Elliott Bay is by far one of the best bookstores you can visit in Seattle for literary lovers or those just looking to chill and stay dry. Street parking will be your best here and there is a good amount of it around the area. Inside, they have a very spacious setup with books organized nicely by genre. Prices here are very reasonable and their selection is pretty diverse. You could definitely spend a good couple hours here just perusing everything. If you are ever looking for a book in the Seattle area, this spot should be first on your list! read more

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We were so lucky to even find parking near Elliot Bay Book it made our trip that much more seamless. Visiting Seattle it was my mission to check out local bookstores and as soon you enter Elliot Bay Book you are greeted with shelves and shelves of books. It can overwhelming but it was really nicely organized, I was looking for a specific book I just finished on my e-reader and wanted to get a trophy, I searched and couldn't find it so came up to a book buyer and they mentioned that didn't have any in stock. Everyone was super friendly and they even had a cute little cafe in the book store but I opted not to get anything, which was a shock for me. Definitely want to come back it's just so beautiful in there. read more

I love Elliot Bay Bookstore! I've lived in Seattle for over 15 years and it's my favorite place to shop for gifts, cards, reading material and just a general ambiance of cool, calm, collection. However, I had one of the weirdest interactions with one of the "Info Desk" staff -- I walked up and said hello and one of them just bolted from the desk. The other one said "I'll help you she's on the phone." Didn't see a phone or earbuds or anything related to call from the other employee and just said "oh I'm sorry! I'm looking for this book." I pulled my phone out and showed a picture of the book I was looking for. The response I got was cold, condescending, and callus -- she showed me the book I was looking for...but was just giving "hipster service" that wasn't in the normal lexicon of my previous experiences at this location. I was pretty disappointed and confused, I've never been treated like that in my dozens if not hundreds of times I've been to Elliot Bay. I don't want to and won't buy my books anywhere else, however, I certainly won't be entertaining the "Info Desk" anytime soon. read more

I go here way too often but it's still not often enough. This is the best bookstore I've ever been to. I love it. It has a cute cafe in back. It has friendly and knowledgeable staff and a cool loyalty program. They have author events and a great selection. Honestly I just go here for the vibes sometimes and to browse even if I'm not getting anything. The value is the same as other indie bookstores - the books are market value but I'm happy to support an indie bookstore and you get $20 off for every so much you spend with the stamp card so it does add up. The best part is they're dog friendly too so I can bring my corgi as I browse. read more

Elliott Bay Book - Corgi in fantasy/sci-fi section - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Wonderful big bookstore with lots of seating and fun/interesting employee notes throughout. Coffeeshop makes a tasty London fog latte. Parking was stressful though! It's a popular area. read more

Elliott Bay Book - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Beautiful store with lots of character and a coffee shop. Loved seeing all the pups too. It's is worth checking out if you're in the area. read more

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Very cute little book store. Had a really large and pretty good selection of books there. It's also pet friendly which is always a plus! read more

Elliott Bay Book - Interior - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Amazing bookstore! I'm surprised I hadn't heard about this spot before because it really was a great bookstore. They had so many options for every category of book and they had plenty of staff picks. The main area of the store is very large and they even had an upstairs section. read more

Elliott Bay Book - Stained glass front entrance - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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What a fantastic book store! We stumbled upon Elliot Bay Book while taking an E-Scooter through Seattle and had to check it out. The layout of books is very organized and has two stories of books. Everything was reasonably priced and the staff were very helpful with numerous recommendations. If you're in the area, make this your new favorite place to grab a book and a coffee! read more

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Love this bookstore. A must visit for anyone interested in checking out a bookstore visiting Seattle or just wanting to grab something. Their recommendations are great and their staff is super friendly. The space is beautiful and I do enjoy the layout. The cafe in the back is too notch and their location in the heart of Capitol Hill makes it the perfect stop when in the area. Can't recommend this book store enough. read more

pretty large bookstore in cap hill w a lot of books, along with some posters, tote bags and trinkets. there's a cafe inside but haven't tried any of their drinks. could get pretty crowded on the weekends esp since it's near all the cap hill tourist spots. asked for a poster that wasn't out, and the workers nicely got it for me! read more

When looking up things to do in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle (known for its trendy, eclectic, hipster vibes), a visit to the Elliott Bay Book Co pops up. Great for book lovers, as you enter, you immediately get a whiff of an old bookstore (probably from all of the rustic wood). A large independent bookstore with many selections. There's also a decent sized cafe in the back. Throughout the aisles, you'll see handwritten notes from staff that make browsing feel like getting recommendations from a well-read friend. Not much of a touristy destination, but worth a visit if you like old bookstores or want a quiet time away. read more

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The second best Indy bookstore on the Best Coast (Powell's in PDX is No.1)! I also love Elliot Bay Book' beautiful stained glass window logo in its store. read more

For the book lovers out there this is a very nice bookstore. Nestled in an openly proud LBGTQ community this bookstore has items to suit every reading genre taste. I perused new releases, classics, young adult items, history, ethnic flair and everything in-between. The staff, while quite quirky and unique, were also very friendly. I'll certainly return if back in the area. read more

Elliott Bay Book - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Visited on June 16 for an event being held to promote the newest cookbook by B. Dylan Hollis. Appreciated the friendliness and organization provided by the staff. We were able to grab a cold beverage in between the author's talk and the photo op event by stopping in Oddfellows Café. Appreciate the organization of the books as well as the book selections, and the beauty of this old building. The event was promoted with advanced registration, which provided a great value for an evening out on Capitol Hill. If I didn't live in the north end I'd come spend hours at this bookstore. read more

Elliott Bay Book - My purchase - signed copy. - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Had a great time visiting during "Independent Bookstore Day". They had a lot of fun activities going on to celebrate including bingo and book speed dating. They have a great selection with categories sectioned out nicely and clearly labeled making them easy to find. The cafe is also really nice. I enjoyed coffee while I was perusing their book selection. Prices seemed to be mildly higher than you'd find online, but I was happy to support an independent bookstore, especially on their day! read more

Best matcha ive had in a long time. I give 5 stars just for the matcha. I got iced coconut milk matcha with a bit of sweetener read more

Elliott Bay Book - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

What a big independent bookstore that's become my go-to spot to browse around while we wait for dinner or before partying in Capitol Hill. I especially love the discount section tucked away on the second floor, and I always end up picking up something I've been eager to read for an affordable price. To the review complaining about the liberal selection of books here... one would think a conservative would appreciate freedom of speech at a bookstore. And the 20-minute wait? There are so many staff here... just use common sense to find someone else for help instead of seeing everything through your bias. read more

Elliott Bay Book - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is my favorite bookstore. I spent over 2 hours and could've spent more if they hadn't closed. The only con is the price, but I'd rather support a local shop plus they have a stamp card. There is also a cafe in the back and a reading area in the basement. They have a wide variety of all my preferred literary genres, from poetry and philosophy to physics and politics. There were books that I've never seen in any other bookstore, including Perfect Victims - my favorite. It changed my life, but I'm Palestinian - while it was therapeutic for me, it will be disturbing for others. read more

Elliott Bay Book - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The best book store I've been to in a while!!! Huge selection. Wide variety...not just the best sellers. Beautiful!! read more

Elliott Bay Book - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Definitely one of the best bookstores I've ever been to! Every genre is beautifully laid out. There is a crowd in the store but it isn't overwhelming because of their organization and the amount of space inside. True bookstore style they have both a kids play section and a coffee shop inside also. I could have stayed here all day reading - I highly recommend visiting!!! read more

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Happened upon this bookstore on my vacation and was so so so happy afterwards. They have some very cute merch here and I got some books to enjoy on my plane ride back! The store itself looks like a bookish wonderland. I wish I could've stayed in here for hours. A tad pricey but with the price of everything going up these days, it's understandable. read more

In a world of big box stores, this is an independent bookstore gem. You'll love the wood floors and bright open spaces. They carry many wonderful books, music, and have some additional gift items as well like cards and merch. The staff are knowledgeable and work hard to move the line along on busy days. Their prices are as expected. There is a cafe inside. It was a nice to sit and rest for a few minutes. I found the noise volume quite high, but it was days before Christmas and the store was jammed with shoppers. I highly recommend the treats they sell; I enjoyed my pastry. See website for more details. On street parking. read more

Browsed Elliott Bay Book Co. for hours and left with gems like The Orchardist and staff-recommended sci-fi--150k titles made discovery effortless amid the brick-walled nooks and cedar shelves. Caught a free author reading that evening, sipped coffee in their café, and the Capitol Hill energy felt magical for any reader. Indie's finest; my new ritual every Seattle trip! read more

What a book lovers dream!!! Not only does this historic and iconic Seattle bookshop have rows and rows of all types of books, but there is a coffee shop inside! When searching for a book here, there is no dearth of options for any topic you're looking for, and everything is all super well organized so you can find it easily. They feature both mainstream and super niche genres of books, from stuff for kids to adult books, biographies and travel to speculative fiction and graphic novels. Upstairs they have a few tables to squirrel away to read and work and a pretty good sized bargain book section. What got me excited is that this place is open till 10 pm!!! So one can do dinner and party AND read all on one night in Cap Hill, as I did tonight. For those seeking food, the cafe offers some quality brews and snacks. The menu has espresso, coffee, teas, pasties, burritos, and even soup! The coffee is honestly not a bad price, starting at $3. A little biased here but I think this is better than a P named bookstore in sister city Portland, but go find out and decide for yourself read more

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This really is quite a large indie bookstore with two levels of every genre you could want. I found it amusing to read the staff's notes tucked on the shelves, with recommendations or fun tidbits. There is a table upstairs and downstairs with seating to browse through selections. There's a coffee shop inside with plenty of workspace as well and you can walk around the shop with your drink. There's some store merch, cards, stickers, and other knick knacks on sale as well. The wooden shelves and flooring create a homey feel to the shop. There is light music playing, but nothing very distracting. read more

Elliott Bay Book - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Found this on a "best local book stores" list and they were completely right in including it! This one is worth the hype! The staff was really friendly, the layout was great and I found everything I needed! read more

I could spend years here. And also thousands of dollars if I had it. Came to college with six books went home with twenty two, thanks Elliot Bay Books. read more

Elliott Bay Book - Pedro Pascandle - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Support your local independent bookstores! Elliott Bay Book Co. is up there with the best of them. You can often find author events with book signings or join a book club here. Their expansive book selection is beautifully organized, and they frequently rotate their featured titles and staff recommendations, so visiting the bookstore always feels new. There's also an upstairs section with more niche genres and some tables for reading. If you regularly purchase books, they have a stamp card you can use to get a discount after spending a certain threshold. read more

Elliott Bay Book - Reading room, where author talks are held - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Everything about this book store is perfeciton. The have cool merchandise. I got a Pinnochio wood pencil cup. I also got some lovely paper garland. The have a great book selection. Many times I have found books that are hard to find. It is always the right amount of busy. I love the vibe. The items are always yummy. read more

Huge bookstore with a cafe! Right across from Glossier. This is probably one of my favorite places to visit while in Capitol Hill (during the day). The staff are all helpful and sweet. They offer free gift wrapping during the holidays. The prices are all pretty reasonable and comparable to online retail. I think my favorite part of this store is the massive variety they have. Practically any book you're looking for could be found here. If you're just browsing casually, they have sooo many notes and recommendations! The store is so organized. Very easy to navigate through. read more

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This is a destination. Books are a personal, individualized gift that means so much more than a pair of gloves or socks. It is a way for you to think an out someone and show you understand them. From the outside, it looks like nothing,, but entering is like going into the Tardis-bigger on the inside than it is in the outside. It's a gorgeous space. read more

It's a nice looking bookshop. I just can't believe the books they carry in the kids section. If you're conservative, don't let your kid wander off alone in this bookstore. In addition their service wasn't great. I waited for more than 20 minutes for someone to point me in the right direction of a category I was looking for. read more

Great selection, great little cafe inside, and just a good vibe overall. Big fan of this place.

Amazing independent bookstore with great selections and helpful staff. Tasty in store cafe as well

They have bestsellers but also books you may not easily find in other stores. They have an assortment of gift things, cards, clothes, and bags as well. The staff were very knowledgeable and helped me find 2 books I was looking for and couldn't find myself. They are also quite friendly, even if you're interrupted another task to ask a question. In lots of stores, that is not the case. This is now one of my favorite bookstores even if it is across the country from me! read more

I have come here on multiple occasions and have always enjoyed browsing their book selection! The staff is always super friendly about answering any questions or looking up things for you if you have an interest in a book or book set. I love their little staff recommendation notes throughout the store. Helps me choose new books or explore new genres. They have a little cafe section in the back with great drink and pastry options! Overall, a super cute bookstore and one that is a must stop when in Cap Hill! read more

Elliott Bay Book - Bookstores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Support your local bookstore! This place is great, has an awesome selection. I recently came for a Chelsea Handler book signing event and all of the staff was really nice. The cafe was full the entire time I was there, so that forced me to mill around the store for a few hours. They have a ton of books that the staff has reviewed, and some cute non-book stuff to buy as well. The surrounding area is a little dodgy, but the store itself serves as a great cozy respite from the weather and the drag that is Seattle winter. read more

The best bookstore in the state - carefully stocked with the most complete selection of books in the area. Also a very knowledgeable staff.

Everything you'd want in a bookstore: creaky floorboards, corners to steal some likes of a book, tons of titles and the service to help you find it! read more

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