Best Bars 2011

Women Behind Bars: The Videos

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Ashley Pugh, MistralKitchen
“Rye whiskey simple syrup: great in drinks, great on pancakes.”

Video by Joshua Guerci

Tara McLaughlin, The Zig Zag Café
“It’s about the person sitting there, and finding out what they really love.”

Video by Joshua Guerci

Kristen Finstad, The Hideout
“Is it ever okay to hit on a bartender? Sure. Just don’t be upset when you get shot down.”

Video by Joshua Guerci

Anu Apte, Rob Roy co-owner
“The ice is super, super dense so it doesn’t melt as fast.”

Video by Joshua Guerci

Marley Tomic-Beard, Golden Beetle
“I have a thing for pirates.”

Video by Joshua Guerci

Chelsea Anderson, Sun Liquor
“They order gin and tonics with a bunch of limes and I’m like: ‘Have you ever had a gimlet?’ ”

Video by Joshua Guerci

Best Bars 2011: Women Behind Bars

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Once an old boys’ club, craft cocktailing today is the domain of saucy dames like the seven featured here.

Best Bars 2011: 10 Top Seattle Bars Right Now

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Image: Andrew Waits

MistralKitchen

Canlis Lounge
A cocktail bar may be measured by the quality of its drinks and service, and by a third less-easy-to-pinpoint criterion loosely defined as ambience. Did we expect less, of the Canlis lounge, than to excel in all three areas? Drinks are designed for lingering—sit with your old fashioned for an hour and the ice will have scarcely begun to slip into a liquid state. A fleet of servers flits about unobtrusively, replenishing water glasses and replacing crumpled napkins, and the overall sense of throwback class is reinforced by the jaunty jazz soundtrack emanating from pianist Walt Wagner’s gleaming Steinway. Extra points go to the family Canlis for selecting James MacWilliams, a barman known as much for esoteric experimentation as he is for attention to detail, to oversee it all. Canlis, 2576 Aurora Ave N, Queen Anne, 206-283-3313; canlis.com

Image: Ryan McVay

Moscow Mule: vodka, ginger beer, lime

MistralKitchen
It takes a confident bar to feature the 4d6 on its cocktail list. The invention of MistralKitchen booze manager Andrew Bohrer, the 4d6 requires a roll of the dice—four six-sided dice, in fact, carved from wood and each bearing words representing one of the four components of a cocktail (spirit, wine, liqueur, and bitters). So your 4d6 may be a combination of whiskey, acidic wine, cordial, and fruit bitters, or a mixture of mezcal, dry sherry, a syrup, and the house bitters. And while that may sound like a gamble (“no mulligan,” cautions Bohrer), the bar at this steely-accented haute eatery is so intently focused on core ingredients and proper technique, you’re all but guaranteed a great drink every time. MistralKitchen, 2020 Westlake Ave, South Lake Union, 206-623-1922; mistral-kitchen.com

Moshi Moshi Sushi
Okay, yes: Moshi Moshi is a sushi restaurant—a sushi restaurant with some of the best cocktails in town. Bartender Erik Carlson slides from one side of the bar to the other with the graceful low-center-of-gravity gait of a boxer, delivering liver-hued slices of tuna sashimi, topping off chardonnays, and stirring up drinks in between. Carlson says he loves experimenting with Sauternes, a French dessert wine he mixes with gin, dry vermouth, hibiscus, and grapefruit bitters to create an elegantly balanced concoction called the Fluted Barrel. Moshi Moshi Sushi, 5324 Ballard Ave NW, Ballard, 206-971-7424; moremoshi.com

Image: Ryan McVay

Are garnishes hand-cut and made to order? We’ve all seen those metal containers of languishing maraschinos and browning limes behind the bar. Not delicious. If the bartender is making fresh garnishes for each drink, however, you’re in

Naga Cocktail Bar
In the chromey lounge in the back of Chantanee Thai Restaurant in Bellevue, Naga manager Evan Martin and staff are quietly kicking some serious cocktail butt. Naga may not get a lot of shine in the local press, but decidedly spectacular drinks like the Brazilian grog, a punch made with aged cachaca from locally based Novo Fogo, speak for themselves. Naga Cocktail Bar at Chantanee Thai Restaurant, 601 108th Ave NE, Ste 100A, Bellevue, 425-455-3226; chantanee.com

Sambar
Bartender Jay Kuehner is all about imbibable improvisations, on-the-spot cocktails anchored by smoky mezcals and herbaceous amari, tequila drinks with a sandy, desert-evoking finish, and effervescents blended with exotic eaux-de-vie. These subtly complex concoctions he makes at Sambar, a sliver of an east Ballard bar chock-full of lovely things—rosy blossoms bursting forth from a wall painting, twinkly tabletop votives that flicker across the faces of fellow drinkers, and herb-flecked potages brought in from sister restaurant Le Gourmand. Sambar, 425 NW Market St, Ballard, 206-781-4883; sambarseattle.com

Sun Liquor
Tiki, you think, perusing the fruity menu at Summit Ave’s Sun Liquor, where bamboo-stick lettering spells out “bar” on the door and monkeys scurry about in a wall mural. But Sun Liquor is also a top Seattle spot for old-timey gin drinks—its owner and manager are so obsessed with that spirit, in fact, they’re distilling their own at a second location a few blocks south. Sun Liquor, 607 Summit Ave E, Capitol Hill, 206-860-1130; sunliquor.com

Image: Ryan McVay

The Last Word: gin, lime juice, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur

Tavern Law
Tavern Law attracts a comely crowd that sips expertly wrought flips, slings, sours, and punches while snacking on small plates (foie gras, fried oysters) rich enough to hold up against those potent pre-Prohibition potables. But the real magic is upstairs at Needle and Thread, the bar’s second-level spirits sanctuary. Lined with artisan bottles and sepia-toned nudie photos, this 30-seat “speakeasy” benefits from the undivided attention of one silk-vested, mustachioed barman who crafts each drink to order. (There’s no menu, so prepare for a conversation). Tavern Law, 1406 12th Ave, Capitol Hill, 206-322-9734; tavernlaw.com

Heroes of the Hooch

Shelly Shakes a Leg

Seattle’s first out-and-proud gay bar was Shelly’s Leg, named for owner Shelly Bauman’s amputated limb. Opened in 1973 at the Pioneer Square intersection of Alaskan and South Main, Shelly’s Leg drew a line of customers who came to shake their groove things on the disco’s dance floor until it closed in 1978. When Bauman passed away last November, longtime Seattleites recalled with fondness the sign inside the door that read “ ‘Shelly’s Leg is a gay bar provided for Seattle’s gay community and their guests.” The sign is now on display at the Museum of History and Industry.

Image: Andrew Waits

Vito’s Restaurant and Lounge

Vito's Restaurant and Lounge
For years Vito’s on First Hill was a dingy dive of disrepute, frequented by a mixture of irony-addicted hipsters and the trulydown on their luck. Then last year, Hideout owners Jeff Scott and Greg Lundgren bought it, renovating the grisly kitchen and reupholstering the booths that line the lounge. The sexy-seedy atmosphere they maintained—the lights are so low at Vito’s, bartenders use flashlights to locate bottles—the watery drinks they did not. Vito’s now offers 18 specialty cocktails, among them popular oldies (the Corpse Reviver No. 2) and contemporary options like the Red Hook, a rye-based mixture invented at Milk and Honey on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Vito’s Restaurant and Lounge, 927 Ninth Ave, First Hill, 206-397-4053; vitosseattle.com

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Fresh simplicity defines chef Renee Erickson’s food at the Walrus and the Carpenter. It also describes the cocktail menu—the creation of her partner Jeremy Price. A lightened-up version of Le Perroquet, traditionally a dash of gin, orange juice, Campari, and champagne, omits the gin and mixes house-squeezed blood orange juice in with Campari and prosecco, a dry Italian sparkler. The result is a rosy, roundly flavored concoction that tastes just right with a late-night nosh of local cheese, honey, and tangerine. The Walrus and the Carpenter, 4743 Ballard Ave NW, Ballard, 206-395-9227; thewalrusbar.com

Image: Ryan McVay

Is there a juicer within the bartender’s reach? Ooh, good sign. That translates to fresh-squeezed juices in your drink.

The Zig Zag Café
What the world learned in the last 10 months—when Tales of the Cocktail named barman Murray Stenson Bartender of the Year, when GQ dubbed it the best cocktail bar in the country—Seattle has known since Zig Zag’s early days: That the bar stools here are sacred spots, worn-in by aspiring drink slingers scribbling away as Stenson and his support team espouse wisdom on everything from maraschino to Mangalore liqueur. That the Murray quote you hear passed around by local bartenders (“there’s no such thing as the cocktail business, we work in hospitality”) sums up the service philosophy of all the employees at the red-lit bar carved into the Pike Place Market Hillclimb. To our out-of-town guests we present the Zig Zag the way we do the Market, Mount Rainier, and gloomy-gray-gorgeous Puget Sound itself—secure in the knowledge that there is nothing else like it on earth. The Zig Zag Café, 1501 Western Ave, Pike Place Market, 206-625-1146; zigzagseattle.com

Heroes of the Hooch

Bartenders Raise the Dead

If Seattle has a signature cocktail it is the Last Word. It’s an algae-toned mixture of gin, fresh lime juice, green Chartreuse, and maraschino liqueur that Zig Zag Café bartender Murray Stenson revived after uncovering it in the 1951 drink book ‘Bottoms Up!’ Another local bartender-turned-resurrector: Jamie Boudreau, who uncovered a drink called the Alabazam in an 1878 book. “It is one of the earliest cocktails that uses more than a dash of bitters and still tastes good,” says Boudreau. The Alabazam combines Cognac, Cointreau, Angostura bitters (one whole teaspoon!), sugar, and lemon juice.

Best Bars 2011: 15 More Must-Visit Bars

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Image: Ryan McVay

Mint julep bourbon, simple syrup, mint

Barrio
Grandly scaled, candle-bedecked locations on both sides of Lake Washington have a touch of corporate chill, but the tequila-focused bar program is on par with the best in town.
Try A Tequila Por Mi Amante: a 74-year-old recipe in which Corralejo Reposado is infused with strawberries for 21 days. Barrio, 1420 12th Ave, Capitol Hill, 206-588-8105 and 10650 NE Fourth St, Bellevue, 425-502-5021; barriorestaurant.com

Image: Ryan McVay

Are the ice cubes crystal clear? The best bars produce ice under pressure in a fancy machine or carve it out of a frozen filtered block. Ice this clear is a sign your cocktail will be created with care.

Bathtub Gin and Co.
The most easygoing of the speakeasy set, rollicking Bathtub Gin—and especially the subterranean back room—is where icy Seattle finds its inner friendly.
Try Something strong and simple like a sidecar (cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice). Bathtub Gin and Co., 2205 Second Ave, Belltown, 206-728-6069

Cicchetti
The liquid offerings at Serafina restaurant’s sister bar across the courtyard benefit from the endless infusions, tinctures, bitters, and brandies concocted by longtime “bar chef” Chris Bollenbacher (at both spots) and team.
Try The Gintrification’s a good one for converting vodka stalwarts. It’s gin, Nardini Tagliatella liqueur, grapefruit, and Angostura bitters. Cicchetti, 121 E Boston St, Eastlake, 206-859-4155; serafinaseattle.com

The Copper Gate
Aquavit cocktails, a viking-ship-shaped bar pinned with antique pornography photos, and dill-flecked French fries: a few of our favorite things at this oddball Scandinavian spot in Ballard.
Try Heldig’s Own aquavit, made in the neighborhood. The Copper Gate, 6301 24th Ave NW, Ballard, 206-706-3292; thecoppergate.com

Image: Ryan McVay

Do you see a mallet?
Unless kept on hand for purposes of self-defense, a mallet is an auspicious instrument indeed. It means the bartender is hand-crushing ice for drinks like juleps and swizzles.

Hazlewood
In an era where craft-cocktail bars are  too-often bedeviled by fastidious exactitude, wee Hazlewood employs a refreshing lil’ bit of this, lil’ bit of that approach to mixing drinks…and everything else.
Try A grandma-chic Hazlewood: Bushmills, peppermint tea, and  amaretto, served up with a cigarette and a chocolate truffle on the side. Hazlewood, 2311 NW Market St, Ballard, 206-783-0478

The Hideout
Crowds come and go, but as far as we’re concerned, the Hideout will always be in style. Attractions include good, strong drinks with fresh-squeezed citrus but no futzy stuff, and a wall of floor-to-ceiling paintings—locally made and almost all available for sale.
Try Any bartender employed here can make a mean Manhattan. The Hideout, 1005 Boren Ave, First Hill, 206-903-8480; hideoutseattle.com

The Hunt Club at the Sorrento
The Hunt Club at the Sorrento, along with its heavily brocaded Fireside Room, has evolved into Seattle’s best spot for cocktail learning. This is thanks to Drinking Lessons, a series of classes and events at which bar luminaries hold forth on everything from sherry cocktails to pisco brandy.
Try Next up, a night with the green fairy. The annual absinthe soiree occurs April 18. The Hunt Club at the Sorrento, 900 Madison St, First Hill, 206-343-6156; hotelsorrento.com

Image: Ryan McVay

Is there a bottle of Fernet-Branca hanging around? Belting this oily Italian digestif after a shift is a regular rite of the serious cocktail maker. It signifies allegiance to a code of drink making that values ingredients, education,

Il Bistro
This twinkly Italian restaurant first made it onto the cocktail map during Murray Stenson’s (see the Zig Zag Café) long tenure behind the bar; the booze glory returned with the hire of stoic and stylish David Nelson (formerly of Tavern Law, Spur).
Try A Negroni (gin, Campari, sweet vermouth) before dinner, an Armagnac after. Il Bistro, 93 Pike St, Ste A, Pike Place Market, 206-682-3049; ilbistro.net

Liberty
Whiskey expert Andrew Friedman co-owns the little lounge called Liberty with talented pal Keith Waldbauer, whom you may know from Union, Vessel, and (the early days of) Barrio. There’s a sushi station, and by day it’s a coffee shop serving up Stumptown. Go with it.
Try Asking the nice man behind the bar for something brown and bitter. Liberty, 517 15th Ave E, Capitol Hill, 206-323-9898; libertybars.com

Heroes of the Hooch

By the Books?

State law says Washington distillers must use a certain amount of homegrown ingredients in their spirits. But the necessary ingredients for many spirits aren’t grown anywhere near here. So how is Michael Almquist, owner of the Book Bindery restaurant and Almquist Family Vintners, making rum and agave spirits under soon-to-be-released label Vapor Spirits? Lots of brandy. “The rule is 51 percent per production,” explains Almquist. “Not 51 percent per product. So if I process 100 tons of grapes, I can process 99 tons of sugar cane, agave…whatever.” Spirit of the law? Not exactly. But you have to admire his ingenuity.

Oliver's Twist
With in-house ingredients informed by the kitchen (black-pepper tincture, rhubarb-tarragon syrup), this comfy slice of Greenwood Ave storefront remains the northern quadrant’s best bet for cocktails.
Try The Barney: applejack, thyme-infused maple syrup, walnut liqueur, and bitters. Oliver’s Twist, 6822 Greenwood Ave N, Phinney Ridge, 206-706-6673; oliverstwistseattle.com

Image: Ryan McVay

How many bitters bottles are in sight? Angostura is a good start, but a collection like this one—with homemade, local, and recherche bitters in regular rotation—speaks to an experimental spirit behind the bar.

Quoin
Fremont crawls into the cocktail light with Quoin (say “coin”), a minimalist bar attached to Revel, the new street-food spot from the owners of Joule. Bottles are limited but everything you want is there.
Try Taking a toe-dip into the vegetal world of Cynar artichoke liqueur with the Quoin 75: Hendrick’s Gin, Cynar, prosecco, and lemon. Quoin, 403 N 36th St, Fremont, 206-547-2040; revelseattle.com/quoin

Image: Ryan McVay

Is there a bar spoon in sight? Some drinks are to be shaken, others stirred. A bartender with one of these long instruments in his arsenal knows when to do what.

Rob Roy
It’s the cocktail crowd’s clubhouse. Rob Roy’s skilled staff churns out impeccably crafted concoctions. But they’ll also step aside to let us sample the skills of bartenders from other cities, who do shifts behind the stick whenever they swing through town.
Try Bartender’s choice. It’s all good. Rob Roy, 2332 Second Ave, Belltown, 206-956-8423; robroyseattle.com

The Saint
Everything is fun at the Saint tequila bar—even the restrooms, which are decked out like Day of the Dead dioramas.
Try A shot of Sauza chased by spicy housemade sangrita. The Saint, 1416 E Olive Way, Capitol Hill, 206-323-9922; thesaintsocialclub.com

Spur Gastropub
Tavern Law’s sister bar can feel acerbic in the early evening, but things sweeten up as the night goes on. Late at night, the communal table by the bar spurs true camaraderie among strangers.
Try A Boulevardier: rye, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Spur Gastropub, 113 Blanchard St, Belltown, 206-728-6706; spurseattle.com

Toulouse Petit
Strange stucco-ey walls notwithstanding, Toulouse Petit has a lot to recommend it, including an insane array of spectacular happy-hour nibbles (foie gras with pear conserva, escargots, steak tartare), and a real-deal let-loose party vibe that is far too scarce in this city.
Try If you’re eating—which you should be—whet your appetite right with a Lillet rocks and a twist. Toulouse Petit, 601 Queen Anne Ave N, Queen Anne, 206-432-9069; toulousepetit.com

Neighborhood Bar Crawls

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Image: Lucas Anderson

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT in Seattle, it’s all about the neighborhoods. And what’s the best way to get to know our ‘hoods by heart? Why, by drinking your way through them of course. Seattle Met’s two intrepid imbibers stumbled through Seattle’s sudsiest neighborhoods to create these ambitious bar crawls. Pick out your favorites or check off every spot on the tour—just remember to sip slowly and wear sturdy shoes. It’s going to be a long night.

Queen Anne • Ballard • Fremont and Wallingford • Phinney Ridge • Bellevue • Capitol Hill • Belltown • Downtown • First Hill

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Queen Anne

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Image: Lucas Anderson

Begin your evening atop the hill at the aptly named Hilltop Ale House, a home-away-from-home haunt where you can fortify yourself for an evening of drinking with a hearty chicken sandwich and a pint of seasonal brew among neighborhood regulars.

From there, head down Queen Anne Avenue to Bricco della Regina Anna, a dimly lit oak and mahogany wine bar where groups of leggings-clad ladies sip boutique wines from a rotating wine list and snack on small plates including five types of bruschetta and that wine-bar standby, truffled mac and cheese.

A wine list as long as a Dickens novel awaits at the N’awlins-inspired Toulouse Petit. It’s a warm, open space packed night after night, especially during its three daily happy hours.

Sink into an antique sofa at The Sitting Room, where candles barely light dark corners, and dainty plates of cheese and olives complement the warm buzz of a Kir martini.

We conclude this crawl a note of caution: It’s easy to overdo it at Tini Bigs Lounge. Ten-ounce martinis have a way of disappearing when the overeager, well-into-the-evening patrons join voices in a collective: “I’ll have another.”

NEXT: Ballard

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Ballard

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Image: Lucas Anderson

Tiny tapas joint Ocho is seasoned perfectly with spicy Spanish flair—which imbues its drinks (three kinds of sangrias), its food (gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas), and its romantic ambience (candles, tight spaces). Stock up on items from the $2 happy hour tapas rotating menu in preparation for the long night of drinking ahead.

With enough flannel to outfit a couple of Fleet Foxes cover bands, modern speakeasy Hazlewood, just a few doors down from Ocho, comes with a loftlike sitting area for peering down on newcomers as they order up old-school libations.

Next it’s over to Ballard Ave where slightly more beers than unkempt beards fill King’s Hardware. Ironic, considering the trims available at Rudy’s barbershop next door. Take your pint outdoors or cram inside and queue up for Skee-Ball.

Down the street, outdoor lovers find a home among the hiking guides and impressive selection of craft beers and ciders at the minimalist retreat called The Noble Fir. Oversize windows offer prime people watching, and every Wednesday your buzz gives back: after happy hour ends, $1 from every pint goes toward Seattle parks.

Hattie’s Hat, that worn-in, Old Ballard standby is as dark as it is divey, but that’s part of its no-frills charm: regulars up front and hipsters in the back. Sing along with the crowd or enjoy your stiff drink in solitude at the bar.

It’s quite a different scene at Bastille, where an opulent light fixture hovers over bespectacled fashionistas and proudly bejerseyed Seahawks fans, all crowding into the back bar.

Tucked behind Ethan Stowell’s newest restaurant, The Walrus and The Carpenter bar is popular with high-fashioned foodies who like to slurp cocktails infused with elderflower liqueur.

Head back up towards Market Street but before leaving Ballard Ave, stop in for an easygoing stint at Ballard Loft. Groups of friends show up for the beer and upscale pub grub, but most stay to watch big games, play pool, shoot darts, shoot deer (Big Buck Hunter), tee off (Golden Tee), or drink al fresco on the patio.

Back on Market, revelers of all ages find room for their crew at La Isla, a Puerto Rican eatery accented in the turquoise and orange you expect from a Caribbean spot and a play list you expect from KEXP. What else you can expect: tall mojitos and a very fun night.

A Viking ship hull serves as a bar Copper Gate Tavern; vintage nudie pics wallpaper the sails. In the back room, burlesque-esque shows and aquavit make for a sinfully good time. Early birds take note: Happy hour here is generous, but can be lonesome.

NEXT: Fremont and Wallingford

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Fremont and Wallingford

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Image: Lucas Anderson

There’s a stool at the counter for the loneliest soul or rowdiest late-night group at the The Pacific Inn Pub, a greasy spoon–cum–neighborhood dive. Beer, flat screens, and a jukebox round it out, but its smell defines it.

Next head over to 35th Street Bistro, where a hot toddy is made all the more satisfying when sipped alongside crisp, garden-laden matchstick fries. Mouthwatering entrees fill the menu board and lights snake around the central indoor tree, brightening the tables and quiet hum of diners digging into roast chicken and one of the juiciest burgers in town.

Fun, dance-party music underscores the metropolitan vibe at Quoin, a tiny craft-cocktail bar attached to Korean street-food restaurant Revel. Stop in for a drink and some dumplings or a deeply flavored noodle dish from next door.

The beer connoisseurs in your clan will get their fill—over 300 varieties of bottled beer, 64 on draught—at oversize Flemish beer hall Brouwer’s, where hovering for a table becomes an art form. Smooth wood tables line the floor and balcony for the jovial crowd bent on a long, loud night.

NEXT: Phinney Ridge

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Phinney Ridge

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Image: Lucas Anderson

Despite the pretzels, tater tots, pizzas, dartboards, and pool, college students are few and far between at neighborhood hangout The Park Pub, which boasts rotating taps and the right mix of well-into-adulthood locals. On quiet nights, when only a few drinkers dot the room, you’ll find calm conditions under which to commence your crawl.

Here’s hoping your crew won’t mind sharing and sipping each other’s drinks, because the cocktails are worth passing around at dark and romantic date spot Oliver’s Twist. And yes, the garlic truffle popcorn is worth the number it does on your breath.

Hilltop Ale House’s sister spot on Phinney, 74th Street Ale House is known for its generous happy hour prices, and Reuben and blackened salmon sandwiches.

The dark wood-slatted walls at nearby Prost Tavern match the hue of the Kostritzer Schwarzbier, one of the many German beers on tap at this newly renovated alehouse. Pour it in a boot and sit back with a sausage when you finally snag a seat.

Nothing says Alpine ski lodge more than a pitched roof, stuffed animal heads, mounted Nordic skis, and a roaring fireplace. The wall of handles at Sully’s Snowgoose Saloon signifies great drinking, but the steamed windows and hordes of friendly regulars are what really make you feel like you found something special.

Sink into comfy couches and enjoy recession-relieving prices like $5 glasses of vino and $6 spreads of tapenade and hummus. In the Red Wine Bar and Café is like an all-night happy hour for you and your wallet.

NEXT: Bellevue

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Bellevue

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:00:00 -0800

Twisted Cork is a hotel bar (it’s in the Hyatt’s lobby), so drinking there means mingling with guests relaxing after a day of shopping at Lincoln Square, but the wine selection is good and, since you’re this close to mall, chances are you’re juggling shopping bags, too.

Joey caters to the Microsoft crowd, along with short-skirted, Louis Vuitton–toting ladies. The bartenders are attractive and well groomed, the black bar is polished to a shine, and—in sharp contrast to the bars across the lake—there is nary a scraggly beard in sight.

Part bar, part bowling alley, part arcade, Lucky Strike is essentially Chuck E. Cheese for the just-over-21 crowd. If you’re looking for a game of Skee-Ball to liven up your night, it’s the spot for you.

The best thing after all that Lucky Strike insanity: the chill atmosphere at Naga. No neon lights and no arcade games, just tranquil colors and Zenlike eastern art. The cocktails are beautiful—the fruit-skewer garnishes alone are worth the price tag—and they taste even better than they look.

The first thing you see when you enter Lot No. 3 is a huge chalkboard listing the liquor on offer—you get the sense they are trying to do the old speakeasy thing, but the floor-to-ceiling windows confuse the concept. The drinks are plenty good enough, though, to forgive any issues with the atmosphere.

Barrio is just around the corner from Lot No. 3 (both belong to the Heavy Restaurant Group)—when it’s raining that’s reason enough to go—but the cavernous space has a sprawling tiled bar, a sparkling wall of candles, and freshly fried tortilla chips. And really, by this point in your Bellevue bar crawl, there will exist nothing better than fried food.

NEXT: Capitol Hill

Best Bars 2011

Women Behind Bars: The Videos

Best Bars 2011: Women Behind Bars

Best Bars 2011: 10 Top Seattle Bars Right Now

Best Bars 2011

Heroes of the Hooch

Shelly Shakes a Leg

Heroes of the Hooch

Bartenders Raise the Dead

Best Bars 2011: 15 More Must-Visit Bars

Heroes of the Hooch

It Had to Be His

Heroes of the Hooch

By the Books?

Heroes of the Hooch

The Absinthe-Minded Distiller

Neighborhood Bar Crawls

Queen Anne • Ballard • Fremont and Wallingford • Phinney Ridge • Bellevue • Capitol Hill • Belltown • Downtown • First Hill

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Queen Anne

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Ballard

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Fremont and Wallingford

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Phinney Ridge

Neighborhood Bar Crawls: Bellevue