The Boozy Slushie Power Rankings

The frozen drink rotation at this wine bar with locations in Queen Anne and Capitol Hill is the best in town. That includes The Cobbler blended with Madeira and scientific precision to get the right sweetness-to-booziness ratio or an icy red wine float that swirls like a barber shop bowl in the glass. You can experiment for yourself on how they pair with La Dive’s excellent gougeres made with Beecher’s cheese at the Queen Anne outpost. We fully support all the lab work.

The best place to be in Phinney Ridge on a summer weeknight is Ridgewood Bottle & Tap, and that’s in huge part because of their boozy slushies. Since they don’t serve any liquor, every frozen drink involves wine, beer, or cider—think not-too-sweet flavors like sake margarita, lemonade gose, or sour ale creamsicle. And if you need somewhere to haul your laptop on a Friday afternoon, WiFi is as abundant as frozen prosecco topped with gummy bears.

Dreamland sees your basic strawberry daiquiris and raises you slushies that you probably won’t find anywhere else. Like vegan grasshoppers that taste like a bowl of Andes mints. Or a Baja Blast-inspired situation that involves Powerade, Mountain Dew, and Sprite, among a lot of Tito’s and tequila. There’s plenty of allure around ordering a $99 disco ball full of strawberry-watermelon margaritas here—just know that the frozen stuff is just as fun (and a little easier on the wallet).

This Capitol Hill bar that looks like a roadside tackle shop keeps things simple in the slushified beverage department. There’s always something rotating—like a blackberry mule—but you’re really here for the mainstay: the painkiller. For legal reasons, we can’t confirm any healing properties or lack thereof inside a frosty glass of nutmeggy tropical fruit spun with rum. We can, however, confirm that it’s f*cking refreshing alongside a basket of triple-fried french fries.

Beacon Hill’s bright fried chicken emporium changes its slushie options often, but the cucumber mojito usually stays put in the summer—for good reason. It’s smooth, green, and packs a surprising kick, kind of like when Kermit the Frog would hop onto a bike and show off those toned legs. Grab one to sip on Milk Drunk’s sidewalk patio with an order of crunchy tenders and you won’t regret the decision.

One of our favorite wine bars has served wine slushies long before it became trendy. And here, the frozen cocktails are just as elegant and refined as a glass of Sicilian frappato. A squeeze of lemon tempers the strawberry sweetness of their frosé. Or they’ll use riesling as a base for a more floral twist. Or, sometimes they’ll throw cocchi americano in the mix. Unlike folks at a dive bar pairing their syrupy slurps with pub pretzels, Bottlehouse’s slushies are fit for a cheese board. 

Leave it to Canon to make a simple Pimm’s cup entertaining. One of Seattle’s best craft cocktail bars serves a frozen version in a tennis ball-shaped mug—and it's basically the Novak Djokovic of slushies. There’s a pleasant tartness and consistency that’s hard to beat. And we’re pretty sure it would win over the competition at Wimbledon.

You might not be surprised that a bar decorated like a clubby pirate ship has boozy slushies. But you may be surprised that they’re pretty good. The potent POG margarita has a nice pucker, but we gravitate toward the smooth Washington Apple that blends whiskey with sour apple liqueur and cranberry juice. We love that they all come in metal mugs to make the chill last longer—and you can request them as a float on top of a vodka and soda.

An Otter Pop is basically a slushie in package form—and this lavish Fremont bar makes the best outside of any rogue 7-11. Flavors vary, but you’ll want to ask about the midori and pineapple version with a touch of ancho chili. Drink it right from the plastic or ask for a glass to slowly pour the frozen contents out if you’re feeling fancy—it goes well with Stampede’s surprisingly tasty steamed shrimp dumplings, too.

Outside of maybe a knee brace and an adult stroller, we can't think of a better accompaniment to a long day at Pike Place Market than a frozen cocktail from this Seattle classic. It’s easy to wind down after dodging tourists like a game of Space Invaders with the slushified pink guava moscow mule—our never-fail favorite. The drink is bright and tangy with a mix of vodka and ginger beer that tickles your throat and, in true RGB fashion, is easy on the sweeteners.

With its dancing lights and thatched umbrella-covered booths, Belltown's longtime tiki bar looks like the set of a goofy 60s beach movie—but it takes its frozen drinks seriously. Papaya puree nicely complements a blend of potent rums in the Saint Martin, while the Saturn’s gin and passionfruit combo is the ideal summer Happy Hour sipper. Add a plate of spam nachos, and pretend that you're on an island partaking in sandy hijinks.

It’s only fair that a spot with spectacular waterfront views like this West Seattle classic would have a patio-worthy slushie. That would be Marination’s vodka-spiked frosé, which is blended well and gives welcome hints of strawberry and lychee. Oh, and they serve the same one at T-Mobile Park, which is a big upgrade from any third-inning beer you’ll find.

You’ll usually find a couple of frozen drinks behind the bar at this fun, paper-lantern-festooned dinner spot. And they’re all refreshing, particularly New Luck Toy’s take on a piña colada that will have you humming that damn song despite yourself. It’s got a tiny umbrella and enough coconut to make you feel like you’re on a cruise, but with a whole lot more subtlety than leisure wear.