Tap House Grill

The Northwest is known nationally for the wonderful beer culture in the area. From Oregon’s famous Rogue Ales to our own Pike Place Brewery, the region is proudly the capital of beer lovers for the Western United States. Tap House Grill shows its appreciation for all the varying flavors and traditions of beer by offering an astounding selection of brews from around the globe. While it can’t truly be said to have “no crap on tap” thanks to the Budweiser and Coors they carry, Tap House does a damn fine job of offering something for everyone.

Tap House’s beer list is a whole 160 beers long, all of it on tap. They display these taps on the wall behind the bar, and they are not just for show, all of the taps are functioning and well stocked. They carry everything from lagers to stouts, pilsners to porters, white, brown and red ales and everything in between. The selection covers local Northwest varieties as well as American, German, Czech, English, Irish, Japanese and many other traditions. In addition to the staple beers and ales, Tap House also keeps rotating seasonal kegs that update every four months. The more popular ones of these can be harder to find later on in the season so it’s recommended to grab them early on in the cycle if you find one that interests you.

Tap House also has a full kitchen and their food is very well done and thoughtful as well as being moderately priced. As with the beer, there is no unifying food tradition to the food. You will find taco soup on the same menu as maki sushi, jambalaya and popcorn shrimp. In spite of that the food is very well done, consistent, and paired with both an evening and late-night happy hour. Happy hour gets you no discount on booze, but the discounts on food are generous and the happy hour menu is pretty extensive.

For atmosphere, Tap House happens to be large and spacious, surprising given that it’s located in the middle of downtown. They achieve this by being underground, sacrificing natural lighting for a larger space, which this being the Northwest, I can’t blame them for. Lighting is dim all day and night in a way that enhances the decor. There are flatscreens with sports games on most of the time, but the sound for them is never on and I have never found them distracting. The booths in the back are large and can seat six easily and eight if you like getting a little cozy. Seating at the bar is usually easy to find as the bar is necessarily very long, and there are a large amount of tables. Even on a Friday night the wait is never particularly long with a small party and the staff is more than happy to get you drinks while you wait for your table in their comfortable lounge area. The back has multiple pool tables and private party rooms that you can reserve and after ten the prices on the pool tables drop drastically, making them much more affordable.

Overall The Tap House Grill is a great location for introducing beginners to the wider world of beer or for experienced brew snobs wanting a wide menu and obscure seasonals. Lunch, dinner or late-night are all perfect times to enjoy this great Seattle restaurant!