For those of you whom are familiar with Finn MacCool’s on the Ave or McGilvra’s in Madison Park, the Chieftain is the newest addition to Capitol Hill’s bar scene, directly across the street from the Seattle U campus. more ›

As you probably know, an additional Serious Pie has opened in South Lake Union, joining the neighborhood’s growing selection of dining alternatives to Jimmy John’s and warehouse demolition dust. more ›

Let me be candid--I like oysters. It's a taste that has ratcheted up my dinner tab on countless occasions. Seattle has a number of solid oyster happy hours, but a few weeks ago I picked up a few items at the Westlake Whole Foods and was waiting by the elevator when I noticed an entry on the store's event calendar that seemed too good to be true. more ›

Small plates (call them tapas, call them hors d'oeuvres, call them mezze) and cocktails: a brilliant concept when it's done right, a quagmire if you get it wrong. And so much can go wrong, so quickly. Just look at the sad-sack happy hours in all the gin joints around town; you know who they are. So what a pleasure to find a new spot that does it right, Cicchetti, which is what the Venetians call them. The menu comes with its own official pronunciation guide, "chi-KET-tee," rhymes with spaghetti. "The staff thought the name was too hard," says owner Susan Kaufman. "I overruled them." more ›

Special to Seattlest by Paul Orch, craft beer advocate and writer more ›

Spur, Belltown (Sun-Thurs 5-7 p.m. / 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.) An unassuming looking place that has been nationally recognized for their creative and schizophrenic food menu, inspired by local farmers, butchers, and fisherman. From $3.50 for craft beer to their late night (11:30-1:30) $5 Rainier bottles with an order of shoestring fries, you can't go wrong with this hole-in-the-wall off Blanchard. more ›

Pillager's Pub, Greenwood (Tuesday, 50-percent-off "house" growler fills; Mon-Sun, $1 off pints) Stagger in from 87th & Greenwood to taste Baron & Three Skulls beers paired side by side with a few guest faves. The draft list is managed by former Duck Island'er Jeremiah Harrison and features--on top of beers and cider--authentic mead. Pull up a battered stool, chew up a $1 pretzel, or play a game of pool--just watch your arse, sharks abound. more ›

Cooper's Alehouse, Maple Leaf (Monday-Friday, 3 to 6 p.m.) $1 off pints and $2 dollar off all menu items combined with the bottomless bin of pretzels helps anyone regain their balance. Recognized in CAMRA's guide to good beer--there is no better endorsement than an alehouse mentioned by beer experts. more ›

Beveridge Place Pub, West Seattle ("Micro" Mondays 3 p.m. to close). Known for their willingness to accommodate man's other best friend, look to this alehouse with over 22 handles as a nice respite from the heat outside for you and your dog. Look out for $3 Red Dot pints and $12 pitchers. more ›

• As of 9 a.m. this morning, Sea-Tac's cell phone waiting lot has re-opened. The new lot is twice the size, with nearly 100 spaces and can be found just north of the old lot on Air Cargo Road.
• My Ballard reported that around 3 a.m. this morning, a car collided smackdab into a utility pole at Market Street near Third Avenue, leaving the 27-year-old driver trapped inside. Rescue crews were able to cut the driver free, who was then sent to Harborview with non-life threatening injuries.

So the recession has got everyone rethinking how they spend their spare change, even beer lovers. Seattle, much like Portland, is a town overwhelmed with craft beer options at bars and brewpubs, but despite the welcoming waft of citrus, pine, and toffee, there is still a pang of pennypinchers' remorse when you drop six bucks on a pint. Adding happy hour to your craft beer craving solves that problem, so here's the first installment of our craft beer happy hours series. (If your local bar is missed, speak up in the comments, and we will make sure to get it in.) more ›

Going into Cafe Stellina's old digs on 12th next to La Spiga, Plum, a 100% vegan and organic restaurant, is all set to open tomorrow--this time, for realz. That will assuredly be helpful to any sickly vegans hitting up the Capitol Hill Block Party needing their fix of seitan, tempeh, and quinoa. Plum is the latest venture from Makini Howell of 15th Ave mainstay Hillside Quickie, and plans to be open 7 days a week, starting at 8 a.m. We can't say we'll be stopping by for the food, but the fact that they have a full bar and weekday happy hour is enticing. (Plum's happy hour is 5-7 p.m., with a "coffee happy hour" from 3-5 p.m.) Either the cilantro lime mojito (white rum and chili liquor muddled with fresh cilantro and lime) or the cucumber dill mojito (lemon vodka muddled with fresh cucumbers and dill) sound refreshing for the hot week to come. more ›

When we wrote, three weeks ago, that there was no Campari to be had at the Queen Anne liquor store, we thought we were being, you know, ironic, as if Campari were some effete beverage that only Queen Anne bars would stock. Fact is, even an obscure Italian aperitivo has its fans. (Okay, Cynar is more obscure.) Without Campari, there can be no Negroni, forcing Belltown hipsters to drink (gasp) vodka tonics. So it's with a big sigh of relief that we report today that the State Liquor Board's software has finally rediscovered its inventory of Campari; they managed to delivered a case of the stuff just in time for Happy Hour along Second Avenue. more ›

Oh hi, what's that? We can't hear you over all the drinks and merriment going on at the Lookout (757 Bellevue Ave E) right now. Join us for Seattlest Happy Hour on the patio till 8 p.m. with $4 wells, $3 microbrews, and $4 wine. It's too nice of a day to not be drinking outdoors! more ›

LOVE SEATTLEST? Of course you do! Why else would you be reading this? And if you love Seattlest, you must love liquor and Seattlest writers, and you should therefore attend Seattlest Happy Hour at The Lookout. We'll brook no counterarguments. 5-8 p.m. // The Lookout // 757 Bellevue Ave. E // drink specials: $4 wells, $3 microbrews, and $4 wine more ›

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the latest installation of Seattlest Happy Hour. From 5-8 p.m. we'll be taking in a lovely summer Tuesday on The Lookout's outdoor patio while enjoying their happy hour specials: $4 wells, $3 microbrews, and $4 wine. Join us at the intersection of Bellevue, Bellevue, and Bellevue, but leave your guns at home (or at least don't leave them in the bathroom). Added bonus: the day after tomorrow happens to be our birthday, so we expect all of you to be on hand to buy us drinks. AS GOD INTENDED. See you tomorrow! more ›

Speaking of regular readers, hey, you fly-by types: What the hell, make a commitment for once in your life. 5,000 people already subscribe to our RSS feeds (full stories on four separate channels), or you can follow us via our automated headline feed on Twitter. Crank up your iPhoneBerryDroid and enjoy our mobile version. more ›

Once again, the third week of the month is a-comin', and that means Seattlest Happy Hour. Next Tuesday (the 21st) from 5-8 p.m. we'll be at The Lookout for their sweet outdoor patio. Join us at the erstwhile Artemis at Bellevue, Bellevue, and Bellevue with the following happy hour specials (4-7 p.m.): $4 wells, $3 Microbrews, and $4 wine. There's also food on the menu, and trust us when we say that it's okay to be tempted by the white wine spritzer. See you next Tuesday! (Raj, this means you.) more ›

This was Google's first attempt at a public meetup (they're doing meetups in several cities), and no one really knew what to expect. It turned out to be a fairly informal happy hour--Googlers circled the room wearing nametags (see Exhibit A, right) and you'd just flag one down and say something like, "So, like, explain this API thing to me." more ›

Google invited us to a media lunch but we were messing around with Slacker radio and missed it. Luckily, TechFlash's John Cook was there, tweeting about it, so look for a post from them later on. It'll be a TechFlash! We have a screenshot of the relevant Tweetery. But if you want to buttonhole Google yourself, drop by the Red Door tonight at 6 p.m. (to 8) for a happy hour meetup! more ›

We are sad to report the decline of yet another iconic local restaurant. The First Ave. McCormick & Schmick's is not what it used to be. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the service is inexplicably spotty. One table complains about an undercooked burger. Another patron who'd ordered a burger gets one meant for a different table -- the plate is removed from under his nose, which is unaccountably rude, but at least reminds us of our favorite Fawlty Towers episode. more ›

BYRNE BABY BYRNE: David Byrne is back in town for a visit to the Paramount. Famous in his heyday for biting the heads off bats in his over-the-top metalhead shows...wait that doesn't seem...where's that bio again? Ah. Yes, the former Talking Heads front man is on a summer tour, playing songs by himself and Brian Eno. You'll hear stuff from Everything that Happens will Happen Today, and some back-catalogue Heads music than Eno had a hand in. Something old, something new, what's not to like? more ›

Yesterday afternoon Seattlest readers and contributors gathered on the back deck of Capitol Hill's new Captain Blacks bar. There were happy hour mojitos and captain's teas, mac 'n' cheeses and chicken 'n' waffles. Outdoor drinking and dining spaces are at a premium in Seattle, and this newest addition (with a front and back deck) rates a thumbs up. more ›

Today's the June Seattlest Happy Hour, held this month at Capitol Hill's Captain Black's, the new chicken-and-waffle-and-booze joint located just south of the Stumbling Monk (129 Belmont Avenue East). Check out the menu here [pdf] to plan your order in advance. more ›

Tuesday's the next Seattlest Happy Hour, held this month at Captain Black's, the new chicken-and-waffle-and-booze joint located just south of the Stumbling Monk (129 Belmont Avenue East). Check out the menu here [pdf] to plan your order in advance. Their happy hour (4-6 p.m.) includes draft beers and wells, $3; mojitos and margaritas, $6, and an assortment of appetizers from $3-$4, along with po' boys with fries for $6. (We're thinking a root beer float sounds good--d'ya think they'd put some rum in that?) Captain Black's got a front and back patio, and as of right now, the forecast looks downright splendid. See you tomorry! more ›

It's already nearly the third week of June, which means time for the next Seattlest Happy Hour. Next week our travelling cavalcade of boozy bloggers is hitting up Captain Blacks, the new drinking and dining establishment located just south of the Stumbling Monk (129 Belmont Avenue East). Their website's not quite up and running just yet, but you can check out the menu here [pdf]--po boys and chicken and waffles, oh my! There's a front and back patio, and as of right now, the forecast looks like prime summer drinkin' weather. See you on Tuesday! more ›

HAPPY HOUR, ANYONE?: Sound Magazine invites you to join in on the fun at their happy hour extravaganza tonight at the Highway 99 Blues Club in honor of their new June issue. The first 50 people to get in the door will receive free drink tickets compliments of Miller Lite, and your favorite Sound staffers will be on hand. There will be plenty of free copies of the latest issue if you have yet to snag one, and plenty of time to schmooze it up with the writers, photographers, and editors of the Northwest's finest music magazine. So bring your feedback, story ideas, questions, or accusations, and get ready to get down with Sound for some Tuesday night awesomeness. 6-9 p.m. // Highway 99 Blues Club, 1414 Alaskan Way // FREE, 21+ more ›

Our May Seattlest Happy Hour begins at 5 p.m.! This time we're congregating at Licorous (on 12th at Marion, right next to Lark) for a midweek happy hour with $4 cocktails and wine and $2 appetizers. If you're free, come on by and say hello! more ›

It's back to rainy, so no need to bother being outside. Tuesday's our next Seattlest Happy Hour, this time at Licorous (on 12th at Marion, right next to Lark). We're hitting up their midweek happy hour with $4 cocktails and wine and $2 classy apps. Join us 5-8 p.m. THIS MEANS YOU. more ›

As per usual, the third week of the month means Seattlest Happy Hour. This time, along with shifting venues, we're also shifting days. So meet up with us from 5-8 p.m. next Tuesday, the 19th, at Licorous (on 12th, at Marion, right next to those foie gras lovers at Lark). We'll be enjoying their midweek happy hour with $4 cocktails and wine and some classy apps (Chef's Choice Tartine or Pretzel Dots with Coppa) for only a buck. Come one, come all! more ›