Ma'ono Fried Chicken & Whiskey
You wouldn't expect a place that's changed its name and mission — now Hawaii-inspired — to still boast one of the best burgers in town. Yet that's the case with Ma'ono Fried Chicken and Whiskey. Formerly known as Spring Hill Restaurnat & Bar, Ma'ono still offers great food, but this time it's with a focus on upscale fried poultry, with room on the menu for Musubi — a sandwich made with rice and spam, wrapped in nori — dishes incorporating Hawaiian salt, and the aforementioned burger, now christened the Ma'ono Burger, but still featuring applewood-smoked ground chuck, bacon, and cheese between butter-griddled sesame English muffins. We hear the whiskey selection isn't too bad, either. [via]
Easy Street Records & Cafe
Seattle is a town known for its music, so when you say you're the longest running record store in town, that actually counts for something. Located on the west side of town, Easy Street Records & Cafe opened in 1988, and has outlasted some of the bands its hosted for in-store gigs, as well as its sister location in the Queen Anne. Inside, you'll find a huge selection of both new and used vinyl, CDs, DVDs, and books, as well as a full-service cafe that offers up breakfast and lunch as well as beer, wine, and coffee.
Poco Wine & Spirits
You'd expect a wine bar located in the Pacific Northwest to focus on wines from that region... and Poco Wine & Spirits is no exception. Located on Capitol Hill, this smallish spot — there's only 16 seats downstairs and 26 on the second floor, so get there early — serves up a selection of reds and whites with a focus on regional vintages, a number of cocktails (spirits is in the name, after all), and a small number of craft beers, as well as some small plate-style foodstuffs. And while we're not normally ones to push the social networking, your first Foursquare check-in will net you a free bowl of truffled rosemary popcorn with your drink — so in this case, it might be worth it.
Where Ya At
Who better to bring Creole cuisine to the Pacific Northwest than a New Orleans expat? Where Ya At is the food truck child of Culinary Institute of America graduate Matt Lewis, offering up classic Louisiana treats like po' boys, muffulettas, jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, shrimp and grits, corn bread, and desserts like sweet potato and pecan pies and, of course, jambalaya. Of particular note is the Peacemaker, a po' boy packing fried oysters, bacon, pickled hot peppers, and cheddar cheese, but whatever you choose, you're sure to enjoy a taste of the bayou in every bite.
The Swinery
Despite its name, The Swinery does offer more than just pork products — although to leave without having a least a taste does seem inappropriate. Self-labeled as a "Temple of Porcine Love", the Swinery is Seattle's first sustainable butcher, in that it buys all of its animals — whole — from small farms within 300 miles of the shop, with a preference for certified organic products. A plethora of steaks, chops, house-made sausages, dried and smoked meats, cheeses, and, of course, bacon is available, as is a menu of freshly made burgers, fries, bacon dogs, and other goodies from the courtyard counter.
Zig Zag Cafe
We're not saying it's easy to find — its spot on the Pike Street Hill Climb has befuddled many — but it's worth the search. Located just steps from the Pike Place Fish Market, the Zig Zag Café serves up some of the best cocktails in town. It's not a big place — there's only 12 barstools — and thus it fills up fast, so consider yourself warned. Just think of it as a really hard to get theater ticket — because watching the master barkeeps do their thing is as good of a show as you're going to find.
Jive Time Records
We're not going to say it's the only vinyl outlet in town, but if you happen to be in Fremont, you're not going to find a better music shop than Jive Time Records. In business for over 10 years, this local store offers a surprisingly large selection of vinyl, much of which is offered at absurdly low prices — think $3 or so. They also offer CDs, DVDs, and cassettes, but the vinyl is the real draw — unless, of course, you're looking for the vintage magazines that pop up from time to time.
Liberty Bar
Liquor, beer, wine, and sushi — all great things, and all served up at Liberty Bar. In business since 2006, this Capitol Hill joint offers an astounding liquor selection — over 85 bourbons and ryes, over 100 types of scotch, Japanese, Indian, Irish and Canadian Whiskies, over 40 gins, 50 tequilas, many Mezcals, and plenty of vodka — that it uses to create scratch cocktails that are as fresh as can be. Oh, and we hear the sushi's not bad, either.
Blackbird
Yes, they're located in the Pacific Northwest — but that doesn't mean they have to sell gear for lumberjacks. Blackbird is the perfect place to go for guys searching for a more upscale look. Thanks to a great blend of curated pieces from quality labels and select self-labeled items, Blackbird can provide the building blocks for a number of stylish looks. They also offer a selection of stuff for the home, and if you happen to be in need of some apothecary goods, they have a shop for that, too — located just two doors down the street.
Rob Roy
Come for the cocktails, stay for the atmosphere. Not only does Rob Roy offer up some of the Emerald City's best cocktails — hand-prepared by professionals that care every bit as much as you do about your drink — but it also offers incredible ambiance, thanks to a swanky, den-like interior that just begs to be lounged in. Visit the back wall to check out the vinyl, turntable, and reel-to-reel tape player, and if you happen to stop in around happy hour, be sure to avail yourself of the free Goldfish — the cracker, not the actual fish.
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Oysters are dependent on freshness — and you'll be hard-pressed to find fresher oysters than the ones being offered up at The Walrus and the Carpenter. Located in the newly restored Kolstrand building, this unpretentious spot offers a variety of fresh oysters from its raw bar, and also serves up plenty of other locally-sourced seafood — including house-smoked fish — with an ever so slight French flare. The Lewis Carroll reference is just icing on the cake.
Ace Hotel
It might not have many rooms, but what it lacks in size it makes up in personality. The slightly bohemian, slightly sleek Ace Hotel is located in Belltown, within walking distance to all the major sights in Seattle, including the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and the waterfront. While the design of the guest rooms is modern, each packs in some interesting details, as well as comfortable low-slung beds. It also offers a hip cafe and bar on-site, and technophiles will appreciate the free Wi-Fi. If all that sounds good to you, look for their other spots in Portland, New York, and Palm Springs.
