Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Seattle's amazing musical legacy is well-known, but there's more to the arts and nightlife scenes than live music. In fact, these days, there are far more swanky bars and inventive pubs than music venues in the city.
To put it bluntly, Seattle's a dynamite place to drink. You can sip overly ambitious and ridiculously named specialty cocktails in trendy lounges, get a lesson from an enthusiastic sommelier in a wine bar or restaurant, or swill cheap beer on the patio of a dive bar. Though some places have very specific demographics, most Seattle bars are egalitarian, drawing loyal regulars of all ages.
The music scene is still kicking—there's something going on every night of the week in nearly every genre of music. The city's dynamic theater scene is a highly regarded proving ground for Broadway, and the Seattle International Film Festival draws the finest in world cinema. The ethereal Marion Oliver McCaw Hall is a first-class venue for opera and ballet, and Benaroya Hall, with its outstanding acoustics, is an elegant premier symphony hall. Families enjoy the Children's Theatre, the Northwest Puppet Center, and the many summertime folk art and music festivals.
In addition to its bars, Downtown and Belltown in particular have notable restaurants with separate bar areas. Most restaurants have impressive bar menus, and food is often served until 11 pm, midnight, or even 1 am in some spots.
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 spacious wine bar's big, cushioned window seats open up to the historic streets of Pioneer Square, and will draw you right in to the elegant space. Specializing in sparkling wines from Champagne to Pet Nat, the Dandy of King Street Crossing has brought an air of Europe to the neighborhood since its opening in the spring of 2025. Pair your sparkling flights or glasses of bubbles with inventive small plates, including an indulgent cheese board and Pão de queijo, a light and fluffy Brazilian bread filled with cheese.
This French wine bistro transports you to the streets of Paris and has frequently been named one of the best places in the city to drink wine. Slide into a wooden booth or grab a stool at the bar and order from an impressive selection of French wines by the glass and bottle. The walls are lined with bottles to take home, representing smaller French regions and producers. Complement your wine with a carefully curated selection of bites. Le Caviste's low lighting and cozy setting makes for a perfect date night spot.
A favorite name in the local wine scene, Locus Wines's bright, modern tasting room showcases food-and-wine pairings, as well as rotating local art on the walls. Sample your way through the wines crafted from grapes grown in the Yakima Valley and Naches Heights AVAs with flights. Locus also offers wine by the glass and a few light snacks, including roasted Brussels sprouts, pillowy lamb meatballs, and cheese and meze boards, as well as the option for a chocolate pairing. The creative space is a fun stop post-game or during the First Thursday Art Walk.
Wine lovers come for the massive selection—the menu boasts 90 wines by the glass and some 600 bottles—but this place deserves props for its design, too. Despite the cavernous quality of the space and floor-to-ceiling windows, all eyes are immediately drawn to the 20-foot tower ringed by a spiral staircase that showcases thousands of bottles. Full lunch and dinner menus feature American and Pacific Northwest fare with recommended wine pairings.
