Okay, it's really hard for me to click three stars and not four, because I really want to LOOVE this place. But I cannot tell a lie. The first time I went here, I was broke & hoping for happy hour but happy hour it was not and I could not afford the food or the drinks.. it's pretty pricey. I got one cocktail. A gin drink and it was delicious. I looked over the menu while I was enjoying my cocktail (huge, fabulous cocktail menu by the way) and got reeeeally excited about the menu. Really interesting entrees. A camel burger, an alligator entree, some rabbit thing, lamb, and a jerk tenderloin. The grilled cheese had like goat cheddar and oregonzola and pine nuts and arugula on it.. they had cheese & charcuterie (which I cannot ever resist) and really interesting desserts. I left a little depressed with an eager craving to try EVERYTHING. I went back like a woman on a mission & got the cheese & charcuterie and the cheeses were delicious, especially this amazing brie. The meats were good too.. for the most part. There was a really good sausage and a soppresseta (i cannot spell this for the life of me) but then they had like.. bologne? On their too. Not good.. very weird. And the dinner part.. a little bit of a let down. I had very high expectations resulting from my menu hard on. It was good.. not wonderful. My boyfriend got the lamb with barley that was cooked with some IPA. It was pretty bland, I thought. The sauce it sat in was pretty good. I got the tenderloin & it was better than the lamb. But it was a little overcooked which made me cry a little but in the center was all tender & perfect the way the whole thing should be. It was just kind of dry. And it came with yams which weren't seasoned very well. The whole thing actually was just not very flavorful. I was expecting the opposite. The grilled cheese was good I just thought it tasted almost like it was just Goat Cheese on it. It would be better with a less tangy one I think. Then desserts, man, I was excited for Bacon Baklava, it wasn't anything too special. We ordered two other desserts, the bread pudding & one other.. I can't recall. But none of them were outstanding. It was three hundred dollars for three entrees, three desserts, cheese and charcuterie, three shots of a pretty good tequila, a bottle of wine, and probably around eight cocktails. (We like to drink.) Which is not too expensive really. I think the menu is outstanding, it just was poorly executed. I would go back & give it another chance. I think it has a lot of potential to be a really good spot. read more

Alright, I'm a little confused as to why this place is called a cafe because it is def a bar. Another cute spot in Pike Place which makes yummy mojitos. It was not crowded but not dead on a Sunday evening so you can hear yourself speak. Perfect for actual conversation or a cute date over dim lighting. read more

Easily the best cocktails in Seattle. I can count on one hand the number of places I've been outside Seattle that are similar or better quality. Nice ambiance. read more

Had dinner here last night and was blown away. It was my first time visiting Seattle and my bf and I stumbled upon the zig zag and I'm so happy that we did. The drinks, food, ambiance and bartender (I believe his name is Raul or Ricardo I forgot) made each of our cocktails to perfect and to match what we were having to eat. Portions are huge and easily share-able. Next time I visit (or have friends/family that visit) Zig Zag will be on the top of my list. read more

I really like the ambience, decor, and the location is kind of cute, but I was pretty disappointed when I tried this place after reading so many great reviews. I went there one late evening on a weekday (as per somebody's suggestion to avoid a busy weekend night), which actually may have been a mistake - maybe my server/bartender would've been more on top of his game had the place been a little busier than just a few couples in the whole place. I was open to trying anything - either on the food menu or whatever drink he'd recommend. I gave him some opening lines about what kind of mood I was in, etc. - and he was very non-responsive, not engaging, not proactive in making suggestions really. When he finally decided to get me a glass of wine, he didn't tell me anything about it and he didn't really ask me for my opinion. I don't feel compelled to come back here ever again, unless I have an out-of-town visitor who wants to see some Seattle-type bars of some sort. read more

What a wonderful menu of Greek and American foods. Delicious. The cocktail drinks were superb! Elias was our bartender and he was so meticulous about the way he made the drinks...soo good! Thanks Elias! read more

delicious, unpretentious cafe. great service. the food is cooked to perfection. the kale salad and the tuna are delicious.

Place is cool, but the prices are high, the staff is RUDE and the food is so-so. Much better places to spend your money in the area!

The food was awesome! We had a few dietary restrictions (mainly no dairy) and they were happy to modify the dishes so that we could enjoy them. The octopus was by far my favorite! The ambiance was really nice as well. It's a little hard to find, but it's a super cute and intimate spot. read more

One of my favs! Great ambiance, cocktails, and food - perfect for date night.

We had dinner elsewhere in the market not realizing this place where we have heard such great things about the drinks also served food rather late. The ambiance was very casual yet classic, more or less a speakeasy feel to it. The drink menu looked fantastic. The friendly yet slightly flustered waiter recommended our drinks for us. However, he set my drink in front of my girlfriend and hers in front of me. It was alright because we switched anyways. We took a peak at the food menu though we had just eaten. I couldn't believe the menu. It was rather unique with a lot of substantial creativity. We had to order something. We decided on the fresh figs stuffed with bleu cheese and hazelnuts with a honey drizzle and I believe a frozen mascarpone cream. It was perfect. I was in love with the presentation, the flavors and the simplicity to it. I work in a fine dining kitchen and I cannot wait to go back and have a full on dinner experience. I would give 5 stars if the waiter wasn't so... I don't know, just awkward. Maybe it was just a bad night for him! read more

There don't seem to be a lot of places in Seattle that serve food after midnight, and luckily I found this one on a trip down, which spared us from having to eat subway on a Saturday night. They were very liberal with the amount of booze in the drinks, and the food was fairly priced and well portioned. Will stop by again next time I'm starving in Seattle at 1am. read more

DO NOT GO HERE FOR ANY REASON! This place nearly ruined my birthday party. I spoke with the short blond male manager to make reservation for a large party. He screwed up our seating by giving it to another group that reserved days after we did, then only set a place for our 14 guests around 2 small tables with 10 chairs! Instead of apologizing and accommodating; he was rude, defensive, argumentative, and unprofessional. I didn't want to argue, because it was my birthday and I was with my guests. It was embarrassing. The staff looked scared, sad, and oppressed. The manager was also the host, right off the bat he was rude when we walked in to be seated, the reservation was under my name and he refused to seat me, because "there were people there before me"....I said, "These are my guests....you are seating them for my party!" He snapped "You still have to wait!!", then he attempted to seat my guests without me, my guests refused. We were shocked. Apparently he was in conflict with another large party also. I had to get on my cell and intercept the remaining 10 guests to have them meet us at Chapel instead. Where we had a great evening! The manager of Zig Zag Cafe is the rudest and most arrogant person I've ever met! Totally unprofessional. Don't risk ruining your group gathering at this place. read more

I've reviewed Zig Zag once before, after my first visit, but having been there many, many more times and reading more reviews here, I think it's time I do another. Murray has retired from Zig Zag. The current tenders I've seen are Erik and Ben. Both have slightly different techniques, but they are both great at what they do. Here's my warnings and suggestions for going here: If you're alone or with one friend, sit at the bar. If you're not there at 5 PM when they open, expect to stand or sit at a table until you can get a bar seat, but tell them you're waiting for one and they'll get you when your spot comes up. The people seating you might not be smiles-and-rainbows, but they're busier than they look and they're trying to get as much done as quickly and efficiently as possible. If there's a sign reading "Please wait here" outside the door, they do mean it, and they'll check and let you in when they can; the place doesn't look jammed from the door, but they try not to overcrowd the standing tables or have the bar piled three-deep. When they say they're at capacity, they mean it - everyone is a potential paying customer and they'll get 'em inside as soon as they're able. They don't do this for show. If you're with a group, take a table, but don't expect the same feeling you get when you sit at the bar and do the whole rapport-with-the-tender thing. They may seat you at a table or ask you to go to a standing table until seats open at the bar for you, and they will let you know when your spot opens up. Food: It's a bit on the pricey side but very tasty. The gumbo is awesome and the cheesecake the best I've ever had. All food is made in-house except the ice creams, which come from elsewhere in the market. I've never had food here that I didn't love. Ask the bar to match drinks to the food if you like that - they can and will. Drinks: Talk to the tender. Tell him what you like and don't like. Ask questions. If you have a drink you like made a specific way or with specific brands, tell them. Erik knows his whisk(e)y. They carry countless unusual and hard-to-find products, and will give you a small sample of something if you're curious. Be bold and try new things, or give a flavor profile and/or style and ask them to make you something; don't think you have to order a drink listed on the menu, though those are very good. I HAVE had drinks I didn't like on occasion, but I've asked the tender to alter them and he will. The drinks menu lists most of their liquor, too, but ask for the Captain's List if you want to see the higher-end liquor. WARNING: Do not come to Zig Zag with a HUGE party. Do not expect bar seats immediately on a crowded night, and if you're there with three friends, it might take quite a while to get all of you at the bar. Do not expect cheap, deep-fried "bar food" or, alternately, a food menu as wildly inventive as the drinks. Do not come here if you want quiet - Zig Zag is very noisy. Do not expect a million candy-sweet mixes in martini glasses, all called appletini or chocotini or similar - those are NOT martinis. They can and will make you an apple drink, or a chocolate drink, or whatever flavor you like, if they can. Don't feel put-off if you insist on a martini, manhattan or other classic cocktail, give no specifics about how YOU like it, and don't like how THEY make it. They do not carry Red Bull, or any other energy drinks. Don't be surprised at nine-dollar cocktails. Zig Zag carries only three beers on any day. Best way to experience the Zig Zag, in my opinion, is to come here alone or with one friend and in a talkative mood, on a rainy night, after dark. Wait for a seat at the bar, order drinks, some food and dessert, chat up the other patrons, and imagine you're in a speakeasy and the people walking by outside have no idea you're there. In the summer, the patio outside is mighty nice, and passers-by still might not notice you! read more

They were wonderful to our dog, so sweet. I would definitely go back. My Rutherford cocktail was delicious and we really liked the pita and hummus. read more

We were In here about five Min. Ago. For like 5 minutes lol. Saturday night about 10:50pm . We got in went to the bar found some space only to be asked by a blond male bartender to leave to make room for other people. What the shit lol. Yea no. Who taught him how to service people lol.. Was he drunk or what retarded ? Excuse my choice of adjectives but fuck no I left right Away. Rude. Unprofessional uneducated what else ??? read more

nice lounge and great drink selction. the food is really good an dt he happy hour is even better. being close t o the waterfront is romantic i love having a little zig zag. read more

Named "2010 Best Cocktail Bar in America" by GQ magazine, I certainly had high expectations for this place. Finding Zig Zag can be a little difficult, but once you do, you feel like you've hit the jackpot of coolness. Inside the lighting definitely gets you in the mood for cocktails. The Happy Hour food menu is very small. I got the House Pie, Sauteed Calamari and Bruschetta. All of which were amazing. Who knew toasted bread could taste so good? The cocktails were strong! I'm not exactly an expert on cocktails, but I would guess these cocktails are for a cocktail connoisseur. If you have a small group of friends (6 and under) then you won't need to worry about making a reservation. Considering the time I went (Happy Hour) it wasn't packed for how much fame the cafe holds. This is definitely a place to check out in Seattle. read more

Good atmosphere, good drinks and good food. A public parking just in the vicinity which makes it so convenient in a crazy place like downtown. Just the waiters could definitely be friendlier. read more

A group of eight of us went to Zig Zag tonight to meet an old friend. We'd all been there before, and liked their drinks and atmosphere. We sat in the back area, where they have banquette seats and half-round tables, and had to push a couple of tables together to accommodate all of us. We all ordered cocktails and several appetizers for the table to share. The waitress was fine, nothing great but not too bad. About 35 minutes in, we had all ordered a second round of drinks, and a short, bald man in a Charlie Sheen bowling shirt comes out of the back with an air of importance and makes a beeline for our table. Without a word, he yanks one of the tables we're using back to its rightful place, sloshing a couple of fresh drinks all over it in the process. We all looked at each other, and someone said, "can we take a couple extra chairs from over there?" you know, so we could at least all crowd around the one table we had left. To which the man replied, "Nope, the fire department wouldn't like that". And left. The guy wasn't Murray the bartender, and he wasn't serving any tables, so I assume he was one of the owners. We were there for another 90 minutes, and no one ever came and sat at that other table - I'd guess the place was about half full. Our party's bill was about $200. In these times, I'm surprised that people who have chosen to be in the service industry - you know, when you offer a service to other people, who pay you for that service - insist on treating customers badly. It's a shame that this guy's attitude overshadowed an otherwise enjoyable evening - while I work about a block away and like their drinks and atmosphere, I probably won't be going back to ZigZag anytime soon. Who wants to spend $200 to be treated like that? read more

My wife and I recently took a trip up to Seattle just for fun (btw, our definition of fun is eating and drinking our way through whatever city we happen to be in). Being a former bartender, I am always on the lookout for a great bar that hits all the right notes (well-balanced drinks, attentive service, attention to detail, creativity, ambiance and professionalism). We hit more bars in Seattle than I care to count and found a few gems, but none that could compare to Zig Zag. From it's not-so-easy-to-find location (a plus for me) to its top-notch bartenders to its expertly-crafted drinks, this was by far the best bar we hit during our trip. If my wife and I had not been so thoroughly exhausted from a long day spent walking many miles around Seattle and catching a Sounders game we easily could have stayed until last call and enjoyed every second of it. For me, the hallmark of a true bartender is one that you can give a few basic instructions to (e.g. I like rye, amaros/bitters, not-too-sweet) and just let them run with it and end up with a cocktail that practically brings a tear to your eye as you savor its gorgeous balance and delicate (or not-so-delicate) flavors. This was my experience at Zig Zag. I wish I could recall the bartender's name that served me but alas, between my physically exhausted state and the warm, enveloping haze of a few exquisite cocktails, I am at a loss. Long live Zig Zag. If I ever manage to permanently escape the confines of Southern California for more northern climes, I fully expect to find myself here, and often. read more

Went here with my boyfriend for Happy Hour/Dinner. The Happy Hour menu was good, reminded me of going to a bar in Europe. The marinated olives were amazing and so was the beet salad. All of the flavors just had such a punch, but were very balanced at the same time. Service was great, our waiter was very attentive, but not overly so. I also had the "Pierre" martini, which was very refreshing on a warm-ish sunny day! My boyfriend had the "Eastside" and that was also delicious and refreshing as well. I had the lamb loin, which was one of the most orgasmic food experiences I have ever had, to date. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the avocado mash and ginger just added that extra punch of amazing. One star off because my boyfriend's steak was somewhat chewy, small portioned and the potatoes tasted fishy...not sure what that was all about, but it definitely wasn't worth the $20+ for that particular dish. Otherwise had a great dinner! read more

Came at 930pm. Lively but low key ambiance. A little pricey for small portions. My husbands shrimp dish was a little bland and a lot of work to take the shells off the shrimp. I got the seared tuna with chickpea sauce and it was delicious. read more

So Disappointing unless you want to be loud, obnoxious, sloppy, and drink a lot, but do not order food.. I was relatively hungry and excited for my order of the risotto. When it came it immediately looked very watery and I asked the server if that was how it was supposed to be and she assured me it was. Well, the rice was crunchy, completely underdone and not creamy at all. I waited patiently for the server to return so I could order something else, she never came to check on us and I could not get her attention. I choked down some of the over salted crunchy "food" and when the server returned to see if I needed another cocktail (never asking about the food), I told her I was disappointed in the rice, she told me she would let the kitchen know - I never saw her again. I then went to the restroom and as I came out my friend was heading to another table with the host carrying our plates - apparently they wanted the larger table for other guests (very trashy). The host then put the gross rice back in front of me, I asked him to take it as it was undercooked and he ARGUED with me! He told me it was supposed to be that way and the black rice was supposed to be crunchy, I explained the white rice was crunchy and he said "Well, I know it is fully cooked" - how did he know, he didn't eat it. I finally said, well I did not like it please take it away, and he finally did. Completely ridiculous - they charge $14 for uncooked rice in water with a lot of salt. Avoid the zig zag, they are rude and can't cook. read more

Best cocktails in town. My favorites are the Last Call and the Bomb. The food is pretty good too, and there are some great happy hour deals. The house pie and the hummus plate are awesome. Lots of other fun things on the menu as well. read more

Only came here for a drink because I read about their great cocktail list; expected to stay maybe 20-30 minutes. Well it was 25 minutes before we even got to place an order. There were 2 servers attempting to serve a packed house on a Saturday night. We should have just left, but just as we were about to leave, someone took our order. The drinks took nearly 20 minutes to make, so now we are nearly an hour in and taking our first sip of great cocktails. Nobody ever checked to see if we wanted a second one...we sat there with empty glasses and wanted to try something else, but it wasn't worth it. We walked to the bar, tracked down our server and paid. Sorry for the bad tip, but tipping is based upon service (or lack of service in this case). read more

Really good happy hour drinks. Quite strong. Happy hour menu wasn't anything special, we did get the dip trio of the three we really like the hummus. The tatziki and balsamic ones are for those with an acquired taste to this, pita bread was amazing though! read more

Been here twice. Once for an early dinner (6-ish) and once for a late night (11:30 pm). Both time were excellent, though different menus (regular and late night) . Food was excellent, plenty of option, especially for the late night. Had the grilled octopus starter with their beet salad and that was plenty for dinner. The octopus was grilled perfect, tender and seasoned well. My husband had the Greek Lasagna and thought it was awesome, very well flavored. Drinks - their cocktails are the BEST! Very well crafted. Service was great! Wait staff was friendly, courteous and engaging. Offered great recommendations for food and drinks and they were right on. Will definitely come back again! read more

Perhaps the best bar in town. As has been mentioned, Erik and Murray are great and the drinks coming out of this place are phenomenal. Avoid Friday and Saturdays since it does get very crowded. Probably the best nights are Sunday and Tuesday. read more

Nice spot to meet for drinks an appetizers after work, if you can get in. It is popular, nice decor, low lights, fabulous cocktails, and the staff is friendly. It is a fun place to go! read more

Very nice out of the way spot. It was hard to find but worth it. We shared a cheese platter and chicken kabobs as we weren't very hungry. Friendly wait staff. Nice outdoor patio. read more

Great spot and setting. Reminiscent of European restaurants. Full bar selection with plenty of spirits .

I have always loved the Zig Zag Café, but on our last visit the drinks were a bit off. They were not as tasty as they have been in the past, needless to say we were a bit disappointed. Wondering if there are new bartenders? The blond hostess was a bit rude, which was a surprise because in the past it was always such a welcoming place. I will go back to Zig Zag as it has always been my favorite bar in Seattle, hoping to give it a 5 star rating on our next visit. read more

Had a great selection of cocktails, wines, etc. Food was yum. Difficult to find, but definitely worth it once we did!

and I had throw out an update, the food menu though small (which is better) is always perfectly executed and has a handful of options for treehugging hippies what that don't jive with meat read more

Very good selection of single malts, with very good food as well. The awesome location is cherry on the cake.

Lovely staff, great cocktails, good location. Would return again for sure.

This bar is often crowded and warm, but if you can find a table, you'll have some of the best mixed drinks of your life. The bar is small and dark, and the not-too-dirty restrooms are lit with vertigo-inducing red lights. Located on the hillclimb, it's in a great spot for Seattle regulars and tourists, alike. read more

Looved it here. Great vibe. Cute and brilliant bartender. Its awesome.

Came here based on a recommendation. Had a few drinks at the bar. Bartender was nice and drink was good. Can't rate the food but ambience was great and would come back for drinks read more