It has been twenty five years since I lived in Belltown. Seattle is a different place and I am a different person. Heck, it has been since the Obama administration since I last visited Seattle. The places that I knew are gone and the places that I wanted to like have become the type of places that I am a little too old to spend an afternoon in.

I wish Buckley's had been in Belltown in the late '90s. (Yes, Belltown was a completely different place.)

It would have been my local. I like it so much that I am giving it a pass. It doesn't have a patio. Call it the PNW Weather Allowance. If the weather is gloomy enough to ensure that you can't use the patio for significant stretches of time, it will get waved in. But...it has to hit all the other qualifications.

And Buckley's does*. I love sports pubs. There is a certain energy about them. I love places that people come in because it is an extension of their living room. There was a baby shower going on. I love places that have regulars and dogs and great servers and bartenders who are absolutely enjoying themselves. The vibe here was strong. There were cyclists in gear (good gear, like they ride seriously but not in Tour du France cosplay), there was a table that was talking happily about Ultimate. There were clearly a group of runners who wanted nothing more than to have a beer, eat tots, and watch the Mariners.

Speaking of tots, the garlic tots were delicious. The fried cheese curds made me feel sorry for those who don't eat dairy. At the neighboring table were some gentleman from Denver (rocking their Rockies gear) in town for the Pokemon Go Festival (no, I was in town for a BachelorX party, but I forgive you for assuming) who got the biscuit and gravy and the steak and eggs from the brunch menu and they both heartily recommended them.

The beer selection was good. Being Seattle, there was a good amount of IPAs and I sampled them all. They were new to me, with the exception of one from a small brewer in Oregon. Turns out I had quaffed it years ago...at a Mets game...in Queens.

Yes, there were dogs. Yes, there were kids. Yes, everyone was happy. I was comfortable. I would have been comfortable in my running gear. There was a good menu. There were people drinking NA cocktails. The service was friendly. It looked like there was only street parking.

Go to Buckley's Pub.

*Someone is going to hit me on parking and yeah, I get it. This is an urban neighborhood pub. Even the street parking options are not great. Me? I took an Uber.

-EWA

Buckley's Pubs