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Tavern Law
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Nightlife Bars Lounges Canadian (New), Lounges [Edit]
1406 12th Ave(between Union St & Pike St)
Seattle, WA 98122
Neighbourhood: Capitol Hill
(206) 322-9734
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Classy, Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
307 reviews for Tavern Law
Review Highlights
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"The burger topped with pork belly is to die for." In 29 reviews -
"All the cocktails look unique and creative." In 87 reviews -
"The foie gras with Angostura Bitters gelee was divine." In 17 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
307 reviews in English
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Review from Allie S.
Seattle, WA
5/25/2012
I don't drink, so this is not a review on the drinks, but rather a review of the delicious food!
My husband and I, along with another couple have decided to make a list of restaurants to try in Seattle to make sure we don't miss all the amazing places while we live here.
Tavern Law was on the list. We walked in without a reservation on a Friday night (around 7:30pm) and were seated right away. We decided to order 1 of almost everything on the menu and split them between the 4 of us. We got everything except the salad and desserts, it is a pretty small menu. EVERYTHING was superb! We all left raving about the amazing food. We got non-alcoholic drinks as well and it turned about to be about $40 per person.
I highly recommend this place for a tasty dinner. -
Review from John M.
Seattle, WA
5/18/2012
Best drinks on Capitol Hill, bar none.
Way too cramped no matter where you sit, you'll be fighting to get around and to your seat. They keep it dark enough to still feel like you're by yourself, so I guess it evens out.
The staff are always dressed very well and they've always been really helpful. Rene has a special flair to him. The chicken and grits is amazing. The best part is that you can pretty much point at anything on their drink menu and leave impressed with what you had.
Sure, it's not a value by any means, but you get what you pay for. -
Review from Vicki L.
5/17/2012 7 Check-ins Here
It's funny, the same disdain I have for TL's upstairs lounge definitely does not extend to the downstairs area. This is mostly because I adjust my expectations (accordingly) and have honestly never had a bad drink served to me here (which is more than I can say for N&T upstairs, sadly ...)
Although I recognize that the talent is the same and rotates between upstairs and downstairs, the primary and most important difference is that at Tavern Law, you generally order off of the menu. That said, the bartenders are completely competent at crafting all of the house cocktails. I also don't think anyone's ever been blatantly rude to me downstairs (again, not something I can say about upstairs) and you really can't gripe much during their happy hour, amiright?
Since I am not a meat eater, I haven't really tried anything off of their vittles menu (aside from sneaking a french fry from a friend now and then), but everyone i've ever hung out with here seems more than satisfied with what they usually order.
Basically, this is a reliable and solid choice if you're in the neighborhood. Are there a couple of other places I'd rather go? Yes, but I certainly wouldn't turn down an invite here either. -
Review from Mike A.
Seattle, WA
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
So I finally made it into Tavern Law. Im always a bit skeptical of places with rock star reviews, but I tell you, Tavern Law is the real deal. The food, drinks, and super friendly bartenders made my night memorable. I cant wait to return.
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Review from John M.
Bellevue, WA
5/2/2012
We do a fair amount of bar hopping in Seattle and certainly have our favorites, most especially speakeasies like Bathtub Gin. I had always wanted to try Tavern Law as I had heard so much about it. We met up with a couple of friends who hadn't been there before either to have a few drinks to plan some summer trips.
They were already settled in a good booth so we didn't go upstairs and so this review is for the main floor.
We ordered 4 different drinks for the four of us from a waiter that was not impressive. When he finally returned (it was a very slow night) with the drinks 2 of them were unacceptable (how do you screw up a basic martini??
The waiter suggested on one drink that he could take it back and reshake it with ice - really? This is Tavern Law!
Anyway, after much back and forth, the two disappointed friends decided to just have a rum & coke and Jack & coke. Can't screw that one up at least.
Another friend ordered a second glass of their drink. It was totally different! Didn't taste at all like the first one (nor look like it) and this time it had something floating in the bottom (blueberry? olive?).
Anyway, we gave up, paid up, and went to Barrio down the block. I know that a Tuesday evening does not call for the A team, but sheesh.
We will not be back. -
Review from Michel C.
Seattle, WA
4/24/2012 1 photo
Micro food menu, everything was quite tasty. Very limited food choices though, and small, slightly pricey dishes.
Drinks were lovely. Gorgeous decor, and lovely helpful staff. A place to sit, drink and chit chat. -
Review from Tman S.
Seattle, WA
5/7/2012
Best Burger of the year. topped with pork belly obtw. Great hand mixed cocktails
This is the real deal. Its just cool. -
Review from Kanchana S.
Manhattan, NY
4/3/2012
Modern, elegant and pricey.
Good place for interesting cocktails.
Not a good choice if you're on a budget.
Great place for a date. -
Review from Suie C.
All day HH on sundays! We came here later in the evening and on the recommendation of the waiter I tried the EARLY GREY something drink.
It was amazing, and I ordered a few more. Different, well made, and tasy. Also tried the lusty lady and this wine/champagne drink. Earl grey trumps both.
Service was okay, it really depends on who you get. The first guy helping us was decent, the second guy was super friendly and personable. He also played some old school hip/hop/rnb off his pandora since it was later in the night.
It was a bit busy when we first got there, but it cleared out as the night went on. I prefer it less packed, but overall I like this place, and i love that earl grey drink.Listed in: Best Happy Hour
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Review from Rachel H.
3/21/2012
Did you ever read the book the Invisible Man?
This book captured my imagination, making me ponder what it would be like to disappear. To literally become invisible. What would it be like to walk into a room, sit down and go completely unnoticed by everyone there?
We spent over 20 minutes at Tavern Law recently sitting at the bar on a not very crowded early Friday night on a much anticipated date night. Two bartenders, a host, and a bevy of servers walked by, beautiful looking cocktails were prepared and served to people right next to us, lots of attempted eye contact (on our part) and meanwhile, not a single server came by to say hello, let alone take our order.
It's an eerie feeling to be invisible. I may write a book about it. -
Review from Chris Y.
3/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
No doubt the drinks and food here are awesome! It has this speakeasy atmosphere with the safe door and secret phone in the back. The service on the other had was a huge disappointment (more on that later.)
It wasn't too long before I found a table in the corner. While its pretty packed on a Friday night, tables open up pretty quickly.
I had the English Fizz which tasted like a very sophisticated spiked iced tea.
We ordered a bunch of stuff to try: the pork rilettes special and the foie gras terrine. The rilettes were just ok...didn't care for the cold stringiness of the rilettes. The foie gras terrine was awesome! It's served with buttered french and together with the foie gras...wow! It just melts in your mouth!
I have to mention the Fried Chicken dish. It is probably one of the best fried chicken dishes I ever had in my life! The skin is super crispy and has honey drizzled over it. The meat is really tender and moist on the inside.
The burger is also fabulous and make sure you get it with pork belly! The combination of the sweet bun, moist beef patty and pork belly work every well together. It's served with skinny-ish fries were were nice and crispy.
Now about the horrible service. When my burger arrived, I asked if I could get some ketchup. The waiter look at me like I was crazy and said "I don't have any ketchup..." But he offered some aioli which was nice, but I like ketchup with my fries.
Then when it came to dessert, I read here glowing reviews of their moonshine ice cream. When I asked the waiter if they had the moonshine ice cream today, he basically lectured. He said, "WHAT, you wouldn't want to drink moonshine...you mean that corn distilled stuff from Tennessee? You don't want that..." and just walked away like I said something bad about his mother. Even the table next to me said, "Man, I wouldn't take that shit from the waiter." He came back and continued to lecture me about moonshine..."We don't have moonshine here...you wouldn't want that." Thanks...I already heard that line from you...Not necessary!
All in all, I had an awesome meal here with awesome drinks...but I probably wouldn't be back anytime soon due to the snotty waiter. -
Review from Johnny W.
3/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I probably shouldn't really be writing this, considering I don't actually remember what I had, but, well, here it is anyway! It's a shame I didn't visit Tavern Law until the end of my stay in Seattle though, because they could have easily become another one of my favorite bars in the city.
Dropping in with Stephy W one night though, we were disappointed that the "secret" upstairs speakeasy was actually closed that day. So, downstairs we sat, with me ordering something I don't quite remember, aside from it being awesome, brown, strong, and... a lot of it.
I'm definitely dropping by again my next visit back to Seattle. If you already live in this city, and haven't tried it yet, well... what are you waiting for? Don't wait until it's too late! -
Review from Dana D.
3/6/2012
ONLY GREAT IF.... you're able to get into the speak-easy bar upstairs. The food is decent, but the best part is the professionalism of the bar tenders who prepare each drink with expertise.
*I highly recommend calling ahead to make sure you're able to reserve a place upstairs. -
Review from Fatima G.
3/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm so glad that I'm an internet "deal-of-the-day" fanatic. I've been wanting to go to Tavern Law for a while, so when I saw the deal online, I pounced!
My husband and I went here with $50 to spend on food and drinks - thankfully that's not very hard to do at Tavern Law. We snagged a table by the very secret door that takes you upstairs. We each started the evening with a tasty beverage, I had the deliciousTittsnascot (I love elderflower!) and my husband had the Gin infused early grey cocktail. For food, we split the burger (served with a red onion jam), the mac and cheese (duck fat!!) and the fried chicken. I love the feel of this place, we'll definitely be back! -
Review from Hanna C.
Torrance, CA
5/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
I just loved the super attentive servers and great drinks! The price of the drinks were reasonable too at around $10. I tried the cheese plate, burger with pork belly, and potato wedges. The food items were all good and it complimented the drinks well.
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Review from Danielle J.
Seattle, WA
2/21/2012
My lovely fiance brought me here after a late class one night. It was super unique and we had such a great time sitting at one of the front tables watching the snow flurry outside.
They have inventive cocktails and some of the great classics as well. They can make anything you want, you just have to ask!
We also tried their burger and enjoyed it quite a bit. My only complaint is that the burger was so teeny that I wanted about three of them. Or, maybe I just like to eat a lot :)
Definitely a neat place to check out if you like that dark, mysterious kind of old speakeasy ambiance. Very hipster Seattle crowd. -
Review from Rebekah J.
Seattle, WA
3/21/2012
Other bars wish they were this good. This place is everything you hoped it would be...
We finally made it here after years of reading about it. It was super packed at 10pm on a Sat. We didn't have to wait long for a nice spot in the corner. The waiter came over super snappy and asked what I wanted to drink, asked what ingredients I liked. He brought me a gin, lime, jalapeno, cucumber beverage of perfection (hey- that would make a good name!). Perfectly balanced. The ice is old school huge cubes- nice touch. My husband got a gin, tea, with earl grey and lemon. Classic and tasty. We ordered the fries and some aioli. The fries were great- aioli- meh... average (ok, but nothing to call my mom about).
The food menu looks good, nice updated bar food. The cocktail menu is superb- really something for everyone and VERY thoughtful. The bartenders here actually SHAKE their cocktails. I am not talking a wimpy top 40 kinda shake, I am talking, PUT YOUR BACK INTO IT- the way it should be. Drinks are served FAST so they are still frothy. Praise Jeebus. Mixology at its finest. On par with Bourbon and Branch in San Fran. Atmosphere isn't quite as cool, but the drink menu is better I think... And I can't even begin to describe how picky I am about my cocktails. This is the only cocktail place in town that I have taken the time to review. Way better than Zig Zag- really no comparison.
Sitting by the safe door (entrance to Needle and Thread), was very humorous. Mostly people wondering why people were picking up the phone and then only sometimes going in the door. Only pain is that the door is not hinged. I thought the two gals sitting by the door were going to go deaf from the big ass door whipping back and forth (they were good sports about it). And the music was hilarious. Everything from Bon Jovi to 80's pop. Not taking itself too seriously is so nice.
Thank you Tavern Law for restoring my faith that there are well versed liquor crafters out there who aren't just posers with a hipster outfit and glasses. I can't wait to go back. Next time maybe we'll go behind the iron curtain... -
Review from Matt V.
San Francisco, CA
4/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
I wish it was acceptable to drink these drinks 24/7...but unfortunately from time to time we should take breaks. I will however be back every second that I can. Great bartender that steered us in the right direction and made some kick booty drinks!
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Review from Heather H.
Seattle, WA
I've been spending all my loving at KneeHigh Stocking all this time, that I failed to give such props to Tavern.
If you're a first timer, I'd advise going during the weeknight because the weekends are so damn packed! I've been there twice and both times were right by the chilly doorway. The happy menu isn't bad but nothing lethal enough to keep you away. I started with a gin-infused Earl Grey tea that was a perfect lighter start to the night. One thing that certainly pops is the freshness of all the juices and mixtures used here. You can see it all made right on the bar, in fact I was so tempted to reach out at some grapefruit left on the table.
I have yet to try the food here, but nothing has really caught my eye since it still seems to be in the typical range of glamorized pub food.
Hey I've got no complaints here, and can't wait to come back for a second round. Just maybe on a Wednesday night so I can fully enjoy the craft of my cocktail.Listed in: Nightlife: Capitol Hill Style
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Review from Kevin K.
Seattle, WA
2/3/2012
Tavern Law has really raised the bar for me in terms of customer service. To get this out upfront, I ordered no food -- I was mainly interested in the cocktails.
I first ordered the Tuxedo #2 and noticed that the ingredients were the same as the International Bartenders Association (IBA) recipe of the same drink. However, the IBA recipe simply calls it the Tuxedo. So, I was curious and asked the bartender what the difference was between the #2 and the original and/or the alternatives. It turns out the original called for Sherry instead of Vermouth. I was happy with that answer by itself but a few minutes later I look up and there's a drink in front of me. The bartender explained that this drink was the original recipe and he asked me to try it. I was already impressed at this point but then 10 minutes later there was another drink in front of me and the bartender explained that it was another alternative of the same drink.
To be clear, these were not free drinks that were given to me. These drinks were made so that the bartenders could learn about and taste the different variations of this particular cocktail. They were just generous enough to let me try them.
Lastly, I requested my bill and was told by the bartender serving me that *he* was not happy with the last drink he made me so it was effectively on the house. Mind blown twice over.
I cannot guarantee that you'll have such a positive experience as I did but I have no doubt that customer service is very important to this establishment. If the quality of the cocktails are any indication, the food should be just as good. -
Review from Jeffrey T.
Seattle, WA
2/1/2012
This is my favorite classy bar on capitol hill, and pretty much in Seattle as I almost live on 12th and pike/pine. ( and will be moving to a few blocks away shortly ).
1. The cocktails are amazing, creative, interesting, and so many to try downstairs I almost would want to go back on a daily basis but that would likely turn me into an alcoholic.
2. The food is unpretentious but upscale- get the burger, its my favorite burger pretty much.....ever.
3. The upstairs bar is by far the best thing of everything. the fact that they make it up on the fly based on the interaction with you and trust me, every drink i have had up there was beyond superb-but whats even better is the atomosphere, the fact that they dont have blaring music, and they limit the number of people who can come up there, so it remains quiet, and enjoyable.
This a place to take a date, or a hot non date. -
Review from Andrew T.
Seattle, WA
2/20/2012
Despite the faux-pretentious Seattle hipster attitude that sometimes plagues service in CapHill, this is my favorite cocktail lounge in the city. They have cocktails for anyone's tastes (sour/whiskey/tequila/rum/etc) -- my favorite to-date is the New York Sour. Don't see anything you like? They'll make you something based on your preferences.
Besides the drinks, the ambiance is "cool" -- dimly lit, warm, and cozy. The space isn't too big, so it's really a great place to go with a small group of people or as a couple. -
Review from Vanessa J.
Seattle, WA
11/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Blood and Thunder with Foie Gras.
x2
Tavern Law gets a lot of hype, and I admit I kind of avoided it for that reason, and because it sounded a little pretentious, what with the gigantic cocktail menu and the "speakeasy" upstairs. However, I really liked the ambiance and the drinks, which were absolutely as good as their publicity promises, and the foie gras was excellent.
Watching the bartenders at work is entertaining and educational, too, fascinating really, and I like to come here to sit and the bar and watch them like a cooking show.
Tavern is a great place to impress friends or to spend an hour gawking at the bartender side show, but whatever your reasons, if you like a craft cocktail and fine food, come here. -
Review from Mark S.
Seattle, WA
5/4/2012
Don't waste your time booking an event with this establishment. It might be awhile until they call you back. Poor customer service...
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Review from Lorna D.
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Honestly, I have been confusing this bar with the newly opened Tyler Florence restaurant in San Francisco. I know I'm such a dork. But this place is awesome. The small plates are delicious. We had the duck fat Mac and cheese and the oxtail gnocchi. The duck fat Mac and cheese was greater than I had expected. It was like eating morsels of duck with Mac and cheese only it's imaginary duck. That's how flavorful this dish was. It was accompanied and adorned with some greens and a thinly sliced granny apple slaw. This complimented the dish really well. The oxtail gnocchi was also pretty good. The oxtail was simmered with lovely spices to a perfect tenderness. However, the gnocchi seemed a bit overlooked in my opinion. I like my gnocchi to taste like pillows of velvet in my mouth. Unfortunately, the gnocchi was a dry and a bit crunchy even with the oxtail sauce.
The drinks are off the hook. All of the concoctions are masterfully creative and strong. Nothing tasted like juice.
The whole place is very crowded and loud. There is so much going on that one can be distracted. I mean a girl at the table next to us was literally in our conversation just because I mentioned a scene from the tv show "New Girl". It was funny because she was excited as I was about the scene I had described to my companions. I love the decor with the books and such. It made me think that tavern law was opened just for the Seattle U law students just a block away. The service is impeccable for such a busy place. This is definitely a place to return to if I'm willing to wait for a table with friends. -
Review from Marilyn V.
Seattle, WA
3/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wow, was I impressed with the mixologists here, they know their stuff! Not only are they knowledgeable with their ingredients and alcohol selection, they're so friendly. I came here with a small group on Monday night and we hung out at the bar. (The super secret place isn't available on Sundays and Mondays.) It was really cool ordering drinks and watching them being made right in front of you. You could tell that the mixologist really put detail and heart into each drink. I want to come back for more drinks and to try their food. If it's as good as their sister restaurant, The Coterie Room, I know I'll be back!
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Review from Katie V.
Medina, WA
11/16/2011
This place is really cool to go with one or two other people. I like the vibe and the athmosphere. I didn't order any food for myself, but I did try bites of my friend's food and it was really good. The only problem is groups. The place is small. I made the mistake of having my birthday party there, and there were one or two other birthday parties going on at the same time.. There were so many people crammed into a little space, it was hard to get service, everyone was standing around trying to get into the secret bar upstairs. Just too many people!!! I would definitely go back on a weeknight, with no more than 2 other people. Their drinks are great, and the food is great. Just don't have a party there. Cool place.
I thought I hated foie gras, but I tried some here and it was delicious! Though there isn't a large menu, they certainly have some interesting choices, and unusual mixed drinks selections. -
Review from Cat A.
11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Drinks took awhile, but these liquors were rhythmically put together to form a delicious masterpiece. I still prefer the other hip speakeasy on the hill known as Knee High Stocking.
Ordered some desert that took almost a half hour. Where they freezing the ice cream? Where they baking the chocolate jello thing? Who knows, who cares. One of the servers didn't even know what was on the desert. Service was good enough, we had a laugh with the other Vietnamese waiter.
One thing that did intrigue me was their door with a phone. People would slowly go in there groups at a time. Pick up the phone. Mumble some crap on the phone and someone would open the door. Apparently it's another speakeasy. A speakeasy within a speakeasy? Ok... If you share the same kitchen and make the same drinks in both areas, yet you as the patron, prefer to go up stairs to the 20 seated attic, then you must be looking for exclusivity. Could care less. Long story short: Enjoyed the drinks, but not enough to come back. -
Review from Daren D.
10/16/2011
Some other day I swung by randomly at night to see what it's about. I wasn't too wow'd by it, unfortunately. Minus the deliciously moist burger (the food), the experience was okay. Even their mint julep... ehhh. I'm used to those more like mojitos but this was like just alcohol at the bottom of a numbing-freezing silver cup, a crushed ice sphere "topping" it and the straw & mint poking out.
I haven't asked if they can do a Singapore Sling, yet. -
Review from Dave M.
Seattle, WA
1/7/2012
Look, I really can't fault this place.
But maybe I should complain about the high prices of their petits plats. Maybe I should bitch and moan about the pretention and other noise that you can experience here. Or perhaps I should point out the limited patience a fickle public has for this whole speakeasy zeitgeist.
Well, to hell with that.
The cocktails, especially in the speakeasy upper niche, are ...
A-fuckin'-mazing.
And that's all I have to say, because, frankly, what else really matters? -
Review from Ed D.
12/12/2011
I was at Tavern Law on a Sunday evening. The tables were empty but the bar around half full. I had two drinks: Oaxacan something and and Old Cuban. Both were excellent, though the pours were a little small.
Tavern Law is pretty darn good. The one shortcoming was, though the bartender mixed a good drink, he didn't add a lot to the experience. In my opinion, a top-notch bartender provides also provides conversation and brings the crowd together. The guys at Bathtub Gin are fantastic at that; I've ended up with three new friends every time I've gone there. I won't hold it too much against Tavern Law because it was a slow night, but that is the difference between four and five stars. -
Review from Justin M.
This isn't going to be one of those "how have I never reviewed this place yet" sort of reviews.
The truth is I've held back because I still haven't eaten here, it seems my consumption of consumables here falls more along the lines of spirits. With that said, this isn't your average pub.
What I love the most about this bar is their attention to detail and dedication to quality drinks. I'm usually a "double Kettel One on the rocks" kinda guy at most bars, mostly because how can you mess that up right (see my AZUL review to find out how). Anyway, here at Tavern Law I can be confident that the bartender knows his stuff. The proof is in the pudding, I have never had a bad drink here, and hands down this bar has THE best Floradora in the city (don't know what it is? try it!). The use of fresh squeezed juices, house made syrups and tinctures, coupled with brilliantly executed traditional techniques, makes for an amazing night out at the bar.
As far as I am concerned, I don't even NEED to try the food here yet to write my review (thought I most likely will). The drinks, the bartenders, and the impeccable service from the super friendly staff make up a super solid 5 star establishment.
5 gin-limejuice-raspberrysyrup-gingerale-limewedge stars out of 5Listed in: RAWTDEEZ: My Reviews of the…
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Review from Amanda S.
Melbourne, FL
3/18/2012
I had no expectations of Tavern Law before walking in. We arrive about 10pm Friday night for drinks and a small plate. I enjoyed the atmosphere, kinda vintage library feeling. Drinks were fancy from fizzs to cocktails-- not something I'm terribly well versed in but I did enjoy the Rosemary/Gin drink, and was tempted by the promise of Unicorn tears on the menu. Cheese plate was delish! Overall, cute atmosphere, low key, but did get crowded as the night went on. Three drinks and a cheese plate ran us about $60. Parking was pretty crazy.
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Review from Tim B.
9/23/2011
Gulp, gulp! Fantastic, bitters-orriented cocktails and solid gastropub fare. Tough to get a spot, so arrive early and stay late.
*If so adventurous, tell the bartender your favorite liquor and let him whip-up some non-menue concoction up for you--more than likely you will not be disappointed. -
Review from Don B.
8/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Amazing cocktails.
The end.
PS: The barmen at this Capitol Hill oasis are talented, personable, and know how to run a bar. They offer up a huge selection of craft cocktails, tropicals and similar paired up with a delicious gastropub menu with the likes of foie gras, pork belly and similar on the sheets. No matter when you stop in to Tavern law - be it with the professional drinkers in the early evening hours or during amateur hour at prime time on a Friday night, the service and quality of hand-crafted cocktails will be top notch. And if you prefer straight booze, the selection of spirits is deep.
PPS: The best time to chill at Tavern is not, as I learned on a recent visit, at 10:30pm on a Friday. It's packed with a huge, loud crowd... most of whom don't seem to care that much about what they're drinking. No, the best time seems to be either evening or an off weeknight. Then you can sit at the bar and have the bartender make you something special (as if the offerings on the printed cocktail menu aren't special). But even amidst the chaos of the 10:30 crowd, our cocktologist was able to mix us up some bartender's choice drinks that were insanely well-balanced and tasty.
PPPS: This is seriously one of the best cocktail bars I've been to in the PacNW. -
Review from Andy F.
9/25/2011
Tavern Law was a lot of fun for me when it opened, but since then it has gradually lost some of its luster in my book. Maybe the crowd has changed and that's colored my experiences, but I remember having a lot more contact and connection with the staff. Lately it seems like there is more of a focus on efficiently getting orders out. I understand this is good for turnover and keeping thirsty patrons happy, but I prefer to take my time and don't mind if the bartender does too.
Although it seemed fun in the past, at this point the decor and formal costumes worn by the staff seems a little Disney, a little staged. I guess in some ways that pretense adds to the charm and mystery of the place, but I like places that keep it real and don't let a theme get in the way of the human connections in a place.Listed in: Drinks
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Review from Jessi M.
Seattle, WA
12/6/2011
I've never had a cocktail here that was less than amazing.
That being said, many of the times I've tried to come here, it's been too crowded. Even the few times I did manage to get a seat, I've gotten crashed into by buzzed and bewigged barhoppers trying to get into Needle & Thread (the "secret" bar upstairs). The only time this didn't happen was when I sat outside.
If you come here, prepare to either: stand, have a seat in a far corner, or have a lot of people's butts rub against you awkwardly. You'll still get a great cocktail. -
Review from James S.
Kent, WA
5/14/2012
great cocktails! their Oaxacan old fashioned is amazing! had cocktails and pork cracklins... couldn't ask for more. Good cocktails and good bar food.
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Review from Ceraya A.
Seattle, WA
9/30/2011
I visited Tavern Law for the first time a few weeks ago. I'd heard so many good things about the bartenders and drinks that I may have set my expectations a bit too high. Tavern Law exceeded those expectations on every level.
It was a Sunday night, so the bar wasn't packed and everyone who worked there seemed to be in a great mood. The bartender (I wish I could remember his name!!) was absolutely wonderful and helped me find something I liked while trying something different.
I felt very taken care of and I loved the atmosphere. The drinks are on the pricer side, but are well worth it considering the effort and quality of product that goes into crafting their cocktails.
Will definitely be back! -
Review from Avivos S.
Seattle, WA
11/3/2011
Awesome cocktails that can be described in one word: Vintage.
Nice selection of fancy bar style grubs as well.
