A fun place to go out in Seattle, and one I was just at last night in fact, is Grey Gallery & Lounge (1512 11th Ave on Capitol Hill). I have been there twice in the past month and I am pleased with it overall. The atmosphere is great, they usually have a live DJ playing some kind of "down tempo lounge" music. When I listen to the background music I imagine a person on the radio saying something like, "You are now in the lounge with DJ ________(fill in the blank)." Of course they would have to say it in the most smooth, sexy voice they could muster. It would probably sound nothing like when they normally talk to their friends or when they are talking to an officer who just pulled them over, but it would work great to set the mood at Grey Gallery & Lounge.
In addition to the great background music, the crowd is full of nice people. Everyone just wants to chill. Nobody is trying to start fights and nobody wants to play darts. In fact, there isn't a single dart board in sight. Not that I particularly hate darts but honestly, wouldn't it be horrible if you were hanging out with a drink in hand, enjoying a good night and great company, when all of a sudden someone accidentally hit you in the shoulder or forearm with a dart?? You would probably spill your drink and, what's even worse, there would forever be a dart scar on your arm to remind you of that fateful night at Grey Gallery & Lounge. Thankfully, there are no darts in the building.
Another plus is the drink prices. It is great for a person drinking on a budget, although there are still some pricier beverages for those who are feeling more lavish. In fact, even the dress code has a wide variety. You can wear your tennis shoes and coat, or you can go a little more sexy. There is such a wide variety of fashion that it would be tough to over or under dress. It might not be as glamorous as fashion week in Paris but hey, it's a baller's playground for Capitol Hill.
Something else I like about this bar is, one of the times I was there they were giving out free cake! Now how often does that happen? Imagine being out having a good time, when suddenly hunger pangs hit. Maybe this is because you ate a light dinner since you knew you would be drinking later, or maybe you simply had a chocolate craving while in the middle of enjoying your poison of choice. This is no problem, because there is free cake nearby. I will, however, be the first to admit that I was too late to actually get any of the cake. At first I only saw a couple people finishing up their plates, then I looked around to see that nearly everyone in the place was eating cake. I went to the bar to inquire about this and unfortunately they were already out of cake. It's fine though, I'll just make sure to keep an eye open eye cake next time.
Finally, they have really nice art on the walls. Sometimes one isn't feeling particularly social. It's easy to slip into a mood that isn't very talkative, especially while drinking. During these times, what is there better to do than look at art? Before I knew it I was walking around, sipping my drink (which was pretty much empty anyways, but I had to have something in my hand you know, for status) and looking at art. I saw a really nice painting on sale for around $10,000 which is sadly about $999,950 out of my price range so I could not make a purchase.