Founders Club

4.6

353 Reviews

$50 and over

Cocktail Bar

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 4, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 9 times today

Experiences are available.

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 large party bookings or buyouts, contact PrivateDiningSea@Fairmont.com.

Additional information

Location
411 University St, Seattle, WA 98101-2519
Phone number
(206) 621-1700
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Cocktail Bar
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Valet
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Eraj Jayawickreme

Experiences

Behind the Bottle Event x Woodinville Whiskey
$100.00 per person
Prepaid
Mar 5, 2025 only
In celebration of Seattle Cocktail Week, we’re partnering with award-winning Washington distillery Woodinville Whiskey to launch our 2025 Behind the Bottle series, an exclusive experience highlighting the history, fun facts, and makers behind the featured spirit. Join Founders Orlin Sorensen & Brett Carlile for a guided tasting of Woodinville 8 Year, Woodinville Founders Find, Port Finished Rye, and a special Seattle Cocktail Week signature cocktail, all paired with curated canapés, including smoked beef tartare, croquettes, and baba ghanoush tartlets, in an intimate setting. The event takes place from 6 PM to 8 PM, with limited availability. Tickets include gratuity, and cancellations require 72 hours’ notice.

What 353 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.5Service
4.8Ambience
4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Founders Club offers a "great atmosphere" with a hidden speakeasy charm behind a bookcase. The "fantastic drink menu" and expertly crafted cocktails delight patrons. While some service experiences vary, many rave about the "excellent service" and knowledgeable staff. Perfect for a special occasion or introducing out-of-town guests to a unique Seattle experience.

353 Reviews

t
tony
Seattle
24 reviews
4.0
24 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Great find and experience. The hostess was super cool! We ordered bourbon sours with egg whites, but the bartender didn’t properly make them as they did not do a “dry shake” (a shake in the mixer with the egg whites prior to adding ice) - regardless, the drinks were ok and didn’t bother having them made correctly. I would just think that with a locale as such they may have a bartender with more experience making fine cocktails. Our server could have been more attentive, as he was more focused and very attentive to two women sitting at the bar. Otherwise, the ambiance, low noise level and entire experience being tucked away is really neat!
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K
Katherine
VIP
Philadelphia
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Felt very VIP. A true speakeasy! And the best sazerac outside of New Orleans.
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R
Reilly
Nashville
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Honey was so lovely. And our waitress sue was absolutely incredible. The drinks were decent, but the staff made our experience so perfect
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A
Amanda
Salt Lake City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had such an awesome time- beware that even with reservation, you will be asked to leave after an hour and a half.
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L
Lee
San Diego
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Sue was amazing and the cocktails were excellent! Can’t wait to go back!
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T
Troy
Vancouver
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great place, very cool atmosphere! Visited many time from Victoria BC one of our favourite hotel bars menu is limited but good quality
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M
Michelle
Seattle
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A nice romantic hideaway with a secret entrance. Drinks and service are amazing albeit a little pricey.
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C
Cathrine
VIP
Seattle
9 reviews
3.0
9 reviews
Dined on January 19, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
First time here, unfortunately we were not seated until almost 30 minutes past our reservation
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T
Tyler
VIP
Chicago
14 reviews
4.0
14 reviews
Dined on January 18, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Drinks were great, hostess was very warm and helpful. Bartender service was disappointing, sat with an empty drink for a while and didn’t feel super attended to.
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E
Eric
Seattle
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on January 12, 2025
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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FAQs

Founders Club is rated 4.6 stars by 353 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 4, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 9 times today

Experiences are available.

411 University St, Seattle, WA 98101-2519

Additional information

Phone number
(206) 621-1700
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Cocktail Bar
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Valet
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Eraj Jayawickreme

Founders Club

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

Behind the Bottle Event x Woodinville Whiskey

Menu

What 353 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Founders Club restaurant rated?

Is Founders Club currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information