Bricco della Regina Anna
Upper Queen Anne doesn’t immediately come to mind for after-work gatherings, but this wine bar’s shareable menu and killer wine list serve as a great conversational icebreaker for the crew. In keeping with the owners’ Italian bent, three dozen cheeses, many cured meats, and Italian-leaning small plates dominate the menu, and here ”small plate” means stuffed peppers or a few lamb sausages, not hyper-composed froufrou. Flavorful salads such as the smoked trout with beets and crème fraîche present familiar ingredients in vibrant ways. Wine novices will find Italian wine as easy to love as Italian food, and Bricco’s list has a useful key to help decode the bottlings. For wine lovers, nothing pleases more than a cellar big enough for all the reds—sold by the glass or bottle—to be kept at the proper temperature. Best of all, Bricco keeps its focus social, so wine nerds can enjoy the stuff with colleagues who couldn’t care less. MAGGIE DUTTON
Serves: Bar Food Italian1525 Queen Anne Ave. N., 206-285-4900.
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http://www.briccoseattle.com
Feierabend
Conveniently located in Paul Allen Village—er, South Lake Union—Feierabend offers not only the cold beer but the ambience you need to truly chill out and wind down. The aroma of wheat hangs heavy, the lighting is subdued, and the tables are big, communal, and made of cleaved planks of wood. They easily lend themselves to both post-work bitch fests and the raising of glasses for a job well done. The all-German menu is ideal comfort food. The spaetzle (free-form egg noodles) comes topped with sautéed onions and cheese, and the braised red cabbage is cooked with a lump of sugar. The sauerkraut might cause you to pucker because of the caraway seeds, but a sip of beer will kill the shock. Like the best German fare, it’s hearty but still delicate, and when washed down with a cloudy liter of beer, the effect is damn near transcendent. BRIAN J. BARR
Serves: European422 Yale Ave. N., 206-340-2528.
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http://www.feierabendseattle.com
Metropolitan Grill
Sure, the Metropolitan Grill claims to have the best steak in town and boasts a clientele that’s not likely to argue. But the restaurant’s happy hour opens up Mr. Spendy to the everyman. Whether white collar, blue collar, or tank top, you and your fellow cubicle dwellers can afford the trio of snackers in the $1.50 range: beef dip sandwich with au jus, beer-boiled prawns, and raw oyster shooters. If you plan your day right and get to the Met at 3 p.m. when the happy hour bell rings, you’ll have plenty of time to soak up the cheap eats till 6 p.m., possibly eliminating the need for lunch and dinner. You’ll be sitting next to diners more likely to have 401(k)s than tattoos, but the servers do not discriminate. When you and your co-workers are throwing down $3.95 for thoughtful (no joke) onion rings, bacon-wrapped tenderloin skewers, or chicken wings, nobody has to play big spender. CHRIS KORNELIS
Serves: American Steak House820 Second Ave., 206-624-3287.
$$$
http://www.themetropolitangrill.com
Preet's Casual Indian Dining
Surrounded by the industrial parks of Redmond, Preet’s has a perfect interior for unwinding after work: sparse wooden booths and walls that ooze minimalist serenity. Begin with a hot cup of chai or a sweet mango lassi as you bitch about your boss. Move on to scrumptious paneer pakora—toasted, breaded cheese squares—to nosh on over office gossip. Split a few parothas, breads stuffed with your choice of filling (including a tomato, paneer, and pyaz worth writing all-office memos about), or the thali, which lets you sample three main dishes, such as malai kofta (creamy sauce over cheese balls) or maki ki roti with saag (pureed spinach and mustard greens). The spiciness won’t please severe heat-seekers, but nothing’s better for soothing after-work pains than chai and samosas in such a tranquil environment. Trust me. KARLA STARR
Serves: Indian Vegetarian8440 160th Ave. N.E., 425-867-9400.
$
http://www.preets.com