This piece is presented as part of The Stranger’s 2018 Happy Hour Guide, where you can find all manner of places to get deals on food, drink, and even weed—and find out who won our reader’s survey of favorite bartenders in Seattle.
The Pine Box
The Pine Box (1600 Melrose Ave) is a mainstay of Seattle’s beer scene, and for good reason. There’s its convenient location halfway up Capitol Hill, an easy climb from downtown, or an easy descent from Volunteer Park. There’s the historic charm of it being in an old funeral home, which hosted Bruce Lee’s funeral in 1973. There are comfortable booths and plenty of other seating. And there’s one of the best curated beer lists in the city. Their 30-plus taps always feature some of Seattle’s finest breweries, consistently including hard-to-get kegs like Holy Mountain, Cloudburst, and Machine House, as well as a smattering of great out-of-state and even international beer. Plus, for whatever reason, a lot of beer from California’s Firestone Walker Brewery.
Once they even had the famous Rodenbach Grand Cru on tap, a Flanders Red Ale made in Belgium that consistently ranks as one of the best beers in the world. On my last visit, I opted for Holy Mountain’s Remnant Saison, bright yellow with hints of lemon, oak, and mustiness with a slightly tart finish. I could drink and think about that beer for hours. Happy hour is 3-6 pm weekdays, 11 am-6 pm Saturday and Sunday, and includes $1 off every draft, pints of Firestone Walker’s DBA for $4 each ($14 pitchers), and bites for $4 to $9.
