The owner sold the bar to Jesse, who closed it, remodeled the interior, changed the decor, and tightened the menu. He's clearly excited to be the new owner of Bad Bishop, and his feeling is infectious. I stopped in on the first day of its soft opening to check it out.
The shape of the space remains the same, but it feels a little more airy. The brickwork of both walls reminds you that yes, you're in Pioneer Square. A shelf of several dozen vinyl records sits above a turntable; subdued jazzy music is playing. Because it's the first day of the soft opening, I went in expecting a few hiccups. Instead, lunch was nearly flawless. I ordered the Bishop Burger and fries.The fries were the shoestring variety that Easy Joe's used to serve, crisp and plentiful. A small side of comeback sauce (a slightly spicy remoulade) was provided for dipping -- much better than ketchup. The burger was good but small: 1/8 pound, Jesse said. I pointed out that the bun was a little greasy; Jesse said the plan is to shift to Kings Hawaiian buns soon. Nice.
There's still a few things that need some finishing touches, but it's not officially open yet, so these aren't criticisms at all, just observations. Coke came in a can, served by Jesse with a bartender's experienced flourish. There's room for more tap handles, and the liquor selection is sparse. They just received their re-seller's license today, though, so problem solved. Other than that... nailed it.I love the fact that the TVs were off. On game days, sure, crank those up. If you've ever been sick at home and tried to watch TV at lunch, though... Let's just say that sports talk shows are a distraction at best, tending toward irritating.
I've been trying to get into a weekly rut, and this is sure going to help: Mondays are Tat's, Tuesdays are RPM, and so on. Bad Bishop has just made a power move, unobstructed and now controlling the center of my board.
Bad Bishop
704 1st Ave
Bishop burger, fries, Coke, $17.31
