The Admiral Junction seems to be exploding with new energy, and customers, as it quickly transforms from the quietest Junction to the “Upstart Junction," trying to stand on equal footing with its two bustling rivals to the south, the Alaska and Morgan junctions.

Porterhouse, the restaurant and bar that took Blackbird Bistro’s space, and the Brickyard BBQ each opened in August. The Shipwreck Lounge opened Oct. 10. The refurbished Angelina’s Trattoria opens within two weeks, and even the old Admiral Benbow Inn space, next to the Shipwreck Lounge, will open as the Heartland Restaurant next year, with late-night hours on the menu.

Also, the historic Admiral Theater seems to be responding by offering more live entertainment.

According to Admiral business district owners and observers, the new kids on the block help draw crowds to the more established restaurants and pubs, including the Admiral Pub, Mission, Circa, Yen Wor, south to Prost! and the Bohemian.

“I like the idea of the Admiral Junction becoming a new destination spot,” said Greg Smith, bar manager at Porterhouse. He was the general manager at the Celtic Swell on Alki for more than three years and said he began bartending at age 14 in England where he was raised.

“I always thought it was funny that my friends that live in the Alaska Junction would never make it to the Admiral Junction and vice versa,” said Smith. “People in Morgan Junction stay in their own area, too, which is why I wanted to work over here and bring the junctions together.”

“I like it around here,” said Seth Feist referring to the Admiral Junction while sipping a glass of his favorite beer, Big Ale, that Smith poured him. The harvest ale comes from Big Al Brewing in White Center.

“The neighborhood feels like a New York borough,” added Feist. “Like you crammed all the cool people in Seattle and this is it, easy going, and I don’t feel like I need to be fancy. The people sitting next to you want to actually have a conversation.”

“Porterhouse, the Mission next door, and the Shipwreck have a good selection of beer,” said Kendall Jones who sat with wife, Kim, at Porterhouse. They should know. They operate www.washingtonbeerblog.com, and www.beerchurch.com, a fundraising site that is currently helping the West Seattle Food Bank.

“We also like Circa, but it’s always so busy and hard to get in,” said Kendall. “We live walking distance and are so happy there are new places opening in the Admiral junction.”

“This junction is coming alive again,” said Chris Long, owner of the Shipwreck Tavern.

He and his wife, Jenny Ferrero, welcome people at the door and Ferrero manages their house band, Colby Imus and the Good Lieutenants. They believe many of their customers walk there from home. That would include Dave Blank.

“I live right here in the Admiral District,” said Blank, a Yen Wor karaoke icon who sings 1970’s funky disco and hip hop, and is fast becoming a Shipwreck regular.

“I come on foot, sometimes one foot, sometimes two, sometimes on someone else’s feet,” he quipped.

The six-foot, six-inch Blank also comes with a warning. “I’m kind of a big guy, so watch your feet.”

“I like the growth and the diversity of the people we’re getting around here,” said Tammy Fernandes, longtime West Seattle resident and Yen Wor cocktail waitress and bartender during a packed house on a Friday night filled with karaoke singers and fans.

“I love the (Admiral) Junction,” added Toni Jones, Yen Wor “bartender extraordinaire.”

“I love the crazy people around here.”

“The new places coming up here are bringing people into the Admiral Pub,” said West Seattle resident and owner Eric Galanti, who offers a new, unusual dish from the land down under.

“ We’ve got our stonegrill with filet mignon. You cook it yourself on a 750-degree granite stone at your table.” It comes with a stuffed baked potato. “We imported the whole thing from Australia, and it’s getting popular in Europe.”

“I didn’t want to go that far to the Alaska Junction,” said Donny Kriley, who owns the Brickyard BBQ with his brother Danny. “It’s time for it to start spreading out this way.”

Donny has lived in West Seattle 15 years and his brother, 10. He lives six blocks from his restaurant.

“I would never want to live anywhere else,” he said. “This is my home. I love it that all the action is going on around here.”

“This area has grown so much that you can have a nice evening right here without having to drive,” said Michael Wann while eating barbeque with his wife Laura Coffey at the Brickyard under a tall, heated tent off the bar.

They dined with Stefan and Sarah Nelson. The two couples were able to enjoy the night out thanks to Bloom Preschool just around the corner in the Bartell’s building. Bloom offers “Kids Night Out” every other Friday for $20 per child, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“We can drop our son off at a place we can trust and go out for a couple hours,” said Wann.

“It’s a great West Seattle treat,” said Coffey. “Now we have a built-in date night every two weeks.”