Kirkland mini-golf beer bar Flatstick Pub is on track for its Pioneer Square opening in spring of 2016, and it's going to be ridiculous. Eater recently caught up with owner Sam Largent (a former accountant, grinning while rolling up his Fremont Brewing hoodie to display a "Drink WA" tee with a representation of Flatstick's tap handles.) to learn more about the expansive space.
Located underneath Main Street's Good Bar and Pizzeria Gabbiano with an entrance next to Elm Coffee Roasters on the corner of 2nd Ave, the underground basement space has an estimated 350 to 400 person capacity. Expect 34 taps, nine holes of mini golf and a host of other massive party games, with food service by a yet-unnamed restaurant delivered by the same dumbwaiter used to lower kegs. Largent says they're in talks with a food provider but can't say who.
Beer-wise, it'll be "Washington only, non-corporate," says Largent. Noting that they won't touch Elysian or Red Hook, Largent says Flatstick's taplist will "keep a real good variety of styles," assuring the presence of the ever-popular IPA and "5-ish" of the taps devoted to cider.
The floorplan is huge: spanning two massive rooms, giant letters spelling out "SEATTLE" under the first 7 holes and "prominent Seattle themes" built into the course will be surrounded by party suites nestled among steel girders and old brick columns.
For light, those glassy purple squares you may have seen embedded in the Pioneer Square sidewalk are getting replaced with more translucent skylights peering into the floor plan's edges, and the designated food retail area that shares a sidewalk-level storefront between Good Bar and Pizzeria Gabbiano will feature a balcony looking down into the Bonus Hole, where a 15 ft. tall Space Needle replica will protrude, elevating pub-goers' golf balls for a chance to win a free game.
Kirkland's mini golf costs $6 for a round and $3 during happy hour, so Pioneer Square can expect "probably the same or similar." Beyond putt-putt, Flatstick has grand plans: they're a launch partner for Robodub, a "real life video game" designed by a new Bellevue company, which has a designated 2-level battle arena for human-controlled robots to battle targets and opponents. A shuffleboard/golf hybrid called "Duffleboard," invented by Flatstick's owners, will be played on tables shaped like giant beer bottles, electric guitars, or Centurylink Stadium.
They're just getting into construction now, with a projected open in March or April of 2016. About the Historical Board, Largent says, "They're excited. We've had really enthusiastic support from the neighborhood in general." If you want to help speed this project along, check out its Community Sourced Capital campaign here.
—David Rothstein