The Best Bar in Capitol Hill and the Arboretum, Seattle

Background Illustration for Nightlife

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).

Stoup Brewery & Beer Hall

Capitol Hill

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.