Noc Noc

I'm so sad this place is closed.

I came here for the 1st time in 2005. I think it was the very 1st bar I legally entered in the USA, and it sure was the 1st "Happy hour" this canadian Vancouveritte discovered . "CHEAP BEER?!?" Whhhhaaaat?

I was practically in love with the bussboy, & would show up to drool over him, as well as watch the cool films shown over the bar.

Sure there were definitely some creeps, but i loved the black opal, the happy hour snacks (I don't think I can ever eat another Tater tot EVER) & the dancing, as well as the cool burlesque shows they showed there.

When I think of Seattle, this springs to mind almost 1st, and it kills me its gone.

Noc Noc, I will miss you.

THIS MULTI-TASKED VENUE LEAVES ME BREATHLESS!

SIT-REP  (Situation Report)

When visiting Seattle, the local peeps bring me to Noc Noc for a VARIETY OF FUN on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.  And hella easy to find - Noc Noc is only one block over from the PIKE PLACE MARKET entrance.  If I am in any of the downtown Hotels on a particular trip, I am within an easy 1/2 mile trek at most.

THE "MENU" OF EVENTS!:

SINNER-SAINT

On Thursdays, there is an awesome event called "SINNER SAINT BURLESQUE" (I even took pictures!).  It is a wonderful recreation of OLD VAUDEVILLE and BURLESQUE acts from back in the day.  

Different Thursdays I have enjoyed both very talented and different EMCEES and very talented and different LADIES with their Burlesque acts.   The gentleman emcee has a truly wonderful singing voice and sense of humor.  The lady emcee is a local comedienne and her ribald humor ALONE makes for a great-stand-up of a time!

But there are also NAKED LADIES (or nearly so anyways!)  And their beauty is matched by their dancing and acting talents.  Some act solo, some acts are in pairs or more.  I wish Yelp had the capability to post VIDEO CLIPS because I have some doozies!  (SO look at my pics!)

80s DANCE NIGHT

Saturdays are more mainstream dancing fun.  There USED to be an awesome Gothic-Industrical-EBM night on Saturday by DJ Sean and I really miss that format.  Nonetheless, Saturdays still enjoy awesome night of Darkwave 80s and New Wave.  I would compare it to the "New Wave City" room at a Death Guild night @ The DNA Lounge in San Francisco, or to the RETRO ROOM @ DAS BUNKER in Los Angeles.  Total dancing mania fun.

RESURRECTION

Sundays have the definite Gothic-Industrial-EBM beat going for it.  The variety of music provided here reminds me of my home club in Sacramento:  THE ASYLUM, with a rich diversity of artists covering 30 years (at least) of cutting-edge music.

And on Sundays, there is a truly amazing drink special as well:  25cent BEERS!  Sure it's just a plastic cup - but only 25cents?  A platter full of these puppies for $2 and you're set for the night!

Every night they also have these amazing TATER TOTS.  Don't know why, but these puppies are TRULY TASTY!  (Must be the hemp oil they are cooked in along with the Cocaine dust that are sprinkled on them!  It's SOMETHING!)

THE LOWDOWN

If you are looking for a great place to chill, dance and unwind on a Thursday, Saturday or Sunday night, then Noc Noc is definitely a place for you to check out!

My experience with Noc Noc is a little dated.  I haven't been in a few years.  For good reason.  Sometimes you just don't want to paint over a really good memory.

June 2002.  

Little Miss S. in her minidress is knocking back one glass of cheap Cabernet after another and flirting just a little too loudly with all of the stuff shirt peddlers at the professional conference that we are both attending.

It's been a long day and we've just learned all sorts of interesting things about our trade and ourselves and Little Miss S. is ready to rumble.  There is a sponsored event which includes a band (really just a bunch of doctors with instruments) and a buffet (shrimp and veggie platter) and free booze (beer and boxed wine).  Little Miss S. demands entry.  I follow to make sure her skirt stays on.  

For two hours, Little Miss S. shimmies and shakes to the terrible tunes of the band, eats enough peel-n-eat shrimp to make Sebastian cry, and drinks an entire box of Cabernet.  I periodically suggest alternate venues.

Me: Hey.  Wanna go somewhere else?  How about we go get dinner?
Little Miss S.: Hell no!

Twenty minutes later.

Me: Wanna go dancing somewhere else?
Little Miss S.:  Hell no!  Get me more wine!

Twenty minutes later.

Me: How about Noc Noc?
Little Miss S.:  Can HE come?
Me: Fine.

And so, we left the really crappy function to go to Noc Noc.  With the drunken party girl, the suited assholes (by this time there were three of them) who wanted to go home with her, and the dutiful friend who just wasn't gonna let that happen.

Upon arrival at Noc Noc, two of the suited assholes left immediately.  I don't know if it was the atmosphere, the clientele (the awesome Rasta dude poppin' and lockin'), or the fact that I snarled at them.

Now the fun began.

Tasty beverages.  Check.

Actual music.  Check.

People dancing (not just Little Miss S.).  Check.

The remaining suited dude ended up leaving when he realized that Little Miss S. was not going to be going home anytime soon.  We danced for hours.

Thank you, Noc Noc, for preventing what could have been a terrible walk of shame for Little Miss S.

The beau and I spent our whole Saturday evening here because of their happy hour! I wish I remembered the name of our bartender because he was superb. He was running the place and taking orders like it ain't no thang.

We got free tatertots from the Yelp check-in and ordered crab puppies. They were both very good. The whole night I was drinking Cazadores and lemon/lime soda but he also added some triple sec to make it more of a "margarita," all the while still charging me the well drink price -- $3.  We actually stayed until they opened up the dance floor, which was fairly empty but I can't say whether it ever got crowded. At the end of our alcohol-infused evening, he gave us two water bottles "on the house." Another bartender was able to hook us up by putting our names on the gueslist for Social. So off to Social we went.

The only thing I disliked was that they only played Netflix movies here, no sports, no regular TV, no music videos. We spent our evening watching some-what interesting scary Christmas movies.

I did NOT expect this.

My boyfriend and I were in Seattle sorta late and wanted to check out Noc Noc... I thought we would swing in for a drink and leave. We ended up staying a couple hours and I LOVED the music! We both even danced a little bit.

Towards last call the place got kinda crazy, people all over, yelling, so we asked a couple next to us if we could share their booth. They welcomed us and told us to take a seat.

Turns out it was the owner. SUPER nice guy! They bought us 2 or 3 drinks and we chatted for a bit.

Over all this was a great night! We will be back!

Wow I don't know what to say.

The drinks were cheap, 3 wells for 12.

But the music was kind of lame.
It was a weird combination of 80's, lady gaga and some industrial.
I thought I was going for 80's but there was other stuff mixed in that just made it odd.

I did enjoy the booths.

I might go back.

80s NIGHT IS AWESOME.

Seriously though. Happy hour is until 9pm on Saturdays, so you can come and get a $15 bottle of wine and $3 tater tots, stuff yourself, get smashed and then dance the night away. It doesn't really get any better than that.

Noc Noc was one of those places I really wanted to love.  

I've never been to a club like this and I imagined walking into a glamorous vampire theme nightclub decorated with velvet.  Unfortunately, the vibe wasn't there and since we were there for a bachelorette party, we wanted something a little more happenin'.  My expectations got the better of me and I should have read some reviews since Noc Noc is more known for a laid back / chill out type of lounge.  They also never got back to me after I emailed them twice.

I may however, come back for the Happy Hour specials.  The prices seem extremely reasonable for downtown Seattle.  Hopefully things pick up and this place draws a bigger crowd.  If it doesn't, I'd give this place another chance for a low key night out.

#30DaysOfYelp 11/30

This place is GREAT on a Friday night. Cover is a low $5, DJ spins a great eclectic mix of 80s through current stuff, and drinks are heavily poured. Don't worry about feeling out of place, because this place has a little bit of everything.

Next time I'll sample some of those famous tater tots! Thanks for a great night out, Noc Noc!

One of my favorite places to listen to "music" and sober up after a night out. I'm not a big fan of house music, but I figure listening to house music beats listening to the sound of a police siren in my rear view on the way home!

Thanks Noc Noc for all those nights you've let my liver recover with bottles of water and a comfy booth!