31 Best Bars in Washington, USA

This beloved craft brewery and its spacious taproom occupy the Historic Heidelberg Brewery building in downtown Tacoma, a short walk up the hill from the museum district and next to the city's University of Washington campus. It's an appealing place to sample such popular ales as the crisp Axis Brut IPA and the slightly tart, tangerine-infused Life Jacket Citrus IPA. On-site Canteen restaurant serves tasty gastropub fare. A second location is in Gig Harbor, where the brewery originated.

One of the most esteemed of Bellingham's many highly regarded craft breweries, Aslan occupies a sleek downtown building with soaring glass walls, an open floor plan, and plenty of sidewalk seating. The brewmasters here specialize in flavorful, small-batch beers, like faintly ginger-accented Irie Eyes Red Ale and a rich, chocolaty dark lager called Cascadian. Part of the fun here is the bar food, including a rather decadent waffle-fry poutine, Korean barbecued tofu, and spicy banh mi bowls.

First-timers to this contemporary taproom on a lofty ridge 12 miles west of Yakima are usually as wowed by the mesmerizing mountain vistas as they are the lovingly crafted beers. The husband-and-wife proprietors are admitted hops admirers, and the IPA-forward beer selection reflects this penchant. On warm days have a seat on the family- and pet-friendly lawn and patio—there's often live music, and pub fare is served. 

Inspired by the concept of a London pub, co-founder Rodney Hines opened Métier with the idea of creating a community space for the Central District. The creative lineup of beers deviates from the standard hop-heavy menu at many of Seattle’s microbreweries. From the food sourced from That Brown Girl Cooks (a local catering company celebrating Black food traditions), to the art on the walls commissioned from local BIPOC artists, the brewery is true to its roots.

Some of the finest craft beers in western Washington are poured at this inviting taproom with a gas fireplace and comfy seating. Notable options include the refreshing Yellow Booth Kolsch and the roasty Leadbetter Red Scottish Ale, which will warm your soul on a stormy winter evening.

With picnic tables and firepits outside and a gas fireplace surrounded by wooden chairs and benches in the rustic-industrial interior, this upbeat craft brewer is a comfy place to sip rich Butter Peak Porter or hoppy Tree Line IPA any time of year. The taproom occupies a smartly restored 1930s mercantile store, and the kitchen serves tasty guacamole, poblano-chicken tacos, and a few other Mexican-influenced snacks.

A gathering place for ardent beer enthusiasts, Pourhouse features a dozen rotating taps, 200 bottles and cans of beer and hard cider, and wines by the glass. The waterfront beer garden offers sweeping views of Port Townsend Bay and the nearby harbor. Some snacks—like charcuterie or cheese plates—are served, and you can bring your own takeout. Most Friday and Saturday nights in summer, there's live music outside.

With tall windows overlooking the Vancouver Waterfront, this convivial small-batch brewery is known for its well-crafted beers, including blackberry-blueberry tart ales, hazy triple IPAs, and oatmeal stouts. The kitchen serves thick-crust Detroit-style pizza with lots of interesting toppings, and there's live music some evenings.

As its name suggests, this establishment in a converted Bow slaughterhouse produces excellent beers and spirits—and crisp ciders, too. There are two inviting spaces for sampling these acclaimed sips, a laid-back taproom that also welcomes kids and pets, and an adult-only speakeasy that serves inspired cocktails. Outstanding thin-crust pizzas and light snacks are available in both. 

Arguably the most accomplished artisan beer maker in the Lower Valley, Varietal produces an extensive roster of both traditional and experimental brews—including a chocolatey English brown ale and a variety of hop-forward brews featuring different varieties of Yakima-grown hops. Enjoy your sipping at the counter, or head to the back to play some old-school arcade games. Food trucks are on hand most days. 

This unfussy brewpub on the northwest side of downtown has a pet-friendly patio and taproom with lumberjack-inspired decor (the owner is a former logger). It's one of the top craft brewers in the region, known especially for its refreshing blackberry wheat ale and heady Riggin Slinger Red Ale. 

This interloper in the Seattle beer scene originally started two hours north, in Bellingham, but the quality IPAs allowed it to move to the big city. Another unique aspect to this taphouse: it's one of the few limited to adults, making it a nice reprieve from a busy day. Hungry drinkers can order from the menu of the seafood and sandwich specialist next door, Local Tide.

With its neat brick walls, polished wood floors, and vintage memorabilia, Big Time Brewery is one of the best places in the U-District for a quiet beer away from the frenetic college scene. Opened in 1988, it was one of the first local brewpubs of the craft beer movement. There are more than a dozen beers on tap, including cask ales; come here for that, not the mediocre pub grub.

A popular stop after skiing or hiking in the mountains to the west, this convivial brewpub in rural Naches is named for a classic Led Zeppelin song that in Welsh means "hill of gold." This is an apt description of the surrounding semi-arid bluffs and also a nod to the mostly British-style sips, including a refreshing blonde ale with heady floral notes. Cheddar tots, pizzas, and beer-infused brownies are among the food offerings. 

A pint-size brewery a few blocks from Pike Place, Cloudburst gives you a taste of Seattle’s grungy microbrewery scene, in the best way possible. Housed in an old brick building with stickered walls, it offers an impressive selection of IPAs on tap, and a few other beers for those less hop-inclined. A Seattle staple, the brewery attracts beer and hops nerds alike to geek out over some seriously good ales. Cloudburst has a second and (slightly) bigger location in Ballard.

Polished logs serve as bar stools in this tiny and rustic taproom, located in the back corner of a small, nondescript business plaza, its sign promising "cold beer and warm nuts to go." Elk Head produces a good range of flavorful beers, including hoppy West Coast–style IPAs.

Head to this stylish downtown brewpub with a back patio overlooking Mt. Hood for seriously impressive beers, with the potent Cryo IPA and roasty and rich Cash Oatmeal Stout leading the way. There's live music many evenings, and tasty pub fare, too.

Seattle brims with breweries, but few are as welcoming a place to while away a few hours as this Fremont space. The wonderfully drinkable beers range from a rice lager to a porter, and the non-beer drinks cover an even wider swath, with sake, cider, a selection of teas, and kombuchas. A pair of ramen restaurants serve food from the back, near the back patio, and a bucket near the register has free toys for kids.

One of the foremost craft brewers in the state boasts a large and cheery outdoor terrace and an attractive indoor taproom where you can view the company's massive brewing vats. Order a flight for a chance to sample the eclectic offerings, and be sure to include the signature Bootjack IPA in the mix. Warm pretzels and bowls of chili are great food choices.

Set in an otherwise inauspicious industrial area near the airport, this craft brewery and taproom has earned a reputation throughout the archipelago—and even on the mainland in Seattle—for well-made beers, including the faintly citrusy Elwha Rock IPA and the silky Oatmeal Stout. Smoked salmon, cheese and crackers, and a few other snacks are sold in the homey taproom. With a usual closing time of 7 pm it's definitely not a late-night haunt, though it sometimes stays open later for live music.

This well-respected craft brewer on the south edge of Downtown offers tasty pub grub (try the Berliner burger topped with a currywurst beer brat) plus live music many evenings, darts and video games, and a dog-friendly patio. The extensive tap list includes some guest brews and ciders.

The original location of one of the state's fastest-growing craft breweries—there are two additional locations in Seattle—this friendly taproom in Woodinville's Warehouse District is a fun stop whether you're ready to sip something other than vino or you're just seeking out some outstanding craft beer, from silky coconut porters to refreshing Belgian-style wit beers. The owners partner as much as possible with other BIPOC- and women-owned businesses throughout Metro Seattle. Note that it closes at 8:30 at the latest.  

This tiny taproom with metal chairs and timber and corrugated-metal accents brews balanced, complex craft beers, some with a nod toward England (the seasonal Back Country Bitter, for example), and others that will please fans of hoppy West Coast sippers—we're looking at you, Warrior Mindset Double IPA. There's also a selection of pizzas, shrimp skewers, and other light bites. 

Cider from Spokane's One Tree Hard Cider is available in stores throughout the state, but a stop at the Cider House is a great way to try their many interesting flavors via a cider flight. There's tasty food too—pizza, nachos, and charcuterie boards. Weekly specials include $10 flights on Tuesdays and $12 growlers on Thursdays. Every Friday night there's free live music in this 21-and-older venue.

True to its location, you might find more tourists than locals at the Pike Brewing Company, though it is popular with the Downtown after-work crowd. The cavernous bar and restaurant, operated by the brewers of the Pike Place Pale Ale, also houses the Seattle Microbrewery Museum and an excellent shop with home-brewing supplies. Pints of beer are cold and satisfying—the pale ale and the Kilt Lifter Scottish ale have been local favorites for decades.

Boatyard workers and beer enthusiasts congregate at this casual but highly popular (and pet-welcoming) Boat Haven brewery to enjoy a pint. There's an outdoor beer garden during warmer months, and live bands often perform; food trucks sometimes appear as well. Regular brews include the English-style Bitter End IPA, lightly smoky Peeping Peater Scotch Ale, and crisply refreshing Yoda's Green Tea Gold.

This bustling Old Town brewpub with a large patio overlooking the Snoqualmie River is renowned for its craft beers, including the heady Steam Train porter and refreshing Solar Crush blood-orange hefeweizen. The kitchen prepares an array of sandwiches and pizzas.

This neighborhood microbrewery specializes in a rotating selection of small-production, in-house beers, with a focus on IPAs, lagers, and stouts. If you work up an appetite, the kitchen specializes in Mexican fare: fish tacos, mushroom-stuffed quesadillas, shrimp ceviche, and chips and guac make a perfect pairing with one of Standard's pale ales.

Stoup is one of the stars of Seattle's craft-brewing scene, and its cavernous, 16,000-square-foot facility on Capitol Hill is Washington's largest tap room. Like many of the city's breweries, it acts as a multifunctional third place for locals: the space allows families and friends to hang out, groups to hold parties, and kids (and dogs) to play, all at the same time. The beer is delicious and varied—from German-style pilsner to Sir Dank a Lot IPA—and the atmosphere couldn't be more friendly.