Belltown
Cheap beer, hot dogs, quarters for pinball
Cheap beer, Coney Island hot dogs, classic pinball
Our Take on Shorty's
Shorty's sits at 2316 2nd Ave in Belltown, a Coney Island-themed dive that has run since 1997 and helped build Seattle's pinball scene. The room is wall-to-wall clown memorabilia, with a back area and a basement Trophy Room full of machines.
The offer is cheap beer, hot dogs and pinball, in that order. It is the right call for a loud, low-budget night with quarters in your pocket, and the wrong one for anyone after a quiet seat or a cocktail menu.
The theme is committed. Clowns watch from every surface, the hot dogs nod to Coney Island, and the pinball machines take quarters with a change machine near the staircase down to the Trophy Room. FOX 13 covered the bar's move down the street after 21 years at its original 2nd Avenue address, a sign of how rooted it is in Belltown.
It is a pinball bar first and a dive second. Kineticist lists Shorty's among the key Seattle spots to play pinball, and the beer stays cheap to match. For more of the city, see our Seattle hidden gems guide, the best bars in Seattle, and the near-me dive bar finder.
The Move at Shorty's
The Word on Belltown
- FOX 13 reported Shorty's hosting its last tournament at the original location before moving down 2nd Avenue.
- Kineticist lists Shorty's among the essential Seattle bars and arcades for pinball.
- Regulars warn newcomers it gets loud and packed late, which is exactly the appeal.
Read the Room
- A loud, cheap pinball night in Belltown
- Hot dogs and quarters with friends
- Skip it if you want a quiet seat or cocktails
When To Visit Shorty's
Late evenings are when Shorty's comes alive, with the machines busy and the room loud toward the 2am close. Come earlier for an open machine.
Weekends draw the biggest pinball crowds. A weekday afternoon is the calmest time to actually get a long run on a table.
Inside Shorty's
Editorial by Sofia Reeves.