Zig Zag Cafe

Best Classic Cocktail List - Good Food, Good Drink & Good Company

(206) 625-1146

1501 Western Ave (Pike Street)
Seattle, WA 98101 47.608301 -122.341112

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Neighborhoods: Downtown, Pike Place Market

zigzagseattle.com/

Hours:

Daily 5pm-2am

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Zig Zag Cafe

What People Are Saying About Zig Zag Cafe

The Owner

Zig Zag Cafe

Owner

The Zig Zag Cafe is a classic cocktail bar & restaurant located on the Pike Street Hill Climb behind Seattle's Pike Place Market & on the way to the Seattle Aquarium. We're open daily from 5pm-2am. Happy Hour is 5-7pm on weekdays. Our selection of whiskeys, brandies, tequila & rums is one of the best in the state. Our cocktail list won Best Classic Cocktail List at 2007's Tales of the Cocktail. We offer 3 rotating taps of Maritime lagers & ales & a small selection of premium bottled beers. Our wine list includes reds & whites, fortified wines & some excellent champagne. Behind the bar…

Read more from the owner

The Editor

Contributor

Citysearch

In Short – The atmosphere is upscale stylish without losing its welcoming air; fresh flowers decorate the bar, and candles provide much of the light. Famed drinks from this established watering hole are made with exotic liqueurs and fresh-squeezed juices. Bartenders chat easily with the crowd--mostly regulars from Pike Place Market, spiked with an occasional well-dressed couple. Share the sauteed calamari with a friend, or try the linguine aglio for a hearty meal.

1 Star Rating: Poor

11/08/09

bad for reservations for group

by shamalag7

DO NOT GO HERE FOR ANY REASON! This place nearly ruined my birthday party. I spoke with the short blond male manager to make reservation for a large party. He screwed up our seating by giving it to another group that reserved days after we did, then only set a place for our 14 guests around 2 small tables with 10 chairs! Instead of apologizing and accommodating; he was rude, defensive, argumentative, and unprofessional. I didn't want to argue, because it was my birthday and I was with my guests. It was embarrassing. The staff looked scared, sad, and oppressed. The manager was also the host, right off the bat he was rude when we walked in to be seated, the reservation was under my name and he refused to seat me, because "there were people there before me"....I said, "These are my guests....you are seating them for my party!" He snapped "You still have to wait!!", then he attempted to seat my guests without me, my guests refused. We were shocked. Apparently he was in conflict with another large party also. I had to get on my cell and intercept the remaining 10 guests to have them meet us at Chapel instead. Where we had a great evening! The owner of Zig Zag Cafe is the rudest and most arrogant person I've ever met! Totally unprofessional. Don't risk ruining your group gathering at this place.

  • Cons: Manager and setting for group gathering
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/07/09

Wonderful Manhattans!

by PotPie71

Experienced bartenders and a cozy atmosphere. A grown ups bar, which is a nice change from the usual corporate styling.

  • Pros: Great drinks
2 Star Rating: Below Average

06/24/09

Great drinks, abhorrent attitude

by jncjansen

A group of eight of us went to Zig Zag tonight to meet an old friend. We'd all been there before, and liked their drinks and atmosphere. We sat in the back area, where they have banquette seats and half-round tables, and had to push a couple of tables together to accommodate all of us. We all ordered cocktails and several appetizers for the table to share. The waitress was fine, nothing great but not too bad. About 35 minutes in, we'd all ordered a second round of drinks, when a short, bald man in a Charlie Sheen bowling shirt comes out of the back with an air of importance and makes a beeline for our table. Without a word, he yanks one of the tables we're using back to its rightful place, sloshing a couple of fresh drinks all over it in the process. We all looked at each other, and someone said, "can we take a couple extra chairs from over there?" you know, so we could at least all crowd around the one table we had left. To which the man replied, "Nope, the fire department wouldn't like that". And left. The guy wasn't Murray the bartender, and he wasn't serving any tables, so I assume he was one of the owners. We were there for another 90 minutes, and no one ever came and sat at that other table - I'd guess the place was about half full. Our party's bill was about $200. In these times, I'm surprised that people who have chosen to be in the service industry - you know, when you offer a service to other people, who pay you for that service - insist on treating customers badly. It's a shame that this guy's attitude overshadowed an otherwise enjoyable evening - while I work about a block away and like their drinks and atmosphere, I probably won't be going back to ZigZag anytime soon. Who wants to spend $200 to be treated like that?

  • Pros: Excellent cocktails, cool bartender, fun location
  • Cons: service, service, service

The Details on Zig Zag Cafe

What to Drink:

Try the fiery El Diablo, made with tequila, cassis, lime and ginger ale.

Where to Sit:

Not eating? Get a spot at the bar--the bartenders put on a great show, and will describe the drinks they're mixing.

The Extras:

A shaded patio provides sanctuary from the Pike Place madness.

Save Money:

Happy hour, from 5pm to 7pm daily, offers deals on specialty cocktails and appetizers.

Category:

Restaurants, Bars & Clubs

Payment Methods:

Visa, MasterCard

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Bar Menu

Cuisine:

Traditional American

Bar & Club Special Features:

Outdoor Seating, 21 & Over, Specialty Cocktails, After Work

Message from Zig Zag Cafe

  • Award-Winning Cocktail List
  • Whiskey, Brandy, Tequila, Rum
  • Exceptional Hospitality

The Zig Zag Cafe is a classic cocktail bar & restaurant located on the Pike Street Hill Climb behind Seattle's Pike Place Market & on the way to the Seattle Aquarium.

We're open daily from 5pm-2am. Happy Hour is 5-7pm on weekdays. Our selection of whiskeys, brandies, tequila & rums is one of the best in the state. Our cocktail list won Best Classic Cocktail List at 2007's Tales of the Cocktail.

We offer 3 rotating taps of Maritime lagers & ales & a small selection of premium bottled beers. Our wine list includes reds & whites, fortified wines & some excellent champagne.

Behind the bar owners Ben Dougherty & Kacy Fitch & bartenders Murray Stenson & Erik Hakkinen serve up a wide variety of cocktails, from timeless classics to innovative newcomers.

The Zig Zag Cafe is an unpretentious place with an eclectic crowd whose common desire is good food, good drink, & good company.

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