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The Best Places to Grab a Drink in Seattle

A photo of Red logo
by Alana Al-Hatlani
Updated June 16, 2022
Like the dazzling Emerald City itself, Seattle’s bar scene is a lot of things at once: it is a craft beer haven, teems with celebrated grunge dives, and boasts wine lists featuring the best of Washington’s locally produced bottles. No matter your drink of choice, there is a speakeasy, wine bar, or brewery for whatever strikes your fancy. Find your next drink at one of these innovative bars focused on craft, quality, and, of course, good times.
A photo of Deep Dive restaurant
4.7
4.7 (341)
$31 to $50
Cocktail Bar
Lake Union / Eastlake

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

This nautical speakeasy from James Beard Award-winning chef Renee Erickson is hidden under the spherical Amazon headquarters. Inside, you’ll find an underwater grotto decorated with maritime antiques serving botanical cocktails inspired by the renowned Spheres, which house a variety of plants. The food menu offers sea-centric bites, from caviar to Spanish anchovies, but its star is the overhauled Seattle dog—a hot dog with cream cheese. The bar has a sophisticated feel, with a swankier dress code than what’s typically seen in casual Seattle—but that only adds to the sublime getaway feels.


Top review
Chelsey
Dined 4 days ago
This is such an outstanding jewel! The ambience is cool, like you're inside of a curio cabinet from the 18th century. The staff is amazing and all impeccably dressed, which absolutely adds to the overall awesome atmosphere. The focaccia is out of this world! The salmon dip is beautifully flavored. The Amaro selection is wonderful and the cocktails are lovely. We have two NA drinkers and the NA craft cocktail selection is thoughtful, not just sugar sweet and very well received. Thank you so much for creating such an intentional space.
A photo of Whiskey by John Howie restaurant
4.7
4.7 (130)
$31 to $50
Cocktail Bar
Bellevue

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

Set next to his eponymous steak house, this destination by storied Seattle chef John Howie is devoted to all things whiskey. Whether you’re looking to learn about the liquor or you’re a connoisseur on a quest for international and rare types, this bar boasts a prolific collection, thoughtfully selected by in-house curator Tim Lodahl. Dark wood finishes and leather booths lend an intimate feel. Pair your whiskey with hearty, meat-forward dishes such as wagyu steak nachos and flatbreads stacked with brisket.


Top review
Amy
Dined on Jan 12, 2025
When first booking the reservation, I didn’t know there were two different venues. Whiskey by John Howie and John Howie Steak. Whiskey by John Howie is has a more intimate setting and the menu is slightly different than its counterpart. However the steak options are the same. We had the USDA Filet Mignon and I have been ruined by any other steak following that experience! So render and flavorful, just melts in your mouth! The vegetable and potato sides are meant to share (didn’t know that either). It is a high $$$$ but worth it. Next time it’s John Howie Steak to compare!
A photo of Kro Bar restaurant
4.9
4.9 (628)
$31 to $50
Dining Bar
Bothell

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

Classic cocktails fill the extensive menu at this under-the-radar spot just north of Seattle. House specialities, such as the Curtain Call, a drink made with a popcorn-washed bourbon, are mixed into the menu. The atmosphere at Kro Bar is intimate and stylish, with plenty of hat tips to its past life as a hardware store: there are 16-foot tin ceilings and carefully restored original wood floors. Fortunately, the vibe remains unpretentious—despite chef Dan Yule’s impressive pedigree, which includes stints at Canlis and Crush.


Top review
RobertVIP
Dined on Jan 28, 2025
This was a cocktail experience and it was fantastic. Learning the nuances of vodka I didn't know existed!
A photo of Ben Paris restaurant
4.3
4.3 (1178)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Downtown

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

Located in The State Hotel downtown, this bar and restaurant offers playful but expertly crafted cocktails. Named for a historic Seattle entrepreneur, it’s a spot known for drinks such as the Seattle sour, made with apples, and a pine-infused old-fashioned. Swing by during happy hour for a chef’s tasting menu, featuring inventive Pacific Northwestern plates fueled with bounty from the Pike Place Market—at $50 per person with beverage pairings, it’s an irresistible deal.


Top review
Mack
Dined 4 days ago
Expertly made cocktails raise Ben Paris a notch above the rest! The kitchen really delivers the goods, also!
A photo of Purple Cafe and Wine Bar - Seattle restaurant
4.6
4.6 (5412)
$31 to $50
American
Downtown

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

Purple is an oenophile’s dream. The wine menu reads like a novel, each page offering local favorites and rare vintages; many bottles are on prominent display inside the spiral wine tower in the center of the dining room. The bar bends around it, creating the ideal setting for a post-work happy hour or a drop-in after a downtown shopping trip. Choose from a menu of comfort food classics, from burgers to truffle mac n’ cheese, which get the gourmet treatment—and taste even better with the perfect glass of wine to go with.


Top review
JohnVIP
Dined 1 day ago
As usual it was excellent. However it could have been warmer in there. Had to wear my coat the entire meal.
A photo of Single Shot restaurant
4.9
4.9 (1314)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Capitol Hill / First Hill

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

This overlooked gem in residential Capitol Hill is both a stellar kitchen and saloon. Expect detail-oriented cocktails accompanied by chef Aleksander Kubicki’s delicious menu of seasonally rotating fare. The marble bar is the perfect perch for a nightcap, where seasoned bartenders—many are transplants from the city’s other great bars—churn out reimagined classics, such as the Summit Avenue Sour, an irresistible blend of bourbon, chartreuse-maple, lemon, and bitters.


Top review
Tom
Dined 4 days ago
The food, atmosphere and staff…all first rate. We are lucky to have Sungle Shot in our neighborhood!!
A photo of Artusi (21 and over) restaurant
4.5
4.5 (82)
$31 to $50
Italian
Capitol Hill / First Hill

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

As the sibling to the acclaimed restaurant Spinasse, this aperitivo bar brings a sliver of Italian drinking culture to the heart of Capitol Hill. From Aperol spritzes to negronis, excellently curated wine lists, and even Italian beer, there is something for everyone— even the hungry. Food consists of antipasti and small bites, but a few of the famous pastas—half portions are available, too—from next door can be ordered.


Top review
Nicholas
Dined on Jan 29, 2025
Delicious food, wonderful Amari & wine selection, affordable. My favorite pasta in town.
A photo of McMenamins Elks Temple restaurant
4.4
4.4 (1782)
$30 and under
American
Tacoma

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

Elks Temple, the newest addition to the McMenamins family, calls itself a pub, but its dazzling stained glass windows and chandeliers hint at a grander existence. Housed in a historic Renaissance Revival building dating back to 1916, the bar features large windows with expansive views of Commencement Bay. The crowd-pleasing spot, with a killer brunch, is also a late-night hangout, courtesy of its gourmet burgers and house craft brews. The multi-level venue also hosts a variety of events in its Spanish Ballroom, from live music to comedy.


Top review
Chris
Dined 5 days ago
We have had dinner at this location several times. Every time the food is excellent. The service is quality and the drinks are exceptional. We were accommodated to sit near the windows overlooking the water, even though we weren’t originally sat in that location. That was appreciated!
A photo of Herb & Bitter Public House restaurant
4.2
4.2 (373)
$30 and under
Gastro Pub
Capitol Hill / First Hill

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

This quaint spot, on the north end of Capitol Hill, has cranked out some of the best cocktails in town for years. The comprehensive spirits program is centered around Italian amari and is enhanced by a Mediterranean-influenced menu, with both smaller snacks and entrees, such as the baked lamb ribs and fried gnocchi. Enjoy it all in a conservatory, featuring a retractable glass roof, occupying a 1,000-square-foot patio lined with string lights.


Top review
Robert
Dined on Jan 18, 2025
Everything was great and the inside of the restaurant was very cool.
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