Bar #7: Jabu's Pub - Queen Anne

The Seattle Center/Lower Queen Anne area is not a neighborhood where I spend a lot of time. Nothing against it, but I rarely head there unless it's to go to a movie or Easy Street Records. So when a group of us happened to be seeing a film fest movie nearby, it was a good opportunity to hit a few bars, starting with Jabu's Pub.

There are two sections to the bar. The main area has a pool table, Big Buck Hunter and Ms. Pac Man games, and some booths and tables. There's also a metal wall where you can have fun with magnets. The other section of the bar is a darker, smaller area with a small bar and a TV. The customers were people from the neighborhood watching the NBA playoffs and having a few drinks.

Liquor-wise, the selection is pretty typical. No fancy-pants $12 cocktails here, but they do have some flavored vodkas and such. The draft beer options are pretty good and lean toward the local. There were beers from Fremont, Iron Horse, Diamond Knot and Maritime. They also have a pub grub food menu.

You can tell a lot about a bar by the things they do or don't have. The presence of a Jagermeister cold shot machine is usually a surefire sign that a bar sucks. In the case of Jabu's, I'll give them a pass since the place is a perfectly fine neighborhood joint, despite this douche magnet.

Places like Jabu's serve a purpose for people who live within walking distance and like to go out for a few nearby drinks. For a thirsty wanderer like me, it's fine too. While it doesn't have a ton of character, it works well as a drinking stop along the way to wherever the night leads me.