Blue Moon Tavern has held down 712 NE 45th Street in Seattle's University District since 1934, which makes it one of the oldest taverns in the city. Seattle Refined marked its 90th year in 2025, and the walls of graffiti and memorabilia back the claim that writers, musicians, and students have been drinking here for generations.
The room
The Blue Moon is a single low-lit room with a wraparound bar, a small stage, and decades of scrawled names covering the walls. Nothing here is polished, which is the point of a dive that has outlasted most of its neighbours. Live music and open mics run most nights, so the room shifts from quiet afternoon to loud set without changing its furniture.
What to order
This is a beer-and-shot bar, so a cheap pint or a well drink is the order, not a cocktail program. Prices stay low by Seattle standards, which is half the reason the place keeps its regulars. Cash still moves faster than cards here on a busy night.
Who it is for
The Blue Moon fits a music fan after a close-up set, a student on a tight budget, and anyone who wants a real Seattle dive with history on the walls. Skip it for a refined night out, since the charm is the wear, not the finish. Arrive ready for a standing-room crowd on show nights.
Best time to go
Weekday afternoons are quiet enough to read the walls, while nights with live music or open mic fill the room fast. Check the tavern's schedule before going, since the energy tracks the lineup. Weekends after 9pm are loudest and most crowded.
The bottom line
Blue Moon Tavern is the University District's landmark dive, open since 1934, with nightly live music, cheap pours, and 90 years of graffiti for decor. Seattle Refined and the regulars treat it as a piece of the city's literary history. Come for a pint, stay for a set, and bring cash.
Keep exploring with our best dive bars in Seattle guide, the full Seattle bar guide, and our edit of best dive bars worldwide. Pair Blue Moon Tavern with Comet Tavern in Seattle, Linda's Tavern in Seattle, and Shorty's in Seattle.
Sources: Blue Moon Tavern official site (2026); Seattle Refined; EverOut Seattle; Yelp reviews (n=107); Google Maps reviews.
