C.C.Attle's

Basics: $5 heavy pour double wells. All business hours.


Let’s you and I level a bit: CC’s is one of the gayest of the gay bars Seattle has to offer. If you’re not comfortable around burly homosexual men, you’d probably do better sliding down a razor blade into a pool of salted lemon juice rather than entering the Verandah Room.

(Hell, I remember how uncomfortable I felt my first time walking in. Here I am, this Seattle neophyte, entering behind this beefy man with what looked to be Brillo pads on his shoulders and biceps. He turns and grunts out, “Mm. Fresh meat.” To this day, I’m still haunted by his gut, which pushed the tensile strength of his ribbed cotton tank to its limits. These are not memories one easily forgets.)

But if you are comfortable around the lavender-types – and you happen to enjoy over-the-top drinks – CC’s is worth repeat visits. Happy hour never ends with $5 heavy-pour double wells spilling all afternoon and evening.

Let’s break that down: Happy hour never ends. Five dollar. Heavy-pour. Double wells. All. Day. Long.

That’s the equivalent of a pint glass full of gin with just a dash of tonic and lime, or a shit ton of vodka with a scant amount of Red Bull or orange juice.

While CC’s is a regular hot spot on the gay pub crawl circuit, the bar takes on a vastly different character and tone during daylight hours. People seemed more relaxed. Chill. Conversational. (Though, that may very well be because of a wicked buzz going: "God it's still strong," the APIC* slurred in the middle of his second. "Even after all the ice has melted.") CC's definitely ranks up there as one of Seattle’s friendliest gay bars.

That's not to say a visit here is an uplifting experience: happy hour here is anything but. Gay dive bars have a history of depressing atmospheres. For decades they've acted as gathering spots and watering holes to outcast and downtrodden homosexuals. And while we're living in a much more progressive era, that mentality is in the genetics of queer dive bars. So, no, CC's patrons aren't moping around attempting to slash their wrists - but they certainly aren't acting the height of hilarity, either.

As far as drowning sorrows in a Jack and Coke, one could do a lot worse. These drinks require an iron liver. They're strong enough, in fact, to knock the APIC* and I out after a few. And knock us so far out, actually, that one of us left his debit card after closing out.

(And, no, it wasn’t me.)

C.C. Attle’s. 1501 E Madison St (15th and Madison), Seattle’s Central District. Weekdays noon to 2:00 a.m., weekends 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.

UPDATE: C.C.'s officially closed it's doors September 30, 2010 due to construction of the forthcoming Cascadia Center, a six-story commercial building. Since then, C.C.'s manager Chris Daw has (semi-officially) announced the bar will take over the space currently occupied by Cafe Metropolitain at 1701 E Olive Way (E Olive Way and Boylston Ave E).

Maharaja Cuisine of India

Basics: $2 well drinks, select $1 appetizers with drink purchase. Daily specials run 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Don't be confused: there are several different businesses in the greater Seattle area with the same name. This is the one on Capitol Hill.)


A bunch of us had a discussion at brunch a few weeks back about how many drinks it takes for one to feel buzzed. While most agreed that two was the magic number, Arlen and I felt that five was more appropriate.

That said: you could not pay me enough to down five drinks poured at Maharaja.

Tucked away behind faded batik swaths lies one of Seattle’s most potent bars, daily pouring toxic drinks that deliciously burn going down in the most masochistic of fashions. I ordered two positively antiseptic gin and tonics and by some miracle of life was still able to form coherent sentences by the time the check came around.

Don’t misunderstand: these are not good drinks. Connoisseurs would do well walking up the Pike/Pine Corridor in favor of swankier bars with an actual palette for cocktails. But for those people who’ve had it up to here with their boss for the sixth time this week? Slap down $2 and blissfully sip away your frustrations.

Don’t come for the décor, unless you enjoy spending time at Cornish's freshmen dorm. Ignore the music, except if you’re familiar with Bollywood’s greatest hits. But these drinks? Unless you have an 8.0-on-the-Richter-scale hangover (like the APIC did … sorry about last night!), come enjoy the cheap-as-hell fuck-you-up booze that we all dreamt of in college.

On the other hand, you could listen to the advice of co-worker Sara: Maharaja generally sounds like a great idea. It rarely is.

Maharaja Cuisine of India. 720 E Pike St (Pike and Harvard), Seattle's Capitol Hill. Daily 4:00-9:00 p.m.

UPDATE: Maharaja has closed its doors as of the January 2011. As a collective, Seattleites' livers are undoubtedly happy, but their wallets are weeping.