Quinn's: Yuppie Safe House in Hipsterdom

Gastropub: a step up from pub and less formal than a white-tablecloth affair. New York and London are inundated with gastropubs, but Quinn's, the new resident of the corner space across from Neumo's, marks Seattle's first go-round with such a place. Gone are the bottomless baskets of tortilla chips, the syrupy-sweet margaritas, and the mostly empty tables of the Mexican restaurant the room once held. Quinn's overhaul has transformed it into a two-tiered, bustling hot spot complete with exposed brick, low lighting, a handcrafted cocktail list, and nouveau-lodge fare that slaps qualifiers like "wild boar" in front of regular old sloppy joe and adds Gruyère to a grilled ham sandwich but lets items like foie gras and crisped sage leaves speak for themselves. At the epicenter of hipsterdom, the clientele is a sharp contrast. Next-generation yupsters loose with booze in button-ups and edgy sweaters are safe within the confines of the understated bougie quarters. Here, they're free to observe passers-by from behind the glass of the gigantic, arched windows, with proximity to Hill dwellers providing just enough fringe without having to go so far as to wander (sans sleeve tattoo armor) into the Cha Cha's den. 1001 E. Pike St., 325-7711.