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433 Eastlake Ave. E. Seattle, WA 98109
206-382-4467
http://www.myspace.com/victoryloungeseattle This corner bar on Eastlake has been seen its share of reincarnations over the years, but the locals don't seem to mind, and some regulars have been coming in for over a decade. It's got your basics - wells, drafts, some pinball, a TV tuned in to whatever sporting event is on at the moment. Every so often, the bar will cram a local band into the small space by the window, and the walls are lined with a variety of local art, but most nights it's a laid-back watering hole, with a slamming hot dog-exclusive bar menu. More >>
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6404 24th Ave. N.W. Seattle, WA 98107
206-784-3662
When you walk into a bar of Norwegian nomenclature in a historically Scandinavian neighborhood, the last thing you expect to see on the menu is really tasty Southern barbecue. But that's exactly what the kitchen here delivers. Its Sloppy Joe is called a Sloppy Sven, and the chili is quite good. But make no mistake about it: The Viking is still a bar for drinkers, by drinkers. It's a low-slung hole-in-the-wall where salty old men while away a bright sunny day. The food is just there to soak up the Rainier. More >>
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927 Ninth Ave. Seattle, WA 98104
206-397-4053
http://www.vitosseattle.com This Italian eatery, originally founded in 1953, has a rich history in organized crime and cocktail culture. Greg Lundgren of The Hideout restored the late beloved establishment in spring of 2010, promising to restore it to its old-school cool state. That he has. Customers will feel like they're on an episode of The Sopranos. Food includes classics like cannelloni, lasagna, and spaghetti with meatballs, plus pricier dishes like filet mignon and rack of lamb. And in the back room, which features a full bar, there's live entertainment via a grand piano, lounge singers, and literally, all that jazz. More >>
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5411 Ballard Ave. N.W. Seattle, WA 98107
206-789-5100
http://www.volterrarestaurant.com Despite the common complaint that quality Italian food is hard to come by in Seattle, owner-operator Michelle Quisenberry and her co-owner/executive chef husband, Don Curtiss, have been packing crowds in since the doors on their Ballard Avenue space opened in 2005. The perpetually evolving selection of "little bites" ($10 per person) is always a delightful, seasonally inspired tour of whatever the kitchen is jazzed about at the moment. Rotating pasta specials are often alluring, but it's always the gusto and grace with which they approach their signature wild-boar tenderloin-typically served with gorgonzola cream sauce-that completes the Tuscan seduction. The cocktail menu and wine list are exceptional too. Drinks are modestly priced (the Volterra Sky house cocktail rings in at $6.50), and the spacious dining room opens to a low-lit expansive bar with rustic wood interiors-perfect conditions to linger away an evening over house-made pasta and a bottle of red. More >>
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172 S. Washington St. Seattle, WA 98104
467-1828
http://www.volumeseattle.com Located in Pioneer Square, this club has a vibe similar to that of its neighbors Trinity and Aura. Low, white leather couches on raised platforms are reserved for VIPs, and the DJ's play mixes of Top 40 hits. A request on Volume's Facebook page can get your name on the list for free entry before 11 on Fridays. Just make sure you go with a big group, since the place doesn't draw much of a crowd before midnight. More >>
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1212 E. Jefferson St. Seattle, WA 98122
206-328-6493
http://www.myspace.com/waidsplace "We should just love each other as human beings! Please stop by and be a part of it," exclaims the man on the voicemail at Waid's Haitian Cuisine and Lounge. Waid's kitchen serves up Haitian cuisine until 10 p.m., highlighting rich dishes like Taso (marinated "goat bits" with onions, cloves and peppers) and Chiktay (salted cod), but stays open late into the evening with various events from reggae nights to hip-hop. On the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, Waid's hosts a jazz dance class, and both the entertainment and cringe factors are high. More >>
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2020 Second Ave. Seattle, WA 98121
206-441-5637
http://www.wann-izakaya.com A gastronomic spectacle wrought in tiny plates, Wann reinterprets the traditional bar-snack fare of Japanese izakayas with pink seaweed and spun-sugar garnishes. The place is gorgeous, especially if you're sitting in one of the booths that appear to be floating over a rock garden. The food is gorgeous, too, and ranges from bowls of green beans covered in sesame paste and feathery bonito flakes to cast-iron hot pots that you cook at the table. However, quality is erratic (greasy tempura, nonsensical East-West combinations like fried chicken smothered in tartar sauce), making every meal resemble a Spielberg film: sometimes good, sometimes bad, always compelling. However, you can't go wrong with a cocktail called the Pink Godzilla. More >>
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7034 15th Ave. N.W. Seattle, WA 98117
206-784-5701
http://www.thewaterwheellounge.com By all appearances-gravel lot, double-wide exterior, dingy interior-this place should be a backwoods Georgia biker bar where you're liable to get your ass kicked just for shaving that morning. In reality, it's a friendly neighborhood bar with stiff drinks, and down-home supper items. The beer selection is diverse and cheap, the burgers and barbecue are tasty and satisfying, and with a front beer garden, there's more than enough space for large parties to congregate - which they do, for the lively karaoke nights, the "Trivia with Geeks who Drink," or jamming out Rock Band-style on the bar's Xbox. All activities are best accompanied by the Waterwheel's drink specialty, the 3-liter Beer Tower. More >>
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8515 35th Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98115
206-527-2676
http://www.wedgwoodalehouse.com Combining good drinks and from-scratch meals, this watering hole exudes the vibe of a true neighborhood bar built from the ground up. With 18 rotating draft handles including locals, craft brews and Rainier along with top shelf liquors, Wedgwood Ale House's bartenders are sure to keep you drinking well. It also boasts a separate family room open from 5-9 p.m. and a backroom pool hall to satisfy your billiards fix. More >>
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4539 California Ave. S.W. Seattle, WA 98116
206-935-1966
http://www.westfive.com West 5 is a meeting place for West Seattle's mid-30s social set, with stools designed to enhance late-night conversations and a big table in the back that's perfect for birthday gatherings. The sloppy joe is heavy on red peppers and tastes an awful lot like a Manwich. The Reuben and the halibut sandwich are almost always right on, as is the popular mac and cheese. The meatloaf sandwiches work well, but the health-conscious can also fill up on a dinner salad. Vaguely retro decor and kitschy yellow bar stools add a nostalgic touch without going over the top. For dessert go for the chocolate souffle. More >>
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2000 Second Ave. Seattle, WA 98121
206-443-4490
http://www.thewhiskybar.com More than just whisky is served, of course, making this a popular Belltown stop for the after-work crowd. But stay a little longer if there's a game on, or if you meet someone cute. More >>
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1908 Post Alley Seattle, WA 98101
206-441-7767
White Horse sells books, but it's not a bookstore. It serves drinks, but it's not really a bar. It's the best basement lounge you could ever hope to have, disguised as an English bookseller. The rotating booze selection includes beers by the bottle and no hard alcohol, but the Pimm's Cup-a wine-based cocktail-is where you want to be. More >>
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513 N. 36th St. Seattle, WA 98103
206-588-0155
http://www.fremontwhiterabbit.com Rob Kim, owner of Shiku on Ballard Ave., revamped the space that was once ToST into the White Rabbit, keeping the good stuff (the jam band Marmalade and the fireplace) and giving the space something it never quite had before: a personality of its own. The White Rabbit is dimly lit with blue lights, and a couch sits in front of a Lewis Carroll-esque wall of mirrors. It has a sophisticated feel without being snooty or exclusive. Cocktails share Carroll-themed monikers such as the Jabberwocky or M-Alice. There's an entire menu of Stumptown alcoholic coffee concoctions. The patronage is random, but that makes the place all the more interesting - you never know who you're going to meet down the rabbit hole. More >>
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14935 Interurban Ave. S. Des Moines, WA 98168
206-242-2842
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1021 E. Pike St. Seattle, WA 98122
206-324-9210
http://www.thewildrosebar.com Ever notice how many gay boy bars there are in Seattle? Ever notice how there are only one or two for the girls? We bet the chicks who frequent the Wild Rose have noticed. Since 1985 it's been our city's premier lesbian hang, and considering that no one has even seriously attempted to steal the thorny crown, you pretty much have to figure the Rose is here to stay. Though the place tends to be packed on weekend nights, all the butches and femmes (and, of course, their friends) seem to be having such a good time that you just have to figure they wouldn't dream of being anywhere else. And with decent drinks, a decent menu, and the right combination of pinball games, pool tables, and quiet corners for quiet conversation, why would they? More >>
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111 Central Way Kirkland, WA 98033
425-822-8940
http://www.wilderover.com Located in downtown Kirkland, this popular Irish pub draws a crowd ranging from preppy suburbanites to retired folks. More spacious than it appears from the entrance, it features sprawling wooden floors, a stage for live music, and an outdoor deck. Menu offerings include Irish staples like lamb stew, bangers and mash, and plenty of beer. (Did someone say Guinness?) And it should go without saying that every St. Patrick's Day, the Wild Rover hosts a spectacular party. More >>
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5811 24th Ave. N.W. Seattle, WA 98107
206-706-9999
Just a little north of Market St., Wingmasters is a quieter, neighborhood pub than some of the larger, more commercial establishments to the south. The grub's not fancy, and the beer is cheap (especially during happy hour). Of note also are the discounted Taco Tuesdays. More >>
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303 N. 36th St. (between N. Greenwood Ave. & N. Phinney Ave.) Seattle, WA Seattle, WA 98103
The decor is simple and the layout feels relaxing and open. It brings out your inner adolescent with a pop-punk soundtrack, then gets it drunk with specialty cocktail and shot menus, printed on snowboards. There are daily specials on Tuesday nights.Daily specials include dollar PBR or two dollar Jell-O shots. Even though the cocktail menu mostly offers the sweet, the combination of the bourbon and brew fit the bar well. They also have goldfish races and for a $5 entry fee you pick out one of their goldfish, name it, and race it tournament-style. Winner gets the pot. More >>
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8313 Greenwood Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98103
588-1746
http://www.theyardcafe.com At Greenwood's newest beer and cocktail mecca, old soul wafts through the speakers, Mexican cuisine is served, and down the hall near the bathrooms are a set of about 50 small lockers, accessed by key. Sold at a rate of $250 per year, these lockers come with a 20-ounce mug which can be filled with beer at the same price that normal patrons pay for a 16-ounce pour. Doing the math, one would have to drink about 892 beers to make that a good deal-and yet all the lockers are sold out. More >>
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5405 Leary Ave. N.W. Seattle, WA 98107
206-783-7777
http://www.zaydabuddyspizza.com Instead of Tabasco or Sriracha, Zayda Buddy's serves squeeze bottles of Secret Aardvark hot sauce, a Portland product with a distinct habanero tang. The menu could be classified as "enlightened cafeteria." Think of the food you associated with a day of the week in elementary school: burgers, sloppy joes, Tater Tot casseroles. Substitute real ingredients instead of glop from No. 10 cans, and you've got a lock on the chefs' style. But if the sauce on the signature thin-crust pizzas is bland and the beer cheese soup is under-seasoned, nobody at this good-natured beer joint is complaining. So long as the Twins are on the television and the Leinenkugel's flowing, it doesn't much matter whether the hot dish is short on cream of mushroom soup: After all, there's nothing Secret Aardvark can't fix. More >>
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1501 Western Ave. Seattle, WA 98101
206-625-1146
http://www.zigzagseattle.com The Zig Zag, on the Western steps, has the look of a sexy lounge and the vibe of a seedier joint in a much seedier town. The lounge seating is stylized, with semicircular, emerald mohair and mahogany booths. Zig Zag's food is better than functional, but it purposefully takes a back seat to the drinks. Locals who work downtown come here to treat themselves to some of the best cocktails in town. The Zig Zag's proprietors pride themselves on providing the best classic and original cocktails possible, and the effort shows. And what's especially nice about the Zig Zag is that they do not charge an arm and a leg for the artfully-mixed cocktails they serve, unlike most of the other similarly-executed watering holes in the neighborhood. During happy hour, which lasts from 5 - 7 p.m., it's just $6 for a house cocktail. More >>
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1219 E. Jefferson St. Seattle, WA 98122
206-323-1408
http://www.zobelrestaurant.com The exterior may need a new coat of paint, and the servers may not speak perfect English, but don't count out First Hill's Zobel Ethiopian restaurant and bar. The atmosphere's warm and lively-said servers are exceedingly sweet ladies, there's usually some upbeat tribal music playing on the stereo, and regulars rave about the flatbread, savory lentil stews, and traditional Ethiopian coffee. Pass up the cocktails for a cold brew-the beer-not just PBR, but Manny's, Guinness, everything on tap-is always $3. More >>
