Seattle has the deepest American whiskey list in the country (Canon), the best brunch cocktail (Zig Zag's Last Word), and a serious craft beer scene built into the cocktail bar culture. The 10 below cover Capitol Hill, Pioneer Square and Belltown — the three drinking neighbourhoods of record. The bars run later than Seattle's reputation suggests.
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The 10 best bars in Seattle
01 · Seattle
Capitol Hill
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Whisky temple · Counter
Jamie Boudreau's room. The deepest American whiskey list in the country (4,000+ bottles). World's 50 Best Bars veteran.
Order: A flight of bourbons + a Sazerac
02 · Seattle
Belltown
$$
Speakeasy · Belltown
Belltown cocktail bar. Long bar, classics-driven menu, no gimmicks. Anu Apte's room.
Order: A Rob Roy, made the long way
03 · Seattle
Pike Place
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Pike Place classic
Below the Pike Place Market. Murray Stenson rediscovered the Last Word here in the early 2000s. Classics-driven Seattle institution.
Order: A Last Word
04 · Seattle
Pioneer Square
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Pioneer Square · Long bar
Pioneer Square cocktail bar. Long bar, neighbourhood feel, drinks that take themselves seriously without being precious.
Order: Bartender's choice
05 · Seattle
Belltown
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Tropical · Tiki-leaning
Anu Apte's tropical-leaning sister to Rob Roy. The rum list is one of the West Coast's deepest.
Order: A Mai Tai with their reserve rum
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06 · Seattle
Capitol Hill
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Speakeasy · Vault
Through a vault door. Capitol Hill cocktail bar with Prohibition-era theatricality but serious technique.
Order: A spec from their cellar-aged collection
07 · Seattle
Ballard
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Wine bar · Counter
Renee Erickson's wine bar in Ballard. Counter only, deep European wine list, small plates that pair beautifully.
Order: A glass of Mosel Riesling + their pickles
08 · Seattle
Capitol Hill
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Asian-inspired cocktails
Capitol Hill bar with Asian-inspired cocktails and a small Cantonese kitchen. Moody, romantic, technically excellent.
Order: A drink built around shochu or sake
09 · Seattle
Capitol Hill
$$$
Reservation-only · Tasting
Twelve-seat reservation-only Capitol Hill bar. Tasting-format cocktail experience.
Order: The full evening tasting
10 · Seattle
Fremont
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Belgian beer · 60+ taps
Belgian beer focus in Fremont. Sixty-plus taps, Belgian-American gastro-pub menu, encyclopaedic bottle list.
Order: A Trappist tripel + frites
More Seattle bars by categoryCocktail, craft beer, hidden gem — the full Seattle index.
See the full list
How Seattle drinks differently
Seattle bartenders take craft very seriously without taking themselves seriously — there's none of New York's posturing here. Canon and Rob Roy are the technical bookends. Zig Zag Cafe is the historical room (the Last Word was rediscovered here). Damn the Weather is the Pioneer Square neighbourhood place locals defend.
