The Best Bars for a First Date in Seattle

For wine and a light bite somewhere a little special, meet at Le Caviste in Denny Triangle. Tiny candles, French sparkling wine, and cured meats and cheeses set the mood.

Its nooks and corners feel private, which helps conversation along. The bar is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4pm to midnight.

A lively room and a playful drinks list make La Dive a fun first-date option in Capitol Hill. The natural wine bar leans organic and low-intervention, with orange wines, a Spanish red served from a bag, and frozen Beaujolais slushies spiked with Campari.

You can also try a Chambong, a Champagne shot with bubbles or Miller High Life, or a $4 Tanqueray and tonic jello shot. The bar opens at 3pm on weekdays and noon on weekends, staying open until 2am.

Find a quieter corner of Capitol Hill at Single Shot, a cocktail bar with a small, moody, candlelit room and a marble bar. It is calmer than much of Pike/Pine, and tables are easy to book.

Pair cocktails with small plates, such as a margherita flatbread with prosciutto, or make more of the evening with a New York strip.

Ease into a first date at Left Bank, a neighborhood natural wine bar in South Park with an easygoing atmosphere. The down-to-earth bartender helps take the edge off those first few minutes.

On Tuesdays, bring a record for BYO vinyl night to add something personal to the evening.

Try a few wines together at Otherworld, a relaxed natural wine bar in Capitol Hill. Small pours let you explore without ordering a whole bottle, while deep cuts on the speakers give you something else to talk about between sips.

For a first date with a homier feel, try Bottlehouse in Madrona. The wine bar occupies a renovated house with a porch and garden patio, giving you a choice of where to sit depending on the weather.

Order cheese and charcuterie to share alongside your wine.

Start a date with bubbles at The Coupe & Flute, a sparkling-wine bistro in Beacon Hill. The drinks list also includes spritzes and non-alcoholic aperitifs. If you want to stay longer, small plates such as gnocchi and fries can turn a quick glass into dinner.

For a first date with some energy around you, try Damn the Weather in Pioneer Square. The exposed-brick cocktail bar is usually crowded, so allow a little time to get settled. Come hungry for housemade pasta, a burger, duck fat frites, or a fried chicken sandwich.

The bar is open Monday through Saturday from 4pm to 2am and Sunday from 4pm to 11pm, for guests 21 and older. Altstadt is down the street if you want another stop afterward.

An underwater-adventure theme gives you an easy conversation starter at Inside Passage, a tiki speakeasy inside Rumba in Capitol Hill. Enter through a side door to find neon and sea-monster tentacles in a fairly quiet room.

The menu features tiki classics such as hurricanes and blue Hawaiis, with coconut shrimp and spam sliders among the small plates. Online reservations are for 90-minute slots, and weeknights are usually easier to book than Fridays and Saturdays.

Explore an extensive cocktail list together at Canon in Capitol Hill, where classic and original drinks arrive in playful vessels such as miniature bathtubs and faux IV bags.

The dark-wood room has a secluded-feeling covered back patio, and the rare and vintage spirits list continues to grow. Canon is open daily from 5pm to 2am.