Dining in Seattle for 25 yr girls

If by fun you mean music, dancing, and drinking, our weekly newspaper, "The Stranger," has information you can use: http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Music

HTTY

25yo girls should spend the evening in Pioneer Square... there's food, drink, and people socializing.

It is crowded enough to keep you safe, particularly on a Friday or Saturday night.

Before/after you should probably go to the Space Needle, or the Sculpture Park (at sunset perhaps)...

Your window of time seems so narrow that I won't even clutter my reply with many other options.

("Broadway", as a nearby neighborhood worth roaming... is a good choice, just in case you need more)

What kind of atmosphere are you after? Are we talking artsy/alternative, mainstream/sports bar, a nicer restaurant with a view?

I think some places in the Pike Place Market great, like Maximillien's, Matt's at the Market, the Pink Door.

Belltown area (downtown Seattle at 1st & 2nd Avenues between Virginia up to around Vine) there's loads of bars and restaurants you could easily walk around and figure out what suits you.

Pike/Pine corridor up on Capitol Hill is a fun district, more alternative bars, cafes, restaurants, shops (it's between the freeway up to about 15th Ave East on Pike & Pine streets).

Broadway is pretty torn up at the moment because of the new light-rail transit station going in, so wouldn't necessarily recommend it right now.

Will you have a car? Cactus (Tex-Mex) in Madison Park is lively, with great food and atmosphere, located on Lake Washington but only a few miles out of downtown (straight down Madison street). Or Serafina (Italian) on Eastlake on Lake Union.

Suze, we had lunch at the newly remodeled Cactus last Friday.

The restaurant was closed for a week or two in January. They broke through the wall to the bar and completely redid the seating in both rooms. The booths are now along the left side of the main dining room.

The place was packed at noon and the noise level in the bar area was deafening. They broke through the wall with the unintended consequence that chatter from both rooms reverberates into the other.

The place now has a much more "corporate" look and feel. That delightful little neighborhood place of twenty years ago has grown up in a way that doesn't appeal to us. We won't go back until sidewalk seating is open.

Belltown. Just walk along 2d avenue and pick a place you like.

A new local find: Serafina has a new sister restaurant around the corner, Cicchetti. It specializes in small plates, Mediterranean style. After reading some great reviews, we tried it out last night. It was quite good, on the casual side, and fun. If you sit in the upstairs restaurant area, there are even some nice views of Seattle. We got there right when it opened at 5 p.m. and had no trouble finding a seat; however, it was very busy by the time we left. So there's another idea, depending on what you are looking for.

Belltown. Just walk along 2d avenue and pick a place you like. Great idea. We always enjoy most the restaurants we serendipitously pick on our own. The young ladies can check out the various scenes and pop into the ones that appeal to them most. (I prefer Belltown to Pioneer Square for restaurant shopping.)

I also kindly disagree with Pioneer Square as a recommendation. Belltown is much more where things are happening these days.

Indeed, drug deals "happening" all night long in Belltown. Heck, in Belltown, even the completely innocent run from the police:

http://www.kirotv.com/news/20546576/detail.html


If the visiting 25-year-old females will be out with running shoes on, maybe they should give Belltown a try, but assuming they'll be suitably attired for dinner, and not looking to purchase drugs on the street, Pioneer Square is more "Seattle" any day of the week.

Sorry, but I strongly disagree. Have you been in Belltown and Pioneer Square recently?

I assume these ladies are not the kind who wander around empty streets in the middle of the night looking for drugs.

Belltown is the home of several of the best restaurants in town (Zoe, Taberna del Albardero, Brasa, among others) and a couple dozen more restaurants that attract locals from all over the region and visitors from all over the world. The adjoining Pike Place Market also has some great places for dinner.

Pioneer Square is a historic neighborhoo--home to bars, nightclubs, and dives. It is no more "Seattle" or "drug free" than Belltown, and it is fraught with problems including that it is soon to lose its one big attraction--Elliot Bay Book Company. Two good places for food in this neighborhood are Il Terrazzo Carmine, which caters to a well-healed older crowd, and Armandino's Salumi, which makes excellent salami and cured meat products (open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.).

And in addition to the high-end restaurants mentioned by HTTY, there are quite a few trendy Asian bistros and sushi bars, like Wann, Wasabi Bistro, Saito, and several others whose names I can't remember.

We are much more comfortable walking around Belltown at night than Pioneer Square. Our teenage daughters go there as well, and we don't give it a second thought.

I'm glad others have similar observations about Belltown. My office is there so I see it everyday.

I love Wann's! Great suggestion. It's on 2nd Avenue between Virginia and Lenora. Not too expensive and very fun atmosphere.
www.wann-izakaya.com

enzian~ Sadly, Saito closed a while ago (my office is across the street is why I happen to know).

Saito is gone? Darn. I didn't notice that on my last walk thru Belltown. Wasabi Bistro is where I routinely meet friends for lunch. Wann is where we had our Fodors GTG a couple of years ago, and it was terrific.

My current favorite for dinner is Taberna del Albardero. Very nice atmosphere (fairly quiet, nice lighting), gracious and professional service, and authentic Spanish food.

Yes, there are a few (harmless) homeless in Belltown, as elsewhere in downtown Seattle. Last time we went to Flying Fish, one man asked me for my food (leftovers from my meals which I couldn't finish) as we walked to the car. I probably should have given it to him---he needed it more than I!

Yup, & I liked that place (Saito). I've not been myself, but know people who Wasabi Bistro is their #1 go-to.

I like Wann's because it's different and unique. Nice balance of 'hip' and traditional, casual but great food (lots of small plate choices).

People - this isn't about your day job in Belltown. This is about "25yo girls" here for "one night".

Now it is FACT that 3rd avenue (and often 4th avenue) through Belltown is jam-packed with DRUG DEALERS every night of the week.

There are in no way as many on-street, clearly-visible drug dealers in Pioneer Square at night. The reason why??? - because people looking to buy drugs go to Belltown, and not as much to Pioneer Square.

The O.P. did not even mention restaurants, don't forget.

And let me repeat: "Pioneer Square is more 'Seattle' (than Belltown) any day of the week".

<<<Now it is FACT that 3rd avenue (and often 4th avenue) through Belltown is jam-packed with DRUG DEALERS every night of the week.>>>

The Belltown I know is all on First and Second Avenues. That is where the good (and trendy) bars and restaurants are---several in each block.

We have friends who live in a Belltown condo on Fourth and we've often gone there at night. I've never observed a problem.

Now it is FACT that 3rd avenue (and often 4th avenue) through Belltown is jam-packed with DRUG DEALERS every night of the week.


According to my sources, "If somewhere is jam-packed, it is so full of people or things that there is no room for any more."

Ergo, the statement in the italicized sentence, above, is not a FACT."

In Belltown, the restaurants mostly line 1st and 2nd Avenue, with a few like Tom Douglas' places up on 4th. I am also in the area evenings sometimes, not only during the day. I won't disagree that drugs are not sold, but that would not effect two tourists unless they went looking for trouble.

Belltown is more current and 'trendy' Seattle these days than Pioneer Square, which to my view had it's heyday back in the 80's.

I stand by the suggestion of Belltown... for 25 year olds with one night to enjoy downtown Seattle. I assume by wanting to have fun they will be going to some bars or restaurants.

I think the Belltown suggestion is great!! They can get a great meal at a number of places, and then choose from a number of bars, there's bound to be something that will be to their taste. I live on Queen Anne and go to Belltown all the time at night (although admittedly parking is a pain) and don't feel unsafe - there are so many people out and about. I would just use the same caution you would use in any good-sized city and you'll be just fine. I definitely feel less safe in Pioneer Square, but generally don't go there because Belltown has more to offer and definitely more locals hanging out in Belltown on a typical night.