Best Bars
The Smart Drinker's Guide to Seattle
By James Ross Gardner, Jessica Voelker, and Christopher Werner
Seating Room Only
Speakeasies tend to conjure images of stuffed-to-the gills cellars filled with skinny-limbed ladies in flapper dresses mixing gin in the bathtub. But find yourself in one of New York City’s many modern-day underground clubs, and it’s all about calm conversation and bargain libations. And so it is at Knee High, Jack and Michelle Valko’s bitty little bar where Pike/Piners chat it up over cheese plates and spiced nuts and specialty drinks that start at $5. If the bartender looks familiar, you’re probably no newcomer to Seattle’s own speakeasy scene: Dalilah Rambo was the clandestine cocktail mixer at the much-missed McLeod Residence. Knee High, 1356 E Olive Way, Capitol Hill, 206-979-7049
What You Should Be Drinking, But Aren’t…Yet
Tequila. The thought sends your gag reflex trembling, right? Well, Quentin Ertel, owner of The Saint, thinks it’s time you got over that. In April 2008 the New York transplant transformed the former Wingdome on Olive Way into a teal matador-themed watering hole. His mission: tequila salvation. “The goal was to do something that elevates tequila. It hasn’t been given its proper form yet,” Ertel explains. “If you look at tequila for what it is, it’s not just Cuervo Gold and vomiting—it’s elegant.”
Thanks to an arsenal of 85 top-notch blue agave bottles with accompanying sangrita chasers (a little-used mix of orange, lime, and tomato juice, kosher salt, black pepper, and Tapatio) and “I’ll-have-what-he’s-having” cocktails like El Santo (one of the best made-from-scratch margaritas you’ll ever have) and the Angelflower (Patron, fresh mint, homemade blue agave syrup, and cucumber), Ertel’s revolution is slowly sweeping Seattle. In fact, only 3 percent of the Saint’s liquor sales aren’t tequila related, he says. And if you need more proof that “to-kill-ya” has hit the mainstream, witness new agave-centric Lost Lady American Cantina in downtown’s corporate restaurants corridor. If the suity happy hour crowd at Sixth and Union is drinking it, you can, too. The Saint, 1416 E Olive Way, Capitol Hill, 206-323-9922; wwwthesaintsocialclub.com
More Room at the Inn
There was a time not too long ago when the Virginia Inn, one of Seattle’s oldest bars, was the kind of place where twentysomethings ironically slummed. You know these joints: Hoodies and patchy facial hair at the bar alongside grizzled old timers, everyone drinking Rainier. Then owners Patrice Demombynes and Jim Fotheringham renovated the bar they’d run for 27 years, expanding the space with a dining area and ditching the beer signs that made the youngsters feel so cool.
Published: May 2009
How is it possible that you did a profile of Seattle best cocktails without mentioning Spur Gastropub? David’s drinks are, by far, some of the best and most inventive in the city, and happy hour pricing is only $6 for all Spur Cocktails (they usually run from $9-$12). In my opinion, this was a very serious omission on your part.
Knee High is a great hideaway in plain sight. Coming from NYC, we frequented Knee High while in Seattle recently, and felt right at home in its scene (great ppl watching and atmosphere). We loved the cocktail and food prices: average $5 drinks (my favorite was the pomegranate and pimms concoction called P&P) and $6 dishes (must have homemade chicken potpie). Everybody working there including the proprietors Jack and Michelle were always on hand to look after us, and this extra TLC made our experience that much more memorable.
From what I’ve read, Tini’s won all their awards being progressive in cocktails pre-2008 if I’m not mistaken.
By not copying recipes from the 40’s because it was hip at the Pegu Club 5 yrs ago.
“It’s not as packed as it use to be…” He said it, not me.
Hey buddy, will ya buy me a drink?
this is only a test