Highlander the

I grew up in a very small town in the Midwest and the small country diners were filled with the ol' boys from the neighborhood just shooting the crap with each other.  Always friendly and ready to let you join in on their conversation.  When we walked in to the Highlander yesterday, it was like being back home again.  My son said, this is like Indiana in Washington.  The fact that the bar and diner were all out in the open and it wasn't a dive place was even better. You can take children inside. They have great desserts and ice cream.  They just won't serve minors.  I can see where city folk might be a little shocked by the atmosphere.  You're used to techno and large dance floors along with your high heels and Gucci purses.  So, don't stop here, then.  The bathrooms were very clean yesterday.  The entire place looked very clean to me.  The service was great and they actually made eye contact.  Not something you see in Seattle.  I loved it.  We go to Mt. Rainier often and this will be our stop every time.  Oh, the food was great.  I have gluten intolerance and I was stupid and ordered something I should have.  But, I still am not paying for it the way I normally would.  Clean, delicious, homey, lots of smiles.  I'll be back.

My friends and I stopped here on our way back from Mt Rainier.  We sat down and after waiting 10-15 minutes nobody even acknowledged we were there.  No drinks, menus, nothing.  Would never go back.

This place reminds me of Bob's Country Bunker from The Blues Brothers in so many ways. You got the old run down feel, a few select beers on tap, a loud karaoke machine....everything but chicken wire around a stage. When I walked in here, wearing all dress clothing and a coat, I expected to get my ass handed to me by some city-slicker hating hillbilly. Instead, I was greeted warmly, offered a beverage and food, and I fit right in. Nobody looked at me funny, or threatened me, they just accepted me for who I was. A good sign in a bar/restaurant. Everyone just fits right in, works for their money and just wants to have a good time.

I used to go for their taco Tuesdays with some buddies from Rainier, and the tacos tasted exactly like homemade ones my family would make. For three bucks, you get three large tacos and plenty of sour cream and salsa, and a couple of orders makes for a good meal. The bartender was always friendly and attentive, and was always there when I needed him. Pretty damn good.

Music selection is stuck in the eighties, but that's my style of music, so it was fun. One of my bar rules is if there isn't any AC/DC on the jukebox, I won't go there. Luckily, the Highlander has decent selection, and I appreciated that.

Negatives would probably be that the bathrooms are absolutely filthy, and the kitchen also looked quite nasty. I really wouldn't venture any further with the food, and the bathrooms are just atrocious. You also can't smoke in here, and while I understand it's a state law, it still sucks. But other than like, I like this place.

And maybe the next time I am there, I will raise my hands and shout "There can be only one!".