Capitol Hill (Seattle) - Bars and Clubs

Bars and Clubs

At least since the 1970s, the Hill has played a prominent role in Seattle's nightlife. Prominent bars in the 1970s, inevitably also full-scale restaurants, were the upmarket and elegant Henry's Off Broadway and two Broadway "fern bars" owned by Gerry Kingen. (Kingen also turned the Red Robin from a single tavern at the southern end of the University Bridge into a restaurant chain.) Lion O'Reilly's had a last hurrah as "Lion O's Rock Hard Cafe", which resulted in legal action by the Hard Rock Cafe chain. Surviving from that era, with a rougher-hewn version of the same style, is Canterbury Ales and Eats on 15th Avenue E.

With a similar look, but far more emblematic of what was to come was Brass Connection which was a bar and disco with a predominantly gay male crowd and occasional drag shows. It played a key role in moving the heart of Seattle's gay nightlife scene from relative hidey-holes, mainly in the Pioneer Square and Belltown neighborhoods, to higher-profile venues, mainly on Capitol Hill and especially in the Pike-Pine Corridor.

In the late 1980s, another gay bar, Tugs Belltown, moved up to the Hill (corner of Pine and Belmont) and became Tugs Belmont where underwear parties were held. In this new venue, it played a key role in Seattle's burgeoning and sexy fringe theater scene. Possibly the first bar in Seattle since before the Prohibition era to host regular theater performances, in the early 1990s it was the primary home of the Greek Active Theater, founded by sex columnist and Capitol Hill resident Dan Savage (working pseudonymously as Keenan Hollohan).

The scene along the Pike-Pine corridor was never exclusively gay. In the 1990s Moe's, on Pike just east of Broadway (now named Neumo's), transformed a former Salvation Army facility into a combination bar, restaurant, and performance venue, with local and national acts as well as dance nights, and became for several years one of Seattle's most prominent musical performance venues. Now Neumo's and nearby Chop Suey continue that live music tradition and dozens of trendy (and friendly-but-divey) bars and clubs cater to gay- and straight-themed nightlife.

In late 2007, the 500 block of East Pine was demolished for a condominium/street-level businesses project that as of 2012 is only now coming to fruition. The 500 block housed the Manray gay bar as well as gay-friendly Cha Cha Lounge, Bus Stop, Kincora and the raunchy Pony (which was supposed to be only a temporary venue before its demolishing). The block has been described as a "hub for Seattle music, nightlife, art, fashion, and small business". Though most of the bars and clubs on this block have relocated (including Pony), the lower Pike-Pine corridor has a distinctly different feel west of Broadway.

Two new gay clubs have opened recently - The Social and Q. The Social is on Olive Way between Boylston and Harvard Avenues, and is owned by a local restaurant group that also owns notable Capitol Hill favorites Grim's, a trendy restaurant and club; and PoDogs, a gourmet hotdog establishment. Q is on Broadway between Pike and Union, features multiple bars, and includes its own brand of alcohol as well as a whiskey bar.