nshiftan

Palace Kitchen is probably my favorite restaurant in Seattle. Like Tom Douglas’ other restaurants (Dahlia Lounge, Lola, etc.), the menu is packed with creative modern American cuisine with a Northwest twist.

The restaurant has huge windows that open up in the summer, creating the feel of a giant sidewalk cafe. Indeed, Palace Kitchen is a great place to go for happy hour, but be warned that you’ll probably end up staying for dinner after sneaking a peek at the menu.

I usually go with a large group of friends for drinks and tapas (1-2 appetizers per person is more than enough). From Palace Kitchen, both Belltown and Pioneer Square are within walking distance, for those who aren’t ready to call it a night.

The food at Yard House is good California fare, but don’t fool yourself, you’re there for the beer. They have over 120 beers on tap, and all are available in standard sizes (pint, etc.) as well as in a huge half-yard tall glass. (They used to serve Yard-tall beers as well before an drunk driving-related lawsuit forced them to scale back their glass sizes).

Great location – right across the street from Horton Plaza and on the edge of the Gaslamp district, so you’re within walking distances of hundreds of bars and clubs. Petco Park is about a ten minute walk away.

The Other Coast’s sandwiches are so large, you’ll probably find yourself hard-pressed to finish a half-size one, let alone a whole enchilada. The warm sandwiches, such as the Ragin’ Cajun, are especially tasty. Seems to always be crowded at lunch so plan to wait 15 minutes to get your food.