Nightlife in Port Orchard

Not content to conquer only the realm of family-style breakfast eats, Family Pancake House owner Robert Mathwig decided to try his hand at creating a classic sports bar with delicious eats and a variety of drinks. To that end, he helped his chefs assemble a menu of bar fare gussied up with fine ingredients, from asiago, parmesan, and romano mac 'n' cheese to beer-battered Alaskan cod served with chips.

The standard-with-a-twist dishes arrive at tables awash in the electronic glow of 15 flat-screen TVs and a jumbo projector screen broadcasting stimulating sports action or congressional-subcommittee meetings. Contests of skill play out on two pool tables, and outdoors, a patio with heated seating fends off Jack Frost's touch.

Seattle Theatresports runs every Friday and Saturday at both venues; shows begin at 10:30 p.m. at the Intiman and 9 p.m. at the Black Box Theatre. Check out the Live at Intiman! Improv Comedy schedule for more details.

Clever Bottle's mixologists and charcuterie chefs source local gourmet ingredients from Pike Place Market for a menu of appetizers, libations, and desserts. Crafted in-house, a selection of bitters house-made with bluebell flowers, chocolate, and the personality of sunshine adds spice to the ever-shifting menu of cocktails. The wine list, which is made up of 98% Seattle varietals, serves as a flavorful guide to the many local wineries that populate it. Abundant candlelight sets a romantic tone for quiet dates or proposals that involve serenading a sweetheart with a champagne flute.

Hot-pink chairs, barstools, and booths cradle diners as they enjoy plates of Asian fusion cuisine. The menu's fragrantly seasoned entrees borrow heavily from the recipes of Thailand, featuring various curries, fiery chili pastes, and housemade peanut sauce. Chinese staples include sweet-and-sour chicken, whose complementary flavors mirror the restaurant’s complex cocktails. Bartenders muddle jalapeños, infuse vodkas with blackberry and cantaloupe in-house, and periodically retreat to the back room to squeeze fresh milk from ripe coconuts.

As dinner parties cycle through, the modern setting begins to morph into a late-night lounge, which remains open until as late as 2 a.m. as DJs spin records and tap dance into the microphone.

To avoid being scolded by your complimentary Irish grandma, weigh down your stomach for a night of drinking with a little food off Mulleady's menu. An appetizer of blackberry honey and chevre fondue ($7) or lamb and barley fritters ($8) will jostle a sleeping palate awake in time for some classic pub fare such as the Mulleady's burger (topped with roasted tomato jam and caramelized onions, $10) and grilled mahi-mahi wrap ($10). More robust plates include Irish knockers and colcannon ($13), a dish of pork sausage made exclusively for Mulleady's with colcannon mashed potatoes and porter-braised pork belly (unsurprisingly, it won Seattle Weekly's Best Menu Item Name in 2009). If you're too bashful to order knockers from the zaftig waitress, opt for a traditional Celtic country standby like Guinness lamb stew ($10) from County Longford or shepherd's pie ($11).

Listed as one of dive-bar aficionado Mike Seely's top 10 watering holes, The Waterwheel Lounge provides nightly events, live music, and a focused menu of celebrated favorites. Bust out the wipes and wrap hands around an ambitiously portioned brisket sandwich served with coleslaw and baked beans ($7.95). Wings, served hot or not ($7.50), hand-cut fries ($3.50), and onion rings ($4) side well with ice-cold suds and expansive patio views. After 4 p.m., indulge in the famous fried chicken, a trifecta of comfort with gravy-smothered mashed potatoes and a side of veggies ($9.95). Feast upon bigger bites such as beer dogs ($1), barbecue ribs ($11.95), or a chef's salad ($6.50) without the fuss of a well-meaning dad who insists he put the Q in BBQ.