Where To Go Out In Seattle When You’re Not Drinking

Kamp’s cocktail menu is for everyone, and we love that. Along with full- and half-proof drinks, there are zero-proof concoctions that are just as exciting and thoughtful as the ones full of liquor—like a completely non-alcoholic French 75, or a jalapeño-pineapple margarita with n/a mezcal swapped out for the tequila. You can even order a bottle of de-alcoholized sparkling wine or beer.

Caffeinating at Ghost Note already feels like going to a bar from the get-go, thanks to cocktail shakers, spoons, and strainers used to craft each drink as if this mellow little cafe were a serious speakeasy. But the mixology doesn’t stop with the tools, as you’ll also find non-alcoholic spirits, flavored bitters, and citrus rinds infused in various espresso drinks. If you’d like your morning coffee to feel like Happy Hour, it’s an easy choice.

This art-deco Beacon Hill champagne tavern understands that any slurp can benefit from bubbles regardless of ABV. Thus, most of their sans-booze lineup involves carbonation in some way. Exhibits A, B, and C are a spoof on an Aperol spritz made with Wilderton Aperitivo, a sparkling matcha-orgeat concoction, and an olive brine-splashed dirty martini with non-alcoholic vermouth. The variety comes in handy—your cocktail order throughout the evening should be just as exciting as the obscure cuvée flight at the next table over.

There’s nothing that sucks the fun out of a brewery trip more than being offered soda water, or worse—soda water infused with hops. At Fremont Brewing Company, you can still embrace your inner beer nerd with their trio of n/a cans—an IPA, an orange wit, and a dark ale. All three are excellent dupes, and help make a sober brewery experience more well-rounded. And yeah, if hop water’s your thing, they have that here too.

This Belltown spot is a dive bar that doubles as an arcade with pinball, driving games, and a huge 10-person capture-the-flag game called Killer Queen. Spend your pocket change beating the high score of multiplayer Pac-Man instead of blowing it on tall boys of Rainier that are basically just water anyways—and if you’re hungry, you can grab personal pizzas courtesy of Good Shape, which taste great chased with a St. Agrestis Phony Negroni.

The folks ladling a seemingly endless flow of strawberry-watermelon margaritas from a hollowed-out disco ball aren't the only ones who get to have fun at Dreamland. The same margarita is available sans booze, plus loads of other options, like spirit-free copycats of sbagliatos or piña coladas, glasses of sparkling wine, and two different varieties of Athletic Brewing beer. And with a space featuring neon lighting and a giant lion fountain that actually roars, this place proves that you don't need to do shots to have a thrilling Friday night.

Stampede Cocktail Club is Dreamland's sister bar, so they have just as robust of a non-alcoholic section on their menu. You'll find simple drinks like a tangerine shrub with strawberry, tonic, and Seedlip Grove, and more intricate ones like non-alcoholic red wine steeped in mulling spices and peppercorn syrup, a creamy salted orange mocktail splashed with four different spirit alternatives, and a Seedlip Spice-based drink clarified with goat's milk.

Fans of the St. Agrestis Phony Negronis know how frustrating it is that there’s no database of local bars to scout them out. In the meantime, we’re pleased to report that this all-day spot stocks three different kinds. But if you can’t get behind the bitterness, you could drink a fancy latte, or a lemonade sweetened with toasted sugar. Best part is, Fable’s mood is slightly more energetic than in a morning cafe, but not as raucous as a bar. And with a 9pm closing time, you can be in bed before 10.

Nothing makes a dry night more irritating than trying to order fizzy water in a bar full of screaming people. You’ll never have that problem at Bottlehouse, the renovated home-turned-wine-bar in Madrona. Here, you have options like housemade thyme iced tea and persimmon vanilla soda. Both pair well with the snacks, too, like charcuterie plates and baguettes with ganache and chevre.

Watershed is a great spot to do some Tuesday trivia, or pregame before a night skate at the Kraken Community Iceplex. And if you'd like to do that without alcohol, you're in really good hands. Sure, you could order a mocktail, like coconut cold brew spiked with Seedlip Spice. But the coolest part about Watershed is the fact that they list their entire selection of "spirits" on the menu, so you can get creative with your order—try something like a whiskey and cola with Lyre's American Malt, or a lemonade with Seedlip Garden.

Everyone's making alcohol-free negronis these days, and we'll be the first to tell you that there are a lot of bad ones. But we're fans of Tio Baby's, made using homemade n/a gin, vermouth-less vermouth, and red Italian bitters. Does it taste exactly like a negroni? Not really. But the balance between sweetness and bitterness is just what we'd want in a stiff drink, plus the giant ice cube is a nice touch. And if you're not into that idea at all, grab an n/a paper plane or a refreshing shrub—sip them alongside a platter of the city's best nachos.

This South Lake Union speakeasy has an entire page of its directory-style menu devoted to "above water" drinks, taking full advantage of non-alcoholic spirit brands like New London Light, Pathfinder, and Wilderton. The menu includes everything from a sbagliato-like spritz to a painkiller knockoff. Plus, you’ll still feel like you’re getting Deep Dive's signature fancy cocktail experience, considering all of the mocktails are $16 each.

Rachel’s Ginger Beer might be the only bar in Seattle where the non-alcoholic options are even better than the ones with booze. This is some special ginger beer, which has a spicy kick and comes in a massive variety of flavors from passionfruit vanilla to cucumber tarragon. Sip on some while eating Ma'ono fried chicken sandwiches and shooting the breeze in their plant-covered space.