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22 Doors (Capitol Hill)

405 15th Ave E
Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 324-6406

Categories: Bar, Restaurant

Restaurant Details

Bar Details

  • A warm, inviting space (fireplace, comfy booths) that sometimes suffers from lackadaisical service.
  • Hours: 5 pm–2 am, food until midnight.
  • Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 4-6 pm ($4 wells, $5 cocktails, $4 wine, half off drafts, discount food menu).
  • Features: Full Menu, Happy Hour, Snacks Available and Outdoor Seating
  • Scene: Cocktail Lounge

The Stranger's Reviews of 22 Doors

 
 

Average Rating:
  • 2.81000/5 Stars.
Reviews/Comments (32) RSS

Newest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a review of 22 Doors
Mizjames 32

Well, FINALLY.

22 Doors used to be a favorite neighborhood stop for me. Then it was sold and the new owners had a great idea. "Who needs a chef?" they said, "Why, I can cook! I can fry me up some appateasers and toss a salad with store-bought dressing and croutons from a box and charge $10 for it! Who will know the difference?"

Answer: Everyone.

Thank GAWD they came to their senses, because I just love to cuddle up near their fireplace or hang out on their patio with a cocktail and some tasty snackage.

It appears as if the new owners broke down and hired a chef. A tapas chef. SWEET. Also, the cumbersome booths that were smack in the middle of the otherwise breezy-cozy room, and the...ew...carpeting? have been replaced by cafe tables and a sealed concrete floor.

The squeeze and I saw the renovations happening and decided to stop in when they were finished. I'm glad we did. Small, tasty dishes anywhere from (memory...memory) $4-$7 each. It'll take you about 3 to make yerself a satisfying meal.

So far my favorite is the oxtail whatsis. The meat is melt-in yer mouth and flavorful. I also loved what they did with the greenbean salad. Crisp beans, creamy dressing, and a few leaves here and there to spice it up--what's not to love?

I'm giving this brand-new baby incarnation a three to start, because while the food is finally good again, it's not going to knock your socks off. Also, the place has become LOUD (no doubt owing to the new concrete floors and nothing [yet] but blue paint on the walls). I would almost give it four because my favorite server Trevor is still there, but most of the rest of the awesome staff left, and some of the new staff (especially a couple of the women) need to learn to get the lead out.

Overall, I'll be back, but not as often as I used to visit under the original ownership.

More...
Posted by Mizjames on October 15, 2009 at 2:49 PM · Report
31

My new favorite place for brunch!

This place was actually a last resort after we couldn't stand waiting for a table at Coastal Kitchen. We were pleasantly surprised! They have a delicious brunch for super affordable prices. Good service too. Haven't had dinner there yet...
Posted by Hunfry Hungry Hippo on December 18, 2008 at 6:42 PM · Report
30

great

stranger's comments are unfair.
Posted by doggie on December 10, 2008 at 2:02 PM · Report
29

New Management

I think this place needs another review.
Posted by Rev! on November 13, 2008 at 11:37 PM · Report
28

I thought it was nice...

The reviews on here seem pretty unfair to me--I'm not sure if my standards are lower, or if the place has improved in the past year. To me, the atmosphere was cozy and welcoming, the outdoor seating area was perfect for wine-nourished conversation and dreamy dates, and the food was tasty. Not outlandishly luxurious, but thoughtful, warm, and flavorful. The wait staff was quirky and, yes, they acted more like actors/artists/rockstars/writers-in-limbo than butlers ready to serve, but that's Seattle. If it's few flaws keep the naysayers away, I say "more room for me and my friends."
Posted by Julie on October 23, 2008 at 8:51 AM · Report
27

Good if you like your Appletinis with a twist of ragweed and a Comet Cleanser-rimmed, chilled catskull.

Didn't eat but the drink menu alone looked 'complicated.'
Posted by CM on September 26, 2008 at 11:21 PM · Report
26 Comment Pulled
25

Good Drinks

I live in the neighborhood and for me its the best option if I want a good drink. I think the food is fairly pedestrian but hey, for bar food its not bad. They've had some interesting art in there in the past and I've even bought a few pieces. I'd say it fills a 15th Ave niche ... somewhere between the Canterbury and Coastal Kitchen. The problem is that the place aspires to be more than just drinks and bar food and it misses on that count.
Posted by Have a Drink on May 30, 2008 at 5:15 PM · Report
24

I don't eat tackle.

I have been here once before and thought it was fine. I had a burger that was nothing special, but then how often is a burger really special? Went here last night. My two dining companions and I all got the caesar salad. They were topped with anchovies which were obviously straight out of a can and of very... not high... quality. To top it off the oil in which the anchovies were stored had dripped all over the salad. It smelled and tasted like the frozen herring you buy at a bait shop to fish. Not the nice anchovy flavor that you expect in a good caesar salad, but fishy, oily and inedible. The rest of the food (a ravioli dish and a hanger steak) were passable, although the steak came on a bed of beans that had this very bizarre lemon flavor that just didn't work. The fries were pretty good though. Service was ok, except for the fact that the server informed my friend that they were changing the keg for the beer he had ordered, and then neglected to inform us later that they were out of that beer. So he sat there for about twenty minutes without any beverage until the server came back and we asked about the beer.
Posted by Azile on April 10, 2008 at 5:00 PM · Report
23

Overpriced and Meh

I've gone for brunch a couple times and drinks a couple times in the evening. The fries taste weird and the place often smells weird--like dirty bleach water. It's definitely overpriced. Once I was given my check before my food even arrived at the table. For brunch, I just like a leisurely place to hang out, but I felt like they were saying, "Please leave as soon as possible."
Posted by haha on January 27, 2008 at 7:30 PM · Report
22

22 Doors is about the most interesting thing about it.

The bar is made up of twenty-two mahogany doors from some hotel in the middle of Seattle! Isn’t that INTERESTING? It’s absolutely fascinating! Amazing! Wow! Twenty-two doors! It sure doesn’t look like it’s been made from doors! Wow! And once you get over the fact that twenty-two doors from some hotel in the middle of Seattle made the bar, you could always order some of the amazingly underwhelming food! Delicious medium-rare burgers that were originally ordered well-done! A plate of cheese that seems to have come straight from Trader Joe’s original kitchen lineup! Well, okay, the soup is delicious, but WOW! I was hoping for something spectacular for my $1-per-ounce bowl instead of the equivalent of a gussied-up Tom Douglas recipe! And that overly loud jazz duo in the corner playing so loud you can’t hear your dinner partner speaking? Hooo nelly, get those clashing acoustics GOING, I can’t tell you how much I love hearing echoes competing with the actual instruments!
Posted by zymyrgy on October 16, 2007 at 11:25 PM · Report
21

Brunch from Hell!

My friends and I tried brunch at 22 Doors 'cause Coastal Kitchen was just too long of a wait...little did we know! We waited for menus, waited for coffee refills, wiated for our food to arrive (cold) and then waited for our check for, like, forever. The waitstaff can only apologize so many times before it's almost insulting. The whole experience lasted close to 2 hours. It's a bad sign when you notice all of the tables around you trying to figure out just how little of a tip to leave to get the point across. Don't go unless you have a few hours of your life to waste on semi-good food.
Posted by BrunchLover-22DoorHater on October 4, 2007 at 1:42 PM · Report
20

wow - not THAT bad y'all!

I went to 22 Doors this weekend. I've probably been there 5-6 times. I like their small and changing menu. Entrees are pricy, but the smaller dishes are great. I had a squash soup & grilled cheese plate that was amazing, and only $7 or $8. My companion had a scallop salad that she really enjoyed. We ordered dessert that was both delicious and ginormous. I probably wouldn't go there for a proper meal, but for a late night stop in, it's great. Everything I've eaten there has been extremely good, and the drinks are good as well. The only drawbacks to the place are the terrible acoustics (horrible for conversation if the place is even half full), and the suspiciously frat-like crowd. Without those, I'd give it another star.
Posted by genevieve on September 24, 2007 at 12:58 PM · Report
19

used to be better...

i used to come to 22 doors when it first opened. i've always thought it was way overpriced, but the ambience is nice and at the time, service was spectacular. the last two times i have gone service has been HORRIBLE. it once took them over 20 minutes to bring my date and i each a drink. with no apology for the wait until after we were clearly pissed off. the second time we went there on a dead saturday morning, sat ourselves on the deck and waited ten minutes while four or five employees stood around the bar chatting. definitely not worth the price.
Posted by kydavi on September 12, 2007 at 5:52 PM · Report
18

Wretched Service

Honestly, what do people see in this place?!?! The service was abysmal...slow, inattentive, practically indifferent. Coffee was served in a reeeally dirty mug. The food is overpriced and portions are small. The one good thing is the fries, and that's not nearly enough to make up for the unbelievably lousy service. After giving this place 2 chances, I will never go back.
Posted by CapHillGuy on September 5, 2007 at 12:03 PM · Report
17

Meh. That's right. Meh.

Yeah, 22 Doors could be good. It's pleasant in there, if a little dark. The patio is nice, if you can get a table out there. The food, though, is decidedly hit-or-miss. Sometimes pretty dang good, sometimes completely meh. For the prices they charge, I want less meh. Less meh!
Posted by Tone on September 4, 2007 at 11:25 AM · Report
16

A disaster since day one...

I've been here 3 times spaced over a year and every time has been a nightmare...spacy service; mediocre food at high prices and tiny portions; weird east side ambiance...everytime I've gone there, they've been out of something basic like white wine, or vodka or cola...it's like a Bellevue bistro that got lost on it's way home and ended up on 15th Street...I'm guessing that Smith will eventually kill it...
Posted by strangeways on August 28, 2007 at 12:09 PM · Report
15

Not worth it

I've tried to like 22 Doors, really. It's got a great location and nice decor. But having attempted brunch a few times and dinner on about four occasions, I can attest to just about all of the negatives mentioned in the reviews below. The staff always seems understaffed -- even on emptier days -- and less-than-attentive on all occasions. (I don't ask for much, either. But not checking on our lone empty cocktails in a marathan hour dinner? Blasphemy.) Drinks are quite expensive. And though I'm a tiny lady, the portions have been consistency weak. I'm not looking for Claim Jumper, but 22 Doors' entrees and brunch items essentially are tapas-sized. I've always left hungry. I also agree about portions often being served cold or lukewarm. This has occurred with both egg dishes, beef and steak for me. If I go again, maybe I'll stick to a salad.
Posted by The Holy Mountain on August 22, 2007 at 12:26 PM · Report
14

Where else'm I gonna go?

I'm lazy and live too fucking close to 15th. The Bagel Deli guy hollers at his kid in front of you, Jamjuree is disgusting, Liberty is too full of baby girls with their wide-mouth vowel utterances and their hair-gel, giant-watch, screenprinted-flowers-on-a-striped-shirt boyfriends, Hop-vine is o.k. for lunch, Palermo is a last-ditch, and the Canterbury smells as if the wallpaper has been french-fried. Avoid the twelve dollar burger, sit in Lara's section, order one a them fancy fruit and herb drinks (basil-grapefruit lemon drop anyone?) and have you some truffle fries and shaddap.
Posted by Mizjames on August 9, 2007 at 2:55 PM · Report
13

Lost the chef

The place is going down fast...
Posted by l.lunette on July 28, 2007 at 2:05 AM · Report
12

All all the options on fifteenth street...

22 doors is not your worst choice. On the pro side, they have a great deck, bartenders that really care about the drinks that they make, and the food; wile spotty, is more good than the alternative. On the con side, the food and service is spotty as is mentioned here and there. And where else on fifteenth can you go, really? There's Liberty which I like a lot that has better cocktails at better prices and great sushi until closing and there's now Smith, the new Linda's that's hipsterific. But, if you want good if a bit overpriced food on 15th, then 22 Doors may just be the place for you.
Posted by Another Neighbor on July 25, 2007 at 6:42 PM · Report
11

Fabulous

I've had the pleasure of enjoying the ambiance of 22 Doors on numerous occasions. I have definitely met some pretentious patrons at times, I've also met some kick-ass, down to earth folks! They all just have excellent taste in my opinion. There is no dress code, although it's so f*in sexy of a place you might feel like takin' it up a notch just because. Where else in Seattle can you find a kick-back, classy atmosphere with a fine, sometimes rare selection of beer, wine, liquor, food, and all around beauty? The bar is constructed of salvaged materials from some of Seattle's most historical buildings. As for the $12 burger, it's made of Kobe beef! Some of the highest quality beef you will ever chow down on. And how about those fries tossed in truffle oil??!! I mean really folks! It doesn't get much better than that. Anyone can open a bar. These guys have created an unparalleled atmosphere of style, elegance, and comfort. Bravo.
Posted by Lovin' Life! on July 17, 2007 at 2:34 PM · Report
10

Good; should survive awhile.

I've been here four times; 3 times for dinner. Each time the food was excellent. The only complaint I have is a couple times they appeared to be understaffed. However, our server was extremely knowledgeable, recommended excellent wine with dinner, and was generally pleasant and unpretentious. This place isn't spectacular but it's solid and could be around awhile.
Posted by Ryan on July 16, 2007 at 6:49 PM · Report
9

a contradictory experience

I like this place. I only go at night, near the time the kitchen closes and I always sit at the bar. the bartenders are very accomodating and they show a willingness to experiment. the staff has always been friendly and I think this place has one of the best examples of french oninon soup in the city. prices aren't cheap, but I imagine rent there isn't either. I also have yet to experience the pretentious crowd someone else was mentioning (it's always funny to see or hear someone complaining about pretense in Seattle) and I love the artwork. overall, a 4 star spot.
Posted by OffConstantly on July 15, 2007 at 6:04 PM · Report
8

Meh.

I went for a brunch meal, and the food was pretty good. You can't really mess up a BLT. The problem I had was that the staff practically ignored me. Sure, they were kind when speaking to me, but my water sat empty on the side of the table for more than half my meal and when the waitress splashed my drink on the table as she was setting it down, she just left it there for me to either clean up or ignore. I'll go back for brunch, but my friends keep telling me that the regular menu just isn't worth it.
Posted by A neighbor on June 3, 2007 at 2:33 PM · Report
7

How can a burger ($12!) be so bad

I make burgers at home. I don't even try, and they taste pretty damn good. How can a 12 dollar big, thick burger taste like, well, nothing. I just ate there with a friend after a 2 hour bike ride and was starving, but I left half my food unfinished it was so bland. My third bad food experience there. Its a crime that they have one of the only outdoor eating areas on 15th.
Posted by lanik on June 2, 2007 at 6:49 AM · Report
6

Nice brunch alternative on 15th Ave

I started going to 22 Doors because I live next door and I was tired of the Sunday Brunch wait at Coastal Kitchen and didn't want to risk the food poisoning at the Canterbury. The lack of a wait on Sunday is great, the brunch menu is not bad and priced perfect. If I had a complaint it would be that every time I've ever eaten there when it wasn't brunch, the food has not been memorable and it has been overpriced. I think they should stick to what they are good at and just focus on weekend brunch and happy hours!
Posted by lilblackcat on May 31, 2007 at 1:42 PM · Report
5

Oh, please.

I've been here twice, and both times have been legendarily annoying experiences. The first time was for drinks, when 22 doors was full of nouveau riche 30- and 40-somethings talking about Microsoft and NPR and their Audis. The second time was for brunch - the food was good, but I'm not sure it exactly warranted the 3 hours it took to order, get the food, get the check and run the credit card. The brunch crowd is less annoying but well-compensated for by the irritating lack of staffing (and by the staffers, who know who they are, who spend their time letting the food get cold while they goof off behind the bar). Several other tables shared our indignation at this place, and couldn't get out of there fast enough (literally). Their happy hour looks promisingly cheap, but with two strikes against them, 22 doors teeters precariously on my list of places to Never Go Again... 2 stars (as opposed to one) for good breakfast food, and cheap drinks at happy hour.
Posted by Kinkos on May 22, 2007 at 7:05 PM · Report
4

Good but the price of the burger is insulting

I think this place is good. But I can't bring myself to support he $12 burger (or whatever it is) because the next thing you know everyone will think it's ok to charge that much for a burger. Stop it before it gets out of control.
Posted by Charles on May 22, 2007 at 3:08 PM · Report
3

Best Burger on the Hill

Every time I go there I get the burger and damn it is good! Good beef, soft grilled onions, some sort of tasty saucy stuff, baby lettuce, hearty bun--far and away the best on Cap Hill.
Posted by Eliza on May 16, 2007 at 11:45 PM · Report
2

deck is nice food not so great

Love hanging out on the deck and like the wait staff but the food has been disapointing.
Posted by marcus on mercer on May 16, 2007 at 6:41 PM · Report
1

Uneven?

I've eaten at 22 Doors several times, and have loved every meal. Tasty food, attentive waitress, and friendly bartenders. I do agree that some of the specialty drinks are a bit over the top, but sometimes that's what I'm looking for. I love watching a good bartender muddle.
Posted by Down the street on May 16, 2007 at 2:47 PM · Report

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