Seattle's Best Beer Selection

Ballard brewer lures mateys with handcrafted ales and cozy environs.

Reviews:

• “Great brews on taps. Excellent food. A few annoying drunk guys – but oh well -its a bar!”
• “Really not good at all…”
• “Really good or really bad.. you will have a great time or a bad time. also”
• “Great old school pub in a changing Seattle”
• “I like this place…I really do…”

Tips: Those who want to try as many offerings as possible should opt for the sampler, a variety selection of 5 5-oz beers.

Jolly Roger Taproom or email Jolly Roger Taproom

The owners of Bottleworks in Wallingford lure beer lovers to their modern-yet-traditional Belgian ale house in a converted warehouse space.

Reviews:

• “Never a bad experience”
• “Never again!”
• “Terrible Customer Service, Shortest Pints in the History of Pubs”
• “Unbelievably Amazed at the Rude Service”
• “Awesome beer line up and good soups”

Tips: The ladies’ room is hidden on the south side of the bar, through the curtains. The gents’ is around the corner near the kitchen.

Brouwer’s Cafe

Tourist-heavy bar also impresses locals with fine, market-brewed ales.

Reviews:

• “Convenient and tasty”
• “The changes are great!”
• “Fun hang out”
• “Now, THIS is the way to do a Brewpub!”
• “Best Place to Host a Casual Event!”

Tips: Tourists predominate during the summer months, but locals never stay away for long.

The Pike Pub and Brewery or email The Pike Pub and Brewery

German fare finds a home on Ballard’s most happening street.

Reviews:

• “drink the beer, skip the food”
• “Can’t beat $2.50 jager/schnapps on Sat nights.”
• “Great food and location”
• ""
• “Great People!!”

Tips: Early in the week, kitchen specials are priced to reward those who can make it in during off-peak hours.

The People’s Pub

A neighborhood pub with great burgers proves itself to be more than just a link in the chain.

Reviews:

• “OK food, AWFUL STAFF”
• “sad but true”
• “if you care about service — skip this place”
• “relaxed evening”
• “Great food, too smoky, lots of attitude”

Tips: If you’re meeting a large group, get there early and snag the large and comfy couch upstairs. The downstairs booths are comfortable for couples.

Six Arms McMenamins

Retro ’60s supper club with Northwest sensibilities: 160 beers, excellent pub fare and posh digs in downtown Bellevue.

Reviews:

• “Great Happy Hour!”
• “Tired staff, tired crowd”
• “Organized, Prompt and Accurate for CuisineLimo Pickup”
• “I love this place”
• “Great Beer List.”

Tips: Wanna try all 160 beers? Get the Tap House version of a punch card. Four beers a day, and it will be complete in just over a month.

Tap House Grill

Northwest brews and exemplary grub are the cornerstones of this Capitol Hill pub.

Reviews:

• “Sad, I used to like this place.”
• “What happened????”
• “Sadly lacking”
• “Good beer, pretty good food, crowded”
• “Tsk Tsk Tsk – SHAMEFUL TACTICTS”

Tips: Wednesday is open mic night. Check local listings.

Hopvine Pub

Raise a large, foamy stein of German beer and enjoy an inexpensive dinner of wursts and sausages.

Reviews:

• “Mmmmm Deutsche Bier”
• “Great Beer, but horrible service”
• “Avoid while school is in session”
• “Needs some improvement”
• “Wow awesome place for German beer”

Tips: Not a beer fan? Keep with the German theme with a Gurken martini, made with their own cucumber-infused vodka.

die BierStube or email die BierStube

From Pilsner to Weissbier, this half-pint hall is big on German brats and beer.

Reviews:

• “Great beer, inconsistent service”
• “Beware of the Saturday night bartender!!!”
• “Be prepared to clean up after other patrons”
• “Great german bier line-up. Recently remodeled with a great new bar.”
• “great vibe and beer”

Tips: The bar opens early on big game days for rowdy viewing.

Prost! or email Prost!

This Wedgewood relic’s best kept secret isn’t the north of downtown location, it’s the wine list.

Reviews:

• “Horrible service”
• “best kept micro brew secret”
• “I’m not bitter, but I love hoppy beer”
• “Great Neighborhood Pub”
• “Incredible beer selection”

Tips: A revolving menu of about 10 microbrews, plus eight reds and five whites, which are gassed nightly to prevent oxidization.

Fiddler’s Inn or email Fiddler’s Inn