The bar again received attention in October 2014 when rock star Tom Morello was denied entry late on a busy evening. Morello used Twitter to criticize the customer service of the doorman and the owner's stance on worker's rights, and 5 Point owner David Meinert shot back. Meinert had previously criticized the Seattle ordinance mandating a $15 minimum wage because it didn't include a tip credit for restaurants workers which Morello was opposed to, and Meinert responded to the criticism by citing the cafe's relatively higher pay, paid time off, health insurance, and retirement plans for his staff.[9][10][11]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, 5 Point owner David Meinert installed Upper Room Germicidal UVC Lights, Merv-13 air filters, increased ventilation, and installed plexiglass and room dividers to make the 5 Point safe for indoor drinking and eating.[12]
Culture
A neon side at the cafe and bar
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 class and eclectic patrons. Brassieres dangle from a stuffed moose head and there is a juke box with an expansive collection.[2][7][13]
The cafe has been called one of the best dive bars in the world by the alternative weekly newspaper The Stranger.[14] It has been voted "Best Dive Bar" in Seattle several times by Seattle Magazine.[15] The 5 Point was named Most Iconic Bar in Washington.[16]
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".[17] Other signs have slogans such as "We cheat tourists-n-drunks since 1929"[18] and "Alcoholics Serving Alcoholics since 1929".[4]
References
↑"Good Old Prices". The Bulletin. Bend, OR. July 5, 1979. p.11. Retrieved April 17, 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
123Jaffe, Elisa. "Historic cafe to offer 1929 prices". KOMO News. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
↑Humphrey, Clark (2007). Seattle's Belltown. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. p.51. ISBN978-0-7385-4816-6. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
123Leson, Nancy (December 1, 2009). "5 Point Cafe celebrates 80 years with new owners". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on December 5, 2009. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
↑Clement, Bethany Jean (July 14, 2009). "The Five Point Cafe: It's a Dive and It's Good". The Stranger. Archived from the original on March 14, 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
↑"Seattle man arrested in Leykis assault". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. September 2, 2004. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
12Bonow, Elaine (November 25, 2009). "The First Family of Belltown". Belltown Messenger. Archived from the original on March 2, 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
↑Bishop, Todd (March 8, 2013). "No Google Glasses allowed, declares Seattle dive bar". GeekWire.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
↑Nelson, Sean (September 30, 2014). "Tom Morello Rages Against 5 Point Cafe After Being Denied Service - Slog - The Stranger". Slog.thestranger.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
↑"How a Restaurant Owner Destroyed Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine". gnrcentral.com. September 13, 2020. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
↑Rettig, James (October 1, 2014). "Tom Morello Addresses PancakeGate And 5 Point Cafe's "Hipster Version Of A Studio 54 Doorman"". www.stereogum.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
↑Seely, Mike (November 11, 2020). "Dive Bars Bring in the Light". chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
↑Leson, Nancy (December 1, 2009). "5 Point trip down memory lane: he's been there, seen that". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on December 5, 2009. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
↑Jean, Bethany (July 16, 2009). "Bar Exam - Food & Drink". The Stranger. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
↑"Seattle Magazine | Restaurants | Best Seattle Restaurants 2011: Readers' Choice Winners". Seattlemag.com. March 19, 2011. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
↑Breslouer, Lee (August 4, 2015). "The Most Iconic Bar in Every State". Thrillist. Archived from the original on January 24, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
↑Craft, Mathew (February 26, 2003). "Expanded smoking ban favored, poll shows". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
↑Robinson, Kathryn (May 7, 2004). "Get past the dive vibe, and you'll find good, homemade food". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2010.