Cocktails, wine bars and dives: drinking in Seattle for grown-ups.
Cocktail bars, wine bars, dive bars and gastropubs: drinking in Seattle for grown-ups.
Canon in Seattle's Capitol Hill is Jamie Boudreau's whiskey bar since 2011: 4000 labels, America's largest spirits collection, and a tight kitchen that runs until midnight.
Signature drink: Old Fashioned with 4000 whiskey choices
Food: Snacks and small plates
Damn the Weather in Seattle's Pioneer Square is the brick-walled cocktail bar since 2013: 24-seat bar, tight kitchen and Monday half-price spirits after 21:00.
Signature drink: Sazerac with house rye
Food: Cheeseburger, fried chicken, wood-grilled fish
Mr West Cafe Bar in Seattle is the downtown coffee-to-wine room: espresso and breakfast through afternoon, natural wine and cocktails until 22:00 in a daylit Olive Way room.
Signature drink: Pet nat by the glass, espresso through 15:00
Food: Pastry, cheese, charcuterie, small plates
The Pink Door bar in Seattle's Pike Place is the small lounge inside the Italian room: aerial cabaret Thursday to Saturday, a tight pour list and antipasti at the bar.
Signature drink: Negroni Sbagliato
Food: Antipasti, pizzette
L'Oursin in Seattle is the small French bar between Capitol Hill and the Central District: natural wines by the glass, classic French cocktails, oyster happy hour.
Signature drink: Pastis with house orgeat
Food: Oysters, charcuterie, cassoulet
Ba Bar Capitol Hill bar in Seattle is the front-counter cocktail bar inside the Vietnamese restaurant: high-end spirits, late-night menu, pho until 02:00 weekdays.
Signature drink: Pho cocktail with Vietnamese spice
Food: Pho, banh mi, bun cha
The Walrus and the Carpenter bar in Seattle's Ballard is the marble counter at Renee Erickson's oyster room: walk-in seating, the city's best happy hour from 16:00 to 18:00.
Signature drink: Muscadet by the glass with oysters
Food: Oysters, steak tartare, lardo
Peak food season in Seattle is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Seattle rewards trust.