The Least-Awful Downtown Bars

Let’s come out and say it: Pike Place Market is a pain. Crowds stagger along at glacial paces, the cobblestones are a trip hazard, and it reeks of raw shellfish. The next time you feel disillusioned by dried chocolate linguine samples and clam stench, duck away to nearby Jarrbar. It’s a sexy little tapas-driven dive where you can cosplay as a carefree Spaniard who drinks more cava than water, snacks on tinned sardines, and treats disco like a sport. Why yes, we do want overpriced marcona almonds with that.

The Diller Room has been around in various forms for over a century, which makes it older than the Space Needle, windshield wipers, and Oklahoma! the musical. And at night, this place springs to life, with a marble bar glowing from the “Diller Hotel” sign’s neon reflections, a wide variety of modern and legacy cocktails that taste good, and all-around Seattleite comradery. Show up at any time and party like it’s 1899.

We don’t usually endorse spending weekends in Denny Triangle—unless it's for Phở Bắc’s second-story bar. PST serves phenomenal cocktails with Vietnamese twists at a small U-shaped counter. We love every last one of these drinks, from the lime-and-coconutty Dua Dừa with rum and absinthe to our current favorite cocktail in Seattle: the Cà Phê Tini, an iced coffee-inspired martini that tastes like what the Nesquik Rabbit would order after a long day of advertising chocolate milk to children. Also, don't miss bar snacks like spicy tapioca dumplings or cheesy caramelized crab and prawn dip with oiled toasts and sesame saltines for dunking.

Not only is this French spot one of the best wine bars in Seattle, but it's right next door to PST and makes for a pretty foolproof Denny Triangle one-two punch. Pop in with "wine people" or really anyone you want to impress by making it seem like you know your sh*t about terroir, tannins, and the most ideal climate for Sancerre to thrive in. That might make it sound stuffy, but it’s actually a laid-back hang, complete with unpacked wine cases and teeny candles everywhere. No matter what, make sure to get some cured meats and cheese.

Wait a minute, the Italian grocery store where you can buy Taylor Ham, Girl Meets Dirt preserves, and Christmas panettone under one roof? Yes, it’s also a spritz bar. At the upstairs wine shop, you can nab a table, fill out an order form, and hand it to a staff member who will bring you something topped with bubbles alongside snacks from the shelves. Shopping at peak times is a lot better when you can take a leisurely Campari-soaked pitstop. 

This Portuguese tapas spot is meant for spontaneity, with easy-to-secure seats in a moody space and a few bites worthy of lingering. Alongside tasty drinks, there’s a mustard-slathered steak sandwich that’s tender like a burger, and crisp salt cod-stuffed croquettes we’d eat solely as vehicles for the tangy olive tartar. Use Lonely Siren as a solid walk-in option for homemade cherry liqueur-spiked cocktails and snacks with a small group of friends.

The day is done, and now all you want is a drink and a little something to soak it up. Head to Radiator Whiskey. It’s a small, moody cocktail spot that specializes in whiskey (we hope that’s clear) and fun BBQ-leaning small plates like tater tots with gravy, cast iron cornbread with honey butter, and pork belly burnt ends. If you plan ahead and order a week in advance, you can even get an entire smoked pig’s head.

Retro is a dark-n-divey restaurant that we appreciate when hankerings hit like a ton of bricks for burgers at lunchtime with a side of classic Seattle grunge. But perhaps the best use case of this mahogany-walled space is stumbling in at 1am for a chipped pint glass of Manny’s. You’ll be among chatty regulars, deep-fryer smells, and absolutely no tourists. 

White Horse Tavern is the coziest Downtown bar that you’ve probably walked right past without noticing. Next time, swing in. The walls and ceiling are completely covered in old photos, paintings, umbrellas, and the occasional birdcage with a can of spam inside. After finding a red velvet sofa to lounge on, order from a menu that’s literally just Sharpie scrawls on a slab of cardboard. It lists things like Irish whiskey, lemonade, and a creation called “Bulls Blood,” which is 50% port, 50% dry Champagne, and 100% what you want. 

After-hours at Pike Place is an alternate dimension where you can barge into The Alibi Room for a drink or two without feeling like you’re surrounded by people who just spackled the gum wall with their masticated Orbit White. Lurking in the darkness with a Toki highball and splitting a good-enough pizza with friends isn’t a bad way to cap off a night’s general shenanigans. Especially if those shenanigans include the gum wall.

Downtown hotel bars can be a yawn. And if you’re not in the mood for bad riesling in a glass so thick that it requires two hands to hold, we don’t blame you. That’s why The Nest exists. This rooftop has comfortable sofas that sink when you sit on them, waterfront views with the perfect angle for watching the ferris wheel spin, and overpriced-but-refreshing cocktails served in metallic flamingo mugs. This is where to dress up, drink outside, and not feel silly for it.

But if the weather’s sh*t, The Fairmont Olympic is a pretty grand place to spend a Saturday night masquerading as a posh guest who definitely has a room upstairs. Skip their underwhelming behind-the-bookcase speakeasy and just grab a barstool at the round counter in the middle of the buzzing action instead. The drinks aren’t just acceptable by hotel cocktail standards—they hold their own, featuring combinations like gin and lillet rose, tequila and chocolate bitters, or cognac and orgeat.