Delicious cocktails and a cozy place to read a book. What a dream. Can't wait to stop in again.

Worst experience ever at the Ink Drinker. A friend and I wanted a quiet place to meet up and listen to high end audio gear and found this spot on yelp. Seemed perfect - cocktails, easily accessible, with tasty looking drinks and snacks. When we arrived at 5:30p on a weekend evening , it wasn't that busy, particularly closer to the bar, so we sat at a table with no people close by. In contrast, there were two groups talking in conversationally norm tones closer the entrance and window. After about 20 Min, a server who didn't originally serve us (apparently the owner) told us it was "quiet reading time" and just repeated the phrase in an annoyed, condescending tone when we tried to ask for clarification regarding what that meant (she seemed to intentionally ignore us despite by friend trying to flag her down 4 times ) . We subsequently asked our original server if our modified whisper level was acceptable. She said "yes" And actually kindly asked us about our hobby. However, the purported owner returned 10 min later , targeting just us (not the people up front who were talking louder than us at this point) , saying we were not complying and needed to close our bill (our drinks were not half-finished at that point). We asked if there was anywhere she could recommend for an alternative to converse quietly, and she bluntly and aggressively stated, "Anywhere but here" to by friend's reasonable question. The onwr then charged me double the cost of my 14 dollar drink ($31) , making not effort to reimburse me and stating that it was my fault for not catching this?!? Huh?!? The owner then proceeded made several concerning, microaggressive, racially concerning statements that left myself and my fellow attendee shocked and sick to our stomachs. I was blown away. I actually recorded part of this on video, but won't post it here unless someone wants a clarification. Next, the owner rapidly escorted us out, though my friend was not asked to pay for his drink. She told Me to "Get out!!!" , and mumbled something that I can't mention, as I am not sure I could believe what I heard. I have lived in Seattle for 24 years and have never been treated as such condescending and insolent manner, let alone by the owner of an establishment that frankly I was excited to check out prior to this debacle. I was looking for a place to gather quietly but apparently they expect you to drink in silence , which was never clarified to me. On top of this, the one person that we could tell was reading, didn't seem bothered when we checked in with her. On top of this, the one person that we could tell was reading, didn't seem bothered when we checked in with her. An older group and separate younger were allowed to carry on despite speaking louder than us (still conversationally , but definitely not whispering as we had been trying to do). Neither of these groups were individuals of color- which I bring up, due to the differential treatment we received despite all of us speaking or whispering in similar tones, and due to the words told to me that I'm having a hard time believing I heard - let's just say I felt "profiled" ... if you know what I mean. In summary , DO NOT come here if you value basic human dignity, kindness, or frankly, sanity. I do not write such negative reviews lightly- Feel free to check my other reviews, which generally are favorable to other restaurants and businesses , as I love to support small, privately owned businesses and entrepreneurs. Further, I've been YELP ELITE in years past , so it's not as if I'm not familiar with how to expect to behave and be treated in this community. Mostly I am truly sorry I ever set foot in such a scary, and hateful space. read more

Such a cool place! My friend and I came on a Friday night around dinner time and it was packed, but we were lucky enough to get a table in around 10 minutes. The inside is so well decorated and it's like a library x bar. There were a lot of people just hanging out - reading, crocheting, etc and it was a very pleasant vibe. We both got drinks and a couple of flatbreads to share. I got Daisy's Downfall, which was the perfect cocktail imo and just the right strength. We shared the asian pear & proscuitto flatbread as well as the cauliflower curry one, both of which were really yummy! I loved the soft crust and crispy edges a lot. Service was super attentive as well. Overall, a great place to hang! read more

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My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday afternoon for a reading date and I was obsessed with the cosy reading aesthetic and welcoming atmosphere. When we first got into the bar, the hostess asked us if we had a reservation, I hadn't known beforehand that you needed a reservation and I said no. They told us we were limited to sitting there for I think an hour or an hour and a half, I can't remember, but I thought it was weird considering at least half the restaurant was empty and stayed that way the whole time we were there. But after that weird interaction to start, the rest of our night was so magical. Sometimes I would get distracted from my book just looking at the decor. I love how open and spacious the place is and there were so many cosy reading spots. I ordered Daisy's Downfall which tasted kind of like a cosmopolitan and was absolutely delicious, I loved the bright flavours and how perfectly it paired with the charcuterie board we got. As a cheese lover, I was so excited to see they had charcuterie on the menu. The pear slices and the beechers cheese were some of the highlights. My boyfriend and I had a great time reading our books and taking cute aesthetic pictures for our Instagrams. The only thing that kind of threw me off is that fifteen minutes before we were about to leave, a couple on a first date was seated adjacent to us and were talking super loudly. But I was still able to lock in and finish my book and I had a great time, my boyfriend and I definitely want to come back for more reading dates. read more

The Ink Drinker - charcuterie board - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place is quite misleading. It's not a space to support reading, and I would not recommend reading here during normal hours. It's a book-themed bistro and bar. I visited with the goal of reading but the clanking of plates and utensils made it impossible. There was little attention paid to the acoustics of the space. I understand the need to bring in revenue via food sales, but it's not a reading space whatsoever. They do offer quiet hours, and I'm unsure if those are consistent or on a scheduled calendar. read more

Adore this new reading bar in Ballard! I came on Thursday night and it was still pretty busy, I got a seat at the bar. They have delicious cocktails and perfect ambience for reading a music with instrumental music playing in the background. They have some food options too but I didn't try those. Can't wait to be back! read more

The Ink Drinker - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Had a great experience here this past week! The server was very friendly and helpful. The menu is fun and book inspired. They also sell books if you didn't bring one. This isn't like a come and eat dinner surrounded by books place but more of a come with a book and have a drink and a snack surrounded by books and other readers place. It managed to be spacious and cozy at the same time and each table has pretty good lights, but I still always recommend bringing your own in case you need more if you're reading hard copy. The drink was delicious and I'd definitely come back. read more

The Ink Drinker - Swindling Versailles - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I felt like I had to write a review after seeing some not great ones on here. Were we even at the same place?? I went to Ink Drinker for the first time yesterday at 4:15 and it was a lovely experience. The music was set to a nice level and the service was fantastic, in fact my friend and I commented on how great our server was, even bringing us a sample of curry hummus when I asked if it was spicy. Cocktail, wine, and food prices were typical for a nicer Seattle bar. The two dishes we ordered (a cheese board with jam and crostini and cauliflower served with curry hummus) were both delicious and nicely portioned. As a big reader, I loved the book theme and the cozy atmosphere. Perhaps some of the earlier poor reviews were due to growing pains but The I.D. seem to have smoothed out whatever their wrinkles were, at least early on a Thursday evening. I don't like to go out at night in the wintertime much, but I'll be returning to the Ink Drinker soon. I have no affiliation with this place or the owner or employees. read more

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A lovely place! We went on a Thursday and it got pretty busy. For cocktails, I got the The Naked Professor and The Evening Redness. Both were really good. We learned that all the cocktails were each made by someone who works there. The Evening Redness is great for martini lovers - the tomato really comes through but isn't overpowering. The Naked Professor had the right amount of smokiness with the mezcal. I also got the Maison de Madeleine (Brute Rosé), which was a pretty decent wine. For food, we shared the Tomato Bruschetta. I like that they used thinner toasts so it was easy to eat. I also got the Roasted Cauliflower & Curried Hummus - this was a good share plate! I rarely see tinned fish on menus, so I got the Smoked Mussels. Highly recommend if you like tinned fish/seafood. I originally wanted the Smoked Salmon, but they ran out. The staff here are super warm and kind. I wish I lived in the area so I could come more! read more

A "bistro for book lovers"! Great place for anyone who loves cozy vibes, good drinks, and getting lost in a book. read more

The Ink Drinker - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I really wanted to love this place. The concept is great but there are definitely some ways the experience itself could be improved. First, there's a lot of open space and tables but very few comfy spots to actually read. It would be great if there were some additional chairs and couches. The food was good, but the cocktails were really heavy on the syrups (elderflower was overpowering in daisy's downfall and way too much simple syrup in the old fashioned). Lastly, it seems like it might be better to reevaluate the reservation system. Because reservations have to be honored, it means people have to awkwardly be told to leave by staff. It seems like maybe only having half the tables be reservations or large groups would work better. I'm glad to have this unique concept in Ballard and look forward to future visits, but hope they can make a few adjustments to improve! read more

I am obsessed with this place. I tend to just show up on the weekend without a reservation and saddle up to the bar. Cocktails are a bit pricy but that's to be expected at a book bar. In my various visits I have spent no less than 3 hours here reading amongst my people (other book nerds). If you love cocktails and books, this place is perfect for you read more

The Ink Drinker - The Hunt for Orange October. She may be small but she is fierce aka boozy - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Delicious and creative mocktails. Bookish but not overly formal atmosphere. A great spot for a chat with a friend or to enjoy a book. A bit disappointed they don't offer WiFi (I'm a writer who uses Google Docs) but I made it work. Will return! read more

The Ink Drinker - My mocktail was fantastic. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Amazing vibes, wonderful staff, tasty drink. So many people reading and the room was filled with books. Highly recommend for book lovers. Soup was a little pricey, but expected for bar foods. read more

The Ink Drinker - Tomato soup - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Bad acoustics, more of a "book theme" than a place to read. It's loud. Service actually made me feel bad about myself. I was sat by a host, waited 30 minutes before service acknowledged me (then 2 people in rapid succession showed up), and then was ignored again for another half hour while plainly telegraphing I was ready to pay and leave. Had to wildly wave at a server to get them to realize I wanted out. This place has the vibe of people who like to have books, but don't read them. It's clear they set this up for instagram and little else, what with $20 cocktails and variations on flat bread for food. You can't comfortably read in here, you can't consistently get service, and you're looking at $20+ for the experience. read more

Nice quiet spot, great bruschetta, nice charcuterie board. Yelp wants more characters.

It's a reading themed bar, not a reading bar. The cocktails (~$20 p/cocktail) were great, the food (~$20 p/plate) was meh. I understand it's a business so you have to cater to a large audience, but when you're marketing yourself as a "reading bar" you'd expect to walk in and actually see people reading and maybe some /light/ conversation. But, unfortunately they only have quiet hours during certain days. 90% of the time, it will just be a regular bar. For the price and loud ambience, I'd rather just go to my neighborhood dive bar where the drinks are cheaper, the food portions are better, and the noise is actual brown noise and not just people being loud on dates on either side of you. It's still in early phases, so take my review with a grain of salt, but I'm disappointed. read more

I have been eagerly awaiting the opening of the Ink Drinker for months, and it did not disappoint! The space is very cozy, with a mix of tables and couches/armchairs. The book-filled shelves add nicely to the vibe (and I believe the empty area in front will soon be retail with both books and merch). I love that the music is audible but not blasting; this is a place where I feel like I could actually sit and have a conversation, which is not the case at all Ballard bars! The menu sounds great with lots of tasty bites. We were just stopping in briefly so only sampled the crostini (simple and good!) but I am excited to come back for more. I love the NA cocktail options! Service was attentive and friendly. I am excited to hear that they might have some even quieter hours sometimes, dedicated to folks who want to sit and read. Honestly, this feels like something the neighborhood has been sorely missing: a viable third space that doesn't solely revolve around alcohol and that is open past 7 PM!! read more

Great new place with lots of potential to be even better! I love the comfy couch seating options and hope they bring in more of the same - so much nicer than trying to enjoy reading on a metal bar stool. The fireplace is a lovely touch, and I appreciated the selection of books and games to pickup while there. The music was a little loud during quiet reading hours but it's going to be tough to create an environment perfectly suited for all readers. There's a fair amount of what appears to be unused space so I'm excited to see what they add. We loved our drinks but agree service could be quicker and prices more affordable. Overall this is an awesome spot filling a gap in the community and I so appreciate the owner's efforts to make this an inclusive space for all to enjoy. Will definitely be back read more

Excellent drinks and service! It was busy on a Saturday but we still felt well attended to and the staff seem to know their stuff. We will be visiting again! read more