Belltown, Swell Town: A Guide To The Action

For the uninitiated, here's a guide to the diverse entertainment scene in Belltown.

EATS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Belltown Club, 2322 First Ave. It's been suggested this narrow nightspot be renamed Club Bellevue, so popular is it with Eastsiders. A very young crowd and a guaranteed wait on the weekends. Video and disco, Wednesday through Sunday nights. 441-0275.

Cafe Septieme, 2331 Second Ave. The New York Times, basic black, berets, breakfast and lunch. Espresso. Outdoor seating. Comfortable. Open daily. 448-1506.

Casa-U-Betcha, 2212 First Ave. There should just be a connecting tunnel between the Casa and the Belltown. Packed with young people, and another line outside. Great interior. Lunch Monday through Friday, dinner daily. 441-1989.

Crocodile Cafe, 2200 Second Ave. One of the newest clubs in Belltown and already proving a favorite. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, an unusual lounge and sizable live music room. Art everywhere. Very eclectic weekend entertainment - reggae, wave, grunge and some sideshow oddities. Equally eclectic crowd, from brokers to boppers. Closed Mondays. 441-5611.

Cyclops Cafe, 2416 Western Ave. Vegetarian food and black velvet paintings. An affable place for a late-night snack. Lunch and dinner, open til 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, midnight the rest of the week. 441-1677.

Down Under, 2407 First Ave. A slightly older crowd than the Belltown and U-Betcha's - that would be mid- to late 20s - in a

black-as-night walkdown where the video is replaced with art exhibitions. Annie Howell's work shows this month. Live jazz Wednesday night, dance music Thursday through Saturday. 728-4053.

Frontier Room, 2203 First Ave. An agreeably scurrilous saloon where the bartender throws olives at you if you're likable. Jukebox dancing Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. 441-3377.

La Rive Gauche, 2214 Second Ave. French food. Live jazz Friday and Saturday nights. Closed Sundays. 441-8121.

Mama's Mexican Kitchen, 2234 Second Ave. First-rate, industrial-strength, Southern California-style Mexican chow. No live entertainment, unless you count the customers, in which case the show never ends. Lunch and dinner daily. 728-6262.

Moti Mahal, 2125 First Ave. Fine East Indian cuisine. Open for lunch and dinner daily. 448-6666.

Paisan on First, 2121 First Ave. Casual pizza by the wheel or the slice. Some outdoor seating and delivery, both limited. Closed Sundays. 441-7359.

Queen City Bar & Grill, 2201 First Ave. A great, long New York-style bar and high-backed booths make this one of Belltown's classiest corner joints. Open daily. 443-0975.

Raison D'Etre, 113 Virginia. Eats, drinks, art and agreeable angst, long a popular espresso spot. Open at 7 a.m. daily. 728-1113.

Rama House, 2228 Second Ave. Tiny but tasty Thai. Closed Sunday. 728-0900.

Rendezvous, 2320 Second Ave. A hardcore watering hole, matchbox-sized movie theater and alternative-music spot. Somehow everyone gets along. A real Belltown microcosm. Open daily, really early. Live music Friday and Saturday. 441-5823.

211 Club, 2304 Second Ave. One flight up. Pool, billiards - serious stick. Open daily. 443-1211.

Two Bells Tavern, 2313 Fourth Ave. On the outskirts, but still a major slice of the Belltown sensibility. Good food, live music Monday nights. 441-3050.

Virginia Inn, 1937 First Ave. Art and ale. Open daily. 728-1937.

Vonnie's A. Garden Cafe, 120 Blanchard. Pastoral but urban. A lovely courtyard setting with additional indoor seating. Very pleasant. Open daily. 441-1045.

Vogue, 2018 First Ave. A true original. Probably more underwear as outer wear and more blatant body piercing than you'll see anywhere. Live music Tuesday and Wednesday. 443-0673.

POINTS OF INTEREST

Art in Form/Wall of Sound, 2237 Second Ave. Two shops in one, unusual, esoteric, exotic works for the eyes and ears. Open daily. 441-0867, 441-9880.

Galleria Potatohead, 2316 Second Ave. The id, apex and epicenter of art in Belltown. 448-SPUD.

Jet City, First and Blanchard. A visually noisy room of '30s, '40s and '50s collectibles. 728-7118.

Speedboat, 2032 Second Ave. Formerly Martha's Revenge. Martha says she's exacted all the revenge she wishes to, now full speed ahead. Custom designed Vans tennis shoes, etc. Open 11:23 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. daily.