Tucked inside of the West Seattle Bowl, is the unexpected tiki oasis; Three 9 Lounge. A tiki bar in a bowling alley? Why not? I had been aware of Three 9 since my move here two years ago but had never had a chance to stop in until recently. I hadn’t really heard much about it. It really didn’t seem to be on the tiki community’s radar. There really had been very little buzz about the place at all as far as I knew, so getting there kind of took a back seat.
I had gotten tickets to Tikipalooza, a big tiki event happening in West Seattle. Although I hadn’t been feeling particularly well and had been experiencing stomach issues for days, I felt that I needed to check out Tikipalooza anyway. I got there a bit after it opened and did a quick walk through of the tiki marketplace there. The marketplace was to be open for two hours before the symposium of the evening. Instead of socializing, I decided to duck out and visit Three 9 Lounge for those two hours. It wasn’t terribly far away.
I wasn’t expecting much when I walked into the Three 9. It didn’t look all that interesting on its own website, actually. Upon entering the door from the street, I walked into a red vestibule. Three 9 Lounge was just beyond the cool red padded door…
I must say that when I finally walked inside, I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, it was a simple layout—a bar on one side with booths across from it and open seating areas on either side—but for what it was, it was surprisingly well done.
The bar was topped with thatch and the base was covered in bamboo. Large bamboo posts on either side of the bar, propped up the thatch and were decorated in stamps from around the world and twinkle lights.
The booths also had bamboo screens separating them. Glass floats were used as lighting above the booths. Not breathtaking, but very nice and serviceable.
Small “tikis” dotted the open areas on either side of the bar area. They could be used as small tables for those sitting along the wall benches. Fun!
I sat at one end of the bar. It was relatively quiet that mid-afternoon. After looking at the menu, I decided to start off with a Bucc… Off, the bar’s signature drink. It was a wild blend of rums, chai tea, amaro, honey, lemon, Orleans bitters, pineapple, and served with a flaming cinnamon stick. The bar’s signature mug that it comes served in could also be had for an additional fee. I found the drink tasty, yet different. The swirl of flavors played in my mouth. I kept glancing at the menu to see exactly what it was I was tasting as I sipped.
With it, I had ordered the Loco Moco Burger. The marinated beef patty, caramelized onion, mushrooms, gravy, peppers, melted jack cheese and wasabi aioli on the brioche bun was rather hearty. It was served with Island Mac Salad. Despite the pain I was already experiencing throughout my digestive tract, I ate most of it.
Following my meal and slurping down the last of the Bucc… Off, I still had a little time before I needed to get back to Tikipalooza. It had taken me a couple of years to get to Three 9 Lounge and I was hesitant to leave. Despite protests from my abdomen, I went ahead and ordered another drink. This time, I ordered a Painkiller and hoped it would live up to its name.
The painkiller was refreshing and its blend of rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, coconut and nutmeg went down smoothly (but unfortunately still kind of hurt).
It had been a quick visit, but I needed to get back to Tikipalooza. I was glad I’d finally made it to Three 9 Lounge. I may not have been bowled over by it and it isn’t the best tiki bar in the world, but it was a nice surprise and I hope I get back some day. (Especially when my stomach isn’t acting up so I can really enjoy it.)
Three 9 Lounge
4505 39th Ave. SW
Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 932-3731
Monster A GoGo - The Tiki Tourist 
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