The Blue Moon opened in 1934, the day Prohibition was repealed, and has been a dive bar and literary gathering place ever since. Dylan Thomas drank here on his US reading tours. Theodore Roethke held court here while teaching at the University of Washington. The poet Richard Hugo — Seattle's most celebrated literary son — was a regular for decades; his poem "Degrees of Gray in Philipsburg" mentions the kind of bar the Blue Moon represents.
Today it is a reliable neighbourhood bar with cheap beer, a pool table, and live music several nights a week. The walls are covered with photographs and memorabilia accumulated over ninety years. It is located at 712 NE 45th St, a short walk from the University of Washington campus.