When I moved here a few years ago, the first thing I noticed is that Seattleites bring their dogs everywhere. The bus. The market. The gym. Record stores. Starbucks. All of it drove one serious point home: Seattle is a city for dog people. Nowhere is this more apparent than at local watering holes. Search "dog friendly" bars and clubs in the Stranger's event database, and you get more than 200 hits—and this despite the fact that according to Washington State law, it's illegal to bring anything other than service animals (defined as "trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability") onto the premises of food service establishments, including bars. But this prohibition is only enforced when an inspector is faced with a serious health risk or blatant violation—i.e., your pet is at the bar or restaurant during an inspection. Which means that if your four-legged pal isn't acting up (barking, crapping on the floor, chewing stuff up), you're probably all good. Here are some recs for happy hours where your well-behaved fur baby is welcome. LP
Super Six
Marination Ma Kai's Columbia City outpost Super Six (3714 S Hudson St) is next to a large parking lot, allowing for quite the patio space. That patio welcomes dogs, and it is dotted with plenty of umbrellas for the comfort of you and your canine companion. Happy hour at Super Six (3–6 pm daily, 9–10 pm Sun–Thurs, 10–11 pm Fri–Sat) is also very comforting. For one, it includes lots of drinks. All draft beer is $2 off; you can choose from red, white, or rosé wine for $5; champagne cocktails are $5; and three of their specialty cocktails are a mere $6. The Island Spritz—lemongrass-infused vodka with mint, cilantro, cucumber, lime, and soda—is great. And their happy-hour food is not to be taken lightly. The musubi ($5) isn't the tiny bite-sized portions you might get from a gas station on Maui. If you order this rich, flaky pork-belly version, you could probably give half to your pup and still enjoy your fill. Throw in some of their superlative Aloha fries ($7)—long, crispy frites topped with kalua pork, drenched in kimchi mayo, and topped with a perfectly fried egg—and you're set. Unless, of course, you can spare room for their "Auto Banh Sando," a little pork sandwich served on a doughnut dough roll. If you can, you should. TCB
West Seattle Brewing Co. Tap Shack
West Seattle Brewing Co. has earned particular renown among dog lovers, drawing huge crowds (of both canine and human varieties) to their second outpost, the Tap Shack on Alki Beach (2536 Alki Ave SW), which itself transforms into a dog park on weekends. Along with enviable beachfront views, this boutique operation prides itself on fresh beer, quality pours, and a relaxed vibe. The sprawling patio features water bowls, a repurposed dog-park sign posted on one wall, and "signature seating," essentially a slim sandbox area near the sidewalk bearing Adirondack chairs with pint-sized cup holders. The spot holds particular appeal for dog owners, as their four-legged friends technically aren't allowed on Alki's sandy beach. On one recent visit, a dog owner had his hands full trying to drink beer while keeping his dog from gleefully digging. Other dogs clearly relish the opportunity this prime sidewalk location affords to mingle with canine passersby. Tap Shack offers a rotation of signature house favorites, including the smooth Avalon Amber, the stronger Sounders Stout, a crisp South Sound IPA, and the refreshing West Pale Ale, which is basically made for all-day drinking. Happy hour is 3–6 pm and 10 pm–close daily, and includes $4 pints of West Seattle Brew Co. beers (also $6 wine and $1.50 Rainier tallboys). JS
Norm's Eatery & Alehouse
Norm's Eatery & Alehouse (460 N 36th St) is named for the original owner's golden retriever Norm. To say they love dogs here would be something of an understatement. Norm's is easily the city's doggiest eatery, urging diners to "sit... and stay." The walls are covered in doggy decor, dogs are welcome inside and out, and they even have a special pup menu. Bacon pupcakes, anyone? Also, they clearly have their priorities in the right place, as evidenced by the "Pets welcome, children must be leashed" sign that hangs out front. Happy hour is 4–7 pm daily, with $4 drafts from their extensive local tap list and a selection of bar snacks at the $4, $6, and $8 price points. TCB
Schooner Exact Brewing Company
While almost all breweries in Seattle are dog-friendly these days, Schooner Exact (3901 First Ave S) has a patio that is surrounded by railings perfect for hitching up your doggy, brews consistently amazing beer, and secretly serves some of the best food in Sodo. Unbeknownst to many, they also have a great happy hour, with 16 percent off all draft beer (the math works out to make them exactly $4.20 a pint), and a selection of fancy, beer-friendly snacks, like cotija-dusted braised pork tacos ($6 each) with a very zesty cilantro lime slaw, or chipotle ancho beef chili nachos with lime crema ($9). Good snacks! Happy hour is 3–5 pm Mon–Fri. TCB
The Twilight Exit
A true Seattle classic, and one that has weathered the storms of gentrification with grace and aplomb. The Central District's Twilight Exit (2514 E Cherry St) got bumped out of its original spot on Madison Street in 2008, and quickly jogged over to its new space on Cherry, just off MLK. I actually like the new digs better. Instead of a tiny square for smoking, their new patio space is roomy and comfortable. It's got a ping-pong table, which is an extremely enjoyable bar game and kind of hard to find in Seattle. Plus, you can bring your pooch out there to fetch stray balls for you! Happy hour is 4–8 pm daily, drafts and wells are $4.50, and PBR is $2.75. They don't do food specials, but the regular menu is already chock full of affordable, awesome bar burgers and other snacks. If you drop in, make sure your pet is leashed. TCB
Bar Harbor's Back Deck
Bar Harbor (400 Fairview Ave N #105) does not offer its full happy hour on their sprawling, chic South Lake Union patio, due to differences between the indoor/outdoor tap lists and food menus, but they do welcome dogs. Because they still honor the happy hour $1 discount on oysters outside and because it's such a pleasant patio to kick back on with a pilsner and some clam dip, I'm giving them an honorable mention. Owner Ben Hodgetts informs me that while dogs are always welcome, "probably someone mad about no happy hour pricing [on the deck] stole our giant dog water bowl." For shame! Happy hour is 3–6 pm Mon–Fri. TCB
House of Ruff
This place isn't a bar at all, but a doggy day care and indoor dog park (it's billed as an "indoor canine social club") that serves beer and cider at its Ruff Lounge (2603 S Jackson St). Your four-legged friends can stretch their legs and socialize with other pooches in the big, bright, climate-controlled indoor dog park, and you can knock back an ice-cold beer or cider ($3–$6, ranging from Rainier to Fremont Interurban IPA) during House of Ruff's "Yappy Hour" (6–8 pm Mon–Tues and Thurs–Fri, noon–5 pm Sat–Sun). There are treats for the doggies (like hot-dog bites for $1), snacks for humans, and if those aren't enough to fill you up, you can order food from one of the two neighboring restaurants (Reckless Noodle House and Wood Shop Barbecue)—or House of Ruff will call in an order for you. On Sundays, they have fresh Sunrise Tacos and football playing on the big-screen TV. Even if you don't have a dog, you can become a member and just hang out. And that's the crux: You must become a member of House of Ruff in order to come here. Visit House of Ruff's website to review the full rules and policies, but the main thing is that your dog must undergo a meet-and-greet behavioral assessment—during which a Ruff staffer determines how your dog responds to and socializes with humans and other dogs—and you must be able to provide proof of current vaccinations. The assessment is a (nonrefundable) $25, but you also get 50 percent off your first yearlong membership ($15 with the discount, regular annual membership is $30). LP
