Chapel

1600 Melrose

CLOSED

In the grand scheme of things as we move forward with urban planning, there are certain types of businesses that no longer make sense in certain neighborhoods. The BMW dealership just moved off Capitol Hill, and I suspect many other luxury car dealers eventually will as well. Capitol Hill has become a residential and nightlife district, so the cost of a large car lot is hardly worth it. A similar out-of-place business is the funeral home, and several years ago, one of the hill's two funeral homes converted into an office building. Its stunning chapel is now a bar. A fabulous bar.

There are three very different bathrooms onsite. One is a unisex bathroom which makes excellent use of the "infinite mirrors" effect, wherein you see copies of your reflection trail off into the beyond. It's always an amusing effect, but it makes it impossible to get a picture without you in it.

I'm serious. I tried.

There are two more bathrooms near the front door. One was once unisex, but is now girls only. Because I'm a dedicated journalist, I went in anyway. It used to be a little nicer, back when it wasn't so brightly lit.

They did make nice use of the mirrors again.

The bathroom next to it has a urinal and a stall, which is why it has always been for men only. Like the one next to it, it was nicer when it was lit a little less. My flash didn't do it any favors, either.

But really, how often do you see cool details like columns in a bathroom? Still great in any light.

Happy hour at Chapel is now daily 5-9 in spite of what their website says, and they also have a great upstairs lounge area and outdoor patio. For you furniture freaks out there, they've got hilariously tall barstools, fabulous white vinyl padded seating along the sides, and a whole bunch of those really famous Vitra Panton chairs. A lot of bars in the neighborhood have come and gone since it arrived, and I'm glad it has become a fixture.