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Tavern Law is an award-winning cocktail bar and restaurant on Capitol Hill in Seattle. Set in a historic space with Prohibition-era touches, vintage books, polished wood, and candlelight, we pair elevated American dishes with a world-class cocktail program. Downstairs is our classic bar. Upstairs, behind a discreet bank vault door, is Needle & Thread, an intimate, reservation-only speakeasy where bartenders craft cocktails to your tastes. Expect precise classics, seasonal signatures including zero-proof, warm hospitality, and a room made for conversation. Join us for dinner, late-night bites, or private events.
High-end vintage cocktails & American fare in a dark, sophisticated space with a speakeasy vibe.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1406 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Phone: (206) 322-9734
Website: http://www.tavernlaw.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
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Reviews
Taylor Purcell
Always my favorite place to visit in Seattle. The food and service are consistently outstanding. This trip I was able to dine upstairs, where Gavin made me an incredible bespoke cocktail tailored to my preferences. He’s an excellent mixologist but also a fun and creative person to chat with. I was dining solo, but it would be a gorgeous date spot. I’ve had several items from their food menu and all have exceeded my expectations (unexpected winner – you have to start with the roasted almonds)
… morePedram
This review is specifically for the speakeasy.
We had a two-hour reservation and only managed to get two drinks because the wait times were excessive. This wasn’t a case of us needing time to decide, we were ready, but service was simply slow throughout the night.
The steak and frites were absolutely not good. We had heard this place was known for having the best value steak and frites, and that claim is completely false.
I really wanted to like this place. We’ve been to the normal bar downstairs multiple times and it’s been amazing every time, which is why we expected the speakeasy to be even better. Unfortunately, it was just more expensive and noticeably worse.
I would recommend the normal bar downstairs any day and any time. The speakeasy? Don’t bother.
… moreWe had a two-hour reservation and only managed to get two drinks because the wait times were excessive. This wasn’t a case of us needing time to decide, we were ready, but service was simply slow throughout the night.
The steak and frites were absolutely not good. We had heard this place was known for having the best value steak and frites, and that claim is completely false.
I really wanted to like this place. We’ve been to the normal bar downstairs multiple times and it’s been amazing every time, which is why we expected the speakeasy to be even better. Unfortunately, it was just more expensive and noticeably worse.
I would recommend the normal bar downstairs any day and any time. The speakeasy? Don’t bother.
Ki Ko
Needle and Thread is absolutely wonderful. The drinks were custom and perfect; as if they looked into our souls. The food was delicious and very reasonably priced. Our caretaker, for lack of a better word, was so kind, took all of our needs to heart, and was clearly very knowledgeable. Definitely recommend ringing that phone for a one of a kind experience!
We ordered two drinks each, a “group drink”, and some food. Worth the price for the experience of having cocktails crafted to your taste as well as great service and atmosphere. And, it’s a little slice of history!
… moreWe ordered two drinks each, a “group drink”, and some food. Worth the price for the experience of having cocktails crafted to your taste as well as great service and atmosphere. And, it’s a little slice of history!
Sergio Vergara
My wife and I had a 10/10 experience here for dinner. The drinks were incredible, the food was delicious and the service was great. Our servers were super awesome and helpful when I asked about their recommendations. The atmosphere created a very intimate vibe for our date night. Can’t speak highly enough of the overall experience.
… moreKimberly Clemens
*This review is for the speakeasy Needle and Thread upstairs*
Our first round of cocktails was 5 stars. It was the second round where the experience fell short.
We waited almost 30 minutes to get our drinks when the first round took less than 10, and the restaurant was at roughly the same capacity. The second round of drinks was basically a concoction of every ingredient we agreed we liked when speaking to the waitress, which I thought meant you give the bartenders options of what you like, not a soup of everything you talked about. It was not great for me because I ended up with an overly sweet fruit juice cocktail when I asked for something light, and the other drink was also a miss.
What sucked was the waitress didn’t come back to check if we liked our drinks this time, while she attended to the table next to us a few times. She then tried to drop off the check without saying anything at all, ignoring the fact that my drink was barely touched. We had to stop her to say we were unhappy. She apologized, took the drink and they filled it with tonic water to “be more of what I asked”. So then it was juice and water at that point…. For $23.
At $23 a cocktail and a 20% service fee automatically tacked on to the bill, if someone doesn’t like what they ordered one would hope that the bartenders would replace the drink to provide a better customer experience.
If we just ordered our first round, we would have given this 5 stars. But the wait time, customer service, and second drinks unfortunately flipped our positive experience to something lackluster.
PS – they don’t do anything special for birthdays, which they told me upfront when I called before making a reservation.
… moreOur first round of cocktails was 5 stars. It was the second round where the experience fell short.
We waited almost 30 minutes to get our drinks when the first round took less than 10, and the restaurant was at roughly the same capacity. The second round of drinks was basically a concoction of every ingredient we agreed we liked when speaking to the waitress, which I thought meant you give the bartenders options of what you like, not a soup of everything you talked about. It was not great for me because I ended up with an overly sweet fruit juice cocktail when I asked for something light, and the other drink was also a miss.
What sucked was the waitress didn’t come back to check if we liked our drinks this time, while she attended to the table next to us a few times. She then tried to drop off the check without saying anything at all, ignoring the fact that my drink was barely touched. We had to stop her to say we were unhappy. She apologized, took the drink and they filled it with tonic water to “be more of what I asked”. So then it was juice and water at that point…. For $23.
At $23 a cocktail and a 20% service fee automatically tacked on to the bill, if someone doesn’t like what they ordered one would hope that the bartenders would replace the drink to provide a better customer experience.
If we just ordered our first round, we would have given this 5 stars. But the wait time, customer service, and second drinks unfortunately flipped our positive experience to something lackluster.
PS – they don’t do anything special for birthdays, which they told me upfront when I called before making a reservation.
Anastasia Kostaki
I initially went to Tavern Law hoping to check out the speakeasy but I was told that without a reservation I wouldn’t be able to get in. Oh well. Sailor Moon was on TV so I decided to stay for an anime – themed cocktail – which was pretty great by the way.
On the downside, the barwomen felt a bit overbearing as they kept checking with me every 10’, asking if I wanted another drink while I still was visibly enjoying the one I had. I thought they were probably following a policy by checking in this often so I let it go.
What I didn’t like was when another customer sat next to me and asked a barwoman what was the speakeasy like and to my surprise he was told that there was only availability at the bar. Shocked, I waited for 5 minutes and also asked the same question again only to be told that there was no availability! I don’t know on what grounds they decided that he could go in but I couldn’t but this felt definitely at best arbitrary and at the very least discriminatory. I did not enjoy this and will not be returning.
… moreOn the downside, the barwomen felt a bit overbearing as they kept checking with me every 10’, asking if I wanted another drink while I still was visibly enjoying the one I had. I thought they were probably following a policy by checking in this often so I let it go.
What I didn’t like was when another customer sat next to me and asked a barwoman what was the speakeasy like and to my surprise he was told that there was only availability at the bar. Shocked, I waited for 5 minutes and also asked the same question again only to be told that there was no availability! I don’t know on what grounds they decided that he could go in but I couldn’t but this felt definitely at best arbitrary and at the very least discriminatory. I did not enjoy this and will not be returning.
Sam K
This review is for Needle and Thread (speakeasy)
1) Service – 0 Stars
2) Drinks – 5 Stars
3) Food – 4 Stars
While I have no complaints about the drinks and food, the staff here is incredibly entitled and rude. They do last call at 11 pm even though the place is supposed to be open till midnight. Between 11:40 and 11:50 pm, we were told three times that they have a hard close at 12 am and we need to be out before then. At 11:53 pm we were standing and wearing our jackets, one person was already downstairs and then the bartender needlessly came up to the rest of us and said “you need to leave NOW” in a very rude way.
Completely ruined the night and our experience. There is no point making such nice drinks and serving them with utmost care if you can’t show basic decency and care to people. If you can’t be a good human, you don’t need to be in customer service.
I don’t recall ever being treated so rudely. Completely unacceptable. I can’t believe the management tolerates this.
… more1) Service – 0 Stars
2) Drinks – 5 Stars
3) Food – 4 Stars
While I have no complaints about the drinks and food, the staff here is incredibly entitled and rude. They do last call at 11 pm even though the place is supposed to be open till midnight. Between 11:40 and 11:50 pm, we were told three times that they have a hard close at 12 am and we need to be out before then. At 11:53 pm we were standing and wearing our jackets, one person was already downstairs and then the bartender needlessly came up to the rest of us and said “you need to leave NOW” in a very rude way.
Completely ruined the night and our experience. There is no point making such nice drinks and serving them with utmost care if you can’t show basic decency and care to people. If you can’t be a good human, you don’t need to be in customer service.
I don’t recall ever being treated so rudely. Completely unacceptable. I can’t believe the management tolerates this.
Rick Hadsall
Top end cocktail bar with very knowledgeable friendly staff and a cool menu! Upstairs is a speakeasy named Needle & Thread and it’s the best speakeasy I’ve been to. No menu, tell them what you like and they create something on the spot. No cheat cards or “if this then that” – these are expert mixologists who understand flavors and balance and do it well. They’re very friendly and engaging as well. Particularly Jacob, who made us drinks we’ve never had anything close to. Highly recommend.
… moreAmy Camp
Delicious cocktails! If you do a dealer’s choice its so worth it, the bartenders are knowledgeable and talented at whipping up custom drinks. The menus have fun and imaginative selection with something for anyone! Great service and a fun vibe!
… moreJeremy Yowell
We had a delightful time getting some after work cocktails at Tavern Law. Vibes were on point and the decor/seating setup inside was impressive. I appreciated the inventive and strong drink options. Didn’t try any food but will plan to next time we visit.
… more