seattle | july 2016
I have wanted to visit Seattle since the first time I heard about grunge rock. Seriously. The thought of visiting the birthplace of Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam (and Jimi Hendrix, too, though he's not grunge) has been on my bucket list since before I even knew I had a bucket list.
The Man Friend went to school in California and last year, he was able to meet up with several of his friends from that area (plus some new people) in Austin to celebrate his friend Gregg's birthday. While I wasn't able to attend last year, they decided to make the trip an annual thing. They opted for Seattle this year. Since it's been over 100 degrees for almost the last month, there was no way we were going to miss out on the West Coast weather.
where to eat in seattle
We stayed city-centric this trip. While I definitely want to go back, this visit was meant as more of a reunion with friends as opposed to a serious exploration. As already discussed, the Man Friend and I adamantly refuse to eat anything we can eat at home. That being said, we had the entire world at our fingertips when it came to cuisine. Here were a few of our favorites:
Citizen | 706 Taylor Avenue North
This place was so great, we ate there twice for breakfast. Also, it was really close to our rental and we *might* have taken too long to get ready. However, it was totally worth it. The big winners were the breakfast sandwich, the cowboy casserole, and the crêpes Madame. Definitely splurge on a chai latte. It's the perfect combination of cinnamon and deliciousness. Also be sure to try their delicious boozy brunch beverages, too (did you like the alliteration there?).
Dell's Irish Restaurant & Pub | 1916 Post Alley (Near Pike Place Market)
After battling our way through Pike Place Market on a Saturday afternoon (AGGGGHHHHH, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GO EARLY IN THE DAY!), our group was hungry, thirsty, and slightly frazzled. Our waiter wasn't too thrilled with our group of 8 at first. However, he quickly changed his mind and decided we weren't awful...but we're pretty sure that's because the Christmas in July Santa Pub Crawl participants stopped in (if only I was making that up). We opted for some tasty snacks to share with the table, which included the baked brie, the Irish cheese platter, several bowls of clam chowder, and pasties (corned beef, veggie, and plain beef). However, unless you're a big fan of bell peppers, skip the steamed mussels.
Duke's Chowder House on Lake Union | 901 Fairview Avenue North
While this seems to be a regional chain, we were really happy to have gone to dinner here. We were seated almost immediately, even though there were 8 of us. The view of the harbor was beautiful, too. Even better still, apparently a second happy hour begins at 9pm! I kind of filled up on bread, but I ordered one of the seasonal salads. The Man Friend and I also split a big bowl of clam chowder. It was amazing, some of the best I ever had. One of the best things about it is that they give you the recipe for it. However, how I'm going to procure any fresh clams based on where we live in Texas remains a mystery.
Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya | 320 E. Pine Street
Hands down the best meal we had in Seattle. From the moment I stepped off of the plane, I was on a mission to find some legit ramen. Ever since I tried the real deal in Portland last year, I knew I HAD to have some again. After waiting what seemed like forever after a long day of drinking, we finally got seated and promptly ordered. Table favorites were the gyoza (both veggie and pork) and the spicy, vegetarian, and miso ramen bowls. It was seriously THAT good.
where to drink in seattle
Geeze. This list could be really long. However, I'm going to attempt to keep our vacation drinking to an acceptable level for blogging purposes only. In areas like Queen Anne and Capitol Hill, there are bars all over the place. It takes a little work to find some quirky ones, but they're totally worth the trip.
McMenamins-Six Arms | 300 E. Pike Street
This place was also one we went to twice. The beverages include locally brewed beers and a crazy booze selection. They even had a decent list of loose-leaf teas. Several of the happy hour snacks were awesome (the Cajun tater tots = yum!), but steer clear of the fried chickpeas. However, this place's crowning glory is the salted caramel tart topped with roasted hazelnuts. You know why there's not a picture of it? Yeah.
Frolik Kitchen & Cocktails | 1415 5th Avenue
This place was an intriguing find from Gregg's girlfriend, Elana. The Man Friend may or may not have accidentally left his credit card at a different bar, about 3 miles away. We were a little late to the party, but it was really nice. The rooftop was breezy without being cold and the waitress was knowledgeable and friendly. They were having some sort of beer and whiskey shot special, so the Man Friend partook in that, while I opted for the house red wine.
The Pine Box | 1600 Melrose Avenue
Have you ever had happy hour in an old mortuary? I have...and it was awesome. They offer a wide selection of draft beers, various whiskeys, and interesting cocktail combinations. The snacks were also delicious. Try the bake garlic chèvre with flatbread or the chili-lime dusted popcorn. The patio also has an amazing mural of Bruce Lee, whose service was held at the old funeral home in 1973.
Unicorn | 1118 E. Pike Street
Gregg discovered this bar and it. was. so. fun! Don't be put off by all the weird taxidermy. Just make your way directly to the lower level and the fun begins. There are old school pinball and arcade machines, including skee ball! Because who doesn't like to be drunk and lose money? It's definitely worth the trip.
what to do in seattle
Wait, what? You mean there's more to traveling than eating and drinking? Just kidding. Though the Man Friend and I are pretty iffy on doing too many touristy things on our trips, we generally try to indulge in a few things.
The Space Needle | 400 Broad Street
Well, duh. Like we weren't going to at least stop by to see this? C'mon now. We didn't go up the elevator for several reasons: (1) we felt that we are way too cool to do something like that (2) neither of us is big on heights (3) the line was too damn long. Free to view, unless you go up.
The EMP Museum | 325 5th Avenue North
Like I said above, grunge is what made me want to come to Seattle in the first place. I really wish I could explain the feeling of walking through the Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix exhibits at EMP. To see Kurt Cobain's guitar and Jimi's passport. Just wow. The amazing guitar installation is one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. Enough sappiness. $25 for the museum entry, plus an additional $5 if you wanted to go through the Star Trek exhibit.
International Fountain | 305 Harrison Street
Is there anything better than kids laughing on a sunny afternoon? Check out the video here. Fo' free.
Underground Tours | 614 N. 1st Avenue
I love going on walking tours in new cities. However, I'm also very spoiled with drinking/walking tours (why do you think I love New Orleans so much?!). This tour started off strong, but it got a little boring after a while. I guess I just expected a little more than just wandering around on the streets with an occasional venture down into the tunnels. It was also a little off-putting to see all of the junk and trash strewn everywhere. We had to duck out early because the Man Friend had some work-related calls. $20 per adult.
