I was planning on including the Maharaja in my upcoming book on Seattle dive bars, but when ‘Lil Scoop and I walked in the other day to take photos for said book, we were shocked to find that what once was a dark drinking den is now an opulent new playground for the best bartender in town, Don Bogie. You’ll really have to see it to believe it, but the fact that the once-casual Bogie is now clad in a gold vest and tie should tip you off as to the extent of transformation that has occurred (in November, unbeknownst to us). Hence, the Maha will now be relegated to the “Ghosts of Dive Bars Past” section of mi libro. Ah well — what’s good for Bogie is good for west side drinkers. (I guess.)