This is it, the emperor of Seattle dive bars. Inimitable. Sui generis. My favorite place to hang…read moreout in downtown Seattle when bad decisions and fun are on my agenda. Time without number I've found myself here, be that first dates, my birthday, or New Year's Eve, and it always feels like home. If home were a clown/carnival themed acid trip of a pinball arcade bar, that is. And what's not to love about that? The bar tenders here are cool and friendly people who pour drinks with a heavy hand, and understand the mission: get the patrons who want to be drunk, drunk. The first few times I visited, I felt a leeriness about ordering food. But once I got over myself, I kinda fell in love with the menu, and I've probably eaten everything on it (including the clam chowder). Their hot dogs are wonders to behold, utter symphonies for the senses, and I refuse to visit Shorty's without getting one. Best dog in Seattle? Why yes. I think so. To paraphrase one reviewer: "Take your date here. If she doesn't like it, she's lame and you shouldn't waste your time with her anyways." Shorty's is the bomb.

The male bartender was extremely rude. As soon as we walked in, he aggressively asked for our IDs…read more Then, while my cousins and I were looking through the food menu, he barely gave us a chance to read it before saying, "I'll take whoever is ready to make my life easier." That's not something paying customers want to hear. I ended up ordering a drink for myself while the guys were looking at the menu because they were doing a food hop, and us girls were doing a bar hop. During that time, the bartender came back to our table at least four times within about five minutes. Instead of being attentive, it felt pushy and aggressive, especially since they were still deciding what they wanted. I've been here a few times before, but after this experience, this will definitely be my last visit.

The best service! Yummy food Good happy hour!! cool signs…read more That cocktail was perfectly crafted had a fun buzz

Really great little hidden gem in Belltown. This is a great space with a decent amount of seating,…read morea large bar, and tons of TVs and a projector screen for watching sports. My partner and I live locally and love coming here for a down to earth, reasonably priced meal and some beers. They have a good happy hour. The staff is very friendly and helpful, really nice people. Their menu is very unique for Seattle and I could imagine might throw some people off, but trust me, it's good stuff! They have everything from shumai, to baked spaghetti, to burgers, and french french toast. Sounds like a weird menu but we really enjoy it. I love the black pepper wings. My partner loves the baked spaghetti. If you're hanging in Belltown and need an easy dinner spot and want to avoid the packed crowded restaurants on 2nd Ave, pop over to 1st Ave and give Imperial a chance!

We came here after a long day and we were delighted by the place. Very clean, and very lovely…read morelittle Izakaya place. There was also a giant tv so if you catch some sports, you could do that as well. however, I think the food itself really shines here. We got the seafood combo skewers and bowls of beef udon. They were absolutely delicious. They were grilled to the perfect temperature and texture, and it was seasoned to perfection. The udon had warm broth that tasted unique to this place, and would strongly recommend. I did think that it was quite pricey for the amount of food you get here, but that's just the Seattle price for you. Still, I would strongly recommend if you were I. The neighborhood. Service was good as well. Pretty quick, and the restaurant owner gave me a free token to try the claw machine as well. Very fun!

TL;DR: Abysmal service in a nearly empty restaurant, broken ordering tech, and a serious lack of…read morefood transparency regarding their high-end menu items. Save your money and go elsewhere. The Tech & Ordering Breakdown: The issues began immediately with a broken QR code ordering system. After we informed the staff, we were told to just wait. After wasting 10 minutes, we had to flag someone down to finally take our order in person. The entire process took 20 minutes due to zero proactive support. The Main Service & Food Transparency Issues: While the overall food quality was disappointing, the service was even worse. Our skewers arrived piled on a single plate with no explanation of what was what. Our server promised to check on the names of the dishes but never returned. She actively avoided our table for the rest of the night.We eventually flagged down someone who appeared to be the manager or owner. While polite, her service was just as inattentive. When she tried to identify the skewers, her explanation completely contradicted our actual order. We ordered one rounds of Wagyu--the most expensive item on the menu--but what we were served did not match. It left us feeling like the restaurant is either substituting premium cuts with cheaper meat or the staff is entirely untrained. Logistics & Drinks: The lack of basic service standards was shocking considering the restaurant only had two other tables occupied. A cocktail ordered at the very beginning of the night didn't arrive until we were almost finished eating, despite us successfully ordering multiple rounds of beer and sake throughout the meal. There is a complete lack of basic service standards and transparency here which is absolutely sad as the restaurant has pretty good ambiance. Despite the ambiance, I highly recommend spending your hard-earned money at one of Seattle's other excellent izakayas instead.

I love this spot! The first thing that stood out to me was the environment because it really feels…read morelike you've stepped into an outdoor market in Bangkok. There are so many little details throughout the space that create that feeling, and at night especially, the whole place has such a fun energy. The food is amazing and I also love that they carry dishes and items that aren't commonly found in the States but are much more familiar if you've spent time in Thailand. That alone makes Bangrak worth visiting. There's something really fun about coming here in the evening. The atmosphere, food and little market details all come together and make it feel much more like an experience than simply going out for dinner. Trust me, it's a vibe. If you're missing Thailand or just want somewhere with a lively, distinctly Bangkok feel and great food, this is definitely worth checking out. Parking is tough around here because of it's location, there is a parking lot in the back side that I would suggest checking first.

Super loud, kinda crazy, but super fun. We had the fried prawns (w the most amazing green sauce),…read morechicken satay (the best satay I've ever had), deep-fried tofu & Lao-style papaya salad (this was good too, kinda pungent, I've only ever had the Thai-style papaya salad which is a bit lighter in taste). Someone complained about "ventilation". Yo, just pretend like you're in Thailand. For being so crazy busy, service was very attentive. You can flag down anyone to order additional food. Plus food comes out at lighting speed. Def fun place to go with friends. Don't go if you can't handle loud music.

READ THIS. I'm very excited to tell you this horrible story pleaseeeee read it. Just to let you…read moreknow the waiter was rude from the moment we walked in.So I came into this restaurant with my old friend to have some yummy food and we sat down. My friend asked for a frozen margarita but the waiter in a very rude way said we don't do that here. Whatever. Very rude and upset my friend. We did have plans after this so we were excited to get our food ordered but this waiter decided to ignore us for a good 20 mins before FINALLY taking our order (place was not very busy) and before he did he'd periodically walk by and glare at us. Ridiculous. When we got the food I took a bite of the hatch chilli rellono (I'm bad at spelling) which was NOT advertised as being spicy. But I myself like spicy things so it wouldn't have been an issue except when I took a bite of one of the two and it BURNED. This dish was not supposed to be spicy at all. It was bad and I had to spit it out. Very spicy as in bad. My stomach hurt a lot from the extreme ness. Meanwhile my friend was confused. She ate the whole one she had been eating then went on to finish mine thinking I was crazy for my reaction. She took a bite and was surprised very much by the spiciness!!!! Her stomach hurt a lot too. So for some reason there was a hot spot. Sabatoge? I'm not against it as when the waiter came back and we told him the story he didn't look shocked at all and even hid a laugh. HORRIBLE. But the non spicy one was good said my friend. I'll never know. Come here at your own risk. Not to mention how hot it was when they had a perfectly fine working ac. The food left us sick for hours. 3/10 ( I gave three since the non sabatoged one was good)

This has been bookmarked for a while and the only regret I have is that I didn't get here sooner…read more This food is terrific, the vibe is hilarious, the servers are downright fantastic. Andrew (our server) introduced us to his sidekick, who was in training. Love that personal, hands on approach for a mew team member, and Sidekick did a great job in monitoring our table and replenishing water. Have to stop here and express my appreciation for Andrew and how he took the time to explain the philosophy and genuine team vibe of the restaurant. Oftentimes when a restaurant adds a flat 20% gratuity, you get the feeling this is not passed on to the servers. Not so here. He explained that it's shared among the servers, bar, and other staff, with only a bit retained by management, but even that finds its way into their wages. Terrific work environment and happy to see it. It definitely shows in the level of service. But we're here to eat. Didn't take a picture, but one of my dining companions ordered the burrito with red chili sauce and it was very good. Just the right amount of heat in the sauce. The Cantina celebrates Taco Tuesday, so I took advantage of this. You get the opportunity to try 5 different street tacos for the low price of $15. For another $4 you order it fully loaded which is a steal (guac, pickled onions, lettuce, giardano, crema, and another lovely sauce). Each of the tacos were really delicious and packed full of flavor. I especially enjoyed the cauliflower and the beef. Was surprised how much I liked the popcorn chicken - still juicy and not greasy in the least. Andrew treated us to a round of the hatch green chili. I was delighted because it was a dish I wanted to try. He described it perfectly: a little kick, but you can't stop eating it. He was right. A bowl of this in the winter with their cornbread (which I'm confident will be delicious) will preempt a winter cold. The sauces on the table are not to be ignored either. The green chili sauce was fruity with a little heat, the scorpion chili brings the heat, but their homemade chili oil is phenomenal. I could put this on everything. In short, the Cantina delivers. Excellent food, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and fun staff, and a cool vibe. I'll bet the cocktails will also be good. Definitely adding to the regular rotation!

This is exactly what a neighborhood sports bar should be. The wings came out hot, crispy, and…read morepacked with flavor, and the loaded fries were seriously on point. I'd eat both fresh at the bar instead of taking them home because this kind of food is better straight out of the kitchen. No online ordering, no fancy gimmicks--just cold drinks, sports on TV, and damn good wings. And no ranch? Respect.

As folks visiting from the South, we appreciate good food and genuine hospitality, and Vindicktive…read moreBar and Wings in Seattle absolutely delivered. From the moment we walked in, we felt right at home thanks to Dom, one of the owners. He was an excellent host and a true professional who went out of his way to make our group of out-of-town guests feel welcome.The food itself was fantastic. The wings were great and cooked to perfection, coming out incredibly crispy on the outside while remaining juicy on the inside. Since we love a little heat, we tried the Habanero sauce along with the Reaper sauce. Both delivered a serious, flavorful kick that satisfied our craving for spice. To wash it all down, we paired the wings with an excellent local beer on tap, which rounded out the meal perfectly.Finding a spot that nails both the food and the service can be rare when traveling, but this place knocked it out of the park. It was a highlight of our trip to the Pacific Northwest. We highly recommend stopping by if you are in the area. Solid 5 out of 5 stars!

We were staying at the Marriott and were looking for some good pizza and Just the Tap did not…read moredisappoint. We ordered take out and it was a 7 minute walk and was easy to get to. The pizza only took about 15 minutes and was ready. I wish we would have eaten there because they had board games, pinball, and a wall of beer! The pizza was great. The crust was thin and crispy with a nice char. We got the Hawaiian and also a pepperoni pizza. The Hawaiian had nice thick pieces of ham and the pepperoni were small and curled up with crusty edges. The prices were also much more reasonable compared to other restaurants in the area.

Just the Tap is a great local bar with a divey feel and unique set up. It's huge with lots of…read moreseating! We had a large room rented out for our private party, but were still able to do some exploring. There are swings, pinball machines, large tables, couch seating, a bar in the back - so much space! The pizzas were delicious and the rosemary fries were tasty too. I loved being able to try different beers and ciders. My one complaint would be the lack of toilet paper and paper towels in the women's restroom. Overall an awesome venue, friendly staff, and great drink/food options. Can't go wrong!

Open 24 hours! And a breakfast specials until 8pm or breakfast happy hour. We missed it by 15…read moreminutes, but they have breakfast deals all under $10. And bloodys for $9. We came for breakfast and I got the crab cake Benedict. Instead of English muffins they used crab cakes, which was awesome bc I didn't need that much carbs. It was delicious. I loved the crab cakes, such a good substitution, and it wasn't too much batter either, I could taste the crab. Wish they had other options for a hash brown on the plate. And then their Bloody Mary, it was salty and it's good for a hang over. The dive bar is dark, dingy, loud music at 8am in the morning and everything a dive should be. Also, close to the space needle, to walk off the calories.

If you're starving at 3am and IHOP is too far, you can come here, get treated poorly and pay too…read moremuch for ok food. I tried to call to place an order because I had some dietary restrictions - wanted to talk to a human - even their Ai-voice-phone thing is rude - and there's no way to get a human on the phone. It didn't used to be like this. They've lost their cool factor. Back in the 90's-00's, this was an edgy but well executed outfit. That's gone. Press zero to go F-yourself.

It was a great find. The bartender was really friendly. We sat down to take a break after World Cup…read moreand got a drink and some of the bacon and cheese fries they were delicious! It's dark and moody and they do have karaoke. We enjoyed listening and watching people sing. Didn't get any pics!

I never see anyone in this place. Come Friday or Saturday night...hardly anyone in here when other…read moreplaces nearby are buzzing. While I don't know why people don't go, I do know why I don't. The last time I was there I was being actively ignored by multiple barkeepers acting super busy, walking up and down and polishing glasses or similar fillers on a non-busy night... Until I got up and walked out slowly to Provisions, a bar right across the street, to get a drink. With this attitude toward service, I'm sure none of them realized what kind of business walked out the door in that moment, given I live within walking distance, happen to like a good whiskey, and believe in tipping handsomely for good service. But I get it...surely they saw me and likely filter for a different type of clientele. It's just that even over the years I've been passing by it hasn't worked. But each to their own; never been back.

Wow, this review is 8 years old! I want to share my experience with Some Random Bar…read more In 2017, my mom and I visited Seattle for me to look at apartments and interview for jobs. We came here to eat because it was near our hotel. I was OBSESSED with the crab nachos. 2 months later, I moved out here all on my own. Now, 8 years later, I live nearby. Whenever someone is visiting, we come here. Whenever I run into a stranger visiting, i say they have to come here. My friends know if i'm celebrating anything, "are you getting crab nachos?!" It's become a part of my personality at this point. I have so much respect for the owners, the way they run their business and their honesty online. No one I've brought here has had a bad thing to say regardless of what they ordered. My go to is: Pull apart bread, crab nachos (with their hot sauce!! which, btw can i buy that by the bottle.. cause YUM) + whatever drink is calling my name (they rotate, but if you can get the pina colada you won't regret it). tldr; you'll regret NOT coming here.

Went here recently for a random happy hour after work, had not been to this place in a couple of…read moreyears. I remembered that their drinks and bourbon selection/pricing used to be incredible. As with all things lately, prices have gone up on some of their rarer pours. The standard basic cocktails though were still reasonable and decently priced for the location. The atmosphere is great and service was pretty quick. The outdoor patio is still there which was a nice addition from 2019/2020 era. Some of their bourbons are still reasonably priced. Their food is pretty good. Would recommend the tacos, the burger, and carne asada. The nachos were not particularly for me, and also seemed to come out cold. Seemed to have cheese sauce instead of actual cheese. It was a cold day however. This place is mainly great for happy hour after work, but will come back and try dinner another time. Staff is great though. Really quaint and awesome spot to post up. good food, good service, good drinks, good selection, and still better pricing than most bars with what they have to offer. Will be going back again sooner. cheers