The Founders Club at Fairmont
411 University St. (downtown), Seattle; 206-621-1700; fairmont.com/seattle/dining/founders-club
One of the most ambitious cocktail programs to debut in the past two years, this speakeasy-inspired bar is hidden behind a bookcase in the lobby of the Fairmont Olympic. The most sought-after reservation, the 30-seat bar is already booked weeks in advance, even with drinks priced between $26 to $70. Jesse Cyr, the talented barman who made his name at Rob Roy in Belltown, curated this ambitious cocktail and spirits list that features Japanese gin, some stellar cognacs and other vintages and limited releases. The Founders Club, all polished brass and dark wood, is part of the Fairmont’s $25 million renovation that already included a new lobby bar that debuted earlier this year.
Electric Cello Cocktail Bar + Restaurant
6003 12th Ave. S. (Georgetown), Seattle; 206 420-7266; electriccelloseattle.com
From the folks behind Oola Distillery, one of the big-name craft distilleries in Seattle, comes this bar restaurant with a Nordic-inspired menu with beet cured gravlax and Hasselback potato. The cocktails showcase the Oola portfolio of gin, vodka and bourbon. Located under the same roof as the distillery tasting room in Georgetown, the bar restaurant seats about 45.
Bar Sabine
5307 Ballard Ave. N.W. (Ballard), Seattle; 206-208-0281; barsabine.com
The cocktail den is tucked in the back of Sabine Café, with a separate food and drink menu from the dining room. The 50-seat back bar is a good hideaway from the crowd along this barhopping drag. Mixed drinks play more to the cocktail geeks, with calvados and mescal combined with ingredients such as salted caramel Cynar. The Mediterranean-inspired bar bites run from crab dolma and confit octopus to more familiar takes like the a merguez lamb smash burger and za‘atar fries.
The Splintered Wand
5135 Ballard Ave. N.W. (Ballard), Seattle; 206-739-5960; facebook.com/TheSplinteredWand
This wizards-and-witches-theme spot is hard to categorize, a bar with a dining room and a wand shop. The Splintered Wand runs one of the area’s biggest absinthe selections, where the “alchemists,” aka bartenders, concoct “potions” and “elixirs” such as a mixed drink of vermouth, absinthe, Benedictine, mint and soda. For food, there’s Yorkshire pudding and other British pub-inspired fare. Reservations needed due to limited seating.
Lariat Bar
9827 16th Ave. S.W. (White Center); Seattle; lariatbarseattle.com
Three bartenders who are fans of the then World Wrestling Federation circa the 1980s opened a spot in White Center to pay homage to Andre the Giant, Dusty “The American Dream” Rhodes and other OGs, with photos and other memorabilia. The simple, truncated menu runs from concession-stand-inspired snacks such as nachos and hot dogs to shots and beers. There’s a wrestling ring, but no, you can’t dive off from the turnbuckle like Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka. It’s a stage for karaoke and musicians.
Pour Decisions in Crown Hill
8000 15th Ave. N.W. (Crown Hill), Seattle: 206-402-5134; facebook.com/pourdecisionsseattle
Crucible Brewing and Soundbite Cider, both in Everett, found a cheaper alternative to expand to the Seattle market: share a tasting room in Crown Hill with 31 taps of their beers and ciders. Dog owners can bring their pets, but it’s a 21-and-over-only taproom. The opening is good news for those Crown Hill residents who usually head to Ballard for great suds. Crucible brews a lot of IPAs and sours. In the summer, Fuel Sports Grill also opened in this neighborhood.
Drink Books
5817 Phinney Ave. N. (Phinney Ridge), Seattle; drink-books.com
In a city flooded with natural-wine tasting rooms, here’s a novel approach, a white or red to pair with a book, as in “drinkable art,” as the owners called the concept. Owners Kim Kent and Emily Schikora suggest wine pairings inspired by a book’s plot or character. Their book collection is focused on “women-identifying and non-binary writers” and “works in translation.”
Rouge Cocktail Lounge
10204 Main St., Bellevue; 425-454-8455; rougebellevue.com
The historic Old Bellevue drag on Main Street gets a speakeasy-inspired lounge with a Big Easy drink list featuring Sazerac and the vieux carre. The affordable shared bites ($8-$16) range from deviled eggs to roast chicken roulade. Located across from Bis on Main, this art-deco-esque space seats 55. Come on weekdays from 4-6 p.m. when cocktails cost $10.
Salish Sea Brewing Co. Boathouse Taproom
180 W. Dayton St., Suite 102, Edmonds; salishbrewing.com
Salish Sea Brewing in downtown Edmonds expands with a second taproom a half-mile west in Harbor Square near the Edmonds Public Fishing Pier. There are about a dozen beers on tap, mostly hoppy brews. The 65-seat taproom will have a spacious patio when the weather warms up next spring. Children are allowed in the taproom.
Notable reopenings
The Attic in Madison Park has reopened under new ownership after the previous owner, Mark Long, passed away. New barkeeper Matt Christian gave the dive a face-lift and focused the menu more on pub grub such as patty melts and nachos. In downtown Bellevue, the swanky speakeasy-inspired den Civility & Unrest also reopened.
In other bar news …
Mike Hale, who started his namesake brewery in 1983 long before craft beer became cool, has retired from Hale’s Ales.
Also, three Seattle distilleries made Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Spirits this year; Limoncello from Letterpress Distilling, the Amaricano Amaro from Fast Penny Spirits and the American Oak Single Malt from Westland Distillery … Speaking of craft distilleries, check out the Woodinville Whiskey Co., whose limited releases have gotten fans camping out overnight. Its cask strength rye, the next big release, is outstanding. That special release is expected any day now. Check online.
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