Reading Gaol Pub & Grill

Always a good time. Quiet, clean and great service!

The first time I went in it smelled a little odd. Like a combination of natural gas and cigar farts. I recommended they check the pilot light on their stove, but maybe it was just some person in there who carried their own miasma into the place. The second time I went in, it was fine. No stink.
The bartendress is very sweet and accommodating, even taking the time to wrangle us up a plate of nachos when the poor cook had gone home sick for the night. I’d like to try some of their other food some time. The beers and ciders were tasty.
The people attending are a mix of folks, probably mostly from the neighborhood at a nice range of ages from 20s to 60s or 70s. Everyone seemed quite friendly and absolutely unpretentious and approachable (which is truly all I care about when I go to a bar).
As an aside, both times I went, I ran into friends that I hadn’t seen in quite some time who just happened to have stopped by to chill. The fact that my friends also like this place gives the Reading Gaol weight for the 4-​star rating.

Situated close to my place of residence, the «Redding Jail» is just an average watering hole to hang out and have a good time with friends.
It’s not too crowded and not too desolate.
Pretty good beers on tap.
Decent food and service.
All and all — just an average place that is always a fall back.

There was this wonderful little bartender there, I’ve seen a few times. She is knowledgeable as well as charming. Her presence alone is worth making the trip.

Great neighborhood bar. Good service and friendly people. Plenty of space. Relaxed and casual atmosphere. Fun trivia nights on Mondays that rarely start on time. Trivia consists of written quizzes that you can fill out with a partner or a team. One quiz is random and the other is themed (but you usually have to figure out what the theme is). Winners get free drinks! We often go when we’re feeling too tired or lazy to cook ourselves. Their food is simple but good. They have surprisingly good salads. I usually get a caesar salad, and my husband often gets a burger with cole slaw or potato salad (they don’t have fries here). Their food specials can be really good too.

Everytime I go to Reading Gaol (Redding Jail as the Yanks would say it) it seems like there is no one in there (which is often why we go!). Great little local dive on 65^th that will always accommodate you when The Tin Hat and Mollie MacGuire’s are full. Plenty of space to spread out if you have a group of folks, nice waitstaff in my experience and affordable drinks.
You can almost always get on the pool table and as mentioned by others, it’s cheap at $ 0.75. Food is not great but you would’t go here for dinner anyway and it will fill up a drinking belly just fine. Drinks are plenty strong, beer is good! Not a place to be seen but a safe bet on 65^th everytime.

When I am in the neighborhood I like to stop at this quaint place and have a cold beer and relax. This place is no silly «to be seen» place, it is a place to relax, watch some sports on t.v., play all sorts of games, or have a «normal voiced» chit chat with friends.

Cheap beer, decent tap list. Wouldn’t eat the food and their outdoor patio is small and make shift. Tv’s are outdated as well as most other things here. Aside from that it’s a nice little whole in the wall to meet up with some friends. Really good bloody mary’s.

Great neighborhood spot, always pretty chill and the Pool Foosball Table are always open. Decent food as well. A great place to relax with friends any night of the week.

My favorite bar in Seattle. Low profile, good beer, affordable. The type of place I love to stumble home from. If you are looking for a hot scene or anything like that try a few of the other bars down the street.

A sure, safe bet if the other bars on 65^th are a bit to crazy for your liking.
I’ve been here too many times to count, mostly because it’s a sure thing that you’ll be able to have the pool tables, the darts, the fooseball, and or the back room to yourself if you’re wanting to have a private party or something. Oh, and it’s free.
The drinks have always been fine. The service has always been fine. I haven’t eaten here but that’s fine, and I’m sure the fare follows suit…
and I will probably continue to come here based on all of the above…
and that’s fine too.

My first visit here was on a Wednesday in the middle of the day when the regulars were either sleeping off their night before or they were at work still. Ian and I were really the only patrons, which worked out in our favor with regards to the free pool from 3 – 5.
The bartendress was lovely and attentive but not smothering. I wish I could remember her name. She made my Black Velvets perfectly with more cider then Guinness. The only food at the time of day was chips and salsa (and she mentioned chili maybe). I was more hungry then chips & salsa but I ate them anyway. She gave us a large portion that we grazed on for 2 hours. She went about her set-​up duties while we played pool and watched King Kong on the TVs. The King Kong with Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange.
Closer to 5, a pool playing regular showed up but was cool while we finished our game. He didn’t loom or make snarky remarks. After that Ian and I played a few games of darts. I lost often. But I do believe I stomped my lovely man at pool.
Missing a star because I want to go back here during the day again but I really want something more substantial to eat, even if it’s only a PB&J.

Great little bar,
I love all the gameing they have to offer Foosball, pool, darts, and boardgames. The food is good, and the beer selection is good, serving up some yummy 9lbs. porter!!! Good happy Hour too.
Go anytime, as it never seems to be full.

Not «gale.»
Not «gowl.»
Not «gall.»
JAIL! It took me a long time of reading that wrong in my brain before I finally looked it up.
(reh-​ding jail)
Context of the name:
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A chill neighborhood alehouse.
FIN

I was fortunate to be invited to an «exclusive party» thrown at this little bar. It was my first visit and it hopefully won’t be my last. The bar staff was very friendly and seemingly patient with our large group filling up the small room in the back. Besides, how can you not like a bar with a name taken from an Oscar Wilde poem?

The Reading isn’t a place to see or be seen, it is a place to sit with some friends, have a few drinks, eat a chicken sammy and shoot the sh%t. Best low-​priced chicken sandwich I have had since Frankie’s Bar and Grille circa 1994 in Pt. Pleasant, New Jersey. Dart board in the back and a busy pool table to give your butt a break from sitting and drinking, The Reading is a laid back hideaway townie bar perfect for whiling away the hours. Not much in the way of décor but the place is big and never crowded. Good stuff, indeed.

I was torn as to how man stars to give here 3 or 4. Here’s why…
Pros:
Plenty of street parking — not that you’ll need it if you’re walking home, but good for the DDs
Pool table — currently 75 cents a game!
Dart board with free use of their darts
HUGE — lots of room to move around
Side room w/​big screen TV, and free reign of the remote (as long as soccer isn’t on)
Patio area that you can smoke in. Just to clarify, I don’t smoke, but I think that would be cool if I did.
Stiff drinks — bartenders have a heavy hand.
Reasonably priced
Ladies bathroom is pretty, while the men’s is manly.
Never EVER busy. How the frick do they stay in biz-​net?
Cons:
Smells weird in here.
The well rum here makes me want to barf
Foosball table does not have enough balls for you to play a full game.
Tables are usually sticky and not cleaned when we get there.
All furniture itself is very old — read — wobbly, scratched, worn, and could break at any minute.
I think the pros outway the cons on this one. Don’t you agree?

Reading Gaol Pub & Grill
Not cool enough for the Tin Hat? Is Molly’s too… «Molly’s» for you?
Then stumble on down to The Reading Gaol. A fine mix of friendly bartenders, brew and regulars served up daily. You can watch HDT in the back room. And I think the owner is a closet foodie. Not just deep-​fried pub-​grub here. You actually get to eat with a knife and fork. I don’t think they’re legally allowed to have knives, forks or anything else sharp in the Tin Hat.
Say hello to Keith, Mike or Ingrid for me if you’re there.
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UPDATE – 6/​10/​07:
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Stopped in late Sunday night after hoops at Ballard B&G Club. Starved, and now tipsy drunk, the chef went to the back and brought all three of us a container of chili to go with chips. We didn’t even have to ask. That’s downright awesome!

Went here for St. Patty’s Day. Good patrons, good service. Looks like they offer a variety of things to do: free pool on sundays, trivia night, big screen tv. Lots of room to sit; easy to find a seat even on the Irish Holiday.

Great irish pub to sit and have a pint with friends. Big tables to sit around and play cards with decent food and a good selection of beer taps to choose from.