so many talented musicians, poets, and performers there, and you could really feel the appreciation for creativity throughout the room. The setup of the tavern itself is awesome. The stage and seating area wrap around the bar in almost a U-shape, so you can really choose your own vibe for the night. If you want to stay close to the performances and music, there is a dance floor and table area near the stage. If you want something more relaxed, you can hang back near the bar, have a drink, and still enjoy the atmosphere without being directly in the middle of everything. They also have a full bar, arcade games, board games, books to read, and even a small library on the shelves throughout the tavern. Somewhere inside, you may even find a signed copy of Purple Rose that I left hidden and dedicated to the historic Blue Moon itself. Beautiful evening with wonderful people. If you are ever in the area and have a skill you would love to share, go share your art. Find your copy of Purple Rose at JamesVThePoet.com

I just had what is literally the worst bar experience I have ever had in my life at the Blue Moon…read moreTavern. I, my wife, and her friend stopped by for New Year's Drinks around 6, and about 6:30 or so, made the mistake of asking Tim Duvall, the clearly drunken before 7:00 PM owner of the establishment, whether outside food can be brought into the bar. This led to his regaling us with an extended and utterly unsolicited history of the bar. He then invited himself to sit with us, halfway into the seat before slurring a "Can I sit down?" to insert himself into our booth. We then moved to another unsolicited conversation, this time about politics. Now, to be clear - I have no doubt that I and a sober Tim Duvall probably agree on most of our politics. This did not stop him from berating me as I agreed with his point, loudly escalating and yelling as I tried to agree with him (again... to be clear, I DIDN'T disagree his political view) until he stood and began yelling that I was kicked out. As I stood to talk on him, he became VERY comfortable with putting his hands on me, grabbing my sweatshirt to move me. I was NOT about to challenge that as a Black man new to Seattle that doesn't know how the police would handle things. I need to be very specific about how quickly this man felt comfortable touching me, grabbing my sweater to "drag" me. This is the step that is WAY over the line. I would genuinely like to recommend this place, as I'm looking for bars that offer sugar cane soda. Drunken ownership- in the early evening in New Year's - that feels comfortable being handsy with Black folk is far too much. AVOID at all costs.

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Blue Moon Tavern
Blue Moon Tavern
Blue Moon Tavern

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The Monkey Pub - Success

The Monkey Pub

4.0(69 reviews)
0.8 miUniversity District
$

CLOWN SHOW!! Walked in and I thought the place was closed down for health reasons! Only people in…read morethere were two tweakers. Bartender nowhere to be found. Eventually came out of the bathroom with white stains on his pants and white powder on his nose. Said his name was Anthony. Kicked us out and went straight back to the bathroom. Told me they "don't serve colored people"

I came here for karaoke on a Tuesday night and found the experience disappointing…read more Ambience was mediocre at best; the space was blandly decorated and slightly cramped (not sure having a pool table in the middle of that limited space is the greatest idea), with awkward positioning of the bar counter such that the entrance area was too crowded. The staff seemed distracted, but they at least did not appear to be cranky or hostile. The karaoke selection was lacking, and as a queer man I was uncomfortable seeing that all David Bowie songs were pointedly crossed out in the books. Reviews had suggested that the Monkey Pub, despite being located in the U District, had a clientele of more than just college students; this may be true on non-karaoke nights, but when I went, it had the same college-kid crowd as anywhere else in the neighborhood. Drink selection was average. Indeed, the bar itself was largely average. I found no evidence of anything particularly dramatically terrible on my visit to the Monkey Pub, but nothing to get excited about either. Only worth it for karaoke if you're desperate. Probably an okay place to get a drink, but I didn't really detect much of the character and "local flavor" that usually makes a good dive bar worth the trip.

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The Monkey Pub - Monkeys at the bar

Monkeys at the bar

The Monkey Pub - Recognize anyone?

Recognize anyone?

The Monkey Pub - Me

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Al's Tavern - divebars - Updated June 2026

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