Bars on Spokane's North Side

EDITOR'S NOTE: Our focus here was on bars that have opened since our last guide two years ago, as well as on great older bars we didn’t cover last time (like Italian Kitchen, Fizzie Mulligan’s and Scoreboard). Then we tackled as many other dives, lounges and distilleries as our wallets and livers could afford. Naturally, we probably missed your favorite place. And we totally short-changed a couple of neighborhoods. But we will live to drink — and report back — another day. Until then, hoist a glass to those who keep us all in the suds. Cheers — Joel Smith, Section Editor

7TH RAIL
1911 N. Maple St. | 325-7751
A popular neighborhood destination full of pool tables and tournament ribbons, 7th Rail is a bar for those serious about pool. The crowd is mixed, mostly blue-collar. After walking into a fight between a hippie and a war vet over who was the better patron, I settled in with the popular and ber-sweet Grimace. (CJ) STYLE: Pool hall HAPPY HOUR: Daily 4-7 pm

ACE’S CASINO
6301 N. Division | 892-5242
After a round of poker, relax among brass and dark wood columns in the casino’s adjacent lounge and family restaurant. While the poker room is brightly lit and bustling, the lounge is dimly lit and laid back. Order a Long Island Iced Tea to soothe a poker loss or gear up for a win. (CJ) STYLE: Casino/restaurant lounge HAPPY HOUR: Daily 3-7 pm

BIGFOOT PUB & EATERY
9115 N. Division | 467-9638
See Dive Bar Tour (ND) STYLE: Hirsute Whitworthian haunt HAPPY HOUR: Daily 4-7 pm

BIG SKY’S
5510 N. Market St. | 489-2073
Big Sky’s is something out of the past. Drink choices are limited to beer and wine, the jukebox pipes out Patsy Cline and you can only pay with cash. It’s a comfortable place full of friendly people. Big Sky’s hosts an annual tricycle race — dubbed the Skytona 500 — around the block to raise money for cancer research. (CJ) STYLE: Tavern

BLUZ AT THE BEND
2721 N. Market St. | 483-7300
The classically dark “bluz” venue hosts bands almost every night of the week. (JL) STYLE: Blues/comedy nightclub

BROADWAY BAR & GRILL
1811 W. Broadway Ave. | 326-5000
Enough of the pretty nightlife: this hometown bar is the ol’ spot where the creatures get themselves sloshed. (JL) STYLE: Dive

BROWN DERBY TAVERN
808 W. Garland Ave. | 327-5742
See Dive Bar Tour (ND) STYLE: Neighborhood hole-in-the-wall

THE BULLDOG TAVERN
1305 N. Hamilton St. | 487-6735
At the Bulldog, you’ll find cheap booze, a friendly staff, a plywood dance floor and the 5 percent of Gonzaga students who don’t care about basketball. (NJ) STYLE: Dive HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri 4-7 pm

CASEY’S LOUNGE
2126 N. Monroe St. | 326-4111
Hiding from a spouse or the law? Come here. It’s dark, windowless and the regulars won’t bother you with idle chatter. (They’re too busy lining up empties.) The bartender says a ghost named “George” is said to haunt the halls, and we believe it. We intend to return for the six-nights-a-week karaoke and the drink special known as the “Panty Dropper.” (JF) STYLE: Old school HAPPY HOUR: Daily 2-4 pm

CATERINA WINERY
905 N. Washington St. | 328-5069
They’re not as big an indie-music powerhouse anymore, but don’t overlook holiday events and the dozen varieties of Washington-grown wine for tastings. (JL) STYLE: Wine bar

CHARLEY’S GRILL & SPIRITS
1305 N. Hamilton St. | 328-8911
More lunch-time restaurant than a bar, it has plenty of tables where you’ll find all the pub standards, plus a few surprises like potstickers and coconut shrimp. (JF) STYLE: Neighborhood bar HAPPY HOUR: Daily 4-7 pm

CHIC-A-RIA GERMAN INN & PUB
1812 W. Francis Ave. | 326-2214
This is where the guys go after work to watch the game, not to reminisce about the days when they were stationed in Munich. Choose from two rotating German taps and a variety of bottled imports and house-made brats. Go all out and purchase a $40 stein for lifetime discounts on beer (but leave the lederhosen at home — you’re in a strip mall). Jawohl! (ES) STYLE: Beer lounge HAPPY HOUR: Daily 4-7 pm

CLINKERDAGGER
621 W. Mallon Ave. | 328-5965
With a wide selection of mojitos, martinis and cosmos, Clinkerdagger provides a local pinnacle of fine dining and drinking. (JE) STYLE: Restaurant bar HAPPY HOUR: Daily 3-6 pm and 9 pm-close

COUNTRY PLACE
3618 E. Columbia Ave. | 484-6707
Looking for a random, boozy romp off the beaten path? Jackpot. This is a cute-looking house-turned-bar in the middle of a dirt parking lot in the East Hillyard industrial area. Check out the plethora of dog pictures and isms adorning the walls. (BT) STYLE: Sports/dive bar HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri 4-7 pm

THE CRETIN HOP
1317 N. Howard St. | 327-7195
Not really a spot for booze so much as it is for punk rock, the Cretin Hop is the cornerstone of the Spokane all-ages scene. If you’re looking for a spot to chat over a drink, this isn’t the place for it. Instead, grab a Tecate and some candy from the bar, and elbow for a spot in the pit. (LS) STYLE: Punk rock

DAVID’S PIZZA
829 E. Boone Ave. | 483-7460
Some of Spokane’s best pizza sits next to the Gonzaga campus and now offers a mid-afternoon special from 3-5 pm with food and beer for under five bucks. (JL) STYLE: Sports/pizza

DOWNRIVER GRILL
3315 W. Northwest Blvd. | 323-1600
Catch the game or reserve that one cozy spot with a special someone, but don’t forget to try Downriver’s new special, the Cadillac Margarita (now for $8.50). (JL) STYLE: Casual/fine dining

FIZZIE MULLIGAN’S
331 W. Hastings Rd. | 466-5354
This expansive bar transforms depending on the night: Sometimes it draws college kids from Whitworth and at other times a bunch of cowboys with large hats. You never know. Regardless, it’s popular. In fact, we know of one Inlander staffer who, frustrated with the wait to get inside, jumped the steel fence surrounding the outdoor patio. (Bad idea, by the way.) (JF) STYLE: Strip-mall bar

HAPPY TIME
3506 N. Division | 326-9910
It’s a big surprise that a drunk driver hasn’t crashed into this place. This tiny dive literally sits right next to the sidewalk on Division. The crowd inside isn’t so good-looking, but the pull tabs are plentiful, and the well gin is pretty cheap. (TLM) STYLE: Dive

HI-NEIGHBOR TAVERN
2201 N. Monroe St. | 325-9079
It looks like a pleasant dive bar from the outside, but smells like taxi cab air-freshener and bleach inside. Everything else about the Hi-Neighbor is standard dive bar fare: cheap beer (cash only, mind you), a large beef jerky selection, buckets of pull tabs, sports on TV, pool tables and a team of leering regulars. Yeesh. (LS) STYLE: Dive bar HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri 3-7 pm

THE HUB
2926 N. Monroe St. | 326-7447
Think beer signs, NASCAR, pull tabs, friendly staff and a flannel-wearing, slur-prone boozehound in the corner. This small, neighborhood watering hole doesn’t have a happy hour. It doesn’t need to: You can buy $2 cans of Busch any time, and it’s enough to draw a devoted crowd of hard drinkers. It’s beer/wine only. Be sure to bring cash. (JF) STYLE: Neighborhood dive

JACK & DAN’S BAR & GRILL
1226 N. Hamilton St. | 487-6546
Jack & Dan’s earns bonus points for classic décor and a collegiate environment. Though you may find more GU alums than current students. (LB) STYLE: Sports

LITZ’S
204 E. Ermina Ave. | 327-7092
In the gleam of a million bar signs, you’ll find a decent selection of beers, great deals on bar-grub and buckets upon buckets of pull tabs at Litz’s. If you’re not a sports nut, you can still have a good time here. In fact, there’s a drink special almost every night to ensure that you do. (LS) STYLE: Sports! HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri 4-7 pm, Sun-Mon all day

MILFORD’S FISH HOUSE
719 N. Monroe St. | 326-7251
Make the beautiful interior – tastefully appointed, high ceilings, large windows – your special-occasion choice for fine dining and after-work drinks. (JL) STYLE: Upscale seafood

MOEZY INN
2723 N. Monroe St. | 326-7380
Moezy Inn has a weird, casual, kids’ clubhouse feeling — except, you know, for all the drunks. The ceiling is slung low (like the folks on their stools), the walls are wood-paneled and the lone hot dog in the machine looks like a decoration (or a great dare in the making). It’s a beer/wine joint, but they sell lottery tickets if you’re feeling lucky. (JF) STYLE: Dive HAPPY HOUR: Daily 10 am-noon, 7-9 pm

MOON’S MONGOLIAN GRILL & LOUNGE
6429 N. Division | 467-1043
The pastel décor and oldies melodies lend Moon’s Lounge a distinct airport lounge atmosphere. The majority of patrons are retired blue-collar types with a penchant for Black Velvet & water and vodka tonics. The lounge menu is limited. Head over to the grill for more choices. (CJ) STYLE: Restaurant lounge

NORTHERN LIGHTS BREWING CO.
1003 E. Trent Ave. | 242-2739
There are few better places to be on a summer’s day than on the grassy patio along the Spokane River, with Northern Lights’ locally brewed 10-beer sampler in front of you. (JF) STYLE: Pub HAPPY HOUR: Daily 4-6 pm

PJ’S BAR & GRILL
1717 N. Monroe St. | 328-2153
See Dive Bar Tour (ND) STYLE: Multi-leveled house of sin HAPPY HOUR: Daily 4-7 pm

PROSPECTOR’S BAR & GRILLE
12611 N. Division | 467-6177
Everything here is jumbo-sized — the plates, the drinks, the seating. The fireplace lounge is massive, catering to 21-runs and bigger parties. The drink list is extensive, including an impressive wine selection, a fat list of year-round mojitos and a killer Bloody Mary made from scratch. (BT) STYLE: Slightly upscale HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri, 3-6 pm

RICK’S RINGSIDE
921 W. Garland Ave. | 324-9718
See “Dive Bar Tour,” p. 24 (ND) STYLE: Sports bar HAPPY HOUR: Daily 4-7 pm

THE SCREAMING YAK
118 W. Francis Ave. | 464-3641
The Yak’s not huge, but plenty of glass around the seating area gives it an open feeling. (NJ) STYLE: Sports HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri 3-6 pm

SNEEKY PETE’S PUB
633 W. Garland Ave.
Sneeky Pete’s is a fun little place with plenty of TVs to watch various games, or just enjoy a drink at a bar stuffed with snarky signs. (JE) STYLE: Sports bar

SNOOPS SALOON
805 E. Rosewood Ave.| 487-6013
The king of north-side parking lot bars, this is a serious pool hall with radical people-watching (Ex-convicts? Hustlers? Maybe!), along with spirited bartenders who will give a piece of their minds to anyone needing to be called out. (BT) STYLE: Pool hall dive bar HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri 4-6 pm

SPENCER’S
322 N. Spokane Falls Ct. | 744-2372
This high-end steak restaurant also has a comfortable bar with a large wine and drink selection. (NJ) STYLE: Restaurant bar HAPPY HOUR: Daily 4-6 pm

SPORTMAN’S CAFÉ & LOUNGE
6410 N. Market St. | 467-6388
A ranch-house-type restaurant and bar, reminiscent of grandma’s kitchen. Show up fresh from a hunting trip, still swathed in camo and no one will give it a second thought. Come here for home-style cooking, attentive service, NASCAR, Franzia in a carafe and the merry hodge-podge of Market/Freya regulars. (BT) STYLE: Dive/Hunting Bar

STAR RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
1329 N. Hamilton St. | 487-1530
Drunken karaoke all week with cheap drinks all day, every day — which is especially useful on Thursday’s College Nights. (JL) STYLE: Neighborhood

STIR
7115 N. Division | 466-5999
Bathed in blue, with concrete floors and a big stone-slab bar, this small north-side lounge is going for upscale and hip. The menu features steak and salmon, and the cocktail list offers a bevy of sweet Sex and the City drinks, from the orange cream pie to the white chocolate truffle and the “Ladies Who Lunch.” (JS) STYLE: Nouveau swank HAPPY HOUR: Daily 3-6 pm

STIX
9820 N. Nevada St. | 468-9820
This relatively fancy little cocktail bistro may be the best incarnation yet at this Nevada Street property. Run by the same people who run Twigs (get it?), Stix does sandwiches and pizza by day and upscale drinks by night. Try the cucumber and cilantro martini. (JS) STYLE: Cocktail bar HAPPY HOUR: Daily 2-6 pm and 9 pm-close

THE SWINGING DOORS
1018 W. Francis St. | 326-6794
A decked-out neighborhood pub with an infinite amount of TV’s and bar games to keep you easily amused all day. (JL) STYLE: Sports/neighborhood HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri 8 am-6 pm

THE TICKET
1221 N. Howard St. | 328-4898
Located across from the Spokane Arena, the Ticket is ideal for getting your game face on — or drinking away a tough loss. (NJ) STYLE: Sports/comedy HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Thu 4-7 pm

TOMATO STREET
6220 N. Division | 484-4500
Do yourself a favor. When the line to get in grows into the next room, just head straight to the bar. If you can find a seat there, you can order from their full menu of pasta and other pop-Italian specialties and a gigantic menu of just-so-super-fun cocktails, like the Woo Woo and the Wild Thing. (JS) STYLE: Italian restaurant bar HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri 4:30-6 pm and 10 pm-close

TONICX BAR AND PATIO
6314 N. Ash St. | 324-6453
It’s a sports bar dressed like one of those Super Supplement strip mall stores next to Pita Pit, but local Corona-lovers can’t do without Mexican Beer Monday. (JL) STYLE: Neighborhood

TWIGS
401 E. Farwell Rd. | 465-8794
The fireplace and patio seating are nice, but we prefer sitting at the island-shaped bar, staring up at the magnificent tower of booze careening toward the ceiling. Bonus: That tower now includes Bakon vodka and absinthe, adding to the allure of one of the area’s best-loved cocktail bars. (JS) STYLE: Cocktail bar HAPPY HOUR: Daily 3-6 pm and 9 pm-close

THE VIKING
1221 N. Stevens St. | 326-2942
Consistently recognized as the best beer bar in Spokane, this Arena-adjacent shack is also popular for darts, pool, popcorn and shuffleboard. (JS) STYLE: Beer Heaven HAPPY HOUR: Daily specials

WEISE’S BAR & GRILL
2436 N. Astor St. | 489-6111
Weise’s is a little, out-of-the-way place that looks like a shack from the outside. But it’s surprisingly inviting inside. It’s a neighborhood bar where middle-aged working class guys can be found discussing how sexist Hooter’s is after watching “Undercover Boss” the night before while playing Wii bowling and tipping back beer and Duck Farts. (CJ) STYLE: Pool hall

WHISKEY DICK’S
3027 E. Liberty Ave. | 474-9387
The destination for Hillyard’s younger crowd. Full of 20-somethings in Ed Hardy T-shirts, Whiskey Dick’s boasts some of the friendliest bartenders in town. Try the Green Skittle — a popular shot made with Raspberry vodka, curaao, sweet & sour, 7UP, OJ and raspberry liqueur. (CJ) STYLE: Pub and grill HAPPY HOUR: Daily 11 am-6 pm

WORKING CLASS HEROES
1914 N. Monroe St. | 327-0448
Working Class Heroes is surrounded by traffic, antique shops and sandwich joints. But inside it’s welcoming and homey. (JF) STYLE: Neighborhood bar HAPPY HOUR: Daily 4-7 pm

CONTRIBUTORS: Ann M. Colford, Ben Kromer, Blair Tellers, Carey Jackson, Carrie Scozzaro, Chris Dreyer, Clayton Rau, Doug Nadvornick, Elizabeth Strauch, Jacob H. Fries, Jeff Echert, Joel Smith, Jordy Byrd, Julia Lipscomb, Kevin Taylor, Leah Sottile, Luke Baumgarten, Natalie Johnson, Nicholas Deshais, Tammy L. Marshall, Tiffany Harms