TL;DR: A legit speakeasy hidden in a yarn shop -- must-visit if you're anywhere near Whidbey. Drinks: - Clean, polished cocktails that would hold up in Seattle or NYC - Bartender knew what he was doing without being overbearing Vibe: - Speakeasy feel, tucked into a rural spot - Live jazz sax when we arrived, set the tone perfectly - Attentive, professional service without any pretension - Still kinda wild this exists on a random island What Could Be Better?: Some fuzzy house rules (1 drink min, 3 drink max, capped visit time) but nothing that really takes away from the experience read more

Skein & Tipple - Vibe - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

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So random! The tiniest speakeasy bar in the back of a yarn shop. The waitstaff is lovely and dressed in black vests and the bartender is a true mixologist. We particularly loved the japanese yuzu mandarin cocktail. read more

Cool place with definitely speakeasy vibe. Entering through the yarn shop (oops, I mean fiber shop) is a fun twist. Sat at the bar and watch the husband wife team do their thing. Drinks were stout and a huge variety. Great place. We will be back!! read more

This is a small unassuming spot just up from Clinton ferry, that makes great cocktails. Bar tenders are super awesome. However, staff at the door can be very arrogant. If you want to get a drink here plan to get the once over from head to toe to make sure that you look the part. We live less than 2 miles from this establishment but have only visited maybe a dozen times. Noticing friends vehicles in the parking lot, my wife stopped in, not to drink, but just step inside and wish them a happy birthday. She was not allowed inside because "she would ruin the ambience." she was wearing yoga pants and a Patagonia puffy vest on the way back from a class. This is a change for the worse for S and T. In small town Whidbey,having lived here almost 40 years, you can walk into almost anywhere in a pair of Carhartts and work boots and be served without a second thought. If you dressed casual and happen to be Clinton I'd recommend driving right by Skein and Tipple in favor of one of several friendly establishments in Langley. Being treated like your being done some kind of favor to be let in is not the small Island vibe most people are looking for. We will not be returning. read more

Amazing cocktails. Not enough yarn for my caliber of project, but the yarns were luscious and well curated. The cocktail are the thing here though. read more

Skein & Tipple is exactly what the south end of the island needed. I love a good cocktail bar and they do not disappoint here. This is a speakeasy connected via a yarn store. The yarn store is actually super cool too. The actual bar area itself is pretty small, I think it seats about 23 people total ish but it makes the experience more intimate. They have live music most nights too. I just came back from a trip to New Orleans and this place took me right back there jazz club style. I ordered the french martini first and it's such a refreshing juicy tasting drink. I love the pineapple and blackberry combination. For my second drink I ordered the clover club. I'm normally not a fan of gin (like at all) but I tried to give it a whirl and I was pleasantly surprised. Both of these drinks are on the sweeter end but they are so delicious. Next time I am here I'd like to try the espresso martini and the pina peña. read more

Skein & Tipple - French martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

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Fantastic addition to Clinton. Absolutely love the novelty of a speakeasy. The drinks are great and there's an impressive selection. They also have mocktails! This is a small place which adds to the charm, but know it's better for smaller groups. The decor (including in the bathroom) do not disappoint. Plus live music - what's not to love? read more

Skein & Tipple - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

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Great custom craft cocktails in a small, quaint setting. Don't see your drink on the list? Just ask, as they have made several specialty cocktails not on their menu. read more

The drinks here are great and the ambiance is awesome! Quick and friendly service as well!

Unique speakeasy to stop for a craft cocktail! How often can you say you had to go through a yarn store to get to an old timey bar with a sax player in the corner? No cover charge, can only stay 2 hours and order no more than 3 drinks to be fair to anyone waiting to get into the small bar but the drinks are strong and 2 hours is perfect. Gorgeous drinks worthy of a pic on social media! read more

Skein & Tipple - At the velvet rope - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

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Very fun yarn store in front, if you're into that. Walk in thru to find amazing and fun drinks in the back room. Will definitely go back!!!

We stumbled on this place as it was recommended in our Airbnb check in book, and WOW did it not disappoint. The menu is very well done and we struggled to choose what to order because we wanted to try everything! I had the maple bacon old fashioned and the penicillin and my wife had the clover club and impamplemousse (both NA). All were delicious but the penicillin was my favorite! There are a LOT of non alcoholic options because they can make most of the regular drinks NA, instead of having separate cocktails. My wife loved this! This place feels like an upscale cocktail bar and the drinks are high quality, so the prices reflect that. Well worth the price in my opinion, these were some of my favorite cocktails ever! The menu is very tastefully crafted and live music adds to the ambiance The service is delightful and feels very personal. April greeted us at the door and entertained us while we waited for a table to open. read more

Skein & Tipple - Clover Club NA and Maple Bacon Old Fashioned - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

Overall very cute vibe in this little speak easy type bar. When we arrived the hostess, April, was lovely and entertaining. We enjoyed live music and whimsical decor. I appreciated the non alcoholic options, however the bar loses stars due to price and quality. The non alcoholic drinks were $16+ including tip (no price difference than the regular cocktails). In addition, not only were the prices high for "mock tails" the flavors were not good. I appreciate the option for no alcohol, however the recommended mock tails were thick and syrupy. I would definitely give this spot another try in the future! read more

Skein & Tipple - The aviation - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

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This little speakeasy is so much fun! Welcoming staff, a large cocktail menu with mocktail options and a cool setting. The drinks are delicious and I have a special place in my heart for the Fatter Elvis! So grab a cocktail and a charcuterie board and have a good time in this quaint little nod to the past. read more

This place is so cool! It's very cozy and historic. It was a great place to enjoy a cocktail. There was live music playing softly in the background, and overall a quiet atmosphere where we were able to chat too. Also the cocktails are delicious, and very strong! Highly recommend the espresso martini. read more

Skein & Tipple - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

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This place is such a treat. We came here on Black Friday and were surprised to find almost no wait, which is uncommon for this spot! Once we were escorted inside to the speakeasy area, we realized that there was a saxophone musician playing, which was a nice surprise that added to the lively ambiance. The service is very friendly, the craft cocktail list is extensive, and they have a very fun holiday cocktail menu which is a must-try. Our personal favorites at our table were the Pink Squirrel (a must if you like almond flavor), the Grasshopper, and the Brandy Alexander. Be prepared to wait if you come here, but the experience and cocktails are worth it! read more

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I am unbelievably thrilled that this establishment exists. Tonight is their first night! A tiny speakeasy tucked behind a knitting store, this is my dream come true. The interior is elegantly finished with influences from Irish and nautical bars. Embossed copper panels cover the ceiling with a matching copper bar top. The space is intimate with four tables and bar seating. Jazzy music flows from the speakers. But it's not just about ambiance. Let's talk cocktails. I've had two from an extensive list: the Maple Bacon Old Fashioned and the Espresso Martini. The MBOF is sweet and smooth. The martini was like coffee ice cream, but with liquor! They break the menu into featured cocktails, old school classics, modern classics, local drinks, and specialties. I can't wait to try them all. And also knitting! My wife is an avid knitter and she's actually the one who found this spot. I can't personally speak to the yarn, but my wife was very impressed with the yarn she bought. I'll get a hat out of it, and I'm looking forward to it. Marsha runs the yarn store and dyes all the yarn she sells. Frankly, Matt and Marsha are so impressive! Here's the gist: come visit. Buy great yarn. Get a fancy cocktail. Enjoy yourself! read more

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This place is a true gem!! We came here our first night on Whidbey and had such an amazing experience that we made sure to come back the next night! The drinks are PHENOMENAL- such artistry, presentation, and deliciousness (I'll list the cocktails we tried below), and pricing is very reasonable (at $14 each, they could easily justify charging more). And the service is superb!! Everyone we met was so kind and personable - we felt very welcome and enjoyed making conversation with the staff both nights. Word from the wise: this is a very small establishment and they have a 20 person limit in the speakeasy room. Both nights (Friday and Saturday) we had to do a little waiting in the front room for tables to open up. Also, because it's so small, they can't seat together groups of more than 4 people. We had 5 in our party (and we were happy to split up), but it worked out that we got two tables right next to each other both nights. Also, they do enforce a 2-hour maximum stay for patrons in order to allow new people to come in. We came on the later end both nights (9/10:30pm) and it worked in our favor. All in all, I HIGHLY recommend this place to any and all cocktail drinkers! It'd be well-worth the ferry ride over to Whidbey :) Our drinks (5 people, over 2 nights): Clover Cup, French Martini, Espresso Martini, Fatter Elvis, Jim Dandy, Maple Bacon Old Fashioned, Ready-Set-Aim, Redheaded Ginger (a "softail" with less alcohol), and the soda in both blackberry and peach. read more

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I've been waiting to come here for some time and finally went! The drinks were wonderful and the space was perfect! It was smaller than I anticipated but made it more cozy and the ambiance was wonderful! The live music made the night even more memorable. Definitely will be back!! read more

Skein & Tipple - Espresso Martini & Pina Peño - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

My wife and I have been hoping for a good cocktail bar on the south end of the island for awhile now. Couldn't be happier with the Skein &Tipple. You walk past the cute little yarn store. You enter through a curtain into a very swanky smaller intimate backroom, with a soft comfortable low light atmosphere. When we went they had a saxophonist playing some smooth soft Jazz. Wonderful! The drinks won't disappoint you. read more

Skein & Tipple - The mixologist! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

Super cute spot with very few tables and live music. Love the speakeasy vibe and the eclectic Whidbey island crowd. Drinks were tasty. The only thing is that we waited an hour for a table for two on a Friday night. Because its a bar, there's really no way to tell how long it will take. The nice woman at the front encouraged us to wait saying it shouldn't be too long. Worth a stop! read more

This is a quaint and highly unique bar on the south end of Whidbey. Locals love the classic libations and it's often standing room only (if you can even get in, the velvet rope is real). Don't let the soft collections of variegated skeins fool you, this place is a tipple powerhouse. read more

We stumbled in on this place once we rolled off the ferry. The places is tucked behind a curtain at a yarn shop. The cocktails are fantastic. A broad array of drinks. I had the La Penicilina, an agave riff on a penicillin and the Jim Dandy an herbaceous bourbon cocktail on a big rock. The inside is really cozy and the owners are beyond nice. read more

Skein & Tipple - Interior of the bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

Very unique atmosphere and wonderful people. Very clever cocktails. Can't wait to come back and try them all! read more

Skein & Tipple - Last resort on the left and dirty martini on the right - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Clinton, Washington

This place is a gem. From having to go through a yarn store and being greeted by John Wayne to entering the warm whimsical decor with cocktails among the best we've ever had! Marsha and Matt are charming, elegant and obviously very skilled and creative. We will be back! read more

Stopped by today- the hours online and on yelp said it should be open- but waited until almost noon and closed sign still up! Maybe need to update hours? Called number and no answer! Seemed cute on the outside!! read more

Still pinching myself that we now have a speakeasy on south Whidbey! Get there at 15-20 minutes before it opens, and your small party will very likely get a starting seat. (Showing up later guarantees a wait.) Know to go up to the bar corner to order your drinks as soon as you've decided on them; it's just the two proprietors doing everything in this ultra-tiny bar (Matt making the drinks and Marsha cocktail waitressing & bar-backing). Their 2-business amalgamation oozes creativity and passion, with tongue-in-cheek humor. Have you ever met a bartender who was actually living his dream by bartending? Have a phenomenal cocktail or two with your gathering and then move on to the next stop -- well, that's what we do anyway. You can stay for the live entertainment if you wish, on the world's tiniest stage. After watching a few good local places vaporize during Covid, we want to help places like this last for many, many years. read more

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Super fun little speakeasy, great drinks. Staff ( wife & husband I think) very nice. Not a lot of seating so will fill up fast at times. Overall great experience. read more

Fantastic! The Yarn store features hand dyed yarn and everything you need to start or finish your projects. But the bar in the back has a french-speakeasy vibe with the best cocktails and ambiance you would ever want for a small group meetup or date night on the Island. Good music too! read more

Charming bar reminiscent of a speakeasy. Extensive cocktail offerings in intimate setting. Delightful husband/wife duo staffing bar. Cocktails are innovation and delicious. Nightly live music. This bar is not to be missed! read more

Amazing place and best craft cocktails I've ever had. The owners seem to run everything themselves so the quality and service are truly there. I would recommend to anyone passing through Clinton, or a great date night! read more

This place is such a great find! Cute little speakeasy right by the ferry building. We stopped in right after our road trip to Whidbey and fell in love. Amazing cocktails, ambiance, and the owners were so kind. I had the Paloma which had a nice salinity to it and the lions tale which was bright but had great spice. It sounds like the owners have plans to mix up the drink menu often, which is fun. Can't wait to come back! read more

Love this place! Great service, great creative drinks, and an impeccable ambiance. We got there 15 minutes before opening and there was already a line. Clearly this place is a fan favorite. 10/10 read more