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Category: Dive Bars
Neighborhood: Central District
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This is my kind of place. I came here last Saturday to visit my husband while he was painting a mural outside in the alley. It is pretty rare that I make it out to the Central District, which is one of the reasons I was excited to try the Twilight. You could probably walk past here frequently and never notice it. The entrance is actually in the alley (there is a sign on the front door to remind you).
The interior is really nice. It's kinda of a 50's/60's retro vibe, a cool retro vibe, not a Johnny Rockets retro vibe. I liked the cool, sleek wooden chairs. Apparently they also have a patio and shuffleboard, hopefully I'll be checking those out soon.
When I got there it was just the beginning of happy hour (4-8pm). The drink specials aren't too shabby: $1.50 PBR, $3 drafts and $2.50 wells. After a Manny's and a gin and tonic I decided I needed some food. I never expect good food from bars usually, just something to soak up the alcohol, but the food here is great. I ordered a buffalo chicken sandwich and coleslaw. The chicken was cooked perfectly and totally hit the spot. I noticed on their menu that most items are made from scratch. The tater tots seemed to be really popular, at least 3 or 4 people ordered those while I was sitting at the bar.
Service was very attentive and friendly. I can't wait to come back here because it is affordable, chill and has good drinks and food. If you are taking the bus here (like I did) the Route #3 stops directly across the street. Let Metro drive your drunk ass home!
The Twilight Exit is your typical Seattle "dive" bar. Please note the quotation marks. I use the term loosely. Red lights abound and the art on the wall makes me swoon. There was a picture of a grandfather clock that looked like it was made out of shag carpet. You must enter the alley and there is where you get your first art taste. Along the wall of the building opposite the Twilight we get a beautiful moral of squid and a whale.
The bar is tucked in the back complete with a dinning you must walk through to get your libation. Off to the side there is a game room complete with pinball and a photo booth.
My friend and I walked in last Saturday night and it was pleasant. Granted it was only around 8:00 but it wasn't packed and the bartender was free enough to be friendly.
Food is available. I glanced at the nachos at a table nearby and they looked mighty and delicious. We had eaten prior to our visit so this review is not about the cuisine.
The Twilight Exit is a great neighborhood bar and while its location is a bit random but it has potential.
Twilight Exit is depressing on a fundamental level. It's got a lot of great stuff going for it, but it lacks follow-through. It's like that really cute artsy girl in high school who had brains out her ears, charm for miles and absolutely no inclination to do her homework... which did her just fine until someone took note of her lack of initiative and now she's not doing so well for herself.
The atmosphere is awesome, even when it gets crowded, and there's enough amusing kitch to keep even the most ennui-filled hipster busy for a couple hours. Jelly Belly candy machine? Photo booth? Arcade games? Scary metal antelope heads? Yes! Yes! I love it! I love it! So why, Twilight Exit, don't I love you?
Your food service!
It kills me!
I don't care about having to order at the bar! I care about my group and I having to wait eons for such simple things as chicken fried bacon and nachos!
I was here with a few friends, and we ordered a good spread of apps and entrees between us. Everything on one order came out at the same time - chicken fried bacon at the same time as chicken strips, burgers and beefsteaks at the same time as nachos. I know sometimes this is just a kitchen timing thing, and I usually don't quack when everything comes out with the apps if it all comes out at a reasonable speed. I do complain when it takes foreeeevevvevevevevevevevvrvrrrr for anything to show up. How long does it take to deep fry bacon?
I know they say most everything is made fresh in-house, and I appreciate the warning that my food might take a bit longer. However, there's a line between "Hey, we have to bake this casserole, might take a bit." and "I think they're still waiting for my cow to die."
My nachos sat in appetizer purgatory. I could see them on the shelf when I went up to the bar to get another beer, and I could hear someone ringing the "order up" bell... over and over... but there they sat. They were still warm when they made it out to the table with my also-long-awaited-yet-still-delicious PB burger and my husband's Long Haul (It has fries in it! The closest I have come to a Rutgers grease truck in years.) but really, what gives?
Some places are worth the wait, but this just isn't. That isn't to say the food isn't good - the service is just that ugh. The bartender was sweet, and my beers were beery, but do not order anything to eat unless you're looking to try your patience.
I went three times with three different groups of people during my week vacation in Seattle. Why? Because it's awresome..
There's ping pong tables in the back.
I think Rainier 16oz was a $1? I remember we drank for a while and I'd only end up paying like $12.
I mean, dogs are allowed!
Come on.
Some of the best bar food I've had in Seattle, and trust me I've had loads of it this week. There have a nice little patio and all the food looked good. Some vegetarian stuff too. There salad was really good and the mozarella balls were very tasty. The amenities include: ping-pong, pinball, arcade games, photo booth and table-top shuffel board.
This city is shallow. Hipsters and Pseudo-Thugs. Microsofties and Indie Bands. Not the best place to wage wars underground. Everyone thinks they are the underground.
Then I'm at the Twilight Exit. Trendy name. Thought I was safe. Nothing but the posers here, right? A short moment to catch my breath, and heal the gunshot wound in my left shoulder with some herbal tonics and simple hex. Won't stay long. Nothing but normals here.
But the food...the food is damn good. And then came the shift I didn't expect.
The girls that work the bar use Chimerical magic to mask their true form. But once you've seen the Fae you'd recognize them anywhere. And the Fair Folk have done more than a few tricks to the food. On one hand you can't find a better taste anywhere. On the other hand, it's really hard to avoid getting Glamourspelled into seeing the underside of reality, in all it's ragged and storm-raging beauty. Captivating...I'd say so.
But there's more.
The photobooth does in fact take a card. And it also records your face, inputting it to a scramble code through the Etherscope, which...and i'm still impressed/don't actually get how this works *destroys permanent records of you from various Technochracy digital vaults.* I'd heard rumors of tricks on this level. I chalked them up to fiction. Go figure.
Post tater-tots i realized i'd sat next to a Shifter. Maybe a wolf, maybe a bear. Couldn't tell. He kept his eyes on the game, wouldn't speak to me. Just once he cast a narrow gaze my way, nodded, and I knew it wouldn't come to any trouble.
Eclectic crowd indeed.
Oh, and their rune-spells on the doorframe keep lesser demons out surprisingly well. For an old caster like me this is just downright hospitable.
Five stars. Well worth it.
I bought five drinks for about $18.00 and felt like I was starring in That 70s Show the whole time. This place is the only reason I will ever come back to the Central District*.
* Be forewarned: their photobooth takes card. This may be dangerous for your wallet if you are at all cool with me.
I used to love you, but you left me. Alone and sober on cap hill............
I'd never thought to write about Twilight, but I went there tonight and had such a nice bartender that just that alone made me want to say a lil' something nice. So.... yeah... she was super cool!
But I also got to meet the owner of Twilight, who for some reason I never thought of as a real person, and he was cool too!
My co-worker and I went out for drinks and were pleasantly surprised to find that they have an outside patio! It's open til 9 out of respect for the neighbors, but HELL YEAH, the patio is so well planned out. Seriously man, I comend you on that one. We have reunions every now and then, and with the patio in order, we will definitely be back.
You guys are doing great!
They didn't manage to keep all of the charm of the old location, but they did manage to keep the tator tots, and if you can complain through a mouth full of delicious greasy salty tator tots then I want to see what else that mouth of yours can do because something just ain't right.
The secret squirrel alleyway entrance will make you feel like you have some form of magical street cred. Luckily, you can lose the delusion of street cred by acting like a fool in the B&W photo booth. The photo booth must have been delivered in the back of a Delorean or some other time traveling machine because it actually takes credit cards. Welcome to the new millennium, Photo Booth Industry!
Most of the crowd was pretty chill and there to drink and socialize (with themselves, I didn't say they mingled, we are in Seattle after all) so it's not a bad spot to drink a few beers with some friends and indulge in foods that will leave grease spots on your new jeans.
The Twilight is a definite perk of living in the CD, drinks are fairly cheap and the bartenders are super friendly. Even on their busiest nights, the Twi doesn't feel uncomfortably crowded (unlike the Cha Cha......), plus they have karaoke night on Sundays (which I'm about to go to)! Awesome food/atmosphere/bartenders... go here!!
I loved the old Twilight, right next to my work. Now they have moved right next to my home (well, almost)!
The happy hour drink prices are a super deal, and the menu is great for a dive. Tater tots! Also, chicken fried bacon, which I don't eat, but c'mon.
The ambiance is still totally dive, but maybe a tad less dusty. The space seems smaller & louder, which I don't prefer, but is still fun.
I never used it, but am sad to see no more pool table, and the games are sorta separated from the general public.
Still a great crowd.
Haven't been to the new one yet, but the old Exit was one of my favorite bars in Seattle. Cheap drinks, tasty food and amazing atmosphere. Just a good crowd.
Can't wait to hit up the new incarnation.
This is the new home of the Twilight and luckily they've preserved most of the atmosphere of the old place. Things have been cleaned up a bit and it's a little tighter seating but a lot of the old art is back on the wall. I'm really impressed how quickly they pulled off the move!
They were really busy on opening night so hopefully they'll do well on this somewhat forelorn block. A good neighborhood mix of folks, good drinks and greasy food!
ok, now they have a television.
I am STOKED that they moved to Cherry, offering a bar in the neighborhood that does not cater… Read more »
Awesome, I totally love the new place. The giant plates of tots, and strong drinks.. Le ambiance is totally sweet.
A great little cracker oasis in the c.d.
This place was a great change of pace from our usual Big Time Brewery/Duchess hang-out. It feels like you're in your big sisters really cool hip basement, the bartender was incredibly nice, they had interesting local beer that I'd never had before, and I felt at home the whole time. It seemed like the kind of place where 90% of the people are regulars...but I wasn't a regular and I still felt welcome. Minus one star for being not in a convenient location to my house...however, it is near Ezell's, so now I have multiple reasons to come hang out in the Central District.
Ok, I'll say it, the old Twilight was my favorite bar, and I don't love the new one yet. I'm glad they kept the lights and the electric fence (oh, and the generous pours...), but I miss the couches, booths, and pool table. Come back, old Twilight!
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