With its big front windows and tasteful little neon sign, Jetset ushered in a totally fresh aspect of the gay experience in the city-it signaled a new spirit of transparency and openness. You only felt assured that there wasn’t a cooler spot to meet friends for an after-work drink.īut the soul of the neighborhood could be found on a weekend night at Jetset, the 1st Street gay bar Kirihara opened in the summer of 2001. Here you could sip a rosé and nibble on a baguette and a cheese plate without feeling the unnecessary pretension that was sometimes served with rosé and baguette and cheese. It was a sunny place, all blond wood and white paint, with coffee and Wi-Fi strong enough to fuel “remote work” before anybody even used the term.Īlso on 3rd Avenue, on the other side of Washington, was Bev’s Wine Bar, opened in ’95, a low-key hang with a loading-dock patio that was a throwback to the neighborhood’s industrial roots.
A little dingy and smoky when it opened it in 1991, it really came into its own 20 years later, in the 2010s, by which time it was serving a full café menu-pancakes in the morning, tuna melts in the afternoon-to a clientele that looked younger and cleaner and better-dressed by the day. There was Moose and Sadie’s, the seminal coffee shop on 3rd Avenue North. But who keeps records on soul? Well, hopefully, they’ll track down some old-timer who held onto their wits long enough to sing about the Golden Age of Peter Kirihara, when Loopers from antiquity could achieve full cultural expression solely by living in each of his three neighborhood joints. In late June, Capitol Hill comes alive with festivities and one impressive pride parade to make you feel out and proud.How do you find the soul of a neighborhood? Years from now, historians will determine their mileposts for the origins of what we now know as the North Loop-they’ll dutifully research whose idea it was to use an old streetcar line as its marketing handle, note when the first mixed-use condo was built, document when it landed its first real grocery store. Gay Pride SeattleĪs one of the liveliest gay cities in the United States, it is a given that Gay Pride Seattle is both big and fabulous. Otherwise, stop by R Place, which is a large three-floor bar and club that guarantees a good night out pretty much anything throughout the week. Here dancing is the focus, as the club features plenty of raised platforms, disco lights, and some excellent tunes to keep the night going. Neighbors operates as both a martini lounge and club, and draws a mixed, friendly crowd. This is one of the city’s oldest gay venues and has been in operation for more than 30 years. If you are ready to get your dancing shoes on and hit one of the best gay clubs in Seattle, a visit to Neighbors is a must. Since the 1990s, this place has been offering a unique theatre-like experience, along with plenty of dancing - to alternative music of course! Gay clubs Seattle Sold yet? Alternatively, if you are looking for the indie gay scene in Seattle, we suggest stopping by Re-Bar. Karaoke on Tuesday nights, tea dance on Sundays, and go-go dancers all over the weekend. No matter what your preference may be, Pony is one of those places that pretty much caters to everyone thanks to offering just about everything. In terms of some of the best gay bars in Seattle, Pony is an all-round winner. You will also come across several rainbow-painted crossroads to make you feel right at home. While the area is considerably large, you can find the majority of gay life on Pine and Pike Streets, which are spilling with plenty of gay bars, restaurants, and clubs.
Most of the Seattle gay scene can be found around Capitol Hill, which is a quaint, hilltop neighborhood that overlooks the city’s downtown. Most of the Seattle gay.īoasting the second largest LGBTQ population in the United States after San Francisco, it comes as no surprise that there is a very dynamic and lively gay area in Seattle. Boasting the second largest LGBTQ population in the United States after San Francisco, it comes as no surprise that there is a very dynamic and lively gay area in Seattle.