This was a great little find as a person visiting and staying in Pioneer Square, but I'm not sure how I would feel about the $27+tax charge to go up if I were a local. That being said, Smith Tower Observatory & Bar provided such lovely views that I was personally very pleased with my overall visit, despite critiques of the drinks (see below). I would highly recommend visiting an hour or two prior to sunset so you can make for the best experience and views. It was quite busy on a Saturday evening and I had not bought a ticket beforehand. I was able to purchase a ticket from a kiosk at 5:30ish and was allowed to go up immediately. I did spend some time looking at the exhibits before heading up. I was seated on the bar against a window facing towards Mt Rainier - apparently it can be visible, but unfortunately the clouds obstructed my view. Depending on where you're seated, you could be facing the water (which can be blinding! I was initially bummed to not have been placed there as all tables were full but in retrospect, I had forgotten sunglasses and would've gotten uncomfortable over time) or the cityscape (including the two stadiums). I ended up ordering a couple drinks and some deviled eggs - the deviled eggs were my favorite part with a nice crunch due to the chili crisp. The drinks were... not to my personal taste. The observatory sour was a little too sweet for me and the Cornelius martini ended up being a little too strong. Service was a little slow, which may have contributed to the martini being closer to room temperature than icy/cold (alternatively, could've been the sun reflecting off the water and causing a bit of a heating effect to the whole space). After I was done with my drinks, I paid and spent about an hour outside as the sun set and transformed the sky and water. You could hear the roar of the respective fans from the baseball and football games happening, but also watch all the ferries and boats move across the water. It wasn't crowded and I felt like I could just lean against the wall (as there are spaces that don't obstruct the windowed view from the bar) and relax. Overall, I think it's a solid place to go as a visitor, and I think I would still go occasionally if I were local especially to enjoy sunset. read more

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Enjoyed the experience here -- the emerald city sour was refreshing and super tasty and I also liked how you could also have the bartender concoct a drink for you. Excellent views from basically any seat, but best if you get a window seat. I heard it gets popular for sunset views. The food/snack menu is fairly limited but I tried the chicken sliders and they were ok (3 for $19, with chips). For the price, I felt they were a bit expensive for the quality and the spiced chips it came with were stale. I would recommend stopping by for some speakeasy style drinks (they have NA options too), but maybe pass on the food unless you're hungry. Staff was friendly and attentive. You do have to pay for entry to Smith Tower (observatory) to visit the bar/restaurant. Restrooms are 1 floor down from the restaurant area. read more

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Book Your Afternoon Tea Early: You definitely need to make a reservation at least a week in advance for the afternoon tea. I missed out because I didn't realize this, so make sure to check their website well ahead of time. Budget Your Time: If you do secure a spot for tea, plan to stay for at least two hours. The service is relaxed, and it takes a little time for the food to be prepared and served. Dress for the Weather: Even in the middle of summer, the observation deck can be incredibly windy and chilly. Be sure to bring a jacket so you can comfortably walk around and explore while you wait. While it was a unique experience to visit such an iconic landmark, the visual restrictions and the booking requirements mean it's a spot that requires a bit more planning to truly enjoy. read more

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This is a great observation deck if you need an alternative option to the Space Needle. The cost is cheaper and the views are spectacular. The tower bar offers delicious drinks and appetizers. The elevator operator is very friendly and knowledgeable. The elevator moves very quickly. Recommend heading there close to sunset for beautiful views and get seated at the tower bar as a group vice waiting for others to arrive later. read more

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Lovely, speakeasy like atmosphere on the 35th floor; so fabulous views! Visible snow capped mountains as well as the sea. Excellent bartender, friendly waitstaff. Had a bartenders choice, tell the bartender your favorite spirit, flavor profile and valah you have a delicious cocktail made just for you. I am pleased with my results. read more

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Had a nice time, though we were starkly disappointed that after paying out way to go up with a 1:30 reservation, we were informed the were closing at 2:30 for a private event and last call was at 2pm. We had time for 1 drink and we ordered some food but it took 30 minutes to come out, so we only got about 25 minutes to enjoy it. Private events are listed on their website, but this one was not noted so we were a bit disappointed. The food and beverage quality was excellent, with the exception of the wait time on the food. The environment is great and feels very classy but also casual - you also don't have to be afraid to go up in jeans. If you aren't dressed up, that's OK. Look forward to returning and enjoying some actual time to hang out and enjoy the view next time. read more

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What can I say. This is my first time in Seattle and I love this Observatory/Bar more than any other tower. Really enjoy the history behind this place but also all the people who work here and come to enjoy the views and drinks. Bartenders and hostess are super friendly and professional. Clean and presentable. Very easy to talk to staff. Drinks are phenomenal. Definitely coming back. read more

Smith Tower Observatory Bar - Sucia's secret mezcal cocktail - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Took my boyfriend to Smith Tower since he's never been. Definitely a fun way to experience a slice of Seattle history with a view! We went right when they opened at noon, which was perfect because it wasn't crowded yet. The Observatory Bar is super convenient, you can just kick back, sip on a cocktail, and soak in those gorgeous 360 deg panoramic views of the city, the Sound, and beyond. It's giving old-school charm with a cozy, vintage vibe that makes you feel like you've stepped into another era. Scott was our bartender and it happened to be his first day, poor guy was definitely thrown into the fire trying to figure out where everything was! But despite the chaos, he handled it like a champ and made some mean cocktails. Cheers to you, Scott! If you're looking for a chill bar to enjoy the views without the typical touristy chaos, come early, grab a drink, and enjoy one of Seattle's gems! read more

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The Elevated Afternoon Tea at Smith Tower is not just about sipping tea, it's about savoring history, views, and hospitality. Even though others may have walked away unimpressed, I thought the food and service were excellent. With the included beverage, skyline views, and museum exploration, it's an experience that feels indulgent yet surprisingly good value for Seattle. I left full, happy, and eager to recommend it, and those I sent loved it too! At $100 per person, it may sound steep, but for Seattle it's actually a steal it's a sad reflection of the city's costs, but the experience itself was worth every penny. Alongside the tea, you get a beverage of your choice included in the price. Service was warm, professional, and thoughtful, enhancing the overall experience. Artisanal loose-leaf teas paired with a three-tier tray of finger sandwiches, pastries, and desserts. While some reviews online mention disappointment with the food, I found everything to be perfect. Each bite was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. We walked away full and happy. The views were worth lingering over. After tea, strolling around the observatory offered surprising perspectives of Seattle. The Museum was a delight. The small but engaging museum inside the tower added a cultural layer, making the outing more than just about food. read more

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I mean this place has some fantastic views of Seattle! This will definitely be a place to take out of town family and friends. This bar gives off polished, speak easy vibes, with wonderful staff, tasty food and also, easy parking! Today, I was here for an awesome Botox event, and the staff really did a wonderful job! read more

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Historical building definitely is the appeal for this place - oldest skyscraper in Seattle and even the west coast! I would give a 4 stars for the general experience if you only go there to visit the observatory and the museum and the elevator to get up. However, this is with regards to the bar / restaurant up top which I had a very comically bad experience. Most of the observatories allow you to visit the bar / restaurant for free but here you need to pay extra on top of the meal. Sure, if you never been here, it's worth it but if you been here and want to go here just for the food and drinks (I wouldn't recommend) then it's a rip off. We went up and the hostess made us visit the outside first in a way where she doesn't want to serve us immediately. There's a better way to phrase it, like encouraging us to check out the outside panoramic view before eating. She didn't even put us on the waitlist so when we came back we had to wait 15 minutes extra. The menu was given and also some plates. The waitress did not bother seeing the plate was broken - what??? And the utensils were very dirty like did they not put these utensils in the dishwasher at all? Very unhygienic. We got some food - edamame hummus, stir fry noodles with vegetables and chicken, and pork belly sliders with chips. We also got the old fashioned sampler for $36 which is fairly steep for 3 of the old fashioned of your choice and from past photos, you used to not need to choose and get all 4 for cheaper. It's misleading to have 4 cups and the missing one you don't get is sparkling water. When it was my turn to order I only said one thing and she took the menu out of me and cut me off from ordering another dish. Sure if you don't want me? I had to call out I'm not done. What's the rush??? Edamame hummus is worth it as it was unique. Skip everything else. Stir fry was watery and had a weird aftertaste and they didn't even add chicken and it was a $7 surcharge of nothing. The pork belly sliders were stale and pork belly was more dry than crispy. The chips served were super crushed like they scraped the bottom of the barrel for us. As stated above, service was comically horrible and the food is terrible outside of the edamame hummus. It was a chore to flag someone down for more water and other requests. Only go for the historical aspect of the oldest skyscraper in the west coast, but stay far away from the overpriced and subpar food and drinks. read more

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Awesome bar, strong drinks with an Chinese decor. The food options were a little bit lacking. The view was really good of Seattle though! read more

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We finally visited the Smith Tower! The first floor has a small exhibition about the history of the tower, including who built it and stories about its construction. Then we went up to the observatory. The view is absolutely stunning! The elevator is still the original one, and we could see its historic details. The elevator operator tells stories about past residents of the building, adding fun information. Even though it is not the tallest building in downtown Seattle, you get a 360-degree view of the bay, Bainbridge Island, the city, the Eastside, and the mountains to the north. The Chinese Room bar has lots of delicate decorations and the best view! However, the bar service was just okay. We ordered two cocktails. The Aviation was so artificial and chemical-tasting that we didn't even finish half. The other cocktail was just okay. We didn't order any food. The service was a bit slow. We needed to go to the counter to get our bill. I hope the bar service improves and offers higher quality, given the price we paid and its fantastic location. read more

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We can here as part of an anniversary stay downtown. Highly recommend. View is better than Space Needle and $15 vs. $50 with a great bar up top. Service was very friendly and even brought us some bubbly for our anniversary. Food was really good especially the deviled eggs and sliders. read more

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After much reflection, I decided to review this hidden gem in Seattle. My son and I made Same day online reservations for a Monday afternoon viewing while dining at a nearby Irish bar. When you enter the lobby before the elevator, you will go back in time to see and hear how Smith Tower came to be, with photos, exhibits, and interactive items. You then take the classic gilded elevator with an operator to the 35th floor, where a beautiful Speak Easy bar and restaurant await you. You then walk to the open but gated 360-degree observation deck of the city and bay. My son and I were the only two tourists there for almost 30 minutes. It's windy, so watch your hat and your phone. After the observatory, I had the servers choice Observatory sour cocktail and enjoyed conversation with our server in the restaurant. He said the venue is busier during the summer season, when many cruisers visit. I wanted to keep it a secret because other locals had mentioned how much nicer and less crowded it was than the needle. It is so lovely and classy, and it was a good experience so I had to share. I recommend a weekday afternoon visit, giving yourself 1-2 hours. The tickets were $25 each. read more

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This place is an amazing date spot. 35th floor, stunning views, cool history and ambience, and EXCELLENT drinks. The bartender knows really their craft. To top it off, our server Aaron was first class. I'll be coming back very soon. read more

Smith Tower Observatory Bar - Aviation cocktail and a Yesler Old Fashioned. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Very neat gem in Seattle! The views are absolutely beautiful and I could see how it would be a really fun date idea if visiting Seattle. We happened to visit it in the middle of a clear day so we really enjoyed the views and the drinks. The espresso martini was yum and the old fashioned flight was very creative. I will say, for being the middle of the day, service was really slow. Our waitress was very kind but it took awhile between orders and getting our food. Regardless this is definitely worth a visit! read more

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Seattle native and first time in! The day before was 13 hours of snow, we lucked out on a gorgeous Saturday only a handful of other visitors and blue sky's. Would highly recommend the espresso martini's, shrimp cocktail and memorable cocktail sauce & the pork dumplings. You can pick a table with a view catch up with a friend and soak in Seattle waterfront views. read more

Smith Tower Observatory Bar - Espresso martinis - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Smith Tower is a cool place to check out in Seattle where you'd be able to get a quick history lesson, views, and food. It's a bit pricey for what it is as they charge you to just go up Smith Tower, but it's worth checking out once. We made the bar in time for happy hour. I only ordered the vegan potstickers. These were pretty good and it had a decent spice to it which I appreciated. The presentation of the dish itself was also really nice. Although I didn't have anything to drink, the prices for them during happy hour were super reasonable. The ambiance of the restaurant is really nice! Not only does it have rooftop views of downtown Seattle, the interior was also really warm and lux. The service here excellent as well and our waiter checked on us several times during our time there and made sure our waters were always filled. read more

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This is definitely one of my favorite spots to take out of town visitors! The museum itself is cool- I love that you can touch things and interact with the material. It's so cool to see what old Seattle was like! The elevator ride up in the old 1920s elevator is always so fun and feels like a Time Machine. I love that they have the original elevators! The view up top is incredible. While you can't see the space needle, you can still see a lot of the city and get some great photos on the amazing balcony. The upstairs bar is really funky and cool. Lots of fun photo opps. The service was pretty good and the drinks are a little pricey, but overall you're paying for a really cool experience. read more

Smith Tower Observatory Bar - Upstairs bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's recommended that you buy your ticket online first to make sure there is space. When you check in, tell them if you'd like a spot at the bar or not. Views are great all around! My friend and I tried the bartenders choice cocktail, giving them our taste palate, and they were both delicious! This feels like such a hidden gem because it's a lot less busy than the space needle but still have lovely views. I've also attended a cocktail class, which was a fantastic time! We made three different cocktails. They provide all of the ingredients and supplies as well as some snacks to keep the cocktails from hitting too hard. Admission to the observatory is included with the cocktail class so make sure you stop at the rooftop before/after class! I will definitely be back read more

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This spot is a vibe !! Views of the city are AMAZING It's free to come here and have drinks or eat I do recommend making reservations if possible as seating is rather limited Inside decor is nice Even the ceiling is a view lol The building itself has tons of history The elevator ride up is like going into a time capsule Food is GOOD and reasonably priced I asked to go box and unfortunately they didn't have any to go boxes so they gave me a used but clean Tupperware I appreciate the effort but that was kinda weird View is breathtaking And I would definitely recommend coming here for a nice dinner and or some drinks I can't wait to come back read more

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Afternoon tea at the Smith building was a pretty disappointing experience. The view was wonderful and the room where you have the tea was beautiful. The cost for the tea was $175 for two people. After our tea arrived, we had to ask for cream. Then our food arrived and we realized we didn't have any silverware. We sat waiting for our server to reappear, but he never did. We waited for about five minutes until my husband actually got up and found somebody and asked them for silverware. We were excited about the warm biscuits, clotted cream, and blackberry jam however, that was perhaps the biggest disappointment of all. The biscuit was not warm, and in addition, it was quite stale. We were served butter and blackberry sauce. We asked one of the servers about the clotted cream (thinking that it was just mistakenly left off the plate ). The woman disappeared for a while, and then came back and pointed to the berry parfait and said that's the clotted cream. I said "that can't be the clotted cream because that is the berry parfait" and she said well that's what my chef told me. So I said "well is there clotted cream that goes with the biscuits as it says on the menu"? She said "no, but I can tell the chef that recommendation." . So the recommendation is for the chef to actually serve what's on the menu. In addition, the sandwiches weren't actually sandwiches. They were small open-faced pieces of bread with the egg salad and salmon toppings on them again not what you would expect from a traditional afternoon tea. It's fine not be traditional, but if you're going to be untraditional, then it should be elevated. This was not. Also, the berry for the parfait and the "berry jam" for the biscuits were the exact same thing so it was just mashed up berries ... in one place they called it "jam" and the other, they called it berries for the parfait. I'll be looking for a new place to afternoon tea . read more

Smith Tower Observatory Bar - Parfait - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Stunning views, fun speakeasy bar energy, and an elevator that has a historic gate? Yes. I'm in. This location is the oldest skyscraper in the city and has a ton of history to it. You'll enter in and take the gated elevator with attendant up. Near the top of the building (the penthouse takes claim to the very top) you'll enter into a gorgeous bar that offers a stunning view from pretty much every angle. The bartenders were quick with menus and drinks while we sat and enjoyed the view. There is a door you can use to go out onto the overlook, and note it was VERY windy, so I recommend a jacket and hair tie for this part. The views make for fun pictures and just a great time. Overall: A+ Great bar at the top of a very historic building. The speakeasy energy with a well-done aesthetic makes this a worthy stop. read more

Rum runners, guns, typewriters, romantic superstitions, and ties to Chinese royalty are all woven into the historical fabric of this icon, which presents a window into the Emerald City's colorful past. The 484 ft Smith Tower is the oldest skyscraper in the city and was among the tallest skyscrapers outside New York City at the time of its completion. The tower bar is an absolutely gorgeous place to sit, drink and take in the awesome views of the city and surrounding area. The preserved ambiance here makes you feel like a part of that vibrant history. The taste experience in a swanky speakeasy bar like this is nothing short of extraordinary. Each cocktail is a carefully balanced blend of flavors, from the bright and refreshing notes of a Southside Fizz to the complex and smoky depths of an Old Fashioned, and they have several very tasty versions of the Old Fashioned. One of the standout features is its panoramic views. Large windows provide a sweeping vista of Seattle, including Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains, and the bustling cityscape below. As the sun sets, the city lights create a mesmerizing backdrop, enhancing the bar's magical atmosphere. Plan ahead and be prepared to let the staff know which view you would like to be seated at, immerse yourself into the nostalgia on the way up and allow the awesome staff at the top take care of you as they do so very well. Being led by Michael Ginnity, superb service is a guarantee here. Cheers! read more

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I feel that it's unfair to make visitors pay for both the Smith observatory entrance when they make a purchase at the bar, which has steeper prices than most places in Seattle, including around $17 for a cocktail. There is a steep discount for Washington residents so bring an ID. The observatory view is amazing and the room of the bar is quite beautiful, especially the ceiling. However, when we were there there were not many other people there, and the vibe was a bit off. Service was fine, although it took a long time for our food to come out - we had finished our first drink by the time it came out. I had a glass of the rosé which was not very good. My husband's cocktails were tasty, though. Food was pretty good, but not for that price. Also, I had read that they have a happy hour, but this seems to have changed as there were no happy hour specials. read more

Beware the tourist trap that charges you $25 to ride up to the bar and then fails to deliver you the dumplings you ordered. Then you politely ask for them again and 20 minutes later you give up and ask for the check. Pass. read more

The views are nice and our family visiting from out of town loved the photo booth experience. The restaurant, however, felt like a bait and switch. We bought tickets downstairs on a Monday and they let us know it covered $10 off food at the bar per person, after spending $20+ per person. When we were seated, they told us it was only $10/table regardless of how many people or spend. We all spent over $20/person. Something was irritating me afterwards so I checked the site. Two separate places and the lobby all show the midweek offer of $10 off per person with a $20+ spend. So we overpaid by $60. Complete bait and switch. Two calls and voicemails to talk to a manager and no response. I guess it's just how they do business. read more

Smith Tower Observatory Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Second visit to the Observatory Bar - you just can't beat the view. The bar itself is also noteworthy- comfortable chairs, beautifully appointed, great photo opportunities, and a view from all angles. The food is average; we tried dumplings and a sandwich. Nice presentation. Be prepared to wait a while for your drinks. The Gojira Old Fashioned had a nice flavor but a tad sweet for my taste. I preferred the smokiness of the Oaxacan Old Fashioned. Our server Amadeus was charming. The team at the ticket counter were incredibly kind in assisting my mother who has mobility challenges. We all appreciated the historic tidbits they provided as well. Customer service here is a priority and worth the ride up. read more

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Sadly- bought tickets to be able to come up and have a drink and enjoy the view. It's a reserved ticket with a specific time- yet when we wanted to have a drink was told 30 min wait. There isn't anything else to do- not sure why the wait- clearly didn't want our money. Disappointed Cool space, wish we could have enjoyed it. People working up there were clearing having a bad day. read more

I try not to be a grump, but the service was terrible-- we ended up leaving at 9pm without even getting a drink. I visited for my birthday, and while my partner generously gifted us tickets, we were disappointed to find that access to food or drinks wasn't guaranteed--a detail that wasn't made clear in advance. When they say "seating is first come, first served," be aware that this also means you can't stand at a high-top table or order from the bar unless you're seated. Many guests appeared to be camping out, waiting for sunset, which made turnover nearly nonexistent. Despite several visibly empty tables, the hostess refused to seat more guests, citing concerns about "overwhelming" the staff. This created an unnecessarily frustrating experience, especially for a special occasion. The only staff who made a positive impression were the kind receptionist at the front desk and the gentleman in the newsboy cap operating the elevator (I think his name was Michael)--he shared fascinating historical details about the building and truly embodied hospitality. Had I known how poor the service would be upstairs, I would have chosen a different rooftop venue to celebrate. Unfortunately, this fell far short of what should have been a memorable experience. Nice view and museum, but so disappointing. read more

I surprised my friend with the new tea service at Smith Tower--tea and Seattle history seemed like a perfect combination! Unfortunately, the experience was riddled with disappointments, and while I understand this is a new offering, there were too many missteps to overlook. Our tickets were for 4:00 PM. We arrived on time, checked in at the desk, and were encouraged to explore the museum on our way to the elevator. We spent about 10 minutes enjoying the Smith Tower history--lovely! Then, we made our way up one flight of stairs to the elevator. Upon entering, the attendant apologized for making us walk up "two flights of stairs for our tea." Confused, we assumed he misspoke, since we'd only walked up one. Turns out, he meant that once we reached the top, we'd have to climb two more flights because the elevator was having issues that day. Not a huge deal for us, but it did delay us further. When we arrived at the host stand and announced our tea reservation, the response was far from welcoming. Instead of a warm greeting, we were met with a glance at the watch and a curt, "Follow me, but you have to be out by 5:30." We sat down, selected our teas, and were never asked if we wanted cocktails--which we absolutely did! Disappointing. Since the menu is preset, our food arrived quickly. Immediately, we noticed that most of the items contained dairy. I had specified dietary restrictions when purchasing our tickets, yet the staff claimed they were unaware of them. Why ask for this information if it's not going to be used? The website explicitly states: "While we strive to accommodate dietary restrictions, modifications are limited and must be requested at booking." Which I did. And when ordering tickets, it literally asks: "Please list any/all allergies or dietary restrictions we should be aware of." Which I did. Yet, no accommodations were made. No alternative options were offered. No opportunity to order from the regular menu. I felt awful for bringing my friend to a tea service where she couldn't eat anything, despite my efforts to communicate her dietary needs in advance. I also regret not advocating for her better--especially given the cost of the experience. We asked the server to at least walk us through what was being served. They retrieved a menu, but when we looked at it, we realized it didn't match what was actually on our plates--three items had been swapped out for different ones. To top it off, we had to request silverware. A small detail, but it only added to the growing list of frustrations. At 4:50--40 minutes before our ticketed time expired--our server reminded us again that we had to be out by 5:30. At this point, it felt less like a gentle heads-up and more like an anxious push to get us out the door. As 5:30 approached, we were ready to leave. No one came by to check on us, clear our plates, or even say goodbye. We weren't sure if we needed to sign anything or leave a tip, since we had prepaid online. Looking around, the staff was busy flipping the room for an incoming event, seemingly uninterested in closing out our experience properly. This was $173.95 that I can't get back. Here's what could have made a difference: Better communication at check-in. If guests are due upstairs, don't encourage them to linger in the museum without warning them about timing. Also, a heads-up about the broken elevator would have been appreciated. Follow through on dietary accommodations. If modifications aren't possible, don't ask for dietary restrictions during ticket sales. At the very least, offer an alternative menu so guests can order something they can actually eat. Train staff on hospitality. A simple shift in wording could have transformed the experience. Imagine if, instead of the cold reception, we were greeted with: "Welcome to Smith Tower! We're thrilled you're here to experience our new tea service. I hope you enjoyed the museum on your way up. Your 90-minute experience includes a visit to our observation deck just outside. For now, let's get you settled and start with some tea. Just a friendly reminder that at 5:30, we close this space to prepare for evening events." That small change in tone would have made all the difference. Sadly, this experience didn't live up to expectations. I truly hope Smith Tower refines its tea service--because right now, it's missing the mark. read more

This place has really great drinks. The spot has good people working both the observatory bar, and the tour of the building. I really am pleased with the value of the ticket and what we got to experience. I will leave the disclaimer that we didn't try anything except the potstickers. And we only tried them, because somebody mentioned them being one of the popular orders here, but I must say that if the rest of the food taste like the potstickers, it is probably worth skipping. It wasn't bad it just was really underwhelming. Anyways, my point is get a drink, enjoy the view, and come with a friend who you want to hang out with for a while since they don't kick you out after getting your table. Claps and kudos to the Smith tower. I actually would recommend visiting this over the Columbia tower. read more

Smith Tower Observatory Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Such an underrated experience! We visited Seattle from out of town recently and our hotel was located right next to Smith Tower. For tourists it was a $25 charge to visit the observatory, $10 with a valid Washington ID. The price was worth it for the views and the experience. You got a museum experience on the way to the elevator where you can read and learn about the history of the building. The elevator staff were very helpful and informative. When you do reach the top the restaurant and bar had excellent service as well as delicious Asian inspired food. Will definitely be visiting again whenever we make it back to Seattle! read more

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Ambiance of the bar was cool, two of the sides of the outdoor observatory are really cool to look at after dark with all the city lights. The museum beneath the bar is fun, where you can follow the (sometimes very interesting) lives of people who used to live in that building (you might even find a way to get discounts in the museum...). That said, we had to wait 15 minutes to have our drink order taken, and 45 minutes to be served our drinks (two mixed drinks total). I would not wait that much for these drinks again. read more

Smith Tower Observatory Bar - View from the observatory - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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shame on me for living here for over three decades and never going to the top of the smith tower. i've recently rectified this transgression. you buy your $22 per person ticket online, show up, get paper tickets as well as the opportunity to reserve a table upstairs a d off you go through the historical but interactive displays. lots of black and white images from the time period in questions, and a great elevator ride up (in our case, we were taken to the 32nd floor and told that the elevator is broken and we'd have to walk the remaining theee flights which isn't a problem but if that would be for anyone thinking of doing it, you may find this information useful in your trip planning.) the observation deck has plenty of room to allow multiple people to be outside, taking photos, gawking at life happening down below. the observatory bar is quite interesting in terms of the asian ambience afforded by some of the furniture and the ornate ceiling. we sat in some wing back chairs and thoroughly enjoyed the views and the experience. the elevator ride down is quick and you're dropped off right on the square where the pergola is on yesler and 1st ave. this experience is as long or short as you want it to be. from what i could tell you are the decision maker in terms of how long to spend reading and interacting with the information on the way up and once you've reached the top, the observation deck and bar are to be enjoyed for however long you want. from today onwards, i will now be bringing out of town visitors here because it's a great mix of local history and modern day enjoyment. it's a part of the local skyline that adds knowledge and appreciation to one's understanding of the city. a fun activity especially for clear days when the views are spectacular in any direction. read more

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As a local, I had to bring it down a step to a three-star only because I find it to be a bummer that you have to still buy a ticket to go up even though you're going to be at the restaurant. We get it, they need to make a profit off of people going up - but when you live here... kinda wish we could go up to just eat the food because it's a convenient brunch spot on the weekends. We don't need photo ops. All in all, we like the cocktails and food. But we don't want to pay the extra fee. Suggestion nudge: maybe an incentive for King County residents like the Space Needle/Chihuly... I'd give it two stars but I'll give it three stars given the quality once you get up there. read more

It's a great bar, but admission is expensive and I don't recommend getting the membership unless you live within walking distance. I have one, but I don't live in Pioneer Square. Several times I've come by hoping to use my membership, only to find that the've got the place closed for a private event. I'd like to go back, but there is no way to know if they'll be open. They don't post special events on the website, and I've called the last 3 times I've been thinking of stopping by, and have literally never had anyone pick up the phone or return the call when I leave a message. Definitely regretting paying for the Rumrunner membership. read more

I went inside the building and saw a little cafe with a line. For the rest I wasn't sure how it worked to get to the top. I should have done my research better because I think you can order and enjoy it on the top but honestly not sure. read more

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The charcuterie board was fantastic; the rest of the food was okay, definitely bar food. The views of the city were spectacular read more

Smith Tower Observatory Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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