Seattle was completely ignored by Esquire's Best Bars of 2011. Out of our booming cocktail scene, only one bar in the city limits was selected--two in Washington. At first glance, it seemed that it was because of Esquire's emphasis on new bars, around two years old and younger, for this year's list (which would explain the exclusion of previous picks like the Zig Zag). But the two Washington bars, Sambar and the Geoduck Tavern in Brinnon, both of which have more whiskey stains than my prom dress. more ›

On the eve of SIFF's Opening Night Gala, McCaw Hall was abuzz with excitement and beautifully dressed people. An actual red carpet greeted the VIPs, as did as a line of photographers waiting to snap their pictures. We won't lie--we loved it. more ›

Belltown has a respectable ratio of good-looking people to not-so-much. That doesn't mean they are good people, just well maintained. As it's the city's preeminent non-Pioneer Square meat market, we thought we'd examine two of the more prominent neighborhood institutions to determine which locale is best suited for all-purpose hook-ups. more ›

Yesterday we were reading about the new speakeasy craze in the New York Times, and William Grimes listed a few of the first wave: "Their name is legion: the Varnish in Los Angeles; Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco; Speakeasy in Cleveland; the Violet Hour in Chicago; Manifesto in Kansas City, Mo.; Tavern Law in Seattle (scheduled to open later this month)." Who's so dialed-in they can make the Times without being open? Chef/owners Brian McCracken and Dana Tough of Spur. Tavern Law will be a part of Trace Lofts, on Capitol Hill. more ›

The world would be a better place if there were less bad mojitos. What's a bad mojito? One that tastes of rum and 7Up with annoying bits of some strange green herb getting in the way. What's a good mojito? A glorious, transcendent marriage of mint and lime, a touch of sweet, a subtle punch of alcohol. In a word, refreshment. more ›

Today is a downright glorious day, so if you haven't started drinking already, head down to Solo for Seattlest happy hour! From 5-8 p.m., we'll be there taking advantage of Solo's all-day Monday happy hour, with $1 off all beers and wines, $2 Rainiers, $3 wells, $4 sangria, and $5 food. We'll also be raffling off prizes from Oberto, including jerky, t-shirts, and your very own steak brander. Get thee to Lower Queen Anne! more ›

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Bitters and cocktail drinkers had a falling out some decades back, but Seattle is one of the cities that is bringing them back in a big way. Last night we were in Oddfellows Cafe, sitting at the bar and sampling their cocktails, when we noticed that, of the eight listed, four have bitters in them. In fact, their version of the Blood and Sand cocktail contains blood orange bitters made on the premises. The Toronto cocktail combines Angostura bitters and Fernet Branca to bracing, salutary effect, but the Oddfellows Elder Fashion, which unites Campari, orange bitters, and elderflower liqueur is not for beginners. Don't say you weren't warned. more ›

We've previously had a bone to pick with 15th Avenue icon Coastal Kitchen, but not this time. An everyday 9-11 p.m. happy hour suits us just fine. (We love a good happy hour, but sometimes you want a drink outside of the 5-7 window.) In addition to $3 well cocktails, draft beers, and house wine, Coastal invites you to shell out just $3 for fish tacos, mini burgers, or fried calamari. We didn't even know Tunisia had a happy hour, but $3 can also net you a bacon-fried lamb meatball sub, chicken wrap, or flatbread pizza with tomato sauce and goat cheese. more ›

Friends, it's time we put aside our differences and came together in the name of an hour that is happy. This "happy hour" will consist of finely mixed beverages and tasty snackers from the good people at the Zig Zag. We shall brave the cold and the rain and the hellfire just to reach the fun. This month's happy hour also serves as our quasi-4th birthday pseudo-celebration, so join us from 5-8 p.m. Oh yes, there is also a prize pack to give away (including a $10 gift certificate to Barrio, t-shirt, beer mug, shot glass, and bottle opener), courtesy of the app-happy people at GoTime. Drop us an RSVP on teh Facebook, and head on down to the Zig Zag tonight. more ›

Another month has come and gone, and here it is almost Seattlest happy hour time again. Next Monday (the 16th), we're venturing all the way downtown to the Zig Zag, because (to quote Katelyn), "the Zig Zag is, like, famous." True. This month's happy hour also serves as a belated 4th birthday celebration of sorts, so join us next week from 5-8 p.m. for Zig Zag's legendary cocktails, happy hour food and drink specials, and a prize pack giveaway (including a $10 gift certificate to Barrio, t-shirt, beer mug, shot glass, and bottle opener), courtesy of the nightlife-friendly people at GoTime, who invented that cool Happy Hour iPhone app. Please RSVP to our Facebook invite, so we can give the good folks at Zig Zag an approximate headcount. See you then! more ›

INAUGURATION PRE-FUNK: On this most hallowed Inauguration Eve, head to Neumo's and raise a mighty yawp for Obama with Orkestar Zirkonium. They'll bring the party with their local take on Eastern European brass and drums. Also on the bill: the funkdefied r&b grooves of Emerald City Soul Club and the urban Latin flavor of Picoso. more ›

"Surprise us," we told Ben at Zig Zag last night. "A cocktail?" he asked. We nodded. A few minutes later he reappeared with a rye-based concoction that also contained Fernet Branca. We nearly fell out of the goddamn booth. A few weeks ago we'd gone to see The Grocer's Son, which featured a little old lady who drinks shots of Fernet Branca. Then in the last issue of The Atlantic, Wayne Curtis waxed rhapsodic about the Italian liqueur's "uncommonly sharp and bitter" taste. So we were all primed to try it out, we just didn't know it--but that's Zig Zag's charm, knowing what you want before you do. more ›

We were sitting in Liberty last night having a gin and tonic, when all of a sudden we felt like we were wearing white after Labor Day. The g&t has been a wonderful, refreshing summer drink, but it's probably time to move on. To what, though? Irish coffee? A Manhattan? Hot buttered rum is too mid-winter. What's a good autumnal drink? Maybe something that goes with a earth-toned scarf or a green cap, if we're not getting too specific. more ›

Mark your calendars: Seattlest's second monthly blogxcursion is coming up one week from today. We'll be heading back to Moe Bar to get our drink on, as we do every third Monday. Come share some happy hour specials with us, have a little fried fish from next door, watch as Jeremy exposes himself. It's sure to be a jolly good time. more ›

This Monday, the 21st, head to Moe Bar for Seattlest happy hour. Moe's splendiferously extended happy hour starts at 3, and we'll be there from 5-8 p.m. Bring $10 and your finest beer bong, because happy hour specials include $2 bottled beer and select drafts, $2 wells, and $2 off drink menu items. Come drink with us the third Monday of every month starting next week. It'll be approximately awesome. more ›

We love a good drink special, so imagine our delight when we came across a full-page ad in the Weekly for a big ol' happy hour next Wednesday. more ›

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We hate to sound like the punchline of a blond joke, but OMG, we are soooo drunk. more ›

For the quarter ended Dec. 31, the company posted a 39-cent-per-share loss -- 13 times the 3-cent loss that analysts were expecting. During the same period a year ago, the company posted net income of $2 million, or 8 cents a share.

It seems like it was just last week that we were gushing over the Bottleneck Lounge. Oh yeah, that was just last week. Well, we're talking about them again. In honor of the Gay Superbowl, the Central District bar is hosting a party: more ›

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