- Q: What types of nightlife can be found in Seattle?
- A: The Seattle nightlife scene caters to diverse audiences, offering legendary jazz supper clubs, hip underground performance art, and rave venues.
- Q: What has emerged in Seattle's bar scene in recent years?
- A: A wide variety of cocktail and craft beer bars have sprung up throughout Seattle, serving microbrews, wines, and spirits crafted by local independent companies in the region.
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1. Bathtub Gin and Co.
Bathtub Gin and Co. is located in the former basement-level boiler room of Belltown’s Humphrey Apartments, renovated into a 1920s-era speakeasy in 2009.
The bar’s name is a reference to a popular process of creating gin during Prohibition, which added ingredients such as juniper berries to denatured alcohol to improve liquor quality. It is accessible via an alleyway entrance, adding to the Prohibition-era feel. The multi-level lounge and bar serves a wide variety of local and international liquors from its six-seat bar on its upper level, including gin produced in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest used to craft creative and classic cocktails.
Downstairs, a lounge area offers comfortable couches and tables for relaxation, including a library-themed area.
2205 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121, Phone: 206-728-6069
2. Central Saloon
Central Saloon has been a Seattle institution since 1892 and remains the city’s oldest bar today, having survived Prohibition and multiple earthquakes throughout the 20th century.
The bar is owned by Guy Curtis and Eric Manegold today and has hosted diverse crowds throughout its history, from Yukon miners during the 19th century to early crowds for performances by legendary bands such as Nirvana and Soundgarden.
A wide variety of classic pub fare is served daily, including craft burgers, wrap sandwiches, and shareable bar appetizers. Extensive wine, beer, and spirits menus are also served from behind the saloon’s vintage mahogany bar.
207 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104, Phone: 206-622-0209
3. Cha Cha Lounge
Cha Cha Lounge was originally opened in 1998 as a companion lounge to the popular Bimbo’s Bitchin’ Burrito Kitchen in Capitol Hill.
Today, it has become one of the city’s hippest hangouts for artists and diverse populations and is a space for frequent celebrity and musician sightings. Upstairs, Bimbo’s serves a variety of Mexican-inspired small plates, while downstairs, the tiki-themed lounge is dressed in decor elements such as Mexican wrestling masks and black velvet art pieces.
Margaritas, tequilas, and craft beer are available at the lounge’s bar, which offers some of the city’s best happy hour specials. Guest DJ sets spin hip underground tunes, while performances by top rock and independent musicians draw crowds.
1013 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122, Phone: 206-322-0703
4. Kremwerk
Kremwerk opened its original nightclub facility in 2004 in the heart of Seattle’s downtown. Since then, the club’s complex has expanded to encompass its sister Timber Room nightclub and the Little Maria’s pizza parlor and bar and has become one of the top LGBT-centric nightlife spots in Seattle.
The complex’s basement-level namesake club is known for its progressive electronic music and dance scene, housed within an industrial-style bunker room. Above ground, the Timbre Room cultivates a Pacific Northwest aesthetic with lush foliage on its walls and natural light from skylights.
Many live music concerts, performance art events, and dance parties span the entire complex, creating a festival atmosphere and allowing partygoers to roam between all three spaces freely throughout the night.
1809 Minor Ave #10, Seattle, WA 98101, Phone: 206-682-2935
5. Oliver's Lounge
Oliver's Lounge is a Seattle classic, operating for more than 45 years out of the historic Mayflower Park Hotel.
The cocktail lounge is internationally renowned for its craft martinis, having been the recipient of industry titles such as Best International Classic Martini and hosting the annual International Martini Classic Challenge tournament.
Its floor-to-ceiling glass windows are known as a prime spot for people-watching, especially during the winter months when the city is bustling with holiday fervor. Classic American fare such as club sandwiches and chicken caesar salad are served, with complimentary appetizers offered during the bar’s daily happy hour. An expansive cocktail list highlights both traditional and creative modern favorites.
405 Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98101, Phone: 206-623-8700
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