I loved the ambiance here! Beautiful inside, nice mood lightening, jazz music playing but not too loud to impede conversation. The drinks were delishious- I had the Eskimo sister and the Grand Budapest, both were tasty and not overly sweet. We also had the olives (totally worth trying for $5) and buttermilk fried chicken to snack on. The servers were very helpful and took great care of us, especially considering the crowd that accumulated later on that Friday evening. Highly recommend this place! Laid back, and very nice! read more

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Fantastic. I'm from Alabama and this was an awesome first meal in Seattle. I got the chicken which was baked with some hazelnut milk, kale, asparagus and pine nuts. It was great! For desert, get the profiteroles. Definitely worth the stop. read more

Zig Zag Cafe - Profiteroles were fantastic! - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Came here for a dinner with girlfriends on Saturday night. The atmosphere is 5 stars Food was really disappointing... Mussels tasted very bad, as if they were not fresh. Most popular dish on our table was French fries which tells a lot about the quality and taste of the food. Don't feel like I'll be back at this place read more

Nice cocktails and ambience. Food was also good. Just service was on slower side. Deviled Eggs were delicious. read more

Zig Zag Cafe - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

An Emerald in the Emerald City... This bar is a hidden gem in the labyrinth of Pike Place Market. When you find it, you feel like you are part of a secret society. The bartenders are great. I've actually been going here for several years and met the famous mixologist Murray, who has won all sorts of accolades for his creative concoctions. You can choose from the unique cocktail menu or you can let the bartender be creative. ( I say go for the latter, it's more fun to be surprised!). They also offer snacks and desserts, which are great. The atmosphere is very cool and swanky. They have an outside patio, which is great in the Seattle Summers.... read more

How have I not written a review for Zig Zag yet? I came here during the summer with a couple of friends. The bartender, Murray has been rated the best bartender in the country and it is without a doubt true. Give him an idea of what you would like to drink and it'll appear before you. Go early though, this place fills up because people know the truth. There are bars where people go to get drunk and there are bars that people go to because they like a fine drink. This is the latter and frankly the best of the latter in Seattle. read more

Love the Zip Zag! Great bartenders who actually do know how to make a good drink. It can be hit or miss on how busy it is... we have visited when we were the only ones in the place and we've also visited when it is swamped and you have to wait for a place to sit. I also love that's its fairly hidden and many people, even those who live in Seattle, do not know where to find the place. :) read more

Went to happy hour with some new friends from work, heard this place served good drinks in a cool atmosphere. Planned on havin just one... three drinks latter my head got a little ZigZagged! Beware, these drinks are good. I tried the Diablo (Tequila, Cassis, Lime, Ginger Ale) and Prado (Tequila, Maraschino, Lime, Egg White), both top notch. They will creep on on you though, so be careful. And at happy hour prices, these drinks are steal! Atmosphere is hip, but this is not a place to go to be seen. Go to enjoy the drinks and have a good time, save the new Gucci leather jacket for somewhere else that cares. Service was very good, with the server frequently checking in, and helping us land a table quick. Food was OK, but probably not worth going for. Would have given it 5 stars, but I am still a little bit sore from the slight hang over the next day. Damn you Zig Zag! read more

Just an FYI Murray Stenson has left Zig Zag. It's an adventure looking for this place if you don't know the terrain, but we found it. My friend and I are huge fans of the old fashion cocktail movement and frequent Anvil in Houston. If you like these cocktails too you know that Zig Zag Cafe is the place to try. The drinks were very good I had the bartender Eric make me some of his favorites based off my starter drink a Sazerac. All in all it was a great experience. I would say it compares to Anvil in Houston, but I think Anvil is just a little better. The meat and cheese trays rocked and the boar Risotto is awesome. Sad to say the man that made this place legendary. Murray Stenson is Gone. According to a local that frequents Zig Zag he was swept up by a soon to be competitor. So we will see where he lands. If you're in town go by and see Eric he makes a mean drink. read more

This place is the reason I want to move to Seattle..... Wow ok so let me get started by saying I love Ian! (That's his name I hope) we had this ongoing joke about putting his face on a t-shirt and I also proposed to him with a ring made out of a straw, as you can see, we were very serious. Lol. I went two nights in a row because it was that amazing, the cocktails are fabulous and the food is pretty great, I love the banquet its a quick fix with a lovely whipped butter and sea salt, also love the onion dip! I got the fried chicken (drunk mistake I try to eat mostly vegetarian) but unfortunately there was little to no meat on it which made me sad but everyone else had delicious food and maybe that was the universe messing with me for getting chicken to begin with. Anyways super great time, this will be my first stop when I get back to Seattle. read more

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Awesome Cafe. We came in for drinks and loved it. Great establishment. Enjoy the service and ambiance there. read more

Zig Zag Cafe - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

A group of friends and I came in and were almost instantly seated, which was great! I got the burger and I highly recommend it, it was soooooo good! The lighting in there is a bit dim, which probably won't bother most people, just something to note. It was also sort of difficult to find so If your looking for it; it's about half way down the stairs with some glowing neon lights to guide your way. The wait staff seemed a little out of sorts and a bit disorganized, a couple of times we had different waitresses ask us our drink orders/checks, could have been an off night. Overall good service and really great food and drinks. read more

This place was highly recommended, and now I see why! We had a short wait to get in the door and seated, but once we did, the waitress asked us what we like and she suggested our cocktails! The cocktails were so good we had two each! Mine was spicy with a drop of tabasco, gin, and basil. I wish I lived closer. read more

I love cocktails. Let's be honest, I love alcohol. To that end, I love Zig Zag. I don't get the whole "dress up like a Wild West saloon piano player" look, but if you're going to pour cocktails like these guys, you can dress up like f*ing Cookie Monster for all care. "Mmmmm cookie cookie cookie," now make me a drink! The food is great there, but let's be honest, going to Zig Zag for the pizza is like going to Rain Shadow for the hamburger meat - you can, but WHY? The House drinks are off the hook (I had several B&R's) and there's nothing like a Manhattan made by a pro. Why not 5 stars? It's always slammed. I've been in at 5:00, 6:30, 11:00 and 0 dark thirty. Wonderful, everybody else wants to go there. I get it, because the cocktails are magically delicious. That said, I don't want to walk down 40 stairs (and walk back up them after several drinks) to stand behind a velvet rope for 15 minutes and then wait when I get in. Would I go back? OF COURSE! This place is a must-hit on any Seattle cocktail pub crawl, just expect a wait. Pro tip - rather than go back up through the market, walk out and walk down the stairs to Alaskan Way and grab a cab there. I'm all about spending $6 instead of climbing 100 stairs while blowing a .12! read more

1st visit: came with a friend fro out of town. Got there right after 5pm and sat at the bar. Had a couple amazing cocktails and a pretty friendly bartender. 2nd visit: Took my husband there after amazing cocktails from the 1st visit. Again, wasn't too busy and were easily seated at a small table. Waitress spent most of the time ignoring us and by the time she finally came back to our table we ended up just asking for the bill instead of ordering another drink like we originally planned. 3rd visit: Came for happy hour about 4 months later with a few co-workers and got a booth. Same waitress. Same terrible service. Took 20 minutes (no, I am not exaggerating) between asking for the bill and the bill to arrive. I would give it one star if there wasn't at least something to be said for the drinks- but I'll gladly go to a far less pretentious and friendlier place. I'm pretty sure You'd get better treatment wearing your footie pajamas to Vessel. read more

To compliment Murray and the drink selection would be to repeat the many other compliments he and his bartending staff has received. But not enough can be said for the classy, original drinks he invents and serves. I like that the bar is hard to find for those not familiar with Seattle. it adds to the charm. The decor inside is also not designed to impress those who relate overpriced interior design with great drinks. C'est la vie. I have been here more than once for just drinks and for New Year's Eve and for birthdays. In all occasions, the service at our table has been excellent, and the drinks, as always, were stellar. read more

First visit on a recommendation for a casual meeting with a client and a friend... Impressions; Menu. Super range/variety of liquor, very good range of food. We had Caesar Salad-excellent, oyster platter-okay to good, roasted peanuts-good, olives-good, and variety of drinks-all great. Drink menu alone is worth going back for. Atmosphere. Good, upscale-ish, low-light atmosphere, felt more casual/intimate than light/bright casual but a good blend. Staff. Were nice but busy since happy hour timeframe. A little rigid on the table arrangement, understandable given the setting. Worth a couple more visits before final impression, so far so good. Recommend you go to the happy hour and give it a try. Cheers ^_^ read more

Really remarkable old-school style cocktails; generally dry and high-octane, which is sometimes exactly what you need. Lots of housemade bitters and other good stuff. I think the Trident was my favorite. You don't go here to order lame frat party drinks, so don't go squandering the experience by ordering a Long Island ice tea or a vodka lemon drop. Stick to things highlighting whiskey, gin, brandy, or, say, aquavit. Not really remarkable food. But you forgive them anyway, because the whole point is the art of the cocktail. Just be careful of tripping over homeless people as you stumble down the Hillclimb to get here. read more

I recently spent 24 hours and 5 minutes in Seattle, and was told by the folks at Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco that this was this place to go. It was. First, the food was excellent. We had the Seared Tuna, Prawns, a Pizza with Walnut Cream Pesto, and a "Meat Plate." The tuna was served with a real nice mound of crunchy, fresh Thai-style salad; slightly sweet and spicy. A nice balance with the fish which could have used a touch more seasoning. The pizza was perfect. The sauce was a nice twist on pesto, and the crust just chewy enough. The charcuterie plate, that they call a "Meat Plate" (which I think it unpretentious and... accurate. Brilliant.) had some nice chunks of warm sausage, a generous amount of thicker-than-usual prosciutto-style cured ham, and some thinly sliced salame... all with a real good mustard, soft foccacia, and simple olive oil. The prawns had a thick slightly-smoky rojo sauce made with (I think) anchos, garlic, and pepper. Delicious. But the real reason this is the best bar I have ever been to... ever... is Murray. The best bartender I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, watching, and being served by. I can't explain it, but it's magic. He's like a god. Yes. Murray is god-like. God-ish. Just go. Sit at the bar, take your time, get something to snack, and enjoy. read more

Zig zag was how I felt walking the empty avenue of Western after some stiff drinks at 1:30 a.m. I confess: I'm a closet lightweight desiring a knockdown cocktail experience. When you ask bartenders from Bellevue to Kirkland who their hands down best bartender in Seattle, one name comes out. Murray of Zig Zag. Unfortunately it's hard to get a Murray experience when, even on a drizzly Wednesday night at 11 pm, the bar was full. We sat in a half-moon booth far from the action of famed mixologist, basking in the glow of old chandelier as our cocktails arrived one cold martini glass after another. We waited for empty bar stools that never happened. I didn't care much for the appetizers. They were delightful, but small. When all the craziness that's Pike Place market comes to a halt, this cafe tucked in the steps of Pike Street Hill Climb is where night owls flock. Even on a cold midweek winter night. read more

Needless to say (if you've been following pieces of my Seattle saga), I was ready for a cocktail by the time I showed up at Zig Zag, completely by accident. I literally searched for "cocktail" and looked for the results that popped up within the free shuttle zone of my hotel. The first thing I noticed when I walked into the bar was the atmosphere. It's just the right amount of dark and sultry. The second thing I noticed was the cutest bartender I have seen in a very long while (Erik). Definitely not too shabby so far. Cocktails were fabulous (as I expected). The food was also stellar - I had the alligator gumbo! And of course, the eye candy. I will always return when in Seattle. The highlight of my trip was my evening spent here, meeting new friends, having good conversations, and drinking too much. read more

I felt like I was transported back in time when I was at the Zig Zag. Maybe it was the way the waiter was dressed, the jazz in the background, or all the drinks packing a 1-2 punch. It was a charming place. But the bulk of these stars come from a dish so good we ordered it twice in one night. Be prepared folks...bacon baklava- an amazing combo of savory and sweet. I'll say it again, BACON BAKLAVA. Do yourself a favor and order it. Hell, order three. read more

I am in Seattle visiting from California and decided to stop by per a recommendation and I was very impressed. The drinks my husband and I ordered were super tasty and moderately sweet without being overloaded with sugar. The standout for me was definitely the Fries! I paid to add the feta cheese and they were probably the best fries I've ever had in my life. If you're wanting an I twr sting desert, go for the yogurt cake. The cream is super Tarte and the cake nice and sweet. 10 out of 10, would recommend this place. read more

Hidden Gem - I stumbled across this dark, jazzy speakeasy on a trip to Seattle, while walking from Pike Place Market to the waterfront. The dark, jazzy vibe drew me in, and the cocktails (and deviled eggs!) will see my return again and again. Great atmosphere, menu, drinks - overall a lovely experience. read more

Found out about this place from a fellow MSFT after the Ricadro Arjona concert. Hidden spot but worth the treasure hunt. Good food, good drinks. They even have ron zacapa which is unique for a US bar. Passed by with my dad on Saturday and sat outside. Fun times! read more

Got to the door late on a Friday. There is a velvet rope stretched across the door and a man who asks how many you have. Seemed pretentious but I realized later it was probably necessary to keep it from being too crowded in there. Though there are a fair number of tables, if you had too many people standing, the servers would have a really hard time getting around. The drinks here are strong, so you won't need too many to accomplish your task of getting drunk. I prefer to have 2 expensive drinks to 4 watered down cheap ones, so I prefer this kind of bar. All of our drinks were awesome. We ordered the charcuterie and hummus. I was really glad I ate, because I may have been too hung over the next day to enjoy anything in Seattle if I hadn't. The meats were awesome, and the hummus was also delicious. It came with a lot of thin toasted bread, which was great. I hate when the hummus doesn't come with enough pita or whatever. Our server was very nice. She made recommendations and took good care of us. She was always smiling. I will definitely come back to this place when I am in Seattle again. read more

I read so many wonderful reviews of the Zig Zag Cafe that I had to check it out myself. First off, the location is tucked away under the Kasala store in the Market. Good for keeping the masses away. Overall ambiance is great. It's kind of intimate yet unpretentious at the same time. Bar seats are at a premium but worth the wait so you can watch Murray and his crew work their magic. Overall service is pretty good. Food is only OK, just remember that this place is known for the drinks. So lets talk about the drinks : ) I've been here 3 times in the last month or so and each time I've been "wow'd" by Murray and the great drinks he pours. Yes he pours with an old-school flair but don't expect the mastery of his craft to end at only "old-school drinks". Give him free reign over what you are thinking of drinking and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Want a contemporary cocktail with an egg-foam top? He can do that. Looking for a spin on an old drink like an "old fashioned"? Trust me, he can do that as well. Zig Zag Cafe is totally worth the trip. Great drinks, great ambiance and a grea happy hour make it one of my favorite downtown spots. read more

Came here again and the service was amazing!!! Really, really amazing. (Enjoy that large tip!!) I had a menu item then put it in their hands for the second round. They gave me an improv'd cocktail of Gin, Vermouth, Orange Bitters & Ramazzotti (My favorite bitter) that I'm now trying to coin as "The Busby". Go order it by name w/ description. It was amazing. read more

Picked this place based on Yelp reviews. Got there around 8pm, free parking on the ocean side-bonus! Asked a few questions about dishes on the menu, then made choices. Somehow the order did not get put in as we ordered, the appetizer came with dinner and my dinner was not ordered at all. We ate the appetizer, while my husband's dinner sat on the table. He proceeded to eat dinner while I waited for mine. Lasagna was my husband's dish, a hint of cinnamon added a different flavor. Unfortunately the dish was barely warm. Once my husband finished eating my spare rib dinner arrived- was hot and tasty, the dish comes with scallop potatoes. The team offered to buy us desert due to the mix up - we were full by then and declined. Great place just a bit of a mix up, that unfortunately affected our overall dining experience. read more

It's important to understand that Zig Zag is not your typical bar. The cocktail menu doesn't have the staple drinks you find at every other place in the city. Instead, Zig Zag specializes in whiskeys, brandies, rums and gins. They've received more awards than I can count. The atmosphere is subdued; dark and sophisticated. The location is great during the day, when the market is lively, but at night it's a little sketchy and not really in walking/stumbling distance of much (aside from several hundred stairs). But if for no other reason, go to Zig Zag to try the Mojito; the best in Seattle. read more

In an interest of full disclosure if I was reviewing only the food I think I would give this place 3 stars, however, it is so much more then food. Having never been to Seattle I only had an idea of what to expect in my head and one step into Zig Zag it was like someone created exactly what my most optimistic ideas were. Nice, busy but not overly packed great mix of people out to have a good time with some damned good jazz playing in the background. Staff was awesome and although they were crowded on a Friday night, I had a beer and glass of water while we waited for our table within minutes. Sort of upset I didn't get any mixed drinks because there was one bartender there, in particular, that look like he made a mean anything. As I said, food was just o.k. but considering the whole experience the place is awesome. Definitely will be back. Zig Zag, Is My Bag. RrL read more

Came here for foods and drinks one night. They do not allow you to wait indoors (well, some people can but at some point there isn't enough room and you must stand outside). There are heaters but it was still very cold for me :( From the outdoor waiting area, you get shuffled into the indoor waiting area. Standing tables and you can order your first cocktail. The food was good but expensive. The drinks were fantastic, just come here and spend all your cash dollars on drinks and you won't be disappointed!! read more

Really interesting Mediterranean fusion. Savory and intimate atmosphere. Service was a little lack luster/slow. Wine selections good, all around delicious$ read more

Happy Hour is killer. The best $5 cocktails you will ever find. The place is warm, crowded, friendly, and the crowd seems a bit older. The bartenders are fantastic (I'm a little late on the trend, since it has ended up in the New York Times twice this week.....). Drinks are stiff and delicious. Doesn't open until 5pm, so they keep you honest about trying to sneak out of work early for a drink. read more

Oh heaven - pure rich perfect heaven! The God's smiled upon Seattle to provide this quintessential bar and cafe. My partner had heard and read about this bar often. He is a bartender or a drink artisan and craves to learn and see more from the best. Ben took exquisite care of us. He answered my partners questions and we watched in awe the way he layered and crafted each drink. It is memorizing. The drinks we had were off the chart good. Each were perfection and we lovingly sipped each one, not wanting it to go away quickly, but wanting to languish in each delicious sip. We did order happy food. We had the pizza and bruschetta. I have never seen so much fresh bruschetta on beautiful grilled triangles of bread. So good! The pizza was every bit as divine as the bruschetta. An experience. A resbit from the chaotic world. A slice of history with crafted drinks. A place to be greedy and go again and again. Thank you, Zig Zag and thank you Ben. read more

Came here on a Saturday night after dinner for some drinks around 9 pm. It wasn't busy at all and we got seats by the bar immediately; however, it did get pretty crowded by the time we left at 11 pm. It's also a bit confusing to find as it's tucked away in the stairwell; it's easy to misread a sign that directs you to the "2nd level," so naturally you go up a flight of stairs. If you go up the stairs, you'll run into some homeless folks shooting up in a dark walkway. Overall, I'm a fan of their drinks as they were well crafted. The bartenders are really nice and know the right liquor to bitters to juice ratio. The vibe was very intimate with the dim lighting and soft music playing in the background. It was a pleasant, low-key evening. read more

To be fair, I have been here a handful of times and am astonished I haven't written a review for this cozy, comfy amazing little bar. I love this place and have for many years. But since I have not written a review I'll stick to my most recent love affair with a cocktail. It was a cold winter day as we checked into a night at the Edgewater for a party later that night and I had a craving, a big one, for a nice Hot Buttered Rum. We checked in and went to the hotel bar NO HOT BUTTERED RUM, so then we were on a mission. I wanted to hit this treasure first but no, they weren't open for a few hours so we wandered through and looked and looked for a hot buttered rum.. NO LUCK...until we arrived here shortly after open... and TAH DAH not only did I get an amazing hot buttered rum, but my husband loved his Mexican hot cocoa! If you are looking for a cool spot with amazing drinks this is the spot. I love it here so much. Just keep in mind the later it gets the harder it is to get into. I have come here around 8PM at night a few times and not been able to get in. But DANG if you get in it's well worth it. read more

Zig Zag is known for their cocktails and that reputation is well deserved. Check out their happy hour where you can score quite a deal on their special drink concoctions. If you want to have something to snack on with your drinks - the bowl of spicy nuts at $4.00 is a good bet. They also have bruschetta that is quite good but I think would fare better paired with wine. They do have patio seating and although that is tempting I would opt for an inside seat where you have a view of the outdoor patio. The problem with the patio? One word: Viaduct. There is a reason a majority of people want that thing brought down and sitting on the patio within a stones throw of the viaduct I'm sure you could come up with a list of additional reasons. The service was mixed but the bartender was running the show and stepped in to make everything right. A great place to stop in for some expertly mixed cocktails near Pike Place Market. read more

I went to celebrate my friend's birthday. The atmosphere and the drinks were good. But I am really pissed about the fact that they charged 18$ for cutting a cake (which was store-bought by me). Sounds ridiculous right? read more

We came here because it had good reviews. I was disappointed. My first drink was OK, my second was really bad. Go to Vonn's 1000 spirits just minutes walking distance for much better cocktails. (and better food). For food I ordered the brisket after the waitress raved about it. It wasn't really brisket, it was more like a stew. I even asked the waitress if they use a smoker to make real brisket similar to Kansas City or Texas style and she assured me they did. Nope, not even close. She should have been honest - I would have ordered something else. The coleslaw that came with it was good. The cornbread and honey butter were ok, I've had better. My companion ordered the tuna dish. He wasn't crazy about it, said it tasted too fishy. Don't waste your time or money at this place as there are much better options walking distance from there with similar pricing and significantly better everything: Vonn's, Elysian Bar, the Whiskey Bar, Matt's in the Market, Pink Door etc. read more