University of Washington
- Nightlife

Belltown Billiards

Belltown Billiards is an upscale pool hall in the heart of Belltown. They serve Italian cuisine and have live music Sunday and Thursday nights. The real nights to be there, however, are Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights, when they bring in a DJ, make room for a dance floor, and attract a huge young and single crowd. It’s particularly fun on Wednesday nights, because there’s less going on at other clubs and bars, and so people crowd in at Belltown Billiards. It’s also good for private parties and hosts groups from 20 to 400.

Heaven Nightclub

Heaven is known for their diverse music selection and entertainment acts. Magicians and belly dancers perform on certain nights, and there is dancing and lounging space.

Trinity Nightclub

Trinity has two levels, three separate rooms and a large VIP section. With unique décor and lighting, Trinity offers lots of different types of music and plenty of space to get your groove on.

Venom

This club offers a dance floor, various DJ offerings, and three fully-equipped bars. There’s also VIP seating and a lounge that overlooks the dance floor (complete with leather couches).

All American Sports Bar & Grill

This sports bar attracts flocks of students and sports fans. During big televised Husky football and basketball games, it gets pretty crowded, and it’s usually significantly male-dominated. Right off the Ave., the space is bright and open and the walls are scattered with TVs tuned to ESPN. On Friday and Saturday nights, the place looks quite a bit different—more like a night club. Middle-aged guys are just as likely as college kids to frequent this spot. Beer is the typical drink of choice, and a menu of standard bar food and appetizers keeps customers coming back.

Ballrooom

Located in Fremont, Ballroom offers a wide variety of fun activities. They have six pool tables, a fire pit and an outdoor bar. Guests can also take advantage of the dance floor on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in addition to their flat screen tv’s and food options.

The Baltic Room

If you’re looking for a fun place to drink and dance, try The Baltic Room in Capitol Hill. Every night has a different theme and music genre, so check the website before you go. There’s some seating available but this is generally a place you go to drink heavily and show off your dance moves. It’s also available to rent for private parties.

Big Time Brewery & Alehouse

Located at the south end of the Ave, the antique bar, vintage beer signs, and wooden floors create an atmosphere where you’re just as likely to run into your buddies as a prof or TA. At all times, they have 10 of their own house brews on tap, with a selection that varies depending on the season.

The Chapel Bar

College Inn Pub

UW students have come here for years. It’s surprisingly big, and it breaks down into three rooms. The main room has pool tables and darts, the back room has tables with chessboards, and a smaller back room is opened up for overflow. That room is open more often than not. The entire pub is below ground. Stick with brew here—the mixed drinks are drinkable, but you can’t go wrong with a beer.

Dante’s Steak & Grog

This sports bar is largely game-oriented. It offers games from shuffleboard to pool to video games and darts, and even hosts some trivia games for groups of friends. It’s got big tables, tons of space, and just enough personality to make things interesting. Dante’s definitely makes a good hang out spot for a group of tight-knit friends. Happy hour: Monday–Friday 4–6 p.m. (21-and-over after 8 p.m.)

Earl’s on the Ave

This place is a dive, but there are advantages. They make the drinks so strong that there’s a sign at the bar telling you to order them weak if that’s how you want them. For many college students with the one goal of getting wasted for cheap, there’s no better place to be. It’s a good place to meet people and a great place to unwind.

Finn MacCool's

Flowers Bar and Restaurant

Flowers has kind of an artsy, meditative feel to it, like a lot of kids from the drama department might hang out there. It’s a good place to chill, and the atmosphere is definitely more low-key—it’s not the rowdy drunkenness that is Earl’s. There’s good food, and it’s definitely more of a sit-down place, with comfy seats very conducive to intimate conversations. A nice place to bring a date or a small group of friends.

Fourno's Greek Restaurant & Bar

A favorite on Thursday nights, Fournos is a Greek restaurant that turns into a club at night. They have great drink specials and pretty quality dance music. Their specialty: $4 Fournos Lemonade.

Giggles Comedy Club

The city’s best comedy club. It’s got a great atmosphere, and it’s hard to find an act that falls flat. They bring in seasoned veterans, as well as local amateur nights, but it’s always funny. It’s a great place to go when you feel like something a little different. Drinks are pricey, but strong. All ages for the early show (8 p.m.), 21-and-over for the late show (10 p.m.)

Irish Emigrant

A huge favorite with UW kids. It’s a casual atmosphere that gets fairly loud and rowdy if you go on the right night. There are a nice set of pool tables upstairs, and after all’s said and done, it’s Seattle’s most authentic Irish pub. You get the real deal with song, food, dance, and drink. (It’s 21-and-over after 10 p.m.)

Peso's Kitchen & Lounge

The Ram Restaurant & Big Horn Brewery

Probably the closest thing to an official Husky sports bar, UW fans definitely frequent this joint. It’s a nice bar with comfy seats and plenty of big screens for the viewing. At game time, the place gets as packed as the stadium—and often, just as rowdy. They serve microbrews and a wide variety of American brew. This place has a lot of energy, and it’s no coincidence they call it Seattle’s best damn sports bar.

Red Door

A great place for large groups, Red Door has a lot of tables and is a great place to relax with friends. In the summer time, the outdoor patio/bar is open and there’s lots of drink and food choices. They offer daily food specials in addition to a Happy Hour on weekdays.

Twist at the Pomeroy

Known as Belltown’s Best Happy Hour, Twist offers food and drink specials from 4-11p.m. Sunday to Thursday and Friday and Saturday from 4-7p.m. A little bit classier than the bars in Fremont or the Ave, Twist is a small lounge with great views and a sophisticated style.

DV8

An 18-and-over club where local DJs spin for a well-dressed (dress code enforced at the door) crowd of high-school students and young adults. The club serves no alcohol, but they do sell expensive non-alcoholic drinks. The dance floor fits about 200 people, you can play pool alternately, and every now and then, DV8 hosts local bands. It’s not always a solely young crowd, but it may seem a little tiresome for college kids. It’s worth a try, though, and if you bring enough friends, you can make your own fun on the dance floor. Open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

House parties

If you aren’t 21, you’re limited to house/frat parties but these can be fun especially if they have themes. Can’t find a good party? Have your own! Do not try your luck at bars if you’re not 21. Fake id’s are frequently confiscated and never returned.