We met at a bar, and Seattle has a ton of fantastic ones. Most Seattle bars are sit down affairs and all serve some sort of food, which Courtney finds odd – they are essentially restaurants with nightlife. Bars are typically 21+. Here are some of our favorites.

Bars

The Sixgill (Fremont) – Named for the only shark native to Puget Sound, this bar has a nautical theme, fantastic drinks, limited outdoor seating, and decent food. Its sister bar, the Noble Fir (with a hiking theme), is located in Ballard, which we also recommend.

George and Dragon (Fremont) – This is a genuine English pub (the owner, John, is from Manchester). It’s a great place to watch soccer or play trivia on Tuesday evenings (warning: the trivia is rather challenging; we’ve played many times and never won). The G&D has pleasant outdoor tables too. It also happens to be where we met for the first time.

Brouwer’s Cafe (Fremont) – John’s favorite bar in Seattle is also one of the best beer bars in the city. Alongside their massive tap and bottle lists (be sure to ask for the beer book), they also feature an extensive Scotch selection. The gastropub food menu is satisfying with a slightly modern take. On Friday and Saturday nights Brouwer’s gets crowded – we recommend visiting Sunday – Thursday or earlier in the day (which also allows you to take advantage of their small patio).

Canon (Capitol Hill) – The distilled liquor menu at this Capitol Hill bar is simply mind blowing. Looking for a 33 year old Scotch? They’ve got one. Looking for a 25 year old rum never before seen in the United States? Check. Care for an $1100 cocktail? It’ll be right up. We go to this place for the ridiculously extensive “Captain’s List” (yes, there are 76 pages of whiskies) or for one of the amazing hand crafted cocktails. John highly recommends the Georgia Peach which is infused with french cinnamon smoke right before serving. Canon doesn’t like the inside to get crowded so they make people wait outside until a table or spot at the bar is available. The wait can be long, but it is worth it.

Sun Liquor (Capitol Hill) – This bar and distillery has two Capitol Hill locations. The bartenders specialize in making craft cocktails from fresh ingredients. The original on Summit Ave E is a tiny and dark date-night type place – it’s a great bar to start at before getting dinner at Poppy. The new location on East Pike functions as a working distillery and is a larger space which also serves food.

White Horse (Downtown) – This is a small and cozy place full of old-world charm located in Post Alley close to Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. They have an eclectic selection of English beers, wine, and mead.

Alibi Room (Downtown) – Right next to the infamous Gum Wall near Pike Place Market, we like stopping in here for drinks and the dark atmosphere (we don’t recommend the food, though it is edible).

Essex (Ballard) – This little craft cocktail bar is located next to Delancey, one of our favorite pizza joints in Seattle. They specialize in delicious cocktails with house made bitters and infusions.

Other Highly Recommended Spots:
King’s Hardware (Ballard) – Features Big Buck Hunter and skee ball.  What else do you need?
Linda’s (Capitol Hill) – Solid outdoor patio, which gets crowded on a summer evening.
The Great Nabob (Lower Queen Anne) – A very neighborhoody spot, which is equally good for cozying up in a dark corner or playing darts.
Bathtub Gin (Belltown) – A speakeasy style bar, which makes it a bit difficult to find (no signs on the door).
Brave Horse Tavern (SLU) – Tom Douglas‘ take on a tavern. Full bar, good beer selection, infested with Amazon employees on weekdays. Fantastic shuffleboard set up.

Dive Bars (Enter at your own risk)

Lava Lounge (Belltown) – This dive bar has a quirky shuffleboard table in the back and is Courtney’s favorite bar in all of Seattle. Watch your wallets, it’s a true dive.

5-Point (Belltown) – The tag line for this bar is “Alcoholics Serving Alcoholics Since 1929.” If you can, check out the secret view of the Space Needle from the men’s room. We highly recommend the deep-fried Beecher’s cheese curds washed down with plenty of cold Rainier beer. Entering to the left side gets you to the bar section; to the right is the 24-hour cafe.

Double Header (Pioneer Square) – The Double Header is one of Seattle’s oldest bars. You’ll frequently find us here after Sounders matches. Keep on the lookout for unique characters.