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The Best Breweries in Seattle

By Santorini Dave

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Best brewery in Seattle.

The Best Brewery in Seattle: Fremont Brewing.

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Best Brewery Tours & Tastings

  • Old Ballard Brewery Tour – Fun & interesting tour of the best neighborhood in Seattle for local craft breweries.
  • Fishermen’s Terminal Brewery Tour – Great beer amid a waterfront setting.
  • Pike Brewing Tour & Tasting – Excellent brewery tour of this Pike Place Market institution. (Unfortunately, temporarily canceled as of October, 2023.)
  • Many of Seattle’s best breweries are located outside of downtown. I’ve included transit information when applicable, but most of these spots are a cheap cab/Lyft/Uber from downtown Seattle.
  • A few breweries operate like pubs and serve food. Those that don’t, usually welcome outside food being brought (or ordered) in.
  • Check taproom hours before you go. Many keep odd hours and aren’t open late.
  • Many breweries and taprooms are kid- and dog-friendly. If you’ve found a great spot that’s not on the list, and you’re unsure whether dogs or children are welcome, it’s a good idea to call.
  • The Pike Place Market Chef-Guided Food Tour is our favorite tour in downtown Seattle.

Best Breweries in Seattle

1. Fremont Brewing
2. Old Stove Brewing Co.
3. Reuben’s Brews
4. Stoup Brewing
5. Pike Brewing Company
6. Ghostfish Brewing
7. Holy Mountain Brewing
8. Machine House Brewery
9. Bad Jimmy’s Brewing Co.
10. Standard Brewing
11. Cloudburst Brewing
12. Elysian Brewing Company

Downtown Seattle Breweries

Brewery in Pike Place Market.

The awesome views and outdoor patio at Old Stove Brewing in Pike Place Market.

Old Stove Brewing Co.

Pike Place Market’s newest brewery provides a perfect pit stop during a day spent sightseeing. They’ve got 16 hand-crafted local beers on tap, as well as a rotating cider and wine selection, all housed within a comfortable, airy space that has wonderful views and is open to the outdoors in nice weather. The long picnic-style tables are ideal for large groups or making friends. Take home your favorite brew in a 32oz “crowler.” (It’s an old-school beer can filled and closed right in front of you.)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 1901 Western Ave

Cloudburst Brewing

Tucked into an unassuming spot on Pike Place Market’s northern edge, Cloudburst distributes bold and refreshing ales often infused with unexpected citrus notes and other, more eccentric touches. The founder, Steve Luke, was previously the experimental brewer at Elysian, and sampling his latest creations with the other connoisseurs gathered by the narrow, open-air entryway is a distinctly Seattle pleasure. Of the many delicious options, be sure to try the Market Saison, which rotates new flavor combinations based off the Market’s freshest ingredients (strawberry and mint, on a recent, early summer visit). The good folks at Cloudburst welcome outside food and well-behaved dogs, but ask that you leave the kiddos at home.
Hours • Website • Reviews • 2116 Western Avenue

Pike Brewing Company

A Pike Place Market stalwart, and one of the biggest outfits on this list, Pike Brewery has been creating great craft beer since 1989. They create seven beers year-round (the Kilt Lifter Scotch-style ale and XXXXX Stout are particularly popular), as well as limited and seasonal beers like Harlot’s Harvest pumpkin ale and Auld Acquaintance Hoppy Holiday Ale. Their in-house pub offers a good selection of local and organic alehouse-style grub, and with $5 and a reservation you can tour the brewery and see and sample their beer-making process in action. Pike Pub and Brewery is very family-friendly – they’ve got a great kids’ menu, and kids over 6 are welcome on the brewery tours (they tour free) – but no dogs allowed.
Hours • Website • Reviews • 1415 1st Avenue

Capitol Hill Breweries

Elysian Brewing Company

Despite being purchased by Anheuser-Busch in 2015, Elysian remains a Seattle institution, with four different locations now open since launching in 1996. Their home base is still on Capitol Hill, in a cavernous and often-crowded space offering solid pub food, alongside standards like the beloved Immortal IPA and a rotating selection of seasonal options and limited editions. Of the latter, keep an eye out for The Dread, a dark and rich Imperial Stout aged in oak barrels and hopped up with admirable gusto. While being owned by AB may have cut into Elysian’s hip factor, the welcoming vibe of the venue and broadly enjoyable flavors of the brews (which have lost none of their crispness since the merger) make it a fun, easy stop on any beer lover’s tour of the city. Kid-friendly til 11pm.
(From downtown: Take the light rail to the Capitol Hill station – Elysian is about an 8-10 minute walk away – or take one of numerous buses (11, 49, 2, 7) that serve the pike/pine corridor.)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 1221 East Pike Street

Ballard Breweries

Best brewery in Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.

Reuben’s Brews in the hip Ballard neighborhood of North Seattle.

Reuben’s Brews

Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood has become extremely popular, and with that popularity the character of the area has seen a major shift toward fancy restaurants, boutique stores, and expansive residential development. But Ballard cuts a wide swath across the city’s northwest corner, and there are still pockets of the rickety warehouse spaces that once helped define its personality. Reuben’s has taken advantage of that lingering understated vibe, putting one of Seattle’s best breweries in the middle of a low-key residential/industrial area. The beer selection is extensive, with traditionally-brewed and barrel-aged favorites; even a small (but potent) collection of sours – a rarity in Seattle. Reuben’s is kid/dog-friendly and welcomes outside food: order a pie at a discount from the adjacent Zeek’s pizza (a Seattle institution), or grab a bite from one of the rotation of food trucks that drops by daily.
(From downtown: Your easiest route is the “rapid ride” D line from downtown; get off right after crossing the Ballard Bridge at Leary. From there, it’s a 5-10 minute stroll to the northeast.)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 5010 14th Avenue Northwest

Stoup Brewing

Right around the corner from Reuben’s in the same “Ballard brewery district” is Stoup Brewing, whose specialties include their renowned stouts and porters – the Robust Porter is a particular dark chocolatey favorite. Their beloved Citra IPA has a summery burst of bitter that offsets the malty goodness of their darker offerings. You can find their ales on tap and available in limited supply in a number of venues around the city, but the tasting room is definitely worth seeking out, especially if you’re on a Ballard-centric crawl. Low-key and friendly, they’ve got butcher paper and crayons for the kids, and their charming outdoor area is great for groups. Dogs and outside food are welcome – there’s usually a food truck parked nearby.
(From downtown: Your easiest route is the “rapid ride” D line from downtown; get off right after crossing the Ballard Bridge at Leary. From there, it’s a 5-10 minute stroll to the northeast.)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 1108 Northwest 52nd Street

Bad Jimmy’s Brewing Co.

If Seattle’s top-flight tasting rooms tend to have a ramshackle feel to them, Bad Jimmy’s, set along Leary Way’s industrial edge, is no exception. It has a back-alley warehouse space resembling a converted garage, and a deliberate lack of pretension that puts the focus on the beer. The brew-loving crew behind the operation have made better use of the building than most others, however: aggressively red-lit and styled with a kind of punk/rockabilly aesthetic, the venue often hosts parties in the upstairs loft space, as well as events in the indoor/outdoor area out front. Jimmy’s indulges in some enhancements and filtering which beer purists might initially dismiss as too precious, but their subtle infusions tweak core, hop-derived flavors in ways that don’t overwhelm. Recently they featured a “Mai Tai PA” (say it out loud) that incorporated pineapple and orange accents while delivering the bitter edge that IPA lovers expect. Well-behaved dogs and outside food are welcome. Kids are welcome til 7pm.
(From downtown: the 40 and 28 buses can get you within a few blocks.)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 4358-B Leary Way Northwest

Fremont Breweries

Fremont Brewing

My favorite brewery in Seattle and the best outdoor patio of any Seattle brewery. Kids and dogs welcome indoors and out. It’s a popular stop for cyclists riding the Burke-Gilman path (just across the street). Free pretzels and apples but no menu so bring take-out from Fremont’s large array of restaurants (most are 2 to 4 blocks away). Fill growlers, grab 6-packs to go, or buy top quality hats, t-shirts, and hoodies. Oh, and the beer is awesome too.
(From downtown: the 28 bus stops 2 blocks to the west of the brewery.)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 1050 N 34th Street

Interbay Breweries

Holy Mountain Brewing

Situated in an industrial, plain part of town – as many of booming Seattle’s best breweries are – Holy Mountain is referred to by many in almost reverent tones. That aura of specialness is partially explained by the impermanence of their approach; unlike a lot of even the smallest, spunkiest breweries, Holy Mountain has no recurring “standard” beers. The whole menu rotates out with seasonality and, often, secondary fermentation that keeps any one beer from staying consistently available. A visit in June yields hoppy saisons and Czech-style Pilsners; in December, the featured ale could be an Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels. The tasting room itself is aggressively sparse and modern/warehouse chic without trying too hard, complete with hardwood booths and a sliding door on the back wall that opens out into a field of train tracks. It’s a place of worship for beer aficionados and Northwest hipsters alike. Bring in your outside food, but leave the kids and dogs at home.
(From downtown: The trusty D line drops you within a few blocks.)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 1421 Elliott Avenue West

SoDo Breweries

Ghostfish Brewing

The first and only dedicated gluten-free craft brewery in the state, Ghostfish produces top-notch brews that even gluten-frindlies will love. By eschewing the use of barley in favor of malted gluten-free grains like millet and buckwheat, the brewers at Ghostfish get the most out of the hops they use, giving rise to monstrous (and delicious) beers like the “Peak Buster” double IPA and its 130 IBU. They also excel at Belgian-style ales; the Shrouded Summit Witbier is opaque and citrusy, with a nice, bracing hint of juniper in the finish. Both ales are on the “flagship” list, and available year round. Besides being gluten-free, Ghostfish distinguishes itself by fashioning a proper restaurant/pub experience out of their tasting room: They offer a full menu (gluten-free, of course, with many vegetarian and vegan options) and flat screens showing Mariners, Seahawks, or Sounders games (all three teams play only a mile away from here in the Stadium district). Family-friendly until 7pm, dog-friendly always.
(From downtown: The 21 bus will drop you within a block. However, you will have to pass the stadiums to get there, so take note of any events that might be happening, as related traffic will add to travel times)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 2942 1st Avenue South

Georgetown Breweries

Machine House Brewery

Set in the increasingly trendy industrial neighborhood of Georgetown, Machine House Brewing specializes in ales derived from English hops. This gives rise to some debate in local beer-drinking circles, since unlike many Northwest specialty brewers, the beers they concoct are relatively mild. Those seeking complex bitterness and through-the-roof IBU counts might thus be slightly disappointed, but if you are after an easy-drinking, reasonably low alcohol beverage, this is a fantastic choice. Set just off Georgetown’s main drag along Airport Way, the room is housed in the old Rainier Brewing location: a hulking—yet welcoming—brick warehouse, with indoor/outdoor areas that accommodates live music events, art openings, and other events. There’s no kitchen, but Machine house welcomes outside food, and is dog/family-friendly – they even have a corner play area with toys and games for the littlest customers.
(Getting there from downtown: Regular bus service runs from routes 124 and 106; by car, it’s reachable in 10-15 minutes. One note: You will have to pass the stadiums to get there, so take note of any events that might be happening, as related traffic will add to travel times.)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 5840 Airport Way South

Leschi Breweries

Standard Brewing

Hop heaven for beer drinkers, Standard’s output is small, but potent. The tasting room is just a little wedge, with a fairly expansive outdoor area – a constant lure for nearby residents and devotees who come from across the city. While IPAs are the order of the day here, Standard founder Justin Gerardy keeps the alcohol content (ABV) reasonable, and his brews highly sip-able on both rainy days and sunny afternoons alike. No food, but the staff is fine with you bringing in nearby grub; the Atlantic across the street offers a great selection of local cheese and hearty salads, among other dishes. Well-behaved dogs and children are welcome.
(Getting there from downtown: The 8, 14, and 27 buses all get you close, but you might consider a taxi or Uber; from the downtown core, it’s likely a sub-$10 fare.)
Hours • Website • Reviews • 2504 South Jackson Street, Suite C

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About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave I'm Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a short article on tips for visiting Santorini with kids. We're now a small team of writers and researchers dedicated to providing the best travel content on the internet. We focus on Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece, offering recommendations for top hotels, neighborhoods, and family-friendly hotels worldwide. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.