This past fall has been Seattle's wettest on record: almost 19 inches of rain from September through November. It's dark by the time you get off work, and it's cold. Now, more than ever, we need places where we can take refuge and ride out the dreariness.
Luckily, winter solstice is December 21, so the days will start getting longer soon! In the meantime, the Queer bars of Seattle are offering myriad early-evening deals on drinks and activities. Discount billiards, cheap drafts, and free snacks are among many of the options you can enjoy at local happy hours. Let SGN's list of Queer happy hours—curated, if not comprehensive—help you find a new spot to explore (or a new deal in your favorite old spot).
Pony
While gas prices are skyrocketing, this gas-station-turned-gay-bar offers some pretty generous happy hour deals. An intimate dance floor with eclectic music and a covered outdoor patio are Pony's strong suits. Come for the drinks, stay for the paper-mache penises hanging from the ceiling. Happy hour—with $5 well drinks and $2 off drafts—runs from opening time until 8 p.m. every night, and all night long on Wednesdays.
1221 E. Madison St., Seattle, WA 98122
Diesel
The Hill's bear bar is home to strong drinks and satisfying pub fare: think mozzarella sticks and pints of Manny's. With all the motorcycles parked out front, Diesel can look like a rural bar you'd drive past, but it happens to be Gay. Thank God!
Diesel hosts weekly Taco Tuesdays, with $2 tacos. Happy hour runs 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, and includes $5 double wells, $2 off call spirits, and $1 off draft beers.
1413 14th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122
Madison Pub
Divey neighborhood favorite Madison Pub marries the best traits of Gay bars and sports bars. Cute, kind bartenders pour the drinks, the darts and billiards games are cutthroat, and a random assortment shows and sports play on the bar's many TV screens. A recent visit featured simultaneous screenings of Family Guy, a hockey game, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Happy hour runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Saturday, with $1 off drafts and well drinks and alternating weekly beer and cocktail specials. On Sundays, the pub offers $1 off pitchers of Bud Light and Rolling Rock, free billiards, and free peanuts.
1315 E. Madison St., Seattle, WA 98122
Union
Lively and conveniently located, Union is great for grabbing an early drink with a friend or staying for some late-night fun. Their large screen plays music videos and is bound to remind you of some iconic pop moment of your youth that you haven't thought about in years.
Union's happy hour is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, and features $4 Truly Hard seltzers, $5 Stella Artois drafts, $6 Absolut cocktails, and $16 bottles of wine. Union also hosts Wing Wednesdays from 4 to10 p.m., offering ten wings for $5.
1009 E. Union St. Suite C, Seattle, WA 98122
The Crescent Lounge
If you walk past the Crescent Lounge, the oldest Queer dive bar in Seattle, you probably won't be able to resist the urge to peek inside. Its bright pink exterior draws bar-goers into an even more stimulating interior. And on weekends they host karaoke! The space is small and the spirit is fun.
Happy hour is every day from noon to 6:30 p.m., and karaoke usually crosses over into happy hour at 4 or 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Deals include well and domestic specials and depend on who is mixing drinks—different bartenders offer their own specialties, especially around the holidays.
1413 E. Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122
Changes
Wallingford's only Queer bar has good drinks, good food, and bar games, all in a cozy, laid-back setting, and its friendly bartenders serve up a wide variety of drinks.
Happy hour typically runs from noon until 7 p.m., except on Sunday and Tuesday, when it's all day and all night. The $3 single wells and $5 double wells are a great deal, and on Tuesdays the bar offers $1.25 bottles of domestic beer.
2103 N. 45th St., Seattle, WA 98103
The Cuff Complex
This gigantic leather bar and dance club boasts three bars and a huge patio, making the Cuff more of a nightclub than a mere bar. The happy hour specials ensure you'll stay long past the early evening.
The Cuff Complex runs Taco Tuesdays and Thursdays, selling $2 tacos and $5 margaritas until 10 p.m. A tempting offer.
1533 13th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122