Smith Tower Observatory Bar sits 35 floors above Pioneer Square inside the 1914 Smith Tower, with a speakeasy era cocktail program on the wraparound observation deck.
Tip: Admission ticket includes entry to the observation deck plus the bar. Reserve via the Smith Tower site; the deck is open 360 degrees in good weather.
Address: 506 2nd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104
Frolik on the 5th floor of the Motif Seattle is the largest year round rooftop in downtown, with a 4,000 square foot terrace, fire pit bars, ping pong and curling lanes in winter.
Tip: Igloos and curling open from November. Walk in friendly weekdays; reserve via OpenTable for weekend brunch and Thursday to Saturday evenings.
Goldfinch Tavern at the Four Seasons opens its terrace bar alongside the hotel's infinity pool, looking out over the Great Wheel and Puget Sound. Live jazz with Brian Nova Thursday through Saturday.
Tip: Reserve dinner via OpenTable; the bar runs the same hours and is the easier walk in. Sip Champagne after sunset from the pool side.
Canon on 12th Avenue is Jamie Boudreau's Capitol Hill cocktail room with the largest spirits library in the country at 4,000 plus labels and a strict four guest cap per party.
Tip: Open Wednesday through Sunday from 17:00 to 00:00. Walk in friendly, limited reservations; the bar caps parties at four to keep service tight.
Needle and Thread hides above Tavern Law on 12th Avenue. Pick up the vintage telephone in the back of the downstairs bar and the vault door buzzes you up to a 36 seat menu free cocktail room.
Tip: Reservation only via OpenTable, parties of one to six, up to six days ahead. The bartender builds drinks to your taste from scratch.
Bathtub Gin tucks into the alley off 2nd Avenue, inside the boiler room of the 1928 Humphrey Building. A multi level Belltown speakeasy with a real bathtub in the window seat.
Tip: Open nightly 17:00 to 02:00. Look for the unmarked alley door off 2nd Avenue between Bell and Blanchard; no reservations, walk in.
The Doctor's Office on East Olive Way is the intimate global spirits tasting room where Matt Powell built personalized cocktails to order, ranked in the World's 50 Best North America list.
Tip: Reservations strongly encouraged via the bar's site; the room is tiny and walk ins are rare on weekends. Daily 16:00 to 01:00.