the reef

The King Solomon's Reef Restaurant and Lounge, in Olympia Washington.

When someone under 21 refers to 'The Reef,' they're talking about the restaurant, the front part, where baby K-punks go to drink coffee and eat cheese fries.

Cool things about The Reef:
There is no non-smoking section. The reef is hardcore.
The price for coffee is not on the menu. It's posted behind the counter. Like fish, except that Folger's generally isn't a seasonal item..
They have those touch-screen electronic games. Two.
People-watching.

If someone over 21 is talking about 'The Reef,' they mean the bar in back.

Cool things about The Reef:
Open from 6am till 2am every day. Even holidays. The reef is hardcore.
The drinks are cheap and strong and occasionally free.
They have a touch-screen electronic game. A pornographic one.
People-watching. Serves as a good reminder of what's bad about alcoholism.

Additionally: Where else can you find a happy hour from 6 until 10 in the morning?

I don't know either.

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There is something delightfully debaucherous about staying out all night (for whatever reason -- though All Freakin' Night at the {Olmpia Film Festival] is my favorite excuse) and then going at the crack of down or slightly earlier for an excessively stiff one at your local dive bar. The trick is not to linger too long on the fact that at 6:30 in the morning the bar is not just open, but open with what appears to be a motley collection of regulars. Enjoy your drink and hope that you don't end up one yourself. Heck, enjoy 2 -- at $1.25 for a stiff single you're not gonna break the bank.