The Cozy Seattle Bars and Hotel Lobbies Where You Can Curl Up by the Fire
As temperatures and our hours of daylight steadily plummet, outdoor patio season comes to an end, and it’s time to get warm and cozy, at last. Here’s a list of bars, cafes, and hotel lobbies around Seattle where you can take refuge in front of a crackling fireplace with a beverage in one hand and a book in the other.
The Cozy Seattle Bars and Hotel Lobbies Where You Can Curl Up by the Fire
Here’s where you can have a chill drink during the big dark.
One of the most enticing reasons to visit First Hill is Hotel Sorrento’s elegant Fireside Room. The circular space’s rich wooden walls and low piano tunes invite you to linger on a cold winter’s night. Take a seat in a tall leather chair in front of the flickering fireplace with a whiskey — or another warming libation of choice — in hand. Snack on small plates like Penn Cove mussels and goat cheese flatbread while you imbibe and play a game or two of fireside chess.
900 Madison Street, in First Hill. Open Monday through Saturday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The plush couch in front of the fireplace in 1 Hotel’s plant-filled lounge is the perfect place to post up on rainy days. Technically, you could take a seat at Drift’s bar top, but the lobby chairs are more comfortable. You can enjoy cocktails infused with local flavors such as pine needle and reishi mushroom tinctures, paired with a charcuterie board or veggie croquetas. The pile of books on the coffee table invites you to stay even longer. Even if you don’t land the coveted front-row fireplace seat, cozy nooks aplenty await, each surrounded by rugged wood end tables and an abundance of greenery that brightens the gray season. Pro tip: You can also order breakfast or lunch from Drift Bar and lounge any time of the day.
2125 Terry Avenue, in South Lake Union.* Open Sunday through Thursday 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 6:30 a.m. to midnight.
Hotel 1000 decks out its lobby cocktail bar, Rosebay, for the winter season, which features a fireplace front and center. While the fireplace flickers year-round, as the holidays approach the bar turns into a little apres-ski-themed lounge. Leave behind the dreary streets of Seattle, and enter a cozy wonderland, where you can stay warm in front of the fire while sipping on wintry libations.
1000 1st Avenue, downtown. Open daily 4 to 11 p.m.
Old Stove Gardens is primed for wintertime craft beer enjoyment. The brewery’s expansive outdoor space is filled with individual firepits surrounded by wooden lounge chairs. Order a pint inside, pick a table outside, turn on the gas, and the flames will start crackling. As long as the rain stays away, you can enjoy Old Stove’s IPAs, stouts, and sours in the fresh air while keeping warm in front of the fire. Burgers, sandwiches, and bar snacks are on offer if you work up an appetite.
1550 Northwest 49th Street, in Ballard. Open Monday to Thursday 3 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday noon to 10 p.m.
This Viking-inspired bar in Ballard specializes in rotating meads on draft. If you’re not a mead fan, Skal serves draft beers and cocktails, and keeping in tune with its Nordic roots, snacks like Smørrebrød (an open-faced sandwich topped with lox, beet, or venison) and a Nordic board. Skal’s decor transports you to a medieval living room in Scandinavia. Once you peel your attention away from the Norse art on the walls, snag a seat on the sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace.
5429 Ballard Avenue, in Ballard. Open Monday to Thursday, 3:30 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 11 p.m.m and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The low lighting, ice bar, lounge seats, and life-size polar bear statue in the Arctic Club’s Polar Bar instantly transport you to a northerly locale set back in time. Once the temperatures drop, the bar’s fireplace is lit, making this historic Klondike Gold Rush-era establishment an instant favorite for a cozy post-work or weekend drink and meal. Polar Bar’s menu shifts with the seasons but includes items like crab bao, seafood stew, and barrel-aged whiskey cocktails.
700 Third Avenue, downtown. Open daily 3 to 11 p.m.
You don’t need to make the drive to Leavenworth or Snoqualmie to get a taste of Alpine culture. Phinney Ridge’s Sully’s Snowgoose Saloon has all the fixings of a cozy ski chalet: a Swiss Alp-like exterior, wooden interior, an eclectic collection of snow gear and other trimmings on the walls, and arcade games. Order a pint of Guiness, grab a seat by the fire, and stay sheltered from the winter weather.
6119 Phinney Avenue, on Phinney Ridge. Open Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to midnight and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
This cozy Irish pub in Magnolia features daily happy hour, late-night specials, and weekend brunch. Warm up with Irish whisky or a local beer in front of one of Mulleady’s two fireplaces. The establishment feels extra festive in the days leading up to Christmas, decked out in sparkling lights.
3055 21st Avenue West, in Magnolia. Open Wednesday 3 to 10 p.m., Thursday and Friday 3 p.m. to midnight, Saturday noon to midnight, and Sunday noon to 10 p.m.
*Note for neighborhood boundary sticklers: 1 Hotel claims to be in South Lake Union. It is on the border between SLU and Denny Triangle, and it sort of feels more like SLU, if that makes sense, so we’ll accept it.
