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A drink at Atlas Sports and Spirits
Atlas Sports and Spirits

Seattle’s Hottest New Bars, November 2023

Seattle’s next great sports bar, a waterfront beer hangout, and more

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A drink at Atlas Sports and Spirits
| Atlas Sports and Spirits

Welcome to the Eater Seattle bar heatmap, highlighting the hottest new drinking destinations in and around Seattle. We’re using an inclusive definition of “bar” here: We’re talking breweries, taprooms, wine bars, dives, cocktail joints, speakeasies, pretty much any place you can get a stool and a glass.

This map will be updated every month. The new entries this month are OOLA Capitol Hill, Future Primitive Beach Bar, and Atlas Sports and Spirits.

Know of a spot that should be on our radar? Send us a tip by emailing seattle@eater.com.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

This new Greenwood bar is inside a tiny, windowless building that used to be a computer repair shop. But it’s the lack of frills that helps maintain focus on Ruby’s real draw: craft cocktail mastery. Owner Mike Jochum showcases an impressive array of mixology techniques and thought-provoking flavor combinations, honed through years working at dives and neighborhood spots. The menu highlights rum and mezcal, though this small crew can skillfully whip up just about anything based on a customer’s flavor preferences (including mocktails). The closest thing to a gimmick here is the red-tinted, ruby-shaped ice cube used in the house negroni, but like the drinks, it’s genuinely very cool.

A cocktail garnished with an olive. Brianna Gunter

Doe Bay Wine Co. Phinney Ridge

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Tucked in a corner in the Shared Roof building, Doe Bay is the latest Phinney Ridge establishment helping transform the neighborhood into an evening destination. A tasting room, wine bar and bottle shop, it’s the brand-new Seattle location for the Orcas Project, a program dedicated to showcasing small Pacific Northwest winemakers as well as local artists. Along with wines by the glass and bottles to go, this spot has a nice selection of beer, cider and sake. 

Holy Mountain Phinney Ridge Taproom

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Not to be confused with Holy Mountain’s Interbay flagship location, the Phinney taproom solidified its own hotspot status once its June opening had lines around the block. (Like Doe Bay, this is inside the Shared Roof building.) The still-bustling space features custom murals and beers made just for its location (though of course the White Lodge Belgian Wit is on draft here as well). For non-beer drinkers, the taproom boasts a rotating selection of Washington wines, ciders, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic ginger beer. While only light snacks are served here, the tables have QR codes that show what the numerous nearby restaurants have to offer for takeout.

Atlas Sports & Spirits

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If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the new, revamped successor to Queen Anne’s former Atlas Kitchen and Lounge. With a new owner at the helm along with a new location, Atlas sits poised to become the city’s next great sports bar. In addition to new wing seasonings and a host of TV screens with the latest games, the bar’s well-stocked for cocktails and draft beer to suit every taste. Whether you’re a hockey fan or not, be sure to try the Kraken calamari.

A tall glass with a pinkish cocktail in it sitting on a bar. Atlas Sports and Spirits

Restaurant Meliora

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The opening of Meliora in June marked one of the most anticipated openings in Capitol Hill this year. The bar and restaurant makes great use of the neighborhood’s historic Canterbury Ale House, keeping the original stained glass while adding enchanted forest-y murals. The cozy lounge chairs feel just made for kicking back with something from Meliora’s Pacific Northwest wine program, though the rich selection of spirits behind the bartop is just as tempting.

A mural featuring peacocks.
A mural in Meliora
Suzi Pratt

Donna's

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Capitol Hill is prime turf for bar-hopping, but Donna’s is the kind of place where you want to kick back and stay for a while. Adorned in gorgeous murals, plants, and bold pops of red and gold, the new sister bar to Rose Temple is elevated by equally eye-popping cocktails. The Promise Keeper — a boozy (vodka) pink Italian soda topped with whipped cream — might be the most photogenic, but those seeking a truly unique beverage should go with the Holy Bull, a tomato and basil martini. Donna’s also has a full kitchen featuring pasta dishes and a variety of small bites, perhaps best taken advantage of during the bar’s late-night happy hour (10 p.m. to midnight).

OOLA Capitol Hill (Restaurant, Bar & Bottle Shop)

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Co-owners Kirby Kallas-Lewis and K.T. Niehoff spent many months transforming the old Marjorie restaurant location in order to return their distillery business to Capitol Hill, and man, has the work has paid off. The stunning new spot is a combination bottleshop, cocktail bar, and restaurant revolving around OOLA’s spirits. The mixology here is impressive, as seen in boozy elixirs like Temperance Town, with OOLA bourbon, an absinthe rinse, Saskatoon berry, black walnut bitters, tarragon, and egg white to top it all off. It’s tough to stop at sampling just one cocktail, but fortunately they offer food here too so you’re not sipping on an empty stomach.

Bar Bayonne

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This Central District bar has only been open since early August, but the friendly neighborhood chatter within has the aura of a longtime community staple. This is the casual sandwiches-and-quiche-meets-cocktails sister bar to neighboring French restaurant and wine bar L’Oursin. But this definition of “casual” includes some glamorous menu offerings, such as the Vermouth Préparé (vermouth, gin, and genziana fernanda) and the Martini Jambon (jambon-infused gin, amontillado sherry, and orange bitters). The uplifting drinks and atmosphere are accentuated by the amusing assortment of French movie posters: Batman Returns is Batman Le Défi, for those wondering.

A drink garnished with a citrus peel next to a menu. Brianna Gunter

Rosebay Cocktail Bar

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Long gone are the days when hotel bars were unassertive spots for weary business travelers mindlessly swiping their corporate AmExes. Hilton’s Hotel 1000 is home to a new downtown magnet for upscale cocktail enthusiasts, locals and visitors alike. A luxury experience, Rosebay focuses on locally sourced, small-batch spirits (as seen in the Reserve Bijou, with Monkey 47 gin, green Chartreuse, Cocchi Dopo Teatro, and Seville orange bitters). The place is small, but the cozy booths and warm fireplace make for a memorable date-night setting. Rosebay nevertheless caters to groups as well — a lineup of “large format cocktails” offers 750 millimeters for four to six drinkers. 

The interior of a swanky bar, with a fireplace at the center. Hotel 1000

Future Primitive Beach Bar

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Traffic in West Seattle’s Alki Beach has slowed for the season, but one new beach bar is noticeably busy — turns out, people love Future Primi Seeing. This popular brewery has wide array of beer styles, plus additional options for non-beer enthusiasts. There’s limited seating indoors, but don’t hesitate to take in the water and mountain views from their bungalow beer garden — in addition to some seriously tasty mulled wine that can warm you up, siding and heaters are coming out for the colder months. 

Machine House Brewery

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Machine House is technically not a “new” brewery, but things were uncertain for Seattle’s cask ale experts when they announced the loss of their Georgetown lease last year. Now, after a months-long hiatus, they’ve made their triumphant return in a new family and pet-friendly Hillman City taproom. In addition to beer on draft and in bottles, the menu includes a selection of wines, sodas, and kombucha. But most notably, the spot marks one of the few places in the city where beer enthusiasts have multiple traditional English styles at their fingertips, along with some unique crossovers with American — specifically Pacific Northwest — brewing trends. Fresh Hop Simcoe Bitter Ale, anyone?

Ruby

This new Greenwood bar is inside a tiny, windowless building that used to be a computer repair shop. But it’s the lack of frills that helps maintain focus on Ruby’s real draw: craft cocktail mastery. Owner Mike Jochum showcases an impressive array of mixology techniques and thought-provoking flavor combinations, honed through years working at dives and neighborhood spots. The menu highlights rum and mezcal, though this small crew can skillfully whip up just about anything based on a customer’s flavor preferences (including mocktails). The closest thing to a gimmick here is the red-tinted, ruby-shaped ice cube used in the house negroni, but like the drinks, it’s genuinely very cool.

A cocktail garnished with an olive. Brianna Gunter

Doe Bay Wine Co. Phinney Ridge

Tucked in a corner in the Shared Roof building, Doe Bay is the latest Phinney Ridge establishment helping transform the neighborhood into an evening destination. A tasting room, wine bar and bottle shop, it’s the brand-new Seattle location for the Orcas Project, a program dedicated to showcasing small Pacific Northwest winemakers as well as local artists. Along with wines by the glass and bottles to go, this spot has a nice selection of beer, cider and sake. 

Holy Mountain Phinney Ridge Taproom

Not to be confused with Holy Mountain’s Interbay flagship location, the Phinney taproom solidified its own hotspot status once its June opening had lines around the block. (Like Doe Bay, this is inside the Shared Roof building.) The still-bustling space features custom murals and beers made just for its location (though of course the White Lodge Belgian Wit is on draft here as well). For non-beer drinkers, the taproom boasts a rotating selection of Washington wines, ciders, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic ginger beer. While only light snacks are served here, the tables have QR codes that show what the numerous nearby restaurants have to offer for takeout.

Atlas Sports & Spirits

If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the new, revamped successor to Queen Anne’s former Atlas Kitchen and Lounge. With a new owner at the helm along with a new location, Atlas sits poised to become the city’s next great sports bar. In addition to new wing seasonings and a host of TV screens with the latest games, the bar’s well-stocked for cocktails and draft beer to suit every taste. Whether you’re a hockey fan or not, be sure to try the Kraken calamari.

A tall glass with a pinkish cocktail in it sitting on a bar. Atlas Sports and Spirits

Restaurant Meliora

The opening of Meliora in June marked one of the most anticipated openings in Capitol Hill this year. The bar and restaurant makes great use of the neighborhood’s historic Canterbury Ale House, keeping the original stained glass while adding enchanted forest-y murals. The cozy lounge chairs feel just made for kicking back with something from Meliora’s Pacific Northwest wine program, though the rich selection of spirits behind the bartop is just as tempting.

A mural featuring peacocks.
A mural in Meliora
Suzi Pratt

Donna's

Capitol Hill is prime turf for bar-hopping, but Donna’s is the kind of place where you want to kick back and stay for a while. Adorned in gorgeous murals, plants, and bold pops of red and gold, the new sister bar to Rose Temple is elevated by equally eye-popping cocktails. The Promise Keeper — a boozy (vodka) pink Italian soda topped with whipped cream — might be the most photogenic, but those seeking a truly unique beverage should go with the Holy Bull, a tomato and basil martini. Donna’s also has a full kitchen featuring pasta dishes and a variety of small bites, perhaps best taken advantage of during the bar’s late-night happy hour (10 p.m. to midnight).

OOLA Capitol Hill (Restaurant, Bar & Bottle Shop)

Co-owners Kirby Kallas-Lewis and K.T. Niehoff spent many months transforming the old Marjorie restaurant location in order to return their distillery business to Capitol Hill, and man, has the work has paid off. The stunning new spot is a combination bottleshop, cocktail bar, and restaurant revolving around OOLA’s spirits. The mixology here is impressive, as seen in boozy elixirs like Temperance Town, with OOLA bourbon, an absinthe rinse, Saskatoon berry, black walnut bitters, tarragon, and egg white to top it all off. It’s tough to stop at sampling just one cocktail, but fortunately they offer food here too so you’re not sipping on an empty stomach.

Bar Bayonne

This Central District bar has only been open since early August, but the friendly neighborhood chatter within has the aura of a longtime community staple. This is the casual sandwiches-and-quiche-meets-cocktails sister bar to neighboring French restaurant and wine bar L’Oursin. But this definition of “casual” includes some glamorous menu offerings, such as the Vermouth Préparé (vermouth, gin, and genziana fernanda) and the Martini Jambon (jambon-infused gin, amontillado sherry, and orange bitters). The uplifting drinks and atmosphere are accentuated by the amusing assortment of French movie posters: Batman Returns is Batman Le Défi, for those wondering.

A drink garnished with a citrus peel next to a menu. Brianna Gunter

Rosebay Cocktail Bar

Long gone are the days when hotel bars were unassertive spots for weary business travelers mindlessly swiping their corporate AmExes. Hilton’s Hotel 1000 is home to a new downtown magnet for upscale cocktail enthusiasts, locals and visitors alike. A luxury experience, Rosebay focuses on locally sourced, small-batch spirits (as seen in the Reserve Bijou, with Monkey 47 gin, green Chartreuse, Cocchi Dopo Teatro, and Seville orange bitters). The place is small, but the cozy booths and warm fireplace make for a memorable date-night setting. Rosebay nevertheless caters to groups as well — a lineup of “large format cocktails” offers 750 millimeters for four to six drinkers. 

The interior of a swanky bar, with a fireplace at the center. Hotel 1000

Future Primitive Beach Bar

Traffic in West Seattle’s Alki Beach has slowed for the season, but one new beach bar is noticeably busy — turns out, people love Future Primi Seeing. This popular brewery has wide array of beer styles, plus additional options for non-beer enthusiasts. There’s limited seating indoors, but don’t hesitate to take in the water and mountain views from their bungalow beer garden — in addition to some seriously tasty mulled wine that can warm you up, siding and heaters are coming out for the colder months. 

Machine House Brewery

Machine House is technically not a “new” brewery, but things were uncertain for Seattle’s cask ale experts when they announced the loss of their Georgetown lease last year. Now, after a months-long hiatus, they’ve made their triumphant return in a new family and pet-friendly Hillman City taproom. In addition to beer on draft and in bottles, the menu includes a selection of wines, sodas, and kombucha. But most notably, the spot marks one of the few places in the city where beer enthusiasts have multiple traditional English styles at their fingertips, along with some unique crossovers with American — specifically Pacific Northwest — brewing trends. Fresh Hop Simcoe Bitter Ale, anyone?

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