I stopped by the Christmas dive bar, a pop up at the Woods, early in December. Luckily even though my friends and I went on Thursday at 5pm there was no line. However, when I wanted to stop by a couple days ago there was a line outside of 20 people. Since the bar is super popular we had to wait in a pretty long line inside at the bar. The bartenders were moving as fast as possible but since they were finishing entire orders before moving onto the next person the line moved slowly. The entire bar was decked out in Christmas decorations, featuring a large tree, numerous festive wall adornments ideal for Instagram. The place fully embraced the Christmas theme, significantly contributing to the dive bar's overall ambiance. The Christmas-themed menu consisted of 5-6 festive drinks including a couple of seasonal specials, and a "nice and naughty" shot. I tried the ube and coconut drink which I thought was really tasty and not too sweet.The combination of ube and coconut proved to be harmonious and it was quite strong. I also tried the pumpkin espresso martini drink which was definitely stronger but I didn't really get the hints of pumpkin or espresso. They also had Jell-O shots that were surprisingly big. They had red and green Jell-O shots, but honestly, I couldn't tell much difference in taste between them read more

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Drinks - this is for the Christmas Dive Bar pop up. The drinks were pretty good, and they were (aside from the shots) decently strong. I did wish they had a little more variety in their selection but overall they had at least one drink everyone in our group was interested in. Service - the bartenders were very kind and efficient. They were also able to elaborate on any questions we had. Ambiance - it was super festive and every inch was decorated. They played holiday movies and music and there were a bunch of photo ops. Overall a good experience. read more

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A great place to dance and have fun with friends without the crowd! I came on a Saturday night. They have a decent sized first level, and a pretty decent sized balcony level upstairs that overlooks the main floor. Both floors have bars. You can rent out part of the balcony level for a very reasonable amount, so I highly recommend doing that if you want to celebrate a birthday or occasion! Drinks were good, service was great, and the DJs were amazing. They played the perfect songs for a millennial crowd, and also played mostly just a verse + chorus before changing to another so you wouldn't get bored. The whole night there was enough people that you didn't feel weird dancing, but not too crowded that people bumped into you or you couldn't dance hard because there wasn't space. A great venue for the perfect night out! read more

The bartender was very sweet but other than that the environment was not friendly at all. I do not recommend.

sexist bartender served ALL the men and made me wait 30 min for my 3rd drink before having me escorted when i asked how much longer I had to wait. tip: if that happens to you ladies, don't you DARE say anything about it or you'll get kicked out on your bday ! :) read more

The Woods - Dance Clubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Time for an update...it's already been two years! I still come to The Woods for special occasions, such as birthdays and bachelorettes. Music for the most part is still pretty good, playing old school hip hop and R&B. I have noticed the last two times I was here, when the DJs switch and all of a sudden the music switches to EDM. EDM isn't exactly me or my friends' cup of tea but it kind of did ruin the mood of the bachelorette I attended last weekend, where we were dancing and enjoying the music. When it switched to EDM, we all just moved to the bar and hung out for a bit before leaving. I still think the floor is scary when it shakes due to people jumping but I have noticed that it hasn't been as bad as previous experiences. As always, there's $5 cover. I still recommend The Woods for a night out. It might be a hit or miss for those who strictly want R&B and Hip Hop. read more

YES! Finally a good hiphop DJ - DJ on Sat. night was fantastic. Spacious dance floor, bartender was friendly enough. Crowd was a good vibe, decent number on the floor without being overly crowded (ie: Balmar, R Bar). Zero ventilation but neither do most of the dance clubs in Seattle. read more

The concept of having a club upstairs is pretty great and I can deal with the $5 cover. They played pretty good music - ranging from old school hits to Top 40 billboard stuff. It gets pretty crowded and muggy up here and waiting for the bathroom kind of sucks too. This place is definitely becoming one of the more frequented spots now especially since HG Lodge is closing and Havana gets so packed. read more

Hey kids!!! Are you looking for a place to dance? Are you looking for strong drinks in mason jars? Are you looking for a Top 40/90s variety of tunes? Are you still looking for a place to dance? If you answered yes to the first and last question ( at least) then you're probably still looking for The Woods! This somewhat hole in the wall is located above Grim's Butterfly Lounge. And literally is about the length and width of a super-sized treehouse; That is, if a treehouse had a bar, DJ booth on a deck above you, one bathroom, windows, two trashcans, a random piano, and a partridge in a pear tree. But wait, there's more! This downtown experience will not only get you into one of the better hip hop dance club scenes in Capital Hill, it'll also double as a sauna!!! That's right, a sauna! Come early enough and reserve your spot because the smallish room fills quickly and the questionably air-conditioned space will only. get. hotter! How hot, you ask? So hot that I literally removed a vest and button-up before literally regretting wearing anything at all. Ever. Folks, it was just that hot!. It's like Black Friday at Walmart: Once the doors open, every one gets in! And once you're in, don't expect to leave and come back. The line gets long and stays that way. In other words, once you're in, you're in! Now with an experience like that, you'd have to have a soundtrack to burn all those calories to. That's why there are not one, but t-t-t-two DJs!!! One of them will make you think you're headed back into a 90s jam session reminiscent of B-Boy moves, pops, locks, cabbage patches, and tootsie rolls. But don't worry because as soon as you start having a good time in a former era, DJ Numero Dos (not his name) will come in and mix you up with upbeat reggaeton and top 40 hits that get the body moving...usually to the wall or back to the bar. And then before you know it, it's Heavy D and the Boyz! Your feet'll be confused all the way to last call! Did I her someone ask about relieving themselves? Forgetaboutit! At some point, the line to the bathroom becomes random conversation with strangers and a test of strength to your hopefully super-powered bladder-holding capabilities. One stall and one stall only, ladies and gentlemen! For a night like this, you'd expect to pay at least fifteen dollars to get in! But if you act now, you can get past the bouncer with ID for only five dollars. FIVE DOLLARS! FIVE. DOLLARS. So save up your paycheck, put on a tank top, and head down...*ahem* up to The Woods on a Friday night!! Take a few friends!! There's a decent vibe there, albeit an eventually crowded one. You're bound to have a good time, lose a few pounds, and maybe even win a few rounds of "What's That Smell?" Seriously, it's freaking hot in there. Go to The Woods if you want to burn calories and like a little wallpaper decor with your dancing. Don't go to The Woods if you're claustrophobic. Or plan on going to the bathroom. Or are wearing a lot of clothes. read more

The Woods is Capitol Hill's best new dance club and is a great addition to the building occupied by the already popular Grim's and The Butterfly Room. I was able to visit this spot during a friend's birthday and was really impressed by the look and feel of the decor which is sort of a modern, stylized take on the interior of a log cabin and is very simple but doesn't come across as plain or boring. The wood coloring and texture give off a warm and welcoming vibe which allows you to focus on trying out those new moves you've been testing out on Dance Central at home (I know you've been shufflin'!). This isn't a huge space by any means, but you will find a good sized bar in one corner, bathrooms on the other side, and pretty much nothing else but the dance floor in between. No reason to mess with lots of tables, chairs, or other lounge style decor, just lots of room to do the running man, the robot, or even the Dougie (I know you just busted a little robot move as you're reading this!). A perfect night out could easily consist of a delicious dinner and drinks (which come in mason jars!) at Grim's on the first floor, some fancy cocktails in the dark and swanky butterfly room one floor up, and then on to the third floor for shots, PBR's, and dancing the night away in The Woods. Now pull up those saved episodes of SYTYCD that I know you have on your DVR, get your practice on, then head down to The Woods to show everyone what you got! read more

If you know me, you know I like dancing ... hard. After succumbing to the ol' early 2000 club scenes where you have to try to dance like you're too cool for school, I've switched it up and now just go ape crazy and do whatever the F I want to do. Being a smidge older now, I've lost all my inhibitions and now make it a point to dance and make an ass out of myself. So, color me poop when my friends and I decided to go to the Woods only to find that a) you're paying $5 to get into an empty, sad, small dance closet, b) people don't actually dance but velcro themselves to the walls and stare judgingly at everyone gyrating, c) the DJ seems to forget what he/she's trying to do by mixing recent hip-hop with 80's pop and 90's techno... What the....... I don't get going through all the trouble to pay to relocate and stand in a different room. All bad. Seattle's never been known for extravagant clubs, or even decent ones at that, but this takes the cake as the saddest dance room I've ever been to since my high school prom which was in our cafeteria......... read more

If you've ever experienced a wave pool, The Woods is totally like that-- but instead of water, you're riding on planks of wood surrounded by a clump of sloshed twenty/thirty-somethings, sometimes in attire that resemble bikinis. Kid you not, EVERY TIME the bass dropped, or a R&B throwback played (which was pretty much every song), the floor would pulsate. I found myself drunkenly calculating the drop from The Woods to Grim's.... it had to be no more than 15-20 ft, I could survive that! Ok, I was drunk to be honest so I am probably exaggerating the floor movement. But if we were to look from the perspective of the glass is half full, the possibility of falling one story below is sort of exhilarating, right?? You know what those love psychologists say, that fear actually increases attraction and brings you closer to your person of interest. Maybe The Woods is on to something.... Regardless, I had a good time. I liked feeling like I was dancing in a log cabin, I liked how I didn't have to use the bathrooms (if I did, I might have knocked it down a star oops), and the cover was reasonable. I would totally come here again. read more

Seattle does not have many good dancing places, regardless of what you are told. So the woods, all things considered, is not bad. But it is small and crowded, and since it is on the second floor, the mass of people dancing actually makes the floor sag and you can feel it. The coat rack is eh - it's small and right next to the bar, and the coats are not covered in any way, so they are exposed to potential drink spills from the bar. There are other areas where you can stash your coat, and I didn't feel like my coat was going to get stolen by anyone. Speaking of which, the crowd is mostly 20's and a lot of college students, frat bros and sorority girls. I had a rum and coke, and when I realized it was diet cola instead of regular, I gagged and asked the bartender to change it. He graciously did and checked the back for any more regular coke but they were out. The DJ's here are what makes it truly worthwhile. It's top 40's and hip-hop with some fun throwbacks. I have always have a great time dancing here, because the DJ really knows how to read the crowd and pick the next song. read more

I went downtown with a girlfriend for a fetish show and ended up in The Woods. I'm just now piecing together how this happened... Ok, OK... Three dollar cover on a Monday? Whatever, I'm wasted, and here's exactly three bucks. How the F**k did I even end up here? I was trudging around the streets of Capitol Hill with a group of vampys and goth kids. Yes. Me. IKR? And I think I mighta ate a wiener at that cart on the corner. Yeah. Pretty sure I bit off a big hot wiener on my way there. So, for whatever reason. It happened to be industry night. Big surprise huh? I had one drink here, vodka something, served in a mason jar. Reminded me of home. But, HOLY SMOKES. I was three sheets to the wind and would never ever known that they call this place "The Woods". I smoked clove cigarettes. Real ones from Singapore. Not those s****y cigarillo ones they sell here in the states. read more

This is the little dance club atop one of my favorite Cap Hill spots... Grim's. So the culmination of the many times I danced the night away at the Woods brings about my score. But let's first start with some of the positives! The most immediate positive is that it's cozy with a nice sort of vibe. The DJ Booth is high above the bar and the huge windows overlooking 11th between Pike and Pine make for some interesting people watching. The crowd is generally less "meat-market" like and fun. Not alot of douche-pandas infecting the crowd with their fist pumping Affliction t-shirt wearing Acua di Gio bathing stench. Each time I've gone it hasn't gotten too crowded and there was always room to dance, which is a bloody godsend when most nightclubs in the city tend to want to pack the dance floor so people are crammed in like bloody sardines. While I love the specialty drinks at Grim's, the bar in the Woods tends to be fairly limited... I guess I could always go downstairs, but the bar tends to get so packed it's kinda a pain at times. The DJ's can be kind of hit and miss at times, but at least they play some killer cuts. The restroom situation is a pain. There is one stall upstairs and two stalls downstairs (all individual) and it makes it a sort of inconvenience if you have the constitution where alcohol just goes right through you. Overall... I would come back here and I generally have a good time. Not my favorite dance club, but A-Okay when the urge to move my booty arises. 3 dance-my-prettys-DANCE stars out of 5 read more

AS GOOD AS IT GETS. Best resident and guest DJs. Best staff. Best vibes. It get super packed, but only because it's awesome. Get ready to dance your heart out to all of the songs that you forgot you loved in high school and junior high. read more

Overrated! I have been here a handful of times and will often go with my girlfriends to dance the night away BUT there are just too many issues with this place that has lead me to decide that I will NOT attend this venue again. The main one being: 1. The bouncer is so rude and out of line. (The main guy at the outside door)He will let whoever wants to pay him money to get in cut in line with no knowledge of the fact they still have to pay a cover to get into the venue. He is disrespectful and really has lead me to never want to go to the woods. I am sure must live a lonely, ugly, miserable life and gets some joy out of taking college student's money and being rude for no apparent reason. I would rather go to Q or Havana that have larger dance floors, more air ventilation, and much friendlier staff. My business is going no where near this place. read more

Yes, yes it is veeeeeery slightly like a tree house. Slightly. And only because of the trees. When we first came in, the DJs were playing great music. A nice mix of 90s R&B and some current songs that hadn't been overplayed on the radio. A little TLC, a little Ryan Leslie. Nice. After a while, though, the DJs switched, and if I were a flower, watered by good music, I would have wilted. I'm sure it worked for other folks because the floor never really cleared out... it just... wasn't for me. We got there relatively early (I think it was about 10:30? I don't completely remember) and didn't have to wait too long to get in. The line for the bar was fairly short throughout the night, as well. That was nice. As the night went on, I noticed the line was getting longer and longer outside. Come early because it's a small club. And it gets realllllllllllllly hot. We kept looking at the windows, wondering why they weren't open. I seriously couldn't count on my hands the guys that I saw with sweat dripping down their faces. Not a good look. Oh. And they serve drinks in mason jars. Love it!! I didn't want to wait for the bathroom, so I don't have a report on that. In short: DJs were spotty on music choice. HOT. Unsteady flooring. Short bar lines. Get here early. read more

Very interesting place with a unique mix if people. You have everything from skaters, yuppies, younger to slightly older coming to this place. It actually makes for a very unique experience. There's two parts, the upstairs and downstairs. Downstairs is more of a regular bar where as upstairs is basically a club with an open set up and one bar. No tables, just open space. Music wise, the place was outstanding. Played some old r&b and hip hop songs I haven't heard in years and did a dam good job mixing them. My issue was just the scene... Being a New York reveler, nothing quite compares to the manhattan scene, so this was a bit of a stretch for me. It was jam packed with no where to seek refuge and the crowd got really young as the night went on. I was definitely digging the music, but otherwise it's definitely not my scene. A solid three stars for originality and music though. read more

The sweatiest dance venue ever- dress for the sauna! The music is always great, bar easily accessible, and the crowd is always amazing. Only Warning: they don't care if you're celebrating an event/bday here and bringing tons of business. read more

Finding this place was a little bit like finding The One. I have been through one too many douches (douchey dance clubs) then I met this one. Sure, it's not absolute perfection. It has its flaws. Like it kind of felt like being in a pressure cooker inside an oven while it's 100 degrees outside... but it was bearable. Despite that one annoying quality, everything else about it was not bad at all. The DJ played a great mix. Some newer songs, some Janet Jackson, some early 2000s R&B songs (does that count as old school now? Darn!). Also, the crowd was chill and didn't really bump into douchey guys on the dance floor. When feeling someone's over eager hoo-ha on your back is the new handshake at clubs in Seattle, just dancing is a very welcome change. The vibe of the crowd alone made this my kinda place. I've recommended it to most friends but please tell sketch crowds to stay away. read more

This place is so hit or miss. Which can really be dissapointing, especially if you are ready to dance, dance, dance and music is reminiscent of being stuck in an elevator on shrooms. That's where the star is lost, it also gets crazy packed. You will definitely wonder how its possible to fit so many people in this space, you will definitely wonder if you are getting enough oxygen. There is no doubt that I will go back as the hill doesn't have very many dancing destinations and the drinks are very strong. read more

This place is a great place to have LNO....aka ladies night out. My girls and I went here and it was a great night. The bar had tasty fun seasonal and drink specials on the wall. The dance floor was easy to move through. The only thing is about this place was their bathroom. In the very top floor there was a bathroom with one stall and a huge line. We ALL drank a lot that night and I waited a while to use the restroom. read more

I love this place but I won't go back if the A/C isn't working! I felt like I needed a mat and towel for this hot yoga studio dance floor. Other than the heat, I love the music and crowd, drinks are great as well. I love being able to sit down at Grim's after dancing. read more

I have heard good things about this place and decided to come here for my last night in Seattle with my friends. As soon as I came in and paid the cover charge, the girl who was putting wristbands on people at the door had the worst attitude. I understand that working at a bar can be stressful, but to take it out on people who are trying to have a good time is just wrong. I should have got her name, but she was a red head with a lot of freckles on her face. When I took out my left wrist for her to put a wrist band on, she smacked it down and yanked my right. I was in disbelief. Extremely rude and unnecessary. read more

Its cold in the winter and I like that I can go from Grimms/The Butterfly Lounge, the bars, up to a club without having to go outside. It kind of sucks they have $5 cover since there are so many places in town that are free (before a certain time). Their coat check was $3 too. Ha!! The bar was out of tonic water at about 11:30 on a Saturday night. Kinda weird. lol. The floor is a good medium-size since I don't like clubs that are too big. They have the only other bathrooms in Grimms/Butterfly Lounge/The Woods which is really a real gem for these 3 places. The place kind of has barn/cabin vibe with all the wood but I like the floor to ceiling windows where you can see the crowd outside. All in all, I'd say this is a decent place to dance. Too bad about cover but at least it's not more than $5. read more

The Woods is a very cool space that is on the 3rd floor of Grim's. They did a great job creating a unique environment that is rustic and evokes, uh, the woods. Actually, the only trees you see are painted on the wall, but the room is spacious, has a lot of cool exposed beams, and reminds me of a barn. Unlike many clubs, The Woods also has a large wall of windows overlooking the street below and a stunning unobstructed view of Value Village. As for the bar, service is efficient and they serve some pretty stiff drinks and after a couple of manhattans, I was definitely on my way. The one downer, as mentioned by other Yelpers, is the bathroom situation. I thought the ETG was bad with two toilets for their small space, but that is a dream when compared to the Woods - the Woods is much larger and has only one toilet. There are other options, such as going downstairs or next door to Barca, but the space could really use at least one more toilet. Overall, this is a really cool space, and I am looking forward to what other DJs and shows they will bring in the coming months. read more

It was hard for to give this 3 stars. I really like almost everything about this place! Fun atmosphere, DJs, dancing, drinks, etc. The huge PROBLEM is that as soon as this place gets crowded, there is a ridiculous line and you CANNOT get back in! I had to go outside for some fresh air. The gal at the door wouldn't say if my wrist band would get me back in, wtf?! Then the line to get in was so absurd, I ended up leaving my tab open and taking off. I'm sorry, but I do no want to be made to stand in a long line after I've already paid. The Woods really needs to figure out a solution to this problem. And please, let people with wrist bands back in! read more

The music is on point! Especially if you're born from mid to late 80s. On Friday nights, the DJ plays all the good old cuts and some current top 40 too. There isn't a specific type of people or crowd there so you get a lot of diversity and fun people watching opportunities. Try to catch a spot with your group over by the window ledges. The windows open up and when it gets hot, you'll want to be by those windows! read more

This bar has good music, but the drinks are expensive and the venue gets crowded quickly. What I like most about the venue is it is a slightly older crowd (late 20s early 30s). read more

great music. mixed crowds of gay/lesbian/hip hop heads/hipsters/scenesters/whatevers. my friends frequent here and i quite enjoyed coming here a few times. the lighting, decor and placement of bar is standard... but it's simply too small for a place that plays such good music. such a shame. the couch is disgusting- they need to get rid of it. the restroom... don't even try it. read more

OK club to go to for dancing on a Friday night. Cover is only $5. Problem is, they let WAY too many people in that it becomes impossible to move around and just a hot sweaty sticky mess. The club itself I would give 3 stars... but the reason for 1 star is because the workers here are shady and lack good customer service. 3 of the 11 people in my party left the club without our jackets because it was impossible to get to because of all the people on the dance floor, thinking we could just pick it up the next day... ( yeah I know that was a very bad idea) Two of us left our jackets in one spot and the one guy left his jacket in another spot... and the next morning when we called to see if they had our jackets... the guy who picked up the phone said they had a lost and found but he was too busy to check if the 3 jackets were there. 10 minutes later we got to Grimm's to go see if we could retrieve our jackets since the guy who picked up the phone was too busy to go check... to our amazement there were only 3 tables of guests and a ton of workers just standing around. And when we came in, no one greeted us or asked what we needed... they just all stood there staring... we finally asked one of the bartenders if someone could check the lost and found for the jackets. After giving us a blank stare... he directed us to some guy standing around to come help us out. When we described our jackets... he seemed very uninterested and almost annoyed to have to go to the back and look. After a good 5 minutes he came back empty handed and said there were no jackets that fit those descriptions. Although we were dumb to leave the club without our jackets, it's pretty hard to believe that 3 different jackets, 1 of which was in a separate location were all stolen. All being good quality North Face jackets... all I'm saying is if you come here, make sure you don't forget your belongings because I'm pretty sure it won't be there in the morning! read more

Too hot and crowded to handle. The music was pretty awesome, hip hop dance electronica throw-back was great, but that was about the only redeeming quality here. read more

Why is the wait like 45 minutes to get into this place? Well one problem is that it's the smallest room ever. The whole venue is just small, and so weird how you walk in, it's Grims and all laid back, then walk up the stairs and it's "The Woods" and crowded as heck, the floor is shaking, and I am wondering...where is the nearest fire exit... Also the DJ played really weird stuff, kept jumping decade to totally different genres, must have been having a bipolar DJ night? It wasn't worth the $5 cover and the wasted time in line... read more

I had an awesome time when I came here on a Saturday night. I had gotten separated from my friends, so I decided to check this place out on my own since I had heard good things. When I got there around 11:30, the line was insanely long--I waited for almost an hour to get in! Luckily, there were some cool people next to me in line, so we had fun anyhow. After you get into the building, there's another line to get upstairs to the dance space, which is why I'm not giving 5 stars. I get that they didn't want the dance floor too crowded, but having to get back in line after already waiting outside for an hour sucks. Anyhow, once I got upstairs, it was awesome. There were cute guys (and only one creepy one that I encountered), good music, and good drinks! I love the little mason jars that the drinks come in here! There was a good mix of people here. One negative is that there were only two bathrooms, which was not enough, so make sure to plan to have to wait for a while if you need to pee. read more

The people running this joint don't seem to know anything about, or have any experience with, running a club and club culture. Layout and staff are subpar - the bouncers and staff are aggressive and uninviting. The rotating DJs are all a joke - but I wouldn't expect anything more out of Seattle's "behind the times" sad excuse for a club scene and nightlife. Corny music, bad mixing, trying-too-hard variety of Top 40, cheesy 90's techno (and the 90's had a LOT to choose from), predictable high school throwback rap jams, and crappy trap - all mixed into one crappy mix! But, hey - they're only trying to appeal to the drunken bros and woo girls out in the New Capitol Hill. read more