Founders Club

4.4

344 Reviews

$50 and over

Cocktail Bar

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

Great for creative cocktails
Fancy
Romantic

Nestled off the main lobby of Fairmont Olympic Hotel, the Founders Club is an intimate haven with warm lighting, vintage books, sky-inspired art, and polished brass accents. This exclusive space blends 1920s speakeasy charm with modern sophistication, featuring rich crimson interiors reminiscent of a red-light district. Hidden behind a bookcase, the club invites intrigue and curiosity.

Specializing in rare, vintage, and limited-edition spirits, the club boasts an impressive Cognac collection and liquor lockers for guests. Signature offerings include Seattle’s most luxurious Manhattan, complemented by indulgent snacks like caviar, Wagyu sliders, and oysters.

Ranked #7 Best Hotel Bar in the U.S. by Food & Wine, the Founders Club welcomes walk-ins but recommends reservations. For semi-private or full buyouts, contact Maya Price at Maya.Price@Fairmont.com.

Additional information

Dining style
Elegant Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Cocktail Bar
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am
Phone number
(206) 621-1700
Website
https://www.fairmont.com/seattle/dining/founders-club/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Eraj Jayawickreme
Private party facilities
For larger gatherings, consider a Partial Buyout accommodating 9-15 guests, or go all out with a Full Buyout, perfect for groups of up to 35 guests. Immerse yourself in the exclusive ambiance of our bar, where each reservation option ensures a unique and memorable experience tailored to your group's size and preferences.

Location
411 University St, Seattle, WA 98101-2519
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
Located on University Street in the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.
Parking details
Valet
Public transit
Bus stop on 5th avenue.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 344 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.2Food
4.3Service
4.7Ambience
3.9Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Seattle
Romantic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Founders Club offers a "charming and cozy" speakeasy ambiance with a hidden bookshelf door, making it a popular spot for both locals and visitors. The bartenders are "knowledgeable and passionate," crafting creative cocktails. While service can be slow at times, the "wonderful service" and "fantastic atmosphere" ensure a memorable experience.

344 Reviews

E
Eric
Seattle
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 5
Planned on having a couple of drinks in the time there. But it took almost 20min before someone came to take our initial order. After getting those drinks, and finishing them, we didn’t see our server again. Our wait to place another order eventually turned into a wait to just ask for the check, and I had to hunt someone else down to do so. They weren’t very busy at this point either. Everyone was super friendly, the quality of the place and friendless of the staff had us pretty surprised that our visit was so unattended to once we were sat. Could’ve been an anomaly.
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K
Kimberly
Las Vegas
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Not a large food selection so we didn't eat here. The drinks menu is extensive and full of character and intrigue. Our server was FANTASTIC! Room is really interesting and cool. Can't believe I've been coming to this hotel for years and never realized this was here.
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A
Andrea
VIP
Seattle
17 reviews
2.0
17 reviews
Dined on January 4, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
Honey continues to shine as an amazing hostess. Sarah is great. Bar has changed within the last 6 months. It seems it lost its charm, energetic vibe and sense of magic that made it one of the top bars in the country.
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T
Tina
VIP
Seattle
27 reviews
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic venue to ring in the New Year, intimate and festive.
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s
stephanie
Seattle
18 reviews
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on December 29, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great atmosphere, great drinks, special spot!!! Highly recommend whether you are a seattleite or from out of town!
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J
Jordan
Vancouver
14 reviews
2.0
14 reviews
Dined on December 22, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 2
Sliders were literally the worst I have ever had. Period. Drinks were ok. Miss the old lobby bar
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TH
TrishH
Seattle
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on December 20, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful spot for a rainy evening cocktail and bite. Superb staff relaxed w time to tell us of their wonderful offerings.
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R
Robert
Seattle
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on December 18, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
I find it strange that none of the servers bothered to introduce themselves. Beyond that, service was efficient but a bit aloof, not even sure why. It’s a lounge behind a bookcase. Pricing is about what you would expect at a Fairmont lounge so that much wasn’t a surprise. I just found the whole experience sort of lackluster
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C
Chris
Seattle
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on December 12, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
The vibe of the place was nice it was supposed to resemble a speakeasy. However no one is at the door to let you in and the prices of the small hors d’oeuvres were astronomical. The food was much better outside in the main lobby but overall it was a nice location
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L
Laura
VIP
Seattle
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 11, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Service was slow and variety of food low. Not fun so we left.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Founders Club is rated 4.4 stars by 344 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

411 University St, Seattle, WA 98101-2519

Additional information

Cross street
Located on University Street in the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.
Neighborhood
Downtown
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Cocktail Bar
Dining style
Elegant Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Valet
Public transit
Bus stop on 5th avenue.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Eraj Jayawickreme
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.fairmont.com/seattle/dining/founders-club/
Phone number
(206) 621-1700
Private party facilities
For larger gatherings, consider a Partial Buyout accommodating 9-15 guests, or go all out with a Full Buyout, perfect for groups of up to 35 guests. Immerse yourself in the exclusive ambiance of our bar, where each reservation option ensures a unique and memorable experience tailored to your group's size and preferences.

Founders Club

Make a reservation

Additional information

Menu

What 344 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Founders Club restaurant rated?

Is Founders Club currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information