This is where I learned a very important lesson years ago: One should never have a handful of black olives for dinner, then go out and ask a genreous bartender for two whiskey sours with *extra* cherries... oooohh... bad idea!!! A tumbler full of maraschino cherries adrift on a sea of whiskey and not much else..... gadzooks! Ah well... much older and wiser now! I'm not typically one to walk into a bar on my own. But this is one place I feel pretty comfortable in. The staff is friendly, the drinks are decent and reasonably priced considering the location, and the people watching is great! The food's pretty good too! read more

Ah, the Rendezvous... Been here a few times and what can I say about this place 'cept it's a dive bar in the midst of the Belltown scene, a good place to go for some stiff mixed drinks and to mix with a not so normal Belltown crowd... It is usually busy when I've gone. Experienced the back theatre this time around since we had our own group celebrating someone's 40th and they decided to have their band play. It was kind of small, but would probably be good for a group of 30 or so with a stage, a smaller dance floor in front and some seating in the back. For a place to go to & not feel like you have to be dressed to impress to grab a drink, I would definitely suggest this place. read more

First time I've been here since their makeover 8 years ago. My what a change. I really like that the place kept their circus-show-Western-bar feel to it. Kinda feels like May West will walk in at anytime, buy you a shot of whiskey, then attempt to get into your knickers. Also feels like David Bowie (from 1973) might attempt to do the same. It's just got that kind feel to it. In fact, it should be rebranded: "Whiskey & Knickers", imo. The back theater has a lot of pretty decent shows as well. Any given night there's always something intriguing going on at the bar, outside or in the back theater. Patrons here seem smart, savvy, fun to talk to and not arrogant. Getting to be bit of a rarity in Bell Town these days read more

Seems like so many of what I would consider to be staples of old school Seattle just keep disappearing. Thankfully The Rendezvous is still alive and kickin' ass. A hair pricier than their peers, but not enough to keep me away. The staff is always friendly, and more often than not, hot. Stiff drinks, friendly atmosphere, great private rooms and stage shows. Thanks, Rendezvous, I am a fan. read more

One of the many greatest bars in Seattle. Star One: for unique space where different things can happen in every space. Star Two: for the most friendliest bar staff. Seriously, every single person who works here is a class act. Love all of them. Star Three: for supporting Indy Rock and live music Star Four: For your diversity Star Five: for serving Fernet Branca read more

This is a cute bar on a busy street filled with other bars, that are not so cute! The decor is very old glam Hollywood with dark brocade designs in deep reds and black. Very swank without being pretentious. I am a very hard person to go drinking with b/c there are VERY few things I can drink. I am a sissy and cheap date all in one. After a bad decision to down a drink at a bar down the street, I wasn't sure if I should still be drinking. But we were on vacation, so what the heck! I asked the bartender to revise a drink on their menu that had vodka and st. germain elderflower liqueur so that it wouldn't be so strong. I'm not sure that was the case b/c two of these later and I was done! My girl friends ordered shots of Jameson & Fernet which were quite big. I'm not sure how many they had (could not count at that point!) but they were equally done! The drinks are not that pricey and they are generous! The staff here was really nice and even the customers who came to sit with us and recommend cool places for us to eat/visit in Seattle! Looks like a lot of locals come here which is always a good sign. I would recommend sitting by the window if it's cold, but you can sit outdoors too. We had a good view of the busy street and also got to see two boys half my height about to get into a fight! Eep! Their bathroom was pretty bad and wet all over, that was my only complaint. read more

Good food, good strong drinks, decent staff, not a lot of dicky-pretensiousness, cool booths, love the back loft sitting area and the Jewel Box Theatre. Prior to the remodel a few years ago this was a spectacular dive, not as awesome of a dive as say the old Frontier Room but almost right there. The bathroom is a leftover from the 'Vous's dive days. read more

I have been here a few times (and soon hopefully for the Salon of Shame which I've been told I NEED to go to), and most times being here was so much fun. We had the loft upstairs reserved so we could party down, even reserving it for a post bachelor/bachelorette party to meet up (or RENDEZVOUS, hahahahaha!) with my girls and my husband's guys. We had to be there I think at 10:00, and we both arrived a bit later, 10:15ish, and they already gave away our loft. We had enough people to easily meet the drink limit, but they screwed with us. It would have been okay, however the other party that was up there included some really annoying people. Ugh. That was my one bad experience, but other times coming here have still been in the loft, with good friends and great drinks. Very helpful and understanding waitstaff. I don't know how they remembered whose drink was who's! Time to head back again at some point... read more

My wife and I had our marriage ceremony and reception in The Jewelbox Theater at The Rendezvous. Madeline helped us plan the event and was super helpful. The staff was great and the food was really good (the taco buffet). Our guests kept telling us how neat the place was. We would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to hold a small event at an affordable price with a lot of historic charm. read more

I recently spent some time in the underground "Grotto" area for a friend's party. We were amazed that it only cost $100 to rent the area -- which included a small bar and our own personal bartender, lots of seating and the opportunity to play our own music. I'm not sure what my friend paid for food, either, but there was tons and it was delicious - chicken skewers, tofu squares, mini burgers, etc. (I'm pretty sure rendezvous catered). What a great place that we will surely get a big group together to rent again! :-) read more

Fun little bar for a great happy hour. Appetizers were slammin with BBQ chicken pizza, spinach artichoke dip, parmesan garlic cheese fries, and much more that I can't remember. I never actually stepped inside the establishment as the group of friends I was with decided to enjoy the nice evening on the patio which is small but can hold at least 20 people or so. Cheap drinks, decent appetizers, and low key environment. What else could you ask for on a week night. read more

The Rendezvous has great atmosphere; very comfortable and unpretentious. There's a big window near the bar that lets in just the right amount of natural light during the day, but it's also dark where it needs to be without being seedy or divey. There's almost a sense of grander about the place, but not the type that one feels they have to live up to- kind of like the rich grandma that doesn't flaunt her wealth and still loves you no matter who you are. Add to that stiff drinks, good food (try the Bleu Cheese Burger!),and great service, and that makes the 'Vous pretty much the best grandma in the world. However, I think that Granny 'Vous works much better as a mid-week hangout as opposed to the weekends when it can be too packed for comfort. read more

Martini's !! Garlic Cheese Fries !! and Puss in Boots oh my had a great time tonight, we came out to see the play Puss in Boots !! what a hoot, we had had so much fun Started off the night sitting at the bar and tried about 4 different drinks, a couple Martini's to start off with and this bartender can make a Martini, they we tried some of there Cucumber Vodka, wow this stuff we was so good and refreshing, get a little salt on the rim of you glass it makes all the difference Food Happy hour 4-6 and drink happy hour 4-7 so if you want so good cheap bar food get there before 6 they the Garlic Cheese Fries they Rock ! then we got some Garlic Cheese Fries to munch on while we waited to go into the show and order dinner, the Fries are oh so damn good I wanted to lick the bowl but I refrained I had the Meat Loaf Sandwich for dinner, and it was also damn tasty, I just wish it had been bigger as it was so good but it did fill me up so probably a good thing it wasn't bigger and the Show Puss N Boots was a riot and a half we had so much fun, if you see one show this year try to get to this one you won't regret it we all laughed our asses off and truly had a great evening only down side is that this is a small venue it seats about 50 and it gets very warm inside at the show, thank g-d for the 20 minute intermission read more

I understand I'm the exception. I must have gotten stuck with a bad waiter. But my service sucked. We seated ourselves and waited a few minutes for our waiter to come. It took about 10 minutes, if not more, to get our drinks. You have to realize there is maybe 10 tables inside. There were 3-4 tables outside as well and 2 waiter on staff. I have never worked in a restaurant, so I'm unsure if this is "unstaffed" or not. After we got our drinks, we ordered and it took a good 45 minutes to hour to get our food. The restaurant wasn't even full. I'm not sure if this is the waiter's fault, cook's fault or a mix. He didn't even explain why we were waiting the whole time. And there was nothing visually interesting to look at. Once we got out food, it was decent. A woman came towards the end and ending up saying more words to us than our waiter ever did. I think she was the manager, and she ended up getting us our check. If I didn't have the groupon I would have left. read more

This is a review for the Jewelbox Theater, specifically, as I have not experienced the Rendezvous itself. As an artist, I find that many of the staff members running shows exhibit behavior that runs along the spectrum of rude to blatantly disrespectful. I have a number of friends in the music community here in Seattle who have solidified my opinion. The two times I played there, the fellow working the door laughed in my face when I asked what our cut of the door would be (apparently there was a higher overhead than most other venues, which is fine, but drop the 'tude). Then, at a subsequent show, another man made racist comments to one of the performers. Finally, the booker at the time I was promoting a show spent plenty of time asking me what I was doing to promote the show, while offering nothing on his part. Perhaps its part of the burlesque nature of the place, and perhaps I caught these experiences in rare moments. I'll hope that this is true, but for myself, and other musicians out there, I recommend that you brace yourself for this gig. read more

Bartender didn't know what a Surfer on Acid was and charged $14 for it. Whether that drink is obscure or not is up to you to figure out. I learned about this drink in a bartending class so I thought it was standard knowledge. I would have expected the drink to be more around $6-$8, but maybe I haven't been as in tune with Seattle drink prices lately. The bartender was not friendly and never smiled. It felt like we were inconveniencing her. But this is kind of standard Seattle service. I also want to note that this was for a private event downstairs, and 20% gratuity may have been automatically added to the cost of the drink. I also came here about a year ago for an open mic comedy night. I remember ordering food that night and not finishing it because it just didn't taste good. I'm not one to throw food away, but I had to this time. Since this was so long ago, I can't remember what I ordered, but I know it had potatoes in it. read more

The food is pretty good, the drinks are pretty good. It's a great place to see/hold a show for about 30-50 (?) people, as it's cozy enough to create a really intimate environment. Definitely kinda divey, but if that's what you want, it's perfect. read more

Ok, I must preface this review with the fact that this used to be my FAVORITE restaurant in Seattle. Seriously. I used to love it here so, so much. The food was so good, and the lighting was so dim. It was literally the best. I would always bring out-of-town guests here for a delicious drink and food (ooh, and, they make French 75's, which not all bars do). The previous Mac and cheese defies description, but it was so good I would have walked miles to eat it. My mouth is watering thinking about it. Anyway, I guess we haven't had guest for a while, but the time came that we were taking a friend out, and I suggested Rendezvous! We get there and it had changed. It was way brighter than usual (who wants to see other people when they eat?!?!). There was some new decor, which is cool. Service was really slow, but this was always pretty typical, so whatever. We noticed that the menu was different, but Mac and cheese was still there, so we were relieved. Our friend ordered the beef stew. Oh my god. The new macaroni was so disgusting! It was made with undercooked pasta, and gigantic hunks of leeks. There was so much Cajun spicing dumped on there, and it was so salty as a result, that we literally did not eat it. My friend's beef stew was, I think, supposed to be "deconstructed," and was a giant hunk of shredded beef on top of puréed carrot and kale. She also didn't eat. So, we spent $50 on food we didn't eat. It sucked. The waitress was super nice about everything, but our dinner was a disaster and I felt so embarrassed to have suggested it. We ended up taking her to Dick's so she at least had something to eat. We love seeing shows here, so we will come back for that. However, and I never thought I would say this, we will sadly never eat here again. RIP delicious Rendezvous! How we loved thee! read more

Fantastic bar! I live in Chicago and rank Rendezvous among my top 10 favorite bars in the world. (Probably more to do with my personal tastes than anything quantifiable.) My friend and I were in town for one night only and managed to make our way to Belltown. We could not have stumbled into a better bar. If I lived in Seattle, I'm sure I'd make a weekly trek to this place. The interior is beautiful and inviting in a dark and swanky but unpretentious way. Some kind of theatre/music was going on in the back, but we were too taken by the scene up front to explore beyond the bar area. Patrons (who appeared to be regulars) seemed approachable and the bartenders and the doormen were really sweet and accomodating. read more

I recently went to this amazing little hidden gem of place to watch a friends band play. I was so hesitant, Belltown, really? noooooooo But I was very pleasently suprised when I walked in and it was so cute and chill, the little Jewelbox theater in the back is amazing and inimate, I pretty much fell in love. The people weren't trying to hard or akwardly dressed up or too good for eachother hipsters, they were just regular people hanging out! Loves it. Didn't get to hang much in the bar to check out selection but will be back ASAP to get on that. read more

I've really never had a bad night here. The waitstaff is very quick, very efficient, and very friendly. They'll split checks every which way, even if they are muttering "Fuck you guys" as they walk away. I went to a birthday hosted in the jewelbox theatre, and it was suuuuper cool. Great chill room. The birthday boy had a kick out of it too. The atmosphere in the whole place is red red red. And black. It's nice though, very calming. People watching is good. They have huge booths lining the walls downstairs, and seating generally isn't a problem until late in the night. The bartenders are friendly and fast. Even the bathrooms aren't too bad, for a bar. read more

I can here for a music video shoot for tai Shan stubborn girls song and my experience was pretty awesome I've been here in the past and it's a very classic Belltown club lots of local artists have played here over the years and it's an OK little set up drinks are too expensive but the crowd I was with was fun read more

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I didn't come here for food, so my review is based on just the bar experience, but I came all the way from Wisconsin for an acoustic punk show they had here July 10th, and I couldn't have been happier with my experience. Let me write a novel about it! Lol The guy at the door was super friendly & educational (it was my first time in Seattle, and coming from out-of-state left me uncertain about what to expect from things), and the bartenders were both very friendly & knowledgeable, as well as efficient workers. As soon as I walked in, the girl at the bar greeted me, and her easy-going personality but strong mindedness helped me feel immediately more calm & confident, which I just can't appreciate enough. They served our party all night with well-made drinks & a smile, and it made going out for the first time since the quarantine extra special. The bar itself was straight out of a dream for me, too; everything was black with red lights & neat, but edgy. The bathrooms were well-kept and I loved the theme & color-scheme. I imagine it's a great place for photos, though I was too busy enjoying the evening to take any. The stage was perfect for the intimate show, with small tables & wrap-around bench tables. Whoever coordinated the sound & lights all night did a Phenomenal job & always kept the energy in line with the music. All around, it was a really great time, and I'm so thankful this bar was everything I could have hoped it would be. I'd been dreaming of this night for a Long time (I got to see one of my favorite artists of all time perform, which was its own blessing), and it really gave the perfect setting for the entire trip. The menu items all look phenomenal, too, so I look forward to coming to Seattle again & making sure I grab a bite from here. It's in a beautiful spot with lots to see & places to visit; shops, restaurants, event halls... and such beautiful street art & people. If you're new to town or traveling or just haven't been, you won't regret supporting this business, I promise. read more

I love you, Jewel Box Theatre. Cozy and intimate with plenty of seating options, you offer a getaway of sorts from the main area of Rendezvous that is pretty perfect. I enjoyed 'Fairytales and Floozies" here, a burlesque and drag show that featured fabulous MCs (Anna Rexia and Emma God) but was otherwise light on the drag save for a solid performance by Ursula Major. Thank you for understanding how to pour a cocktail! Strong yet balanced and flavorful, the options didn't disappoint. You should definitely order food though as well - I probably wouldn't have scarfed as many chips and salsa at Mama's if we had. Keep your eye on this little theatre, and make Rendezvous one of your Belltown pit stops. read more

The Rendezvous was the first bar I ever visited in Seattle. Back then, it was a complete shithole. I got to try it again 2 years ago right after they did the remodel for a Burlesque show, and was impressed. It's nice yet modest, and the servers don't have an attitude which is unfortunately a rarity for Belltown. A friend of mine rented out the basement for her birthday party, and we had a great time with our own bartender and a private dance floor. Update 10/31 - They also throw a bitching Halloween party, with all kinds of performances and Karaoke in the grotto to finish off the night. read more

Went to the Jewelbox Theatre inside the Rendezvous for the Stars and Garters show on my b-day weekend. It's a cute little theatre with different seating options and a pretty good sound system. Drinks were averaged price and made strong (yeah). They have different shows all the time and I decided to come as there was going to be a belly dancer. We saw some female and male burlesque dancers and a tribal belly dancer. Lots of alcohol, lots of catcalls, and a b-day I will never forget. My husband even got some boobs in his face (not mine). If there is another show with a bellydancer next time we are in town, we will be back. read more

3.5 Why doesn't Yelp let us do halves? The bar here is fine. I like the atmosphere, and the grotto downstairs is very fun (though this bar is pretty inaccessible for some disabilities). The service is just slow as hell though! We came in with friends and wanted to eat before a show at the Jewelbox- which I love, see my previous review- and literally no one spoke to us. We ended up eating down the street, but came back for cocktails and the show. Our drinks were not that strong, and for the price... well, they could have done better. But again, the grotto is great. It's a fun spot and a super place to gather your friends for a party. Room to dance, dim the lights, have a drink and get down get down! read more

I have been to the Jewel Box Theater many times in Seattle, and even the front bar of the Rendezvous, but never eaten there. Folks, big mistake on my part--I should have been eating there for years! My wife and I both had the Chicken sandwich, served on focaccia with carmelized onions and feta. Redonkulously amazing! The wait staff was frendly, the chef superb, and we're totally going back. read more

The Rendezvous might be my least favorite place to see a show in Seattle. The theater area totally sucks. It fits 30 people MAX, and if it's even close to that number it gets swelteringly hot. The last time I was here, I ordered a drink with Redbull for the girlfriend, who has a weird affection for Redbull. Got the drink and there was no Redbull in it. Turns out, the bar used an off-brand without telling me until I got the bill. If you're going to substitute half the drink with a cheaper ingredient, you need to tell me. read more

Just got back from my first evening here, and I was not impressed. Our friend was performing with the rock band karaoke, which was fun, but it was a warm sunny day, and as soon as the theater filled up with people it was so hot & stuffy I could barely breath. There is NO ventilation or fans in the theater space, and in the summer months with a packed room, I wouldn't be surprised to see someone faint from heat stroke. The drinks were pretty strong, and our service was fast at the bar, but nothing exceptional. I had ordered one of their Signature Cocktails, the Blueberry lemonade, but they were out of the blueberry flavored vodka it requires so I had to go with my second choice, which was a pretty good mojito, but overpriced. This evening's experience could have been great, but at the end of the night I just feel drained, sweaty and overcharged. The venue is aesthetically pleasing, which is the best thing I can think to say about this venue. I don't think I'll be back. read more

Cool bartenders, and some of the best food around. Try the tomato soup with mini rice balls. Live music is also a plus read more

I went to a going away party here last night, and it had been awhile since I'd visited Rendezvous. I'd forgotten what a great place it is to get a cocktail. I loved that there were people in cocktail dresses and suits, and many people in jeans - any anything goes kind of joint. We spent most of the night upstairs in the red velvet lounge - nice plush cushy seating that you just sort of melt into. I've never had any food there, so I can't speak to that, but they have decent cocktails and a great atmosphere. read more

That was the worse drink ever consumed. Even the cherry tried to jump out of the glass. Still, that theatre/room in the back is great and the crowd is alive and well. Next time I will stay with call liquor. read more

Their falafel plate was yummy, good beer selection, and a fun group of people whenever I go in. Fun spot to perform/watch comedy, burlesque, and many other shows. read more

Just eh. Good beers, reasonably priced, interesting shows (Go, Addictol!), red velvet dive-chic. But do you have to be so dingy? I love a good dive, but some of those red velvet chairs are starting to look a little disgusting even for me. I wish I could have attended Mel R's 30th Funeral Party in the Grotto, as everyone seems to have been really impressed by the Grotto, but the death of my 20's was happening simultaneously in Mexico. Another time, dear Grotto. read more

This was a favorite of mine when it was a hangout for the homeless in the area. Then they remodeled and it became a hip Belltown joint. I love the theater in the back. They usually have interesting entertainment. The downstairs is interesting too. The have some not-bad food as well. read more

August 6th, 2005 was a pretty good day. We had been working pretty hard on our album, from practicing only vocals or only instrumentation for weeks to cramming 12 songs into a marathon 2.5 days of recording. Then mixing, then mastering, then printing, and then finding a venue to do a CD Release party. That part took the longest I think. It's amazing how the scope of a show can change when you, the band, approach the venue rather than vice versa. Suddenly you're required to bring in over one thousand people to a place with a fire capacity of 250 (that literally happened), when you had just been booked and played there and the 30 folks that showed up were considered a success by the venue. I guess that's why I play in a band, and don't book them. Local band 'The Sausage Farmers' were playing the Jewelbox Theater, located within the Rendezvous. We had played with them a couple times, and they were gracious enough to share the bill with us. So... here goes a review from two perspectives: One as the performer, back in 2005, and one as a patron from last night at Mel R's Super Fantastic 30th Funeral Cocktail Party. (Oh yeah, forgot to mention, I play with Stay Tuned, a TV Theme rock band. www.staytunedtheband.com) Last night when I walked up to the Rendezvous, I had a difficult time locating the front door, as I had never entered through that door before. When we played there, we parked in the alley behind and loaded through a little door, down a hallway that reminded me of the underground of one of the venues in Spinal Tap, where the band gets lost trying to get to the stage. The Jewelbox theater is an old vaudeville theater, I THINK, it sure looks that way. Lots of personality, seats for the audience, with a wee bit of standing room at the stage. The bar is located outside and around a corner. The theater is generally an all-ages venue, though for our purposes it was 21 and over, and drinks were allowed in. There is a pretty comfy green-room and bathroom for the 'talent' that we made use of, complete with a refrigerator. I'm not sure if the Sausage Farmers supplied the beer or if the Rendezvous did, but we were welcome to it. Nothing like a can o' beer to help calm the nervous butterflies before a show. We got our gear on stage and set up, sound checked. I seem to remember that we could hear ourselves ok, always a plus. Actually... a necessity. If I can't hear myself, I sing sharp, and that, my friends, results in a sound only slightly more appealing than fingernails down a chalkboard. Back in 2005 our old drummer Fred sang backups as well, so I could fake it by lip synching, which I did a lot. People would say, "My, your voice sounds like a tenor when you sing but you sound like a baritone when you talk" and I'd just smile and say "yes, that was odd how that worked out wasn't it?" Unless Fred had been singing poorly, in which case I was sure to give credit where credit was due. Thanks Fred. One of the pitfalls of playing for an audience in a venue that forces them to remain seated is that it really looks like they're bored and un-interested. At least when you're playing live music that generally has people on their feet singing along. We did have some inspired dancers when we whipped out our rendition of Golden Girls, but they had to excuse themselves out of their row into the aisle, which was interesting to watch. We had set up our cd sales area outside the door to the theater. I remember people walking by and turning right to go downstairs instead of turning left to go in the theater, and wondering what that was about. I hadn't been down there since until last night, when I headed down to meet a bunch of the people I'd been reading here at Mel R's SF30thFCP. Silly me, I didn't even look into the theater to see who was playing. You'd think I'd stand and reminisce. Nope. Get me to a drink, quick! The Grotto is pretty damned cool. Just large enough to fit a good sized crowd. Just small enough to make it difficult not to bump into people, introduce yourself, and yack. It also helps that last night's crowd is a friendly one. Drinks were good -- I had a cran/vodka that tasted great, a black butte beer or two and a glass of scotch with a fellow named Adam. Adam, add me if you read this. (That goes for a whole bunch of the rest of you too). read more

Came here with a friend for happy hour last week. We had a pretty good time overall. Our waitress was the highlight of the time there - super friendly and attentive. The food was good, though nothing phenomenal. I liked the shrimp cakes well, though I would not have the french onion soup again. It wasn't awful, but I just wasn't a big fan of it. It was pretty thin and the best part was probably the giant piece of cheesy bread on top. My vodka cranberry was fairly weak, but still tasted fine. I'd probably come back here to try some of the other happy hour options out, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so. A+ for our waitress though - wish I remembered her name! read more

I have not had the chance to eat here yet but I absolutely will in the coming weeks. Rolled into the bar for drinks after dining across the street. Nestor, the bartender, was a blast to talk with. It was very quiet (a Monday night) so we had the place to ourselves. Definitely a comfortable spot to tip a few back. read more

IT WAS MEEE!!! I LEFT THE SILLY LOVE NOTES LYING ALL OVER THE FLOOR OF RENDEZVOUS! And it was so fun among the red walls and costumed people mixed with the regular tattooed light-lifers. Relaxed, strong drinks, good music, no line for the potty. My only regret: Not writing a love note to Rendezvous. read more