The 10 Best Bars in Capitol Hill, Seattle

Specializing in beers, whiskeys, and bourbons, Quinn’s Pub is a warm place to grab a bite and a drink on a rainy Seattle night. Their burgers are particularly popular, including the ‘Wild Boar Sloppy Joe,’ and pair perfectly with one of their fourteen draft beers. Definitely take advantage of the whiskey selection, which includes a variety of single malt, Irish, rye, and bourbon whiskeys to choose from.

Creating high quality cocktails with house made syrups and bitters, fresh squeezed juices, and its own hard liquors distilled right in Capitol Hill, Sun Liquor is a Seattle gem for those seeking truly hand crafted drinks. Find drinks like the ‘Estus Flask’ with Sun Liquor Distillery’s gun club gin, fresh grapefruit juice, gran classico, and Sun Liquor’s aromatic orange bitters and absinthe, topped with a grapefruit peel.

A carnival themed bar in Capitol Hill, Unicorn attracts many to the neighborhood for its whimsical drinks and food, arcade games like pinball, trivia and karaoke nights, weekly drag brunches called ‘Mimosas with Mama,’ and, of course, for the opportunity to wear the famous unicorn horn/helmet while downing a magical drink. Find luscious cocktails and shots like the ‘Unicorn Jizz’ with mango vodka, triple sec, orange juice, sour, grenadine, and sprite.

A Capitol Hill speakeasy style bar, the Needle & Thread serves delicious cocktails in an intimate, cozy, and low lit setting. Located above Tavern Law, another popular place to drink and eat in Capitol Hill, it’s a good idea to call ahead to make a reservation, as the bar seats a very small number of people. Sip drinks surreptitiously like the ‘Held Captive’ with yellow chartreuse, big gin, egg white, basil, and strawberry.

With drinks based on the late 18th and early 19th century French and American style cocktails, Knee High Stocking Co. is a charming and beloved Seattle speakeasy. Find drinks for all palates from the ‘Fairer Sex’ with Tanqueray gin, Aperol, Strega, lemon juice, and brandy cherries to the ‘Storm Fizz’ with Black Strap Rum, ginger syrup, Angostura bitters, lime juice, egg white, and soda water.

If you’re out in Capitol Hill looking for a place to have dessert and a drink, Pie Bar is the perfect place to go, they offer fruit and berry crumbles and pie classics like ‘Banana Cream,’ and you’ll be in heaven the moment you walk in. Their drinks menu includes originals like the ‘Burning Apron’ with amaretto, Crater Lake Hazelnut Liqueur, rum, coffee, and whipped cream, classics like the ‘Bramble’ with rum, Lillet Blanc, lemon, and Chambord liqueur, and clever ‘Pietinis’ like the ‘Dutch Apple Pietini’ with whipped vodka, apple and butterscotch schnapps, and cream. They’ve also got wine, beers, and ciders to pair with your pie.

The Stumbling Monk is a dark and cozy place to glug a cold glass of draft beer away from the liveliness and craziness that makes up Capitol Hill at night. With a laid back atmosphere and lack of TV or live music, there’s not much to distract you from your drink and company, but they do have board games to play with your friends. Their imported beers make them one of the most popular places for a pint in Seattle.

With an impressive selection of draft beers and ciders, The Pine Box is another great place in Capitol Hill to drink a cold one with your friends. Enjoy whiskey sours, and even Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon on tap. They also serve tasty dinners and offer fabulous dessert options of a ‘Big Ass Big Ass Chocolate Chunk Cookie with Caramel & Smoked Sea Salt’ or some ‘Pretzel Bread Pudding.’
Address & phone number: 1600 Melrose Ave Seattle, WA USA +1 206-588-0375 The Honeyhole at Capitol Hill © Kieran Lynam/Fickr

With a modest offering of draft beers and some refreshing freshly squeezed juice cocktails, the HoneyHole is a solid Capitol Hill bar to visit for a night out bar crawling. Enjoy sweet and tangy drinks like the ‘Peach Smash’ with Evan Williams Whiskey, muddled lemon and mint, sugar syrup, and peach juice on the rocks. Hungry? They also serve tasty burgers and sandwiches.

With made from scratch cocktails with freshly squeezed juices and house made bitters and syrups, Liberty in Capitol Hill is a Seattle favorite. They offer flavorful signature drinks like the ‘Eye of Fatima’ with tequila, pineapple and lemon juice, honey, and Angostura Bitter and a full bar of hard liquors from Scotch to Amaro. Pair your cocktail with a delicious plate of sushi, like the ‘Wax On Roll’ with Snow crab, Japanese mayonnaise, avocado, and cucumber.