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    The Velvet Elk

    4.7 (60 reviews)
    ModerateCocktail Bars
    Closed 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    The Velvet Elk Photos

    Business Info

    THE VELVET ELK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Moderate noise

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    We came here on a Saturday evening and there were still a few seats left that we got seated immediately. Mistress hibiscus was a soury and sweet drink that included great tasting spices and the liquor was not too strong tasting Caine mutiny was smoky, citricy, and slightly bitter. The liquor was a little stronger than the mistress hibiscus. The house made ginger nuts were roasted and had a pleasant ginger taste.

    Cassie A.

    Drinks, ambiance, and service so good, I'd have my last supper here. But seriously, if you like a good whiskey flip, check theirs out.

    Corn dog with pimiento cheese and aardvark sauce
    Joelle P.

    I was excited to check this place out. The vibe looks like a super chic/funky living room. I love the style. I know I'm no longer a spring chicken, but the music volume was turned up 3 or 4 times in the almost 3 hours I spent there. That changes the vibe to more of a club kid space. The corn dog was good; spicier than I expected, as was the pimiento cheese, which made the aardvark sauce extraneous.

    Jay S.

    We stopped by after dinner at Mioposto. It is unique place and cool set up. I do like the painting. My friends wanted drinks after dinner. The bartenders were very attentive.

    Moody ambiance no matter the weather outside.
    Julian G.

    Decor - Funky, unique, and inspired. Drinks - Funky, unique, and inspired. Staff - Funky, unique, and inspired. This is a place where you feel at home dressed-up or in short and a tank top. ... Selfishly, I hesitate to write a review of this place given I want to be able to get a seat whenever I'm craving a nice drink with a cute date. Ultimately, this is your reason to visit Mt. Baker.

    Looking down from the second floor.  Fabulous.
    Blake V.

    An outstanding little neighborhood bar. Welcoming to all. Drinks are unnecessarily pricey ($17.00 + tax for a single Tanqueray & Tonic). l

    Myranda M.

    Neighborhood gem! I visited on a Friday night and it was pretty packed. The bartenders were warm and greeted me promptly. I love the vibe of this place. The lighting is a perfect match of calm and cool. Even the restroom has a selfie light mirror where you can snap your best photo. They have an upstairs area where you can hang out with a larger party. They also provide card games. I ordered a couple of cocktails and each one was delicious. They were reasonably priced and well made. As a heads up, they don't serve food but they let you bring food from other restaurants. Mioposto is next door so feel free to bring a pie over. Best bar in Mt. Baker hands down.

    Cozy upstairs hang space!!
    Maren H.

    This is one of those crazy fun hidden gems. I LOVE IT HERE. The bartender was awesome both downstairs and upstairs are so cozy and fun. We also came upon a night where a tarot card reader was upstairs doing readings which was also super fun. Their food menu is extremely limited, but tasty. We had the Okazu Pan which is Japanese-style fried bread stuffed with Beef Curry, Jerk Chicken, BBQ Tasso and Vegan Lentil. We tried the jerk chicken and the vegan lentil They were delicious! Also I had one of the few twisted old fashioned. Amazing! LOVE IT!

    a cocktail in a coupe glass
    Valentina M.

    Great cosmic vibe at this lounge! The staff is place very nice, welcoming, and attentive. The drinks were pricing, to be expected, but were delicious.

    Lei C.

    small place , but all the music and lights are good for date night. Cocktail just so so, nothing special.

    Drinks and meats and cheese platter!

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    5 months ago

    Fantastic and unique place! The drinks are amazing, vibes are cozy and eclectic, it's perfect

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    2 years ago

    Neighborhood vibes & good cocktails. We enjoyed the friendly service as well. We will be back when in the area.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - The Velvet Elk

    Review Highlights - The Velvet Elk

    Super cute little cocktail bar right in the heart of Mt.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    The Bourbon Bar - All local!! :-)

    The Bourbon Bar

    3.5(26 reviews)
    1.5 miColumbia City
    $$

    This place is pretty bad ass! I can't say that I was terribly impressed with the liquor selection…read morebut for a small (and new?) bar - they're really doing a great job. Aside from the awesome food - which I'll get to in a second - and the live music, I was most impressed by the bartender. He was super charismatic, super friendly and very funny. When I popped in with a group of 6 or so friends, he swiftly tended to us, made sure to introduce himself and took everyone's drink order. When it came time to get food I actually decided to opt out. It was nearly midnight and I had already eaten dinner hours earlier. But my friend next to me got a basket of fries and that's when it got hard to ignore the menu... The fries were AWESOME! In fact, they were so tempting that not only did I sneak a few, I actually asked to see the whole menu. Comprised mostly of about a dozen varieties of slider, I was super happy to see the variety. Suddenly my stomach growled and though I didn't want two sliders, I knew I could share with a friend. The only issue then was deciding which to get. I recall a buffalo chicken slider but only got as far as the fried bologna. HELL. YES!!! I ordered one and my buddy ordered another. (They come two to a plate.) My little slider was DELICIOUS! In fact, it was so good that I could totally envision making a trip all the way back to this bar just to have them again. So yeah... I'm a fan. The food is great, the bartender was totally rad, the live music playing in the theater was piped into the bar and the selection of beer and booze was just enough to satisfy. What a great little addition to the hood!

    4 is the average between 3 stars and 5 stars: Why 4?…read more 3 stars: Meh. It is a cool, cute and subtly(?) intimate space for a hole in the wall. I had no drinks and drinks are not my forte, so I have nothing to contribute to with drinks (although I did get a water, more on that later). An interestingly mixed group of folks here (including the supposedly "local favorite", more on her later). =P Late Wed night, a bum can be met outside the front asking for crap... I didn't think this downtown-phenomenom could reach this far and late into Columbia City. o_O Now for the 5 stars: ENTIRELY for my fond memory of rockin' the mic with Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight----and ALL fuc*ing 7 minutes of it! ----BAM! In addition to doing my thing up there, this "local favorite" chick asked me if she could join in---of course! Before I finish, let me fill you in on the intro deets. On occasion, one of the folks in our mini Yelp group asked me if I'd picked a song, yet. --No. --Nope. --Not, yet. --I'm kind of tied between between two... come almost-midnight, I'd finally settled on the one that's been bugging me all night, Rapper's Delight - Sugarhill Gang. Drop my card off and wait several songs until I'm called.... wait for it... ....dar-en ....dar-en ....dar-en ....dar-en ....dar-en--- (omg, ---WHAAAT?!). DUDE, both groups started *GASP* ---CHAN-TING & clapping(?)--- my name, when right then Kira *bowchikawowow!* took my hand and guided me up front. Rewinding back, the local favorite black lady joins me. I notice the screen.... someone says "wow, 7 minutes?!" I glance at the screen----hot diggity dam! Within 1 second, I thought of: why did I pick this song, 7 minutes seems long, I totally dig this song and the beat, I've heard it before but not the whole 7 min... and thankfully glad I asked for a glass of water prior to singing, because boy I tell ya, did I have a mouth drought in the minutes coming up to this (and slightly during, but I pressed on because, the more I sang/rapped it, the more I had tunnel vision on the lyrics screen and rippin' it in my own little world). I definitely heard the times the crowd join in during the good parts---most encouraging, hehe. All said and done.... wow (and phew!). Afterwards, the local lady came up to me and said something like, "Mmm Mm...that was ^fine^!..." I think I did come with my confidence, after all. 7 minutes... of rapping!? I think I just experienced a miracle... amazing. I think I want more karaoke (and drinking not even required! =P).

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    Island Soul Rum Bar & Soul Shack - Shrimp ceviche! With Plantains -- refreshing and delicious!

    Island Soul Rum Bar & Soul Shack

    4.0(1.1k reviews)
    1.4 miColumbia City
    $$

    I thought i knew what feeling full was like. I was wrong. I've never enjoyed the environment along…read morewith the food in knee place like I did here. The staff are warm and welcoming the guests felt like being around family. Natalie the waitress was so attentive and made sure our drinks were full and the food was like having an organic after a three day build up. All three of us left with empty plates and sides to go.

    This place is one of a kind and so delicious for Carribean and Jamaican cuisine! If you have not…read moretried -- you must! We were celebrating my colleagues birthday the day before and were going to see a show at the Royal Room! We got drinks and I had the caprihlana and the Carribean Star! The Carribean Star is a MUST- TRY, the flavors of that drink were amazing! Both the tostones and shrimp ceviche for appetizers was out of this world! The fried catfish was breaded and crisped perfectly and their sides, especially the collard greens are tasty, a bit tangy and phenomenal! I was able to sample my coworkers dishes (they offered of course and I did too) and the goat curry -- try this too if you like curry! Such amazing flavor and tender goat! They do not take reservations but it's peak around dinner time and weekends! We got lucky with the last big table! The menu is creative and colorful. Staff is amazing! They actually had a location in Kirkland but had to close it and this location remains and is a HIT!

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    Island Soul Rum Bar & Soul Shack - Amazing curried mussels, a Must Have

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    Island Soul Rum Bar & Soul Shack - The sampler was impeccable...

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    The sampler was impeccable...

    Off Alley - poundcake, maple brown butter

    Off Alley

    3.6(102 reviews)
    1.4 miColumbia City

    Everything here is delicious. These reviews saying otherwise, well. With all reviews, consider the…read morereviewer. If you're someone who cooks, and has said recently that everywhere you eat it costs a ton and is just okay -- like, you can make better at home? Come here. Because with few exceptions, I don't think you can. I've been here three times now and two out of three times everything was perfect. Absolutely. Perfect. I've recommended it to others and heard similar back from them. I think it's one of the more exciting restaurants in Seattle, and while the observation about cramped quarters is spot-on, I would imagine they'll likely evolve beyond that venue at some point, and that will be a pity, because having them close by in Columbia City makes me very happy. So book the patio if you want shoulder or elbow room, and enjoy a meal al fresco. And yes, it's a more expensive place, portions are small. It's a fine dining approach, and I think that's fairly clear up front. If you want a big pile of slop somewhere, there are a ton of options to fill up more cheaply. But if you want demi-glace and pan sauces that are perfect -- PERFECT! And meats you might normally not find compelling, like rabbit livers and kidney and, well, offal -- suddenly made succulent and delectable, try this. The only thing I felt was sort of not worth the bucks was the rabbit skull. Just not much in it and getting to it was a semi-feral process. Everything else, including the delicious salads, has be exquisite. Love this place.

    Overhyped and overpriced for what it offers. I really wanted…read moreto love this place, especially after seeing it featured in the NY Times, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. While the atmosphere is undeniably hip and trendy, the overall experience didn't justify the price tag. The food itself wasn't bad, but it lacked that "wow" factor. We tried several tapas-style dishes ranging from $20 to $50 each. The Farmer's Rice ($48) arrived in a small sauce pot, which felt underwhelming for the price. The octopus was overcooked, and the black cod was just a single, small piece. I was also disappointed by the Uni Butter Radish--the radishes were fresh, but I couldn't taste any uni at all. On a positive note, the broccolini and the potato with crab meat were the highlights of the night. Service was hit or miss. Our initial server was very kind, but the wine steward and the female server who followed were quite cold and dismissive. Bottom line: This isn't a place to go if you're looking to get full. It's better suited for a quick drink or a "pre-game" spot before heading elsewhere. The vibes are great, but the value for money isn't there.

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    Off Alley - Pork belly roulade, country gravy

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    Asa Gathering - Inside

    Asa Gathering

    4.5(33 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    Great cocktail bar on the Island! A really great selection of spirits. If you are chasing allocated…read morebourbons, come here to try and taste them yourself. Our bartender Tyler was well versed on both Bourbon and Gin - and our group got a few different cocktails and not one of them disappointed. Great decor inside, nice and chic. Patio is great on a spring or summer day. One of the few places with a decent outdoor patio. Perfect place to stop before taking the light rail downtown for a game or a concert. Will definitely be going back. Ask them to make one of your favorite cocktails, but with a different spirit that the bartender recommends!

    Asa Gathering is a true cocktail bar with a lounge vibe. Intimate and comfortable, Asa offers…read moreclassic cocktails as well as many of their own concoctions. Very chill, very relaxed. I haven't been there for lunch or experienced their morning routines to comment on that. I visit in the evenings when it isn't overly busy - a challenging feat - and sat at both the bar and in the lounge area. The service has been excellent, but patience is a critical skill here as the two times I've been here there is one person attending to everyone. I have not visited during the summer with their patio open, but something tells me the addition of another with the patio keeps the server to customer ratio the same. Not that one should be in a rush at a cocktail bar! This isn't some place you dash into and dash out of. This is where you go to kick back, relax, and sip.

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    Asa Gathering - Great bourbon selection !

    Great bourbon selection !

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    The Velvet Elk - cocktailbars - Updated June 2026

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