Outstanding local wine tasting bottle shop. Tucked away in…read morePhinney Ridge. Don't miss this utterly charming and unprentious wine tasting shop complete with blue checkered table cloths covering the outdoor tables. Their charcuterie (two cheeses and one meat) $19 is available alongside almonds $5 and candied pecans $5. We enhanced our board with a delicious can of lemon pepper smoked oysters by Ekone ("from tide to tin") $13. Highly recommend this he has Rustic Bakery flatbread. They have wine by the glass -- we tasted the Clos Du Mont-Olivet 2022 Lirac $15/glass as well as the Henrich Naked Orange (calcareous and natural biodynamic) $15/glass and the Champagne Jacquart "Mosaïque" Rosé $20/glass. We decided on a bottle of the Lirac and a glass of rosé champagne. They also carry local jcoco chocolates chips as well as tinned mackerel, tuna, codfish. The buyer is exceptionally talented. The curated collection of bottles could go up against the better bottle shops in Seattle -- but with a nonchalant aplomb rich with elegant ease shifting gears between bottles of internationally renowned Bollinger $68 and hyper local The Orcas Project 2024 Garnacha $37 or 2025 Nebbiolo $35 or 3 of 6 allocated Chartogne-Talley Saint Anne extra brut for $98. Favorite part? The staff's educational notes about the wines, how they were made, and tasting notes that holds the greatest value of all. So make some time to peruse and enjoy the learning before or while tasting. Exceptional value and deserving of best of neighbor recognition. Mariah serves as a welcoming hostess.

Awesome little wine bar and bottle shop that opened recently I think. I ended up sharing the Orcas…read moreProject flight with my dining partner. The host was super friendly and did a great job explaining each wine. I loved most of the wines we tasted, but especially the white ones. Very crisp and clean. Such a cute shop and its located right next to a restaurant and a bakery.

The frosted and fizzy pop up is absolutely adorable! My friends and I did the flight with snacks,…read morewhich was a steal ($38 for 3 samples and snacks). We were allowed to choose our own or the hostess would select for us. The space is absolutely adorable and the staff has the attitudes to match - they were very friendly. For the pop up, there's a list of sparkling wine and champagne from other wineries to try but you can also have some of the staples from Aluel. It's such a cute spot I will definitely be back.

Looking to enjoy some fine wines without making a trip to the Eastside? Wish granted! You can come…read moreon into Aluel for some nice tastings and light bites that can serve as decent palate cleansers as well. Right on Market yet tucked away with other storefronts is Aluel. I've walked by it many times only to realize 'wow there is a wine room right here!' After meeting a friend here, I settled on one the flights I tasted the - Aluel Signature Flight - '19 Sparkling, '18 Malbec, '18 Regalia, '17 Coat of Arms. my favorite being the Malbec and Coat of arms, which is a red blend and an award winner, along with many of the others on their menu. For bites we got the - pita and hummus plate which just alright at $9. Perhaps we should've sprang for the cheese plate for a bit more at $15. Aluel is a nice place to sample some wines right in the middle of a neighborhood without need to go far. Check it out!

Half price tins on the caviar so we got the paddlefish caviar with onion dip…read more Cozy neighborhood wine shop/wine bar. Staff are so friendly and knowledgeable. We got a little taste of Orange wine since we were so curious about it. Definitely plan to come back again!

Halfseas Wine + Bottle Shop feels exactly like hanging out in your cool friend's living room--all…read morebright woods, minimalist lines, and an effortlessly airy vibe. It's a neighborhood sanctuary where the staff is incredibly sharp but zero-pretension, whether they're guiding you through a rotating glass pour or helping you pick from 400+ bottles on the shelves. The experience is best enjoyed by grabbing a bottle to cork on-site and pairing it with their curated, high-low snack menu. You're here for the Creme Fraiche Dip with thick potato chips (add the caviar for the ultimate glow-up) and the Cheese & Olive Checkerboard with a kick of chili crisp. Between the Truffle & Parmesan Popcorn and a crisp glass of orange wine, it's the kind of place that turns a quick stop into a long, sun-drenched afternoon.

Thursday wine tastings. Always different and a fun place to hang out. Erin and staff are great -…read morefriendly and knowledgeable. Good selections of wine and other alcoholic beverages..

This should be your go-to wine shop!…read more Tucked away in the Greenwood neighborhood, this shop has everything from affordable everyday bottles to bougie splurges. You'll always find something that fits the occasion. The shop owners are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. They're more than happy to guide you toward the perfect pick. One of the best parts? They host weekly wine tastings every Thursday evening for just $10. It's such a fun way to try new wines and discover bottles you might not have picked up otherwise.

Tiny mead bar tucked in a basement along the mercantile strip of Fremont. The decor is bee themed…read moreand pretty trippy (in a good way). It's a very small space: a couple tables inside, a couple bar seats, and a couple more tables outside in the area between buildings. They serve 1oz sample flights (in addition to full pours) which are perfect for exploring the options. They have a list of 15-20 meads ranging from dry to extremely sweet. The bartenders are all really friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. They do sell bottles here, and I believe there's a small discount on it you also got a flight.

Super fun, kind of hidden, cute spot!…read more I've always seen the sign but never came in until this past week with a few friends! This was my first time trying mead and I really liked a lot of them! The bubbly ones on tap were lighter and really yummy! I definitely like sweeter drinks, so the dessert ones (black magic and isilu shadow) were high on my list. They had lots of flavors with most of them being fruity. There are a few options for flights, and the choice to try every single flavor! The actual indoor area was pretty small, with only enough room for the bar, one table for 6 and a little bar top seat, and the bathroom. Because of the size, the bathroom is literally 2 feet away from the table and is inside a sliding door that does not fully seal shut. It was decently loud inside with the music playing but definitely not the place to go if you need privacy in the bathroom. They had another couple tables (2/3?) outside but it's tucked in a narrow alley so it was pretty tight out there as well. There is a stack of games to play inside and it has great decor! Overall, the drinks, vibes, and service were great! We had 7 people and completely filled the inside of the shop, so I would recommend a smaller group. The shop is down a narrow set of stairs between 2 building and another few stairs from the door down to the bar. I'm not sure if there is another entrance, so I believe this would be inaccessible for someone who was unable to use stairs. 4/5! Would definitely come here again and recommend to someone who wants to try something new! Very hidden spot type place!

Zen dog is the best guy ever! This tea house is actually the house he is currently living in. He…read morewelcomes you not just a guest to a tea room, but a guest to his own happy place. He shows you to the upstairs and downstairs and the backyard. He offers you 3 tea for $10 and sometimes even for nothing. It is super traditional filled with Chinese calligraphy, paintings, teapots etc. And a ton of tea. I am amazed at his comprehensive collection of tea including all the well known Chinese tea like dragon well, tie guan yin, dian hong, da hong pao, even yellow tea and pu er. My favorite is Dong Ding from Taiwan and ZD Zest blend. He really tries to give you high quality yet fairly priced tea here. I will not hesitate to stop by when I am in the area. Just to sit down, have some tea and great conversations with this great guy!

My boyfriend and I spent our anniversary at ZD's wonderfully-appointed and tranquil tea house…read more We spent almost three hours there, sipping on custom blends, learning about tea pours, and enjoying the atmosphere. The only cost of the whole experience was the tea we decided to purchase and take home - the tasting itself is free and completely un-rushed. This is a great place to go if you love Chinese-style tea, want to converse with fellow tea-lovers over a beautiful wood table for 5-6 (though private bookings are also available), and get to know the quirky and kind Zen Dog.

I can't say enough good things about Lantern Brewing. I love their tasting menu - there are a lot…read moreof different options for different tastes including wine and ciders. They rotate it often and I'm always excited to try what's new since they brew their beers in house. Their drinks are very reasonably priced, the space is so open and inviting (especially when it's warm and the patio is open!), and the staff is so kind. I also hosted a private event here, and the owners were very accommodating and helpful. This is a very special neighborhood brewery that you don't want to miss out on. I've been to my fair share of breweries in the Seattle area, and this is my favorite!

I've been to Lantern a couple of times to meet friends. They have a lot of tables inside, but…read moredepending on the time of day, they may fill up. Also note that the place is kid friendly and the stroller and kid contingent tends to dominate the place earlier. If you want to avoid that, that grouo tends to clear out towards 7, consequently freeing up tables. About the beer: when I go to a brewery, especially in the PNW, I tend to eyeball their IPA selection. In the two times I've been to Lantern, what I've noticed is that they haven't had an IPA selection. That isn't terrible in itself, and it kind of forces me to expand my choices. I've had pales and sours (which they had a couple of the times I've gone), and had their gose the last time, which all of us enjoyed. For food, there's usually a truck. Last time was a nice Mexican truck, which was really quite tasty. Parking sucks. Arriving around 6:30 increases your chances because the folks with kids and their SUVs tend to be heading out at that time.

Very cool cinema with a huge theater. It feels like going back in time and I hope that never…read morechanges!

I should've tried coming here soon after I moved to Ballard! I live like five minutes from here and…read moreI've been missing out for so long. Similar to the Varsity Theater in University District, Majestic Bay Theatres also offer $6 movies all day on Tuesday. Varsity offers that every day, but the Majestic Bay is eons cleaner, has nicer movie screen and sound, and the seat more comfortable than Varsity and I thought it was worth every penny. I went to go watch Mean Girls at 4 pm yesterday. Seems like everybody knows about the Tuesday deal so the 7 pm show was sold out, but there were plenty of seats left for the 4 pm show for obvious reasons. It looks like they only show three movies at a time, and I don't know how often they get new movies, but I'm looking forward to taking advantage of the Tuesday deal more often. Also one thing to note for myself mostly - aisle C was a bit too close to the screen so I recommend sitting around aisle E.

Fun and funky vibe. Drinks are available downstairs at the entry, or upstairs in the lounge. Don't…read moreexpect food - beer and chips are fine for a short visit. Comedy was great, well hosted, good lighting for the event, and decent chairs. Payment is cash or Venmo. Check out the fun!

I'm so obsessed with the retro vibes of this vintage arcade bar! I loved the variety of arcade…read moregames they had, including the fun themes for pinball! My faves were the Addams family and Jaws pinball machines. I came here Wednesday night on a date and was surprised at how moderately busy the bar was. There were enough people to create a lively atmosphere, but not enough that we had to wait to play games. At the bar, I ordered a cosmopolitan, but the bartender offered me a vodka cranberry instead. The drink was refreshing, but the ice gave it that watered down taste. Halfway through the night I lost my phone and only realised when my date and I were in the car. When we returned to the bar the bartender had it with him. I love that I didn't have to go looking for it. My date and I had a great time at this bar and will definitely have to come back for some more pinball soon!!