Woodinville Wine Country…for Beer Drinking Locals

So you ate dinner with some friends, enjoyed a glass of wine, treated yourself to that luscious creme brulee, and then you all piled into a chevy nova and drove to Ballard to get tanked. Fear not, o’ stout-hearted city dweller, for even on the
east side there are places where your feet stick to the floor. Forget the posh wine bars with eclectic menus. Forget Woodinville’s wineries (Drinking in a golf shirt? Are you serious?). You busted your butt all week and you’re ready to shoot pool, listen to bad music, and eat fried food. So where does the working class go to unwind? Here are three hangouts for unpretentious drinkers in Woodinville Washington.

Mccorys on the slough: (12801 Northeast 175th Street. 425-488-0140) Head West on NE 175th, cross the train tracks and the river, McCorys is on the left. Stop in for a pitcher and a burger, or treat yourself to a tender slab of prime rib and a baked potato. This Woodinville landmark boasts outside dining complete with fountain (sometimes it’s running) and the sweet song of train whistles. Mccory’s holds pool tournaments several nights a week (call ahead for dates and times) so
bring your game face or come on an off night if you want to shoot a few rounds. If you absolutely must watch the Mariners, there are several televisions kept at reasonable volumes. Try your luck at darts, pinball, pulltabs, or just sit at the bar and chew some proverbial fat with the locals. The staff gets busy, but they’re friendly and on the ball, so keep your pants on if it
takes them a few minutes to get your order.

Big Daddy’s Place: (17626 140th Avenue Northeast. 425-402-9887) Tucked in a strip mall, this Bar and Grill is famous for its all you can eat crab night, drunken karaoke, and live music. Big Daddy’s is similar to its kirkland counterpart only a little…well…dirtier. But in a good way. If you want to smoke while you throw darts, for example, you probably wont get the evil-eye from the table next to you. Several northwest staples are always on tap, as well as the usual assortment of light beers and inexpensive wines. The crowd at Bid Daddy’s is highly influenced by the calendar and time of night, so don’t
go early on all you can eat crab night and expect a rowdy wet t-shirt contest. There are several pool tables, tv’s, and just enough cheesy music paraphenalia on the walls to almost convince you it’s not in a strip mall. You aren’t likely to catch a live act as innovative as those on the West side of lake Washington, but it doesn’t seem to keep the natives from enjoying themselves.

Las Margaritas: (13400 NE 175TH Street. 425-483-5656) Okay, so this is your typical suburban Mexican restaurant. It’s also a guilty pleasure for locals who want to whet their whistles on a Sunday afternoon. The key here is to sit in the bar. You don’t have to whisper, the blinds are usually down (so nobody sees you drinking early), and for some reason the chips taste better back there. It’s safe to order a meal if you are hungry, but there is better food in town. Your best bet is to order
the biggest, baddest margarita you can get and snack until the cows come home. Bring a designated driver if you plan on drinking several of those big bad margaritas.