Leny's

Tangletown seemed like a really corny, overwrought name for the neighborhood straddling Green Lake, Lower Woodland, and Wallingford before it caught on wholesale. Now, it's like, "Bro, where should we go for a few cheap beers before Luau?" Duh: Leny's. You read that right—there's just one "n" in Leny's. Squiggy must have the more traditional spelling trademarked or something. We don't know. Nor do we care. What impresses us is how, since GreenLowFord became Tangletown, Leny's has transformed itself from a beer, pork rind, and ashtray-laden haven for pool hustlers into a full-service dive bar featuring hard liquor, plasma screens for sports, and a very satisfying menu served in conjunction with Steve Katsandres, who owns the Ballard Avenue eatery Bad Albert's and has decided to franchise his expert Dock Street Burger out to wanton taverns. Not to worry, you can still hustle or be hustled at Leny's. Thankfully, those haggard roots still show. 2219 N. 56th St., 206-632-9175.