I really only like this place when Keith is bartending or when its not very busy. Its a rock and roll bar environment but they have fancy cocktails on the menu. My favorite is of course the St. Germaine Martini with Grey Goose. I love it because it goes down so smooth and not in a dirty way. No I don't work for St. Germaine but it does taste like lychee fruit so the ladies will love it. BTW-- watch out for the loud, drunk, and fight happy belltown crowd that drifts over from the Viceroy. Yuck! read more

A chill little get-away from the Belltown scene. Some bartenders and servers are great, some are way spacey, but in the end, I always end up with plenty of food and drinks at a reasonable price. Can't say I'm a big fan of the grub, as it is on the greasy side. The crowd is interesting as it varies night to night with what shows are happening in the adjoining Jewel-box Theater. Interesting selection of shows from burlesque to indie bands to hip-hop. Overall its a cool, low key place to hang out. read more

We went there to see Tim Lee do Stand-Up. We liked the intimate theater and the staff was friendly. The seat reservation system was a little hoaky, but it really didn't matter because with only 30 or so seats, there aren't any bad seats. They seemed to be in hurry to close out our tab, but that may just be part of the process for the theater, but it would have been nice to not feel so rushed. The overall vibe is "divey", but that is expected and it has plenty of character to make it work. We got our tickets half off for the show by buying them through an online service. Good times. read more

This is a weird little theater, man, but I like it. It was our last night in Seattle, and we wanted live music, and this place was really close to our hotel. So we figured, "all girl Ramones cover band it is!" Luckily, it turned out pretty good. The band was real solid and we hung out a little bit and they were nice. But the opening acts were really awesome. Particularly the band called lazy animals. New buds, we chatted for most of the night, and really dug their sound. They were almost a mix of face-to-face and husker du. Melody and sincerity, and those aren't things I usually celebrate in punk rock. I guess I was supposed to review the club, but well you got what you got. Next time I go to Seattle, I'll probably stop back. 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

I booked The Grotto for the big 50th birthday party! When I first looked it at I just had a feeling. The part was amazing! Cool venue, great party food and cake, excellent service! There's a stage and spotlight, cozy booths and a cool ambiance. It feels like the place you'd go hang out after leaving the Moulin Rouge! Madeline and her team helped me create a perfect night. The Grotto under The Rendezvous is a gem! read more

We went there to try the hot turkey sandwich. It was on the website. They no longer had it along with other stuff on the website so beware! The food was still good though. The ravioli was SOOOO YUMMY and fresh and homemade-tasting. And I got more than 6 pieces!!! It was like 12 pieces! Our waitress was nice and funny but took a long time because she was the only gal there. I'd probably go back there if I was in the area...or craving ravioli. read more

Juan is ****ing rad, funny quirky guy who makes awesome conversation and even better drinks! This place has history and the staff can tell you some tales. Definitely a place to make your weekly rounds with! Will edit my review later when I sample the food. read more

Four stars for the theater venue and one star for the drinks. I cannot believe the price I paid tonight for weak rum and diets from the well. It was $12 per double (which feels high to me, but I guess is the going rate in the area), but there was no way there were two shots in these drinks. I kept ordering them thinking I was just getting a single tall and thus would receive single tall prices. My experience tonight will make me reconsider attending future events here. At the very least, I will not purchase any more drinks here. read more

Belltown has a soul. There. I said it. It's just not found at Del Rey or Amber last time I checked. Now, the following account I will admit is not 100% accurate due the amount of delicious cocktails consumed at The Palace Kitchen (review pending) prior to entry. But I have ten distinct mental photos in my mind. Here are their captions: 1. Walk in and it's a beautiful red whirling universe that looks both fancy and whimsical. 2. Sit in a big red soft object. A sigh of delight. 3. The bartender comes over and is super nice. I consider the fancy-shmance cocktails that are my weakness. But we all end up getting ice cold cans of Rainer beer for something like a dollar or two each. 4. Fall into that wonderful coalescence of private and public, where my three friends and I enter in and out of conversations with people at the bar and sitting near us. It is exactly the reason that people go to bars anyway. To be with your friends and yet feel connected to the vibe of the new place and people. No one is intruding upon you, and yet everyone seems approachable. You look at your fellow lounge crawlers and they are gesticulating and laughing and drinking. Connection. Otherwise we all would just stay home--it's private and the booze is a hell of a lot cheaper. But nights like this one keep us out and about. Especially when . . . 5. We are beckoned by a stranger into the theater attached to the place. He said because the show was winding down, we could get in free. I am excited and feel like I'm being led into some secret back room. I think of the magic theater "for madmen only!" in Herman Hesse's Steppenwolf. 6. It's some crazy rock/techno/something band, and we sit down for a bit, smiling at our new discovery. I get up to dance in the aisle. Some pretty girl in scary clothes starts swing dancing with me. We twirl around laughing. My friends cheer and laugh. 7. We go back out the main bar. Now there is some bummy looking man inside, yelling at the nice bartender. The man says, "you're not letting me use the bathroom because I'm black! Oh I get it; it's cuz I'm black!" 8. Bartender yells back, "No, it's because the last three times we caught you in the bathroom with crack! Now get out!" 9. Man looks guilty and leaves. 10. These two hot guys come up to our table (I was with another girl and two guys) and are genuine and friendly and smart. We chatter it on up until it's time to go. So, take that anecdote for what it's worth. I'm definitely going back. It has that perfect mix of swank visuals with totally approachable interesting-looking people. Nice staff as well. Four stars because I only give out five for places that have consistently proved their worthiness over time. read more

Unlike most bars in Belltown, The Rendezvous is worth patronizing regularly. Large, dark interior with good music. The clientele is usually mixed and fun (drunk). You can smoke and drink on the front sidewalk patio. The high-backed 5-person booths facilitate privacy, unlike the cafeteria-style seating so popular in Seattle bars like Cha-Cha and Redwood. The bartenders are knowledgeable and efficient. The draft beers are always super-cold, and the Pabst Blue Ribbon is inexplicably some of the freshest I've ever tasted. The downstairs grotto w/bar is a cool space, though I've never spent much time there. There's an upstairs loft area you can rent for private parties. And I've seen great low-key events in the Jewelbox Theater, including bands, plays, the Salon of Shame. read more

$120 for 3 pitchers and two food items at "Happy Hour." NO JOKE! A mistake you say? we went over it with the waitress for a half an hour. Either she messed up, or the prices are astronomical. And the waitress was "unable to print out a tab with every item" and gave us just the total, with an 18 percent gratuity just added on to it for "so so" service. I give every place I go the benefit of the doubt, but really? Is this pricing normal for Belltown?Smells more like bullshit to me. read more

The decor of this bar is really cute with the chandeliers and the demask designed coverings on the walls and tables. The bartenders are also extremely friendly and have a really heavy pour... my shot was like a whole cup full of Jameson's. There are tables to lounge at or you can sit at the bar or you can even sit outside on their patio. The prices for drinks are a lot less than I'm used to which always makes it a great time! read more

I went to see a show at the Jewel Box theatre which was a very small venue--thankfully I got a seat and really enjoyed the show and the ambiance. If I had to sit on the floor like most of the crowd I don't think it would've been so great. Cool vibe, and quaint. If you're going for a show arrive early to snag a seat! read more

One of my all-time favorite spots! The bar stays pretty busy all evening, sometimes to the point of *packed* ...even so, the bartending & wait staff are cheerful and lovable. Make sure to take in a show at the JewelBox Theatre, located inside...for being so tiny, it certainly is glamorous...and it's fun to be able to sit, eat and drink while enjoying a performance or a variety show like Match Game Belltown or The Anita Goodmann Experience. The food is decent enough..good burgers...I mostly just eat fries tho. You can actually rent out the theatre for a party or performance. Just remember, if you ever perform there, as I have, the green room backstage is fffuh..fffuh...freeeeezing! Enjoy the graffiti. Have a smoke outside in the incredibly popular smoking section. Head downstairs for late night dancing. Rinse. Repeat. read more

This isn't really a review for Rendezvous, because I've never had anything to eat or drink there. But I have twice been to their Tempting Tarts burlesque show, and I LOVE it. The ladies of the Tempting Tarts may not be the most talented dancers or the most classically "hot," but I think they're all gorgeous and amazing. Theirs is the most charming and most down to earth burlesque show in town. Even their AUDIENCE is the sweetest! read more

DO NOT USE YOUR CREDIT CARD HERE!!!!!! If you do, be sure to keep your receipt and double check your statement!!!!!!!!! Both my roommate's and my credit card were billed for much more than our bills were for. ALSO, do not get PBR. The beer was extremely flat. The situation: At the bar, I asked for a couple pints of PBR. The female bar tender brought me a pint of PBR and two pints of some other dark beer. I said, "oh, I wanted a couple pints of PBR." She then informed me that I am "dumber than her asshole." My roommate and I each tipped small for $15.00 bills, which doesn't seem unreasonable for that kind of service. We each found charges of $20.00 on our credit cards the next day. Lesson: DO NOT USE YOUR CREDIT CARD HERE!!!! read more

I was here for a show in their theater. It was definitely a love/hate relationship. The venue is tiny. It probably only holds 40 people so it had a nice intimate feel to it, but on the other hand, it was incredibly dated. The decor looked like it was about to burn down with slightest spark. Also, it was incredibly hot in there. We were roasting. It did help that the drinks were cheap, but I couldn't drink fast enough to cool down. read more

Ok this review is waaay overdue but you don't care about that so let's move on. I have to start by saying that previous to the experience I'm going to write about I had been to the Rendezvous only to hang out at the bar (a few times) and to see a burlesque show in the theater (one time) and I always had fun. I personally think the theater is a unique and quirky addition to the overall space and I'm grateful we have something like this in Seattle. Anyway, what I'm really reviewing here is The Grotto, the downstairs party and event space. We decided to have our wedding reception here in April, as I said, I had been to the Rendezvous before and liked it, but honestly I was a bit skeptical with respect to it being a good venue for a reception. Let me just say it was fantastic. First off : making arrangements. I forget the name of the woman who handles reservations for the Grotto, my wife dealt with her, but my wife said she was very easy and helpful to deal with, very good at returning e-mails and such, which is a rare thing these days. My wife had nothing but good things to say about the planning process. The space itself is fun, nothing fancy but it fit with most of our crowd and with our own personalities, we don't need fancy. At least not always. It has the feel of a speakeasy, and I wanna say that historically it was, in fact, just that. The walls are a decadent red and adorned with curtains, it has a whole den of iniquity look to it, in a good way, of course. The space is broken up into two sections, as you finish descending the stairs you are in a bar area, with a little bit of seating and beyond that there's a somewhat larger room with more seating. There's a small stage and sound equipment at your disposal. Probably if you need any kind of major tweaking with the audio equipment they'd want you to use a house technician, but we just needed something to plug an mp3 player in and we were good. They were very good about letting us decorate, very accommodating about letting us in early to do so and about letting us keep some of our decorations up until we could get them the next day. We seriously appreciated that. The staff were super friendly and willing to go out of their way for us. When I first arrived with my guys I hadn't eaten all day. They let me order food upstairs and they brought it down for me later. The bartender who worked the event was awesome, several times we needed things like extra forks or whatever, and since I didn't know who else to ask for those things I ended up asking him and he scrambled to get them himself even though that probably wasn't part of his job. Part of the deal when reserving this space is, there was (I think) a $500 overall drink minimum, in other words, if our guests didn't end up drinking $500 worth of alcohol we would have to pay the difference. Fortunately many of my friends are professional drinkers, not drunks, mind you, but professional drinkers, and the bartender seemed appreciative that we exceeded this minimum. Later in the evening he told me he'd give me my drinks for free, I thought he just meant me but as I moved to pay for drinks for some of my people he waved the cash away and said it was on the house. One more cool staff thing: as we returned the next day to dismantle and carry off some of our decorations I was in need of a screwdriver and I asked the upstairs bartender for one, or for a butter knife. All he could do on the spot was give me a butter knife, which I proceeded to ruin. He was very cool about this and he just left his post to get me a proper screwdriver even though he was trying to open. So to reiterate: from start to finish every single staff member we dealt with was top notch, very cool, exceedingly helpful and super friendly. Overall this is a very good, very inexpensive place to have a party. We enjoyed ourselves immensely, that had to do with the quirky atmosphere and having a decent sound system, yes, but the contributions of a good staff and an awesome bartender are not to be overlooked or underestimated. Rendezvous Staff: Thank you so much for a stellar time, we're even thinking of having an anniversary party there next year, Cheers! read more

Beautiful little bar/theater. It has this cozy old vibe there that I enjoyed very much. I'm not sure what era it's from but it has a 1920/30s feel. The food was good and happy hour was a plus. The only thing I didn't like about the Rendezvous was when I went to the bathroom. I stepped up to the urinal and when I whipped out my junk it was swarmed by a bunch of fruit fly's that were resting in the urinal. read more

An enclave of non-wack in Belltown is truly a precious jewel. Tasty food for both vegetarians and meat eaters, a wide variety of good drinks including $2 ones for the broke among you, good music & good events. I wouldn't really agree with previous reviewers that it's dive-y, but it's definitely dive-y in comparison with $10 Belltown martinis and blondes tossing their hair. read more

Party in the grotto!!! Had a super fun time here for my friend's Carnivale-themed 30th bday last weekend. The space was the perfect size for our group of about 50 and is divided into an outer room with private bar and back room which we used as a sweet dance floor. There are some comfy booths back against the wall and a few small tables for the wallflowers. They brought in two coat racks (thank you, I always forget where I left my coat) and were totally amenable to bringing in more tables (for cupcake towers) and letting the bday boy decorate however he wanted. Oh, and I can't personally comment on pricing for the room since I didn't book it, but bday boy said the prices were reasonable and the people were very easy to work with. Big recommend for private functions! read more

Average drinks, with average music. The decor is lovely, and I really liked some of the crowd there - they were fun, friendly, and easy to talk to. Go if you like the scene, without the scenesters. read more

I recently attended a private Oscar night Party here. Fabulous martini's served up by Babe the fabulous bartender. Delicious food from the inhouse kitchen, including the largest bowl of soba noodles in sesame oil that I have ever seen. Seriously it was a bathtub. The Jewel box theatre is lovely and a comfy place to watch the boring Oscar show. All in all a great place to hang out. We'll be back. read more

When I'm in Belltown I aways stop at the Rendezvous. Good strong drinks and friendly waitstaff. I enjoy the shows they have at the Jewelbox and it's always a good crowd. They have area's you can reserve for private party's which is a nice. And I like the chicken strips. Mmmmm. I had to take one star off because of of a hideous painting I can't stand. read more

After having dinner at Senor Moose, we came here for drinks and to meet a few more people. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the music wasn't too loud. The drinks are average price. I'll come back sometime and try some of their beers. read more

I keep going back to this place. Why? Because it's cool. I don't eat there often, but they know how I like my drinks, and it's a regular karaoke hang. read more

I have been doiing a show at the Rendezvous for over a year and a half. I have to say they are very professional and have alawys treated me and all my guests very well. They pay attention to our needs and also serve some kick butt bar food! The portions are large and yummy- plus they won't cost you too much. Cheap Date! They also rent out the Jewel Box Theater which is what I rent every month- and a bar downstairs called The Grotto Room- you get the whole bar and a bartender for the entire night for a low fee. I reccomend this for private parties. I love the Rendezvous because of how old it is and the history it has in Seattle. read more

Everything that is good about Belltown is Rendezvous. The pours are heavy and the beers flow cold for cheap! It's never too crowded and a great venue for shows and get togetherness. They've just redone their outside patio and it's lovely. Oh!!! And they have a photo booth!! read more

I went to Rendezvous with two friends because one of them had purchased the groupon. We were there for dinner and drinks and a little bit of happy hour. The happy hour prices were really good and my drink with cucumber infused vodka was AMAZING. The food however was just okay. I really wish that there was a 3.5 star option because this place is really better than 3 stars but not quite 4. The food was fine it just wasn't amazing. Service however was very good and our waitress was extremely friendly and nice. I would def go back. read more

I have to say... The chef at The Rendezvous is Amazing. The menu changes with the seasons, which I found out recently when I wanted my I'm-totally-addicted-to-it winter squash soup (like velvet, layers of deep flavor, and [can be removed] bacon crisps floating on top). He makes a smoked spaghetti with mushrooms - he smokes the flour before he makes the noodles. There's a grilled salad with a lightly battered whole soft-boiled egg that I can't say enough about. The food here is divine! And the perfectly restored jewelbox theatre (from the 1930s) is literally a jewelbox. Beautiful, something out of a David Lynch dream. read more

I went on a thursday and had a great time. I have no complaints what so ever as the whole experience was a very positive one. The best part in my opinion was the large and comfortable semi-private booths near the back. I did not see a show or the live music, but I am sure to come back for round two very soon. read more

According to the locals, this place used to be a total dive. I am happy to report that few remnants remain from Rendezvous' (say that fast, it's fun) divey past. It's a dark, slightly dank bar, sure, but the decor is so vintage and interesting that it's completely forgivable. My friend and I came here for dinner and were thoroughly impressed with the quality of what we thought was just going to be bar food. I had the pesto ravioli with lemon sauce and artichoke hearts. Yeah, you read that correctly. This bar doesn't fool around. And she had the chicken strips and fries. Plus, the happy hour menu offers a bunch of $3 plates, which is a great deal. I wish more bars took this much care with their food, too. read more

The Rendezvous is one of the best bars in Belltown, nay, in Seattle. The drinks are nice and stiff and reasonably priced, the food is tasty and the crowd is relaxed and chill. But what makes the Rendezvous a real gem is how it utilizes its' space. Around the corner from the bar you will find the Jewel Box, a great venue for small intimate shows of all types ranging from improv, burlesque and rock shows. In the basement is the Grotto, a large space with its bar that can be reserved for large parties and private events. I've been to two events in the Grotto, a 30th birthday party and a wedding reception and both times were amazing. Finally, for smaller groups, there is a nice secluded section in the back above the kitchen that can be rented out as well. read more

Love this place. We live in Chicago and make trips yearly to Seattle ...always end up here as we like the people we have met in the bar, the owner, and the bartenders. Good prices, excellent selection of liquors, including "different" ones not usually included in reg. bars. read more

A twilight zone experience. Refused to honor our restaurant.com purchase. After letting our waitress know that this was illegal, they agreed to reimburse us for the amount we paid for the coupon. Then they deliver our food. A Caesar salad is a green salad but because they put Caesar dressing on the side it became a Caesar salad??? Then we were charged $14 for a glass of wine because they had to open a bottle to serve a glass of wine. We were told that it would cost us an extra dollar over happy hour prices to have a new bottle opened, but then the waitress charges us the $14. It was all too bizarre for me and then to end the evening she gets really rude and "gently" throws our check on the table without any apology what so ever. Did I say how mediocre the food was? read more

Luxurious, Cushy, and Delightful old Dive If anyone remembers how the 'old' Rendezvous used to be it is a complete polar opposite now. Though very reasonably priced this place feels like you are walking into a swanky high class joint. The Gilded lofty cielings, set off by the crystal chandelier, the ochre colored velved wall hangings, the high backed booths and deep tones offset by the warm lighting. The most wonderful thing about the Rendezvous is the clientele. Not the Preppy first ave Belltown crowd. The cool crowd hangs out here: Punks, Indie rockers, hipsters, bike messengers, artists, and the inbetweens. Non pretentiousness, Ahhh!!! Like a breath of fresh air. I love to come here and hang out for some drinks with my friends. I've even had a couple birthday partys here. You can reserve the upper Loft for free and of course there is also the Jewel box theatre which features local bands, films, theater, and sometimes even karaoke. The service is laid back and helpful too. Come for dinner and drinks, Stay for the show. I can't recommend this place more. It has so much to offer for a splendid, casual night out. read more

Best bar in belltown hands down. One of the only places in Seattle where you can get good service.

Disclaimer: Review for the bar only, since I haven't seen a show here. Will update review accordingly, if I do. Good ambiance, friendly people. Didn't run into a single rude person, and this place seems like it's got plenty of regulars that mingle and unwind for a casual, laidback sort of evening. The decor looks a bit fancy, but don't let that fool you. This is an easygoing place. Thing is, the food was a bit of a let-down. My friends and I ordered two different dishes (the taquitos and the mac n cheese), and both of us agreed the flavor was "weird". The textures of both, and the chosen ingredients were unexpected. I suppose it's a good choice if you're easily bored with normal food, and if you like bacon. It seemed like half the menu had some bits of bacon in it. (Which I'm fine with, but the small, hard bacon bits in the macaroni felt slightly off). The prices for the food weren't excellent, either, so I wasn't entirely willing to order a second dish to try and see if I liked something else better. (The menu's not very large, anyway.) The sliders looked better than what we had, though. I'd recommend trying those. Drinks were good, but strong. A few drinks in (of the gin cocktails), my friend and I looked at each other and asked, "When did we get drunk?" Basically went from sober to Whoa a bit faster than we'd expected. So, ya know. Pace yourself. None of the drinks were that sweet, if you prefer sweet cocktails. More bitter, subtle accents. Good stuff. read more

This place gets four stars despite the fact that the bartender threw a hissy fit -- and threw a slice of cucumber at me. Such a nice divey place otherwise, with such a beautiful little theater. We listened to some some fun bluegrass bands--a tip: if the Gentlemen Buckhunters play there again, go. There are really comfortable booths in the back, and people were dancing a little bit, and the bands were full of what my friend termed "Miner-bros." Mustaches, plaid shirts, check, check. Almost made me a little homesick for Silver Lake. Bottom line, I would make this place my home, and probably the asshole bartender who threw rotten cucumber at me would grow on me, and probably I'd learn to tolerate the dismissive cocktail waitress who, when I flagged her down after trying to get her attention for 10 minutes, took my friend's drink order and then ran off without getting mine. In the meantime, I still give it 4 stars, and that's something. read more