The Sundown Tavern (also known as Sundown Saloon) at 820 NW 85th St. is changing its name to Sweet Lou’s. They’re having a grand opening to unveil their new name and new beer garden at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 26. They’ll have an outdoor pig roast and entertainment provided by several alternative country and rockabilly bands.

Formerly known as The Sundown Tavern, the former laundromat-turned-bar had been a Greenwood fixture for more than 60 years, at one time or another occupying three of the four corners of the intersection of 85th and Dibble. Jokingly referred to as “God’s Waiting Room” by its elderly regulars, the tavern had become somewhat rundown over the years, until its change in management a little over two years ago.

Since then, the management team of Lou Brauer and Carl Rogers have worked steadily to transform the venue into the kind of neighborhood bar for which they shared a love – safe, comfortable, welcoming, and above all else, fun. As part of that two-year transformation, a new bar and kitchen was constructed, and liquor, pull-tabs, and in-house smoked barbecue were added to the menu. Decorating the bar is a huge collection of assorted pictures of famous “Lous” throughout history, including Lou Gehrig, Lou Costello, and Lou Reed.

With more than 40 years of combined experience in the Seattle-area bar business, Brauer and Rogers first began crafting the idea of Sweet Lou’s six years ago at Mulleady’s Irish Pub in Magnolia, which Rogers owned and where Brauer served as general manager. On the 26th, the entrepreneurial pair will finally get to share their longtime vision – and their pulled pork – with the public.

In the Red Wine Bar & Cafe at 6510 Phinney Ave. N. had hoped to open in mid-March, but inevitable construction and permitting delays pushed that back. Co-owner Chad Campbell told me this morning that they now hope to open in about two weeks.

“You’re always optimistic about getting through the permit process,” Campbell said. “We’ve done everything we can do, but unfortunately there’s a lot of hoops you have to go through.”

In the Red has received its liquor license, but is still waiting on the final construction sign-off and the health department inspection.

The wine bar will be family friendly and will serve coffee and pastries in the morning and small plates the rest of the day.

The owner of Hangar Cafe in Georgetown is bringing his experience to northwest Seattle.

Owner Justin Taft plans to open The Ridgeback Cafe in the old Renick Printing space at 500 N.W. 65th St, next door to Slave to the Needle. Taft tells us that the new cafe will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu will include crepes, waffles sandwiches, soups, salads, beer, wine, desserts and Stumptown Coffee. It will be a family-friendly cafe with mid-century style. “I plan on opening in June sometime, don’t know when yet,” Taft says, “I can’t wait to be a part of Ballard!!”

Seattle Restaurant Week is April 18-29 and offers three-course dinners for $25 at 106 restaurants around the city and King County. In our neighborhood, Carmelita and Stumbling Goat are participating.

The $25 price is only good for Sunday through Thursday during that time frame. Some restaurants are also offering $15 three-course lunches.

The county-wide dining deal is open to all restaurants that can provide a value-driven, $25 three-course menu. It is intended to thank the dining public for its support while providing restaurants an opportunity to present a high-quality menu that will attract regulars and new guests. The list of 106 participants includes endearing classics, notable newcomers and several award-winning restaurants from West Seattle to the Eastside, Woodinville to South Seattle and nearly every neighborhood in between.

For a full list of participating restaurants, click here.

Stumbling Goat Bistro got a nice review recently from Seattle Magazine. The reviewer loved the champagne-curry mussels and the hangar steak, and was pleased that the new owners are sticking to the restaurant’s theme of local ingredients.

Picnic (a PhinneyWood sponsor) is starting up a monthly wine club. The club features six bottles per month: four of the best from Picnic’s weekly wine tastings, plus one favorite each from co-owners Jenny and Anson Klock. They’re working on creating different levels of the program for people who need fewer bottles per month. Club members also receive 10 percent discount on all wine purchases, 15 percent case discounts, and half-off the weekly wine tastings. Sign up here.

T.M. Dessert Works at 6116 Phinney Ave. N. offers a packed pastry case to the public from Thursday through Saturday. They’re generally in the kitchen creating cakes and specialty desserts for special occasions, but decided last spring to offer cookies and other individually portioned treats to the masses three days a week.

If you know other restaurants in the neighborhood that have recently received some good press or are doing something new and exciting, please put a comment below.

To celebrate its 15 years in Phinney Ridge, Red Mill Burgers is donating 15 percent of its profit over two weeks to three local organizations.

Starting Jan. 15 and lasting 15 days, Red Mill will give 15 percent of its profit to the Phinney Neighborhood Association, Greenwood Senior Center, and Greenwood Food Bank. Red Mill employees have also designed commemorative T-shirts that will sell for $15.

We’ve been so busy with arson coverage lately, that our inbox is full of reader tips on other topics. Here’s a roundup:

Now that holiday season is approaching and delivery drivers are leaving packages on door steps, keep an extra careful eye out. One reader reports that neighbors in the 300 block of NW 77th Street had a package stolen from their porch.

Michael reminds us that it’s the 20th anniversary of the John Cusack classic “Say Anything,” with two key scenes filmed right here on Phinney Ridge at the 7-11 and the adjacent Woodland Park by the zoo’s north entrance. Here’s an anniversary review of the movie.

Five neighborhood businesses are included in the new fourth edition of “eat.shop seattle,” which calls itself “a curated guide of inspired and unique locally owned eating and shopping establishments.” They have a whole series of guides around the country. Neptune Coffee, Tokara, Picnic (a PhinneyWood sponsor), The Shop Agora (a PhinneyWood sponsor) and Greenwood Space Travel Supply all get props for being “interesting, inspired and authentic.” The book is available at Picnic.

Karen is concerned that some bicyclists don’t have enough lights or reflective clothing on, especially now that it gets dark so early. Add another light or two to your bike and helmet, and leave plenty of room when turning or changing lanes. Don’t assume that a driver can see you.

The Frock Shop at 6500 Phinney Ave. N. has completed its expansion and renovation into the space next door. The store was also named one of Marie Claire’s 50 Best Fashion Stores in the country. And owner Suzy Fairchild is now offering her own line of organic baby clothing, called Hoot.

The website Kids Eat For has a weekly calendar that lists all the restaurants in a certain area where kids eat free or cheap.

A number of people commented in the forum over the last few days that Roosters Breakfast Club at 6020 Phinney Ave. N. appears closed. I stopped by there Wednesday night and saw a hand-written sign on the front door saying they were closed temporarily, but would reopen soon.

I called Roosters this morning but the phone rang numerous times without an answering machine picking up. We’ll keep trying to find out more information. If anyone else has any info, please put a note below in comments.

The Wing Dome at 7818 Greenwood Ave. N. is giving out free Wing Dome tattoos starting Oct. 13. Wear your tattoo on your face on any football Sunday in November and win 10 free wings.

Tattoos will also be available at the UW Game on Oct. 24 and at the Seahawks game on Nov. 8, and at Wing Dome’s Kirkland and Kent locations.

The city has granted conditional approval to Taqueria Tequila on the corner of NW 85th St. and 3rd Ave. NW to expand into the former accounting office next door.

The new space would be about 800 square feet and would primarily be a drinking establishment, but would also serve food from the restaurant. The conditional approval is appealable. Appeals must be received by the city by Oct. 15.

Oliver’s Twist got a nice writeup about their happy hour in The Seattle Times today.

I can attest to the yumminess of their bacon and blue cheese stuffed dates drizzled with a tomato vinigarette, as well as the addictiveness of their truffle butter popcorn, but I’ve never had their Blood and Sand cocktail, which The Times reviewer makes sound better than the name would imply.

Next Thursday, Sept. 24, is Dish Up Literacy day in Seattle, an event put on by Page Ahead, a non-profit organization that works to increase and develop literacy programs for children. One of their programs is providing free books to children – 160,000 of them every year.

And you can help out by doing something you probably already do – eat out.

On Thursday restaurants participating in Dish Up Literacy have agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds to Page Ahead, meaning the more people who eat out on the 24th, the more money will go toward literacy services, books and supplies for kids.

“We provide new books for kids, story times for younger children and family workshops with the proceeds,” said Tara, a Page Ahead volunteer. “Hope to see you dining out on September 24th.”

In our neighborhood, Mae’s Phinney Ridge Cafe and Carmelita are participating. You can check out all the restaurants participating here.