The 5 Point Cafe
Encyclopedia
The 5 Point Cafe is a bar and 24-hour cafe and bar in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. It is located by Tillicum Place Park near a five-way intersection. Open since 1929, it is a drinking establishment
that is considered the oldest in the neighborhood. The bar has received accolades from local media for being one of the best dive bar
s in the city.
in 1929. Coffee, two eggs, a ham steak, hashbrowns, and four pieces of buttered toast with jelly cost 40 cents. Smaller dishes were 25 cents or less. A barroom was opened adjacent to the cafe upon the repeal of prohibition
in 1933 to sell beer and wine. It became a lounge when state law allowed for the sale of hard liquor in 1944.
Smith's son, Dick, took over in 1975. Along with political activities in the neighborhood, the younger Smith was known for installing a periscope
over the men's room urinal to provide views of the Space Needle
.
The 5 Point Cafe made headlines in August 2004 when radio personality Tom Leykis
was ejected and then assaulted outside. Leykis said his assailant kicked him in the head and knocked him to the ground. He was cut above the eye and needed 17 stitches.
There were rumors of the establishment's pending closure in September 2009. In November 2009, it was purchased by David Meinert. He has changed little but the menu was expanded slightly with vegetarian options.
and eclectic patrons. Brassiere
s dangle from a stuffed moose head and there is a juke box with an expansive collection.
The cafe has been called one of the best dive bars in the world by the alternative weekly newspaper The Stranger. It has been voted "Best Dive Bar" in Seattle several times by Seattle Magazine.
The younger Smith installed quirky signs throughout the location. Before Washington banned smoking in restaurants and bars, the cafe touted it as smoker-friendly with a sign that read: "Smokers welcome, non-smokers beware". Other signs have slogans such as "We cheat tourists-n-drunks since 1929" and "Alcoholics Serving Alcoholics since 1929".
Drinking establishment
A drinking establishment is a business whose primary function is the serving of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises. Some establishments may also serve food, or have entertainment, but their main purpose is to serve alcoholic beverages...
that is considered the oldest in the neighborhood. The bar has received accolades from local media for being one of the best dive bar
Dive bar
A dive bar is a type of bar or pub. Dive bars generally have a relaxed and informal atmosphere—they are often referred to by local residents as "neighborhood bars," where people in the neighborhood gather to drink and socialize...
s in the city.
History
The building was originally constructed by the Webb Investment Company in 1922 for use as a dairy warehouse. It was built in what was known as the Denny Regrade, named after a project to flatten Denny Hill. C. Preston Smith opened the cafe during an economic downturnGreat Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
in 1929. Coffee, two eggs, a ham steak, hashbrowns, and four pieces of buttered toast with jelly cost 40 cents. Smaller dishes were 25 cents or less. A barroom was opened adjacent to the cafe upon the repeal of prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
in 1933 to sell beer and wine. It became a lounge when state law allowed for the sale of hard liquor in 1944.
Smith's son, Dick, took over in 1975. Along with political activities in the neighborhood, the younger Smith was known for installing a periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
over the men's room urinal to provide views of the Space Needle
Space Needle
The Space Needle is a tower in Seattle, Washington and is a major landmark of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and a symbol of Seattle. Located at the Seattle Center, it was built for the 1962 World's Fair, during which time nearly 20,000 people a day used the elevators, with over...
.
The 5 Point Cafe made headlines in August 2004 when radio personality Tom Leykis
Tom Leykis
Thomas Joseph Leykis is an American radio personality. He currently hosts The Tasting Room with Tom Leykis, a weekly lifestyle program dealing with fine food and drink, airing weekends mainly in West Coast markets...
was ejected and then assaulted outside. Leykis said his assailant kicked him in the head and knocked him to the ground. He was cut above the eye and needed 17 stitches.
There were rumors of the establishment's pending closure in September 2009. In November 2009, it was purchased by David Meinert. He has changed little but the menu was expanded slightly with vegetarian options.
Culture
The 5 Point Cafe serves large portions of traditional American food and stiff drinks at inexpensive prices. Located in what is now an affluent neighborhood, it has historically catered to working classWorking class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
and eclectic patrons. Brassiere
Brassiere
A brassiere is an undergarment that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting breasts....
s dangle from a stuffed moose head and there is a juke box with an expansive collection.
The cafe has been called one of the best dive bars in the world by the alternative weekly newspaper The Stranger. It has been voted "Best Dive Bar" in Seattle several times by Seattle Magazine.
The younger Smith installed quirky signs throughout the location. Before Washington banned smoking in restaurants and bars, the cafe touted it as smoker-friendly with a sign that read: "Smokers welcome, non-smokers beware". Other signs have slogans such as "We cheat tourists-n-drunks since 1929" and "Alcoholics Serving Alcoholics since 1929".