Bellevue has come a long way from its days as an unincorporated Seattle suburb, and today the city boasts a thriving nightlife scene with everything from speakeasy-style cocktail lounges to award-winning craft breweries.
Whether you're looking for a casual neighborhood pub where the staff knows your name, an upscale spot for craft cocktails and small plates or a family-friendly taproom with fresh beer on tap, Bellevue has plenty of options to explore.
Washington State ranks as the 5th state with the most craft breweries in the country, with over 428 breweries statewide, and the state also produces more hops than anywhere else in the nation! Within just eight miles of our luxury Bellevue apartments, you'll find over 50 craft breweries, which makes the Eastside a legitimate destination for beer lovers and cocktail enthusiasts alike.
Here's a look at the best bars and breweries in Bellevue to help you plan your next night out.
Where to find locally-owned bars and breweries in Bellevue
Best bars in Bellevue
1. Civility & Unrest
Civility & Unrest is a modern speakeasy-inspired lounge conceived by James Beard Award-winning chef Jason Wilson, featuring a front whiskey bar and a back cocktail lounge with intimate seating areas that evoke 1920s cocktail culture while maintaining contemporary sophistication. Their house-crafted seasonal cocktails, whiskey-forward drinks and Northwest-inspired small plates — including charcuterie, wagyu steak tartare and maitake mushrooms — have made it a go-to destination for date nights and special occasions. The bar features an impressive whiskey collection and offers private event spaces for those looking to host a memorable gathering!
2. Living Room Bar at W Bellevue
Located in the W Bellevue hotel, Living Room Bar is an upscale lounge where nature and urban design collide, with plush seating, ambient lighting and various lounge areas including couches and swings that create a unique atmosphere for drinks and conversation.
The bar extends to an open-air patio called The Porch, which stays open year-round with outdoor heaters and eye-catching artwork by Lady Aiko, making it a comfortable spot regardless of the season. The cocktail menu showcases signature drinks like the Strawberry Soirée and Cuffing Season alongside Northwest beers and wines, while live DJs perform Thursday through Saturday nights and the vibe shifts to more of a club atmosphere on weekends.
3. Tavern Hall
Tavern Hall is Bellevue's premier beer hall and upscale sports bar, created by the restaurateurs behind Cactus, Bastille and Rhein Haus. The massive space seats over 300 people while featuring design elements like reclaimed church windows and bar tops embedded with coins.
The menu here centers on elevated pub fare including custom Snake River Farms Wagyu blend burgers (named best in Bellevue by The Seattle Times), Chicago-style cracker-thin crust pizza and brick-oven pretzels with a memorable peanut butter dipping sauce. With 40 flatscreen TVs for catching any game and four regulation shuffleboard tables for friendly competition, it's a great spot for watching sports or hanging out with a group of friends.
4. Forum Social House
Forum Social House is a locally owned entertainment complex that combines restaurant, entertainment and nightlife in one massive venue spanning almost 20,000 square feet.
The space features Topgolf Swing Suites with three simulator bays, an innovative 18-hole miniature golf course called PAR1 and the Rockwell Sound Lounge with a state-of-the-art sound system that transforms the venue into a vibrant nightclub on weekends with DJ performances. The progressive American menu also features modern renditions of traditional favorites alongside an extensive cocktail list that’s sure to have something you like.
5. The Pumphouse Bar & Grill
The Pumphouse is a Bellevue institution that has been family-owned and operated since 1978, and locals describe it as the "Cheers" of Bellevue — the kind of place where staff know regulars by name and the atmosphere feels like home.
The pub is famous for its fresh Angus ground beef burgers, which are considered some of the best in the city, along with an American wagyu French dip sandwich with au jus that keeps customers coming back for more. This 21+ establishment serves breakfast starting at 8:30am daily, so you can start your day here long before the crowds arrive! Plus, the covered heated patio stays open year-round for those who want to enjoy the extensive tap list with local IPAs and rotating craft beers in the fresh air.
6. Bake's Place Bar & Bistro
Bake's Place has become Bellevue's gold standard for live music entertainment, featuring vaulted ceilings, multi-level dining and the Eastside's largest outdoor patio, which is covered, heated and dog-friendly for those who want to bring their four-legged companions along.
The seasonally-inspired chef-driven menu pairs beautifully with their collection of over 320 whiskies and an ever-evolving craft cocktail program that keeps things interesting visit after visit. Live music happens Friday and Saturday nights featuring jazz, blues, funk and rock acts, with acoustic performances Tuesday through Saturday creating a more intimate atmosphere during the week.
7. 520 Bar & Grill
We’re particularly fond of this spot, since it’s next door to our apartments at AMLI Bellevue Park!
520 Bar & Grill is a classic Bellevue spot that embodies laid-back luxury, serving as a local watering hole with upscale American comfort food in a convivial atmosphere complete with a picturesque outdoor patio perfect for people-watching.
The menu features specialty cocktails, West Coast wines, Northwest beers, pan-seared cod tacos and Dungeness crab cakes that showcase the flavors of the Pacific Northwest. Regulars describe it as a cozy sanctuary that captures the essence of Bellevue hospitality, and the outdoor patio is especially popular on sunny days when the downtown life provides all the entertainment you’d need!
8. Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub
Paddy Coyne's is an authentic Irish pub that combines traditional Irish hospitality with casual neighborhood gathering vibes, creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere that makes it perfect for unwinding after work or catching up with friends over a pint. The menu features traditional fish and chips, Irish classics and a full selection of beers at reasonable prices, making it one of Bellevue's more affordable and accessible bars for anyone watching their budget. The friendly bartenders and cozy setting encourage conversation and lingering, which is exactly what you want from a neighborhood pub!
Best breweries in Bellevue
1. Bellevue Brewing Company – Spring District Brewpub
Bellevue Brewing Company holds the distinction of being Bellevue's first locally-owned craft brewery, featuring a state-of-the-art production brewery that serves as the heart of the vibrant Spring District neighborhood. The best part? It’s just a few minutes from our apartments at AMLI Spring District!
What sets this location apart is their 1000L copper serving tanks suspended above the bar — a first for King County — which dispense beer using air pressure instead of CO2 for unmatched freshness that you can taste in every pour. Award-winning beers include their Gold Medal Schwarzbier from the Washington Beer Awards, and the expanded kitchen serves upscale pub fare alongside their brews.
The 2,500 square foot beer garden is the largest outdoor dining patio in Bellevue, plus, dogs are welcome on the patio and the venue is family-friendly until 8pm, making it a great option for groups with mixed ages. They don't take reservations and operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
2. Cascadia Pizza Restaurant & Brewery
Cascadia Pizza partnered with Bellevue Brewing Company to create a casual, family-friendly taproom serving award-winning Neapolitan-inspired wood-fired pizza alongside craft beer in a massive space that can seat up to 300 people with a relaxed industrial ambiance. They exclusively serve Bellevue Brewing's craft beer along with rotating ciders and seltzers, and the wood-fired pizzas are cooked in Italian Forza Forni ovens imported directly from Italy using locally sourced applewood that adds a distinctive flavor to every pie. The unique taproom space is one of the most distinctive on the Eastside, and private dining rooms are available for groups of 12 to 50 people, plus beer garden rentals for larger gatherings of 40 to 60 guests.
3. Resonate Brewery + Pizzeria
Located a little further south in Newport Hills, Resonate Brewery is the product of local homebrewer Mike Ritzer, who completed training at the prestigious Siebel Institute in Chicago and has since earned over 50 awards for his beers across styles ranging from hop-forward IPAs to session sour beers.
The brewery offers exceptional craft beers paired with outstanding Alla-Romana style artisan pizza in a family-friendly environment that welcomes beer lovers of all experience levels. Popular options include the Berry On Wayward Son fruited Brett sour, Red Sector Eh! and Young and Hazy Juicy IPA, while the Roman-style pizzas use a 72-96 hour fermented dough that produces a crust with remarkable texture — light, crisp and with just the right amount of chew. They keep 15+ brewery-fresh beers on tap at all times and host trivia and Bingo nights to keep things lively!
4. Chainline Brewing Company
Founded in 2014 up in Kirkland, Chainline Brewing creates high-quality ales and lagers inspired by the active outdoor lifestyle of the Pacific Northwest. The name references bicycle chain alignment, so you’ll also see bicycle-themed décor and beer names featured throughout the modern taproom, which overlooks the Cross Kirkland Corridor bike trail and makes it a perfect post-ride stop for cyclists exploring the area.
They typically have around 10 beers on tap and offer growlers and crowlers to go, while food trucks rotate through on a regular schedule to provide sustenance alongside your brews. The brewery is family and pet-friendly, so you can bring the whole crew.
5. Mac & Jack's Brewery
This brewery is closer to our luxury apartments in Redmond, but Bellevue residents can still access this neat spot via Sound Transit’s Link light rail.
Mac & Jack's is a legendary Pacific Northwest brewery famous for its flagship African Amber — one of the most beloved craft beers in the region that you'll find on tap at bars throughout the Eastside, including The Pumphouse and many other local establishments. The brewery helped pioneer the craft beer movement on the Eastside and maintains a highly recognized brand that has stood the test of time. The taproom offers their full lineup alongside rotating seasonal selections for those who want to explore beyond the flagship.
6. Postdoc Brewing
Also near our apartments at AMLI Redmond Way, Postdoc Brewing was founded by Head Brewer Tom Schmidlin who named his garage home brewery "Postdoc" while completing his PhD in Biology, bringing scientific precision to craft brewing that shows in every carefully crafted batch. The brewery offers rotating selections that showcase technical expertise and attention to detail, making it part of the broader Bellevue and Eastside craft beer ecosystem that's worth exploring for anyone interested in the local brewing scene.
7. Big Block Brewing
Big Block Brewing is part of the Bellevue area's growing craft brewery scene, contributing to the diversity of local brewing options on the Eastside and consistently appearing in local brewery roundups as a solid option for beer enthusiasts exploring the area. The taproom offers various craft beer selections worth sampling if you're making your way through the local brewery circuit.
Visiting Bellevue’s bars & breweries
Many of these establishments are accessible via Sound Transit, which makes it easy to hop between locations without worrying about parking or driving after you've had a few drinks.
Whether you're after a sophisticated cocktail experience at Civility & Unrest, live music and whiskey at Bake's Place or fresh craft beer straight from the copper tanks at Bellevue Brewing Company, the city's bar and brewery scene has something for everyone. The combination of established neighborhood favorites like The Pumphouse and newer upscale additions makes Bellevue a legitimate destination for drinks on the Eastside.
Cheers!
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Featured photo by Olivia Bauso on Unsplash
Second photo by Alice Donovan Rouse on Unsplash
Third photo by Deepthi Clicks on Unsplash
Fourth photo by Olivia Bauso on Unsplash
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The AMLI Editorial Team consists of a team of writers and editors who work together on blog articles, and may occasionally employ AI tools to assist in developing content.
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