Food was great, as was the service. It was a relatively small menu but seemed to include all things that they made really well. There's also a very cool mural on the wall. My only complaint would be the beer choices. As someone that doesnt drink sours, porters, or stouts, (which there were more than a dozen of) I was left with one IPA and one light beer. No hefes, lagers, blondes, ambers, ales, etc :-( read more

As a longtime fan of the Elliot Bay Breweries (same owners) I was super excited to get to try this new concept. Really glad I did! The style is definitely more than a little reminiscent of their other restaurants but this one has the notable + of being 21 and over! Lots of unique cider/beer options. Literally aged/ blended on site, you CAN'T find them elsewhere. The food is more of a limited menu than their breweries, lots of small plates with an eye towards pairing them. Everything we had was very good but the absinthe soaked salami was absolutely incredible! Might be my new favorite thing. Along with the various beer/cider options they have a full bar with some funky house cocktails, I've enjoyed every one of them so far. For special occasions they also have a selection of aged tequilla. As you can probably guess it's not cheap but for special occasions it makes for a nice treat :) All in all a great addition to the Elliot Bay family and the Lake City Neighborhood, we've needed a cocktail bar! read more

I am beyond elated that LCW has another anchor establishment. This place is just what we needed ^ 10. Everything from the subway tiles to great music and cocktails to delicious food. A+ service. Please frequent this place so it's sure to stick around - I know I will! read more

Solid service and great looking place with good atmosphere. The fried chicken was tasty, but I was disappointed in the just meet plate I thought it was just ok. The argentine stew was ok, it was super bland once I added salt it was much better. Great selection of interesting beers. read more

Great food, drinks, and friendly service. Love the style of the decor too. Wish I could go more often but you know, can't take kids. (Totally not complaining about that.) read more

Cool new spot with diverse drink menu and beer list. Awesome small plates menu. We had the wild mushrooms and soft cheese (delicious!) and the roasted almonds (perfectly salty). I had the Green Dragon to drink and the wife had the Black Cat. Both were great but we decided to switch since we figured out we liked each other better. Staff is very friendly and welcoming. read more

This place came to a surprised to me, as it did not seem like a place you'd find in Lake City. With that being said it definitely had that "Ballard" feel to it. A little more upscale bar. The decor was interesting, and there were no TVs that I could see. Definitely a place you'd bring someone to actually have conversations with! Their beers were interesting. I had their pumpkin stout and was quite impressed. A friend of mine had a gin cask ale, which was interesting as well. I did not get a chance to try their food, but by what I read, they had a very simple 1-2 page menu of items. The average cost of a food item was $11-12, unless you'd want some pickled olives for $6. I won't judge thought until I get a chance to try it myself. They have a cast iron fried chicken that I would like to try on my next visit. read more

So so good! I had the fried chicken wings and a delicious aged whisky! Whisky impeccable so so good!

Very nice build out with upscale cocktails and barrel aged beers. Appetizers were all very good. Highly recommend.

It's a plus to have a nice place to eat in Lake City. Finally! Cocktails are decent, as is the food. First impressions are important. First time visiting our waitress would not let us close out. Would not come back to the table and bring us our check. This led to us being there longer than wanted. All other times, the waiters have been very attentive and friendly! read more

It was a slow night...the ambience was a quiet buzz. The voices of people muffled with the tune of jazz music.... I ordered a suggested red from the cute blonde . The creamed -potato smoked salmon filled my palate. The lights streamed from Lake city way...twas a cool night. read more

Brother Barrel - Once upon a night... - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Came here for the first time last weekend and it couldn't have been better. Enjoyed the seating arrangements, ambience, and drinks/food were perfect. Had the beet salad and the sweet potato gnocchi and a couple rounds of drinks. Service was good as well--frequent check-ins without being overbearing. Quite a nice surprise and I think we'll be back in the future. read more

Really impressed by my first visit to Brother Barrell. I tried the gin barrell berlinweisse and The Alien both of which were delicious. They have several other drinks/beers I look forward to trying. The food was not perfect but pretty darn good and the music/atmosphere were pleasant and welcoming. I expect to become a regular at this place. read more

I've been here a couple of times The scotch and whisky infused beers are delicious. I've only had the meat & cheese boards which pair well with the beers. There is plenty of parking and the restaurant has a good vibe. read more

This place is great. First time here and the cocktails are great. But beer is their thing and i will try one next time. My friend Lawrence says the the seasonal light pilsner is delightfull. Same owners as the Elliot Bay Brewery next door, no wonder this place is great and so Seattle! read more

Another great improvement to Lake City! Great place with some very unique barrel aged beers and a bartender that knows how to make the classics. Had the fried chicken and grilled asparagus. They don't really have a full dinner menu rather small entrées that would have to be combined into something larger. read more

Have come back here a couple times now and food has gotten much better... As in it's really good.(When I first reviewed they had recently opened) drinks are still awesome and I love the murals. read more

The atmosphere was awesome and they totally hit the nail on the head with the pub scene. The food was excellent, I ordered the burger with chips and a side of cheese curds and they were delicious. The burger was a bit over cooked but the sauces that came on the burger more than made up for it. I sampled the ravioli and it was okay. The service was a bit abrupt and totally more pub than restaurant feel, but a great experience overall. read more

I came here for a seminar and I arrived 15 late due to my work schedule. I'm very unpleased with the service I received from this bar. The waitress didn't great me didn't offer me any menu and was serving everyone else in our party. She wouldn't look at me and I stood for over an hour before my boyfriend tried to bring another bar stool up so there was enough setting and was told no there are seats available up stairs. The whole dining table was taken up with other members of the party while he stood and I sat in one bar height stool available to us. The men who held the party did offer us a seat 30 minutes before the evening was over but the waitress never once even acknowledged me. Yes I look young and maybe she didn't see any value in me as a customer but I would have loved dinner after working from 7 am to 5 pm and rushing there right after work and staying till almost 930. I guess the free water is all she thought I deserved. read more

Amazing! I had the gluten free fish and chips. It was incredible! They told me they are adding more gluten free options soon. Can't wait! My husband had the spicy stew and raved about it. Great cider selection too. Really enjoyed being there. read more

Decided to try out brothers barrel on a Friday night date night. We are so happy we did. The drinks were great, the food was delicious and the service was even better. It is so nice to see great restaurants pop up in lake city. Try the old fashion if you like whiskey, it was one of the best ones I have had in Seattle. read more

If you don't like sours then forget about it. 1) Furniture is uncomfortable, 2) Very limited food menu (Next-door is Elliot Bay with great food). 3) Limited supply of tradition beers. Never wasting my time again here. read more

I am a bit of a cocktail snob and this place blew me out of the water. My dear friend asked the mixologist to make her something not sweet with a smokey twist. He created a cocktail on the spot that was simply amazing! This is THE place to taste some new beers or new cocktails and share things around. This is my go to place for cocktails and it is two blocks from home. Does it get any better than this? NOPE. read more

Brother Barrel is a wonderful place to unwind and enjoy: good drinks, foods and friendly staff. Happy hour is out standing with many tasty shareable plates. The cocktail choices are unique and flavorful including the beer cocktails and there is also the standard Elliot Bay beer choices if you are not feeling adventurous . For those looking for a 21+ place this is your spot. I am a frequent visitor and always have a good experience. read more

Yummy, unique and great customer service. If I could say anything at all, the chairs could be a little more comfy. Happy hour is the bomb!

I was so pleasantly surprised. The food had such unique flavors; I loved it! So nice to have another option for "date night" in the area.

Excellent small plate dishes for sharing, exceptional drinks, and very nice ambiance. Barrel aged beers are a highlight.

Can't believe it took us almost a year to discover this place! So glad we found it! Excellent food - we ate way too much, 6 hours later I'm still stuffed (the fish spread, or "brandade" where I come from, is absolutely heavenly!) - fabulous service, sublime atmosphere and masterful cocktails. We SO needed this place! We will be back again and again. Loved it! read more

Amazing food, amazing beverages... amazing presentation! Just a really sophisticated and cool place all around!

This is one of the best places I've had fish and chips. Although the chips are actually chips and not french fries. The fried fish is Rockfish done very well and has perfect coating which happens to also be gluten free which is perfect for me. I wish they had a few more gluten-free selections, but having said that I will stop by for the fish and chips. read more

Our second time here and I really wanted to like this place. Let's start with the drinks - 5 stars all the way. The best crafted cocktails anywhere in this part of the city. Decor and environment is great, nice looking, comfortable place and the service was excellent. Now the not so food ...the food. The white meat in the fried chicken is as dry as the Mohave desert....oh, so, so dry. Dark meat was ok, but when you have someone who only likes white meat not so great. The clambake flavor was good but not one of the mussels opened, all closed (indicating they were spoiled). When I see shellfish like that it makes me wary of the whole pot, so we ate the sausage out of it (very good) and left most of it. There was a piece of corn on the cob on top, it was ice cold. One of us came home hungry, not so great after spending over $100 on food and drinks. Unfortunately we won't be back unless we want a good cocktail and that is where Brother Barrel delivers best. read more

A great spot for date night. My boyfriend and I went here. Great selection of beer, wine and cocktails. Small plates were tasty. Our favorite was the pesto ravioli. Their fried fish was tasty too. I'll definitely be back. read more

Wow! So happy to finally have a place like this in Lake City. Extensive list of craft and aged beers, innovative cocktails, and beer cocktails for when you can't quite decide what you want. The menu of shareable and small plates was fantastic! Chef Jody has done a wonderful job of creating a seasonal menu that showcases all of the skills in the Brother Barrel kitchen. Homemade truffles?! Yes please! The service was most excellent. Gene was a fantastic waiter that really knew his stuff. Will definitely be back and bringing friends! read more

We've been here the last 3 consecutive Fridays and had a wonderful experience each visit. This place is oh-so-neat.... wonderful ambience that makes it feel very warm and welcoming in spite of the large space. The servers have all been friendly, efficient and knowledgeable about the drink and menus. The sours are interesting but not my thing, so I've stuck with craft cocktails, all of which have been great. Food highlights: Spicy fried chickpeas (like crack... can't stop eating them); Smoked fish spread; Grilled mushrooms with soft cheese; and fried chicken. Only reason for the 4 star rating is the uncomfortable seating. While the chairs made from barrels look way cool, they are like butt torture. Sitting in one of these for more than 30 minutes makes for an unhappy hiney, so bring a butt pad. We are so excited to have a restaurant/bar of this caliber in NE Seattle and we'll be frequent visitors! p.s. - love that it's 21 and over..... read more