The People Have Spoken: 6 Locals’ Favorite Bars and Cocktails

As the year winds down, pundits and such spend a lot of time doling out their end-of-the-year best-of lists, and talking about their favorites. Which is great!

But sometimes it’s nice to hear from the folks who just go to bars and have drinks for fun. With that in mind, we asked some local cocktail-and-bar lovers (who also happen to be pals of mine) what their favorites were this past year.

1. Rebecca Staffel, Crown Hill

What’s your all-time favorite cocktail?
The Jasmine at Sambar when Justin Thain was making it.

What’s your favorite new cocktail from last year, and where did you get it?
I had an Aquavit-beet juice cocktail at Broder Nord in Portland at brunch and it blew my mind.

What’s your favorite Seattle area bar for a cocktail?
Essex is where I end up the most because it’s the right size and the right distance from my house, but I feel fanciest with a shot of Aquavit on the deck at the Swedish Club.

What’s your favorite new Seattle-area bar?
Lionhead! Imaginative and beautiful!

What’s your favorite local spirit/liqueur?
I find 2bar Bourbon delightful and the proprietors are smart and fun, too.

2. Alastair Edwards, Ballard

What’s your all-time favorite cocktail?
I’ve been happily married to the Sazerac for some years now, but I keep a cheeky little Corpse Reviver No. 2 on the side to keep things spicy.

What’s your favorite new cocktail from last year, and where did you get it?
The Pain Killer, Hotel Albatross. It’s like being spoon-fed milky anesthetic by an inflatable pineapple.

What’s your favorite Seattle-area bar for a cocktail?
Oliver’s Twist for drop-in date nights; Rob Roy for a swankier swig.

What’s your favorite new Seattle-area bar?
Did I mention Hotel Albatross? It’s Hotel Albatross.

What’s your favorite local spirit/liqueur?
My two favorite cocktails always get a dash of local love courtesy of Pacifique absinthe from Pacific Distillery.

3. Geoff Kann, West Seattle

What’s your all-time favorite cocktail?
It’s a tie between a perfect Manhattan (5:1 bourbon to sweet vermouth, please) and a Jasmine (introduced to us at Sambar), depending on the season. But, my standby cocktail when you can’t trust the bartender to do the Manhattan right and they don’t know what a Jasmine is: Hendricks martini, up, dry, with a twist.

What’s your favorite new cocktail from the last year?
New cocktail from last year: Scottish Breakfast. Mmmmmm…scotch, Pedro Ximémez and orange bitters.

What’s your favorite Seattle area bar for a cocktail?
Nordstrom’s [Habitant bar]! Drinking (really good, well-made drinks, BTW) *and* shopping. Can’t miss.

What’s your favorite new Seattle-area bar?
We drink at home, mostly. Let’s be fair.

What’s your favorite local spirit/liqueur?
J.P. Trodden bourbon. Love in a bottle!!!

4. Kristen Star, Greenlake

What’s your all-time favorite cocktail?
This is a hard question! I have a lot of temporary favorites, but my favorite of all time would probably have to be a classic Champagne cocktail.

What’s your favorite new cocktail from the last year, and where did you get it?
My favorite cocktail from 2015 was the Tobacco from Sitka and Spruce. It’s just a great balance of smoky, bitter, bubbly and sweet. I can’t seem to order anything else when I’m there.

What’s your favorite Seattle-area bar for a cocktail?
I’d have to go with Essex in Ballard – great cocktails and vibe. It’s cozy in the winter, but feels bright and fresh in the summer.

What’s your favorite new Seattle-area bar?
Hotel Albatross! It has really fun tiki cocktails, served in amazing vessels. It’s like a tropical vacation in a glass.

What’s your favorite local spirit/liqueur?
My current favorite local spirit is Wildwood Spirits Kur gin. It has lovely citrus and fir notes. Plus, a pretty label never hurts.

5. Leroy Jenkins, Mount Baker

What’s your all-time favorite cocktail?
It’s a tie between a Negroni and a Vieux Carre. Both will cure whatever ails you.

What’s your favorite new cocktail from last year, and where did you get it?
The Paper Airplane at Luc.

What’s your favorite Seattle-area bar for a cocktail?
I really like Old Sage. It has an eclectic selection of cocktails and the burgers are awesome.

What’s your favorite new Seattle-area bar?
If you’re looking for an old school neighborhood bar then you can’t do better than Union Bar in Hillman City.  Food and drinks are good, cheap and plentiful.

What’s your favorite local spirit/liqueur?
Westland Distillery has cornered the market on local craft Whiskey. Its distilling processes and facilities are first rate. It also does a good job of mixing up the releases so there’s always a new cask that’s just about to be released.

6. Julie Jenkins, Mount Baker

What’s your all-time favorite cocktail?
My go-to cocktail is a French 75 – it’s delicious and also reliable – I’m rarely disappointed whether in a bar that prides itself on craft cocktails, or one that sticks to a classic bar menu. At the little pocket bar “Ceci” in Mioposto in Mt. Baker they make an Italian 75 with limoncello – a yummy twist on my favorite!

What’s your favorite new cocktail from last year, and where did you get it?
This last year I was introduced to the Love Bug at a neighborhood spot, A La Bonne Franquette. The drink is a lovely combination of lime juice, gin, and Pampelmousse liqueur, topped off with pink bubbles.

What’s your favorite Seattle-area bar for a cocktail?
A favorite stop for a drink and a meal to go with it is Café Presse. Whether it’s a full-on cocktail or a demi-pichet of wine, Presse always has what I’m in the mood for.

What’s your favorite new Seattle area bar?
Intermezzo in Pioneer Square is my favorite new spot for a Vesper with friends after work.

What’s your favorite local spirit/liqueur?
People of Seattle, you’re going to have to help me out on this one. Pick a local gin to complement the ingredients in the Love Bug and let me know about it! We don’t have enough local in our liquor cabinet, which is Leroy’s fault of course.