How We Treat Bartenders
Previously we told you what qualities we look for in bartenders. Now we tell you how we treat bartenders.
Try to be observant of the bar environment–Don’t go screaming and high fiving everybody if the Seahawks score in a swanky speakeasy-type cocktail bar and don’t expect high end whiskey in a dive bar. If it’s a beer bar, don’t order a pina colada. If it’s a high end craft cocktail bar on a packed Saturday night, don’t order a bloody marry. Sure, you’re the customer and you should be able to order anything you want, but think of the people lined up in back of you, waiting for their drinks. And think of the bartender who is trying to get as many people served as possible with drinks that they specialize in, not one-off time consuming drinks. If you’re not in the mood for a fancy craft cocktail, perhaps something simple like a gin and tonic, screwdriver or whiskey neat or on the rocks?
Be patient and smile–If especially busy and the bartender is scrambling, just make eye contact and wait patiently. I’ve actually never seen anybody do this since my college years, but don’t wave dollar bills or scream out your order over everybody elses. And if the bartender accidentally takes another person’s order out of turn, just roll with it. We all make mistakes. Also, if I’m new to a bar and it’s full of regulars, it may not be fair that I’ll be served after them even if I’ve been waiting longer, but that’s life and not worth getting bent out of shape and ruining your mood. It’s a privilege of being a regular. One last thing, if a place is super busy, I try to tip a bit more than usual because I know they are working hard and it normally helps me the next round I order.
Small talk-If things are pretty mellow and the bartender has some free time, my favorite thing to ask bartenders is their favorite bars and restaurants when not working. We all like to feel like we’re experts, right? They’ll normally elaborate on why it’s their favorite and I find that they normally have great insight into getting the most bang for their buck, great food and drinks for reasonable prices. I don’t know if this is common since I’ve never bartended, but many of them seem to bartend at not just one bar, but multiple bars. Also, if it’s a bar with some history, background on the place is always interesting.
I also love when bartenders talk about the intricacies of the business or little secrets. I’ve had bartenders tell me the following:
- Beer Tap handles really do make a difference on beer sales, especially if somebody is deciding between two beers they’ve never had. People tend to pick the most distinctive tap handle.
- Maybe this is no secret, but you must have three choices of IPA and maybe one double and triple IPA in Seattle because we are IPA crazy at the moment.
- Pinebox(formerly The Chapel) was the site for Bruce Lee’s funeral
- The Good Bar was once the Japanese Commercial Bank in 1907. You can still see remants of the vault door to the right of the bar.
- Bathtub Gin Co is located in the former boiler room of the apartment building it’s located in.
If it’s a place with some history, background on the place is a nice.
We don’t get sloshed-It’s been awhile since we’ve gotten stumbling drunk, but leave this for your own home party. Drink water, have some food, know when to call it quits. Nobody wants to have their outing ruined by a loud, obnoxious, out of control patron.
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Our Seattle Bartender Thoughts
Much like waitstaff are the “face” of a restaurant, the bartender is the “face” of the bar. We’d say a bartender is more important than waitstaff because a restaurant relies on the host, cooks, bussers, expeditors and in some cases a cashier. There’s a team effort in restaurants. Most bartenders are responsible for all these roles(sans cook) in a bar.
A great bartender can make any experience a good one even if the bar itself stinks and vice versa a bad bartender can make your favorite bar into a “I’m-never-coming-back-here-ever-again” bar.
Here’s what we look for in bartenders:
Welcoming-We always appreciate a smile when stepping up to a bar. It really does set the tone of your stay there. We like bartenders to simply acknowledge our presence even if they are super busy, taking orders, collecting empty glasses or bottles, mixing drinks, opening and closing out tabs, We really appreciate an, “I’ll be right with you”.
Accommodating–I’m pretty decisive with my drink orders, but I have a few friends who get analysis paralysis and invariably always asks the bartender for suggestions. I like bartenders who ask leading questions to try to make the indecisive drink orderer comfortable and try to point them in the right direction. If it’s an indecisive beer orderer, they can provide some samplings. They can also suggest their favorites or their particular drink specialty. I think this helps make patrons feel like the bartender has their back and will go the extra mile to make sure they enjoy their drink. This in turn will cause patrons to stay longer and order another round and perhaps more likely to revisit.
No Complaining-Let me give you a scenario. We both just got off from an extremely mind numbing day of work. Before heading home we decide to meet at a bar to vent about our idiot co-workers, stifling bureaucracy and our perceived low wages. We get to a bar, order our drinks and then have our bartender complaining about how she had to cover a shift she wasn’t expecting, how she’s gotten no visitors the entire day, so no tips, and how her boss is a dumbass. Never complain about your job within earshot of your customers. That’s Customer Service 101. We all have bad days, but when you’re on the clock, try to act like you enjoy your job. If you don’t like the place as an employee, we surely won’t as customers. Maybe it’s unfair to judge a place after just one bad incident, but there are so many quality bars around Seattle, why take the chance that this was not anomaly and waste our hard earned dollars for a bad experience.
Intuitive-Sometimes I just want to have a beer and concentrate on the game. And admit it, we’ve all been there, perhaps you’ve been dumped and just want to be left alone so you can drown your sorrows. Sometimes I’m in the mood for small talk. I appreciate bartenders who are perceptive and can figure this out and act accordingly.
Able to Adapt/No snootiness–I have a friend who relayed this experience to me. There was a craft cocktail bar(that is no longer in business). It was right next to a major theater in downtown. He took an out-of-town guest to see a show here, but decided to grab a drink at this cocktail bar before the show. His friend was a beer drinker and ordered a beer, but the bartender exclaimed in a snooty tone, “but we’re a handcrafted cocktail bar”? Now, they did serve beer. It’s just that the bartender with all their rare bitters and liquors, not to mention his cocktail making skills and show, felt it was beneath him to pour a beer. I actually retold this story to a co-worker and she had her own story about this same bar. Again, she brought a friend from out-of-town who liked gin. Her friend ordered a particular gin she had not seen before. I guess it was a rare gin and meant to be sipped neat, because when she insisted on ice, the bartender refused to serve it with ice because in his words, “it would ruin it”. This might very well be true, but shouldn’t the customer get it the way they want? I hate when my wife orders a well done filet mignon and then puts sauce on it, but that’s how she likes it.
I like when bartenders can roll with the punches and adapt. Once, I ordered a whiskey and coke for a friend of mine and she wanted a rather expensive whiskey that the coke would surely ruin. When I went up to order, the bartender warned me that I should get a cheaper well whiskey instead, because it would cut the price near in half and taste just as good(or bad). I thanked her for the warning, but that’s what my friend wanted and so she made it. First I’m glad she just made it, but more importantly I’m glad she tried to look out for me and of course I will remember this and go back here often. I had a friend order a red wine at a well-known craft beer bar. They happily pulled out a Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw from behind the bar and asked her if it was okay and she was more than happy to have it as an option. I also have a friend who drinks nothing but 7 and 7(7 Up and Seagram) regardless if at home or out and about. When we ended up at a high-end cocktail bar, without issue the bartender made it no questions asked and with a smile. Adapting to the customer.
And fair is fair, we also have to do our part. Next we’ll discuss how we treat our bartenders.
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***1/19/20- NOTE: This blog post has been updated with more information HERE***
As you know Seattlites have the stereotype of being coffee drinking fools. This is no stereotype, we take our coffee seriously. And if you ask 20 different locals what their favorite coffee place is, you’ll most likely get 20 different answers. According to Bustle, there are close to 1700 coffee shops in Seattle and ranked #1 for coffee fanatics:
We wanted to provide some context on what we value in a coffee shop and our recommendations. The below are not hard and fast rules, but I think it provides a pretty accurate picture of what we enjoy about our favorite coffee shops. First of all, in Seattle when it comes to price and quality of coffee, in our opinion there’s not much differentiation. The quality of coffee in all the places we mention is great. I don’t think a coffee shop could survive in Seattle if it just had average coffee. So how we choose our favorite coffee places is really based on the following in this order:
Atmosphere-There are two types of coffee places in our opinion:
- The cozy coffee shops typically have mismatched comfy chairs and sofas, warm lighting and areas set up for conversation. You normally see friends catching up, people reading books or surfing the net. These places are normally buzzing with chatter. The walls are normally plastered with upcoming event posters, concert posters and community announcements.
Favorites: Café Allegro(University District), 7 Coffee Roasters (Ravenna), Zoka(Tangletown), Cloud City(Maple Leaf)
And
- The modern minimalist coffee shops with huge windows to let in the sunlight and/or bright lights condusive to working/studying. It usually has expensive looking chairs and tables, which aren’t always the most comfortable, and has tons of electrical outlets for laptops. It’s normally very quiet and might have a few works of abstract art on the walls . Their main clientele are students and people working remotely.
Favorites: Broadcast Coffee(Roosevelt), Milstead & Co.(Fremont), Slate(Pioneer Square)
Customer Service-If you go there often enough they remember your name and drink. They’re cheerful and attempt to make genuine small talk. And say things like, “Thanks for coming in” as you leave. One of the stereotypes of a barista from popular coffee shops is that they are coffee snobs, snooty, work at their own pace and look down their nose at drinkers who order complicated concoctions. If we come across this breed of barista, of course their shop is disqualified from our list of coffee shops we frequent.
Food options-We like places with a variety of food options. Most places will have pastries, but I really appreciate it if they have something savory too.
Speed-We understand that good coffee takes time and not about just pressing a button(sorry Starbucks), but be cognizant when there is a line out the door and maybe just pretend to show a sense of urgency.
Coffee Shop Superlatives:
Favorite Coffee Shop(Overall): Mr West Café Bar. It’s a mix of cozy and modern. They have great food options, both sweet-doughnuts, cookies, pastries and savory-avacado toast and sandwiches. They have this Apple Fagotinni that is Uh May Zing. The layout of the furniture is set up for both private working/studying along their front window, meetings for groups with some bench seatings, seating at the bar to watch the baristas and food prep and secluded areas to catch up with friends. They have music playing in which I’m always pulling Shazam out to see what obscure band it is. They also serve both beer and wine if it’s too late in the evening for coffee.
Favorite Cozy Coffee Shop: Cloud City Coffee(Maple Leaf) – When I think of a neighborhood coffee shop, this is what I picture. Their motto is “Community and Café” and it’s very much a gathering place for Maple Leaf. Expansive breakfast/lunch menu. I love their cinnamon rolls. A warning, this place is always packed. There are multiple tables that seat six, but you’ll most likely be sharing. They have a small outdoor seating area and when weather permits they have garage style doors that are opened facing south and east. There’s a small couched area with toys and books for kids and they also have a pay-on-your-honor section for coffee refills and day old pastries.
Favorite Modern Coffee Shop: Broadcast Coffee(Roosevelt) – If I want to get work done or need a place to read while enjoying quality coffee, this is my place. It has a business-like vibe. It has ample seating, tons of outlets and bright due to their huge windows. They take pride in their coffee. I once had a barista here remake my espresso 3 times because somebody left the door open as they were leaving and she felt it affected the taste of the espresso. I probably couldn’t tell but I appreciate her commitment to her craft. They even have a Coffee Roasting 101 class where they teach you how to roast coffee at home.
Favorite Coffee Drink: 1) Brazillian Latte at Kitanda Expresso(Green Lake). I’m normally a dopio espresso lover and not a real big fan of sweets in general, but for some reason I really love the Brazilian Latte. It’s a regular latte with sweet condensed milk and a cinnamon stick. It kind of reminds me of the traditional Vietnamese iced coffees that use the phin, but a hot stronger espresso version.
2) This is a bit of a cheat, because this coffee is not from a coffee shop but from Cafe Turko in Fremont. It’s their Turkish Coffee. Turkish coffee is unfiltered and has the coffee grounds freely floating around in the coffee. You’re supposed to periodically swirl your coffee so the grounds don’t settle at the bottom of the cup. Regardless, you’ll still have a layer of coffee grounds that look like mud when you finish. Because the it’s so finely ground, it’s hard to replicate at home. Check out the cool coffee presentation!
Coffee Shops that Impresses Our Out of Towners: Storyville Coffee Co in Pike Place Market and Café Allegro in the University District. Both these places would never be found if we hadn’t taken our visitors since they are both “hidden”. I think it makes our visitors feel they’re in on a little local secret. 7 Roasters also falls into this category because although it’s not hidden, it has a very local feel to it. Like a general store that you’d find in a small town in the middle of a neighborhood.
Note: I think the new La Marzocco Café and Showroom located in the Seattle Center will become a favorite of out of towners. It’s located in very touristed area, it’s huge with lots of seating, has really cool displays of all the La Marzoccos for coffee nerds, has a record shop and attached to a radio station, our beloved KEXP, a non-profit radio station kept alive by donors and supporters.
Our favorite coffee shops by neighborhood:
Downtown-Mr West Café Bar, Anchorhead Coffee Co, Pegasus Coffee, Caffe Senso Unico, Café Magliore, Cafe Hitchcock
Pike Place-Storyville Coffee Co
Ballard-Anchored Ship Coffee, Bauhaus, Mabel Coffee, Venture Coffee, Caffe Umbria
Belltown-Tempesta Coffee.
Capitol Hill-Victrola Coffee, Ghost Note Coffee, Analog Coffee, Capitol Coffee Works, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, Realfine Coffee
Eastlake-Voxx (linked review is for downtown location)
Fremont-Milstead & Co., Light House Roasters
Georgetown –Brother Joe
Green Lake-Kitanda Espresso, Revolutions Coffee
Greenwood-Preserve and Gather
International District – Eastern Cafe
Maple Leaf-Cloud City Coffee
Pioneer Square-Convoy Coffee, Cherry Street Public House, Caffé Vita, Slate Coffee Roasters, Elm Coffee Roasters, Zeitgeist Coffee , Caffe Umbria
Queen Anne- La Marzocco Café & Showroom, El Diablo Coffee
Ravenna- Seven Coffee Roasters
Roosevelt-Broadcast Coffee
South Lake Union-Espresso Vivace , Evoke Coffee, Cascade Coffee Works
Tangletown-Zoka
University-Café Allegro(Seattle’s oldest coffee shop), Herkimer Coffee
Wallingford-Fuel
Westlake-Caffe Umbria
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Battle of the North Seattle Taco Trucks
This is the 2nd installment of our Seattle Food Wars series. We’re huge fans of taco trucks. They’re typically cheap, no waiting, fast preparation and more authentic than you would get at a normal Mexican Seattle sit down restaurant. But which is the best? The four taco trucks we tried were:
El Naranjo - 7215 Wet Green Lake Dr N
El Camion –11728 Aurora Ave N
Anita’s –12245 Aurora Ave N
Taqueria La Pasadita - 2137 N Northgate Way
To keep things consistent, we ordered a pollo(chicken) burrito at each truck. The first thing you’ll notice is that they are all in low profile locations which surely leads to cheaper parking rent. El Naranjo is in a parking lot next to a Shell gas station, El Camion is in a parking lot next to Home Dept, Anita’s is in a parking lot next to Les Schwab and Taqueria La Pasdra is in the back of a Starbucks parking lot. We ordered one burrito from each location and hurried home so we can fairly compare the size and taste of each side by side.
El Naranjo-$6. Was tied for cheapest but was the most plain/basic w/refired beans, rice and chicken. They also give a free side of pickled carrots, radish, jalapeno peppers and lime along with a red and green sauce. Of the four burritos, this had the least amount of chicken. Parking is limited and there are two small benches in a covered outdoor area right next to the truck.
El Camion-$8.77. Came in the most expensive, but had the most chicken by far of the four burritos. They grill the tortilla and you can also really taste the char on the chicken. Burrito has cheese, rice, black beans, pico de gallo and sour cream. One of the things I love most about El Camion is their self serve sauce area and pickled peppers. They have a dedicated parking lot and a big tented area right next to the truck. Of the four trucks, this one tends to be the most crowded.
Anita’s-$8.66. Anita’s has a huge parking lot, so no issues parking there. It was the 2nd biggest burrito of the four and had cheese, rice, black beans, pico de gallo, sour cream. It came with a red and green sauce. There’s a covered area with about 3 or 4 benches right next to the truck.
Taqueria La Pasdra(TLP)-$6. This burrito was the most flavorful. The amount of chicken was low compared to the others, but it was really seasoned well. The tortilla was perfectly toasted and included refried beans, rice, onion, cilantro. It came with red and green sauce. There are two small benches in a tented seating area. One bad thing-it’s a bitch to get out of the lot on to Northgate Way due to all the traffic near the freeway entrance.
The results:
\
| Scale 1-10 | Size | Bang for the buck | Taste | Other | Total |
| El Naranjo | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 31 |
| El Camion | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 38 |
| Anita’s | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 32 |
| TLP | 7 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 33 |
Other=sauces, extras, ease of location, parking
The winner is El Camion!
Next we’ll try tacos.
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