First Call: Hooverville, After the Fire

The Watering Hole Hooverville, the best bar in town for people who like peanuts, beer, the Mariners, the Black Crowes, or who work at Starbucks headquarters down the street.

Chris Kornelis

McAteer: Hoppier with age.

Location Info

Map

Hooverville

1721 1st Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98134

Category: Bars/Clubs

Region: SoDo

Photos

3 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare	0

Related Content

• Ring My Belle: Yacht Rock
  April 25, 2012
• Cruises: The New State-Fair Circuit?
  April 25, 2012
• Whisker Tones: What the Hair On Your Face Says About Your Music
  September 7, 2011
• If You Missed Seattle Sounds On 97.3 Yesterday, We've Got the Podcast Right Here
  February 27, 2012
• SoDo Pizza Raises the Bar
  March 7, 2012

More About

• Choice McAteer
• The Black Crowes
• Hooverville
• The Pogues
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Dining Newsletter: The week's top local food news and events, plus interviews with chefs and restaurant owners, dining tips, and a peek at our print review.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

The Barkeep Sean McAteer, who says, "When I was younger, I liked brown ales and sweeter-tasting beers. But as I've gotten older, I got into hoppier beer."

The Atmosphere After a fire closed the bar from February to September, the new innards look a tad glossier than the worn cushions, stools, and dartboard that made it a go-to spot for a preshow Manny's. But the revived Hooverville has lost none of its welcoming feel; the regulars, says McAteer, "were almost ready to beat down the door" by the time the bar reopened. With Hooverville located across the street from Showbox SoDo, McAteer's noticed that fans of the Pogues drink a lot of Pabst, while Black Crowes fans go straight for the microbrews. "The Pogues crowd is more quantity over quality," he says.

The Hives also came in once. "They tried to play a little rock-star status, and ask us if we would stay open past 2," recalls McAteer. "They're great guys, but, sorry."

The Song that's playing while McAteer is telling me all this is Kid Rock's "I Am the Bullgod."

Drink of Choice McAteer pours me an Anderson Valley IPA and a Speakeasy Pale for my friend. I've warmed to pale ales myself, and can no longer drink Mac & Jacks. I could drink this shit all day.

First Call is a weekly feature on our food blog, Voracious(seattleweekly.com/voracious), in which we ask a bartender to make us his or her favorite drink.