Needle and Thread

First time in Seattle and our AirBnB host recommended to check this place out.
It is a speakeasy bar that you have to go in through Tavern Law and use the old-​school phone on the wall to call up to the speakeasy to gain access to the their area. Definitely made it a very unique experience to feel like we were back in the prohibition era and had to go secretly find a drink haha!
Kory was our mixologist and provided us with great service and made some of the best whiskey drinks that we have ever had! We ended up having drinks until we were the last ones chatting with Kory, Helga, and Carly. They definitely provided us an unforgettable night in Seattle!

The waitress running between upstairs and downstairs with the poofy blonde hair (sorry don’t know your name) is the absolute sweetest girl! Wish the speakeasy entrance was more hidden, but it was fun to pick up the analog phone and walk through the levered door upstairs. The lounge/​living room feel upstairs is very cool, and bartender made wonderful custom drinks based on the liquor and flavors we requested. A bit expensive, but you’re paying for the experience I guess and pity the kitchen was already closed, would have loved to try their food.
Made the reservation for my boyfriend’s birthday a week in advance (can’t do it earlier than that) and had no trouble.

I’m a big fan of speakeasys… I’ve been to dozens across the county and find them cool and mysterious. I’m a sucker for pomp and circumstance… so when you the entrance requires that you pick up a retro rotary phone on the wall, a la The Matrix, I get all excited. And my partner was all impressed that I looked so clever.
Anyway, we walk up the little staircase to the room and we are greeted by a bartender (er, mixologist) who explains how everything works. No menu; you tell the bartender what kind of flavors you like/​dislike and he creates something customized for you. I liked my drink OKAY… would have preferred a gimlet but I didn’t want to complain to the guy… he takes his job really seriously, which I appreciated, but slightly pretentious. Overall, I removed one star because I didn’t love my $ 15 drink, but I’d definitely give it another shot!

I really enjoyed my time at Needle and Thread. Located above Tavern Law, you have to make your way through the very conspicuous safe door and up the stairs after alerting the staff of your presence through the old-​school telephone on the wall.
I met up with some friends who had already made their way up to the space above. I managed to head upstairs without a hitch. We were seated at the couch near the front of the area, kind of away from the bar, but we did have a waitress, and the bartender did end up walking down to where we were seating to get our orders. My friends had already ordered their drinks, and I was starving after having only eaten some fries earlier in the day. We ended up getting some popcorn chicken, some salted nuts (heh), and I got the burger. Holy moly, that burger was really good, and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The onion jam and aioli that came with the burger really gave it a great, rich flavor. I don’t typically enjoy lettuce and tomato on burgers, preferring more acidity (pickles or onions) and a little bit of extra fattiness (cheese or aioli), so this was perfect.
Onto the drinks. There isn’t a menu, and you merely tell the bartender what your preferences are like. I told him that I wanted a non-​clear liquor, with a hint of sweetness and very spirit-​forward. I ended up getting a concoction with reposado tequila and amaro, which turned out to be quite good. Our bartender was very good about explaining his reasoning, so that was good to know.
Service was very attentive and friendly. Beware, the gratuity is already added on, regardless of what happens. Also, I would highly recommend sitting at the bar, because part of the experience is for the bartender to kind of explain his reasoning behind the ingredients chosen for your cocktail, as well as seeing them put it together. The price of the drinks can add up quite quickly, because you don’t know what level of liquor they’re using, so beware of that when ordering your drinks.
While not without its flaws, Needle and Thread really had some good offerings, both for food and drinks. Will definitely be back in my next visit to Seattle. Also, I really recommend trying out Tavern Law too, even though it might not be quite as glamorous. They serve the same solid drinks and food as well, although in a bit more of a relaxed atmosphere.

I came here with a group of friends and the consensus afterward seemed to be that everyone enjoyed the experience. The dim, candlelit atmosphere is really cool. The bartenders did an amazing job listening to us and coming up with drinks that fit well with each of our preferences.
But considering how expensive it was, a few things fell short. The appetizers were fine, not great. My drink was delicious, but an $ 18 cocktail shouldn’t be mostly ice. Also, they were playing a pop mix for background music that didn’t fit well with everything else. Overall, it was fun, but I’m not overly excited to go back.

I really want to leave a 3.5 star
when I went for the first time, it was a super fun experience! Reminds me of my favorite bar in Taipei.
Later, they started charging higher gratitude (I think it was 18%, and now it’s 25%). It seems like we are still in prohibition era or something? Idk why they decide to charge such a high percentage… Especially their drinks are already much more expensive… At least $ 16 – 18 per drink.
The bathroom is sketchy and super hot. (No AC and broken light, only a few candles)
Their drinks are delicious, and I would say their liquor collection is pretty unique!
But to be honest it might not worth the money. Cuz it’s super tiny.
Do make reservations! Their reservation system suck though, you have to sit by the phone and wait for response… Anyways! Have fun drinking!
Drinks at tavern law are super bitter… If you have to wait, just go somewhere else to drink.

This place is so cool! We were supposed to ring the doorbell according to Unilocal reviews but I was confused and just stepped inside. They were fine with it, but they were busy so they didn’t attend to us for a few minutes, but I guess that was my fault. After that, we were seated promptly right next to the bar. Really hip and trendy, dark and sleek, modern and classic — all at the same time! Nice ambiance, a lot of dates going on around us.
Drinks were innovative and clever. We were seated right next to the bar and I could see how hard the bartenders were working. They really made bartending an art form, and poured love and care into each drink. I was so impressed by how much effort they put into making each one as good as they can. When our drinks came, it was really an amazing experience. We also ordered the tater tots to snack on while we drank, and they were crunch and tasty. Nothing too special about the tots though.

This place was very small and intimate, but not what I was expecting. There was very limited seating and you will definitely need reservations if you would like to come here. Nothing spectacular about this place, although the drinks are custom made to order.

To be frank, we never made it in the building. After reading a number of reviews for Needle and Thread that said «oh on Tuesdays, you can walk right in, no reservation needed,» I decided to NOT make a reservation and include Needle and Thread as part of a birthday dinner and drinks plan for a close work colleague. We were a party of 3 girls. We had dinner at Altura (amazing!) and then headed over to track down the infamous black landline to dial in and head upstairs.
We wandered around for about 15 minutes looking for the phone (it’s actually inside of the bar Tavern Law). We found it and we excitedly rang up to head on in. «We can seat you in 45 mins,» the female voice on the phone said. «Ok, we will wait.» We ordered drinks at Tavern Law. We noticed a group or two enter. We called again after waiting 45 minutes. «Oh we have a lot of large parties tonight and won’t be able to seat you…» as we notice the flood of people streaming out of the building. Not happy, I pick up the phone and asked her what happened to the «we will have room in 45 minutes…» She said «come back another night.» We are in town for business and this was our one night to experience some of what Seattle has to offer. Disappointing service. Moral of the story, make a reservation if you so desire to have a cocktail here.
I told the girl on the phone that I would be leaving a negative review. True to my word, here it is.

I was lucky enough to be able to make it upstairs for my birthday.
This place is a window back in time. So of course I wore my fedora.
Hand crafted personalized cocktails. Honestly I normally drink my liquor neat, however, I was taken a back by the exquisite cocktails.
The food was devine. The pairing of items was unusual but elegant.
I truly recommend this experience.

It’s cool, if you can get in. The whole concept is worth checking out, sort of mysterious with the vault door and the way you make a reservation. Drinks are high end cocktails done verbally, they were great but not super strong. Knowledge of cocktails is high. Super mellow place so not a lot of action and you need time for it as the drinks come slow, but you get what you wait for in quality.
Just speed up the drink coming a bit, we got two drinks in two hours and we would have liked ;).

Needle and Thread is a little speak easy on top of Tavern Law. It has a very intimate feel and has its charm as an old speak easy during prohibition.
This place is unique because there are no drink menus. The server will ask you a series of questions and will concoct a drink to your taste. My server started with «Do you prefer light or dark?» If you like it fruity and sweet, or very strong, be sure to tell them. My three guest loved their drink but I didn’t. I suppose i was not detailed enough with my preferences but ¾ is a good outcome. If you’re hungry, A limited food menu can be ordered from downstairs.
When you enter Tavern Law, there will be a phone next to a bank vault like door. The bartender from upstairs will answer your call and tell you when to come upstairs. The ambiance is very quiet, classy, and intimate. It is dim lit with candles on tables and corners. Seating is limited which is why making a reservation can be so difficult and parties can stay for up to two hours. It is a nice place for a date or to catch up with very close friends.
Reservations have to be made by leaving a voicemail and you must wait around all day for them to call you back. If you do not pick up, the confirmation is not set, and you will have to call them back again. If it is after 2pm, there is no chance for a same day reservation. Guests can make reservations up to one week in advance and as a fair warning, do not expect them to be polite over the phone.
It is definitely something to try at least once especially with out of town guests. It was a nice experience but a little overpriced and I do not see myself visiting this place often.

I’ve always wanted to go one of those speak easy type underground, hidden behind a phone booth, knock 3 times password kind of bars. I never plan well and screw it up almost always but I finally got my opportunity while searching Unilocal for some fun places to hit & found Needle & Thread.
Located inside Tavern Law, you will not find any outside signage to help direct you. Instead, you will see prohibition signs in the windows of Tavern Law that are your signal to enter here. After you walk in, on the right side behind some seats is a telephone on the wall with a small sign next to a huge black bank vault looking door. You pick up the phone and it automatically rings. Reservations are recommended but not necessary; coming early works too! We didn’t have reservations but they told us they could seat us in about 10 minutes & to call back. The call was simple & quick, very quiet. We read the sign while we waited that asked for no flash photography along with limited cell phone use to keep the experience. Tavern Law was bustling around us and looked like a great place to hang while you wait or if you can’t get in. 10 minutes later we pulled open the bank vault [which was really just a light door] and made out way up the curvy staircase adorned with vintage photography.
Needle & Thread is tiny! 4 – 6 bar seats if I remember correctly and a few tables with 2 – 4 seats. Literally a few. It kind of looks like an attic turned bar. The lighting is low, almost dark — the effects of candles and orange glow with the shadows. All the décor from tables, chairs, cloths, architecture etc were vintage and made you feel like you legit just walked into a speak easy. There were two staff, a man and woman both dressed in an old school way. Even the way they spoke added to the effect.
The woman showed us a small menu of food items we could order from downstairs at Tavern Law and otherwise explained that they do not have a drink menu. Instead, following the speak easy hidden idea, they concoct you a drink based on your likes/​dislikes. Things like your favorite liquors, light or dark, spicy like fall or spicy like jalapeño, etc — the list goes on. My boyfriend tried to order an old fashioned and said she could do it with some twists to make it more one of a kind. Now I have no idea how this magician of a lady got in my head and learned my soul but the drinks she made me were so on point to my flavor preferences I wanted to move in. I didn’t want to leave ever as she played with bitters and egg whites, making liquors taste like glory and getting us wasted with perfection. All I’m saying is trust them — you will not regret it. Food wise we decided to order some recommended local oyster shooters that were beyond fresh and almost tasted sweet they were so good. I couldn’t help myself and ordered the foie gras torchon and was blown away with how smooth and creamy it was, full of the buttery flavor I love and paired with toast points, pumpkin pieces and some nuts I believe. Seriously glorious. All of it. Everything here.
The epitome of our time in Seattle was coming here — we regretted not finding this place sooner and it has now become a must go for all future trips. vIf you’re looking for your typical vodka cran don’t come here. But if you enjoy the experience of variety and surprise, well made beverages & bites or a little old school swagger and hidden delight, you will fall in love as hard as I did with this place.

I love this little hidden bar! I love that you have to call ahead, I love that the seating is limited, I love walking through the Tavern Law to get to it, I love the attention from the bar staff… I just love it! While the meal menu is limited the drinks have no limits as your personal taste preferences set the tone of the evening.
Everything is spot on here. From the glasses to the music, the décor and the overall vibe.
Make sure to call for a reservation and listen to the voice recording, they have pretty specific hours for when they take and set reservations and if you do not get a call back — try again. As of this writing there is no online reservation system, calling is the only way to get in!
If you want a sweet surprise for out of town friends who appreciate a finer bar experience — take them here.

I’ve been to quite a few speakeasys (speakeasies? in what other context would easies be a word?) and Needle and Thread is a pretty great one. If you can, walk by Tavern Law kinda early and see if you can put your name in. Your time slot might be a bit later, but you should probably pregame at a nearby cheaper bar b/​c while excellent and strong $ 16 cocktails are someone unsustainable for most wallets.
I also kicked a table and spilled a bunch of water when I walked in (on accident) and they were still quite nice to me!

Prettiest little spot!
What’s not to love about this beautiful little oasis. It is small, secluded, charming, glam yet understated. It makes you feel so warm and fuzzy to be up here. I love the big beautiful couch area. Almost like drinking at someone’s living room in 1920’s.
Love ~ décor and cocktails. Bartenders are the best at what they do. You can pretty much tell them what your preferred libation/​spirit is and they’ll whip you up a mean one. Scotch cocktails? Champagne ones? Bourbon based? Anything!
All made with amazing bitters, ingredients and garnishes! Love their snacks too! Cracklings are pretty amazing!
Do make reservation! And don’t be that loud and rude guest. It is still a pretty small spot with beautiful music playing. The mood is always mellow and beautiful. Don’t ruin that. And do enjoy and savor your time! You get two hours! Now back to my cocktail!

Call dem on da wall-​telly, open the door like you own the place, walk upstairs, enter new world. Finish drinks/​food, exit, ah frick it’s still Seattle.
FIRST OFF: Reservations
Reservations are required and weird. Essentially you call them and they never answer, so you leave a voicemail. They’ll get back at you the next day at some certain time (for me it was around 5pm). I wasn’t available to pick up the first time so I left them another voicemail stating YO HOMIE I’M STILL IN. We were finally connected two days after and confirmed reservation for three.
SECOND OFF: Experience
This place is the secret upstairs to Tavern Law, and is secured by a vault door. The door opens when you call them using the wall telephone near the back of Tavern Law. Then you walk upstairs and you’re transported to a 1920’s style room with lavish furnishings and dim lighting. We went from the loud rock music of Tavern Law to some jazz in Needle and Thread. Perfect for an intimate date.
They don’t have a drink menu. I suppose this is just their vibe of being incognito in the style of the secret speakeasies in the prohibition era. They don’t want to be found out. The bartender concocts you a drink based on your preferences. I told them I wanted something unique and they provided me just that. The bartender was very accommodating and told me what she was going to make before she made it. The drink was a little spicy and a little sweet, like nothing I’ve ever had. Still, I prefer the drinks off the Tavern Law menu.
The food goes off the same menu as Tavern Law. The gnocchi was good and functioned well as a complement to my cocktail. Note that their menu does not 100% reflect the menu listed on their website.
Each reservation has a 2 hour limit. I’d recommend soaking in the vibe for the entire 2 hours.
THIRD OFF: Pricing
The biggest mark against N&T. $ 15/​$ 16 for each of our cocktails in our group of three; this is on expensive side compared to the drinks you get downstairs. It’s acceptable since the drinks are custom-​made to tastes.
However, AUTOMATIC 25% gratuity for our group. That was an eyesore and probably where the «$$$» comes from.
Strong 3 to a Light 4

If you’re looking for a speakeasy lounge, this is the place. I went to three when I was in Seattle and this was my favorite for the following reasons:
1. It’s intimate and we got to have a good conversation with the bartenders
2. Creative cocktails.
3. «Secret» entrance
4. Space is limited upstairs so it felt exclusive
The vibe fits the «Speakeasy» attribute that I love. I’ve been to plenty and this was memorable. Make sure to make a reservation in advance! We got super lucky and got in without one because it was just the two of us on a weekday around 9pm.
Tip: If you like a cocktail with a kick, ask them to make it spicy! They have an unique chili (?) liqueur that they know how to mix.

I’ve been here a number of times. Each time is more disappointing than the last in terms of their drinks. The drinks are honestly «Meh» and are very similar to other speakeasies.
Service: The service is always great. If you want to get a table, you better make reservations in advance. I’ve come in with a group of 4 around 11pm on a Friday night and they still had room at the bar.
Ambiance: This place has a true speakeasy feel. In order to gain access, you go into Tavenr Law and go to the old fashioned looking phone in the back on the wall. You lift the receiver and they’ll ask you how many and if you have a reservation. Then they’ll buzz you in thru the door next to the phone. They don’t give you a menu in order to be more secretive which I appreciate in relation to the speakeasy era, really gives it a speakeasy kind of vibe. They’ll ask you what type of liquor you like and how you like it.
Price: The price can be shocking. Typically drinks here are pretty pricey. I got one drink here and after tax and gratuity (which they automatically tack on and I think is ludicrous) it came up to a little over $ 22. They slapped on a $ 12.50 service charge for 4 people last time I came which includes one person who didn’t get a drink. Other speakeasies/​bars may be more forgiving on your wallet but I guess if you want the full speakeasy experience and are willing to pay for it, swing on by!

We came as part of my weekend birthday festivities and there is a lot to love about this place!
It is inside Tavern Law, so tell the nice bouncer out front where you’re going and he’ll direct you. There is a phone you pick up and hostess will let you into the secret upstairs speakeasy. The lighting is soft and setting is comfortable elegance. I love that the seats and couches are clustered into little corners and sections for subtle privacy and décor. It made me think of the necessity privacy would have been during Prohibition times so people wouldn’t see you breaking the law.
There is no cocktail menu– so the cops couldn’t tell you were selling liquor. Because of this, they tailor make your cocktails for you based on your drink preferences! (sweet, savory, brown/​white liquor, favorite cocktail, bubbles, fruit, herbs, etc). BTW, no vodka. The speakeasy is set in 1920 and vodka does not make its first appearance in the US til 1950 (so said our barman). My first drink tasted a little too sweet and I think there were too many flavors for them to stand out, but my second one was reminiscent of a French 75– bubbles, citrusy, not too sweet– and it was perfect! Cocktails are $ 15/​ea.
There is food menu and I think the food comes from Tavern Hall downstairs. We had the ham ‘n’ cheese cracklings — which were AMAZING! It totallly reminded of us of the shrimp chips you get with peking duck at Chinese restaurants dusted with a little cheese. SO GOOD! The spiced nuts were also tasty and a great accompaniment to the drinks.
It’s a little bit pricey to go regularly, I think, but it’s super fun for a girls’ night or a celebratory outing. Being someone who doesn’t drink regularly enough to know what she wants, I love that someone can figure it out and make it for me :)