Vermillion is my favorite watering hole, hands down. I don't think of it as a restaurant - but a great bar with much-better-than-it-should-be food options. The service is laid back but sincere, the space is gorgeous, the art gallery compelling, and the happy hour fantastic. I have only been there once or twice on weekends when it gets busy - can definitely get packed and the acoustics of the place work against you when there's a crowd. But for my purposes this is about as perfect a place as we'll see in gentrified Cap Hill. read more

Compelling art and, in back, a well-stocked bar and restaurant. Also holds literary readings. (I've read there and the staff was great to the writers and to the audience.) read more

I stopped in here for the first time on Weds night. My friend and I were out hanging on the hill, waiting to meet up with a friend, so we made a stop here. I suggest Vermillion first for the art, it is fun to walk in, check out the art and be surprised by the small low key bar! Small plates and great drinks make for a good stop off place. The staff is helpful and friendly and I love the space. Go check it out.....! read more

Awesome happy hour! The well drinks were stiff and the bartender brought us bacon to snack on. You read that right, bacon snacks! Any place that hands out meat candy is a friend of mine. read more

The wine is good, the cheese plate is great, but the board games are beyond words. Also, you can just come alone and read about serial killers. What's not to love? read more

It wasn't that great of an experience for me because there was no art on the walls when I went in, and that's the main reason why we went. I understand, you've gotta change your art up, and it seemed like something cool was going in so I'll have to come by another time. Rule #1 about ordering food: Is there a kitchen? No? Don't order dinner there. They had some snacks on the menu. The first thing we tried to order was out, so we got a cheese tray and some "mac'n'cheese." The cheese tray had some sticks of cheese, two apple slices, a few pieces of salami, and a couple bits of French bread. The "mac'n'cheese" was penne with alfredo. I'm so tired of restaurants/bars/etc. trying to pass off alfredo as mac'n'cheese [as I am on a quest to find the best]. It's neither macaroni nor is it covered in cheese. It was gross and he heated it up in a microwave. Also, I seem to recall paying $8 for that bowl of uncheesy disappointment. The things I liked? Whatever my cocktail was. Very tasty--thanks, bartender. I approve of any bartender who can look at a person and accurately guess what awesome drink to make them. Also, I love bars with games. *EDIT* [I changed it a bit because I appreciated the owner's comments, and it wasn't their fault I was on a bad date =)] read more

what a wonderful space! the gallery up front has traditional clean, white walls accompanied by all the smells a gallery should have - a combination of drying paint, fixative and red wine. their shows are varied while feeling more cohesive than your standard cap hill coffee shop display. what would make it five stars? a show featuring my paintings. read more

I've been to Vermillion on several occasions now and tend to enjoy the art that is exhibited here. I don't necessarily understand it all or even agree with the point of the view of the artists, but Vermillion exhibits art that provokes, and I really appreciate that. The bar area is a bit dark but it's comfortable. Their cocktails are delicious, and I love that they offer an interesting, seasonal menu. The last time I visited Vermillion, a friend and I attended a free wine tasting event. Keep an eye on their calendar as they often have interesting things going on - music events, classes, book/poetry readings, wine/food tasting. It's a small to medium sized space that feels down to earth, welcoming, and comfortable. I've had very positive experiences here and plan to continue attending events here. read more

Love to drink here so much that I wonder why I'm not here more often. Front room serves as a gallery space. Bar (full service) in the back. Perfectly cool and cozy with the sweetest worker peoples. read more

Great bar with gallery. Cool quiet bar is dark and comfortable. Their cocktails are delicious, and I love that they offer an interesting, seasonal menu, using local resources. The last time I visited Vermillion, a friend and I attended a free wine tasting event. Keep an eye on their calendar as they often have interesting things going on - music events, classes, book/poetry readings, wine/food tasting. Fun to go on a Friday or Saturday night, while all of Pike is getting a little crazy, this place remains cool. read more

An odd confluence of art gallery, dive bar, and wine bar, Vermillion works in its own way. It works in part because the art displays are pretty cool, and it works because Vermillion also features a decent wine selection, with good cheese and salumi to match (dunno about the other food, but I wouldn't trust it; the salumi and cheese came with some stiff, stale bread). But mostly, it works because organ karaoke is hilarious and fun. At the very least, you have to come here for that. read more

I went to this place for the first time last night with friends and really enjoyed myself. There's a cool art gallery in the front and a bar in the back with a jukebox, a library of Cliff's Notes books, board games, and tables. They have some light fare (mac 'n' cheese for example, yum) and cheese plates, plus a long wine list. They also have french presses if you have a hankering for coffee. The bartender was really nice and checked in on us a couple times to make sure we had everything we needed, even though he was the only one working there. Awesome place to go and chill with friends. :) read more

Good cheese plates and great wine prices during happy hour. There is an art gallery in the front and the bar in the back.

I have never really connected with visual art that much. Vermillion seems to be an exception. I went there for the first time last thursday and I felt like buying %75 of the work that they had on thier walls. Of course my pocket book won't allow that but I definetely know where I am going next time I am looking for something for an empty spot on the wall. Thier drinks are strong and the staff is friendly and engaging. read more

Come here if you are interested in chillin at a cozy spot, have some dranks, and whoop someone's ass on Marvel vs. Capcom 2 arcade machine. There is also a gallery with featured art from local artists. Also if your lucky, you might stumble in while someone is gracing the piano by the entrance, with some intimate vibes. Don't forget to tip!! read more

Interesting place. It's like a dive bar meets a gallery. Granted we went earlier in the evening when there was no one there, but it was a combination I've never really experienced and I'm not sure how I felt about it. I think I'd like it if it was a little busier. The front section feels like a nice sterile gallery while the back has the feel of a dive bar. Hmmm...Yes, the people were very nice, including the owner, but I'm not sure I'll go back. read more

I have seen some very cool art displays here before. The bar is meh but I let that slide and you should too because they bring in such great art and music. read more

$3 Washington wines for Happy Hour. $6 plate of Mac-n-Cheese. This art gallery/bar is tucked away a couple doors down from Barca on Cap Hill and in my never-ending quest for Seattle's best Happy Hour, Vermillion joins the ranks of the elite. Where else can you nosh on cheap bites and play board games or peruse local art? This place is effortlessly cool, and the fact I can get a couple of glasses of wine AND a small plate of food for a wallet-friendly price gives it major points. Great service. Perfect for an intimate yet low-key date, or to catch up with a couple of friends. read more

Definitely give it a chance! Came in for a drink while we checked out the nightly music. Local DJ was not fabulous, but I like the overall hole-in-the-wall vibe. The backroom with bar and dance floor is much cooler than the white-walled, fluorescent-lit small arcade and gallery that acts as the entrance. Nice place to start on a Saturday-night out! read more

this place is SUPER hipster and i kinda felt like i didn't fit in, but the vibe was nice and the ppl weren't too rude. there was a nice bar and minimal seating area when you walk your way to the back of vermillion with more tables and chairs towards the front. it's a for sure lounge area, no dancing and pretty loud. we went on a saturday night and the amt of ppl in vermillion wasn't terrible. it was enough to see that they were poppin' without feeling causterphobic.. pretty much a win win. will have to come back! read more

I hesitate to share the secret of how awesome this place is, because part of what I love is that it s quiet and generally not too crowded. It is a great place to catch up with a friend over a drink and just relax. I had an intimate birthday celebration here last year with a few friends, and no one could stop talking about how cool this place is for weeks. read more

one of my favorite places to hang out. hidden bar at the end of the art gallery, always friendly staffs. not too expensive drinks/foods... just love the vibe of this place! read more

We just went for drinks, which were pretty average. However their house white wine isn't worth the $3 happy hour pricing that we spent on it. read more

I came here on a whim, not expecting much. I kind of liked it. It has space, funky art, decent wine. What more can you ask for? The only down side is its location. We had to drive around to find a place to park, but Liked it alot. I especially liked the bartender. Cute, friendly, funny, personable. read more

Vermillion the Gallery has been open for a couple of months but they just opened the Wine Bar in the back! The bar has a unique atmosphere to any bar I've been to in Seattle. Its neat to be able to walk around the gallery with a glass of wine. I've only tried the house wine, and its great... they serve it in a little carafe which is a clever touch. The food is yummy too. The couple of art shows I've seen have been really interesting, not your average "mantel art". Being partial to 'dive bars', I was skeptical but I felt very comfortable here and will return often. read more

Vermillion was the best place to start out our Seattle trip. We went on a Wednesday night aroudn 5:30 for a quick drink but got so much more! The bartender gave us so many suggestions on sites to see and places to eat. He also steered us clear of tourist traps. We had a few glasses of wine and sampled the cheese and cold cuts from the menu. What would've been a quick stop ended up being our only stop for the night. When we were finally done talking with the bartender, other staff, and other customers, we realized it was 9:30. Filled up on salami and Brie (and a little alchy), we turned in for the night for an early start the next day. The rest of our trip went smoothly as we followed the bartender's advice. I would definitely go back for the food and especially the company. read more

Really underwhelmed. I love the idea, but it really didn't hold up to expectations. We went early on a Saturday night for a glass of wine and a few snacks. The hummus plate was foul - it looked like hummus from two different containers (really different colors and consistencies) had been smushed into the bowl, neither of which had any flavor. The vegetables were truly lacking, with the celery having specks of dirt on it. yuck. When we tried to order wine, they didn't have the first 2 we asked about. The server was reasonably pleasant, and the wine I did end up with was fine, but nothing to rave about. All in all it was a fine experience, but certainly nothing to write home about and not a place I'd actively seek out again. read more

love, love, love this place. very relaxed with an awesome staff that is always friendly. i also love the art gallery in the front. i really enjoy the non-intimidating atmosphere that is sometimes hard to find in a wine bar. they have no problem explaining wines to you that you may not have heard of and letting you taste whatever you'd like before you decide on a drink. and the cheese plates are very yummy :) all around an awesome place. read more