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Capitol Hill has a lot of music venues and interesting watering holes—it's one of the city's best areas for nightlife. The Pike–Pine Corridor was always base camp for hipsters drinking Pabst out of the can, but the changing face of the neighborhood has brought some edgy, upscale gastropubs and appearance-conscious lounges. The Hill is also the center of the city's gay and lesbian community, with the majority of gay bars and dance clubs along Pike, Pine, and Broadway. A short stretch of 15th Avenue around East Republican Street is another mini–nightlife district, which is a bit more subdued.
As with Downtown, most of the neighborhood's restaurants double as nightspots. Quinn's (on Pike Street) and Smith (on 15th Avenue), for example, both get kudos for tasty food but are also notable as drinking spots (in Quinn's case for its excellent beer list).
If you think all wine bars are pretentious, you haven’t been to La Dive. While snobs would be impressed by the selection of natural wines, they’d probably blanch at some of the other drink options: rosé slushies, Rainier tall boys, jello shots, and chambongs (think beer bongs, but with champagne). It’s a lively neighborhood favorite where everyone seems to be in a good mood—and if they’re not, they can order a “long day home pour,” where the bartender fills their glass to the brim.
This is an elegant place for dinner and dancing, with a polished, 2,000-square-foot dance floor. Salsa and swing events often include lessons in the cover charge. There's swing dancing on Tuesday and Wednesday, a bachata social on Thursday, and salsa on Monday and Saturday.
One of the city's defining music venues of the early 21st century continues to put on terrific shows, booking up-and-coming acts and a good representation of locals. The eclectic mix of performers defies categorization, and nights without shows are often filled with dance parties and DJs.
The Cuff Complex is one of the city's oldest LGTBQ+ clubs and also one of the biggest, with four bars, a patio, billiards, darts, and a loud, crowded dance floor tucked away downstairs. It fashions itself as a manly leather bar but attracts all shapes, sizes, and styles.
A soothing blond-wood interior, squeezed-to-order mixers, and friendly, fastidious bartenders combine to give Liberty its unique aura: it’s a cocktail lounge with the wholesome vibe of a juice bar. It serves sushi—which proves to be exceptionally good (cocktail) bar food—and coffee drinks, it's dog-friendly, and it opens most days at noon.
Visiting this calm, comfortable bar is like sitting in the living room of a great DJ, browsing his record collection. That's almost what you're doing: Life on Mars was opened by John Richards, host of The Morning Show on KEXP, Seattle's revered indie rock radio station. It has cushy blue barstools, comfortable booths, couches, and walls covered in shelves of vinyl. The drinks include both alcoholic and non, and all of the food (typical bar apps, burgers, and sandwiches) is vegan. They serve brunch on weekends.
Welcome to one of the Hill's iconic dives—and not just because it was allegedly the last place Kurt Cobain was seen alive. The interior has a vaguely Western theme, but the patrons are Capitol Hill indie-rockers and hipsters. The bartenders are friendly, the burgers are good (brunch is even better), and the always-packed patio is one of the liveliest places to grab a happy-hour drink.
This gay sports bar is an inclusive, relaxed spot to shoot pool, watch a game, and just hang out. The motto here is, "no DJs, no cover, no problems."
This stately building, once a mortuary, has been transformed into an atmospheric bar. It retains the soaring ceiling and dark woodwork, and booths are made from huge Douglas fir timbers found in the basement, but the overall vibe is more beer hall than haunted house. There are 30 craft beers on tap, and a wood-fired oven produces solid pizza.
The Pony identifies itself as "a very queer bar"—and you pick up on that from the vintage nude photos decorating the walls. Other suitable adjectives are "dive" and "alternative." With the limited space—there's a small dance floor and a year-round patio (heated in when it needs to be)—things can get crowded quickly.
Drag fans, assemble: for a very queer, very good time, head to this inclusive performance space and bar. Live drag shows feature local talent and nationally known queens up to five days a week. Other nights, the calendar fills with queer burlesque shows and "queeraoke." Big-name events can get crowded, so reservations are a good idea.
The revolver here isn't a gun, it's a turntable—there's always an LP spinning from the bar's 2,500+ vintage vinyl collection. Wood beams, pendant lamps, and psychedelic art give the small place a chill '60s vibe, but the craft cocktails are more of-the-moment. For an experience you're guaranteed never to forget, come here on a tattoo night.
A taste of Caribbean sunshine in the Northwest, Rumba stocks hundreds of rums that you can sample in daiquiris, punches, and other cocktails, or straight up. Staffed by skilled bartenders, this is a place for serious spirit aficionados to dig deep, but even rum rookies will feel welcome in the bright, friendly space with its turquoise bar stools and banquettes. For an immersive experience, reserve ahead for Rumba's bar-within-a-bar, Inside Passage, styled as a sunken ship and serving "theatrical" cocktails.
Stoup is one of the stars of Seattle's craft-brewing scene, and its cavernous, 16,000-square-foot facility on Capitol Hill is Washington's largest tap room. Like many of the city's breweries, it acts as a multifunctional third place for locals: the space allows families and friends to hang out, groups to hold parties, and kids (and dogs) to play, all at the same time. The beer is delicious and varied—from German-style pilsner to Sir Dank a Lot IPA—and the atmosphere couldn't be more friendly.
Walking into Unicorn feels like ducking into a flamboyant, slightly demented carnival: striped blue walls, an elaborate bar with plenty of flashing lights, and taxidermied animals giving you the eye. The drinks stay on theme, with plenty of colors and names like "Unicorn Jizz" and "The Cereal Killer," while the food goes all-in on childhood nostalgia—corn dogs, chicken nuggets, fruity fried ice cream. Narwhal, the downstairs bar, holds events throughout the week, including karaoke and drag queen bingo.
Big, young, fun, and modern, it can sometimes feel like you need to be beautiful to get in here, just based on the crowds packing the bar, dance floor, and patio. From the service to the security, everything is super friendly and professional, leaving the crowd to relax and keep the party going. Great DJs fill the dance floor, and partiers can take breaks at the firepits in front.
At Vermillion, every night feels like an art opening. The front room is a gallery space displaying works by local artists—pieces that are invariably dynamic and thought-provoking, ideal for contemplation with a glass of wine in hand. There's seating in the back barroom, which frequently hosts live music, comedy, and DJ nights.
This rare lesbian bar, opened 1984, is a well-worn, well-loved Seattle institution. The crowd at weeknight karaoke is fun and good-natured, cheering for pretty much anyone. Weekends can be raucous, so grab a window table early and settle in for perpetual ladies' night.
