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• Best Eastside Dive

  The Mustard Seed - Closed

  The Mustard Seed looks incredibly out of place among the multimillion-dollar condos and quaint confectioneries dotting Bellevue's Main Street. But its regulars would raise hell if the city were ever to propose tearing it down to make room for another organic-chocolate shop. That's because the beloved eyesore is one of the Eastside's few true dives—meaning it exists for the sole… More >>

• Best Neighborhood Bar

  Tug Inn

  The Tug Inn has a reputation as one of the most ominous, if not the most ominous, bars in West Seattle. This has much to do with its being the only bar—save for the Skylark—on Delridge Way, long considered the most ominous stretch of road in West Seattle. Tell the average West Seattleite that you've actually entered the Tug's doors,… More >>

• Best Watering Hole before a Mariner, Seahawk, or Sounder Game

  Sluggers

  Back when it was called Sneakers, Sluggers was purely a baseball bar (even though, ironically, the name Sluggers is more specific to baseball than Sneakers). There were—and still are, to some extent—framed, autographed photos of Mariners past and present on just about every available inch of wall, and the double-decker bar was a favored watering hole for players such as… More >>

• Best Downtown Rendezvous

  Entre Nous

  With its dark washed interior, Entre Nous barely elicits a second glance on its completely overlooked block around the corner from Bergman Luggage. But walk by at night, and it virtually whispers psst, bonsoir mon cheri, voulez-vous les bons temps? Much of the food may count as date-prohibitive, what with the cream sauces and the onions and rich meats, but… More >>

• Best Pool Room

  The Corner Pocket

  Temple Billiards in Pioneer Square is a nice place to play pool, but let's make one thing clear: In order to be a great pool hall, one must climb or descend a flight of stairs to get to it. Preferably descend, as serious pool should be played in a windowless basement, hidden from the world of amateur stickmen and gawking… More >>

• Best Place for Dinner and a Dance Lesson

  The Tin Table

  Just across the hall from The Tin Table, owned by Hallie Kuperman, is the Century Ballroom, which she also owns. That makes an excellent way to trick your reluctant boyfriend into a night of dancing. Just act surprised when you walk out and see the ballroom, and push him onto the dance floor before he knows what hit him. Despite… More >>

• Best Hotel Bar to Meet a Silver Fox

  Marriott Seattle Waterfront's 2100 Bar - Closed

  Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson become fast friends after meeting in a hotel bar in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation. Granted, Murray isn't all that in the looks department, but there is something to be said about an older, well-established man who will buy a woman a drink, carry on a decent conversation, and refrain from attempting to sleep with… More >>

• Best Reason to Stand in a Long Line at Midnight

  The Cinerama Experience

  Ever since superfans started lining up outside theaters across the nation to see the Lord of the Rings movies as soon as humanly possible, Cinerama has become the see-and-be-seen theater for everyone who can recite the Star Wars screenplays from memory and has read the entire Alan Moore library. (If you don't know who that is, you wouldn't understand.) Despite… More >>

• Best Late Night Illegal-Drinking Hang-Out Spot for High-Schoolers

  Leschi Park

  Beautiful and completely hidden from busy Lake Washington Boulevard, Leschi Park is and has been for some time the preferred rendezvous spot for the underage partier. Especially in the summer, sitting outside with bathrooms conveniently nearby (so no squatting necessary) and the lake close enough to bring your face some breeze, there are almost no worries in the world as… More >>

• Best Chinese Lounge Interior

  The Seven Seas

  Chinese restaurant lounges generally adhere to the same tacky-minimalist aesthetic, which is something to be appreciated. Many a newfangled American bar has gone under by virtue of too much attention (and money) spent gussying up a room's interior, when it'd be better spent figuring out how to get as many fingers of liquor as possible into a well drink. The… More >>

• Best Gay Bar to Pick Up a Straight Dude

  R Place

  Single straight guys have finally realized that R Place is where it's at. Why? Because the three-story dance club is filled with single straight ladies starved for attention, having been ditched by gay friends who are busy getting their game on. R Place attracts straight men of the highest caliber: confident, handsome, and secure in their sexuality. Bonus: They're usually… More >>

• Best Barstool(s) From Which to Seek Inspiration

  Matt's in the Market

  It's difficult to come up with a quintessential Seattle perch, but the new configuration of Matt's in the Market comes closest to the ideal. During the day, the murmur of Pike Place Market action drifts up and into the giant half-moon windows, which frame the neon Market sign, the sparkling bay, and the torn silhouette of the Olympics beyond. At… More >>

• Best Communal Drinking Patio

  The Fiddler's Inn

  "Seattle nice" isn't really nice, it's polite—which is a lot different than nice. To wit, how many bar patios can be found in the city with adjoining picnic tables that force imbibing strangers to actually interact with one another? One, by our count—and it can be found in sleepy Wedgwood, across from the neighborhood fire station. While The Fiddler's Inn… More >>

• Best Downtown Happy Hour to Bring Your Dog

  Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery

  Few happy hours in the downtown core welcome non-service animals, so dog owners are usually forced to abandon their pets in pursuit of a social life. Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery doesn't make you choose. The popular chain restaurant's happy hour features $3 beer and half-price appetizers from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays. They brew their beer onsite (try the… More >>

• Best Venue Chameleon

  King Cat Theater

  What happens when the state's lone Bollywood theater owner takes over a historic downtown site that had been shut down for years? He transforms it into a vibrant lounge that, like his favorite films, is bursting with lively entertainment and people. The King Cat Theater has become one of the city's most eclectic entertainment venues since Bangladeshi transplant Arif Amaani… More >>

• Best Place for a Private Karaoke Party

  Venus Karaoke

  Private karaoke rooms should always be dark and dirty—stained cushions and rickety tables make screaming off-key into a microphone seem perfectly natural. Which is why Venus Karaoke in the International District is the perfect setting for your next songfest. Sure, their equipment crashes every once in a while, and occasionally your song selection won't come with any lyrics. But the… More >>

• Best Place to Get Fought Over in Heels

  Century Ballroom

  Ladies, are you looking to be swept off your feet by a suave Latino man? Look no further than Century Ballroom. The venue's Thursday and Saturday salsa nights typically draw more men than women, so it's not uncommon to have guys fighting to be your dance partner. Those who want to jump right into the action can hit the floor… More >>

• Best Neighborhood to Roam at 2 a.m.

  International District

  Why is it that a major metropolis like Seattle goes to bed so damn early? Most of its restaurants—and, sadly, even bars—close when the party should just be getting started. The exception to that rule, of course, is the International District. The nocturnal neighborhood bustles with action in the early-morning hours, particularly on weekends. Throngs of people hankering for honey… More >>
• 

  Best Spot for Snogging Over Grilled Cheese

  Bleu Bistro

  It's easy to pass Bleu Bistro without a second glance, given the array of more attractive restaurants and boutiques that make up Broadway's strip. But beyond its uninviting exterior lies a peculiarly charming gem that serves up rich pasta dishes, stiff drinks, and romance. The dark space is lit with candles and Christmas lights. Most of the tables seat two,… More >>

• Best Place to Transport Yourself Back to 1973

  The Pink Floyd Laser Light Show

  Maybe it's the phantasmagoric appeal of staring into a dark abyss scattered with hallucinogenic blasts of light. Maybe it's the commodious vibe of gathering with fellow fans. Or maybe it's the ease with which the darkened venue enables you to engage in less-legal modes of transport. Either way, the weekly Pink Floyd Laser light show at the Pacific Science Center… More >>