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Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: BelltownMon. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Tiny. Dark. Sexy. Secret. Delicious.
This bar is tucked away in an alley behind a nondescript door and sign in Belltown (of all places), yet is full of everything I want in a bar. It is intimate, so not a good place to roll in with 15 friends on a weekend night, but it is perfect for a date, for cocktails with a few friends, or if you just want to drop in and have a very strong cocktail. I escaped from the rain and cold there last night, in a back room, on an old leather couch, and listened to A Tribe Called Quest--this is my idea of an excellent evening. Service was friendly and prompt, but my tete-a-tete wasn't constantly being interrupted, either. Their bathroom is great, as is the entire bar itself. The decor works really well for this space, and the use of the space as far as seating and walkability (some places cram in too many tables!) is on point. Their cocktail menu is small but all of the drinks look like they were crafted with thought and much sampling. I had two--the "Bobby Love", which was a very strong margarita, a sipping margarita. Tasty. Also, I had something with bourbon and an egg white, the name of which I don't remember but it was mighty tasty, and I don't usually like bourbon.
I'll be back. I officially love the 'Tub.
Yeeesssss it's tiny. Apparently it used to be a boiler room and then a couple took it over and carved a wee bar into it. But tiny isn't bad - tiny is actually great, no?
Tiny in a packed neighborhood that suffers from extreme group mentality ala Jim Jones - bad. Quite bad. Went on a Monday night just after they unlocked the doors and it was among the top places I've ever had the pleasure of cocktailing in Seattle. Great crowd. Enjoyed the room off to the side downstairs where it could be high noon, midnight, a 1940's bomb shelter or an east coast home library. Tried to go again on a Thursday, a Saturday, and a Wednesday, and didn't take more than two steps in to the alley before doing an about face.
Or course, this is GREAT news for the couple who opened the place. They'll be busier than they can stand for the foreseeable future. They deserve it. They did a lot of hard work to restore the space back to its brick-and-mortar skeleton. Bad news for those of us who really love the speakeasy groove. Dozens of barking frat guys and the girls who love them crowding the entrance hoping to squeeeeze in for whiskey sours and vodka with sprite and a lemon... doesn't complete the picture nicely.
I'll keep trying. But only on nights that are notoriously slow bar nights. Like Thanksgiving.
As the name might suggest, Bathtub Gin & Co. is a throw back to the Prohibition day speakeasies. Located behind the Humphrey Apartments, the nondescript door leads to a room and a small bar with just 6 seats upstairs. The exposed brick, pressure gauges, tin tile ceilings, and décor create a unique atmosphere, and it reminded me a lot of Bourbon and Branch in San Francisco, but without the passwords and games.
Bathtub Gin had a Summer Cocktail menu, with a strong focus on gin. Started off with the Milan-Torino, which was a brilliant twist on the Negroni, which some find a bit too potent. The spiced ginger ale definitely smoothed out the campari, gin, and sweet vermouth - delicious! I then moved on to a gin and tonic, but with some muddled cucumbers, which was very refreshing but very potent, and had me ready to move on to See Sound Lounge for the Chuck Love set.
Overall, Bathtub Gin & Co. is a great place for serious cocktails in an intimate and unique atmosphere. The place is a on the smaller side, so it can get a bit noisy if there is a large group. But with great drinks and service, it's a place that feels very comfortable and a place that's been around forever, even though it has been open for a month.
Stopped in here the other night with a friend and was impressed with the strong cocktails and pistachios on the bar. :-)
Great spot to hit up for drinks mid week but may steer clear on weekends due to the limited, and i mean limited, amount of space.
It's small and intimate - good place for conversation and fancy cocktails - music is good and volume low - you don't need to shout - ordered the St. Peters Secret with a hibiscus flower in it - it was good and would order it again, though not a place to get drunk, the frat boys most certainly destroy the ambiance if they show up...
Great drinks although a little on the expensive side. Great atmosphere!
A cozy, little speakeasy hidden off a Belltown alley, Bathtub Gin & Co. has a limited but fine cocktail menu, and various romantic nooks and crannies. This is probably the most pleasant bar in Belltown just to sit in, and high quality cocktails clinch the case for five stars (and an excellent choice to take a date). It's not easy to find though, and no doubt the neighbors on 2nd Avenue are amused by the confused looks of people trying to get into the locked front door of the apartment building where it is housed. (Hint: From the front door of Spur, head straight down the alley.)
My friend took me here Saturday to celebrate her B-Day and how can I begin to describe how awesome it is. You enter through a wood door in the alley with nothing but a plaque on the wall with it's name on it. You come to 2 staircases. One leads up to the bar and one leads down to the "lounge" area. There are tables and couches tucked in around in a very sophisticated, coal miners kinda feel. The drinks were to say the least delicious. I had 2 Death Stars and I was good for the night. Went down quick and had me buzzing for hours. I suggest this hideaway for after work drinks, a sexy date or just cause it's smashing.
I think that Bathtub Gin actually has a lot of potential, but they aren't there yet. We stopped by after dinner at Spur last weekend to see what all the hype was about. We found some seats in the lower level of the bar and then sent the guys up to the bar to get a menu.
They came back with a tiny drink menu. Minus 1 star. This makes it pretty hard for a beer lover who doesn't know many cocktail staples to even ask for something off menu. The girls picked the margarita and the guys some whiskey drink. I wouldn't order the margarita again and if I wanted a margarita I'd probably go elsewhere.
Anyway, the second star removed from my review was for the bathroom. Is there only 1 bathroom? The line was almost out the front door for the bathroom. But otherwise, we had a good time here and I'd be wiling to come back for another try; even if it isn't like the speakeasys in San Fran that we all so love.
After an afternoon of playing in the park and swimming, my friends and I hatched a plan to "suit up" for a night on the town. I could not have picked a better bar for this excursion. Glamour is not a word often associated with Seattle bars but the owners of Bathtub Gin executed their vision perfectly. It's not so much that it feels like a speak-easy but the bar has an easy elegance.
The bar is separated in to three distinct areas which allows it to accept greater occupancy and still retain a feeling of intimacy. There is no useless finery here, it's a more timeless version of sophistication -the little black cocktail dress of bars. And you can bet that I'll dressed to the nines every time I come here because it just feels like a proper compliment to the place.
The drinks, the atmosphere, the staff, everything was just right for me. The only thing missing is the location - it's not within stumbling distance of my home.
I was able to take a sneak preview of Bathtub Gin & Co., a tiny new speak-easy inspired bar in the alley between First & Second near Blanchard. Scheduled to have a soft opening in the next few weeks, I am convinced that it will be Seattle's newest hotspot, and I will tell you why.
The site of Bathtub Gin is in the basement of the Humphrey Apartments, which was built in the 1920s. The interior, inspired by prohibition opulence, is pure speakeasy glamor. When you walk in, the ambiance makes you feel that you're entering another time. It's an intimate place, and has small rooms to escape to. There's beautiful exposed brick, and the place has been decorated with attention to every detail.
The other reason why I am convinced that the place will be a huge success is that the owners know cocktails. The two have been around the Belltown scene for years and have worked in some of the hottest spots. They're smart. They pay attention to quality. They know how to keep a dedicated clientelle. They have a local following. They're focused on customer service. Most of all, they know how to have fun and they know how to make a mean cocktail.
The location is great, too. How easy will it be too dash across the parking lot to Bathtub Gin from Amber, Cellars, Spur, Ohana, Belltown Billiards, or the Queen City Grill?
Next Saturday, I plan on slipping on my best dress and dropping into the prohibition underworld that Bathtub Gin inspires. I'll be Bonnie. You can be Clyde.
A cute, hip, sexy, loungie addition to Belltown with great owner-bartenders and lots of intimate little corners and couches.
Certainly glad they picked a weekend I was in Seattle to open!
This little speakeasy is a welcome refuge from the bustle of Belltown. If you can find it, that is. Our little group of four fit right in to the corner of the library room, where we sank into a cozy leather couch, and a rich wing chair. This seems like it would be a great place for a date -- plenty of nooks and crannies create spaces for those intimate conversations. Solid service, delicious drinks and a cozy ambiance puts Bathtub Gin high on my list of favorite destinations.
Bathtub Gin & Co. was an awesome place to get an after-dinner cocktail. Granted we were there on a Wednesday, so that might account for all of the available seating, nevertheless, our drinks were tasty and the ambiance killer. I'm a huge fan of intimate bars that cultivate conversation amongst its patrons- an added bonus: the music was played at a tasteful volume.
This is an awesome new place - I can't wait to curl up here in the colder months with a warming cocktail! It's tiny, but cozy.
With new bars in Belltown as common as shootings, it's a nice surprise to see something really new and -- I hope -- lasting in Belltown. The BTG, as I call it (though I think "Bathtub" or just "the Tub" might win out as the local name) has a definite buzz about it. I have heard -- and heard others tell about hearing - people on the street uttering its name "Bathtub Gin," and "where is it??? And bands performing at the Crock have been know to slip away to this hideaway in "Gin Alley." Go on a slow night...if you can find one. This place is a hit!!!
I recently visited this cozy little "speakeasy" and was pretty impressed. I adore the decor, the intimate setting promotes conversation between strangers (no small feat in "Standoffish Seattle"), and the drinks are divine. My only problem? A television broadcasting sports, and fratty-like bros being obnoxious--typical Belltown. It was too much to hope that they would never discover this place, but to encourage sports-watching in a cosy, intimate, beautiful bar seems like a waste.
I'm in love with this beautiful little bar. The cocktails are wonderful, they even made Cynar taste delicious. Nuff said.
This is one of those magical places you trip across and never want to leave. We were cutting through the alley to grab a drink and bite at the See Sound Lounge when we saw a small burnished plaque for Bathtub Gin & Co. An understated beacon really, to lead you from the dark and desolate alley outside into a warm and intoxicating scene inside.
A small bar upstairs is well appointed with a horseshoe bar - but not much room for anything else. The downstairs, equally as cozy, does afford more room for relaxing over a drink or two with close friends. The drinks were hit and miss - but I'm sure they'll work that out (they've been open approx. 3 weeks). This is a welcomed standout in Belltown.
This is what bars should be!
I had the pleasure of coming here last night with my birthday party after hearing quite a few good things about this place, and it did not disappoint at all.
I spoke briefly with the bartender/owner Marcus and he was just great, even poured me a special birthday shot from an animal's hoof (no, seriously, an animal's hoof).
This is the type of place you take people to convince them that you are cool (and if this is your type of bar, you probably are pretty cool)!
Love, Love, LOVE this place. Happened to visit Bathtub Gin for the first time last Saturday, and instantly fell in love. The decor is to die for, and just gives off an impeccable ambiance. Perfection. The drinks are sophisticated and strong, and the cocktail waitress we had was super sweet. I just hope they don't advertise this place - it's small, and I can't imagine it full of the usual rowdy Belltown crowd... blah.
My new home away from home. A great addition to the neighborhood. Intimate atmosphere and well made drinks makes this a great spot to take a date or catch up with a friend or two.
We were here two nights ago when it was pouring rain outside. The mysterious alleyway entrance, dim lighting, mesmerizing music, and exposed brick walls made for a thrilling experience. Our server was very nice, and the drinks were good.
We had heard about the Bathtub Gin from friends and tonight we stumbled upon our new haunt! It is indeed a perfect spot to begin an evening, or to hang out in intimate conversation as the environment is very conducive to both.
love it. and its been tough to write this review on yelp. i want to write this review because a wonderful place deserves a good review dammit...but one of the things that makes it soooooo great is that all of you guys don't know about it. so just read this review, recognize that there is this awesome place and please forget that you read this review....forget all of this ever happened.
seriously, great drinks, great service, great vibe, great music and great design! well done bathtub gin.
Great little place, but hard-to-find. I'm amazed that they fit a cozy little bar in what used to be a boiler room. The drink menu is quite good, but the room is pretty small upstairs. Downstairs there is a bit more room with a little room off to the right with couches and the like to provide a bit more seating and comfort.
shhh...don't tell anyone. this is my new place, and I don't want you there, unless I'm there with you. congrats to marcus & what a great place.
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