Ace Of Clubs -- Count On The Cozy Latona Pub For A Lively Mix

Given the number of local nightclubs that have shut down recently, it's comforting to know that some rooms have not only prospered but acquired some history.

The Latona Pub, at Latona Avenue Northeast and Northeast 65th Street near Green Lake, celebrates its 10th year in business this week. But the room has been around much longer than that.

It originally opened as the Latona Tavern when Prohibition ended in 1933. Back then, serving alcohol was still so frowned upon that the windows were boarded up so you couldn't see in. But the tavern succeeded and eventually the light was allowed in.

In 1987, Robert Brenlin took over the Latona Tavern, gutted and remodeled the room, and renamed it the Latona Pub. The Latona was one of the first Seattle pubs to embrace and promote the then-emerging microbrew phenomenon.

The Latona Pub also became known for jazz, featuring artists such as Peggy Stern, Jay Clayton and Randy Halberstadt, although now it's more of a mix of jazz, folk and blues.

These days, the Latona features live music Thursday through Sunday. Tonight it's swing jazz with Ronnie and Barrie; tomorrow the jazz group Momentum plays. On Saturday, jazz vocalist Donna Robbins and her band performs, and Sunday it's the Songwriters Showcase. Also, jazz performers Boots, Barrie and Murray play the Latona's happy hour every Friday at 5:30 p.m., as they have for eight years now.

Owner Brenlin says the room has been firmly committed to live music from the beginning. "A lot of rooms will bring in bands for the quick fix," he says. "Then when it doesn't help business, the bands get blamed because the owners think they're not bringing anyone in. It doesn't work that way. You can't do it as an afterthought; you have to know what's right for your room and your customer and stick with it."

The Latona Pub is as cozy a neighborhood spot as you could want. Seating is casual, with a nice-sized bar to belly up to. There's a constant conviviality at the Latona that's reassuring. You feel welcome.

"We're happy with what we've done and about our place here in the neighborhood," says Brenlin. "There's a lot going on, things are changing here and there, but that's what makes it exciting."

The Latona Pub opens at 11:30 a.m. daily and stays open till 1 a.m. during the week and 2 a.m. on the weekends. Happy hour is free, and the cover for many acts is rarely more than a dollar.

-- The venerable Oddfellows Temple on Capitol Hill, which hasn't seen any regular entertainment for some time, is now presenting a mixed bag of live and recorded music every Friday as the Century Club Ballroom and Cafe. Tomorrow, the zydeco band Captain Leroy and the Culture Pirates plays. Latin and swing music is also regularly featured.

Every Friday begins with a dance lesson from 8 to 9 p.m., with music to follow. Cover this week is $9, $10 with the dance lesson.

The Century Club has a roomy 4,000 square feet on the second floor at 915 Pine St. For more information, call 206-324-7263.

Tom Phalen is a Seattle free-lance writer. His Ace of Clubs column appears every week in Ticket. Send club information to Clubs, c/o Ticket, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle WA 98111: or fax to 206-464-2239. You must include price and starting times to be considered for inclusion. Information must be received in writing 10 days before publication.