If you have a friend or significant other that is gluten-intolerant, this is a great place to bring them! Housed in the center of Capitol Hill, Capitol Cider is a place that I feel I have walked by so many times in my life until it was just recently that I had the chance to visit. Let's start with the atmosphere - overall it was enjoyable. It wasn't too loud and wasn't too quiet where you could hear everyone else's conversation. It was nicely lit and had extremely high ceilings that made the place feel very spacious. Despite all that however, the only criticism I have is that they lack available bathroom spaces. There is only a unisex one up stairs and one of each downstairs. Given how busy this place could be on the weekends, it makes it kind of difficult. The food was also better than what I had expected. With my girlfriend being gluten free, seeing fish and chips on the menu made us ask the waitress twice to make sure it wasn't a mistake. That dish specifically was excellent with a crisp batter cover the moist fish, which made it very hard to believe that it was gluten free. We also got the calamari, coconut prawns and pork belly to start. Calamari was my favorite though the portions were a bit small. coconut prawns had good flavor but they were a bit on the dry side. I feel like I had two bites of pork belly and then they were finished as well. Best part of this place is the cider and customer service. We ate upstairs and the waitress was very helpful in offering recommendations of ciders based upon what type of taste we were going for. All the ciders we had were delicious though I would personally recommend the Red Tank 425 as it tasted like a light beer and wasn't overly sweet. Would definitely come again!
(4)
Megan S.
I had a really great experience here! I came with a really large group, but our server was so friendly and efficient. My whole table commented on how nice he was. My burger was really really delicious--one of the better burgers I have had. My only issue was that I asked for medium well, but got something that was barely medium. Someone else at my table asked for medium well and hers was more like well done. I wish they would adhere to the requests. Still, I can't complain about my food--I really liked everything I ate. It was kind of sad to pay over 30 bucks for a burger and one drink, but yea...it was good, so I'm not mad. I got a cider, I believe it was some kind of maple flavor. It was very good--pleasant tasting but not overly sweet. I almost ordered another glass, it was so good. The other options sounded great as well. I'm from New York State, so I may not be back, but I really enjoyed my experience here and highly recommend this place.
(4)
Brian L.
I like it, I really do! Cider, for some, is one of those things that can be "meh" or "hell yeah" .. I've been here a number of times now and have tried various ciders based on name alone or upon recommendation. I've been pleased. They will let you try a sample, don't you worry. I brought a friend in just tonight that isn't much of a cider drinker, but after sampling a couple he found one he was pleased with and boom goes the dynamite. So what I do like is the ciders. Capitol Cider. Duh. I wish some of the small plates were a little tastier. They didn't leave much to the imagination and at the risk of sounding like a prissy snob.. if you can make it better at home, is the juice worth the squeeze? That being said, I think what this place is and should be noted for is the ciders. Not the food. Haley, behind the bar, rocks the casbah. Totally sweet. Dude.
(4)
Felisa D.
I lived with 3 girls in college who can't have gluten. Two have Celiac's and the other has gluten intolerance. I have had my fair share of lessons on eating gluten-free (or GF. See? I even know the abbreviations. Mmkayyy). I know about alternative flours, xanthan gum, quinoa spaghetti and cross-contamination. I am unnaturally versed in which restaurants in Seattle have gluten-free buns and how to specify variations to get gluten-free products. I know about gluten-free girl and other similar blogs. The above text is the longest way to be all, "I know authentic cuz I studied abroad for, like, a semester in college" but, like, when it comes to gluten-free food. And basically, this is a dream come true for those with Celiac's and other related restrictions. They don't just have an extensive menu with GF options -- they have a gluten-free kitchen. Like, no wooden spoons that have soaked up gluten. No previously floured surfaces. And with the extensive list of hard ciders, GF folks and cider-lovers alike will be pleased. They do have beers (with gluten) too if you just really need your gluten fix. For those of us who thrive on gluten, you won't come here and politely pretend to enjoy yourself. You actually will! I've been here for dinner a couple of times now and, last night, went to a Yelp Elite event. I always leave this place texting my gluten-free friends with an invite to hang out. I love that there is the upstairs option for a more intimate dinner and love that they commissioned works from aspiring artists to adorn their walls. I also love the basement with board games, shuffleboard, etc. for a more casual hang out. Overall, a great addition (they opened around 2013 I think?) to the pub scene in Seattle that happens to be gluten-free.
(4)
Stephen M.
Dropped in for the Yelp Elite event last week, and I'm glad I did. The downstairs area turns out to be a lot bigger than you would think upon entering at street level. Piano tucked away in the corner is a nice touch. Lighting is just the right mix of cozy and inviting without being dark and creepy. Ginger cider goes down smoothly and pairs well with most of the apps. Did not feel the temp was an issue downstairs, maybe something that has been recently fixed. Seemed right to me, even on a hot day. Great service. Will return, if in the area.
(5)
Ken T.
Came here for a yelp elite event! Cider is always yummy, and food was good as well. What set this event apart was that our bartenders and waiters were really helpfully and kind! This is definitely a good place to take a date as the upstairs has a nice ambience, and below is a cool bar area, and they even have games.
(5)
Volha A.
Super friendly and fun staff. A very welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. I enjoyed my time here for the Yelp Elite event. The place is very clean and beautifully decorated. The cider selection is superb! The cider cocktail with bourbon was very settle but did give me a buzz. The food items were nicely selected. The glazed pork was soooooo amazing! Sweet and crispy on the outside. The scallop was divine! Well-seasoned and perfectly cooked. I enjoyed all the other appetizers and the cheesecake as well. Great to know there are so many delicious options for gluten-free dining!
(5)
Caleb M.
I love this spot, be sure to checkout the downstairs for live music, shuffleboard, and a good crowd. It's a great place to meet a date, and now they've added a small outdoor section. I'm usually in here for the cider but I've recently sampled the food and it's wonderful. You pay for what you get but you won't be disappointed. The cider selection is great, I love the apple habanero, it's hot but good. The flavors compliment perfectly. Come in downstairs Monday night for a live jazzy, funky jam session or Wednesday nights for an acoustic show. The service has always been great. I'm really glad we have a place like this. They really are firing on all cylinders. There are plenty of tables for groups of six, and a few for more. Of course they also have smaller.
(5)
Kay S.
I was visiting from Chicago and was looking for a gluten-free friendly place, being a celiac and all. I was really happy to find this place since they have a completely gluten-free menu! Fries at most restaurants are usually a no-go since they use a shared fryer, but I got to indulge here and they were delicious. Both the boyfriend and I loved our dishes and the drink selection. The ambiance was really chill too, which we liked. We'll definitely be back when we're in Seattle again!
(4)
Alison T.
I went to Seattle for a long weekend and this was top on my list of must do. I am a cider fanatic and I was determined to visit this cider focused bar. I was not let down. My friend and I went downstairs to the bar, where it was crowded, but not packed. We found two stools at the bar and the waitress quickly came to ask for our order. We told her we weren't sure what to pick, because the list was so extensive, so she gave us a few samples and explained the ciders to us. It was very helpful. We did not try any food, but the service was great, it was clean, and didn't seem too rowdy. I will definitely be returning here whenever I visit Seattle.
(5)
Elyse M.
I don't know if it's quite four stars, but close enough. I think it's fantastic to have a place that is entirely gluten-free. I have a severe allergy that has gotten worse over time. Not having to ask about every dish I order is something that rarely happens and it was so relaxing! The hibiscus mead was one of the best ciders I've ever had. It wasn't too tart or too sweet. Mild and delicious and a pretty magenta color! I haven't been able to have fried calamari in ages, so it was a great treat. The portion was pretty small, though. Boyfriend got the fish n chips. I tasted it, and it was good. Tartar sauce was great! I got the chicken, which was really simple but really good. I tend to prefer dark meat but this chicken breast was extremely moist and flavorful. The apple Brown Betty for dessert was fantastic.. I wasn't sure how I'd like the oat cheddar crumble in a dish like that, but it was a good pairing. My only complaint is realllly slow service. Nice but slow. Other than that it's great!
(4)
Ali D.
My friend was visiting from out of town and she also happens to love a good hard cider. She did her research and wanted to have lunch at Capitol Cider which I was excited to try considering the rave reviews of seen. Plus, it's not everyday I go to a bar that completely specializes in cider offerings. The atmosphere was a bit too hipster for my taste. It was also extremely dark and a bit depressing, quite honestly. Our server had a bit of 'tude which also contributed to the uncomfortable vibe. Setting that all aside, the cider selection really was great and I had the opportunity to taste some new things which I enjoyed. I also ordered the fish and chips for lunch which were pretty good, but also unmemorable. Moral of the story: Capitol Cider was good not great. Definitely a true hipster spot on the hill.
(2)
Diane S.
I love the selection at capital cider. I have been here a few times and I have to say my favorite cider is their POmigrante cider, so yummy. But they have a lot of great seasonal ciders they change out, which are always great to try. Dinner upstairs can be prices but is yummy. Everyone who I know has tried the burger says its worth the $18. I had the quinoa with the soft egg, which was amazing. Downstairs they have shuffle board and other games, that makes the experience there a very fun one. I love this place and, plan to keep going back!!!
(5)
Yvonne B.
I fell in love. Hard. Hard cider love. I went one evening with friends and then returned the next morning when they opened for day drinking. The atmosphere at Capitol Cider is refined. They have austere paintings on the wall, dark wood furniture, and high ceilings. The cider taps are a row of dainty, elegant handles and spigots. In the evening it is lit with tiny tea candles and sunlight cascades through the large front windows during the day. The service has been right up my alley. Tish was our server in the evening. She was informative, timely, and personable without compromising professionalism. Emerson worked the bar during the day and gave me the hookup by lavishing me with a total of seven small samples between my three drinks. Now I can confidently say that Capitol Cider has a cider to satisfy anyone. I don't know if it's a good place to make friends for everyone; however, I enjoyed chatting with my fellow bar-mates. We got on so well that I tried their mezcal Bloody Mary (ah-mazing for me but not Sean's cup-of-tea) and guava mimosa (yes yes yes!). I must admit that I was being coquettish, but that was probably due to the fact that I was in love with Capitol Cider. I had some of the dinner food (lentil soup and beet salad) and it was alright. I saw many other people ordering dishes that looked delicious. I'd say that they have a well-designed menu (for brunch, dinner, and bar snacks) that covers whatever whimsy I might have at a given moment. The recipes were thorough in design and involved good flavor, texture, and presentation construction. But let's be honest. Although I live to eat, I prefer drink my calories at Capitol Cider. After all, it seems as if Capitol Cider is a drinking establishment first and it's the libations, atmosphere, and people that won my heart.
(5)
Jason J.
Totally douche bags staff. They could careless about you having a good time. They are rude and careless in the way they handle the costumers. Overall a unfriendly, unwelcoming experience worth the staff. Could be a great time, because the space is great and could be fun.
(1)
Kathy A.
I think I found my new place for Friday/Saturday night drinks! I've never been a fan of beer, and I like wine but I prefer to have it with a meal. I do on the other hand LOVE hard cider so as you might guess this place has A LOT of it! They have tons of different bottled cider/beer options. They also had at least 12 on tap ciders to choose from. The prices are totally reasonable too. They have the main restaurant upstairs and then downstairs is the bar where there is sometimes live music. There were games to play and all in all just a great bar vibe. It can get PACKED and loud at night so prepare for that. I only tried a few small appetizers (the calamari and the potato croquettes) but they were both delicious. I'll have to be back for dinner because the main courses sounded great too.
(4)
Nina S.
My husband was SO excited to take me here because I am a big cider fan. The place itself it very 'hipster'ish but overall very cozy and inviting. The waitress was very nice and gave us suggestions on which ciders to try. I had the Ace Pineapple and it was INCREDIBLE. All of the staff was incredibly friendly and very willing to help which is impressive to me because we came at 4ish on a Saturday when there was almost no customers in the place. The fact that the staff was so on top of their customer service game during such a slow time is impressive :) All the ciders that we tried (4 total) were delicious and under $10. The food looked a bit more pricey so we skipped it. I would definitely return here and recommend them to anyone who loves cider.
Finally got a chance to check out Capitol Cider. The ciders themselves were fantastic as well as the warmed olives we got as a snack. My only hang up and the #1 reason I'm giving three stars is because of the service. Not a single waiter had a smile on their face, the body language gave off the vibe that they all hate their jobs and I felt like they didn't want anyone to be in the restaurant. 5 stars for good cider and food but a 1 star for personalities of the staff. I'll go back but would appreciate if the staff would be more friendly and upbeat with the patrons.
(3)
Chessie S.
I'm an ambiance girl and this place has nice tall walls, windows and booths with colonial type oil paintings. The pictures were great conversation starters. Word to the wise, don't sit by the door if it's cold, windy or snowing out. Also, you end up being a bit of a spectacle for people going to or coming from Neighbours, but hey then you can people watch too. The drinks were varied. One ordered Chateau Saint Michel Reisling, one ordered Rainier, one water and one a Habañero Peach Cocktail. We'll go back and hide from the doorway. ;)
(4)
Natassia S.
Came here the other night, I still prefer this place on a weekday...but thought I'd add a sidenote: The kitchen here is 100% Gluten Free which is great for those with serious allergies and trendy allergies (heh you know who you are) But something important to know is if you're celebrating a birthday or coming from anywhere with outside food (even if its in a box, package, etc) its not allowed in the restaurant. Last night I had a small box of 3 cake pops for a friends birthday treat but for the sake of cross contamination they have strict rules and don't allow any outside food in the space. You have the option of putting it in your bag and keeping it in there until you leave or leaving it with the host and they will place it somewhere in the back until you're ready to go. Small bummer but something ya'll should know incase you were planning on bringing a cake for a birthday (Which in my friend's case her gf couldnt bring the cake she bought :( ) One thing I'm curious about though, is I noticed they have a bunch of beers on tap and should maybe also consider the distilled alcohol made of wheat, barley or rye.
(4)
Bryan M.
Really liked this place. Hot evening, so we got seats downstairs in the cool basement. Some beers, ciders, and calamari with jalapeño aioli rounded out the evening. Will definitely return!
(5)
Quinn D.
Nice space, great food and beverages, and extremely nice and knowledgable staff! I went from meeting new people downstairs at an event to sampling various ciders at the bar upstairs. Jacob worked it downstairs and Andrew worked the entire bar, upstairs. From petit olives, mini caprese appetizers , to french fries and my favorite, ginger cider, Capitol Cider was fun. My friend was just in the day prior...like him, I will definitely be back!
(4)
Mukul B.
I would give it 3.5 overall (leaned towards 4 just because they have board games :)). The service and cider was good.
(4)
Trish S.
Had dinner here over holiday vacation and was totally delighted by the menu, the decor, and of course, all the ciders! It's my beverage of choice and what I generally order when out and about at a gastropub. Generally I find just a couple on a menu, but as it's aptly named, Capitol Cider boasts many more! The bottle list has well over a hundred options and range of choices that could please anybody. You'll have to tear your eyes away from the decor to peruse it though. The walls are a combo of rustic decadence (Fireplace with lion photo) and urban industrial (Exposed pipes and photos) all the art on the walls is super legit. There is even a brochure outlining the work that's available for purchase. The menu is impressive too and I ordered the New York Strip Frites - Braised Kale, French Fries with Curry Ketchup. Simple, but I couldn't resist. It was nicely cooked but a but too much salt sadly. I could eat there every day for weeks and still not have all the things that look delicious (plus! there us games in a pile to play too!) Our server was just fine and I'm a big fan!
(4)
Jay K.
This is the first time I wondered why Yelp does not have a zero star review available. We went in on the evening of June 6, 2015, no host or waiter to be seen, sat at a booth that had some dirty dishes on it. Looked at the menu on the table, there were flights of ciders which looked appealing but we were curious if there were beer flights too. At that point waitress turns up and we have this exchange: Waitress (looking as if someone just ran over her pet): Move so I can clean the table. My husband (surprised at her tone/attitude): Err, sure, go ahead and clean it, we don't mind. Waitress (visibly upset): No, you have to move. My husband (standing up and moving): OK, no problem, by the way can you tell us if you have beer flights too? Waitress (ready to commit murder): THE MENU YOU ARE HOLDING LISTS WHAT WE HAVE! Me (not impressed at all): You know what, I don't like your attitude, so we are going to leave - Waitress (interrupting): OK, GOODBYE! So we were walking out, ran into another waitress, asked to speak to the manager who apparently had left for the day, and then as we were walking out the original rude waitress stops us at the door and starts ranting at us. The bouncer comes inside and when she sees him, to the shock and surprise of both me and my husband, she says: "You grabbed me!". Wow, that felt surreal. Swear to god we never touched her. So the bouncer says "Get out". We told him we were already leaving anyway, why else would we be at the door when 5 minutes ago he checked our IDs as we entered... He repeated "OUT" and then we left. Bottom line, service is appalling, and until they fire the rude (short, dark hair, chubby) waitress you do not want to go to this establishment. Having read the other reviews on Yelp, our experience of rude service seems to be consistent. I wonder if this waitress is related to the owner somehow, or else I cannot explain how she still has that job.
(1)
Leela S.
I'm definitely more of a beer drinker than a cider drinker, but this bar has been on my radar for a while. I finally got the chance to check it out last night, and I was not disappointed! The interior (well, at least the upper level--I didn't get a chance to go downstairs) is quaint, cozy, even homey--and not in that neighbourhood dive bar sort of way. It feels almost cafe-like, except you've got bartenders and a tap lineup instead of baristas and coffee tampers. The three of us were lucky to get one of the little booths, and the atmosphere felt even more intimate. Prices were a little higher than I expected, but at least we got $1 off everything on tap thanks to happy hour. I had a baked apple cider and it was delicious! If you prefer your cider sweeter rather than drier, this one's for you. My companions got some of the drier offerings, and they both loved their stuff too. There were enough interesting options on tap for us to get two rounds of completely unique drinks (more to taste!). Oh, and if you're peckish, go for the fries: the aioli they give you is to die for. I'll definitely be back at Capitol Cider, especially since I now know that they have weekly trivia. But honestly, I don't need more of an incentive to return than the cider itself!
(4)
Mindi A.
I came here with my husband and sister-in-law who is gluten-intolerant. She was very excited that they have a 100% gluten free kitchen because she was able to order and eat without fear. It was also a great place to taste all sorts of ciders. The table favorite was the Seattle Cider PNW Berry. I felt that the food was decent but a bit over priced. The potato croquettes were seriously tasty, like fired mashed potatoes. Definitely recommend getting those. The sausage was good but I would probably not get it again. We returned the warm olives appetizer because the olives were very bitter and had giant stones in the center. Now the main reason I am giving Capitol Cider a 3 star is its poor service. (Had the food and cider not been as good, it would have been a 2 star). We were regularly out of water in our glasses. We were ready to order, had the menus closed, and still waited 15 min too long for our food order to be taken. And when we tried to redeem the $5 off from the Yelp check-in offer, she marked it as "used" but did not actually give us the discount.
(3)
Sheng M.
I actually really love this place. We stumbled upon it during the Block Party because I needed to use the restroom. The place is awesome... It's a fair size up top, but there's also a downstairs area with another bar! And places to sit and chill....and two shuffleboards! The food is pretty tasty. Had some wings, pail of fries, and calamari. The cider is awesome. There's quite a selection so take your pick.
(5)
Jamie P.
Good variety of cider, which I didn't know could taste so good! (I prefer sweet drinks) The waiters always helped me to order from one of the sweeter ciders. The food, while pretty tasty, I find to be a bit pricey considering the small portion size. I've only been downstairs the few times that I've gone, which can get pretty crowded on a weekend night thus hard to find a table or any seating in general. Service can be reeeeally slow on a busy night, so that can be frustrating unless you're cool with chilling there for 1+ hour just to have a cider. The decor is pretty cool and rustic-feeling, but still classy I would say. Plenty of TV's to watch from. However there is this odd stage area where people tend to sit and eat, and you could easily hit your head when getting up if you're not paying attention. Smallest bathroom stalls I've ever been in; super awkward to try and shut the door; your knees when sitting on the toilet are likely to touch the door. Definitely worth trying just to grab some cider, but maybe avoid during busy times if you dislike really overcrowded areas.
(3)
Scott P.
This place rocks I can't wait to come back!
(5)
Ms. K.
A British themed 100% gluten free restaurant so no worries of cross- contamination or kitchen mistakes. Brunch & Bottomless cidermosas. They even decorated the place for Queen Elizabeth's birthday. What more is there to say?
(5)
Leith S.
My wife and I love cider so were excited to try a few at Capitol Cider. The selection was strange though and we only enjoyed it so-so. Food seemed on the expensive side so we didn't try that but the menu none the less looked good. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed. I'd give it second chance before ruling it out but am not raving.
(3)
Erica M.
Although it may not appear like it, there are two levels to this place! Upstairs is more casual and wis perfect for dinner, dates, or happy hour for a quieter experience. Downstairs, and there are booths, a big communal table, shuffleboard and more! There's even a small stage and a huge bar with a great selection of ciders and beer on tap. For those who are non-cider/beer drinkers, have no worries, there is a full selection of spirits too with tasty cocktails! There was this Jalepeno Cider and Mango Mead that didn't settle with my palate, but I was a sucker for everything else on the list! They really did a great job at selecting a whole variety to stock the bar. We even took a quick break from the tasty ciders to enjoy a couple stouts, espressos, and more! Downstairs is a lot noisier and extremely crowded compared to upstairs but we all had fun! Go check out Capitol Cider, grab a couple glasses and relax on the couch with a cute artificial fireplace! Cheers~
(4)
Andy D.
Believe me, I wish I didn't feel compelled to write this review. My birthday was coming up, and my girlfriend Kelli and I wanted to meet our friend Dominic for breakfast somewhere close to where he lives on Capitol Hill. Not every place is open on the 4th of July, so we looked around on-line, made a few phone calls and wound up choosing & making reservations at Capitol Cider. We met at 9 am at the coffee shop next door to start our day off with a buzz and some conversation before we sat down to order . food at Capitol Cider at 10 am. Our first mistake was choosing to sit outside, because although it was a beautiful day the street life at Pike & Broadway was distracting, marginally threatening and potentially hostile. We should have sat inside, but none of us drink alcohol so we felt compelled to remain outside. We thought we would be okay once the waiter appeared to take our order and bring some water. Over 45 minutes and some apologies and excuses later, our food miraculously appeared before us (we suspect the cook showed up late, hung over, or was busy snorting his own breakfast). Dominic ordered the hanger steak (he had asked to substitute more vegetables for the egg and potatoes that accompany the meal, but was stoutly refused accomodation); it wasn't a "steak", it wasn't even a "cutlet". It really amounted to tidbits of meat that weren't even cooked as he had requested. I ordered the chorizo scramble. It was okay. It was edible. The "breakfast potatoes" that came with the dish turned out to be chunks of pre-formed potato that probably come frozen and are then fried or heated in an oven or on a grill. They aren't very good. Kelli ordered the chilaquiles. She said it reminded her of an appetizer she might order at TGI Friday's. Since it was my birthday, my real gift was recommending that Dominic, who paid for the meal, tip all of 32 cents because that's more insulting than tipping nothing. Fortunately for me, Capitol Cider was the worst part of my 52nd birthday, and I get to relive that glorious occasion by way of this review. Unless you are a drinker, a druggie, a hipster or a poseur, avoid this place if you are interested in eating something.
(1)
Jillian S.
Best cider selection! The menu is interesting but always tasty. Love the live music. Always a good place to unwind.
(5)
Hanna D.
We were seated at the 'communal' table, even though the place was half-empty, on a weeknight; clearly the booths are reserved for 4. We didn't request a booth, and the table was okay except that it was too close to the wall and my chair got bumped several times by ppl trying to pass behind me. Our server was a bearded hipster dude who was super-sincere about the whole thing; he maybe shared a little too much about himself (telling us about what vitamins he takes, etc.), but servers aren't robots, and this place is pretty casual. My cider was delicious, my date's wasn't as great, but not terrible. I picked mine by what it was called, my date's was suggested by our server. We shared the cheese plate, the beet salad, an order of fish and chips, and the chocolate cake; it was plenty for us. Everything was good except the dessert (which our server could not deliver to our table because he's allergic to coconut oil, and that's one of the ingredients); it was dry, and nothing special flavor-wise. The server warned us about the size of the baguette in the cheese plate, telling us it's 'expensive, so we make the portions small"; I don't know of a more graceful way of framing that, but the piece of bread truly was tiny. The bill was a little over $60. Overall, a nice experience, and it was novel being able to eat almost anything on the menu.
(3)
C O.
The burger has got to be one of the best I've had in Seattle. It was also the perfect size. The only thing I would love to see on the menu are more vegetarian options. There are no main entrees that are purely vegetarian. My partner ended up having a salad for dinner which is disappointing. Other than that, love the cider selection and the atmosphere! Especially board games downstairs and shuffleboard.
(3)
T S.
My experience here was like it was out of an episode of Portlandia - bizarre, mildly amusing and left a bad taste in my mouth. Here's the story. It was my friend's birthday. About fifteen of us were at this establishment, buying drinks and being completely civilized. We had brought him a cake to cut later. Admittedly it was a gluten-y cake since we didn't know this was a gluten free establishment. When we asked the waitress for a knife to cut the cake, she asked us if it was a gluten free cake, which we told her that it wasn't. She comes back five minutes later and tells us we can't cut it since it was a gluten free establishment. Completely reasonable request. So we offered to put the cake away. The waitress leaves and comes back five minutes later to say that we can't have the cake inside the bar. Now note that this was a boxed cake, all wrapped up, inside a tote bag, under a table. No one was eating or cutting it. We told her that. Completely reasonable right? NOPE. The waitress tells us that the cake HAS TO GO. None of us had driven there so we tell her that our only option would be to throw the cake away. We ask her if we can store it at the bar or near the entrance. But NOPE. The cake HAS TO GO or we have to go. We are midway through our drinks so we ask her for some more time. She leaves, reluctantly. Five minutes later, she is back. The cake HAS TO GO. So we left... I consider myself very lucky to say that this was the first time in my life I felt discriminated against. And oddly enough, it was gluten-related. Most anti glutenist place I've ever been to. Really guys... relax!
(1)
Davin L.
As someone who's not a huge fan of beer, this place is freakin' sweet. There's an amazing selection of ciders made from a variety of different fruits and varying degrees of sweetness and dryness. There was an excellent blackberry pear cider that started off my evening, and I fell completely in love with a blueberry lager that was absolutely perfect. And not to worry, there's also a fine selection of beers and liquor for those of you not into ciders. The good/bad thing about this place is that there's a constantly rotating selection, so if there's something you love, don't get too attached, as it might not be there the next night. But there's a chance you might find another great choice. The interior is very rustic and charming, with a downstairs bar that has a stage for performances and shuffleboard as well. There's also plenty of board games to borrow while you enjoy another glass of blackberry ale. A great establishment from top to bottom. Somebody bring me a glass of that blueberry lager please!
(4)
Christa M.
I am not a Seattle resident, but every time we visit we make it a point to eat here. I have a gluten allergy, so I am forever in love with this place for having a 100% GF kitchen.. It gets 3 stars for that right off the bat. BUT the other two stars were earned because the Food. Is. Amazeballs. Where do I begin. The ribeye was really flavorful and tender and perfect. The fish and chips were crispy and delicious. They used to have a short rib dish that was BOMB, but I don't see it on the menu anymore. Their brunch was good, but not quite as impressive as the dinner menu. They've got a good variety of cocktails and ciders for different tastes. Their dessert menu is also pretty awesome... The first time we went, we had a warm apple cobbler type dish (with ice cream, obviously) that was scrumptious. The chocolate torte is super dense and dark--almost bitter, not too sweet. But the real reason I am writing this review is the mother *#%+ing CHEESECAKE. I am going to go out on a limb and say it was the best cheesecake I have ever had. Cheesecake is one of my favorite foods, but my husband usually doesn't care much for it. We both agreed that this cheesecake was on another level. They use sliced almonds for the crust, which I wasn't sure about when I read the description, but it was actually really nice. And the filling was just so creamy and perfect. I kept spooning it into my face despite being totally stuffed. I had multiple foodgasms. I will be dreaming about that cheesecake for years to come. The service is pretty good. The staff is nice. The kitchen can be a bit on the slow side sometimes, but you can't rush perfection. In conclusion: Go to Capitol Cider. Get a cheesecake. Put your face in it. You can thank me later.
(5)
Katalin S.
Visiting from out of town and was very excited to try this 100% gluten free kitchen. The food was AMAZING. We had the calamari and shrimp skewers to start, which were packed with flavor. The fried calamari was crisp and delicious. For dinner our group had the scallops, fish fry, pork loin, and the appetizer chicken sausage and cauliflower. The risotto with the pork loin was delicious and had a great blend of flavors. Thinking we were just getting a side to compliment our meals, the cauliflower ended up being voted the favorite; definitely recommend adding it to any meal. The only "meh" was that the service was a tad slow. It was busy (and loud), our waiter was very friendly and helpful with recommendations, but there was quite a bit of waiting for ordering. Everything was worth the wait, though.
(4)
Stina K.
I've been here twice. First time had a 3 star experience and came in the summer around 7pm, went downstairs to the bar and the place had a good crowd. The cider I feel is overpriced however they have a decent selection. For a place that strictly cider though I have had better cider, but they have shuffle board and is a clean establishment so its acceptable. Second time coming here is why it has a 1 star. Came around 11:30pm on a Friday, place was packed which is typical for Capitol Hill on a Friday but seemed like they were way over capacity in the downstairs bar, it was hard to move around. However I left soon after not because of that but because of the mistreatment from the bouncer. Me and my friends had eaten at the Honey Hole (go there if you haven't!) right before so we all had the complimentary lollipops they give you at the end of the meal. Not a big lollipop mind you, it was a DumDum so the size of a penny. We walked in and the bouncer told me I could bring any outside food cause they were a gluten-free place. I looked at him incredulously and he repeated himself. I then asked if he was serious and he replied "you know how this goes". No buddy I do not! He then said I could either finish my penny sized lollipop outside or throw it away. I then was like wow fine (since my friends wanted to stay) and just chopped the rest of the lollipop in line. After when I said I was finish, he told me I had to go outside and throw it away and wouldn't let me throw it in the garbage inside even though it was pouring rain outside. It's like so let me get this straight, some how my penny sized lollipop is a health hazard to gluten free people so I am not even allowed to throw the old stick away in the garbage... cause you know how gluten free people LOVE digging through and eating old garbage, wouldn't want to contaminate it (/end sarcasm). The whole experience was just all kinds of ridiculous
(1)
Jenny L.
This is purely a review of the food. I ordered a large chop salad, the bill was $15. For that price I was expecting a pretty delicious salad, but it was not robust with vegetables as the menu described and the dressing not good. Two or three baby tomatoes, a couple spears of asparagus, and half an avocado. I had to grab some food from the QFC before my meeting. I was bummed. Steer clear of the salads here, the other entrees are probably great.
(1)
H K.
A GF kitchen! Woohoo! The food was all very good, even my gluten eating friends didn't realize everything on the menu was GF. The cider selection is pretty large, there's something for every taste buds here. This is more of a restaurant type atmosphere than a bar/pub, but we've gone there a couple times just for drinks.
(4)
Paula M.
I've died and gone to gluten free heaven. And even if you aren't gluten free--which my dinner companion was not, the fish and chips are the best you will ever have. Really. Try the grilled carrots. They are better than a vegetable has the right to be. The accompanying sauce was so good I wanted to have a bowl of it to devour. The Waldorf was great too. And the fried zucchini is, well, great fried zucchini. And how often do get that if you are GF? The selection of alcohol is extensive. And fantastic. Great cocktail menu. If you are a gin drinker they have Plymouth. The only thing that was lacking was the desert menu--the bananas foster cake was not good. The apple Brown Betty was just okay. Still, everything else was so good, amazing actually, that I can't give it less than five stars.
(5)
Abby T.
Stepped in for a quick birthday drink with some friends, ended up having the "purple haze" (blackberry sage) cider and the fish and chips. The cider was OK, nothing amazing. The fish and chips were pretty good (perfectly cooked Cod inside), if only a little too crispy around the edges (almost chipped a tooth!), and over salted. I will say that while the food presentation was lovely, it was completely impractical. My two medium sized pieces of cod were hanging on for dear life aboard their tiny wooden raft stuffed with french fries that were constantly being sacrificed to the not so clean table we were seated at. Poor fries... they may also have been attempting to jump overboard in order to flee the pool of salt they were laying in? There is a large dining room on the main level that looks great for a dinner, and the menu looked tasty as well. We were down in the basement which was incredibly loud - don't plan on being able to hear the person sitting 3 inches from you. There is shuffleboard down there, and a meager selection of board games as well. Over all it's pretty cozy with a tasty looking dinner menu and a fairly large selection of different ciders ranging from about $6-$9 (they do also have about 6 beers on tap), but it's loud, and they are slow as hell.
(3)
Chloe W.
Great place for the college age crowd. Downstairs is where the party is, especially near the end of the week. I love that the cider list is always changing and there's almost always a pepper cider of some sort. The staff is great, when I go it's always packed and they really deal with the crowd great.
(4)
Stephanie M.
Grungy bar. This place is super grungy - maybe that's what you're looking for. They have shuffle board in the basement which is fun, but the crowd is REALLY mixed.
(2)
Nina H.
The ciders here are great and they have a huge selection... but the food... not so great. The six of us ordered the huge platter that consisted of cod, vegetables and potatoes I think. It didn't look like a lot of food for six people even though it said it was enough to feed everyone. Not sure if I'm just not a fan of gluten-free food or what, but the food seemed bland and there wasn't anything special about it. The fries are pretty good though. They were well-seasoned and the thicker kind. The atmosphere is fun and chill if you are looking to have a drink or two, but I'd skip the food. I really enjoyed my New England cider.
(3)
Wing M.
What a charming place. Capitol Cider is pretty nice to visit on a Monday night. I visited the bar on a Monday night underneath the restaurant. They have a sort of open mic performance in which people gather to jam. I was amazed at how well the musicians played despite the rotating members. As for the drinks, their selection is pretty interesting. They have ciders from Oregon, California, Washington and the UK. My favorite so far is called Atlas Hard Apricot Cider. You can literally smell the Apricot. It's tasty. Service at the bar is pretty good. I received my orders rather quick and their manner is nice. The biggest thing going for them is that they are able to maintain such a laid back atmosphere. The staff are laid back and they have shuffle board on the side for anyone to play. It's free for everyone. Shuffle board and a nice cider is a mean combination. This is a cool place to go hang out with friends.
(4)
Katie K.
Yet another great happy hour spot in Capitol Hill. I was excited to check them out last week, since they focus on cider instead of beer like so many other places. As expected for the season, they had a great pumpkin cider on tap, and plenty of other ciders to try. From the happy hour menu, I also had the warm lentil salad, which was hearty without being heavy. I also had the "fish bucket" which was a happy-hour sized fish and french-fries plate; the fish could have done with a little less breading. They have a large room downstairs where the show all the Seattle Sounders games - so it's a good option for sports-watching.
(4)
Trisha F.
I hate to give Capitol Cider a bad review because they've got an amazing concept (classy ambiance, delicious food, great cider on tap, game room below) but there is absolutely no excuse for such abhorrent service. I never leave less than 20%, and it chaps my hide to do that here. What happened to my blonde server downstairs? Did she get cut early and no one took over my booth? Did she die? I guess I'll never know, sitting here without a drink or a check in after an hour of neglect.
(2)
Orkhan M.
Horrible service. The server spilled on me (which happens and I am ok with it) but didn't even offer a napkin. When I asked she brought a towel from a kitchen which didn't work well for soaking the drink that she spilled on me. We had to wait an hour to get the cider that we ordered, servers were very slow and clumsy. We got normal menus and we have finally decided to order calamari but the server said that it is not on the menu anymore, and brought a late night menu. At the end the restaurant charged us 20% tip because we were a large party of 8 people. Which is ok by me (restaurant policy) but I wouldn't want to leave such a tip for such horrible service.
(1)
Tom A.
BUYER BEWARE! I opened a tab here a week ago and bought four drinks, totaling about $20. Now, there are four charges on my credit card ranging from $20-$40, and totaling over $120. Filed dispute with bank. Called Capitol Cider. Will never return and never recommend.
(1)
Trina D.
A gastropub with just ciders on tap?! Why don't they have these back home? I'd be a loyal patron. Capitol Cider has some amazing ciders on tap. I tried the d's Wicked Baked Apple cider and it rocked my world. I want some of it now. It tastes like drinking unfiltered fresh apple cider and that's really amazing. The food we ordered was just ok. I ordered a green salad and we shared the cheese plate. They are GLUTEN-FREE! Service was great and the place was poppin' on a Saturday night. Great place if you're a fan of alcoholic cider.
(5)
J P.
5 stars for ciders, 3 stars for food. I had the chicken sausage (bland) and grilled asparagus (tasty). We tried a flight of 5 barrel aged ciders, which was a good way to experiment. But their draft menu needs more description than abv since so many of the ciders on tap are pretty obscure. Service was good. Table arrangement upstairs was awkward, so close we felt like we were on the awkward date happening next to us. (It wasn't going well, he could do better)
(4)
Polly B.
Cider House? More like Salt House. (snark, snark, snark) I was incredibly excited to hear about Cider House, as the only alcoholic beverage I like is cider. It's all I order, which means if I'm lucky, have one, maybe two cider options. Cider House was going to be my new best friend. So, just like any blossoming friendship, I added them on facebook, instagram, etc. I was so excited to finally meet this pen pal. People were out there, who were just like me, who would understand me and my Cider needs! FOOD The beet salad: Very small portion, marinated in vinegar and too much salt. Like Old Sage, but somehow less food, less flavor/less thought for the same price. Old Sage takes their sweet time, Cider House seemed rushed and not much consideration for how the result should taste. The chicken and salt sala... I mean spinach salad. Like the famous Quinn's crispy chicken, in salt, with a salt sauce, salty potatoes, and salty spinach. Cider House's chicken was perfectly cooked. The duzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........ck Bland. Boring. The Ann Veal of water fowl dishes. THE "HOUSE": They have a good idea of their concept, and though not perfectly executed, the ambiance was pulled off better than the food. Very small tables, our plates and drinks barley fit. Perhaps this is an attempt to make your portions look bigger? Tables are also too tight together. I was rather distracted from my meal partner in front of me by the people next to us, talking in appropriate restaurant volume, about their experiences in therapy. Glad everyone's well, but seemed a little personal. By the end of the meal, I not only knew that this was their first date, but also there life stories and diagnostic history. I hope they had a second date; they seemed nice together. /sigh Also... Cool portraits on the walls. Pretty plates from Churchill's. THE SERVICE Not helpful or friendly. No smiling. No one smiled. At all. All night! Was asked by three different staff members if we were dining or just in for drinks before we were given a table. No one told us to just wait for a minute or that someone would be right with us. We just stood there awkwardly for a long while. When I considered sending my food back, but I decided not to as I did not feel comfortable doing that because of the experience with the staff. CIDER Long list, no descriptions. Asked server for her opinions and more info on the ciders... uncomfortably long pause. I want to go to a cider house to experience new cider tastes and learn more about them. When I heard about Cider House I thought it might have descriptions like Elysian for beer or like a wine bar. When we left, we walked across the street to QFC for a cheap oven pizza. For $70, we shouldn't have left feeling more hungry and parched that when we walked in. I feel like these menu items have become cliche in Capitol Hill. The chicken, the beets, the friets. Here are the issues that comes with this: 1) When items become cliche, kitchens stop trying. 2) When the menu items are nearly exactly the same, your mistakes and prices are magnified. It's insulting to eat the same dish, made worse, at the same or higher prices than the restaurant down the street. My mouth felt dry and dehydrated for hours. Cider House isn't really a one star, as I didn't find bugs in my food, but the expense for the low quality and quantity is kind of a kick in the stomach. I am disappointed. I really hoped I had found my place. I didn't and feel a bit ripped off in the process. This experience is why Yelp should offer 1/2 stars. Capitol Cider is less of a penpal, and more of a bad Tinder date.
(1)
Luchenzo D.
I haven't eaten here, but the basement part of this joint is my favorite place to hang in Capitol Hill. Good selection of craft ciders and beers, and excellent cheap can options too! They have a plethora of board games, so you'll never be bored! Wordplay! It gets a little too cramped for comfort some weekends, as will any place in the area, but for me it provides the best balance of atmosphere, selection and value.
(5)
Sarah M.
You really can't go wrong with a gastropub that has bunches and bunches of ciders on tap. I had a hard time finding this place and ended up parking in a sketchy lot across the street where I got a contact high. Besides that though, I really liked this place for happy hour! I didn't have anything to eat so I can't speak to the food - but I went to the downstairs area with some friends and we were some of the first there. We had a big group of people so we took over the big table pretty quickly. The service was great, the cider options were interesting...I had one that had something like black pepper in it. It wasn't my favorite, but I figured that if I was going to be at a cider place, I might as well try something new. I'd like to come back and try the food here the next time.
(4)
kim h.
i have to give this place all 5 stars. They were extremely accommodating for my obnoxious work party we put together. First the reservation was very last minute bc the other manager was extremely indecisive then all 15 of us showed up early. They let us sit downstairs and get drinks while they continued to set up. how nice! they had a lot of interesting ciders and the beer list was small but very impressive!!! they transferred us and our tabs upstairs. we ordered food and rounds of drinks. the food was a little pricey and nothing spectacular but the presentation was nice. it did take quite a while to get our check but she split everything 15 ways with the drinks from downstairs! this was very convenient for us but to get that all accurate would probably take a minute. they got an extra star for rock star service and accommodations for our loud crew of ladies :)
(5)
Sarah T.
I've been to Capitol Cider many times and up until recently would have given it a 4-5 star rating. I had also only ever spent time in the bar, and if I have any recommendations I would suggest you spend your time and money downstairs as well. The bar is FABULOUS. It has free shuffleboard, friendly and knowledgable waiters and bartenders, and while loud, is usually really fun. The restaurant upstairs is really not great for large groups. I went with for a friend's birthday, and the waitress was probably the worst I've ever experienced. It took her nearly 30 minutes to take my drink order then never came back around to ask if I wanted another. Everyone's food took over an hour to come to the table, and after asking for our checks it was another 30-40 minutes. In addition, she didn't know anything about the beers I asked questions about on the menu. Would I go back to Capitol Cider? Definitely, just only to the bar.
(3)
Jennica S.
Baked potato croquettes. A-freaking-plus. If I were to ever go to Seattle again, I would come back and order every last baked potato croquette from Capitol Cider. I was told Capitol Hill was a cool spot to bar hop, so my boyfriend and I decided to just drink somewhere since we were in the area. Capitol Cider was really packed, but luckily there was one table outside that was open, so we were seated pretty quickly. My boyfriend is a beer drinker, not so much cider, but he was surprised at how good the Hopp'd cider tasted (a little bitter), and how strong the 8.5% cider (forgot which one) actually was. I got a very floral cocktail. It had soju in it, and I love soju, but I was a little hesitant because I was not sure if Seattle knew how San Diego soju is done. The cocktail was called Lilac Tree, and it was alright. Our waiter was sweet! She managed to check up on us a lot, even if she just peaked over without saying anything. The #1 thing about this place were the baked potato croquettes, though.
(4)
Claire S.
Dropped by on a Sunday afternoon to kill some time with a few glasses of cider (seriously loving that Seattle seems to be big on this great stuff!). We were seated in a tight, slightly sticky corner, without a lot of elbow room between ours and the next table. It wasn't a huge deal, at least. We stuck with cider flights, which weren't bad at all, but nothing to write home about. Decent experience, overall.
(3)
Kate J.
I've been here a few times for drinks. They have a really large, diverse list of ciders. I've tried probably about 1/2 dozen over my visits, and while I've liked some better than others, it's been really interesting trying such a diversity. For what it's worth, I don't find the atmosphere too hipster. I think it's cozy in a throwback kind of way, without being too cliche. I've also had good service with friendly staff when I've been here.
(4)
Roonarian X.
My good friend came to visit from out of town; she has celiac's and I am under-informed on the GF restaurants around here since I do not have a problem with gluten. I asked around and was recommended Capitol Cider by another gluten-free friend who has extensive dining expertise! I researched the place and took my visitor based on reviews on Yelp. We were there in the early afternoon when brunch was wrapping up. We were reassured by the server that everything in the establishment is GF-there's no cross-contamination risk. The atmosphere was so chill and rustic, and the ceilings were high. It just felt spacious and relaxing; I kind of liked it even before the food came out. We each ordered a flight of ciders (Sea Cider Farms Pippins and some others). My friend ordered a burger and I ordered fish and chips. I'm pretty cutthroat when it comes to fish and chips, to be honest. These were crunchy, light, the fish was perfect inside (really hot and not the least bit over-cooked), and the (kind of shoe-string-like) chips had the spuddy earthiness I love. The tartar sauce was lovely too. I pretty much always need fish and chips and have no restrictions around gluten, so I am lucky to have stumbled upon this gem, because I will go back to Capitol Cider just to order it again. Removing 1 star because the service- while friendly enough - was extraordinarily/confusingly slow for early PM/hardly any customers.
(4)
Elizabeth C.
After coming here for a yelp event a few months ago, I made it a priority to come back to Capitol Cider again! I finally did last weekend and I'm so glad I came back. Capitol Cider is a super chill place to hang in the middle of what can be a pretty overwhelming nightlife scene. You can't always be in the mood to fight the crowds at Unicorn--sometimes you just want to plunk down with a couple friends and have some delicious cider. They have great food to accompany the ciders on tap, and I like the fact that they have a dining room upstairs and a bar downstairs--two separate environments in the same place! Service is great, too. I can tell they are really passionate about the food and drink here, and about the customers. The table next to us told the guy upstairs that they were househunting in Seattle, and he spent at least ten minutes giving them advice on the different neighborhoods in the area. That's going above and beyond! My only complaint is about the layout--the two-person tables in the dining room are squished so close together that it's like the pair next to you is part of your conversation. If you're fine with a cozy setting, though, then that's not really an issue. I haven't been here for a full meal yet, but for drinks and apps, I'm giving a thumbs up!
(4)
Michael B.
Good atmosphere - a lot of neat things to look at. Friendly staff. A lot of beers on tap. I really thought this place was going to have good food - pictures all looked delicious! Lame food - meatballs were cold and no flavor. Baked potatoes were lacking flavor but good concept - had a sauce of some sort but just a plain sauce. Pork belly was very small - size of a piece of bacon and no flavor at all. Sarah the waitress was very nice and at tentative. Really wished food was better because everything else was great! Next.
(2)
Gentle V.
Overall, I give Capitol Cider 3.5 stars. You won't find Mike's Hard Lemonade here, which is probably a good thing. If you're looking to get "krunked" on cider, that's truly not possible when it comes to this refreshing apple drink. However, Capitol Cider is a cool place to hang out with friends. Any place with old timey Victorian-style paintings on the wall is fine by me. Here are my thoughts: -Food/Drinks: 3 stars -Customer Service: 4 stars -Atmosphere: 4 stars -Cost: 3 stars Overall Experience: 3.5 stars I recently went there to celebrate a friend's birthday. I ordered a cider on tap for $6, which was inexpensive and tasty. Like spiked apple juice, it was crisp and tasty. I didn't try their food, except for a side order of handcut fries with aioli mustard sauce ($7). It was pretty darn delicious! However, as other Yelpers have commented, the food plates are beautifully arranged on wooden blocks, but the portions looked tiny for the price. If you want to try different types of cider, come to Capitol Cider. The variety is great and they offer flight options (i.e. small samplers of 3 different kind of ciders).
(4)
Vik M.
I really, really want to LOVE this place. They have a variety of cider, delicious food, and provide me with a peek into what the cool kids wear in Seattle now a days.... The bartenders in the basement are aloof whenever the crowd starts spilling in. The past two times that I have gone (outside of the one yelp event) has resulted in waiting at least 20 minutes to cash out and needing to fix the bill at least once. The cider selection and beer selection deserve five stars. The food, four stars, is a bit expensive but delicious. The wait staff needs to either increase to learn to manage the crowd size after 5 pm. Also, they should not say they fill growlers if they charge the price of a glass (4-5 times over). The point of a growler fill is that it is a bit cheaper than ordering 5 glasses of cider since you don't have to wash 5 glasses at the end of your day. Ugh, very frustrating. I do recommend this place to anyone wanting to try a drink or two before the night life seeps in. I do NOT recommend getting growler fills here, it is a rip off. Also, their creme brulee changes seasonally and is delicious every single time.
(3)
Brandon A.
The atmosphere is good, the service friendly but the food is HORRIBLE. I don't know if they have a chef or if everything comes from a premade box. We ordered the potato balls, pork belly, and the meatballs to start prior to ordering dinner. The potato balls were generally bland, the pork belly tasted like week old ham, and the meatballs.... This little bastards were freezing cold inside... Evidently premade a few days prior. It was all shit. Don't come here unless they get someone to cook proper food.
(2)
Thao N.
This is one of our mandatory spots to "prefunking" or "pregaming" whenever we go out in Capitol Cider. There was this one spot that we used to go dancing at a lot just down the street so this is close by enough that it was easy to monitor at how long the line was at 95 Slide. The atmosphere is super chilled. There's 2 floors because upstairs is a normal restaurant, but downstairs is strictly 21 plus, it is a bar although there are plenty of seats and tables to sit at. They have their specialties here, I don't think most people come for typical club drinks like AMF's here. The bathroom downstairs is the tiniest thing ever, I am super tiny myself so I question at how the hell others fit to even close the door. HAHAHA.
(4)
Allison R.
A friend suggested we go here for dinner and some cider. I don't drink alcohol, and therefor was only interested in the food. My friends all ordered a cider and I looked at how the menu only has 6 or 7 entrees all around the $20 price range. Not super excited to spend $20 on fish and chips. My friends start looking at the menu too... $7 for french fries... $6 for side salad... $12 for chef salad... $23 for salad for the table... $14 for 4 3oz cider flights... yeah.. we're not eating here. We got an order of calamari for the table for $10 and it was only a handful of greasy squid pieces arranged decoratively with some mint leaves. The sauce wasn't anything special either. The atmosphere is very hipster and the staff are extremely rude. The waitress was vocally not pleased with us when we looked at the food menu and decided not to order food.
(1)
Alden C.
I have been here twice. The basis of my review doesn't involve the food that is offered here but only their cider options since both times it only involved cider drinking rather than eating. The first time I was here I got a hot pepper cider which was excellent, crisp and certainly got your attention! The second time I was here I got a Lavender Currant cider which was extremely refreshing on the hot summer day where I meandered through Cap Hill. They have an impressive tap list with lots of different options and choices so if you want something more than the typical cider this is a good place to start!
(5)
Willy M.
Came to Capitol Cider for a drink with a friend and it was a good choice to start the evening with. Door entry is a little small for some weird reason, so you doods that work out too much, walk in sideways. Anyways, bar was full so we ended up getting a table. Nice looking bar/restaurant, nice dark woods, portraits of the Presidents, felt very comfy & relaxing here. I dont drink cider very much but their menu had plenty of choices to select from. So we got the black currant cider and the green goblin cider. No particular reason we selected these, I mainly chose it because of the cool green goblin name. Black Currant was tasty but tasted like grape juice at a church communion, but all in a very good way and would totally order it again. Green Goblin was delicious as well, nice apple flavor with a little tartness, maybe named because of green apples? Whatever, it was good. We thought to ourselves that this could be dangerous as we could have drank plenty more and more and more. We also got an order of calamari to share as well, very tasty, nice & salty, good spice mix on it, nice dipping sauce and good presentation on a cribbage looking wood board. Tasty pickled onions on top were great too! Portion is pretty small for the cost. Service was fine, servers were real nice and quick. We only stayed for 1 drink but a place I would definitely come back to.
(4)
Ronald S.
SO UNFAIR! Seattle has all these interesting cider destinations. Back home, we got nothing. No cider bars, no cidercentric restaurants, no cider makers. If you like cider, this is the place you should go. We were in town for a few days and every night ended here. If it looks busy from outside just go in - there is a downstairs! Tremendous selection of ciders. The only real problems are the place was usually packed (we were here during Cider Week) and the service wasn't really all that responsive. Yah, I am not some young pushy chick trying to get a woodchuck. All that aside, Cheers to you Capitol, you guys rock!
(4)
Shae Lynn W.
We had a fantastic dinner tonight, great food, great cider, great service. My husband and I shared the baked potato croquettes and a baby green salad. He had the burger and loved it, and although I'm not confident a person used to eating gluten buns would have been as impressed, he said it was the best gluten-free burger he's had in the 9 months he's been gluten-free. I had the chicken sausage with sauerkraut and mustard and was very pleased. The sausage was juicy and subtly flavored with great balance. As someone who eats gluten, I elected to stay away from food that had gluten substitutions and work more off the sizable sections of the menu that just didn't need gluten at all. Our service experience was great--they prefer you make reservations online but since a glitch on our phones wouldn't allow us to make a reservation for tonight, they happily did it the old-fashioned way (I was expecting to be told we'd just have to hope there was a table available). Our server was friendly, helpful, and attentive and engaged us just the right amount. I know nothing about cider but our server helped us choose a flight and we enjoyed sampling the very different varieties we were brought!
Went there on a Friday night. There is a seated dining area upstairs and downstairs is a bar area with long communal tables, with some other tables scattered about. We had a large party, and it was late in the night, so definitely were not able to find seating for all of us downstairs. We went upstairs, and had to wait for a few minutes, but we were able to get a table for all of us. Tons of ciders to choose from. And four different flights. I did a pear flight. There are also beer and liquor options for the non-cider drinkers. Didn't really want to eat any food, but they do have a gluten free menu. Ended up snacking on popcorn, which came on savory or sweet. Chose the savory and was greatly disappointed, probably should choose sweet next time or skip it altogether. Love the ambience. Decent place to grab a drink or two with your peeps.
(3)
Ryan C.
This place serves a great selection of ciders at a fairly normal price. Great place for a drink or 2! That being said...do not buy food here. It was $18 for they Happy Hour burger... The burger was super small and wasnt that good. This place has the cider selection down! But until there are reasonable food options i wont be returning often.
(3)
Jordan C.
My favorite bar of all time. This is exactly the bar I would start if I had any idea of how to do such a thing. Amazing, huge tap and bottle selection of both cider and beer. My favorites are the Eric Bordelet Cidre and the Finnriver Black Currant. Delicious food. And it's all gluten free! They don't advertise it anywhere, but in fact their food is GF. And no one knows it - meaning that it tastes just as good as regular non-glutard fare. The decor is a knock out, with deep, comfy booths, dark walls, large oil paintings, and a large downstairs with games, including pool, and a live DJ on weekends. The service is great; friendly, and the owner is often wandering about being knowledgeable and giving out samples. He's become my Cider Sommelier - I tell him the mood I'm in and he brings me something mind-blowing. Just go! You'll be glad you did.
(5)
P Lynn P.
Great bar - booths high enough for private conversation; personable waitress; great cider. We had the cheese plate and it was delicious. It was just drinks and snacks for us on a Sunday afternoon and what a great place to relax and "chill" after a day of sight-seeing.
(5)
S D.
Ciders were really good. The appetizers, not so much. The charcuterie plate, potato croquettes and wings were all strictly average. They have some pretty delicious ciders. Try the flights - you get to try a bunch of ciders all at once!
(3)
Ashley D.
I recommended this place to a group of friends when we were out on Cap Hill and convinced them to try out the place for some awesome cider and to play some board games. Unfortunately Capitol Cider did not live up to my high praise, and I disappointed my group of friends when we had an absolutely terrible experience. When we arrived we went to the bar area downstairs, though since it was the weekend it was completely packed. We luckily found a table upstairs and figured we would just order drinks there and play one of the board games that they provide for customers. However, once we were seated it was absolutely impossible to get a server to take our drink orders. We tried waving down a server, but they would typically stop to look at us, and then continue walking away. Once one of the servers even stopped, acknowledged that he saw us, and signaled that he would be right over. Instead he went over and talked to another server for a good 20 minutes, and then walked away without ever coming over to help us. We even had someone go up to that server when he never came to help us (at this point we had been here almost an hour trying to get someone to serve us) and ask if we could get a server. He said he would be right over, but that turned out to be a lie. Finally, another person from our group went up to the bar to ask if we could just order drinks there to take back to our table, and he was told that they would send a server over to our table. Another 30 minutes went by before the server (who didn't ever give us his name by the way- but I asked another server who told me his name is Tim) who had been avoiding us all night came over to the table. When he came to our table he was very rude and never even apologized for the ridiculously long wait. The table was wet and we asked if we could get napkins to wipe the water up with, but which he never brought. He then asked us if we were ready to order our drinks despite never giving us any menus. When we said no, we needed menus first he got extremely irritated and stormed off. Finally, a woman server named Jamie came over and actually brought us water and menus. She also came and mopped up the water that was all over the table. She took our orders and also provided recommendations, which was helpful. Although, she got my drink wrong and never came back to the table, so I wasn't able to get the correct drink that I had ordered. Right after she brought our drinks, Tim came over and rudely asked if we were leaving and demanded that we pay the check (which we hadn't even received). When we said that we just got our drinks he didn't respond and just stood there awkwardly staring at us for a bit. Then he demanded again we pay our check so we told him fine, then bring the check. We had been planning on ordering more than one drink but with the terrible experience we'd had so far we were happy for a chance to get the hell out of there. We made sure to specify that we wanted the checks separate as each person would be paying separately. He didn't return with the checks for another half an hour, but when he did he told us that he didn't know how to make the checks separate and instead he just split the check evenly. This made absolutely no sense, especially since some people ordered very expensive drinks while others ordered very cheap drinks. When we told him this, he essentially told us too bad, that we would just have to deal with it. We then gave him our cards and a couple people were paying in cash. He said that he couldn't take cash (which also makes no sense) and that he would just increase the amount everyone else was paying and that the people paying cash should just give pay their share to everyone at the table. This server was rude and a complete and absolute mess. We ended up being here for hours, only to get one drink. Plus, the drink that I ordered wasn't even the correct drink and I ended up having to subsidize those people who ordered expensive drinks and essentially had to pay for other peoples' drinks since the people with cash didn't know how to split the money between everyone and only had high denominations of cash (that should have been easily accepted by the waiter). While I brought friends here all the time, after that extremely terrible experience I don't think I would ever return.
(1)
J S.
The cider I tried on the waitress' suggestion for a dry, tart cider was pretty bland - there wasn't anything dry or tart about it, and it was pretty sweet. I ordered the poutine and it was ridiculously salty - the fries were salty, the gravy was really salty, and overall the level of salt just made me feel sick and I didn't end up finishing it. My compatriots each got the fish and chips and they said that their fries were similarly overly-salty. I guess if you like salt and want to pay a lot for it, this is a place to go.
(2)
Annie G.
This place is amazing! Our bartender Eddie gave us several ciders to taste that he thought would go well with our meal. We ended up having an apple pie cider and a cranberry tart cider that was amazing with our fish and chips. My husband is not gf and normally scoffs at the gf options, but he inhaled his fish and chips faster than I did! The atmosphere was great, the service was great, the food was top notch! I highly recommend visiting Capitol Cider whether you're gluten free or not!
(5)
Kiki M.
I am indifferent to cider. I would rather have a beer if I had the choice. Some friends really dig cider and wanted to check this place out. I obliged because it was a new establishment therefore I wanted to check out the ambiance, the food, and maybe get a cider. Capitol Cider reminded me of Smith except there were more paintings less taxidermy. This is definitely the rich hipsters hang out. Lots of wood, dark tones, a pretty fantastic light fixtures, mod decorations to the back, with skinny waitresses that look like they just got back from a photo shoot. Thankfully the two ladies that helped us didn't have the air of superiority. My friend informed me there was a downstairs with games a plenty but we never ventured down. The offerings...expensive. Not the place to go for a cheap bite or cider. I immediately went to the beer selection because I didn't want to pay, starting, at $7 for a cider. The food was upscale. You could get lamb or pulled pork poutine, shephard's pie, fish and chips that came in at a whopping $15 a pop. With it being Father's Day the special was a surf and turf that was $20. I had the pulled pork poutine and a beer, my fellow had the lamb poutine with a non--alcoholic cider, my friend had the fish and chips and a cider, and her boyfriend had the surf and turf with a cider. I saw the waitress coming towards us with a tray of drinks. She slowed down and stopped in front of our table and I thought she had made a mistake. There were two glasses of wine, a beer, and one other drink. I was the one that was wrong. What I had assumed was wine was actually cider. You do not get a pint glass of the stuff here. You get a taste for much more money than you would pay at a regular bar. The food was great. My pulled pork poutine was nothing I had tasted before and while I was satisfied with my decision I don't know if the size was worth $11. My friend's surf and turf looked delicious but I thought much more food should have been included for the price. My friend who got the fish and chips was stiffed, I think, because she got two small pieces of fish. I suppose because it was cod that made the price increase? Overall, Capitol Cider was a pleasant experience but the price and the fact you can get a pint of cider or a bottle of the stuff somewhere else much cheaper will be the factor that keeps me from coming back again.
(3)
T G.
You've heard a lot of the good already. And I'll repeat, the location is great, the atmosphere is awesome, and the food it tasty. But here's some of the bad: The prices--on the drinks and the food--are simply not appropriate, particularly for the beer. Mac & Jack's should never cost $6 a pint. Ever. Seriously. From my perspective, everything on the menu appeared to be about $1 or $2 over priced, until you got to the bottles--which appeared to be way overpriced.
(2)
Anthony S.
The basement area is cool and the cider selection is extensive and top notch. But the shuffle board is very distracting and gives the bar a frat house, classless atmosphere. Waste of space in my view. Luckily lots of cider choices in the neighborhood.
(3)
Adam C.
While I have been here twice and purchased four beverages, I have yet to find one that I even liked, let alone loved. But I am going to chalk that up to my experimenting with ordering beers and ciders I've never heard of. I've just not been lucky here. Yet I still give this place top marks. Why? Atmosphere. I've only spent time in the downstairs room and I've only been on weekends, when it's been pretty packed, but it just has a great vibe. It's one of the few places in Seattle where I find myself engaged in conversations with random strangers. It's worth spending some time to check out the details in the mural on the back wall. Long shuffleboard tables make for some friendly competition, and there is a huge selection of board games you can just play. I haven't yet seen the little stage in use, but I presume it will totally compliment the rest of the scene there. I'll find a drink on one of the numerous rotating taps that I will like, or I'll move on to hard liquor. In any case, this place is a lot of fun and a place I'll bring more friends to.
(5)
Ray T.
I came here strictly for the drinks and to experience something a little more refined than the typical pub. With that said, excellent selection of ciders, and the downstairs bar is a decent place to have a good loud time. The upper-tier dive atmosphere made for a fun get-together, and the more quiet upstairs is available if you want to hear each other talk :)
(4)
Don'tpostmyname L.
Just OK; probably won't return unless another friend insists. The service was incredibly, painfully slow. Turns out I don't like cider very much, which I can't fault the place for, but then I tried cocktails and didn't like their recipes much. The food was tasty, albeit costly. I appreciated the gluten free aspect, and the atmosphere was great.
(3)
Connor Q.
Had the clams here w/ chorizo. Pretty good but seemed more like an appetizer to share? I had some of my girlfriends fish and chips and they were really good. Cool place with lots of drink selections.
(4)
Becca B.
I was really excited for this place to open. Gluten free menu AND delicious ciders? What's not to love? A friend and I went earlier this week for dinner and I was super disappointed. We ordered food and 30 minutes later had to flag someone down (not our server) to ask about our food. Our server came over and said the cook went home and the fill-in cook is new so things could take a bit. We waited another 15-20 minutes. Still no food or acknowledgement from our server. We left cash on the table for our drinks and walked out. Then the server chased us down and asked if we wanted to pay for our drinks...? No apologies or offer to compensate for the inconvenience. I'm not looking for a free meal. I'm happy to pay...when the food and service are adequate (at a minimum). Sidenote: This was the second time my friend went to Capitol Cider. The first time she went she ordered fries and they weren't delivered...so she's ordered food twice and never eaten there. The good news is that the cider selection is fabulous. Finn River on tap may be enough to bring me back. I really want to support this business but they need to get their mess together. It looks like other people have had mediocre experiences with service and food. I hope the folks at Capitol Cider are paying attention to the feedback.
(2)
Andre V.
Don't know how this place doesn't have five stars yet. Great ciders on tap, and the menu has taken a good step forward since opening. My goto place on the hill.
(5)
Angela K.
Fantastic! Great gluten free food and an amazing array of ciders, at a price that was very reasonable. Took a group of 24 people last night. We had made a reservation a week in advance, but when we showed up, they had no record of it. They also had two other 20+ parties at the same time. The manager (?) Nick was very nice, and put together some tables downstairs in the bar for us. We were very pleased to be seated and they were very accommodating with the surprise. Understandably our service was a little slow at first but I was completely satisfied because they did a great job handling the unexpected. And the food was wonderful! And I can't say enough about how happy I was with the extensive cider menu. The entire experience was very pleasant and I was impressed with the way they handled us (I certainly made a reservation in good faith, it wasn't my fault that they did not have a record of it when we arrived, and I can understand how our arrival could throw a wrench into their operations. But they handled it very well and although we got off to a rocky start, overall it was a wonderful experience and I will definitely be back!)
(5)
Barbara G.
Overall I liked this place very much. I did have to send my steak back for being undercooked, but the second one came back perfect. Very friendly staff. Had the regional cider flight and liked all of them. Fun place for date night or night out with friends.
(4)
JEsse B.
Finally a cider bar! I'm going to pay the rent on this place from October thru March I swear to god. The food is super good, the drinks are upscale and delicious. I know some think it will be a hipster-magnet but I have to disagree. There isn't a shred of irony behind those doors and this place will be an oasis from the usual douchenozzlery. I can see certain college students and the 35+ crowd hanging here a lot.
(5)
Marlo D.
ARG. we called to make birthday dinner reservations. they said they only do 12 people with a deposit. fine. we anticipated spending the deposit and booked it (minus some booking confusion among employees). we showed up and there were some game tables thrown together with 8 chairs. HELLO people! How are 12 people supposed to do dinner on 3 game tables with a 1" lip on the edge. are we supposed to balance the plates or hold them in our laps? not to mention the more than adequate (in fact, comfortable) 12 person dining table and benches on the other side of the room. Which we were apparently not allowed to occupy. our true status as second class citizens was reinforced when our dinner arrived 1 hour after we ordered it and two people's chairs fell out from underneath them. TWO people. I know it sounds weird, but the floors are painted concrete and the chair bottoms had plastic slides and we were 12 adults smooshed onto an 8 turned 10-top mish mash of game tables. it was hard to get in and out and the chairs were slippery. after dinner a couple people left. now mind you, we had a couple servers half-assedly only asking for part of the tables' drink orders at any one time, but the second people stood up they ran right over to us and told us to consolidate and give up our table. that really pissed me off. we just ate dinner practically in each other's laps. we finally have some elbow room and now we are being herded around by waitstaff. I'm going to chalk this up to everyone working out the new-bar kinks and give it another shot. but I definitely would do more than drink a beer and have a snack. this is no dinner establishment. The saving grace is that the staff at least seemed knowledgeable on the cider offerings and recommending to me a cider I really liked after I told her I wanted something dry. I have to at least give her credit for that.
(2)
Ian C.
Came here as part of my exploration of The Pike Street night scene. Got a booth seat with my 3 other buddies and we were quickly given a run-down of the extensive list of ciders. Definitely a huge list that had mostly local ciders and from everything from dry to super sweet. The upstairs dining area had a great atmosphere and the share foods were tasty and quick to the table. We headed downstairs and were immediately impressed with the more casual, bar feel with the standing table areas and the two shuffleboard tables at the back. The additional selection of boardgames to play at a table was quite extensive with classics from Scrabble to a few more obscure games like Pirate Fluxx. The bar service downstairs left a bit to be desired but it didn't take anything away from a great night hanging out and enjoying the amazing selection of drink.
(4)
Brian M.
Love the concept, but sadly like many other bars its "cool" to treat patrons like dirt. Took some friends there this past weekend and experienced the worst service by this tall, blonde hair bartender. 1) I am sorry its busy, but its a bar. 2) I was not in a hurry and totally willing to let you deal with the bro who decided to cut in line because his mixed drink wasn't good enough. 3) If you want to charge a customer a minimum for cards, cool, lets put a sign up. Really hope this isn't a common experience and just a fluke.
(2)
Sarah B.
A group of girls met up here on a Saturday night for some birthday drinks. I was excited to try it out because I really like cider. I didn't realize there was an upstairs (smallish restuarant area) and a downstairs (large area with a bar, lots of tables and 2 shuffle boards). We immediately headed downstairs and grabbed a spot at a table near the bar. The downstairs is condusive to larger parties and for also standing around with friends and talking. I liked that there seemed to be a somewhat diverse crowd of people throughout the night (and not just all hipsters :) ) I agree with some of the other reviewers that the drink prices are a little steep. I don't feel too good about spending $10 on a glass of cider. Call me crazy. Overall I think it is a good concept and I like that they have such a big selection of ciders. I do wish the prices weren't quite so high but maybe cider making is expensive? Or maybe I am paying someone's expensive overhead?! Either way I think it is a place worth trying out. I am sure you will find a beer or cider you like and if not there is always shuffle board!!
(3)
Ellie L.
The waitresses are always so rude, the beers are good but the women here are horrible
(1)
Desiree H.
I went during happy hour and I was happy with the entire restaurant seating, fast service, and quiet environment. But, it got packet about an hour later. The selection of ciders was great, I had mead and a nice dry cider that was dry and crisp. I do have to say the prices for local ciders was over the top, but I like the selection. I don't think we will be ordering the 750 sized bottles better to get more variety and cheaper choices with individual orders. The fish and chips were a good happy hour dish, but the zucchini was really bland and was uncreative. We ordered the cobbler for dessert, it had an odd grainy texture, but they were generous in size and berry additions. Great for a drink, skip the food.
(3)
Shilo J.
This place has great food and wonderful ciders unfortunately is quite overpriced on even for Capitol Hill. All that said it does have quite good food and wonderful atmosphere and some of the best ciders I've ever had... I would say it's a five star but it's just too damn expensive.
(3)
Joshua N.
Stopped in to have drinks. The ambiance was fantastic (dark woods and a candle lit feeling upstairs; spacious booths and large front windows; felt early 20th century classy but still had a totally casual atmosphere. Server was very nice; a bit slow and unfamiliar with beer and wines but she was delightfully pleasant. They were out of a local beer I wanted to try, but I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Seattle.
(4)
Hai Yen N.
A scintillating selection of ciders on taps, and also numerous more available by the bottle! On this visit, we tried a pear cider, a super tangy and complex blackcurrant cider, and a light and tart cherry cider. They were all delicious and we left feeling quite buzzed and happy. The food is certainly not an afterthought here. We had two pails of fries because they were so delicious, crisp and oily on the outside and tender on the inside, served with a house made bleu cheese dressing. The cider-marinated beet salad was light and tangy with candied walnuts and arugula. The quinoa salad blew us away! It was flavorful and refreshing with so many different textures from the quinoa to the celery and cucumber to the cherry tomatoes. Not only amazingly delicious and healthy, it was also just plain fun to eat. We sat downstairs which has a beautiful dim and moody atmosphere with dark walls, presidential wall cameos and wood booths. The space is a nice size with a lot of seating as well as standing room to linger and mingle. There's also two shuffleboard tables!
(4)
Dale G.
Upon entering just head downstairs. Trust me. After reading the reviews I ordered the fries which were big enough for dipping although not very crunchy. The aioli was good, but my friend did not like it because I believe it contained tarragon. Ketchup is available upon request. The cheese plate I thought would be a great accompaniment to a nice tart cider and it was. Three kinds of cows milk cheese with half a fig (yes only half), apple chips (sliced too thin), and a raspberry compote. Went great with the ciders, but once we got our bill we discovered our $19.00 cheese plate was half of it. Downstairs is where this place gets all of its character. Large tables for group board games: Scrabble, Sorry, various card games and a much larger bar than upstairs. Chess players grab a table with a board on it as quickly as possible and the surrender your ID to the bartender for the pieces. Shuffleboard had a chalk sign up/score board on the wall. Stay down here to drink and play, mingle if you like. Once you are hungry and hopefully too drunk to care how much your food costs head upstairs for a bite. Our server was very attentive, provided us with samples of the ciders in order of dry to sweet, and was very knowledgable about the menu. TLDR: This is a great place to play and drink downstairs, but don't come in too hungry.
(4)
Michael A.
I really struggled with this review because I wanted it to be 5 stars. Unfortunately, there were a few things I couldn't get past. First, starting with the good, we had the regional and oak barrel flights. They were a lot of fun and we each found our favorites. Also, the cheese plate was amazing and the fish (from the fish and chips) was good. Second, we found the chips of the fish and chips to be just okay, largely because there were a number of either burned or undercooked fries. Finally, rounding out our experience, we were disappointed by the gnocchi because the dish was very watery, the gnocchi itself was too grainy and the sauce was under seasoned. Likewise, though the hostess was friendly, the rest of the service was sorely lacking. No one was disrespectful or anything, but they were the opposite of attentive. No one asked if we needed anything (i.e. ketchup for the fries) or brought us more water, etc. Overall, we're very excited about a gluten free kitchen and applaud their efforts. We plan on going again, possibly for brunch, and giving it another try.
(3)
Robin P.
Positive: Nice selection of beer & cider. Not too noisy upstairs. Poor: Uninspired menu, basic bar food. Oddities include no malt vinegar available for the fish & chips. Shepherd's pie largely inedible - way too much cheese on top (why add cheese?), over-complicated lamb inside, and served with a spoon with which to eat it (impossible to use because of the congealed cheese). Weird: Off putting ID checker, bouncer or local homeless guy guarding the door. Not sure what function he served. Conclusion: Food needs much improvement. Price surprisingly high considering what we ate. Give them a few months (and a new chef) and try again.
(2)
Needles K.
I love apple cider! I will definitely come back to Capitol Cider here as often as I can whenever I'm in Seattle. They offer a rotation of different brands and brews of cider.
(5)
Becca B.
I'm not a cider drinker, but I went with two who are. The server was knowledgeable about the different ciders and found each of them a good one. So, service gets a good score. The food however was mediocre. It's pub food but they're charging a ridiculously high price for it. I had the Pub Salad, and while it had good ingredients, there was a lot of flavor lacking. The dressing was not good and didn't add anything to it. I had a glass of wine which was good, but not worth the $10 I paid for it. The girls both liked their ciders, but felt they were overpriced. The ambiance is nice. We sat upstairs, so didn't see the "fun stuff" downstairs, but am sure it's cool. It has the potential to be a good spot for drinks, but unless they revamp their menu and prices, I doubt it'll be the greatest thing in Seattle.
(2)
Sarah H.
It pains me to only be giving Capitol Cider three stars. I loooove cider and I loooove how big their cider menu is. I don't even mind paying $10 for a small glass of some of the best cider I've ever tasted, but their food is extremely overpriced. A few months ago (the first/last time we ordered food there) I got a kale and quinoa salad. I imagined for $13 that I'd get a heaping pile of salad, but what I received was probably a handful of kale and a handful of quinoa. Even if you're buying strictly organic ingredients and factor in labor and what not, you could hook a sister up with more than a few bites of non-meat-having salad! My boyfriend's fish and chips, costing about $15, consisted of two pieces of fish and fewer fries than you'd get in an order at Dick's. To be fair he said it was good, but...$15! The table service was a little snarky the last few times we went, which is a bummer -- different from the friendly and attentive bartenders if you sit at the bar upstairs, where we usually sit. Last time I grabbed a table for the two of us in the almost empty dining room, not noticing the "Please Wait to Be Seated" sign. My bad, but the waitress virtually stormed up and blurted, "Can I HELP you??" There are more tactful ways of addressing such issues. I'm sure we'll be back for more cider here, but will return to our tactic of sitting at the upstairs bar where the employees are much more gracious.
(3)
Rebecca M.
Great atmosphere, incredible selection, bar food menu is well above average. When it's busy downstairs, don't wait for table service, order at the bar (gave up after waiting 20mins so not sure how long it might actually have taken.)
(4)
Heather F.
I really want to like this place. Their ambiance is fantastic, their cider collection extensive, their kitchen one of the few that I can eat from safely, and on a lazy Saturday afternoon they have pretty decent service. That being said, do NOT go during the dinner hour. I'm pretty sure our waitress stepped out for ten smoke breaks in the time we were stuck without service, because she disappeared. The table next to us was well attended to and I know the waiter there saw that we were waiting...and waiting... AND WAITING for service, but he didn't do anything to fix the issue. We would have gotten dessert, but she took about twenty minutes to come back with the menu. At that rate, we'd have been here for hours before being able to leave. She offered no suggestions, no apologies for us waiting for her, and didn't make an effort to engage at all. It's sad that Capital Hill has retained this "too cool for you" attitude. I would hesitate to return here again.
(2)
Emma M.
The food and drinks were good - the service is the problem!! We were a group of four, and found a table downstairs. It was really unclear if there was table service or if we needed to order from the bar as some tables had servers and other tables were ignored by said servers. We ended up ordering from the bar, and asked to do a flight of ciders. We were told by the decidedly unfriendly girl at the bar that while she "could" pour us cider flights, she would "rather not" because it's "kind of busy" and they are annoying to carry to the tables. Okay....? We ended up leaving earlier than planned because we felt the service was so unfriendly that it wasn't a fun place to have a few drinks and relax. The next day we find out we were DOUBLE CHARGED for our bar tab!! Come on. We won't be back!
(2)
Tuan N.
Has an extensive amount of ciders and other alcohols but it seems to run out of popular drinks quickly. Wasn't sure how to approach things when I first walked in whether I was going to be seated or I would have to find my own. The door man was a bit vague about it. Though we found our table and didn't wait too long before we got menus and got to order. They have an extensive list of ciders and beers and I've enjoyed each one I tired. I was fairly regularly checked on for a refill also. Not much more I can say about this place. It's good and a great place to get cider specifically. The music they play is great too but I'm a little biased since I walked in hearing St. Vincent which is one my favorite bands. In any case I do recommend coming here if you're looking for a drink.
(4)
Tye G.
I was here last Thursday and though the shuffle board was awesome the bar staff was rude and my friend cut his hand on a broken glass in the bathroom...not only was the staff rude to him about it, they did not possess even a first aid kit, nor a band-aid. They sent him home with a tube of Neosporin. Stupid, rude, go with friends...the staff will not keep you there!
(2)
Adam C.
Capitol cider is a newly added stone to the steps of a culture of what we refer to as Cider. In my personal opinion the mark this establishment makes is one that raises the bar of cider recognition and overall evolution for class and society. My first impression of Capitol Cider was having the benefit of conversing with the owner through a handful of short encounters. The excitement and insight he supplied leading to its open, created a void that was anticipating its fulfill. I can honesty tell the viral world that after a short month that this place has been open I continue to be impressed. Primarily and in my opinion most importantly, first being the cider, and 2nd in the staff. Clearly educated, sophisticated yet humble thought went into the product that has been chosen to represent Capitol cider. The staff was selected by a man who I have heard has worked for Tavern Law and the Coterie Room. I have never met such down to earth, experienced, and grounded employees as a whole as a product of an opening of a business. It gives me security and ease as a patron of this business knowing that whomever this man is, I trust. I look forward to exploring their health oriented food menu and their many bottled ciders from around the world. Dear Captiol Cider, this cheers goes to you!
(5)
Roy M.
As very long time Celiac person words really can't explain the joy this place is. Its surreal to realize I could eat anything I want on the menu (except I choose to not eat most critters, but that's another issue), as I so used to first reading a menu to see what few things I can eat. And the food is really really good. My husband (who can eat all the gluten he wants) thinks their fish and chips and fried calamari is a good as any place using wheat to bread them. I love it here. And the only thing that makes me give it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the service varies from excellent to feeling like the parents are gone for the weekend and they left the kids home alone. But definitely worth it for the excellent food!
(4)
Brian Q.
Selection of ciders: awesome. Ambiance: comfortable and clean. Space/seating: can get crowded, but not front row of an outdoor concert crowded. Bonus area: they have board games. Service: completely lacking; servers disappear after the first round is served. I'm dumbfounded how bad they are. Been several times and they just stand around. Hailing a taxi takes less effort. Too bad, too. Otherwise this would get an easy 4 stars, but their consistency at being inconsistent servers is a huge penalty.
(2)
John H.
We were only there for a few minutes waiting for our table at a nearby restaurant, but these folks gave me a very good impression - enough to earn themselves four stars. The service was on point, and they were knowledgable about everything they were serving at the bar (which was a LOT). Considering the service at the restaurant we had been waiting for, I wished that we had just stayed at this place instead.
(4)
Ian H.
I really liked the atmosphere and all the amazing options for cider. My SO and I really enjoy cider and were excited to hear about this place a few months ago. He also LOVES poutine. And loved theirs. However I would really have liked a vegetarian version of it. That little reason and that I felt the server wasn't that friendly is why they are not getting 5 stars.
(4)
Dan G.
This place has potential; I plan to try it again in a few months. We sat upstairs, in the restaurant part (although it was still 21+, at least on a Saturday after 8). The ambience was a nice, classy pub feel; a little bit like Smith, but less agressively hipster. Noise level was mild, unlike the downstairs. I asked the waiter to recommend a dry cider, and he brought a sample of the Snowdrift Cornice; it was quite good, but I'd had it before, and with 15 ciders on tap I wanted to try something different. Unfortunately none of their other dry ciders on tap hit the mark; the Virtues were sour, and the Blue Mountain was deadly dull. According to the waiter, they normally have more dries on tap, but this time we had better luck with the sweets; my wife tasted the Blue Mountain Raspberry (which was like a good lambic) and settled on the Redstone Hopped Mead, which was excellent. The bottle selection is extensive, but of course you can't sample them, and most bottles are over $30. The good news is that you can buy bottles to go at 50% off, which brings the price in line with a high-end grocer like Whole Foods. And they have ciders you probably won't find anywhere else in Seattle. For food: the baby zucchini, house salad, and crispy chicken were excellent. The steak was nicely cooked, but unseasoned; and the fries were poor. The chocolate mousse was okay; not as light as it should have been. I'll definitely go again, to try some different taps, buy bottles to go, and see if the kitchen has gotten more consistent. For now, though, I have to stick with three stars.
(3)
Kristen S.
AWESOME! this place RULES. I loved the atmosphere, the menu, all the ciders and beer were delicious! The fish and chips were tasty as well. They were able to accomodate a large party and split all the checks for us with no problem. The blackberry cider was amazing. This place was super awesome I will most definitely be back next time I am in Seattle!
(5)
Amy S.
I REALLY wanted to love this place; cider and a 100% GF kitchen! However the execution leaves so much to be desired. We arrive on a Wed night around 6:30pm. We're told we'll have to wait for the downstairs to open if we don't want to sit at community tables. This even though there are 3 available booths upstairs and no one else is waiting! About 10 min later, downstairs opens and we get a booth. Menus and water arrive relatively promptly, but then we wait, and wait, and wait, and wait. Given that we were the only people in a booth and there were about 4 people at the bar and 3 serving staff this really boggles the mind. Finally order drinks; once again it takes ages before we see them. Put in our food order, apps (fried acorn squash and padron peppers) come in reasonable time and are delish. We finished our drinks and our water during the apps and our server (Ford) passes by our table multiple (more than 3) times and does nothing. We finally flag him down and he asks (incredulously) if there is anything we need. We're a little snippy (sorry) and say ah, drinks? water? He seems surprised. Food comes (fish & chips and pork chop) and it too is delish. Again an eon seems to pass before we see Ford again. While we were waiting all night for service, he was having a good ol' time chatting up a bud at the bar. So glad that he had a good night. Bottom line: it was great as a GF to not worry about any of the food and it was all very, very good. I'm used to the slower service of many Seattle places (and don't mind it quite frankly), but this was ridiculous.
(2)
Brad M.
If there was a 0 they would get it. The food is straight off of a Sysco truck. No talent hacks and the bartenders are smug hipsters!
(1)
Sarah N.
I expected more from this place. Being gluten-free, I was excited check out their menu and try a couple of ciders I've never had before. But, I never got the chance. When I walked in and told the host that I was meeting a couple of friends. She said, "oh, take a look around for them, there are a couple other tables here expecting parties of three." so, I look around, don't see my friends, and ask her if i can take the booth in the corner. She said, "No, I'm sorry, we don't seat incomplete parties." I said, "but, you just told me there were other tables who were expecting more, and they were seated" and she said that they had enough people that they could be seated. I said ok, I'll wait. When my second friend arrived, I said "do we have enough people now? And she said, no I'm sorry. you don't. Granted, all the tables had one or two people sitting at them So we walked out and went to another place down the street. Even if that is their policy (which I doubt because I met a friend there a couple of weeks ago, and she had been practically camped out in a booth all afternoon), it's ridiculous. The place wasn't even close to full. I don't normally write bad reviews, but I doubt this place worth the attitude. There are plenty of other great places to eat and have a drink in the neighborhood, even if you're gluten-free.
(2)
Gregory C.
I have celiac and this place is awesome. My wife and I went here for dinner and she was worried it didn't taste gluten-free. The whole place is (except for the beer selection) and it was delicious.
(5)
Beth H.
Maybe I hyped this place up in my head a little too much before going because I found my first visit pretty unexceptional. I went with Kiki M. and her review is pretty spot on. It's a nice space, service was good and friendly. The food was tasty enough (although add another restaurant that claims to serve poutine but messes with the dish). Unfortunately I found the prices waaaay too high for what you're getting when it comes to the cider. I love cider. I go to the festivals, I try everything I can get my hands on at other bars, and right now I have a home-brewed batch in my pantry that has been aging for the past half a year. Imagine my disappointment when I ordered a glass of one of my favorites off the menu and got a teeny tiny pour in the bottom of a wine glass. I can buy a big bottle of that stuff at Whole Foods at a way more economical cost ($15 at a store but $40 at the restaurant). Yes, I understand restaurant markups but even Pine Box a few blocks away has delicious, similar cider options and you get a pint of it for the same price (or less!) as the sad little sips at Capitol Cider. It was a bummer. Unless they offer the Hill's most amazing happy hour I probably won't go back.
(3)
Ryan M.
If you are gluten-free then this place will allow you to enjoy dishes you may have given up on ever eating again. The food is good as far a gluten free goes but is a bit overpriced. The cider selection is good but again, a little overpriced. The reason for my 2 stars is the service. The doorman was nice, but from there it went downhill. Our server apparently felt inconvenienced to have to be there, and our presence just seemed to be adding to this feeling. He tried 3 times to close out our check when we wanted more drinks and we had to sell him on the idea of bringing a desert menu. We even overheard him mocking another customer who confronted him on the poor service. They may have good servers there, but we didn't run into one.
(2)
Paul C.
They have really excellent food that's well prepared. Go during happy hour and try one of each :-)
(4)
Steve C.
Capitol Cider has an incredible amount of ciders on tap. I never knew there was so many varieties of cider. The bartender was super helpful for recommendations. It was a pleasant visit.
(4)
Brandon S.
A cider house! Awesome. The variety of what's on tap for ciders and beers is what this place has going for it. The atmosphere is great. The gameroom/bar downstairs is pretty awesome with the boardgames, checkers/chess tables, and the fantastic shuffle board tables. So, why not 5 stars? The drink and food prices are pretty steep with no signs of a happy hour on the horizon. They are a bit understaffed from what I can tell as it was quite busy downstairs with only one waiter for about 30-40 people not at the bar. Seating was sparse as it was so busy. Improvements to be made that my party of 6 came up with (we really want this place to stick around) 1. Please put a burger on the menu. I mean, you are a bar for crying out loud. Make it fancy or whatever, but just add a burger. 2. Purse hooks under the long, narrow, tables not at the bar. There isn't enough room on the table top for them, so you're either setting it on the floor or taking up valuable seating by placing it on another stool. 3. Some folks are new to cider. A quick, bullet pointed guide to ciders or even descriptions of what's on tap would be great. 4. On that note, offer some kind of taster. We would have gladly paid for a tray of cider tasters to see what we liked and didn't like. Having to make a guess and then be out $5-12 if the cider wasn't to your liking isn't a game we want to play. Lots of folks are new to cider, so it only makes sense. 5. It would be great if 3 out of 4 non-salad entree options didn't all consist of fried food. 2 poutines and a fish and chips entree were both fried of course. The only thing left, not of the salad variety, was a Shepards Pie. No thanks! 6. Add some bottled options. This has to do with taste and price. Sure my friends were open to trying a few ciders, but after paying an avg of $10 per glass, they were ready for some cheap PBR, Bud Light, etc. etc. Want people to stick around? offer some cheaper alternatives to draft cider/craft/micro brews or you may find your demographic dwindling down to only those that prefer cider instead of those willing to try it. Those cheap beers aren't my cup of tea, but it was enough motivation for them to want to leave your place and search for another bar with more reasonable prices. I was obliged to leave since I had already rung up a $75 tab with just a few ciders and an entree.
(3)
Andrew M.
Upstairs restaurant: 5 stars is not an adequate rating. For the others like me traveling with celiacs, this is a dream destination. Prepare your taste buds. This place has 20 different ciders on tap and the kitchen is a dedicated gluten free facility. The staff is knowledgable and easily made substitutions to accommodate my dairy intolerance. Recommend: Brussels Sprout appetizer and char fish.
Met a friend for dinner/drinks here and we both really enjoyed ourselves. The atmosphere is fun and sophisticated, booths were comfy, food was delicious and the staff was nice and friendly. I got a few samples of different ciders before ordering a full glass and I was not disappointed. It was light, crisp and refreshing, but of course now I can't remember the name. Oh well. I do remember what we ordered: triple creme cheese plate (comes with fresh figs, apple chips and mustard), avocado salad (with fresh snap peas and orange slices) and grilled baby zucchini (with a side of AMAZING dill ranch sauce). We loved every last bite. All in all I'd highly recommend this place for meeting friends after work, I just wish they were also open for lunch!
(5)
Saucy B.
a lot of the food here is thoughtful and well prepared. it's great to have a good gluten free option in town also. i was disappointed with the pork chop, it was overcooked. however, the cheddar grit cake it came with was perfectly cooked.
(2)
Claire W.
Cool ambiance. Literally and... actually way over-air conditioned. But we really dug the decor. The fries were fantastic. Food a little pricey, but good. I really liked the cider I got (Tieton Dry Hopped... almost beer-like, just like I like it). A tasting flight would be awesome, as they have such a huge array of options! I think this place will be really great on cold, rainy winter days. In the summer, it's a bit of a bummer to come out of the sunshine and into the dark, A/C-ified place. Still cool though- will definitely be back!
(3)
Alison M.
1) I am a huge cider lover (not a big beer drinker), so a place where I can get 15+ ciders on a rotating tap is going to be a place that I'm going to want to return to often. I wish I had more time/more money/a higher alcohol tolerance so that I could try all of the ciders on their tap in a shorter period of time. It is fantastic to have a locale with so many ciders. 2) It's also great that the food here is pretty tasty. While I agree that the prices are higher than I'd like, the portions are at least pretty large. That doesn't excuse unnecessarily high prices, but better than them being small portions and expensive. Point #1 above is what makes this a 5-star place for me, even given the somewhat-higher-than-ideal prices. The food on its own would probably be 4-stars or so. Ideally they can make this a place that even non-cider lovers enjoy, because I hope that they stay open for a long time. (And if they lowered their prices, that would be great too.) Some specifics: - The lamb shepherd's pie is just delicious. It smells divine even before you dig into it. - The first time we had the fries they were, I kid you not ,THE BEST fries I have ever had. The second time I came for them, they were just good - not spectacular. Not sure which is the norm? - Both times I have been there, the servers have been friendly and attentive, and the length of time it took to get drinks and food was reasonable, even on a really busy night. - Did I mention the huge number of ciders on tap??
(5)
L H.
My daughter has gluten sensitivities so I was happy to find a place to eat where she could relax, knowing everything was safe. Capitol Cider is cozy and quaint without being stuffy. The staff was very friendly. We sat at a table near the front door but it was fine. Others have said it was cold and felt too out in the open. We didn't notice any draft or on lookers. We had the fish and chips and roasted brussel sprouts. The food was great. I especially loved the fish. The fries were a bit over cooked but that didn't stop us from eating everyone of them. I will eat there again when I am in town and I am sure my daughter will eat there again!
(4)
Jacob B.
we have been here a few times and the service is very slow. the drinks are great though - but the last time we went the cider flight had all the wrong ciders in it. don't come here if you're hungry as you won't get your food until an hour after you order it.
(2)
Chris W.
We dropped by for Tieton cider's birthday bash (free oysters from Taylor and a sample of bourbon-barrel cider? How can one resist!) But not to be too colored from the event, we had drinks and nibbles beforehand, they stock a large amount of cider. It's their thing. I've seen a few reviews that appeared to be shocked by the prices, I don't get it. There isn't really a cider equivalent of Oly or Rainier (in the States, at least...) and there are some very high quality offerings at Capitol. I'm a fan of their dry, French-style offerings, and only wish they had more of them. I didn't check out the extent of their menu, however the fries were wonderful with the side of buttermilk-bleu ranchish dressing.
(4)
Matthew H.
I brought in a crew of 20+ friends last week for a birthday party; the experience far exceeded my expectations. Earlier in the day a very helpful staffer (I'll leave her anonymous) provided suggestions on food platters so the kitchen could get a head-start. To my amazement the beautiful platters of food were sitting on the huge table when we arrived--they made me look like a hero. Additionally, the bar staff was meticulous in matching a cider with each person's tastes. The professionalism, courtesy, and attention to detail deserves five stars.
(5)
Anne B.
I am so disappointed. I am eagerly awaited the opening of this place as it is close to my home and I love cider. I went for HH and had the baby zucchini and fries. They were both disappointing. They both came out with the same bland aioli. I am not a fan of steak fries, so I did not like them. The zucchini was cooked nicely, there just wasn't much of it. The service upstairs was awful!!! I finished my cider and the server flew by a few times without asking if I wanted another drink. I had to get someone else's attention, she was awesome. I must say I was not impressed with either cider I had upstairs, they both tasted watery. The server came back later poured us the last of the water in the bottle on our table in my friends glass, mine was nearly empty and his was less than half full. He never brought us back any water, nor did he offer my friend another drink. We had to flag him down later and ask for the check. BTW-they were only about half full upstairs and there was more than one server. We went downstairs to play shuffleboard and get another cider. The bartenders down there were fun and friendly. They let me try a couple ciders before picking one. It was good, but was surprised when I paid because they were not $11/glass good. So...the two stars is for the service downstairs being good and the shuffleboard. I will never eat here again and will just head downstairs for shuffleboard.
(2)
Lauri S.
20 July 2014. Very poor service. Our dinner order of Fish and Chips never arrived! Absolutely no follow up from the server after taking our initial order. No bill, we just left the money for the two ciders without a tip on the table. We could not get her attention to even pay the bill. The cider was good, but I will not be back.
(1)
Dae Y.
we were downstairs. it was REALLY LOUD. we were with great company, but the place was just SO LOUD. it was hard to hear the person next to you, let alone across the table from you. but alas, it might have been my overall mood. and my overall state of youthfulness. definitely try it out though.
(3)
Sylvia L.
Great cider, tasty food! Had the pail of fries with aioli sauce and it was so good! Will definitely recommend to my friends.
(5)
Brittney G.
They had a fantastic selection of ciders on tap. We went early (6ish) and got seated right away at the bar down stairs. The bartender was friendly enough and the ciders were great. The cheese plate was good, but small and pricey for what it was. Also the music was good if you're into drinking and jamming to Bon Iver and City and Color.
Great vibe, good concept. Busy crowd. Our food was cold but still had a good time. 6.5 out of 10.
(3)
Adriana K.
At last! A bar devoted to cider; I am so delighted! We took out of town friends here as they love cider and I had wanted to try. Since it was our first time there, we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves, and I had read about the cool downstairs; we noticed some stantions pushed aside, so we walked downstairs to check out the games. There were some guys in the back of the bar who told us it was closed until 6 but we could look around. We went back upstairs and as we did, were confronted by an upset waitress who informed us the downstairs was closed. We explained that it wasn't block and we had wanted to check it out, and she clearly was annoyed with us. Oh well. It happened to be happy hour (on the weekend too!) and the happy hour cider was great. We tried the fish & chips, picked veggies, and a side of fries and were quite happy. The theme of the place was turn of the century explorer with these awesome classical style portraits from local students that were quite impressive. Old books lined the shelves with knick knacks. Seems a place that could get crazy on the weekends, but chill to hang out on weeknights. Cheers to cider!
(4)
Heidi W.
Good food and the lower bar has great ambiance. They were severely understaffed when I went and our waiter wasn't able to come by the table for a good 15 minutes at a time. The later in the evening the louder the music and more crowded, but the cider selection is great.
(4)
Miss Y.
wow... we rarely go back to a same restaurant let alone have the same item from the menu two nights in a row. capitol cider's food is legit. everyone should try the quinoa salad and the chocolate mouse is AMAZING!!! they have a great cider selection for mixing with light beer, service is good and of course the food is awesome!!
(5)
Jessica S.
Great cider, great service, beautiful art work! A new gem for Capitol Hill!
(5)
Shannon K.
Great atmosphere and set up. Shuffleboard is always a huge plus. The prices however are terrible. $15 for fish and chips ( cheapest thing on the main menu by $6) was so small that my wife immediately said I got ripped off..... Which I did and the four others around me who got it too. Fix the prices and make a more appropriate menu for what the place really is. Also, have happy hour on Friday's!
(2)
Ryan D.
I'm not sure why this place overall has 3.5 stars, it's a true gem for it's pure commitment to gf food and cider (which just so happens to be gf). The food is incredible. A bit decadent yet well priced. The cider cuts through the heaviness well and washes down a thick meal with ease. The patriotic, dark decor is thoughtful and moody. I'll make sure to come back here on my next visit!
(5)
Grizwald Y.
Huge selection of ciders on tap, incredibly food, good ambiance, and good location.
(5)
Laura M.
A cider for everone: sweet ciders, dry ciders, hopped ciders, habanero ciders, sour ciders, and thanks to a friendly and attentive staff I think I have sampled them all. Lucky for me, not a cider fan, they have a well rounded selection of beers on tap too.
(4)
Kaelin C.
Went here for the first time tonight and had a great time. met some friends downstairs and ordered the Anthem Cherry, which was every bit as delicious as I thought it would be. Played a game of shuffleboard with some good looking gents. Very impressed with the staff, they seem very friendly and attentive. I didn't have to wait to order, and the bartender even waived the cc minimum as I was only having one drink. They also have other board games downstairs. The atmosphere is sophisticated, although loud. Can't comment on the food as we didn't order any.
(4)
Amber F.
This place is going to be my new hang out spot. Stopped by on Saturday because I heard the soft opening was going on. The upstairs is nice, but downstairs is where it's at. Love the ambiance, love the decor, love the music, love the games, love the cider, love. They were a little busy at first, so it took a little bit to get to us, but they made sure we knew we weren't forgetten. Loved the place so much that when a friend stopped in town for a night Tuesday, after dinner I told her I had to take her to "my new favorite bar." She was just as impressed as I had been. While we were catching up, drinking cider, and playing Scrabble the manager stopped by our table to introduce himself, tell us a bit about the artwork (LOVE IT), and welcome us to the bar. I foresee many, many visits in my future. Maybe one of these days I'll actually order some food, which sounds great, but I've only been after just eating. And I need to be more persistent about getting in on a shuffleboard table, but I'm excited they're there!
(5)
Michelle S.
Atmosphere is great. Lots of choices!
(4)
G S.
Fun, casual and cozy. Reminds me of an English pub with tasty food and drinks.
(5)
Carolyn E.
A cozy bar with frigid service. The bar was not busy but it took the staff 30 minutes to even acknowledge us once we had been seated. When we finally got our drinks we were asked if they could bring the check, like they were trying to get rid of us.
(1)
Sung P.
I'm surprised this place is getting an average of 3.5 stars. Went there for the first time last week and really enjoyed the place. I'm not a cider drinker, but they make great cocktails and the server was knowledgeable. Great atmosphere, especially downstairs. I like Quinns for most things more in general, but they get super packed, so I would totally go to capitol cider as a close alternative. The food I had was decent, but honestly I don't get the gluten-free bs. I ordered a charcuterie plate and it didn't come with any kind of bread... which is kind of a big miss - it's not like having bread in the building will make people break out in hives...
(4)
V V.
I wanted to like this place so much more. First, it's super dark in this bar and severely over air conditioned to the point it's uncomfortable. They have no outside seating in a prime Capitol Hill location? The ciders were all interesting and I left with some new I information regarding the different styles. The main reason for my three star review is the food we ordered was terrible. Our table ordered the grilled peppers and what arrived appeared to be something you would buy in bulk from Costco, they were gross. I saw some fries going out to other tables and they did look good, but we were looking for a lighter option. With so many food options near they need to step up the quality.
(3)
Rachel S.
I love cider, and I especially love it on tap, but it's rare to find a place that offers a cider on tap, let alone a place where you have more than one choice. With at lest 10 choices of ciders on tap, most of them from Northwest producers, Capitol Cider has finally given cider lovers a place of their own. I can't say enough good things about this place. The wait staff was friendly and attentive, and our waiter was able to offer good suggestions of cider based on our different preferences. The atmosphere is great, dark and homey, with large booths. I didn't check it out, but from what I heard they have shuffleboard and other games available in the downstairs area. And to top it all off, the food was AMAZING, some of the best around. I will definitely be back, and can't recommend this place highly enough.
(5)
Chris P.
Spencer and Co know what they're doing! The upstairs room is an elegant, restaurant setting while the basement is a bar stocked with all sorts of delicious ciders and beers. I hope to come back ASAP and try their fish and chips!
(5)
J C.
Look, it has lots and lots of cider. I wish it was a more vegan-friendly place, but it's gluten-free, and that's pretty important.
(3)
C S.
Wow what a place. Fantastic food with great ambiance and a full list of cider to back it all up. They is also a very interesting collection of art with a brochure to explain it all. I would highly recommend dinning here. Just want drinks? Head downstairs and check out the basement bar.
(5)
Seth T.
Little pricey but good atmosphere and gluten free food apparently.
(4)
Michael C.
The food is amazing. Best fish and chips I have ever had, seriously so good. The salmon fritters are amazing as well.
(5)
Doctor D.
Great experience. Everyone was friendly, the food and cider were great, the decor is cozy. I'll definitely go back soon. Congrats on a successful opening!
(5)
Jeffrey L.
So excited to go to this place since it opened, but when we got there the host never acknowledged us. Stay down and waited 10 minutes before we diced to go hunt down some one to get the our drink order, then another friend. Showed up and she came back by and said " oh, did you just got here?" to the friend and not us, proceeded to get water for our friend, so I mentioned, we were here 10 minutes ago. So I. UT to the. Have and said I will have a beer, and she said oh let me get your server. She came back and grabbed our order, and didn't come back for another 10 min for just beer.... Needless to say I wanted to like the place but it's service as a new establishment is just horrendous. Never would I suggest this place. Thanks cap cider!
(1)
Merlin L.
Good selection of cider and beer. Did not eat any food. It may just be novelty, but I've never been to a bar that had more than one cider, which was from a bottle. Price I'd say is a dollar or two too much though.
(4)
Valerie W.
Legit place with some damn legit local and NW ciders on tap. Street level you'll find yourself a quaint open restaurant. Down below a bar full of loud voices, shuffleboard and good times. The staff is awesome and knowledgeable about what they have to offer. They will also let you sample before making a decision. The Baked Apple Cider I got literally tasted as such. It was like fall season in my mouth, not overly sweet and just the right amount of spice. I had 2 glasses...of course. The decor is wooden, cool lighting, and even board games! Overall a very chill place to grab a drink! Don't like cider? They have a full bar and yummy beers! I've heard the good is pretty decent as well. I will be back!
(4)
Court S.
I fell in love with this place yesterday! I had brunch at CC at around 11:00 am with a group of very hungry lacrosse playing friends. Usually I am put off by any restaurant that brags about being gluten free or healthy, but this place really surprised me! The menu selection was above and beyond what I would expect from most brunch hangouts and the atmosphere is welcoming to all... not just your bearded hipster types, whom I detest. I had their Country Fried Schnitzel with Scrambled Eggs, which was yummy, but maybe a little bland; I like everything spicey... I am a Southerner.. so it could just be my thing. Also, I had some type of cider that our server recommended that totally rocked my world! Aside from great food and reasonably priced drinks, the service was impressive! Our server, Zach, was SWAMPED, but he made our table feel like we were they only once in the joint and remained patient with all of my special requests. I have to admit though, they failed my "ice water" test.. when I ask for "ice water" I mean I want water with ice in it, instead their busser / expediter brought me room temp water... this seems to be the latest fad in trendy restaurants... WE ARE NOT IN EUROPE! Anyway, great place to grub on a Sunday... live it up!
(5)
Josh B.
Easily the worst service I have received in Seattle. Hostess seated us and it was quite a long wait for the waitress. The place wasn't busy AT ALL. Waitress (Marisela) was totally unhelpful and acted put off when I asked her if there were egg-free options for condiments for fries (menu lists aïoli). For a place that specializes in food for people with food allergies, I don't understand why it was such a terrible request to make. My dinner partner asked if they had ketchup and she snapped "yes" and then took our menus. Fine, I guess we won't order dinner. The fries were OK, the drinks were OK. The service was the worst. Marisela would very occasionally wander past our table and halfheartedly mumble at us without stopping. Just as I decided I wasn't paying for this ridiculously terrible service and was getting up to speak to the hostess, Marisela decided to actually appear and speak to us directly. I demanded the check and we left. I am still pretty pissed off that she was so fucking terrible at customer service. I hate not tipping, but she really left me no choice. $22.00 for fries and two whiskeys? Fucking what? I wish I could give zero stars.
(1)
Jonathan C.
Really good cider and the downstairs is absolutely amazing. Very fun and low key environment. A good place to go if you want to get out of the house, but don't want to go to a packed bar. Hard to say how busy it gets on the weekends because I went here on a Tuesday night and it was very chill and low key. Also there is Shuffleboard which is tons of fun. Highly recommend coming here if you have a group of like 4-6 people, just a boat load of fun!
(5)
Wen L.
Fun game room downstairs with board games and shuffle board. They have a great list of ciders too! Tasty!
(3)
Dulce B.
I go to Capitol Cider a lot. I have celiac disease, so the 100% gluten free kitchen is like heaven on earth for me. The food is fantastic! I've only been for dinner once, brunch is what I normally eat here. I absolutely love the fish and chips and the chilaquiles are delicious as well. Their eggs are cooked perfectly and the potatoes are so good. Get the doughnuts--they are amazing. Maybe I'm just not a huge cider fan, but I haven't been super impressed by any cider I've tried there. The thing that kills Capitol Cider for me is the service. It's always awkward dealing with the servers because they're either, well, awkward or they're just straight up rude and dismissive. We're usually seated by a guy, and he's actually really nice. My husband and I also went for brunch on Valentine's Day and our server was the nicest we've ever had. But these two individuals are exceptions to what seems to be the rule. Honestly I like the food so much that the service doesn't bother me that much, but I can completely see how it would make some people not want to come back.
(4)
Alan H.
My date and I had an enjoyable evening here, commiserating over the sadness of The Lobby losing its lease last November. Full disclosure, neither of us sampled from the cider menu. The ambiance is typical Capitol Hill loud, but they do have booths along the wall that I recommend heartily. The food is okay, service professional, and the drinks are good (and don't stint on the alcohol). Overall, I would say perhaps a bit pricey, but fairly typical for Capitol Hill.
(3)
Austin G.
As a HUGE cider conisouer, I loved this place. It's near Pike Place Market and seating for many. We sat at the bar and ordered happy hour items from the menu. Their snitzel is good and meat plate. They have dozens and dozens of cider options and they let you try as many on tap as you want. If you don't like cider, they have a decent beer and cocktail list too. A solid 4 star experience!
(4)
Laren B.
There are some things that you just can't deny! This place has an amazing space, style, and location on the hill! Plenty of room for large groups but it fills up on most nights. I only take issue with the teeny tiny portions of their food and some of their beverages! Everything tastes delightful but for the price, one would expect more! Their staff can sometimes seem a bit overwhelmed as well. Maybe poor staffing? Not sure if this was already mentioned in other reviews but the space downstairs is much cooler and easier to hang in now that they have fixed the ventilation/cooling situation. No need to worry if you just want a beer here. They have that too!
4 stars for the bar, 3 for the food. The fact that a bar in Seattle carries more than two ciders on tap alone makes Capitol Cider worth checking out. They carry a wide range of ciders (about 20) ranging from reasonably priced to woah, is it really better than the cheap stuff? The staff is generally helpful with suggestions if you know a little bit about what you like in a cider, otherwise have fun playing the guessing game. I've yet to be disappointed. The food is tasty as heck, but with so many cheaper options within a block, I make sure to fill up before I come. The menu isn't that large, and neither are the portions. Good finger food to share if you play nicely. I didn't feel that the value matched the price but I did enjoy the food. The decor is an upscale dive (fine, hipster.) kind of scene, lots of historical portraits and paintings on the wall with museum-ish kitsch make a intimately quirky atmosphere that makes it good for conversations with friends and lovers alike.
(4)
Lisa M.
I love the food. ..best fries! We often order take out since my son has Celiac but we don't want to dine out. It's amazing to have a place we know we can eat at safely, but even better that the food is so good! we went once for brunch and we all loved the food too. Yay, brunch is back!
(5)
Alexander L.
Worst customer service ever. Waitress was rude and cannot split a simple check. Party of 12 and we will NEVER EVER go back again. Good luck running the restaurant. They hire quality people (the worst!). Customers beware!
(1)
Seth S.
THE BEST FRIES IN SEATTLE BY A MILE. Really they're my favorite fries in existence. The aioli dipping sauce makes them into a next level treat. My sister medically can't eat gluten, so having such a solid entirely gluten free spot is clutch. Did I mention the fries?
(5)
Tyler B.
Stopped on a Wednesday night for a beer and was immediately greeted by the bartender angrily yelling to us that we need to show our ID's before my group of 6 even sat down. Yes, virtually every bartender requests ID's right away, but she yelled at us like we were severely annoying her simply by showing up. We didn't show up really late or anything (10:30pm or so) so who knows why she was in a bad mood. That really didn't phase anyone in my group, but when we went up to the bar to look at the cider selection (which was great) she gave us more lip for no reason! After she took our order she went to the other end of the bar and socialized with another group for 5 minutes, took their order, and poured their beers before pouring ours. The bar wasn't busy at all- my group was 1 of 3 there. Overall, I'm certain that minus this unfortunate bartender it is a great place to grab a cider. If you're not into cider they have a few IPA's, pales and stouts (some on nitro). Maybe try avoiding the downstairs bar area.
(2)
Nathan T.
Went for an event for my high school; I left my tab open and after I was closed out a horrible bartender lady yelled at me and the whole bar because she was "busy" in the downstairs bar. I ignored her ignorance when she called out our group (other educated folks) for not tipping enough (20%+). I had 1 $6 chile flavored cider and tipped $3 and got flak. Totally bogus reaction. I asked to talk to the manager and she says she is the manager. Great bar, great selection, 1 entitled woman who is grumpy and must have had a bad day....and apparently "manages" something. Go to lost lake or neighbor lady instead....
(1)
Siera M.
This review is only for Capitol Cider's Drink and Draw event held on the second Thursday of each month. The drink and draw is located at the bar downstairs. It included a live model and free drawing supplies like sketchbooks and charcoal. A friend and I arrived around 745 (the event is from 7-830 I believe) and it was already packed to the brim. There were barely any art supplies left and no room to sit and draw so we decided to play shuffle board on one of their two shuffle board tables. The cider list was pretty lengthy (as a cider bar should be) and reasonably priced. Didn't get to try the food, but we will try to come earlier for the next Drink and Draw!
The selection is out of this world! There are so many ciders to pick from! I love that they all have are very unique flavors and I appreciate that they put the percentage of alcohol on each one. What's also very unique about this place is that they are constantly changing out what's on tap. That basically takes the palate for a fruity adventure every time I go there. I also love that they have (what I think is) shuffle board and other games on the lower level. That makes the experience there a very fun one. Its also a great way to start a friendly competition with who ever is there. Most of the staff there is very friendly and very knowledgeable of what is on tap. They give very good descriptions of how they taste and they even give samples. I will say that the last time I was there that some of the waitresses were not very friendly. I understand that it is very busy there but its not necessary to tell us to move and over all not be nice! I do plan on returning to this place, but I really hope that some of the staff members learn to check their attitudes at the door before coming to work.
(3)
Paul V.
Came here in a group of four after dinner one night for some drinks. Most people in our party had a penchant for sweeter alcohol that doesn't get you too drunk too quickly. Not necessarily my favorite type of drankin', but I'm open to different experiences! So what's the first thing that comes to mind to fit the lighter/sweeter liquor? Cider, of course! I had read about Capitol Cider online and realized that it was close to our dinner spot. So we moseyed on over. We sat in a booth upstairs beneath a portrait of Sir Samuel Reginald Archibald Worthington III (Full disclosure: I made that name up, but like all the portraits, this gentleman looked pompous and Britishey). I'm not entirely sure what they're going for with the decor in that upper room. Maybe I'm not well-versed in cider history, but I certainly don't think of old British ships and Royal Navy generals when I think of cider. We got a couple of snacks and a few glasses of cider. First off, if you like cider, this place is yo' jam. For real. They have so many by the glass choices and a few nice flight options as well. You will leave here with a much more advanced knowledge of your relationship with cider and what you like and don't like. The waitress we had was very helpful in helping to steer each of us towards a selection that we would like. There is also a nice assortment of unique cocktails if you really don't feel like cider when you're here. The price of the cider is a little higher than what I'm used to paying, but with the variety and uniqueness of the cider offered here, that totally makes sense and I pay it happily to be able to sample such a diverse number of beverages. The food, or at least the cross section of small bites we had, was what takes this down from a 4 or possibly even a 5 star establishment, to a 3 star for me. The food itself was okay. I wasn't blown away by the flavor, but I was blown away by the price! I recommend against coming here for tapas or dinner because you may need to declare chapter 7 in order to feel full! Based on the location and vibe of the place, I get the sense that all the food is local, organic, fair trade, sustainable, blessed by the last cider samurai of the Himalayas, and a bunch of other adjectives that make you feel less guilty about eating it, but the price certainly reflects it. After reading the reviews, I regret not checking out the gameroom downstairs. I anticipate that I would have had a much better time if I had only come for drinks and games. I'll give it another chance.
(3)
Allison P.
I love cider!!! And a place dedicated to cider what could be better!! Great list of ciders on tap and bottles! Many I haven't heard of which is nice! Wish the menu had a bit more info about each one. Server was really nice and helpful with recommendations. And brought us samples of ones to try! Service was kind of slow, but not bad. The downstairs is very nice! Great atmosphere!
(4)
Heather F.
I was SO excited to try out Capitol Cider for the first time. I love cider and they offer about twenty or more on tap. The atmosphere was great and the cider was awesome. Why the one star? SERVICE! They do not care about you here. I felt they were inconvenienced by my group and our order. They have a large selection and we had a few questions and the waitress not only knew nothing about the ciders but she was so put off by the fact that we didn't know the difference between some. We tried to ignore it and have a good time but then they brought a cracked glass to one of my friends. I'm not talking about a small chip, it was a huge crack right down the middle of the glass. Capitol Cider has a great space and sweet cider but nasty employees that are bringing the place down.
(2)
Alexis N.
One of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. The food is amazing, and the ciders are the best in town. Perfect place for a date, or night out with friends. I go there at least once a month.
(5)
Jingwen Y.
Foofoo food. I sound like a baby saying that. It's fancy, it's hisptery, and probably going to be popular since it's around capitol hill. We came in here for a good cause so I ordered one of their salads. The food portion is very disappointingly small. After eating my foofoo salad I decided to walk over to Dick's to get a greasy burger and fries to satisfy my hunger. Service was not friendly. It took forever for my salad to come out and instead of being nice to me, the waitress made me even more cranky when I asked about my food. They have some interesting events and I would definitely come back to check those things out but definitely not coming here hungry.
(3)
Chelsea H.
I cannot rave and rant about this place enough. I love that there are 2 floors. One for a more relaxed dining experience, and the downstairs is more of an upbeat bar with shuffleboard, board games, live music, etc. Great food GREAT CIDER (cherry one is awesome) Great service Lot's to do. I have gone here with friends, and I have also brought my parents here when they came to visit. There is something for everyone here, even if your not gung-ho about cider. TRY IT, you won't regret it;)
(5)
Lauren H.
Cozy bar with lots of ciders. It was an interesting change of pace from typical beer taps and many of the varieties were good. The bartender was very friendly and let us taste a few of the ciders before choosing. The gingerbread cider was a bit sweet for my tastes, but was a favorite for others. The food was also great. The brussels sprouts had a nice flavor and cheesecake was super soft.
(4)
Jaddahti J.
We went during pub trivia night, so it might not always be like this, but be prepared if you go on a Tuesday. I really liked the look of the Capitol Hill neighborhood- very old downtown feel, but with the dearth of parking that can be expected along with the the colorful but crumbly atmosphere. And this place looked perfectly like an old pub; all dark and wooden and rustic. We were in the downstairs game room, which provided a great venue for Trivia night, but was so crowded and horrifically loud that CBear was unable to hibernate in peace and left us for a stroll around the hood. The throngs also resulted in spotty service. It was necessary to flag down whatever server we could to order food and keep the cider glasses filled, but at least there wasn't any pressure to run up the bill that way. We ordered only a few small plates. Fried green tomatoes were OK, but not my thing. Potato, bacon and green onion croquettes sounded great, but were just fried blobs of mashed potato. Although that's nothing I would kick out of bed, there was only one speck of bacon detected in the whole order, and nothing as tasty as a green onion was noticeably involved, either. Pulled pork pupusas were the best, but even they were not good enough to persuade us to try and lasso and elusive server to order the entree we originally planned. We enjoyed some but not all of the ciders we tried. The apricot was disappointingly bitter and not at all resonant of fruit. The apple pie flavor was sweet, spicy and the hands-down favorite. We did share a peach cobbler, which could have used an extra pimp shot of sugar in the filling but was served with a cheddar and oatmeal crust which was divine. We had a blast at trivia, and would have won had we not stubbornly ignored Miss K.'s advice about the apostrophe in "Lay's". Still hungry, we stopped at Wendy's on the way home. If you don't have a medical condition requiring gluten-free, the fast food after-party was definitely the way to go.
(3)
Cindy C.
Really chill bar with great food! Came here for the first time on a Friday night with some buddies. Went immediately to the basement area which is a very charming, chill and casual setting. I ordered a cherry bomb cider which was really great. I highly suggest that one. I also ordered some fries with a mustard dipping sauce, cider glazed wings with ranch and the short ribs. The fries came out first. It was a small serving, probably enough for 2 people to share. The mustard dipping sauce was super yummy. The cider glazed wings were actually pretty small. I'm guessing that they came from more organic chickens cause I'm use to the super-growth-hormone-injected chicken wings back in TX. The Ranch tasted more like tzatziki sauce, it lacked that ranchy zing. Nonetheless, we all enjoyed it. Now the short ribs. The short ribs were amazing. Sooo tender, falling apart when I took my fork to it. You MUST get this if you're here. Service was good and attentive. Atmosphere is great. Food is delish.
(4)
Kristin W.
Love this place! I've been loving cider lately and heard about this place through a friend. I arrived promptly at 4 p.m. for HAPPY HOUR. We sat in one of the big booths - there were three of us. Spacious. I love the community table in the middle. Cider - Lots to choose from, fairly decently priced for a glass of cider. A few ciders on Happy Hour. I tried the Weston's Reserve (HH Cider). It wasn't too sweet, but not dry, just right. That came in a bottle. The first cider I tried was the 2Towns Brightcider. I didn't want anything too sweet and this fit the bill. I enjoyed both of them. Food - Yum. I believe food is gluten free, not that it matters to me. I got the Cider-Glazed Wings. Very tasty, not what I was expecting. Tangy, vinegary tasting. It was a decent portion. I couldn't even finish it all and I can eat. I also got the cheese platter. Enjoyable. It came with fruit, spreads and some flatbread thing (?). My friends got the HH fish and chips. Came with lots of fries, a couple tiny pieces of fish. I didn't taste it, but they said it was good. Fries were okay. Our server was awesome! He was attentive, but not overly. He was funny and gave us some great drink suggestions. Knowledgable and helpful. I liked him :) Overall a great experience. I love the ambiance. Great service. Great food and drinks. Heart heart heart.
(5)
Tracy T.
This place has gone so far downhill I'm sad. Some of the best things they started with (roasted veggies with brown butter aioli and the pork and avocado salad) aren't even on the menu anymore. Everything is deep fried, super unhealthy and tastes like it was forgotten in the deep fryer (pork belly that comes with the fried squash tasted more like pork jerky). I used to love this place, but sadly will not be back.
(2)
Nicole B.
20 ciders and 10 craft beers on tap, all delicious! We sat downstairs in the bar. It was a very cozy atmosphere with candles lit everywhere. Music was playing just loud enough, not overly loud where it's obnoxious, but just right. We didn't get a chance to try the food, but from what we saw it looked very good. They also have shuffle board tables downstairs along with a bookcase full of board games to play. Our server was very knowledgable and attentive. The ciders were outstanding!! We will definitely be back to try the food!
(4)
KJ S.
We came here 2 nights in a row during Washington Cider Week because we loved it so much after the first experience. My wife states she had multiple mouth foodgasms both nights!! On the first night, we sat downstairs at the bar and had a flight of Tieton Ciders as well as the cheese plate, dinner, and cheesecake for dessert. The chicken breast dinner was awesome, and my wife loved the pepper starter so much that she ordered it both nights. On the second night, we sat upstairs. Service was far slower, but the food was still awesome. On my second night, I had the fish & chips - nice flaky pieces of fish with just the right amount of batter. If I didn't know this place was entirely gluten-free, I would have never guessed it! There was no hint of bad texture on anything! The Silkroad Red Nebula cider seems to be one of the staff and patron favorites, and I cannot disagree. I'm also a fan of the Tieton Apricot and the Tieton Cherry ciders, both of which are on the sweet side. If you can squeeze room for dessert, I highly recommend the cheesecake. The Peach Brown Betty was good, but the Cheesecake was amazing!!
(5)
Kat L.
I have been a fan of Capitol Cider since they opened, but have recently found myself going least once a week over the last month. I have never been much of a cider fan, but they have made a believer out of me. There is a huge selection of ciders on tap from all over the country along with a couple international ciders (but of course you will find a concentration on northwest ciders). Ciders from very sweet to very dry. The bartenders & waitstaff our excellent at recommending a cider. If you are unsure about something, ask to taste it before you commit to a whole glass. They are happy to let you try and infact might even bring a couple other samples over of similar ciders you might enjoy. The selection is rotating, so it can be a tad disappointing when you fall in love with one cider and it goes away. But hey, that's when you go and fall in love with a new cider! They also have rotating beer on draught if cider really really isn't your thing Okay so the cider is great, now you're probably wondering about the food? How good can a 100% gluten free menu be, right? DELICIOUS! They specialize in seasonal new American. I can't say I have ever had a dish I was disappointed with. Some of my favorites are their pickled veggies (it's a sweeter type of pickling) and the croquettes. You also can never go wrong with one of their salads. I recently went for brunch and had one of the best eggs benedicts of my life. Instead of an english muffin it sat on scalloped potatoes. Instead of ham they used the most perfectly cooked fatty pork belly. Instead of a traditional hollandaise, they use a spinach hollandaise. It took a lot of strength not to literally lick my plate clean! There is a downstairs called the "game" room, which has a very Seattle bar feel and the only way to truly enjoy Capitol Cider (though it's not open for brunch). They have board games and two large shuffle boards. They also have stage and have random events there. It's really cool to just walk in on one. It can get pretty noisy but you are still able to have a conversation with someone. Overall, this is a "please everyone" type of place.
(5)
Marc M.
After being here a few times, this place gets a solid four stars in my book. Since I don't drink beer, cider has been a welcome addition to the variety of beverage options out there and these guys always have the best and most diverse selection available. Any time you walk in, you are guaranteed to find something new to try as they are constantly rotating their taps and bringing in ciders literally from around the world. The food items I have tried have also been really good which is especially cool considering everything (yes, everything!) on their food menu is gluten free. If you stop in on the weekend, expect lots of people and a loud, upbeat, and fun atmosphere. If you are looking for a more intimate experience then this may not be the ideal bar to visit. I love the idea of this place, I just hope they can continue providing the level of service and quality they've established so far.
(4)
Tom B.
This is a really nice addition to Seattle's pub scene, which doesn't have many gaps left to fill at this point. These guys definitely specialize in cider, but there's something for everyone here--you can bring a crew of cider maniacs here and they'll all be happy, but they're serious about their beer list, too, and they offer wine and spirits. The food is also really good; they're pretty thoughtful about covering their bases for sure. It's a little bit squeezed into a well-occupied older building at Broadway and Pike, but it's a very cool space and they make the most of it for sure. You never feel cramped. The place has an old-timey feel, like maybe they're hinting at a colonial america vibe, but they don't hit you in the face. You settle in and get comfortable on wooden chairs (or booths) and gradually start to notice the oil paintings above you--landscapes, founding fathers, ex-presidents. Classicist stuff, but not stuffy. Then you start to realize that cider and hard cider were probably pretty common drinks on these shores 250 years ago, and it dovetails together. The service is really nice--super friendly, patient with questions, quick with tasters, right on point throughout. We sat upstairs right at the bar, which I've heard makes a difference in their timeliness (downstairs can be a lot slower, they say). We had a couple ciders and a couple beers, all of which were interesting and well-chosen, and not just the run of the mill by any means. We also had a cheese plate, a bowl of potato soup, and the roast pork with avocado. The pork comes out in very small bites served in a cabbage cup, which was a cool presentation, and everything about the soup and cheeses was right on. In the end, this wasn't cheap--pushing $70 for three small plates and four drinks. But that's quite alright, because the quality, service, and setting were right on point. If you're eating, this might almost be on the splurgey side for a casual meal, but it could probably go either way--and it rewards the splurge well enough. And for drinks the prices are pretty standard for where you are. I'll definitely be back, especially with cider lovers.
(4)
Annette F.
I didn't figure this place until I ordered a beer. I would guess they have about 20 covers on tap...oh my! I had to order a cider to make my cider living friend jealously. I stopped in this bar on April Fool's day and loved the live music downstairs. They have a great environment for groups to hangout and drink beer. All cider fans should check this place out!
(4)
Crystal K.
Cider yes, service and price, No. We stopped into Capitol Cider for appetizers and cider and although the pace has a fun vibe downstairs, it is way to far up its own butt to actually be cool. There are many ciders available which is cool, but they are not full pints, and more expensive than they should be. The appetizers were fine, but nothing to go out of your way for. Service definitely lacked, our waiter did not come around for quite awhile, and when I finally went to the bar to get some drinks, I was told we had to wait for our waiter...? What? Also when all was said and done and we had the bill split on two credit cards, one was charged twice for both halves ($45.44 and $45.45) and the other also charged for a half. Experience definitely not worth THAT price, it was overpriced as it stood.
(2)
Joseph E.
This place has excellent food. I have been there 3 times and have had stellar service and food. Their menus are creative and use high quality ingredients. If you have a gluten intolerance or celiac, you should try it. I am very sensitive and get sick very easily. Not once have I been glutened here. My only complaint is that they have so many ciders, the kegs may sit around a bit. A few of my ciders (tried about 6) have been flat. Some ciders are brewed with minimal carbonation, so I can't place fault on Capitol Cider. It can be busy, so plan your outing to this location carefully. Portions are on the small side, but you are getting quality. If you are celiac, you can't argue about portions because you get to eat out safely.
(5)
Thomas L.
Fries are to die for!!!!! the steak was cooked perfectly though nothing to differentiate from other standard steaks. The mussels were ok though the potatoes were uncessary. Booths are nice and long and can accommodate 6+ people. Definitely a plus for gluten free peeps as their kitchen is a gluten free kitchen!
(4)
Mandy M.
I appreciate a cider bar. Hopefully more are on the rise! This place has two levels, and the downstairs is dark and intimate. There's a lot of variety on the menu, and my server let us try a sample before we committed because a few people in my party weren't sure what kind of cider they preferred. But they don't do flights! I wish they did.
(5)
Katya L.
Capitol Cider has an entirely gluten-free kitchen! I didn't know that! I'm sold! Have come several times - the first, for a tasting/bottle release event for Tieton Cider downstairs. The basement tavern is a great event space, although I do wish (and this goes for regular nights as well) they'd try to keep a body count. It's dim and intimate and has the tendency to get very, very packed, which kills the intimacy and reduces us all to blind moles, stumbling around, desperately searching for a spot at the bar. Stopped in again during Santarchy, and as expected for a Saturday night on the Hill, it was absolutely slammed. We managed to find a spot at a table downstairs, and even got table service, which was far more than I expected! Score! They have a cider on tap (I believe it's one of the Seattle Cider family) that's 12% abv, so we ordered a round of that. Service was pretty quick, especially for a busy night, and the cider was tasty and packed that requisite booze punch. Came back to actually sample the menu and learned that the kitchen was 100% gluten-free. So exciting! Personally I can handle some cross-contamination, but for the extremely gluten-sensitive this is a must-know! And for the gluten-friendly, the menu doesn't suffer. I definitely didn't look at it and go "wow, I wish this had some bread on it". I had the scallops, and they were divine. I'm definitely biased - after going to so many bars that focus on beer and then throw a gluten-free cider option in there as an afterthought, and it's usually Woodchuck or Angry Orchard, a bar that's focused almost entirely on cider is a godsend. But Capitol Cider definitely has merits on its own, and I hope it sticks around for a good long while.
(4)
Kathleen C.
I was pretty excited to check this place out. They have a list of ciders on tap, and some beers as well I believe. The decor is alright. I was downstairs for a bit and they were playing some Kanye, then I go upstairs and they're playing oldies. Whatever the case, I liked it! I came here with some girl friends and we all got different ciders and a flight to try as well. I had the granny smith one, ehhh, not amazing. It had this weird stench. My favorite was the the sour cherry. It didn't taste like sour cherry, but it was good. I'm not a fan of beer at all, so this being a cider bar really suits me better. However, I don't feel like I want to drink very much cider though, like maybe one glass. That's about it. Don't know that I'd come back often, but I wouldn't mind coming again in the future. 4 star for the idea of this place. 3 star for the actual experience.
(3)
Nicole B.
Went here for brunch a month or so ago because we learned it was 100% gf kitchen. Brunch was amazing. I was dying to try their gluten-free fish and chips, so I knew I wanted to come back. Yesterday we were in the area and decided to try their dinner menu. We got there just in time for happy hour and we were very excited to order off the five dollar menu. Don't bother! A five dollar steak kabob is really just three little pieces of steak, the mozzarella caprese salad is literally two slices of a tomato they've cut in eighths. The only thing that was good about the dinner was the gluten-free fish and chips. The price is pretty on point at $15 and everything was so yummy on that particular plate. Also, the gluten-free donuts with blueberry compote on the five dollar menu were pretty amazing. If you go at happy hour, just order a few plates of that and some bubbles & call it good.
(3)
Dan S.
*Gosh, this is a tough one, the food was good not great, service friendly but just not a blow me away experience overall *The wings. Hmmm. Wings really are not that hard, they came out rubbery and flavorless, we got the honey glazed ones. Just super disappointing esp. when I asked twice "can you make them extra crispy?" Just a 101 type app *Entree. The 26 buck rib eye, juuuust enough extra fat (I expect fat and love it so on a rib eye) to make it not awesome plus it was too chewy, not at all melt in your mouth
(3)
Megan Q.
I love capital cider. Lots of cider choices. Somewhat expensive but the food is really good. We went on a night when they happened to have charcoal and paper for drawing. It ended up being really fun.
(5)
Lieda L.
If you're lucky enough to make it out here ask for Jacob, he's hella bomb diggity!!!! Food, libations, and atmosphere was hella good period. (Sorry for the Northern California speak.)
(5)
Madeleine H.
In my week back visiting Seattle, I tried to go to this place twice. The first time, my friends warned me away because it was already so crowded. Coming back the next day, I can see why. The upstairs is nothing special - mostly a restaurant setting with a small bar in the back, but it was a good place to meet my friends before seeing the downstairs. And oh, the downstairs. I am a sucker for such an "old world" tavern feel - dimly lit, fireplace along one wall, dark wood furniture... mmmm. The LED menus with the tap list, while a little out of place, were nevertheless a nice touch and suggest a menu in heavy rotation (I hope this is true). Another big draw to the downstairs is the board games, and the shuffleboard in the back looked cool also (but even on a Monday evening it was already too busy to get a turn in). As the name implies, cider rules here. I love cider as much as I hate beer, so this should have been great for me, but I was not particularly wowed by my selection. I might have done well to avail myself of more samples. The food was also okay, and the apple cobbler was exquisite. We ordered one of those as a group and it disappeared way too quickly. I only partially understand the hate for the service. The service upstairs was decent, but the bar was quiet. Downstairs, it was significantly slower, but my friends and I were too distracted by a rousing game (as if there's any other kind) of cards against humanity to truly notice. I get why this is a popular spot now. It was just opening up as I was moving out. Overall, though, I don't think I'm missing much. I'd certainly go back if asked, but I'll sooner go over to the Raygun for a board game.
(3)
Mike V.
My sister from NYC loves cider and heard about this place. So my girlfriend, sister and I headed to Capitol Hill and visited Capitol Cider. Though the outside is nothing remarkable, the inside is nice. One cool thing about Capitol Cider is you can go downstairs to another bar. Inside, most of the tables are bench style and allow larger parties or a few smaller groups. There are local artists works on the walls and each table has a brochure of the artwork. Nice touch. Now onto the food and cider. My sister got a local flight of ciders from the region. She found that a Oregon cider was her favorite and the one from Olympia reminded her of medicine. We ordered dinner which was surprisingly good. Roast chicken with potatoes and beets was well prepared and quite tasty. You can order food from the main menu or the bar menu which allows more variety. The only downside of Capitol Cider was the service. It was a busy night but not so much so that service should have been this bad. Our waiter never checked on us and it was impossible to flag him down. We actually got the check before we were completely done for this reason. Not sure I would totally go back based on the service, but the food is good.
(3)
Greg G.
Amazing bar. We stopped in with some friends while we were in Seattle. A bar focused on cider is great enough, but they also have a pretty great selection of meads - something I've never seen anywhere else. I had one of the cysers that was on tap, and it was excellent. Also bought a bottle to go, so I'll make my way through that eventually. We didn't have food there, so I can't really speak to any of that. But definitely a reason to go to Capitol Hill.
(5)
Karen L.
My BF and I LOVE cider, and we happened to walk by this place on our way to another bar to meet up with our friends. BF tried the green goblin cider, and I tried the pear cider (they were out of the raspberry cider, unfortunately). The ciders were pretty good, and we would definitely come back to try their other ciders. Maybe next time we'll also get to check out the downstairs area, which apparently has shuffle board and other games. As an added bonus for any art geeks out there, they also have paintings all over the walls, and even provide you with a little information guide. EDIT: We came back to try their food, and suffice to say, they are still deserving of my 4 star review. We had their calamari, fries, and the platter which had bacon, sausage, and smoked chicken. It also came with some salad and other veggies. It was surprisingly very good, although the wait was kind of long. The bacon was a very tender and moist pork belly. I just wish there was more. Unfortunately, they were out of raspberry cider again! That just means I will be back.
(4)
Liz E.
Wow great ciders! They taste extremely fresh and they have a beautiful selection. I wish the menu had descriptions though, and sometimes it seems like the staff doesn't know the ciders. For example, multiple times, I've said, could i have a sour, refreshing cider? Sometimes I get a recommendation, but sometimes I just get an 'oh I'll get you samples' which is great, I love samples, but when the place is crowded it just means I end up waiting 45 minutes to get samples, finish them, and order a full drink. I'm always impressed with the ciders though, they taste magical. I like the food very much. I always get a pickle plate because I think it usually plays well with cider, and I also routinely get fish and chips. It's super crispy and salty and a good portion. I LOVE the tartar sauce it comes with too. Very dilly and oniony and sour. I've gotten steak-frites which is also good. I've gotten a few other things that I honestly can't remember because they were meh. I think the pubby fare is the way to go here. I don't really like coming here when it's very crowded. The place gets overrun with drunk fratty types, and it's impossible to hold a conversation. The place often feels understaffed on crowded nights as well. I always want to get dessert because they sound good but I've gotten them and been disappointed multiple times :(.
(4)
Jessica G.
Tieton Cherry Cider? Yum! This place is such a fun spot in the heart of Cap Hill. You can go relaxed dinner style upstairs or go downstairs for shuffleboard and other good times. I love, love, love the happy hour here! My favorite? Pickled vegetables. They are delicious! And I have watched friends drink the pickle juice on more than one occasion, so it must be tasty. (Both experienced some stomach disturbance later but felt it was totally worth it. lol). Fries are also a must. The ciders and beers on tap are pretty extensive and are fun to try. I am a total girl, so I often go for the cherry or pear ciders, but they are definitely delicious and should be appreciated as well as anything else. Prices are reasonable. You could probably get by on some appetizers and ciders alone, but if you're going to go for dinner, I'd recommend the House Salad followed by the Crispy Chicken entree. And for dessert, I really need to come back and try the Apple Crisp...mmmm. Also? And any establishment that has shuffleboard for entertainment is just fine by me. ;) Parking is hairy...it is Cap Hill...so you're better off walking, if possible. Otherwise, street parking is pretty much the only option.
(4)
Tam N.
I have had bad experiences with this place for so many times, and both my boyfriend and I kept giving them another chance thinking that the reason why it was not great was because of how crowded it often gets, but no, I have not had any good time there, and decided to stop giving them a chance. The first time I went, I was amazed at how many people packed in that bar and what a big selection of beers and ciders they have. But the bartenders and waitresses didn't seem to be very good at providing a fine customer service. We were playing Shuffleboard there, and I was spreading the sand on the board when a waitress came and appeared to be overly protective of the board and asked if I knew that the board already has enough sand on it, in a very mocking tone. It was my game, I can do whatever I can as long as I don't break the rules or don't do anything wrong. I was just simply evening out the sand. The second time I went there with my friend who enjoys the crowd but is not much of a big drinker, so he was there to just socialize and try a couple new ciders, so he picked out a drink randomly on the drink menu and point at it saying: "Can I please order number 3?" The bartender refused to look back at the menu and asked: "Number 3? Number 3 of WHAT? I want the nameeeeeeee." I swear she was so intimidating by asking that back. Then after getting the drink's name she just walked away with an annoyed face, and told another bartender about it RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. How rude!! . I agree my friend should have said the name instead, but the name was new to him and he did not really know how to pronounce it correctly, but the bartender shouldn't be harsh on him, or on any customer in general. Many more bad experiences with them, but I feel like this is enough. To be fair though, their ciders are pretty good, and a few waiters and waitresses are nice.
(2)
Claudia C.
I really enjoyed this place for sure. They were busy so it was understandable that the waiter was everywhere. But he was very knowledgeable about what foods could be made without milk for me. The chicken that I ordered was perfect. A little skin on it to make it crunchy and it was so juicy. I wasn't too fond of the stuff it was sitting on but it wasn't bad. I'd rather have some rice or something but the flavors went well together with the chicken. My bfs ribs or steak just melted when he forked them. Perfect. It explained why they have us butter knifes and not steak knifes. They weren't needed. That food was that good. I especially liked how I got the last of a barrel of cider wine on tab and they gave me another full glass for free. Bother the berry types I got I really liked. A huckleberry ad a blue&black berry. Tart and sweet. The guy was a bit confused about the yelp coupon I had thinking it was for weekend brunch but he let us use it after inspecting it wasn't for specifically lunch. I also loved how the guy knew what desserts I could eat without checking. Very impressed. The only reason for the 4 and not 5 star was the prices of the food vs the volume. The food was delicious so it kind of makes since. I was just expecting more. Maybe I shouldn't have?
(4)
Charles S.
Capitol Cider is my jam. Okay I'm not just saying that because I host Pub Quiz here on Tuesdays from 8 pm to 10 pm. Yes that plug is shameless and I'll walk you though what you should be doing whilst you are ingesting copious amounts of knowledge during Think & Drink. Capitol Cider has a cool split level vibe, The upstairs is very grown and sexy where the downstairs ballast bar is hip and young adult. Check out their live music, drink and draw and other events they have during the month. You can also just go there to play board games so it's a great place to chill as well. Oh yeah what's that other thing people do when they go out to bars? Eat and drink? Okay I guess you have to live right. :P Just joshing ya. Their food to say the least is awesome. To say the most, it's so good you'll wanna punch your mama. Or is that only me. Well whatever. The Chicken Breast is sooooo good, and what ever they put under it makes a person who doesn't like veggies very much, able to eat them. Seriously if I ever go on The Next Food Network Star, I'm recreating this dish. The beef options are amazing too. The short rib melts right off the bone the way you think it should and the rib eye is just URGH just words don't describe it man. Just go and spend the $26 dollars and TREAT YO SELF*. Gotta save the best for last right! The Cider. I'm that dork that gets Angry Orchid most of the time I come here. Before you're all like "oh Chaz what would you get that at such an establishment will all the ciders on tap?" Well basically it's like that NSA FWB you have. You know what to expect and it's nothing more and nothing less. Now where there are the times I want to delve into the world of other ciders, I swear everybody that works there is a Cider Sommelier. So if you're unsure what you'd want to order, just say what flavor profile of Cider you want and they'll take it away from there. So come, relax and stay awhile. We'll see ya on Tuesday!
(5)
Chanel G.
I like the ambience of the place. I think it's cool that they have board games (although they could use a little sprucing up since many are missing the pieces now). I went on a Monday night and they had a pretty nice live band so that was entertaining. The sad part is that my ciders were pretty nasty! I got the regional flight and was basically only able to tolerate one of them. There was one that tasted like straight up chloraseptic throat spray, wish I could remember the name. I also had an order of fries which were pretty tasty. Overall, not a bad place.
(3)
Anila Y.
Comfortable and friendly joint for a low key Sunday evening! They have an excellent selection of ciders and they are generous about letting you taste different ones before ordering! We had great service, the place was clean and the atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for on a Sunday night. Also loved the simple dessert: Local apples and pears. Very simple, sweet, fresh and delicious!
(5)
Laura W.
They have the best mussels in the world as well as dry cider- just incredible! They don't have bread to mop up the rest of the sauce after you eat the mussels tho:(
(4)
William H.
Great cider and liquor menu. Don't come in here in the afternoon on weekdays and expect consistent service. They are open 10am-2am on weekends, but don't serve anything but popcorn and trail mix from 3-5pm. You can find this out on the website by reading all the menus, but it isn't presented clearly. Most damning, they say nothing to you about a last call on food while you're there. It's more than a little strange to have your friends successfully order food at one point and then to fail at the same goal 20 minutes later. I've never been anywhere that didn't warn you before they closed down the kitchen. Good food and drink, but the management needs to be clear about their limitations and the wait staff needs to inform you when the restaurant you are in stops being a restaurant.
(3)
MacKenzie M.
Huge burgers that you can easily share. Service not so great but enjoyed sitting outdoors.
(3)
Sarina B.
I really want to like - no, love - Capitol Cider. But it's just "meh" for me. I anticipated the opening for about a year, before it finally opened up and I was able to check it out. I'm a celiac and am keen to check out anything catering to the gluten-free crowd, and I've become a cider lover to offset my no-more-regular-beer-days. The first visit was great, it was just a couple days after they had opened and we stopped by on a Saturday afternoon. It was pretty empty, we sat downstairs and played some of their provided board games at a table and enjoyed a few rounds. Went back a couple months later after word had gotten around that they were now open, and each visit back has slowly deterred me from seeking it out to return again. Friday and Saturday evenings after 7:30-8PM, forget finding seating anywhere - you'll be lucky to find a spot along the wall to sidle up to. Sometimes when they're busy the drink service isn't bad, but other times I've waited 20 minutes just to get up to the bartender at the bar. The tap choices are pretty decent, and I appreciate I can go there and get things on tap that other local bars don't currently have (not many big name brands here, think craft/local/exotic). There's a tap beer menu as well, but I don't think they're gluten-free and thus have not tried any. Haven't tried any food there. Two small complaints? 1) Cell signal downstairs is horrible (hey, I like to check-in via Untappd!), there seems to be a wi-fi network but I've never wanted to deal with getting the password from someone. 2) Ladies: the women's bathroom stalls are TINY (this is coming from a person who is also tiny, and I was barely able to use it properly). You'll go into the stall and must immediately sit straight down from lack of room to move and the door'll be touching your knees as you sit. There's also no purse hooks inside the stalls. Overall, I like the idea of this place, but the execution/experience isn't necessarily worth the few cons for me, so I don't go out of my way to come here.
(2)
Tony G.
One afternoon a friend and I came here for some afternoon cider drinking. We met two cute girls and had a really nice conversation with them. We told them we were coming back here later that evening and they should meet us up. They agreed. Problem is, we forgot to go back and not sure if they came back to meet us. My friend and I are horrible human beings and deserve one star. Capitol Cider, on the other hand, is a four star establishment. I am not a huge cider fan but I thought it was fun trying out different ciders and how they are different. If you sit at the bar, you may be able to try a couple different samples. You may be able to do that while sitting at a table, I am not sure. I haven't had a full meal here, but had the fries and they were delicious. I've heard great things so I can't wait to try a dinner here. Zipzap Zubidy Bop!
(4)
Brenda H.
This is the place that finally got me to create a yelp account. 20 different ciders on tap (yes, on TAP). Stopped in on a Tuesday shortly after they opened at 4p. I strongly suggest that you sit up at the bar; the bartender was extremely knowledgeable and very willing to discuss/educate. When a keg is emptied, they replace it with something else so stop in often. Restaurant offerings are gluten free (to go with the natural gluten free nature of cider). I can attest that the cod cakes are amazing. Summary: THE place to go to in Seattle if you like cider
(5)
Alyxx B.
Being medically gluten free, gastro pubs are generally difficult places, and Gods do I miss them. I was told about Capitol Cider by a friend and promptly forgot. We decided to try it on a whim, and OMG wow. Service was fantastic, cider choices were great, and the food; amazing. Fish & chips. Calamari. Potato croquettes, Brussels sprouts with a bit of heat to them. A couple different ciders (the wine-like Prohibition was.....wordlessly delicious - brought a bottle home), and the night was happily complete. My partner thought the croquette could have used more bacon. Wow....that is the only negative we could come up with. Go here. Gluten free or not, cider fan or foodie, go here!
(5)
Kathryn N.
Ooh I love cider beers!!! And this place has a crapload for me to try! Will have to come back. The black currant was pretty good. Very fruity. Someone got the habanero, not spicy but definitely had a kick to it. The blue mountain was very sweet and refreshing! Can't wait to try more!
(4)
Hannah M.
Being gluten free, I have become obsessed with cider. This place is the cider capital (no pun intended) of the city! There are so many options on tap and even more in the bottle! We had some great dry cider, we definitely will go back for the drinking. The food was pretty good. The cider-glazed chicken wings were really yummy and flavorful. The fish and chips were alright, the breading on the fish was REALLY hard and crunchy. The fish and the tartar sauce didn't have a lot of flavor in my opinion. But the beet appetizer was not good. It had bleu cheese, but no dressing. I would definitely have to recommend they had a dressing to that dish. It just was really missing something! The ambiance is cool and they have some great art that was done by Gage Art Academy in Seattle. I would definitely go back to this place and try some other menu items.
(4)
Inness P.
I don't care much for beer, but I love cider - partly because it lets me blend in when I drink it in a bar next to a bunch of friends with pints. So I was really really excited at the beginning of this year when I heard that Capitol Cider would open. I waited for what seemed like ever, and eventually my patience was rewarded. Capitol Cider definitely delivers on the cider (and the beer, from what I hear) - it has a huge list of pretty excellent cidery options. I loved the chocolate nitro they had for a little while - it was creamy and unique, just divine. The Finn River Black Currant is also pretty wonderful. The cider disappoints not at all. I also like the space itself. Upstairs, it's more of a restaurant scene; downstairs, there's a bar, some shuffleboards, lots of booths/tables, and TVs. Both are good hangout spots, depending on your mood. The waitstaff is always courteous, though when the downstairs gets even slightly busy, they tend to forget orders and have to be reminded several times. Where Capitol Cider loses stars: the food. Happy hour prices are okay, especially for the fish and chips (which would usually be $15!?). The fries aren't my favorite style, cut thick and long when I prefer shoestring, but they're good. They are inexplicably served with some kind of mustard aioli, which is fine for the first few bites and then gets overwhelming. My boyfriend enjoyed the fish part of his fish and chips, but it didn't blow his mind. We caught the latest Seahawks game downstairs this past Monday. They had some food specials advertised for $10 each. My friend ordered the "pail" (imagine you had a small aloe vera plant, and you wanted to put it on your desk - you might put it in this pail) of chicken wings. He reported that they were just okay, "buttery" and so smothered with blue cheese that he could only taste that. My boyfriend and I split the nachos (with meat on the side - weird little square chunks of pork in a tiny bowl). The chips were so, so good, but I wanted way more of them. All in all, there were probably only 6 - 8 chips, haphazardly topped with an oddly grainy cheese, sour cream, and kalamata (I think) olives. Football games make me inordinately hungry, but I wasn't about to buy another fistful of chips FOR TEN DOLLARS. Unacceptable. Two friends ordered chicken meatballs and those seemed okay. Three big ones to a plate. There weren't a lot of satisfying-looking vegetarian options on the (limited) bar menu, so I compromised my values (egads!) and ordered the beef and lentil chili. It was overwhelmed with corn cake and sour cream, but it was at least warm and good and a big enough portion to finally appease my appetite. If I only want endless cider options and a place to hang out with friends, Capitol Cider is a good place to be. But if I want cider AND food (AND a football game), I will give preference to Pine Box, unless Capitol Cider steps its game up.
(3)
Lauren B.
As a non-beer drinker, this place is amazingly fun to visit - so many choices!! I really loovvee the basement style... very medieval, and a great setting for the recent Game of Thrones trivia they had here! Not really a fan of the food - even tho their chefs are talented, it's a little fancy for my taste in bar food, and gluten is sort of a staple of my diet (bread... yum...), but I respect what they're doing and it's definitely a great spot if you have any GF friends!
(4)
Chelsea H.
Very fun atmosphere, great selection of ciders, upstairs and downstairs areas for lots of seating, board games, decent food, trivia nights - all great. But service is so horrible it almost completely offsets this! They surprising don't have a great knowledge of the ciders and I almost walked out without paying once purely because no one would come back to our table to take our credit cards. It seems to me that they have plenty of workers around so it's kind of baffling how poor the service is...
(2)
Melissa T.
I am a big fan of cider, so I had this place bookmarked for my next trip into town for quite a while.. It's a fun place to meet up with friends (there are games downstairs) and your beer-drinking pals will find plenty of selection on the menu to keep them happy. It *is* super duper packed pretty much all the time, so good luck finding a table for a large group. That isn't necessarily a horrible thing, but our group would have liked a bit more breathing room. The appetizers were all on-point (we tried the charred brussel sprouts & fries with aioli) and the service was very good. The only thing that is currently keeping this to 3 stars is that I wasn't over the moon for the ciders I tried. I'd have to come back and sample some more, to be fully impressed. It might have helped if the menu had a bit more information about each cider, and it wasn't just a random selection.
(3)
Breana M.
Cider is better than beer a million times, so of course I love this place! My BF and I met up with a group of friends late on a Tuesday night to get buzzed and play a few board games. I got the Ace Pineapple because it had the lowest alcohol content and I had to drive later, but it was good! It tasted just like alcoholic pineapple juice, so people who don't like sweet drinks should stay away. My favorite part was all the decorations on the walls upstairs and down.
(4)
Jenn N.
This is quite the popular place right now but it's easy enough to get a table even during prime drinking hours. There is a diverse list of ciders, beer and liquor that should please everybody in the crowd. The downstairs part of the restaurant would be a wonderful place to hole up in the winter time with your friends playing the vast assortment of board games and shuffle board. There is even a small stage downstairs with live music on certain nights of the week.
(3)
Natalie C.
My friend and I were visiting from San Francisco this past weekend and several people both at home and in Seattle recommended this place because we are both gluten free. We were both amazed when we discovered that not only is the entire menu is gluten free, but the service was incredible, and the food was AMAZING. I got the ribs and the wings, both delicious. Our server warned me when I ordered the spicy sauce on my wings that it was really hot, but I had to show off how tough I was and went ahead with it. Boy did I learn my lesson. By wing #3 I was involuntarily sobbing from the heat, and I could no longer feel my tongue. These wings were so awesome that I was stoked to eat them leftover and have the same crying effect the next day. Thank you Capitol Cider for showing some out of town ladies how it's done!
(5)
Aaron W.
I really wanted to like Capitol Cider more than I did. With so many (over 20) ciders on tap this seemed to be an ideal spot for cider lovers to sample many different new varities. Unfortunately, pricing and service sullied my experience and it didn't live up to my hopes and expectations. As far as the cider goes, there are a lot of options. They even have flights available, something I'd never seen done before with cider. It was a great way to try three of the more expensive ciders but for the amount of cider you get the value wasn't fantastic. The value on most of the tap ciders is fine, though, and there are enough to choose from that you can come back time and again and always sample something new. The food was a mixed bag. Everything we tried was tasty but overpriced. $10 for a plate of calimari where I could literally count every piece. They seemed to be more focused on presentation than amount of food or value. We also tried the fish and chips (which were fantastic) but cost $16 for TWO pieces of fish and less than a handful of french fries. We're already paying to drink if we're here so I don't know why they feel the need to overcharge on food, too. Many of the entrees are over $20 so it seems like Captiol Cider has a bit of an identify problem. This makes sense because the upstairs is super quiet and romantic, more of a restaurante feel, and the downstairs is loud and packed and full of board games and shuffleboard. The food pricing matches the upstairs but not the downstairs, which is bigger and the more attractive option of the two. Our server was terrible and while I usually try not to take off stars for that because it does change, there was no saving grace to make up for her. We were seated in a corner booth that had one side of it up against the back wall (literally a wall, no seating on that side) and so we were facing the wall with our backs to the bar and rest of the downstairs area. We went unnoticed for a good ten minutes before I finally got up and asked the bartender to have our server come over. When she did arrive, she didn't listen to us and was positioned as if she was about to sprint off in a race. The moment I finished saying the name of our ciders she bolted without even asking about food or allowing me 5 seconds to start ordering something. This was a common theme of how she treated us through the night - not rude, just in a hurry and couldn't be bothered with focusing on us for even a few minutes. It was extremely off-putting. Overall, I'd still probably go back for the drinks but I would definitely eat elsewhere.
(3)
Cat Y.
Met friends here for a pre-show drink and snack - at 6pm on a Friday it was still only moderately busy and we were seated right away. The cider selection was pretty good and our server was knowledgeable about which was more sweet, dry, etc and would suit our needs. The food was good although they sent out the wrong order of wings. When we brought that up to the server, she apologized and took them off our bill. Very considerate and good customer service.
(4)
Nathan W.
Pros: 100% gluten free menu, super tasty eats, huge selection of delicious ciders. Cons: probably the worst service in Seattle, about 25% of what we ordered was unavailable (both food and drink). Our server virtually ignored our table while dining (don't worry, she ignored other tables too - saw a table finish their dinner and the empty plates sit for 20 mins!). We had to repeatedly ask for basic things (e.g. water). One entree was forgotten, and we had to bring it to our server's attention. She could barely muster an "I'm sorry" when delivering the final plate ten minutes later. More items were forgotten during our dessert course...she appeared to take copious notes as we ordered, but maybe her handwriting is atrocious. :-/ All in all, come here for some awesome food sans gluten and a huge cider selection. Just be prepared to hang out and be ignored by your hipster waitress that's really in no rush to do what she was hired to do.
(2)
Jennifer N.
Board games at a bar that has tons of cider! It doesn't get much more awesome than that. I absolutely love the concept, and the basement area where they have the gaming room is awesomely laid out and very well decorated which makes it really fun to hang out in. As far as the cider goes, it was great. They have a ton of options on tap, plus a HUGE selection of cider in bottles as well. The food was also really tasty. I had the corn appetizer - SO GOOD!! Some of the best corn I've had since leaving Texas. I also had the apple crisp and it was extremely yummy! Definitely recommend both of those. I nibbled on the fries my friends had, they were good too. The games they had left a lot to be desired. Some of the games they had were Battleship, Yahtzee, and other games of that variety. They definitely didn't have the types of games that we like playing - such as Bohnanza and Citadels just to name a couple. If you're a serious gamer, you will want to bring your own games as we did. If you're not, you are probably fine. I didn't love their reservation system. We called ahead and attempted to get a reservation for 6, but they wouldn't take it. But when we arrived almost the entire place was reserved for multiple large parties. We had to sit in one place for a little while, and then move to a different place after about an hour because one reservation was coming in and another and left so something opened up. It was annoying.
(4)
Mary N.
I came for a professional happy hour. Loved the selection of beer and cider. Nitro beer and cherry cider was yummy. Food was not very good and selection was ok. They have a very good location with a room for large groups on the lower level. Issues are it was short staffed, which caused a bit of a wait for service and they seem unprepared to host large group people even though they were forewarned. I would come again for the drinks but not the food. It is a 3.5 stars.
(3)
Adam S.
I only had the drinks here, I didn't try the food. But I really enjoyed the atmosphere and set up of this place. Of course, it's steered to cider lovers like myself, and though the prices are a bit high, the quality of the drinks are worth it. Definitely not a place to party, but a good place to chill. I didn't have enough time to fully try the place out since it was my last night visiting Seattle, but I would definitely come back to it.
(4)
Patrick D.
This place is surprisingly cool. We weren't expecting much from the outside, but inside it's big, well decorated, and has a large downstairs floor with games and another full bar. The downstairs area was more to our liking - a casual, semi-divey bar with board games and two shuffle board tables. Hard to draw a comparison, but kind of like Lava Lounge crossed with the Smith. And it's much more than cider. The beer menu was surprisingly good, with good local beers like Georgetown Johnny Utah that aren't often seen in every other Capitol Hill bar. They have big LCD screens that display the cider + beer menu, with prices indicated. Prices were reasonable and on par with other nearby bars. I also appreciate that they have their full menu and taplist posted on their website - makes it easy to find a reason to go back. About the games - they have Apples to Apples, several Scrabble sets, dominoes (see the picture I posted!) and a bunch of other interesting and unusual options. I haven't tried the food, and probably wouldn't come here for dinner - it seems better as an after dinner drinks and games place. Or since it's right across the street from QFC, you could stop here for a break after doing some shopping! One last tip - when you go downstairs, check out the large mural art they have past the shuffle board tables. It's amazingly detailed - we kept discovering new surprises. Probably the best bar artwork I've ever seen.
(5)
Ivan R.
Awesome spot! Came in with a friend on a late Wednesday night and hung out at the bar upstairs. Our bartender was Eddy - really cool guy! He was very enthusiastic about making sure that we got to try out a lot of different ciders so that we got to enjoy something that we really liked. Came back on a Friday night with a couple of friends and hung out downstairs. It was pretty busy but we still got awesome service. Staff here is awesome for sure. The atmosphere is really cool too, very much enjoyed hanging out here. Drinks are kind of pricy but everything else was cool.
(4)
Stan R.
Great ciders, decent food but WAY overpriced
(3)
Rosa O.
I came here for a trivia night about a month ago. Sampled several food items- charcuterie plate and polenta with mushrooms. Loved the polenta, felt so-so about the charcuterie. In keeping with the theme, I tasted a lot of the ciders and really loved the variety of it all. The downside: the trivia was in a stone/concrete walled room making it almost impossible to hear, and the bonus question segments were so crowded that my team gave up on even trying to fight through the throng. Topping that off, the grading times were so long that many of us gave up hope on knowing the results before going home. This is a place that I might stop by for a drink, but to me it's not a food or hangout destination.
(3)
Phil C.
Would be two stars or worse if judged solely on price. Pros: fairly nice space, lots of different ciders on tap, excellent service: Cons: Bar downstairs is very loud, and the prices are nothing short of ridiculous. $18 for a shot of Chartreuse? $9 for a wine-glass-sized pour (and not a generous one at that) of cider? You've got to be kidding. The food is reasonably good (though nothing to write home about), but at these prices we are definitely not going back.
(3)
Saira R.
Neat little spot in the basement. Good cider choices, and if you get there earlier enough you can grab a table and play a board game. It's a little dingy and dark down there but what hipster joint isn't? The service here isn't something I look forward to. Be forewarned.
(4)
Sarah C.
My husband and I went here for dinner the other night. It was a bit pricey, but so worth it. The waitress recommended an awesome cherry-apple cider. The fish and chips were amazing. I could barely tell it was all gluten free. Highly recommend it. It's our new favorite place.
(5)
Katy H.
Aww man! The hipsters are totally gonna rule this place. But that's A-OK with me because that just means it's going to be popular, which it deserves. Under the management of Phil Thompson, my favorite bartender in Seattle, this place is going to absolutely destroy. I can see it now, people will be flocking from Linda's, 611, Cha Cha and the Unicorn just to get a stool at the bar downstairs. With enough room to easily fit about 200 people between the two levels, the top floor (where you enter) is perfect for dates, dinner, happy hour and a calmer, more quiet experience. I love the clean but warm nautical motif. Then head downstairs to the game are and you're basically in a dream-basement. There are booths, there's a massive communal table that'll make you feel like you're in some dining hall from a scene in Game of Thrones, there are shuffleboard tables, game tables, there's a small stage, and of course, a HUGE bar! Complete with more than 30 taps and dozens of bottled beers and ciders, you get your choice of beverage, including a full selection of spirits for non cider/beer drinkers. This place really has it all. After three visits I still have so much more to taste and try out. Definitely pay attention to the cider lists and go for stuff that's on tap. It'll be a little nicer than most bottled stuff but they really did a great job at selecting some of the best stuff to stock the bar. You can't go wrong with anything.
(5)
Chris M.
I'm unfortunately not a big fan of cider, but this is a great addition to Capitol Hill. They've got a live music stage in the basement with a pretty large bar area surrounding it and a huge list of ciders on the wall. It's low-lit, with old photos and memorabilia on the walls, lots of wood and a strong pacific-northwesterly vibe -- whatever that is. The downstairs stage is the best feature, a very intimate environment to see local musicians.
(4)
Liz O.
I suppose a pub with a $$$ price should be a warning sign. Yes, it is a little costly! So here's the scoop... sampled a few ciders and ended up choosing the Finnriver Pear - to no surprise, it is the second most expensive on their list. Woe is me. That's the way it always seems to go. The others were a little bland, what can I say! Finnriver Pear was delicious... but 10 bucks for a glass is eye-popping! Atmosphere at this place rocks. Upstairs for calm, downstairs for cool. What would be suitable would be some projectors with some old-time films playing, or something of the sort. But I digress... The cider is worth a stop. 50% off bottles to go is a little...troubling. You'd think they'd want you to stay inside and spend more! I'll wait to see if the prices are modified any.
(4)
Andy Z.
food: ordered the calamari and and the chicken wings. i usually squeeze some lemon juice on calamari, but the sauce it comes with made it good without it. plus theres some pickled onions or something on that makes it a good pair. the wings are fried without batter. my favorite kind. drenched in a sweet sauce. good stuff ***4/5 service: a lot of complaints from other reviews about poor service, but i had a great time. it was very busy in my opinion, but a server came to us fairly quick. we had to sit in the bar at first , but was later seated to a booth. score! the best part: a server dropped by our table and said someone didnt want their order of grilled pork and avocado and offered it to us for free! best ever!!! ***5/5 ambiance: we wanted to eat up on top, but no seating for at least an hour. so we settled for the gameroom/bar downstairs. not a bad trade off. a busy place, given though. there are board games and shuffle board available. we played battleship for awhile. ***5/5 price: had a drink each and two appetizers (plus the freebie!!!). i think its worth another visit, even without the freebie. the food is good. portions are a tad small but good for sharing and trying out the food. ***4/5
(4)
Nisa T.
I was excited to try capitol cider. I love cider so i was hoping for a great experience. Came in, got a flight of ciders. all of them except one tasted really poorly. The waitress didnt come and check on us or anything. soooo i wouldnt come back.
(2)
t m.
First of all, cider is pretty good. The service, however, is your a-typical Capitol Hill "go cram it" attitude. Yes, it's a Friday night on the hill, I understand it will be busy. Nevertheless, when you drop nearly $500 dollars for dinner one expects a certain level of service. The food: OK. Overly salty meats and meager portions. The drinks took so long that they came out almost at the same time as the food. No steak knives with the steak? Remind the waitress. Need a fork for dessert? Remind the waitress. Did you order food too? Remind the waitress. When asked if she would split up the check (as we asked in the beginning) she rolled her eyes and said it would take "a while" so we spent the next 20 minutes that could have been used to seat another party splitting our own check. Since it was a party over six, there's an added gratuity. Not the usual 18%. It's been bumped up to 20%. So she made a $100 tip for doing nothing. And yes, we were "those people" who spoke to the manager about this fiasco to which he replied "That must have been frustrating for you." Obviously just seeing dollar signs over our heads. I wouldn't go back--especially on the weekends but the line out the door and the frightful blast of arctic air that blows in every time it's opened say otherwise.
(2)
F. P.
First stop on my bar-hopping Thursday. Great way to kick it off with some artisan cocktails and shuffleboard downstairs. I had a bourbon based cocktail (the name escapes me now, which is annoying because it was really good). I may have to go back today just to see what the ingredients were (the online drink menu doesn't have it). Early in the evening so not crowded ... so nice.
(4)
Helen A.
I love cider and as a celiac I can't drink beer so cider is the only drink I really drink. I'm a heavy irish cider drinker from Ireland so I know my ciders. First off the staff in the bar were really friendly and helpful. They give you a glass of water to have and are constantly re-filling it which is great. I had the pleasure of going with someone who has already tried a few so I went with their suggestion of the "Snowdrift cornice". This was really tasty and is my new favorite cider. However at $9 it was a bit expensive so I wouldn't be drinking it all the time. I didn't try any of the food but it did look really tasty and smelt great. The decor in the place is really cosy and their are some cool pieces on the wall to look at. We sat at the bar stools and it was comfortable. All in all I highly recommend giving this place a go if you like cider and want to try out some new ones. The menu can be long and daunting but just ask the staff and they will be able to help find you one you will enjoy.
(4)
Arry Y.
What a cool concept and despite being pretty tired after a few drinks with dinner, decided to follow our good friends to this new place on the hill. Upstairs is dark and quiet --- think it'd be cool to hang out there on a dark and stormy fall/winter evening, drink in one hand, scrabble in the other. Great for hanging out/chillaxing. Downstairs is pretty big, but the sounds is TERRIBLE. You have to shout directly at your companions to hear them. Pricy too for the drinks. Pretty cool they got board games... For good brews and the ability to hear your friends, hang out upstairs - or go down the street to the Stumbling Monk (they got board games too), the Elysian Brewing, ... I dunno, there are so many other choices!
(2)
Tien N.
Love the atmosphere here! Super cozy. Went with the girls for Kathy's early birthday and had a chill drink. (We didn't order beer or cider, just the usually vodka mixed drink) but it was tasty! We had a corner booth downstairs and we loved it.. Until we got random people coming to our table and sitting down... The crowd wasn't great but I had a good time with my girls
(4)
Felix S.
This is the kind of bar and pub that I would open. Everything is gluten free, though you wouldn't know it. The staff is lovely, the drinks are great. I highly recommend trying this place out.
(5)
Sharon W.
Had such good cider and great food. It also had games which were a lot of fun. Downsides, pretty busy so servers didn't come often. Also I don't know ciders very well so it was hard to decide because there is no description or anything on the menu. Also the server that is mentioned a few times is a little mean. We asked for samples and she said they don't do that but then we saw our friends at another table get samples. Then we asked for our bill to get split and she also said she couldn't do it took us about 30 min to figure out our bill but she ended up splitting it because she got confused. This place would get 5 stars if they trained (Marisa?) on customer service better.
(3)
Nik D.
My experience is only with the downstairs bar. I love the selection of ciders. Though, I wish there were more information about them on the menu, and I wish they had a cheaper selection of beers. I was there to watch a soccer game, and the TVs were total crap. The aspect ratio was wrong, resolution sucked, and the colors were way washed out. They probably aren't playing sports on those TVs usually, but I know they usually show the Sounders games, but I certainly won't be back to watch a game there.
(2)
Chris O.
Very middle of the road review here. After reading a bunch of review I came with slightly over expectations. First off, the wait is very long. Our server said she was the ONLY person waiting all the tables. So from that, you can imagine the time it took between sitting down, taking our drink orders, then taking our food orders. Prices are definitely above average, however my pork chops were very good and juicy.
(3)
Ninette C.
Came here on (hard) opening night and it was nowhere nearly as crowded as I expected. Also, there's no sign. We followed the suite numbers and then had to ask the bouncer. I'm assuming they're working on the sign still or something. As soon as I went in, I noticed all the colonial-themed decor. Interesting. Can't say I've ever seen a bar with that type of theme before. We sat at a table and I ordered the pear cider that she said got good reviews. It was pretty good! I like that there's a wide variety of glasses, large bottles and small bottles of cider. There's a big variety of prices too. Mine was $5.50 for a glass. After we got our drinks, we found out the downstairs was really what we wanted. The upstairs is more tables, eating and restaurant-y. The downstairs is the shuffle board and more bar-esque. The one thing about the downstairs is that it's REALLY hot. I look forward to watching this bar progress and will be back!
(4)
Julian G.
To sum it up - This place is Smith with Cider and a smaller menu. If you must read more.. You'll find that the food menu is pretty small and not much variety to it. I ended up having the Caprese Salad and the Fish and Chips. The Caprese Salad was good borderline great. The Fish and chips were good, however they could have benefited of 1 extra piece. I'm not a big eater and i even noticed this. The Fries are by far the star of the show and pretty much their signature. I'm NOT a fan of steak fries but these are pretty much the best i've ever had.. Super crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth soft on the inside. I suggest coming here for the Cider and sharing the fries.
(4)
Cali K.
This place is delicious!!!! I was so skeptical about a fully gluten free kitchen. I didn't even notice. The Brussels Sprouts were Devine, as were the potato croquets. Most of us had Fish and Chips. Very very Good. The Cider was amazing. My first time trying cider and I loved the server's recommendation, the Goldilocks. They had tons of Cider Ales, some beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Loved our server too!
(5)
Claire A.
Really good! The lower ratings surprised me. The cider menu is excellent. I like the idea of cider but I don't know the difference between ciders. There is a great variety... the Tieton is perfect for beginners. Food menu is great too. As a vegetarian I ordered lentils and the Waldorf salad. Good portion size, good flavor.
(5)
London B.
If you are in search of scrumptious gluten-free cuisine or a fan of delicious fare in general, then Capitol Cider is the place to be! The bf was uber-excited to find a place completely dedicated to gluten-free customers, so needless to say this place has been a "must try" for a while, and it most certainly did not disappoint. We arrived around noon for brunch, and the place was super packed. But luckily, we were seated within 5 or so minutes. The waitress was super apologetic and explained to us that they unexpectedly received a rush of 3 large parties. On to the grubs: -Coffee (strong, bold and flavorful Stumptown coffee; adorable brown and white sugar cubes; and fresh cream) -Mushroom Omelette (goat cheese, herbs, carmelized onions, porcini/bella mushrooms; side of potatoes) -Apple and Pork Sausage (two large apple, pork and herb sausage patties; cheesy grits; braised kale and onions; and a 6-minute boiled egg) Final verdict? Absolutely delish!! By far one of the best breakfasts around that we enjoyed in a very, very long time. The flavors and seasonings were excellent, the portion sizes were perfect, and the presentations were bright and inviting. Extra points: It took a while (around 20+ minutes) for our food to arrive, so the chef sent us a complimentary fruit plate to our table while we waited. I don't think that's ever happened to us before as patrons, so we were super appreciative. Ambience: Lovely, dark nautical, quasi-Victorian decor; very cool electro-pop/electro-clash music playing. Now, can't wait to return for dinner and to check out their downstairs game room, of course.
(5)
Kalli H.
The staff member Ricky or Richie forcefully put his hands on people that I was at the bar with. Saying we were taking too long to finish our drinks. The bar was empty to begin with and his inappropriate forceful and honestly illegal behavior does not help their lacking establishment. Hope they fire him or they will go out of business soon. Honestly with how boring it was in there they will pry go out of business anyways. Their drinks were also terrible. Never plan on going back there, and I suggest you save your night and do the same!
(1)
Lillian H.
cider's not bad. like the variety of the selection. place isn't to bad. just insanely crowded.
(4)
Bianca D.
Though I was only in here for 1 drink but it was easy to tell that they did have a good cider selection with decent prices. Service was fine, but nothing special. Cozy seating that can work for the various needs of its patrons; seclusion, romance, large group settings, etc. I would mention which cider I chose, however, I was drunk and therefore do not remember. My apologies.
(3)
Caitlin H.
AMAZING! After a rough first night in Seattle after eating off the gluten free menu at another restaurant only to discover it wasn't really gluten free - I was delighted to wrap up our anniversary weekend at Capitol Cider. If I knew it was going to be this awesome, I probably would have dragged my boyfriend there every day! I loved that I could choose anything off the menu and when I saw the fish and chips I jumped at it (I was worried this would never be possible) and they were delicious! In fact, my boyfriend who does not have to eat gluten free thought they were so good that he kept trying to steal the fish off my plate! We will definitely be back the next time we visit Seattle!
(5)
Eileen C.
Came in here around 5:45 pm on a Tuesday to meet a few friends and were able to sit down in time for their happy hour. The place was extremely empty when we walked in but was starting to really pick up around 7 pm. The friends I was with told me that this place gets extremely packed on the weekends. My friends had gotten there earlier than me and had already ordered so I awkwardly sat down and barely made the happy hour but not one, but two extremely friendly servers came and helped me figure out what I wanted to drink and eat. I asked him to bring me his favorite cider because there were SO many options to choose from. The server highly recommended the "farmhouse pick" and I'm so glad I ordered it because it was crisp and fresh. It was just perfect. We ended up ordering a round of ciders (we each got a different type/flavor, they have so many!) and many small "bar food" plates including a salad, wings, grilled brussels sprouts, and pail of fries (during Happy Hour you get $1 off all their food). The fries were good but the aioli it came with was amazing. The wings were beautiful. They were crispy and came out glazed with cider and a side of their house sauce. It was topped with shaved celery. Everyone really loved the wings! I ended up paying about $20 with tip for the wings and a drink during Happy Hour. I read some reviews about poor service but we definitely did not experience that at all. The servers were friendly and funny. We wanted our bills to be split and even though they were getting quite busy, our server remembered every individual order. The general ambiance of the place has a laid back, hipster feel with dark walls and vintage lights that give off the classic brown-sugar glow. The place is adorned with books, candles, and vintage paintings with gorgeous frames. I would totally come here to read and drink hard cider on a rainy day. They also have a large space downstairs with a separate bar and pool tables.
(5)
Emma F.
Tried this place for the first time this weekend and here are my thoughts. Ambiance: Upstairs - really nice with paintings from the owners mom's art students add a really nice touch. It also helps that those kids are talented, some of that art is quite good. Downstairs - It was hot the day we went and the downstairs was so hot we were sweating within seconds of getting down there. Service: Everyone was super nice and the waitress was able to answer all our questions easily. Not a small thing considering that they have just opened. Shows they hired good people and trained them well. Some of the servers have overly cooky personalities but it wasn't a detractor from the experience. Food: Chili Prawn - Amazing! Not very spicy at all and great flavor. They also were perfectly cooked, not rubbery like so many shrimp skewers tend to be. Eggplant - This should be called goat cheese with thin slices of eggplant. Delicious, but really needs bread or something to spread all that cheese on. Lamb Poutine - Delicious, "greek" style take on poutine. Shepherds Pie - Disappointing, the only good thing about it was the cheesy crust. The real let down was the filling which tasted like an overly sweet Italian Lamb ragu, you know they kind where they use too much carrot? Was excited to see a real shepherd's pie, you know with lamb vs beef, and was terribly disappointed. Booze: I expected more ciders on tap and less beer. This place is called Capitol CIDER, why are half the taps beer? They did have bottles of cider which was nice. Overall: I am glad to have this on the hill and I am looking forward to going back and trying other dishes, the quinoa in particular looked really good so I will be getting that next time.
(4)
Celeste T.
I really wanted to like Capitol Cider, as I love love love cider (and prefer it strongly to beer.) I came on the week that they opened, and I know that places have to work out some kinks early on. I showed up with a party of about 6 people, and we ordered things that looked interesting to us, especially if they were on the drier side. I started with an Anthem, and two friends of mine got the Honey Bear at the recommendation of the server. What they got was dark, rich, complex, and almost like a Belgian beer. I really liked my Anthem, but loved the "Honey Bear." So I ordered one for myself, and got something light, crisp, and more like an apple jolly rancher than a Belgian beer. I am pretty shy, so I figured I'd drink it and laugh at the mistake. So when I was done with that one, I figured I'd order another and see if I go the dark whatever my friends had gotten...nope, a jolly rancher again. So I explained it to my poor server, who was just confused. The bartender swore that what he gave me was a honey bear...so what did my friends get? I also ordered the fish and chips - dark, thick fries (tasty) and very large pillows of fish. I never like how the thicker (like, literally, large cubes) fish cuts get overdone on the outside and remain somewhat undercooked in the middle - there's a reason fish is generally fried in fillets. But the batter was tasty, salty and with a little bit of heat. Ambiance - downstairs is LOUD! Keep that in mind if you are trying to have a conversation. The upstairs seems nice. Give them time to work out the kinks and perhaps visit in a month or two...
(2)
Heidi M.
I love cider and had been looking forward to an opportunity to try Capitol Cider on a visit to Seattle. Some friends and I met in the upstairs bar for happy hour around 4:30PM on a Thursday afternoon. Upon arriving, I have to say, I didn't think much of the interior. The booth seats were not very comfortable, and the decor is a little stuffy and tired for my taste. Initially our service was quick with water and the first round of drinks, but around 5PM, the bar got really busy, and service was very mediocre from that point. I understand happy hour means a busier floor, but they didn't seem to have enough staff to cover all the tables. More significantly, I was really disappointed with the cider selection here. While I love cider, there are many styles, and not all are created equally in my eyes. The menu gives very little information, so unless you are familiar with the ciders they keep on tap, you may have difficulty making a selection. It doesn't make it that clear which items are on tap and which are bottled. The menu on their website is out of date. When we asked our server for help, he seemed to have difficulty explaining any of the ciders in clear terms. I even gave an example of a cider I like (not on their menu) and what I like about it to help him guide me. He simply suggested a different cider by the same company even though it was nothing like the cider I mentioned. His first recommend wasn't good... no one at my table liked it, but we finished it. His second recommendation was undrinkable and I sent it back. I tried Schilling's Ginger cider (the strength of the apple and ginger tastes were almost even, which made them feel like they were competing... tasted more like pouring yourself a half and half cider and ginger beer, only from crappy ginger); Woodchuck Barrel Select (this is whiskey barrel aged and it does taste and smell overwhelmingly like whiskey and oak... which is fine if you love whiskey -- I found it undrinkable); 2 Towns Ciderhouse Rhubarbarian (the rhubarb taste is noticeable, but not too strong, and the cider is slightly tart); and 2 Towns Ciderhouse Scrumpy (dry, strong, this was the most drinkable).
(2)
Patti S.
Fun restaurant! Good food! The reason for only 4 stars is the service! We were not in any hurry, but we were with babies. Service could have been a little faster. Oh, and I was never offered dessert! So happy it's GF! The short ribs were so tasty! But the best thing is the curried ketchup! OMG!!!!!! I need the recipe! I would def recommend to anyone GF or not! But for a Celiac it was near perfect!
(4)
Just Y.
If you've had a rough Friday, you know how important Brunch is. We opted to give Capitol Cider that opportunity. Ever had an infectious (in the good way) bartender? One who just seems so happy about his job that you can't help but smile? Well, whomever was staffed last Saturday Brunch was just such a guy (although he is way too young to know that many Supremes lyrics!). He completely made the visit. Space wise, if you're walking by and it looks crowded, take a peak downstairs - much more room there. Top-side dining is bright and cozy, bar-space very limited. I can only speak for brunch, which was nice and filling, with most options being pork-based, but a tad on the "pass the hot sauce" side. Schnitzel being a generous plate for the amount, a smidgen greasy, but if you go for it - get more delicious grilled apples. The hash was delicious, a little on the small side for most of my friends, but another good pairing with cider. Take note of the window above the bar; fun to see the brick wall on the other side of the glass!
(3)
Jocelle A.
No opinions, just facts. They refused to take our lunch order at 2:40 pm saying they don't serve food anymore and the kitchen is closed. 5 minutes later they came out with food for the table right next to us. On their menu it's clearly written that lunch is until 3pm.
(1)
Joshua A.
Awesome downstairs! Monday night has an awesome salsa band, great drinks, and a good group of people having fun and actually dancing. It's great for large groups as well with their bench seating. Also, did I mention the epically long shuffle boards? Great choice for a weekday date or just to dance. A++++
(5)
Katie K.
Being gluten intolerant can make eating out difficult so finding out that Capitol Cider has a 100% gluten free kitchen was enough of a reason to stop by on a recent trip to Seattle. The building is really neat and the restaurant has a old feeling with an upscale twist. We al l love cider so we opted for one of the flights from the featured cidery of the day, Seattle Cider Co. It was a great decision as the anniversary ciders had tons of flavors and were a flight that made sense. The ciders were printed on a small flight page so we knew exactly which one was which. For food, we were there on Saturday at noon which just happened to be brunch. We were too tempted by donuts on the menu so ordered those first. It came with 5 donut holes topped with a blueberry compote. They were perfection. Next, I ordered short ribs over a potato cake topped with a poached egg while my friends got an omelet and a scramble. Delicious! This is a must to go again and again.
(5)
Lani C.
5 stars for the cider, ambiance, and service. 3 stars for the food. If my math is right, which it never is, Capitol Cider is getting 4 stars from me. The cider was delightfully tart, like I had wanted. The atmosphere was awesome (read the foldout about their art). The hostess and waitress were friendly and casual, but attentive. Which is good because I don't like when people hover (...like my mother). The food and menu seemed decent enough for pub fare: the sausage was good and that stone ground mustard was great. The steak was cooked nicely... ...But holy. We drank a lot (of water) that night to counter that the crazy amount of sodium consumed there. We didn't finish the sauerkraut (more salty than vinegary) or the fries. Maybe Capitol Cider was having an off night- I don't know. But to be safe, I would recommend asking for any salad dressing on the side, unsalted fries if possible (you can always salt them yourself, right?), and more of that cider.
(4)
Sarah Elizabeth P.
Amazing cider list -- if you're craving cider, come here, order from the bar and drink happily :-) If you're gluten-free, the food was good, not amazing, but solidly good. However, if you're not gluten-free -- there's better much better food elsewhere on the hill. Finally, the service was severely lacking. We were there on a Friday night, yes, it was busy, but we sat at a table for over 20 minutes with empty glasses and no one came by to see if we either wanted another drink or the check.
(3)
Chandini S.
I like the cider, but the food wasn't worth it. And given the neighborhood, there is no excuse for bad food. We spent $100 for two people, and we could easily spend that at places with much, much better food. I'd go back for a quick drink, but I'd eat dinner somewhere else.
(3)
Erin T.
Gluten free kitchen, apparently. We enjoyed the potato croquettes and the fish and chips, though the proportions were not really equal between everyone in our party (some got one large piece of fish and other received three large pieces). The French fries were good but some bordered on the inedible side as they were fried to a blackened crisp. The cider selection is good but it would be helpful noting what is gluten free and what isn't for those of us with celiac disease. The server didn't know and so I found myself on google a few times during our meal. The dessert was the most disappointing as it was a baked apple crostini-type thing with uncooked raw oats and if you have celiac disease, this is a potential red-flag. It almost seems like this is a restaurant jumping on the gluten free bandwagon without doing their research before-hand. It almost works, but the staff need a little more training. We were there with three toddlers and while they ate off of our plates, we still paid a 20% gratuity for having a party of 6 even though the servers weren't that attentive and didn't go out of their way for our way for our group. Overall our group of four adults and three babies/toddlers ordered 4 entrees and two appetizers, two rounds of drinks and a dessert to share. It was enough food and we would possibly try it again without the kids in tow.
(3)
Aaron T.
Interesting ciders, original ambience, but poor service and tiny portions (for food). I've twice had terrible service at the tables now, although great service at the bar. The happy hour specials are a disappointment: it works out to about a dollar per piece of calamari. My recomendation: sit at the bar and order a cider, nothing else.
(3)
Angela H.
Went downstairs to the bar. I really dug the vibe, kind of didn't like the dim lighting. Good selection of beer; I was happy to see they had one of my favorites there, get the Petrus Aged Red!! They have board games and the waiter/bartender was super chill and cool (side note: found out his mom was from my hometown! seriously, this world is too small). Definitely stop by here if you want a chill place to grab a beer and play scrabble with friends, lol.
(4)
Lisa H.
YES YES YES gluten free fish and chips!!! A little pricey for a simple plate, The wine wasn't great ( at least the whites we tried) but it is a cider bar of course.
(4)
K C.
Myself and two others went here because my friend likes ciders, and wanted to give it a try. I'm somewhat sorry to say that the only part of our dining experience her that wasn't terrible was the beer and cider, but then it's hard to screw that up. The food was atrocious. It started as mediocre, but as each bite was more forcefully muscled down, The chili had little more moisture than just ground beef, and not much more flavor. This topped dense and bland patties of corn. The fries weren't oil blanched ahead, and this gave them a soggy and burnt quality. The "aioli" came from a bottom shelf mayo jar had garlic powder, and mustard enough to color, but not flavor. The cheese plate was actually a little offensive. It was set on the table without any explanation of the cheeses (insultingly small portions), what animal the milks came from, or mention of anything else on the plate. The cheeses themselves were cut far enough in advance to have a skin on the brie (I'm reasonably sure that it was President or something similar), and for the parm-like crumbles to be dried and taste like fridge. The blue was unmemorable. Service was spotty. The server tried, but just didn't measure up. He forgot which beers we wanted, though he seemed to write them down, and he didn't tell us what the kitchen was out of when we got our menus. He seemed frazzled, though there were two other faces on the floor and it was a mild crowd upstairs. Not only will none of us be back, I will actively warn my friends and possibly enemies away.
(1)
Nicole H.
My co-workers (group of 10) decided to come here for Happy Hour on a Wednesday. The restaurant had maybe 3 tables full but the servers remarked that they didn't "know what's up with the big group" and acted put out by our group. They were extremely rude when a co-worker tried to order at the bar because she had to leave quickly and didn't want to wait for the entire table to order. Lots of ciders on tap but servers and bartenders do a poor job of explaining subtle differences. NOTE to Capitol Cider: there are a lot of places that serve cider on the hill and ALL of them have staff with a better attitude!
(2)
Sarah C.
Very impressive! We sat at the bar, and received great service from the bartender who was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the tap selections and the menu. He was generous with tasting glasses while we decided what cider to order, with a few of them magically appearing while we discussed the selection. I chose the Finnriver Lavender Black Currant - beautiful deep ruby red color, lovely flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. I tried at least 4 varieties and they were all wonderful - and this comes from someone who isn't typically interested in alcohol. The fried green tomatoes with dill remoulade and a garnish of pork belly were great. We also had the pickle plate which included the best pickled beets I've had since my grandmother made them for me. My friend ordered the short rib entree which was perfectly seasoned and melt-in-your-mouth tender. I stayed with the appetizer menu so I could try more of their selections within my budget. I had the pulled pork lettuce cup with avocado. The pork was just-right spicy - enhanced by the lime squeeze the bartender suggested - and the avocado-cucumber on the side was a great way to quench the heat and cleanse the palate slightly between bites. I can't wait to go back soon and share this great spot with my husband. Highly recommended!
(5)
Stephanie A.
This place was super fun (I believe I was I might have been a little to loud for the place). A little background. I heard a piece on KIRO Talk Radio (thank you Rachel Bell) about ciders making come back. Then she plugged this place. Downside, my husband and I love cider but this place doesn't open till 4pm (no joke, 4pm - 2am everyday). We, typically, requested our babysitter till 6pm . . . we've corrected this mistake ;-). We went out with a couple-friend of ours. The three of us got samplers (there are three on the menu), and she got the habanero cider. This was just our starter. Afterwards, we all chose our poison. I had asked if I could take one of the menus so I could take notes of each of the cider we had chosen (and shared with each other). The waitress said I could but only because their menus change regularly as they get new ciders in. So, here is what I know. If you get the apricot cider, don't smell it, it will mildly ruin the experience of the cider. Once I figured that out, I really enjoyed my choice. The habanero cider was not spicy but left a warm feeling at the back of your throat; it make me think that it would be good drink if you have the standard cold (post-nasal drip). The ciders that are made in the whiskey barrels did not have the cider bite you would expect but they also didn't have the burn of a whiskey; it was smooth . . . so smooth. The brut ciders were like champagne that tasted like apples and they were exactly like a brut, dry. The food was really good . . . and all gluten free. Definitely a new experience if you have not had to try and eliminate gluten from your diet (as our cohort found out). We started out with the cheese plate . . . that was an experience worth remembering, I will never look at blue cheese the same way again. My husband and I had potato croquettes and they are as yummy as you could imagine. I ordered the beef and lentil chili which was mild and filling (but only due to cornbread that is "in" the chili). This was a great experience and I can't wait to do it again! DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT though, JUST CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!
(5)
Mike J.
My friends and I had high hopes for this place. I don't drink a lot of beer and really like hard ciders. This place does have a nice atmosphere and had at least 10 or more ciders (along with that many or more beers) on the menu on tap. There was very little information about the ciders to determine which ones might be sweeter, dryer, etc. The service staff we had did not seem to know much about the items to help recommend and then the other thing that was totally ridiculous is that they didn't offer any kind of sampler or flight to try and taste a grouping of them. Place overall a bit overpriced on the food so I think if a few things were done on menu, more knowledgeable staff, and offered sampler then rating could go up here.
(3)
G C.
OMG. Go here. Why does this place not have five stars? I will say right off the bat that I'm gluten free, but lest you think that makes me unfairly biased about the quality of the food, it doesn't! I know lame ass crumbly bread and soggy things fried in rice flour when I see them. This is NOT that! The menu is a foodie heaven with a nod to subtle pairings and happens to be devoid of wheat flours. Had the fish and chips-- amazing. The tartar was fresh, made with dill, capers, and a blend of sour cream and yogurt (I think). It had light, layered flavor, and a reminder of what true tartar is supposed to be: not a heavy addition to the already heavy fried fish, but a cool, light complement to cut the fattiness. The unexpected star, however, was winter squash soup. To die for. The red wine reduction drizzled on top and the spiced walnuts made this dish like candy. One of the best things I've had in a while-- and that's saying a lot for a bacon-loving foodie like me! I'd never been in here and wasn't expecting much. Seriously an amazing evening.
(5)
Saurya D.
Loved the setting downstairs. The bottled blond beer was refreshing and the habanero based cider had a lovely kick to it. I tried the chicken sausage and was quite happy with it. Good balance of sweet and savory. The fried fish and chips were good as well. The fries was crispy, something that you don't find in most places.
(5)
Shawn A.
I've been twice now with a group and both times the service was terrible and the attitude of the staff ranged from rude to surely. I think this place has been open long enough to have worked these issues out. As other people have pointed out, they really seem to dislike large groups The food is ok. Nothing to complain about but nothing special either. At best it's serviceable and over priced.
(1)
J B.
The food here is good and our waitress warmed up after a bit. Highlights were the fried acorn appetizer, the rib eye and the buttermilk cheesecake. Good atmosphere, though gets loud further into the night.
(4)
Valery J.
Great place!!! Went with a friend for dinner who was thoughtful to find a place that had a completely gluten free kitchen. I must say the place is not disappointing. Great service. Being from out of town I can say this was one of the best places I ate while in Seattle. I gave me a little of a NYC feel. Not bad when you miss home...
(4)
Kate S.
A couple visits in and I have to say Capitol Cider is a win in my book. Why you may ask? Well, lets see.... 1. I love cider. Almost as much as I love beer, so having 15-20 taps of cider (not to mention an overwhelming bottle list) at your disposal is awesome. Yes, some of them can get pricey -- but Anthem cider's are ALWAYS $4 during happy hour and you have a nice selection of cheaper offerings ranging from $4-7 depending on whats on tap that day. You can easily spend more if something catches your eye, but complaints about price seem unwarranted to me. Cider is always a bit more than beer, and hell. If you want beer they have 10-15 excellently selected taps of those as well. 2. The artwork. I love it, and I love that Capitol Cider chose to share and reflect the atelier history here showcasing the awesome replicas/copies the students that used to be housed here made. 3. Food. This is where your wallet can be hit a bit. This is a gluten free menu folks -- so no cheap sandwiches and the like here. Fancy fish and chips, lamb, steak, what have you. However they have nice Happy Hour offerings and I have been pleased with everything I have tried here (the fish and chips, salad, desserts, etc). The food is good, and totally share-able. So check it out. 4. Events. Capitol Cider strives to provide the hill with cider themed parties. Tieton Cider is celebrating it's birthday? Well how about free samples of their bourbon aged cider and all the Taylor Shellfish oysters you can eat. National Cider week? Daily tap take-overs with the brewers in house giving you details and smashing deals on special ciders that they make. 5. The downstairs. It's a "game room" -- but really well appointed. Dark, rich, and dare I say sexy? With board games, shuffleboard, and I'm sure elsewise to keep you entertained. This basement would be a FANTASTIC place to hold a little intimate get together for a birthday party or any sort of celebration you may want to have. In fact I may have to start or end my next birthday here just because I like the downstairs that much. 6. Growler fills. Yup -- you can get a growler of cider and take it home. Where else on the hill, let alone Seattle do you have a wide range of choice of cider to do that with? No where I know. So yup. Capitol Cider is a ~total~ win in my book.
(4)
Lauren H.
Capitol Cider is what happens when the owners of a place have money to burn and don't particularly care if their business doesn't quite work. Overpriced drinks, unfriendly staff, mediocre/unremarkable food menu. (The only thing going for them, food-wise, is that the menu is gluten free...I can see the appeal in that, if you're going to a cider bar). The decor isn't bad...definitely has that east coast feel. I just feel like every time I come here, as someone in their 20's, I am totally out of place. Maybe I'd appreciate it more if I was less familiar with other bars in the area, or didn't live on the hill... I so wanted to like this place. Great concept, it just falls flat for me.
(3)
Aaron M.
We were on our way to Canon and needed to stop for a drink and to rest our legs. It just so happened, that we were walking by and I saw a sign that said Cider! Not having anything like this back in California, I got excited and we went in. First impression as I walked through the door was: cold, dark and medieval. All in a good way though, very unique bar, kind of like a dungeon, but I really was diggin it. To start off, I had the Finnriver Mole Habenero Cider which was as unique a cider you can get. Sweet on the front, with spicy on the back end of it. Great cider! After that I tried their mead! I believe it was 8%, fruity and full! Smooth, very smooth. Highly recommend Capitol Cider to everyone looking for something a little different and all it's own!
(5)
Megan A.
It is a Friday evening and you find yourself lost in thought as you lounge in an over-sized armchair, tucked away in the corner of a dimly-lit, quaint room. The sweet notes of a jazz band fill the space and the sultry sound of the singers voice is intoxicating - or perhaps the intoxication stems from the imported cider that you are sipping from a snifter. Just keeping it classy. Capitol Cider almost has the potential to be this place, but sadly falls short. In reality, it is a Friday evening and you try to settle into a comfortable chair, but someone is practically sitting in your lap, because one hundred other people occupy the basement along with you. Your thoughts are disrupted as a bro, who has just won a game of shuffleboard, slams into you while performing his celebratory dance. There is a fantastic jazz band playing, but they are barely audible over all of the patrons. You are in good company, but you have to shout at them to have a conversation. It is enough to make you want to cry into your over-priced glass of cider. The pros include: fairly attentive service, a classy space, an extensive cider list, and live entertainment from an adorable band called Miss Miller and the Swells. The first problem I have with Capitol Cider is the sardine mentality. I understand that they want to make a profit, but packing people past capacity is uncomfortable and hard on the wait staff. We eventually managed to snag a table in front of the stage, but could barely enjoy the music even though we were about a foot away. The environment has the potential to be amazing, but the shuffleboard tables attract a strange crowd. I was bumped into by a guy wearing a basketball jersey and sunglasses. It was 10:30 and we were in a dark basement. Are you Stevie Wonder? Nope. Are you a Blues Brother? Nope. You sir, are neither blind nor a bad ass, so lose the shades. The cider itself is okay. I ordered the Finnriver Black Currant cider, which was pretty tasty, but didn't really have that cassis flavor that I am obsessed with, and was certainly not worth the $9 price tag. Then to end the experience, we had to deal with an angry bartender. The place was packed, so we went up and asked to have our server bring us our checks. After patiently waiting half an hour, and continuously trying to wave down our waitress, we decided to close our tab at the bar. I politely asked to close our tabs and was shocked by the response I received. The waitress snapped, "your server can do that!" I explained that we had already requested that our server come and had been waiting 30 minutes for our checks. To this she responded, "EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH," stomped away, swung the bar opening as hard as she could, came back and slammed my card onto the bar. I'm sorry, but are you three years old? I don't think I have ever gotten a response like that from someone that I was TRYING TO PAY.
(2)
Brandon R.
I cannot sing enough praises about this place. Recently gluten free, I was delighted to find a restaurant where I could order anything. I called in and ordered takeout from their brunch menu. I got the omelette, which was delicious (their gluten free potatoes are amazing). I also got the donuts, which were equally amazing. When I picked up my order, I met multiple servers and the bartender, and everyone couldn't have been friendlier. After I paid, I mistakenly left my debit card. I went back late the next day when I discovered it was missing, and the gentleman who I spoke with said "Yes, You did leave it... We tried to catch you, but you were already gone." He confirmed the type of card, and my name, and brought it back to me. I plan to make this my local spot. So glad I live close... This place is a gem. Hope the servers are paid well.. they deserve it. Great food, great people, great service.
(5)
Joni G.
Wow! This place has a 100% gluten free menu Amazing gluten free fish and chips! Duck was good but I've had better, less oilier at Canlis. We went on a Sunday evening and they had live jazz playing from 4pm-7pm which was a plus! One negative is that service is fairly slow.
(4)
Melanie J.
I'm only 2 years into living gluten free and lemme tell ya, I miss pub food. A lot. So, imagine how excited I was when reading the initial reviews of Capitol Cider...Everyone was talking about the fish and chips! WHICH THEY DON'T HAVE. In fact, there's nothing about the menu that suggests pub fare whatsoever. How unbelievably disappointing! Cons: Poor service, even though our server was nice she was slow and had no suggestions for drinks or food. Pretentious menu. Like Cap Hill needs another fancy foodie joint. Pros: FANTASTIC cider selection, which the only reason this place got more than one star. The food we ended up ordering was very flavorful and decently presented. Not exactly the best value for the portion size, however. Will I go back? Probably. Like I said, the cider selection was amazing. Just eat dinner first.
(2)
Trish P.
great selection of ciders and a fun game room downstairs!! came on a weekend and it was packed to the brim. despite this, we actually managed to grab a table, and got to play dominoes while drinking cider. they have about 30 or so different ciders to choose from (alcoholic of course), so theres something for everyone. and, there all kinds of different board games to play. it is really chill in there, and such a great place to just hang out with friends. i really, really like the board game concept!! this would be great back home, but we would probably have hooligans stealing the game pieces :( check them out when you're in Seattle!
(5)
Steve D.
Super fun bar making a nice niche for themselves in Seattle. Solid beer and cider on rotation and a couple hidden gems downstairs! (aka the two best shuffleboard tables in town). They also have a variety of boardgames and hold events downstairs. Always a good crowd of people here to chat it up with. Staff is very friendly and thoughtful. Shout-out to Talia for always picking out beers I'm going to like!
(4)
Rachel C.
Best selection of ciders. Great for out-of-towners and has a great gluten free menu. They have a game room downstairs with board games.
(5)
D.W. D.
Terrible service. It was my birthday and the waitress was rude from the get-go. My napkin had cheetos in it as I unfolded it and she was angry at ME for it, and didn't get me a new one. She rarely showed up to our table after that except to fawn all over the Urbanspoon reviewers (we asked them, they told us) sitting next to us, who had at least 3 servers giving them freebie after freebie and excellent service (lesson: don't trust Urbanspoon reviews from 9/7). My husband even asked for the dessert menu (we have been looking forward to this gluten-free birthday dinner for weeks) and when the waitress finally showed up again for US (she had revisiting the Urbanspoon table 4 more times before she came back to us) she handed us the check, not the dessert menu. I got so upset I asked her to leave and get us another waitress, explaining the situation and how angry we were (my husband was too livid to talk to her at all). The owner came over and told me the waitress had "gone downstairs to cry" and did I want a free dessert? Um WTF? How about an apology by SOMEONE? She didn't seem to really care that much how much her staff had ruined my birthday experience and nearly brought me to tears, but comped us two desserts and got us a new waitress who also didn't show us any service at all after that. Decided to get up and walk to the door to get them to hand us the check finally, after another long wait of being ignored. Did I mention this was a SLOW SUNDAY NIGHT and they had a TON of staff on hand? What were they doing, all rolling dirty silverware? The food isn't that good for the experience you will get from the terrible staff. REALLY BAD EXPERIENCE. There are better places to put your money for a random Sunday or your next BIRTHDAY. Places that clearly care more about their customers and the experience they leave people with. AVOID.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Late Night Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Jack L.
If you have a friend or significant other that is gluten-intolerant, this is a great place to bring them! Housed in the center of Capitol Hill, Capitol Cider is a place that I feel I have walked by so many times in my life until it was just recently that I had the chance to visit. Let's start with the atmosphere - overall it was enjoyable. It wasn't too loud and wasn't too quiet where you could hear everyone else's conversation. It was nicely lit and had extremely high ceilings that made the place feel very spacious. Despite all that however, the only criticism I have is that they lack available bathroom spaces. There is only a unisex one up stairs and one of each downstairs. Given how busy this place could be on the weekends, it makes it kind of difficult. The food was also better than what I had expected. With my girlfriend being gluten free, seeing fish and chips on the menu made us ask the waitress twice to make sure it wasn't a mistake. That dish specifically was excellent with a crisp batter cover the moist fish, which made it very hard to believe that it was gluten free. We also got the calamari, coconut prawns and pork belly to start. Calamari was my favorite though the portions were a bit small. coconut prawns had good flavor but they were a bit on the dry side. I feel like I had two bites of pork belly and then they were finished as well. Best part of this place is the cider and customer service. We ate upstairs and the waitress was very helpful in offering recommendations of ciders based upon what type of taste we were going for. All the ciders we had were delicious though I would personally recommend the Red Tank 425 as it tasted like a light beer and wasn't overly sweet. Would definitely come again!
(4)Megan S.
I had a really great experience here! I came with a really large group, but our server was so friendly and efficient. My whole table commented on how nice he was. My burger was really really delicious--one of the better burgers I have had. My only issue was that I asked for medium well, but got something that was barely medium. Someone else at my table asked for medium well and hers was more like well done. I wish they would adhere to the requests. Still, I can't complain about my food--I really liked everything I ate. It was kind of sad to pay over 30 bucks for a burger and one drink, but yea...it was good, so I'm not mad. I got a cider, I believe it was some kind of maple flavor. It was very good--pleasant tasting but not overly sweet. I almost ordered another glass, it was so good. The other options sounded great as well. I'm from New York State, so I may not be back, but I really enjoyed my experience here and highly recommend this place.
(4)Brian L.
I like it, I really do! Cider, for some, is one of those things that can be "meh" or "hell yeah" .. I've been here a number of times now and have tried various ciders based on name alone or upon recommendation. I've been pleased. They will let you try a sample, don't you worry. I brought a friend in just tonight that isn't much of a cider drinker, but after sampling a couple he found one he was pleased with and boom goes the dynamite. So what I do like is the ciders. Capitol Cider. Duh. I wish some of the small plates were a little tastier. They didn't leave much to the imagination and at the risk of sounding like a prissy snob.. if you can make it better at home, is the juice worth the squeeze? That being said, I think what this place is and should be noted for is the ciders. Not the food. Haley, behind the bar, rocks the casbah. Totally sweet. Dude.
(4)Felisa D.
I lived with 3 girls in college who can't have gluten. Two have Celiac's and the other has gluten intolerance. I have had my fair share of lessons on eating gluten-free (or GF. See? I even know the abbreviations. Mmkayyy). I know about alternative flours, xanthan gum, quinoa spaghetti and cross-contamination. I am unnaturally versed in which restaurants in Seattle have gluten-free buns and how to specify variations to get gluten-free products. I know about gluten-free girl and other similar blogs. The above text is the longest way to be all, "I know authentic cuz I studied abroad for, like, a semester in college" but, like, when it comes to gluten-free food. And basically, this is a dream come true for those with Celiac's and other related restrictions. They don't just have an extensive menu with GF options -- they have a gluten-free kitchen. Like, no wooden spoons that have soaked up gluten. No previously floured surfaces. And with the extensive list of hard ciders, GF folks and cider-lovers alike will be pleased. They do have beers (with gluten) too if you just really need your gluten fix. For those of us who thrive on gluten, you won't come here and politely pretend to enjoy yourself. You actually will! I've been here for dinner a couple of times now and, last night, went to a Yelp Elite event. I always leave this place texting my gluten-free friends with an invite to hang out. I love that there is the upstairs option for a more intimate dinner and love that they commissioned works from aspiring artists to adorn their walls. I also love the basement with board games, shuffleboard, etc. for a more casual hang out. Overall, a great addition (they opened around 2013 I think?) to the pub scene in Seattle that happens to be gluten-free.
(4)Stephen M.
Dropped in for the Yelp Elite event last week, and I'm glad I did. The downstairs area turns out to be a lot bigger than you would think upon entering at street level. Piano tucked away in the corner is a nice touch. Lighting is just the right mix of cozy and inviting without being dark and creepy. Ginger cider goes down smoothly and pairs well with most of the apps. Did not feel the temp was an issue downstairs, maybe something that has been recently fixed. Seemed right to me, even on a hot day. Great service. Will return, if in the area.
(5)Ken T.
Came here for a yelp elite event! Cider is always yummy, and food was good as well. What set this event apart was that our bartenders and waiters were really helpfully and kind! This is definitely a good place to take a date as the upstairs has a nice ambience, and below is a cool bar area, and they even have games.
(5)Volha A.
Super friendly and fun staff. A very welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. I enjoyed my time here for the Yelp Elite event. The place is very clean and beautifully decorated. The cider selection is superb! The cider cocktail with bourbon was very settle but did give me a buzz. The food items were nicely selected. The glazed pork was soooooo amazing! Sweet and crispy on the outside. The scallop was divine! Well-seasoned and perfectly cooked. I enjoyed all the other appetizers and the cheesecake as well. Great to know there are so many delicious options for gluten-free dining!
(5)Caleb M.
I love this spot, be sure to checkout the downstairs for live music, shuffleboard, and a good crowd. It's a great place to meet a date, and now they've added a small outdoor section. I'm usually in here for the cider but I've recently sampled the food and it's wonderful. You pay for what you get but you won't be disappointed. The cider selection is great, I love the apple habanero, it's hot but good. The flavors compliment perfectly. Come in downstairs Monday night for a live jazzy, funky jam session or Wednesday nights for an acoustic show. The service has always been great. I'm really glad we have a place like this. They really are firing on all cylinders. There are plenty of tables for groups of six, and a few for more. Of course they also have smaller.
(5)Kay S.
I was visiting from Chicago and was looking for a gluten-free friendly place, being a celiac and all. I was really happy to find this place since they have a completely gluten-free menu! Fries at most restaurants are usually a no-go since they use a shared fryer, but I got to indulge here and they were delicious. Both the boyfriend and I loved our dishes and the drink selection. The ambiance was really chill too, which we liked. We'll definitely be back when we're in Seattle again!
(4)Alison T.
I went to Seattle for a long weekend and this was top on my list of must do. I am a cider fanatic and I was determined to visit this cider focused bar. I was not let down. My friend and I went downstairs to the bar, where it was crowded, but not packed. We found two stools at the bar and the waitress quickly came to ask for our order. We told her we weren't sure what to pick, because the list was so extensive, so she gave us a few samples and explained the ciders to us. It was very helpful. We did not try any food, but the service was great, it was clean, and didn't seem too rowdy. I will definitely be returning here whenever I visit Seattle.
(5)Elyse M.
I don't know if it's quite four stars, but close enough. I think it's fantastic to have a place that is entirely gluten-free. I have a severe allergy that has gotten worse over time. Not having to ask about every dish I order is something that rarely happens and it was so relaxing! The hibiscus mead was one of the best ciders I've ever had. It wasn't too tart or too sweet. Mild and delicious and a pretty magenta color! I haven't been able to have fried calamari in ages, so it was a great treat. The portion was pretty small, though. Boyfriend got the fish n chips. I tasted it, and it was good. Tartar sauce was great! I got the chicken, which was really simple but really good. I tend to prefer dark meat but this chicken breast was extremely moist and flavorful. The apple Brown Betty for dessert was fantastic.. I wasn't sure how I'd like the oat cheddar crumble in a dish like that, but it was a good pairing. My only complaint is realllly slow service. Nice but slow. Other than that it's great!
(4)Ali D.
My friend was visiting from out of town and she also happens to love a good hard cider. She did her research and wanted to have lunch at Capitol Cider which I was excited to try considering the rave reviews of seen. Plus, it's not everyday I go to a bar that completely specializes in cider offerings. The atmosphere was a bit too hipster for my taste. It was also extremely dark and a bit depressing, quite honestly. Our server had a bit of 'tude which also contributed to the uncomfortable vibe. Setting that all aside, the cider selection really was great and I had the opportunity to taste some new things which I enjoyed. I also ordered the fish and chips for lunch which were pretty good, but also unmemorable. Moral of the story: Capitol Cider was good not great. Definitely a true hipster spot on the hill.
(2)Diane S.
I love the selection at capital cider. I have been here a few times and I have to say my favorite cider is their POmigrante cider, so yummy. But they have a lot of great seasonal ciders they change out, which are always great to try. Dinner upstairs can be prices but is yummy. Everyone who I know has tried the burger says its worth the $18. I had the quinoa with the soft egg, which was amazing. Downstairs they have shuffle board and other games, that makes the experience there a very fun one. I love this place and, plan to keep going back!!!
(5)Yvonne B.
I fell in love. Hard. Hard cider love. I went one evening with friends and then returned the next morning when they opened for day drinking. The atmosphere at Capitol Cider is refined. They have austere paintings on the wall, dark wood furniture, and high ceilings. The cider taps are a row of dainty, elegant handles and spigots. In the evening it is lit with tiny tea candles and sunlight cascades through the large front windows during the day. The service has been right up my alley. Tish was our server in the evening. She was informative, timely, and personable without compromising professionalism. Emerson worked the bar during the day and gave me the hookup by lavishing me with a total of seven small samples between my three drinks. Now I can confidently say that Capitol Cider has a cider to satisfy anyone. I don't know if it's a good place to make friends for everyone; however, I enjoyed chatting with my fellow bar-mates. We got on so well that I tried their mezcal Bloody Mary (ah-mazing for me but not Sean's cup-of-tea) and guava mimosa (yes yes yes!). I must admit that I was being coquettish, but that was probably due to the fact that I was in love with Capitol Cider. I had some of the dinner food (lentil soup and beet salad) and it was alright. I saw many other people ordering dishes that looked delicious. I'd say that they have a well-designed menu (for brunch, dinner, and bar snacks) that covers whatever whimsy I might have at a given moment. The recipes were thorough in design and involved good flavor, texture, and presentation construction. But let's be honest. Although I live to eat, I prefer drink my calories at Capitol Cider. After all, it seems as if Capitol Cider is a drinking establishment first and it's the libations, atmosphere, and people that won my heart.
(5)Jason J.
Totally douche bags staff. They could careless about you having a good time. They are rude and careless in the way they handle the costumers. Overall a unfriendly, unwelcoming experience worth the staff. Could be a great time, because the space is great and could be fun.
(1)Kathy A.
I think I found my new place for Friday/Saturday night drinks! I've never been a fan of beer, and I like wine but I prefer to have it with a meal. I do on the other hand LOVE hard cider so as you might guess this place has A LOT of it! They have tons of different bottled cider/beer options. They also had at least 12 on tap ciders to choose from. The prices are totally reasonable too. They have the main restaurant upstairs and then downstairs is the bar where there is sometimes live music. There were games to play and all in all just a great bar vibe. It can get PACKED and loud at night so prepare for that. I only tried a few small appetizers (the calamari and the potato croquettes) but they were both delicious. I'll have to be back for dinner because the main courses sounded great too.
(4)Nina S.
My husband was SO excited to take me here because I am a big cider fan. The place itself it very 'hipster'ish but overall very cozy and inviting. The waitress was very nice and gave us suggestions on which ciders to try. I had the Ace Pineapple and it was INCREDIBLE. All of the staff was incredibly friendly and very willing to help which is impressive to me because we came at 4ish on a Saturday when there was almost no customers in the place. The fact that the staff was so on top of their customer service game during such a slow time is impressive :) All the ciders that we tried (4 total) were delicious and under $10. The food looked a bit more pricey so we skipped it. I would definitely return here and recommend them to anyone who loves cider.
(5)John W.
A gluten free restaurant with the best food I've ever tasted without regard to glutton. Their brunch is phenomenal and the banana bread French toast cannot be duplicated. And the lamb hash something I normally wouldn't like is unbelievable. And the eggs Benedict are exceptional making the entrée a difficult difficult choice!
(5)Alejandra E.
Finally got a chance to check out Capitol Cider. The ciders themselves were fantastic as well as the warmed olives we got as a snack. My only hang up and the #1 reason I'm giving three stars is because of the service. Not a single waiter had a smile on their face, the body language gave off the vibe that they all hate their jobs and I felt like they didn't want anyone to be in the restaurant. 5 stars for good cider and food but a 1 star for personalities of the staff. I'll go back but would appreciate if the staff would be more friendly and upbeat with the patrons.
(3)Chessie S.
I'm an ambiance girl and this place has nice tall walls, windows and booths with colonial type oil paintings. The pictures were great conversation starters. Word to the wise, don't sit by the door if it's cold, windy or snowing out. Also, you end up being a bit of a spectacle for people going to or coming from Neighbours, but hey then you can people watch too. The drinks were varied. One ordered Chateau Saint Michel Reisling, one ordered Rainier, one water and one a Habañero Peach Cocktail. We'll go back and hide from the doorway. ;)
(4)Natassia S.
Came here the other night, I still prefer this place on a weekday...but thought I'd add a sidenote: The kitchen here is 100% Gluten Free which is great for those with serious allergies and trendy allergies (heh you know who you are) But something important to know is if you're celebrating a birthday or coming from anywhere with outside food (even if its in a box, package, etc) its not allowed in the restaurant. Last night I had a small box of 3 cake pops for a friends birthday treat but for the sake of cross contamination they have strict rules and don't allow any outside food in the space. You have the option of putting it in your bag and keeping it in there until you leave or leaving it with the host and they will place it somewhere in the back until you're ready to go. Small bummer but something ya'll should know incase you were planning on bringing a cake for a birthday (Which in my friend's case her gf couldnt bring the cake she bought :( ) One thing I'm curious about though, is I noticed they have a bunch of beers on tap and should maybe also consider the distilled alcohol made of wheat, barley or rye.
(4)Bryan M.
Really liked this place. Hot evening, so we got seats downstairs in the cool basement. Some beers, ciders, and calamari with jalapeño aioli rounded out the evening. Will definitely return!
(5)Quinn D.
Nice space, great food and beverages, and extremely nice and knowledgable staff! I went from meeting new people downstairs at an event to sampling various ciders at the bar upstairs. Jacob worked it downstairs and Andrew worked the entire bar, upstairs. From petit olives, mini caprese appetizers , to french fries and my favorite, ginger cider, Capitol Cider was fun. My friend was just in the day prior...like him, I will definitely be back!
(4)Mukul B.
I would give it 3.5 overall (leaned towards 4 just because they have board games :)). The service and cider was good.
(4)Trish S.
Had dinner here over holiday vacation and was totally delighted by the menu, the decor, and of course, all the ciders! It's my beverage of choice and what I generally order when out and about at a gastropub. Generally I find just a couple on a menu, but as it's aptly named, Capitol Cider boasts many more! The bottle list has well over a hundred options and range of choices that could please anybody. You'll have to tear your eyes away from the decor to peruse it though. The walls are a combo of rustic decadence (Fireplace with lion photo) and urban industrial (Exposed pipes and photos) all the art on the walls is super legit. There is even a brochure outlining the work that's available for purchase. The menu is impressive too and I ordered the New York Strip Frites - Braised Kale, French Fries with Curry Ketchup. Simple, but I couldn't resist. It was nicely cooked but a but too much salt sadly. I could eat there every day for weeks and still not have all the things that look delicious (plus! there us games in a pile to play too!) Our server was just fine and I'm a big fan!
(4)Jay K.
This is the first time I wondered why Yelp does not have a zero star review available. We went in on the evening of June 6, 2015, no host or waiter to be seen, sat at a booth that had some dirty dishes on it. Looked at the menu on the table, there were flights of ciders which looked appealing but we were curious if there were beer flights too. At that point waitress turns up and we have this exchange: Waitress (looking as if someone just ran over her pet): Move so I can clean the table. My husband (surprised at her tone/attitude): Err, sure, go ahead and clean it, we don't mind. Waitress (visibly upset): No, you have to move. My husband (standing up and moving): OK, no problem, by the way can you tell us if you have beer flights too? Waitress (ready to commit murder): THE MENU YOU ARE HOLDING LISTS WHAT WE HAVE! Me (not impressed at all): You know what, I don't like your attitude, so we are going to leave - Waitress (interrupting): OK, GOODBYE! So we were walking out, ran into another waitress, asked to speak to the manager who apparently had left for the day, and then as we were walking out the original rude waitress stops us at the door and starts ranting at us. The bouncer comes inside and when she sees him, to the shock and surprise of both me and my husband, she says: "You grabbed me!". Wow, that felt surreal. Swear to god we never touched her. So the bouncer says "Get out". We told him we were already leaving anyway, why else would we be at the door when 5 minutes ago he checked our IDs as we entered... He repeated "OUT" and then we left. Bottom line, service is appalling, and until they fire the rude (short, dark hair, chubby) waitress you do not want to go to this establishment. Having read the other reviews on Yelp, our experience of rude service seems to be consistent. I wonder if this waitress is related to the owner somehow, or else I cannot explain how she still has that job.
(1)Leela S.
I'm definitely more of a beer drinker than a cider drinker, but this bar has been on my radar for a while. I finally got the chance to check it out last night, and I was not disappointed! The interior (well, at least the upper level--I didn't get a chance to go downstairs) is quaint, cozy, even homey--and not in that neighbourhood dive bar sort of way. It feels almost cafe-like, except you've got bartenders and a tap lineup instead of baristas and coffee tampers. The three of us were lucky to get one of the little booths, and the atmosphere felt even more intimate. Prices were a little higher than I expected, but at least we got $1 off everything on tap thanks to happy hour. I had a baked apple cider and it was delicious! If you prefer your cider sweeter rather than drier, this one's for you. My companions got some of the drier offerings, and they both loved their stuff too. There were enough interesting options on tap for us to get two rounds of completely unique drinks (more to taste!). Oh, and if you're peckish, go for the fries: the aioli they give you is to die for. I'll definitely be back at Capitol Cider, especially since I now know that they have weekly trivia. But honestly, I don't need more of an incentive to return than the cider itself!
(4)Mindi A.
I came here with my husband and sister-in-law who is gluten-intolerant. She was very excited that they have a 100% gluten free kitchen because she was able to order and eat without fear. It was also a great place to taste all sorts of ciders. The table favorite was the Seattle Cider PNW Berry. I felt that the food was decent but a bit over priced. The potato croquettes were seriously tasty, like fired mashed potatoes. Definitely recommend getting those. The sausage was good but I would probably not get it again. We returned the warm olives appetizer because the olives were very bitter and had giant stones in the center. Now the main reason I am giving Capitol Cider a 3 star is its poor service. (Had the food and cider not been as good, it would have been a 2 star). We were regularly out of water in our glasses. We were ready to order, had the menus closed, and still waited 15 min too long for our food order to be taken. And when we tried to redeem the $5 off from the Yelp check-in offer, she marked it as "used" but did not actually give us the discount.
(3)Sheng M.
I actually really love this place. We stumbled upon it during the Block Party because I needed to use the restroom. The place is awesome... It's a fair size up top, but there's also a downstairs area with another bar! And places to sit and chill....and two shuffleboards! The food is pretty tasty. Had some wings, pail of fries, and calamari. The cider is awesome. There's quite a selection so take your pick.
(5)Jamie P.
Good variety of cider, which I didn't know could taste so good! (I prefer sweet drinks) The waiters always helped me to order from one of the sweeter ciders. The food, while pretty tasty, I find to be a bit pricey considering the small portion size. I've only been downstairs the few times that I've gone, which can get pretty crowded on a weekend night thus hard to find a table or any seating in general. Service can be reeeeally slow on a busy night, so that can be frustrating unless you're cool with chilling there for 1+ hour just to have a cider. The decor is pretty cool and rustic-feeling, but still classy I would say. Plenty of TV's to watch from. However there is this odd stage area where people tend to sit and eat, and you could easily hit your head when getting up if you're not paying attention. Smallest bathroom stalls I've ever been in; super awkward to try and shut the door; your knees when sitting on the toilet are likely to touch the door. Definitely worth trying just to grab some cider, but maybe avoid during busy times if you dislike really overcrowded areas.
(3)Scott P.
This place rocks I can't wait to come back!
(5)Ms. K.
A British themed 100% gluten free restaurant so no worries of cross- contamination or kitchen mistakes. Brunch & Bottomless cidermosas. They even decorated the place for Queen Elizabeth's birthday. What more is there to say?
(5)Leith S.
My wife and I love cider so were excited to try a few at Capitol Cider. The selection was strange though and we only enjoyed it so-so. Food seemed on the expensive side so we didn't try that but the menu none the less looked good. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed. I'd give it second chance before ruling it out but am not raving.
(3)Erica M.
Although it may not appear like it, there are two levels to this place! Upstairs is more casual and wis perfect for dinner, dates, or happy hour for a quieter experience. Downstairs, and there are booths, a big communal table, shuffleboard and more! There's even a small stage and a huge bar with a great selection of ciders and beer on tap. For those who are non-cider/beer drinkers, have no worries, there is a full selection of spirits too with tasty cocktails! There was this Jalepeno Cider and Mango Mead that didn't settle with my palate, but I was a sucker for everything else on the list! They really did a great job at selecting a whole variety to stock the bar. We even took a quick break from the tasty ciders to enjoy a couple stouts, espressos, and more! Downstairs is a lot noisier and extremely crowded compared to upstairs but we all had fun! Go check out Capitol Cider, grab a couple glasses and relax on the couch with a cute artificial fireplace! Cheers~
(4)Andy D.
Believe me, I wish I didn't feel compelled to write this review. My birthday was coming up, and my girlfriend Kelli and I wanted to meet our friend Dominic for breakfast somewhere close to where he lives on Capitol Hill. Not every place is open on the 4th of July, so we looked around on-line, made a few phone calls and wound up choosing & making reservations at Capitol Cider. We met at 9 am at the coffee shop next door to start our day off with a buzz and some conversation before we sat down to order . food at Capitol Cider at 10 am. Our first mistake was choosing to sit outside, because although it was a beautiful day the street life at Pike & Broadway was distracting, marginally threatening and potentially hostile. We should have sat inside, but none of us drink alcohol so we felt compelled to remain outside. We thought we would be okay once the waiter appeared to take our order and bring some water. Over 45 minutes and some apologies and excuses later, our food miraculously appeared before us (we suspect the cook showed up late, hung over, or was busy snorting his own breakfast). Dominic ordered the hanger steak (he had asked to substitute more vegetables for the egg and potatoes that accompany the meal, but was stoutly refused accomodation); it wasn't a "steak", it wasn't even a "cutlet". It really amounted to tidbits of meat that weren't even cooked as he had requested. I ordered the chorizo scramble. It was okay. It was edible. The "breakfast potatoes" that came with the dish turned out to be chunks of pre-formed potato that probably come frozen and are then fried or heated in an oven or on a grill. They aren't very good. Kelli ordered the chilaquiles. She said it reminded her of an appetizer she might order at TGI Friday's. Since it was my birthday, my real gift was recommending that Dominic, who paid for the meal, tip all of 32 cents because that's more insulting than tipping nothing. Fortunately for me, Capitol Cider was the worst part of my 52nd birthday, and I get to relive that glorious occasion by way of this review. Unless you are a drinker, a druggie, a hipster or a poseur, avoid this place if you are interested in eating something.
(1)Jillian S.
Best cider selection! The menu is interesting but always tasty. Love the live music. Always a good place to unwind.
(5)Hanna D.
We were seated at the 'communal' table, even though the place was half-empty, on a weeknight; clearly the booths are reserved for 4. We didn't request a booth, and the table was okay except that it was too close to the wall and my chair got bumped several times by ppl trying to pass behind me. Our server was a bearded hipster dude who was super-sincere about the whole thing; he maybe shared a little too much about himself (telling us about what vitamins he takes, etc.), but servers aren't robots, and this place is pretty casual. My cider was delicious, my date's wasn't as great, but not terrible. I picked mine by what it was called, my date's was suggested by our server. We shared the cheese plate, the beet salad, an order of fish and chips, and the chocolate cake; it was plenty for us. Everything was good except the dessert (which our server could not deliver to our table because he's allergic to coconut oil, and that's one of the ingredients); it was dry, and nothing special flavor-wise. The server warned us about the size of the baguette in the cheese plate, telling us it's 'expensive, so we make the portions small"; I don't know of a more graceful way of framing that, but the piece of bread truly was tiny. The bill was a little over $60. Overall, a nice experience, and it was novel being able to eat almost anything on the menu.
(3)C O.
The burger has got to be one of the best I've had in Seattle. It was also the perfect size. The only thing I would love to see on the menu are more vegetarian options. There are no main entrees that are purely vegetarian. My partner ended up having a salad for dinner which is disappointing. Other than that, love the cider selection and the atmosphere! Especially board games downstairs and shuffleboard.
(3)T S.
My experience here was like it was out of an episode of Portlandia - bizarre, mildly amusing and left a bad taste in my mouth. Here's the story. It was my friend's birthday. About fifteen of us were at this establishment, buying drinks and being completely civilized. We had brought him a cake to cut later. Admittedly it was a gluten-y cake since we didn't know this was a gluten free establishment. When we asked the waitress for a knife to cut the cake, she asked us if it was a gluten free cake, which we told her that it wasn't. She comes back five minutes later and tells us we can't cut it since it was a gluten free establishment. Completely reasonable request. So we offered to put the cake away. The waitress leaves and comes back five minutes later to say that we can't have the cake inside the bar. Now note that this was a boxed cake, all wrapped up, inside a tote bag, under a table. No one was eating or cutting it. We told her that. Completely reasonable right? NOPE. The waitress tells us that the cake HAS TO GO. None of us had driven there so we tell her that our only option would be to throw the cake away. We ask her if we can store it at the bar or near the entrance. But NOPE. The cake HAS TO GO or we have to go. We are midway through our drinks so we ask her for some more time. She leaves, reluctantly. Five minutes later, she is back. The cake HAS TO GO. So we left... I consider myself very lucky to say that this was the first time in my life I felt discriminated against. And oddly enough, it was gluten-related. Most anti glutenist place I've ever been to. Really guys... relax!
(1)Davin L.
As someone who's not a huge fan of beer, this place is freakin' sweet. There's an amazing selection of ciders made from a variety of different fruits and varying degrees of sweetness and dryness. There was an excellent blackberry pear cider that started off my evening, and I fell completely in love with a blueberry lager that was absolutely perfect. And not to worry, there's also a fine selection of beers and liquor for those of you not into ciders. The good/bad thing about this place is that there's a constantly rotating selection, so if there's something you love, don't get too attached, as it might not be there the next night. But there's a chance you might find another great choice. The interior is very rustic and charming, with a downstairs bar that has a stage for performances and shuffleboard as well. There's also plenty of board games to borrow while you enjoy another glass of blackberry ale. A great establishment from top to bottom. Somebody bring me a glass of that blueberry lager please!
(4)Christa M.
I am not a Seattle resident, but every time we visit we make it a point to eat here. I have a gluten allergy, so I am forever in love with this place for having a 100% GF kitchen.. It gets 3 stars for that right off the bat. BUT the other two stars were earned because the Food. Is. Amazeballs. Where do I begin. The ribeye was really flavorful and tender and perfect. The fish and chips were crispy and delicious. They used to have a short rib dish that was BOMB, but I don't see it on the menu anymore. Their brunch was good, but not quite as impressive as the dinner menu. They've got a good variety of cocktails and ciders for different tastes. Their dessert menu is also pretty awesome... The first time we went, we had a warm apple cobbler type dish (with ice cream, obviously) that was scrumptious. The chocolate torte is super dense and dark--almost bitter, not too sweet. But the real reason I am writing this review is the mother *#%+ing CHEESECAKE. I am going to go out on a limb and say it was the best cheesecake I have ever had. Cheesecake is one of my favorite foods, but my husband usually doesn't care much for it. We both agreed that this cheesecake was on another level. They use sliced almonds for the crust, which I wasn't sure about when I read the description, but it was actually really nice. And the filling was just so creamy and perfect. I kept spooning it into my face despite being totally stuffed. I had multiple foodgasms. I will be dreaming about that cheesecake for years to come. The service is pretty good. The staff is nice. The kitchen can be a bit on the slow side sometimes, but you can't rush perfection. In conclusion: Go to Capitol Cider. Get a cheesecake. Put your face in it. You can thank me later.
(5)Katalin S.
Visiting from out of town and was very excited to try this 100% gluten free kitchen. The food was AMAZING. We had the calamari and shrimp skewers to start, which were packed with flavor. The fried calamari was crisp and delicious. For dinner our group had the scallops, fish fry, pork loin, and the appetizer chicken sausage and cauliflower. The risotto with the pork loin was delicious and had a great blend of flavors. Thinking we were just getting a side to compliment our meals, the cauliflower ended up being voted the favorite; definitely recommend adding it to any meal. The only "meh" was that the service was a tad slow. It was busy (and loud), our waiter was very friendly and helpful with recommendations, but there was quite a bit of waiting for ordering. Everything was worth the wait, though.
(4)Stina K.
I've been here twice. First time had a 3 star experience and came in the summer around 7pm, went downstairs to the bar and the place had a good crowd. The cider I feel is overpriced however they have a decent selection. For a place that strictly cider though I have had better cider, but they have shuffle board and is a clean establishment so its acceptable. Second time coming here is why it has a 1 star. Came around 11:30pm on a Friday, place was packed which is typical for Capitol Hill on a Friday but seemed like they were way over capacity in the downstairs bar, it was hard to move around. However I left soon after not because of that but because of the mistreatment from the bouncer. Me and my friends had eaten at the Honey Hole (go there if you haven't!) right before so we all had the complimentary lollipops they give you at the end of the meal. Not a big lollipop mind you, it was a DumDum so the size of a penny. We walked in and the bouncer told me I could bring any outside food cause they were a gluten-free place. I looked at him incredulously and he repeated himself. I then asked if he was serious and he replied "you know how this goes". No buddy I do not! He then said I could either finish my penny sized lollipop outside or throw it away. I then was like wow fine (since my friends wanted to stay) and just chopped the rest of the lollipop in line. After when I said I was finish, he told me I had to go outside and throw it away and wouldn't let me throw it in the garbage inside even though it was pouring rain outside. It's like so let me get this straight, some how my penny sized lollipop is a health hazard to gluten free people so I am not even allowed to throw the old stick away in the garbage... cause you know how gluten free people LOVE digging through and eating old garbage, wouldn't want to contaminate it (/end sarcasm). The whole experience was just all kinds of ridiculous
(1)Jenny L.
This is purely a review of the food. I ordered a large chop salad, the bill was $15. For that price I was expecting a pretty delicious salad, but it was not robust with vegetables as the menu described and the dressing not good. Two or three baby tomatoes, a couple spears of asparagus, and half an avocado. I had to grab some food from the QFC before my meeting. I was bummed. Steer clear of the salads here, the other entrees are probably great.
(1)H K.
A GF kitchen! Woohoo! The food was all very good, even my gluten eating friends didn't realize everything on the menu was GF. The cider selection is pretty large, there's something for every taste buds here. This is more of a restaurant type atmosphere than a bar/pub, but we've gone there a couple times just for drinks.
(4)Paula M.
I've died and gone to gluten free heaven. And even if you aren't gluten free--which my dinner companion was not, the fish and chips are the best you will ever have. Really. Try the grilled carrots. They are better than a vegetable has the right to be. The accompanying sauce was so good I wanted to have a bowl of it to devour. The Waldorf was great too. And the fried zucchini is, well, great fried zucchini. And how often do get that if you are GF? The selection of alcohol is extensive. And fantastic. Great cocktail menu. If you are a gin drinker they have Plymouth. The only thing that was lacking was the desert menu--the bananas foster cake was not good. The apple Brown Betty was just okay. Still, everything else was so good, amazing actually, that I can't give it less than five stars.
(5)Abby T.
Stepped in for a quick birthday drink with some friends, ended up having the "purple haze" (blackberry sage) cider and the fish and chips. The cider was OK, nothing amazing. The fish and chips were pretty good (perfectly cooked Cod inside), if only a little too crispy around the edges (almost chipped a tooth!), and over salted. I will say that while the food presentation was lovely, it was completely impractical. My two medium sized pieces of cod were hanging on for dear life aboard their tiny wooden raft stuffed with french fries that were constantly being sacrificed to the not so clean table we were seated at. Poor fries... they may also have been attempting to jump overboard in order to flee the pool of salt they were laying in? There is a large dining room on the main level that looks great for a dinner, and the menu looked tasty as well. We were down in the basement which was incredibly loud - don't plan on being able to hear the person sitting 3 inches from you. There is shuffleboard down there, and a meager selection of board games as well. Over all it's pretty cozy with a tasty looking dinner menu and a fairly large selection of different ciders ranging from about $6-$9 (they do also have about 6 beers on tap), but it's loud, and they are slow as hell.
(3)Chloe W.
Great place for the college age crowd. Downstairs is where the party is, especially near the end of the week. I love that the cider list is always changing and there's almost always a pepper cider of some sort. The staff is great, when I go it's always packed and they really deal with the crowd great.
(4)Stephanie M.
Grungy bar. This place is super grungy - maybe that's what you're looking for. They have shuffle board in the basement which is fun, but the crowd is REALLY mixed.
(2)Nina H.
The ciders here are great and they have a huge selection... but the food... not so great. The six of us ordered the huge platter that consisted of cod, vegetables and potatoes I think. It didn't look like a lot of food for six people even though it said it was enough to feed everyone. Not sure if I'm just not a fan of gluten-free food or what, but the food seemed bland and there wasn't anything special about it. The fries are pretty good though. They were well-seasoned and the thicker kind. The atmosphere is fun and chill if you are looking to have a drink or two, but I'd skip the food. I really enjoyed my New England cider.
(3)Wing M.
What a charming place. Capitol Cider is pretty nice to visit on a Monday night. I visited the bar on a Monday night underneath the restaurant. They have a sort of open mic performance in which people gather to jam. I was amazed at how well the musicians played despite the rotating members. As for the drinks, their selection is pretty interesting. They have ciders from Oregon, California, Washington and the UK. My favorite so far is called Atlas Hard Apricot Cider. You can literally smell the Apricot. It's tasty. Service at the bar is pretty good. I received my orders rather quick and their manner is nice. The biggest thing going for them is that they are able to maintain such a laid back atmosphere. The staff are laid back and they have shuffle board on the side for anyone to play. It's free for everyone. Shuffle board and a nice cider is a mean combination. This is a cool place to go hang out with friends.
(4)Katie K.
Yet another great happy hour spot in Capitol Hill. I was excited to check them out last week, since they focus on cider instead of beer like so many other places. As expected for the season, they had a great pumpkin cider on tap, and plenty of other ciders to try. From the happy hour menu, I also had the warm lentil salad, which was hearty without being heavy. I also had the "fish bucket" which was a happy-hour sized fish and french-fries plate; the fish could have done with a little less breading. They have a large room downstairs where the show all the Seattle Sounders games - so it's a good option for sports-watching.
(4)Trisha F.
I hate to give Capitol Cider a bad review because they've got an amazing concept (classy ambiance, delicious food, great cider on tap, game room below) but there is absolutely no excuse for such abhorrent service. I never leave less than 20%, and it chaps my hide to do that here. What happened to my blonde server downstairs? Did she get cut early and no one took over my booth? Did she die? I guess I'll never know, sitting here without a drink or a check in after an hour of neglect.
(2)Orkhan M.
Horrible service. The server spilled on me (which happens and I am ok with it) but didn't even offer a napkin. When I asked she brought a towel from a kitchen which didn't work well for soaking the drink that she spilled on me. We had to wait an hour to get the cider that we ordered, servers were very slow and clumsy. We got normal menus and we have finally decided to order calamari but the server said that it is not on the menu anymore, and brought a late night menu. At the end the restaurant charged us 20% tip because we were a large party of 8 people. Which is ok by me (restaurant policy) but I wouldn't want to leave such a tip for such horrible service.
(1)Tom A.
BUYER BEWARE! I opened a tab here a week ago and bought four drinks, totaling about $20. Now, there are four charges on my credit card ranging from $20-$40, and totaling over $120. Filed dispute with bank. Called Capitol Cider. Will never return and never recommend.
(1)Trina D.
A gastropub with just ciders on tap?! Why don't they have these back home? I'd be a loyal patron. Capitol Cider has some amazing ciders on tap. I tried the d's Wicked Baked Apple cider and it rocked my world. I want some of it now. It tastes like drinking unfiltered fresh apple cider and that's really amazing. The food we ordered was just ok. I ordered a green salad and we shared the cheese plate. They are GLUTEN-FREE! Service was great and the place was poppin' on a Saturday night. Great place if you're a fan of alcoholic cider.
(5)J P.
5 stars for ciders, 3 stars for food. I had the chicken sausage (bland) and grilled asparagus (tasty). We tried a flight of 5 barrel aged ciders, which was a good way to experiment. But their draft menu needs more description than abv since so many of the ciders on tap are pretty obscure. Service was good. Table arrangement upstairs was awkward, so close we felt like we were on the awkward date happening next to us. (It wasn't going well, he could do better)
(4)Polly B.
Cider House? More like Salt House. (snark, snark, snark) I was incredibly excited to hear about Cider House, as the only alcoholic beverage I like is cider. It's all I order, which means if I'm lucky, have one, maybe two cider options. Cider House was going to be my new best friend. So, just like any blossoming friendship, I added them on facebook, instagram, etc. I was so excited to finally meet this pen pal. People were out there, who were just like me, who would understand me and my Cider needs! FOOD The beet salad: Very small portion, marinated in vinegar and too much salt. Like Old Sage, but somehow less food, less flavor/less thought for the same price. Old Sage takes their sweet time, Cider House seemed rushed and not much consideration for how the result should taste. The chicken and salt sala... I mean spinach salad. Like the famous Quinn's crispy chicken, in salt, with a salt sauce, salty potatoes, and salty spinach. Cider House's chicken was perfectly cooked. The duzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........ck Bland. Boring. The Ann Veal of water fowl dishes. THE "HOUSE": They have a good idea of their concept, and though not perfectly executed, the ambiance was pulled off better than the food. Very small tables, our plates and drinks barley fit. Perhaps this is an attempt to make your portions look bigger? Tables are also too tight together. I was rather distracted from my meal partner in front of me by the people next to us, talking in appropriate restaurant volume, about their experiences in therapy. Glad everyone's well, but seemed a little personal. By the end of the meal, I not only knew that this was their first date, but also there life stories and diagnostic history. I hope they had a second date; they seemed nice together. /sigh Also... Cool portraits on the walls. Pretty plates from Churchill's. THE SERVICE Not helpful or friendly. No smiling. No one smiled. At all. All night! Was asked by three different staff members if we were dining or just in for drinks before we were given a table. No one told us to just wait for a minute or that someone would be right with us. We just stood there awkwardly for a long while. When I considered sending my food back, but I decided not to as I did not feel comfortable doing that because of the experience with the staff. CIDER Long list, no descriptions. Asked server for her opinions and more info on the ciders... uncomfortably long pause. I want to go to a cider house to experience new cider tastes and learn more about them. When I heard about Cider House I thought it might have descriptions like Elysian for beer or like a wine bar. When we left, we walked across the street to QFC for a cheap oven pizza. For $70, we shouldn't have left feeling more hungry and parched that when we walked in. I feel like these menu items have become cliche in Capitol Hill. The chicken, the beets, the friets. Here are the issues that comes with this: 1) When items become cliche, kitchens stop trying. 2) When the menu items are nearly exactly the same, your mistakes and prices are magnified. It's insulting to eat the same dish, made worse, at the same or higher prices than the restaurant down the street. My mouth felt dry and dehydrated for hours. Cider House isn't really a one star, as I didn't find bugs in my food, but the expense for the low quality and quantity is kind of a kick in the stomach. I am disappointed. I really hoped I had found my place. I didn't and feel a bit ripped off in the process. This experience is why Yelp should offer 1/2 stars. Capitol Cider is less of a penpal, and more of a bad Tinder date.
(1)Luchenzo D.
I haven't eaten here, but the basement part of this joint is my favorite place to hang in Capitol Hill. Good selection of craft ciders and beers, and excellent cheap can options too! They have a plethora of board games, so you'll never be bored! Wordplay! It gets a little too cramped for comfort some weekends, as will any place in the area, but for me it provides the best balance of atmosphere, selection and value.
(5)Sarah M.
You really can't go wrong with a gastropub that has bunches and bunches of ciders on tap. I had a hard time finding this place and ended up parking in a sketchy lot across the street where I got a contact high. Besides that though, I really liked this place for happy hour! I didn't have anything to eat so I can't speak to the food - but I went to the downstairs area with some friends and we were some of the first there. We had a big group of people so we took over the big table pretty quickly. The service was great, the cider options were interesting...I had one that had something like black pepper in it. It wasn't my favorite, but I figured that if I was going to be at a cider place, I might as well try something new. I'd like to come back and try the food here the next time.
(4)kim h.
i have to give this place all 5 stars. They were extremely accommodating for my obnoxious work party we put together. First the reservation was very last minute bc the other manager was extremely indecisive then all 15 of us showed up early. They let us sit downstairs and get drinks while they continued to set up. how nice! they had a lot of interesting ciders and the beer list was small but very impressive!!! they transferred us and our tabs upstairs. we ordered food and rounds of drinks. the food was a little pricey and nothing spectacular but the presentation was nice. it did take quite a while to get our check but she split everything 15 ways with the drinks from downstairs! this was very convenient for us but to get that all accurate would probably take a minute. they got an extra star for rock star service and accommodations for our loud crew of ladies :)
(5)Sarah T.
I've been to Capitol Cider many times and up until recently would have given it a 4-5 star rating. I had also only ever spent time in the bar, and if I have any recommendations I would suggest you spend your time and money downstairs as well. The bar is FABULOUS. It has free shuffleboard, friendly and knowledgable waiters and bartenders, and while loud, is usually really fun. The restaurant upstairs is really not great for large groups. I went with for a friend's birthday, and the waitress was probably the worst I've ever experienced. It took her nearly 30 minutes to take my drink order then never came back around to ask if I wanted another. Everyone's food took over an hour to come to the table, and after asking for our checks it was another 30-40 minutes. In addition, she didn't know anything about the beers I asked questions about on the menu. Would I go back to Capitol Cider? Definitely, just only to the bar.
(3)Jennica S.
Baked potato croquettes. A-freaking-plus. If I were to ever go to Seattle again, I would come back and order every last baked potato croquette from Capitol Cider. I was told Capitol Hill was a cool spot to bar hop, so my boyfriend and I decided to just drink somewhere since we were in the area. Capitol Cider was really packed, but luckily there was one table outside that was open, so we were seated pretty quickly. My boyfriend is a beer drinker, not so much cider, but he was surprised at how good the Hopp'd cider tasted (a little bitter), and how strong the 8.5% cider (forgot which one) actually was. I got a very floral cocktail. It had soju in it, and I love soju, but I was a little hesitant because I was not sure if Seattle knew how San Diego soju is done. The cocktail was called Lilac Tree, and it was alright. Our waiter was sweet! She managed to check up on us a lot, even if she just peaked over without saying anything. The #1 thing about this place were the baked potato croquettes, though.
(4)Claire S.
Dropped by on a Sunday afternoon to kill some time with a few glasses of cider (seriously loving that Seattle seems to be big on this great stuff!). We were seated in a tight, slightly sticky corner, without a lot of elbow room between ours and the next table. It wasn't a huge deal, at least. We stuck with cider flights, which weren't bad at all, but nothing to write home about. Decent experience, overall.
(3)Kate J.
I've been here a few times for drinks. They have a really large, diverse list of ciders. I've tried probably about 1/2 dozen over my visits, and while I've liked some better than others, it's been really interesting trying such a diversity. For what it's worth, I don't find the atmosphere too hipster. I think it's cozy in a throwback kind of way, without being too cliche. I've also had good service with friendly staff when I've been here.
(4)Roonarian X.
My good friend came to visit from out of town; she has celiac's and I am under-informed on the GF restaurants around here since I do not have a problem with gluten. I asked around and was recommended Capitol Cider by another gluten-free friend who has extensive dining expertise! I researched the place and took my visitor based on reviews on Yelp. We were there in the early afternoon when brunch was wrapping up. We were reassured by the server that everything in the establishment is GF-there's no cross-contamination risk. The atmosphere was so chill and rustic, and the ceilings were high. It just felt spacious and relaxing; I kind of liked it even before the food came out. We each ordered a flight of ciders (Sea Cider Farms Pippins and some others). My friend ordered a burger and I ordered fish and chips. I'm pretty cutthroat when it comes to fish and chips, to be honest. These were crunchy, light, the fish was perfect inside (really hot and not the least bit over-cooked), and the (kind of shoe-string-like) chips had the spuddy earthiness I love. The tartar sauce was lovely too. I pretty much always need fish and chips and have no restrictions around gluten, so I am lucky to have stumbled upon this gem, because I will go back to Capitol Cider just to order it again. Removing 1 star because the service- while friendly enough - was extraordinarily/confusingly slow for early PM/hardly any customers.
(4)Elizabeth C.
After coming here for a yelp event a few months ago, I made it a priority to come back to Capitol Cider again! I finally did last weekend and I'm so glad I came back. Capitol Cider is a super chill place to hang in the middle of what can be a pretty overwhelming nightlife scene. You can't always be in the mood to fight the crowds at Unicorn--sometimes you just want to plunk down with a couple friends and have some delicious cider. They have great food to accompany the ciders on tap, and I like the fact that they have a dining room upstairs and a bar downstairs--two separate environments in the same place! Service is great, too. I can tell they are really passionate about the food and drink here, and about the customers. The table next to us told the guy upstairs that they were househunting in Seattle, and he spent at least ten minutes giving them advice on the different neighborhoods in the area. That's going above and beyond! My only complaint is about the layout--the two-person tables in the dining room are squished so close together that it's like the pair next to you is part of your conversation. If you're fine with a cozy setting, though, then that's not really an issue. I haven't been here for a full meal yet, but for drinks and apps, I'm giving a thumbs up!
(4)Michael B.
Good atmosphere - a lot of neat things to look at. Friendly staff. A lot of beers on tap. I really thought this place was going to have good food - pictures all looked delicious! Lame food - meatballs were cold and no flavor. Baked potatoes were lacking flavor but good concept - had a sauce of some sort but just a plain sauce. Pork belly was very small - size of a piece of bacon and no flavor at all. Sarah the waitress was very nice and at tentative. Really wished food was better because everything else was great! Next.
(2)Gentle V.
Overall, I give Capitol Cider 3.5 stars. You won't find Mike's Hard Lemonade here, which is probably a good thing. If you're looking to get "krunked" on cider, that's truly not possible when it comes to this refreshing apple drink. However, Capitol Cider is a cool place to hang out with friends. Any place with old timey Victorian-style paintings on the wall is fine by me. Here are my thoughts: -Food/Drinks: 3 stars -Customer Service: 4 stars -Atmosphere: 4 stars -Cost: 3 stars Overall Experience: 3.5 stars I recently went there to celebrate a friend's birthday. I ordered a cider on tap for $6, which was inexpensive and tasty. Like spiked apple juice, it was crisp and tasty. I didn't try their food, except for a side order of handcut fries with aioli mustard sauce ($7). It was pretty darn delicious! However, as other Yelpers have commented, the food plates are beautifully arranged on wooden blocks, but the portions looked tiny for the price. If you want to try different types of cider, come to Capitol Cider. The variety is great and they offer flight options (i.e. small samplers of 3 different kind of ciders).
(4)Vik M.
I really, really want to LOVE this place. They have a variety of cider, delicious food, and provide me with a peek into what the cool kids wear in Seattle now a days.... The bartenders in the basement are aloof whenever the crowd starts spilling in. The past two times that I have gone (outside of the one yelp event) has resulted in waiting at least 20 minutes to cash out and needing to fix the bill at least once. The cider selection and beer selection deserve five stars. The food, four stars, is a bit expensive but delicious. The wait staff needs to either increase to learn to manage the crowd size after 5 pm. Also, they should not say they fill growlers if they charge the price of a glass (4-5 times over). The point of a growler fill is that it is a bit cheaper than ordering 5 glasses of cider since you don't have to wash 5 glasses at the end of your day. Ugh, very frustrating. I do recommend this place to anyone wanting to try a drink or two before the night life seeps in. I do NOT recommend getting growler fills here, it is a rip off. Also, their creme brulee changes seasonally and is delicious every single time.
(3)Brandon A.
The atmosphere is good, the service friendly but the food is HORRIBLE. I don't know if they have a chef or if everything comes from a premade box. We ordered the potato balls, pork belly, and the meatballs to start prior to ordering dinner. The potato balls were generally bland, the pork belly tasted like week old ham, and the meatballs.... This little bastards were freezing cold inside... Evidently premade a few days prior. It was all shit. Don't come here unless they get someone to cook proper food.
(2)Thao N.
This is one of our mandatory spots to "prefunking" or "pregaming" whenever we go out in Capitol Cider. There was this one spot that we used to go dancing at a lot just down the street so this is close by enough that it was easy to monitor at how long the line was at 95 Slide. The atmosphere is super chilled. There's 2 floors because upstairs is a normal restaurant, but downstairs is strictly 21 plus, it is a bar although there are plenty of seats and tables to sit at. They have their specialties here, I don't think most people come for typical club drinks like AMF's here. The bathroom downstairs is the tiniest thing ever, I am super tiny myself so I question at how the hell others fit to even close the door. HAHAHA.
(4)Allison R.
A friend suggested we go here for dinner and some cider. I don't drink alcohol, and therefor was only interested in the food. My friends all ordered a cider and I looked at how the menu only has 6 or 7 entrees all around the $20 price range. Not super excited to spend $20 on fish and chips. My friends start looking at the menu too... $7 for french fries... $6 for side salad... $12 for chef salad... $23 for salad for the table... $14 for 4 3oz cider flights... yeah.. we're not eating here. We got an order of calamari for the table for $10 and it was only a handful of greasy squid pieces arranged decoratively with some mint leaves. The sauce wasn't anything special either. The atmosphere is very hipster and the staff are extremely rude. The waitress was vocally not pleased with us when we looked at the food menu and decided not to order food.
(1)Alden C.
I have been here twice. The basis of my review doesn't involve the food that is offered here but only their cider options since both times it only involved cider drinking rather than eating. The first time I was here I got a hot pepper cider which was excellent, crisp and certainly got your attention! The second time I was here I got a Lavender Currant cider which was extremely refreshing on the hot summer day where I meandered through Cap Hill. They have an impressive tap list with lots of different options and choices so if you want something more than the typical cider this is a good place to start!
(5)Willy M.
Came to Capitol Cider for a drink with a friend and it was a good choice to start the evening with. Door entry is a little small for some weird reason, so you doods that work out too much, walk in sideways. Anyways, bar was full so we ended up getting a table. Nice looking bar/restaurant, nice dark woods, portraits of the Presidents, felt very comfy & relaxing here. I dont drink cider very much but their menu had plenty of choices to select from. So we got the black currant cider and the green goblin cider. No particular reason we selected these, I mainly chose it because of the cool green goblin name. Black Currant was tasty but tasted like grape juice at a church communion, but all in a very good way and would totally order it again. Green Goblin was delicious as well, nice apple flavor with a little tartness, maybe named because of green apples? Whatever, it was good. We thought to ourselves that this could be dangerous as we could have drank plenty more and more and more. We also got an order of calamari to share as well, very tasty, nice & salty, good spice mix on it, nice dipping sauce and good presentation on a cribbage looking wood board. Tasty pickled onions on top were great too! Portion is pretty small for the cost. Service was fine, servers were real nice and quick. We only stayed for 1 drink but a place I would definitely come back to.
(4)Ronald S.
SO UNFAIR! Seattle has all these interesting cider destinations. Back home, we got nothing. No cider bars, no cidercentric restaurants, no cider makers. If you like cider, this is the place you should go. We were in town for a few days and every night ended here. If it looks busy from outside just go in - there is a downstairs! Tremendous selection of ciders. The only real problems are the place was usually packed (we were here during Cider Week) and the service wasn't really all that responsive. Yah, I am not some young pushy chick trying to get a woodchuck. All that aside, Cheers to you Capitol, you guys rock!
(4)Shae Lynn W.
We had a fantastic dinner tonight, great food, great cider, great service. My husband and I shared the baked potato croquettes and a baby green salad. He had the burger and loved it, and although I'm not confident a person used to eating gluten buns would have been as impressed, he said it was the best gluten-free burger he's had in the 9 months he's been gluten-free. I had the chicken sausage with sauerkraut and mustard and was very pleased. The sausage was juicy and subtly flavored with great balance. As someone who eats gluten, I elected to stay away from food that had gluten substitutions and work more off the sizable sections of the menu that just didn't need gluten at all. Our service experience was great--they prefer you make reservations online but since a glitch on our phones wouldn't allow us to make a reservation for tonight, they happily did it the old-fashioned way (I was expecting to be told we'd just have to hope there was a table available). Our server was friendly, helpful, and attentive and engaged us just the right amount. I know nothing about cider but our server helped us choose a flight and we enjoyed sampling the very different varieties we were brought!
(5)Jenni M.
We stopped in here for drinks while strolling around Capitol Hill. Good thing we only wanted drinks - we came in at 4 and the kitchen didn't open until 5. The jasmine cider I ordered was alright but didn't taste much like jasmine. I traded with my fiancé who got the ginger cider, and that was awesome. It's a little disappointing that they don't have their own cider brews, and also disappointing that you can't make your own flight. They do sell flights but they are pre-determined. Bottom line: stop in for one drink and then head elsewhere.
(3)Giena L.
Went there on a Friday night. There is a seated dining area upstairs and downstairs is a bar area with long communal tables, with some other tables scattered about. We had a large party, and it was late in the night, so definitely were not able to find seating for all of us downstairs. We went upstairs, and had to wait for a few minutes, but we were able to get a table for all of us. Tons of ciders to choose from. And four different flights. I did a pear flight. There are also beer and liquor options for the non-cider drinkers. Didn't really want to eat any food, but they do have a gluten free menu. Ended up snacking on popcorn, which came on savory or sweet. Chose the savory and was greatly disappointed, probably should choose sweet next time or skip it altogether. Love the ambience. Decent place to grab a drink or two with your peeps.
(3)Ryan C.
This place serves a great selection of ciders at a fairly normal price. Great place for a drink or 2! That being said...do not buy food here. It was $18 for they Happy Hour burger... The burger was super small and wasnt that good. This place has the cider selection down! But until there are reasonable food options i wont be returning often.
(3)Jordan C.
My favorite bar of all time. This is exactly the bar I would start if I had any idea of how to do such a thing. Amazing, huge tap and bottle selection of both cider and beer. My favorites are the Eric Bordelet Cidre and the Finnriver Black Currant. Delicious food. And it's all gluten free! They don't advertise it anywhere, but in fact their food is GF. And no one knows it - meaning that it tastes just as good as regular non-glutard fare. The decor is a knock out, with deep, comfy booths, dark walls, large oil paintings, and a large downstairs with games, including pool, and a live DJ on weekends. The service is great; friendly, and the owner is often wandering about being knowledgeable and giving out samples. He's become my Cider Sommelier - I tell him the mood I'm in and he brings me something mind-blowing. Just go! You'll be glad you did.
(5)P Lynn P.
Great bar - booths high enough for private conversation; personable waitress; great cider. We had the cheese plate and it was delicious. It was just drinks and snacks for us on a Sunday afternoon and what a great place to relax and "chill" after a day of sight-seeing.
(5)S D.
Ciders were really good. The appetizers, not so much. The charcuterie plate, potato croquettes and wings were all strictly average. They have some pretty delicious ciders. Try the flights - you get to try a bunch of ciders all at once!
(3)Ashley D.
I recommended this place to a group of friends when we were out on Cap Hill and convinced them to try out the place for some awesome cider and to play some board games. Unfortunately Capitol Cider did not live up to my high praise, and I disappointed my group of friends when we had an absolutely terrible experience. When we arrived we went to the bar area downstairs, though since it was the weekend it was completely packed. We luckily found a table upstairs and figured we would just order drinks there and play one of the board games that they provide for customers. However, once we were seated it was absolutely impossible to get a server to take our drink orders. We tried waving down a server, but they would typically stop to look at us, and then continue walking away. Once one of the servers even stopped, acknowledged that he saw us, and signaled that he would be right over. Instead he went over and talked to another server for a good 20 minutes, and then walked away without ever coming over to help us. We even had someone go up to that server when he never came to help us (at this point we had been here almost an hour trying to get someone to serve us) and ask if we could get a server. He said he would be right over, but that turned out to be a lie. Finally, another person from our group went up to the bar to ask if we could just order drinks there to take back to our table, and he was told that they would send a server over to our table. Another 30 minutes went by before the server (who didn't ever give us his name by the way- but I asked another server who told me his name is Tim) who had been avoiding us all night came over to the table. When he came to our table he was very rude and never even apologized for the ridiculously long wait. The table was wet and we asked if we could get napkins to wipe the water up with, but which he never brought. He then asked us if we were ready to order our drinks despite never giving us any menus. When we said no, we needed menus first he got extremely irritated and stormed off. Finally, a woman server named Jamie came over and actually brought us water and menus. She also came and mopped up the water that was all over the table. She took our orders and also provided recommendations, which was helpful. Although, she got my drink wrong and never came back to the table, so I wasn't able to get the correct drink that I had ordered. Right after she brought our drinks, Tim came over and rudely asked if we were leaving and demanded that we pay the check (which we hadn't even received). When we said that we just got our drinks he didn't respond and just stood there awkwardly staring at us for a bit. Then he demanded again we pay our check so we told him fine, then bring the check. We had been planning on ordering more than one drink but with the terrible experience we'd had so far we were happy for a chance to get the hell out of there. We made sure to specify that we wanted the checks separate as each person would be paying separately. He didn't return with the checks for another half an hour, but when he did he told us that he didn't know how to make the checks separate and instead he just split the check evenly. This made absolutely no sense, especially since some people ordered very expensive drinks while others ordered very cheap drinks. When we told him this, he essentially told us too bad, that we would just have to deal with it. We then gave him our cards and a couple people were paying in cash. He said that he couldn't take cash (which also makes no sense) and that he would just increase the amount everyone else was paying and that the people paying cash should just give pay their share to everyone at the table. This server was rude and a complete and absolute mess. We ended up being here for hours, only to get one drink. Plus, the drink that I ordered wasn't even the correct drink and I ended up having to subsidize those people who ordered expensive drinks and essentially had to pay for other peoples' drinks since the people with cash didn't know how to split the money between everyone and only had high denominations of cash (that should have been easily accepted by the waiter). While I brought friends here all the time, after that extremely terrible experience I don't think I would ever return.
(1)J S.
The cider I tried on the waitress' suggestion for a dry, tart cider was pretty bland - there wasn't anything dry or tart about it, and it was pretty sweet. I ordered the poutine and it was ridiculously salty - the fries were salty, the gravy was really salty, and overall the level of salt just made me feel sick and I didn't end up finishing it. My compatriots each got the fish and chips and they said that their fries were similarly overly-salty. I guess if you like salt and want to pay a lot for it, this is a place to go.
(2)Annie G.
This place is amazing! Our bartender Eddie gave us several ciders to taste that he thought would go well with our meal. We ended up having an apple pie cider and a cranberry tart cider that was amazing with our fish and chips. My husband is not gf and normally scoffs at the gf options, but he inhaled his fish and chips faster than I did! The atmosphere was great, the service was great, the food was top notch! I highly recommend visiting Capitol Cider whether you're gluten free or not!
(5)Kiki M.
I am indifferent to cider. I would rather have a beer if I had the choice. Some friends really dig cider and wanted to check this place out. I obliged because it was a new establishment therefore I wanted to check out the ambiance, the food, and maybe get a cider. Capitol Cider reminded me of Smith except there were more paintings less taxidermy. This is definitely the rich hipsters hang out. Lots of wood, dark tones, a pretty fantastic light fixtures, mod decorations to the back, with skinny waitresses that look like they just got back from a photo shoot. Thankfully the two ladies that helped us didn't have the air of superiority. My friend informed me there was a downstairs with games a plenty but we never ventured down. The offerings...expensive. Not the place to go for a cheap bite or cider. I immediately went to the beer selection because I didn't want to pay, starting, at $7 for a cider. The food was upscale. You could get lamb or pulled pork poutine, shephard's pie, fish and chips that came in at a whopping $15 a pop. With it being Father's Day the special was a surf and turf that was $20. I had the pulled pork poutine and a beer, my fellow had the lamb poutine with a non--alcoholic cider, my friend had the fish and chips and a cider, and her boyfriend had the surf and turf with a cider. I saw the waitress coming towards us with a tray of drinks. She slowed down and stopped in front of our table and I thought she had made a mistake. There were two glasses of wine, a beer, and one other drink. I was the one that was wrong. What I had assumed was wine was actually cider. You do not get a pint glass of the stuff here. You get a taste for much more money than you would pay at a regular bar. The food was great. My pulled pork poutine was nothing I had tasted before and while I was satisfied with my decision I don't know if the size was worth $11. My friend's surf and turf looked delicious but I thought much more food should have been included for the price. My friend who got the fish and chips was stiffed, I think, because she got two small pieces of fish. I suppose because it was cod that made the price increase? Overall, Capitol Cider was a pleasant experience but the price and the fact you can get a pint of cider or a bottle of the stuff somewhere else much cheaper will be the factor that keeps me from coming back again.
(3)T G.
You've heard a lot of the good already. And I'll repeat, the location is great, the atmosphere is awesome, and the food it tasty. But here's some of the bad: The prices--on the drinks and the food--are simply not appropriate, particularly for the beer. Mac & Jack's should never cost $6 a pint. Ever. Seriously. From my perspective, everything on the menu appeared to be about $1 or $2 over priced, until you got to the bottles--which appeared to be way overpriced.
(2)Anthony S.
The basement area is cool and the cider selection is extensive and top notch. But the shuffle board is very distracting and gives the bar a frat house, classless atmosphere. Waste of space in my view. Luckily lots of cider choices in the neighborhood.
(3)Adam C.
While I have been here twice and purchased four beverages, I have yet to find one that I even liked, let alone loved. But I am going to chalk that up to my experimenting with ordering beers and ciders I've never heard of. I've just not been lucky here. Yet I still give this place top marks. Why? Atmosphere. I've only spent time in the downstairs room and I've only been on weekends, when it's been pretty packed, but it just has a great vibe. It's one of the few places in Seattle where I find myself engaged in conversations with random strangers. It's worth spending some time to check out the details in the mural on the back wall. Long shuffleboard tables make for some friendly competition, and there is a huge selection of board games you can just play. I haven't yet seen the little stage in use, but I presume it will totally compliment the rest of the scene there. I'll find a drink on one of the numerous rotating taps that I will like, or I'll move on to hard liquor. In any case, this place is a lot of fun and a place I'll bring more friends to.
(5)Ray T.
I came here strictly for the drinks and to experience something a little more refined than the typical pub. With that said, excellent selection of ciders, and the downstairs bar is a decent place to have a good loud time. The upper-tier dive atmosphere made for a fun get-together, and the more quiet upstairs is available if you want to hear each other talk :)
(4)Don'tpostmyname L.
Just OK; probably won't return unless another friend insists. The service was incredibly, painfully slow. Turns out I don't like cider very much, which I can't fault the place for, but then I tried cocktails and didn't like their recipes much. The food was tasty, albeit costly. I appreciated the gluten free aspect, and the atmosphere was great.
(3)Connor Q.
Had the clams here w/ chorizo. Pretty good but seemed more like an appetizer to share? I had some of my girlfriends fish and chips and they were really good. Cool place with lots of drink selections.
(4)Becca B.
I was really excited for this place to open. Gluten free menu AND delicious ciders? What's not to love? A friend and I went earlier this week for dinner and I was super disappointed. We ordered food and 30 minutes later had to flag someone down (not our server) to ask about our food. Our server came over and said the cook went home and the fill-in cook is new so things could take a bit. We waited another 15-20 minutes. Still no food or acknowledgement from our server. We left cash on the table for our drinks and walked out. Then the server chased us down and asked if we wanted to pay for our drinks...? No apologies or offer to compensate for the inconvenience. I'm not looking for a free meal. I'm happy to pay...when the food and service are adequate (at a minimum). Sidenote: This was the second time my friend went to Capitol Cider. The first time she went she ordered fries and they weren't delivered...so she's ordered food twice and never eaten there. The good news is that the cider selection is fabulous. Finn River on tap may be enough to bring me back. I really want to support this business but they need to get their mess together. It looks like other people have had mediocre experiences with service and food. I hope the folks at Capitol Cider are paying attention to the feedback.
(2)Andre V.
Don't know how this place doesn't have five stars yet. Great ciders on tap, and the menu has taken a good step forward since opening. My goto place on the hill.
(5)Angela K.
Fantastic! Great gluten free food and an amazing array of ciders, at a price that was very reasonable. Took a group of 24 people last night. We had made a reservation a week in advance, but when we showed up, they had no record of it. They also had two other 20+ parties at the same time. The manager (?) Nick was very nice, and put together some tables downstairs in the bar for us. We were very pleased to be seated and they were very accommodating with the surprise. Understandably our service was a little slow at first but I was completely satisfied because they did a great job handling the unexpected. And the food was wonderful! And I can't say enough about how happy I was with the extensive cider menu. The entire experience was very pleasant and I was impressed with the way they handled us (I certainly made a reservation in good faith, it wasn't my fault that they did not have a record of it when we arrived, and I can understand how our arrival could throw a wrench into their operations. But they handled it very well and although we got off to a rocky start, overall it was a wonderful experience and I will definitely be back!)
(5)Barbara G.
Overall I liked this place very much. I did have to send my steak back for being undercooked, but the second one came back perfect. Very friendly staff. Had the regional cider flight and liked all of them. Fun place for date night or night out with friends.
(4)JEsse B.
Finally a cider bar! I'm going to pay the rent on this place from October thru March I swear to god. The food is super good, the drinks are upscale and delicious. I know some think it will be a hipster-magnet but I have to disagree. There isn't a shred of irony behind those doors and this place will be an oasis from the usual douchenozzlery. I can see certain college students and the 35+ crowd hanging here a lot.
(5)Marlo D.
ARG. we called to make birthday dinner reservations. they said they only do 12 people with a deposit. fine. we anticipated spending the deposit and booked it (minus some booking confusion among employees). we showed up and there were some game tables thrown together with 8 chairs. HELLO people! How are 12 people supposed to do dinner on 3 game tables with a 1" lip on the edge. are we supposed to balance the plates or hold them in our laps? not to mention the more than adequate (in fact, comfortable) 12 person dining table and benches on the other side of the room. Which we were apparently not allowed to occupy. our true status as second class citizens was reinforced when our dinner arrived 1 hour after we ordered it and two people's chairs fell out from underneath them. TWO people. I know it sounds weird, but the floors are painted concrete and the chair bottoms had plastic slides and we were 12 adults smooshed onto an 8 turned 10-top mish mash of game tables. it was hard to get in and out and the chairs were slippery. after dinner a couple people left. now mind you, we had a couple servers half-assedly only asking for part of the tables' drink orders at any one time, but the second people stood up they ran right over to us and told us to consolidate and give up our table. that really pissed me off. we just ate dinner practically in each other's laps. we finally have some elbow room and now we are being herded around by waitstaff. I'm going to chalk this up to everyone working out the new-bar kinks and give it another shot. but I definitely would do more than drink a beer and have a snack. this is no dinner establishment. The saving grace is that the staff at least seemed knowledgeable on the cider offerings and recommending to me a cider I really liked after I told her I wanted something dry. I have to at least give her credit for that.
(2)Ian C.
Came here as part of my exploration of The Pike Street night scene. Got a booth seat with my 3 other buddies and we were quickly given a run-down of the extensive list of ciders. Definitely a huge list that had mostly local ciders and from everything from dry to super sweet. The upstairs dining area had a great atmosphere and the share foods were tasty and quick to the table. We headed downstairs and were immediately impressed with the more casual, bar feel with the standing table areas and the two shuffleboard tables at the back. The additional selection of boardgames to play at a table was quite extensive with classics from Scrabble to a few more obscure games like Pirate Fluxx. The bar service downstairs left a bit to be desired but it didn't take anything away from a great night hanging out and enjoying the amazing selection of drink.
(4)Brian M.
Love the concept, but sadly like many other bars its "cool" to treat patrons like dirt. Took some friends there this past weekend and experienced the worst service by this tall, blonde hair bartender. 1) I am sorry its busy, but its a bar. 2) I was not in a hurry and totally willing to let you deal with the bro who decided to cut in line because his mixed drink wasn't good enough. 3) If you want to charge a customer a minimum for cards, cool, lets put a sign up. Really hope this isn't a common experience and just a fluke.
(2)Sarah B.
A group of girls met up here on a Saturday night for some birthday drinks. I was excited to try it out because I really like cider. I didn't realize there was an upstairs (smallish restuarant area) and a downstairs (large area with a bar, lots of tables and 2 shuffle boards). We immediately headed downstairs and grabbed a spot at a table near the bar. The downstairs is condusive to larger parties and for also standing around with friends and talking. I liked that there seemed to be a somewhat diverse crowd of people throughout the night (and not just all hipsters :) ) I agree with some of the other reviewers that the drink prices are a little steep. I don't feel too good about spending $10 on a glass of cider. Call me crazy. Overall I think it is a good concept and I like that they have such a big selection of ciders. I do wish the prices weren't quite so high but maybe cider making is expensive? Or maybe I am paying someone's expensive overhead?! Either way I think it is a place worth trying out. I am sure you will find a beer or cider you like and if not there is always shuffle board!!
(3)Ellie L.
The waitresses are always so rude, the beers are good but the women here are horrible
(1)Desiree H.
I went during happy hour and I was happy with the entire restaurant seating, fast service, and quiet environment. But, it got packet about an hour later. The selection of ciders was great, I had mead and a nice dry cider that was dry and crisp. I do have to say the prices for local ciders was over the top, but I like the selection. I don't think we will be ordering the 750 sized bottles better to get more variety and cheaper choices with individual orders. The fish and chips were a good happy hour dish, but the zucchini was really bland and was uncreative. We ordered the cobbler for dessert, it had an odd grainy texture, but they were generous in size and berry additions. Great for a drink, skip the food.
(3)Shilo J.
This place has great food and wonderful ciders unfortunately is quite overpriced on even for Capitol Hill. All that said it does have quite good food and wonderful atmosphere and some of the best ciders I've ever had... I would say it's a five star but it's just too damn expensive.
(3)Joshua N.
Stopped in to have drinks. The ambiance was fantastic (dark woods and a candle lit feeling upstairs; spacious booths and large front windows; felt early 20th century classy but still had a totally casual atmosphere. Server was very nice; a bit slow and unfamiliar with beer and wines but she was delightfully pleasant. They were out of a local beer I wanted to try, but I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Seattle.
(4)Hai Yen N.
A scintillating selection of ciders on taps, and also numerous more available by the bottle! On this visit, we tried a pear cider, a super tangy and complex blackcurrant cider, and a light and tart cherry cider. They were all delicious and we left feeling quite buzzed and happy. The food is certainly not an afterthought here. We had two pails of fries because they were so delicious, crisp and oily on the outside and tender on the inside, served with a house made bleu cheese dressing. The cider-marinated beet salad was light and tangy with candied walnuts and arugula. The quinoa salad blew us away! It was flavorful and refreshing with so many different textures from the quinoa to the celery and cucumber to the cherry tomatoes. Not only amazingly delicious and healthy, it was also just plain fun to eat. We sat downstairs which has a beautiful dim and moody atmosphere with dark walls, presidential wall cameos and wood booths. The space is a nice size with a lot of seating as well as standing room to linger and mingle. There's also two shuffleboard tables!
(4)Dale G.
Upon entering just head downstairs. Trust me. After reading the reviews I ordered the fries which were big enough for dipping although not very crunchy. The aioli was good, but my friend did not like it because I believe it contained tarragon. Ketchup is available upon request. The cheese plate I thought would be a great accompaniment to a nice tart cider and it was. Three kinds of cows milk cheese with half a fig (yes only half), apple chips (sliced too thin), and a raspberry compote. Went great with the ciders, but once we got our bill we discovered our $19.00 cheese plate was half of it. Downstairs is where this place gets all of its character. Large tables for group board games: Scrabble, Sorry, various card games and a much larger bar than upstairs. Chess players grab a table with a board on it as quickly as possible and the surrender your ID to the bartender for the pieces. Shuffleboard had a chalk sign up/score board on the wall. Stay down here to drink and play, mingle if you like. Once you are hungry and hopefully too drunk to care how much your food costs head upstairs for a bite. Our server was very attentive, provided us with samples of the ciders in order of dry to sweet, and was very knowledgable about the menu. TLDR: This is a great place to play and drink downstairs, but don't come in too hungry.
(4)Michael A.
I really struggled with this review because I wanted it to be 5 stars. Unfortunately, there were a few things I couldn't get past. First, starting with the good, we had the regional and oak barrel flights. They were a lot of fun and we each found our favorites. Also, the cheese plate was amazing and the fish (from the fish and chips) was good. Second, we found the chips of the fish and chips to be just okay, largely because there were a number of either burned or undercooked fries. Finally, rounding out our experience, we were disappointed by the gnocchi because the dish was very watery, the gnocchi itself was too grainy and the sauce was under seasoned. Likewise, though the hostess was friendly, the rest of the service was sorely lacking. No one was disrespectful or anything, but they were the opposite of attentive. No one asked if we needed anything (i.e. ketchup for the fries) or brought us more water, etc. Overall, we're very excited about a gluten free kitchen and applaud their efforts. We plan on going again, possibly for brunch, and giving it another try.
(3)Robin P.
Positive: Nice selection of beer & cider. Not too noisy upstairs. Poor: Uninspired menu, basic bar food. Oddities include no malt vinegar available for the fish & chips. Shepherd's pie largely inedible - way too much cheese on top (why add cheese?), over-complicated lamb inside, and served with a spoon with which to eat it (impossible to use because of the congealed cheese). Weird: Off putting ID checker, bouncer or local homeless guy guarding the door. Not sure what function he served. Conclusion: Food needs much improvement. Price surprisingly high considering what we ate. Give them a few months (and a new chef) and try again.
(2)Needles K.
I love apple cider! I will definitely come back to Capitol Cider here as often as I can whenever I'm in Seattle. They offer a rotation of different brands and brews of cider.
(5)Becca B.
I'm not a cider drinker, but I went with two who are. The server was knowledgeable about the different ciders and found each of them a good one. So, service gets a good score. The food however was mediocre. It's pub food but they're charging a ridiculously high price for it. I had the Pub Salad, and while it had good ingredients, there was a lot of flavor lacking. The dressing was not good and didn't add anything to it. I had a glass of wine which was good, but not worth the $10 I paid for it. The girls both liked their ciders, but felt they were overpriced. The ambiance is nice. We sat upstairs, so didn't see the "fun stuff" downstairs, but am sure it's cool. It has the potential to be a good spot for drinks, but unless they revamp their menu and prices, I doubt it'll be the greatest thing in Seattle.
(2)Sarah H.
It pains me to only be giving Capitol Cider three stars. I loooove cider and I loooove how big their cider menu is. I don't even mind paying $10 for a small glass of some of the best cider I've ever tasted, but their food is extremely overpriced. A few months ago (the first/last time we ordered food there) I got a kale and quinoa salad. I imagined for $13 that I'd get a heaping pile of salad, but what I received was probably a handful of kale and a handful of quinoa. Even if you're buying strictly organic ingredients and factor in labor and what not, you could hook a sister up with more than a few bites of non-meat-having salad! My boyfriend's fish and chips, costing about $15, consisted of two pieces of fish and fewer fries than you'd get in an order at Dick's. To be fair he said it was good, but...$15! The table service was a little snarky the last few times we went, which is a bummer -- different from the friendly and attentive bartenders if you sit at the bar upstairs, where we usually sit. Last time I grabbed a table for the two of us in the almost empty dining room, not noticing the "Please Wait to Be Seated" sign. My bad, but the waitress virtually stormed up and blurted, "Can I HELP you??" There are more tactful ways of addressing such issues. I'm sure we'll be back for more cider here, but will return to our tactic of sitting at the upstairs bar where the employees are much more gracious.
(3)Rebecca M.
Great atmosphere, incredible selection, bar food menu is well above average. When it's busy downstairs, don't wait for table service, order at the bar (gave up after waiting 20mins so not sure how long it might actually have taken.)
(4)Heather F.
I really want to like this place. Their ambiance is fantastic, their cider collection extensive, their kitchen one of the few that I can eat from safely, and on a lazy Saturday afternoon they have pretty decent service. That being said, do NOT go during the dinner hour. I'm pretty sure our waitress stepped out for ten smoke breaks in the time we were stuck without service, because she disappeared. The table next to us was well attended to and I know the waiter there saw that we were waiting...and waiting... AND WAITING for service, but he didn't do anything to fix the issue. We would have gotten dessert, but she took about twenty minutes to come back with the menu. At that rate, we'd have been here for hours before being able to leave. She offered no suggestions, no apologies for us waiting for her, and didn't make an effort to engage at all. It's sad that Capital Hill has retained this "too cool for you" attitude. I would hesitate to return here again.
(2)Emma M.
The food and drinks were good - the service is the problem!! We were a group of four, and found a table downstairs. It was really unclear if there was table service or if we needed to order from the bar as some tables had servers and other tables were ignored by said servers. We ended up ordering from the bar, and asked to do a flight of ciders. We were told by the decidedly unfriendly girl at the bar that while she "could" pour us cider flights, she would "rather not" because it's "kind of busy" and they are annoying to carry to the tables. Okay....? We ended up leaving earlier than planned because we felt the service was so unfriendly that it wasn't a fun place to have a few drinks and relax. The next day we find out we were DOUBLE CHARGED for our bar tab!! Come on. We won't be back!
(2)Tuan N.
Has an extensive amount of ciders and other alcohols but it seems to run out of popular drinks quickly. Wasn't sure how to approach things when I first walked in whether I was going to be seated or I would have to find my own. The door man was a bit vague about it. Though we found our table and didn't wait too long before we got menus and got to order. They have an extensive list of ciders and beers and I've enjoyed each one I tired. I was fairly regularly checked on for a refill also. Not much more I can say about this place. It's good and a great place to get cider specifically. The music they play is great too but I'm a little biased since I walked in hearing St. Vincent which is one my favorite bands. In any case I do recommend coming here if you're looking for a drink.
(4)Tye G.
I was here last Thursday and though the shuffle board was awesome the bar staff was rude and my friend cut his hand on a broken glass in the bathroom...not only was the staff rude to him about it, they did not possess even a first aid kit, nor a band-aid. They sent him home with a tube of Neosporin. Stupid, rude, go with friends...the staff will not keep you there!
(2)Adam C.
Capitol cider is a newly added stone to the steps of a culture of what we refer to as Cider. In my personal opinion the mark this establishment makes is one that raises the bar of cider recognition and overall evolution for class and society. My first impression of Capitol Cider was having the benefit of conversing with the owner through a handful of short encounters. The excitement and insight he supplied leading to its open, created a void that was anticipating its fulfill. I can honesty tell the viral world that after a short month that this place has been open I continue to be impressed. Primarily and in my opinion most importantly, first being the cider, and 2nd in the staff. Clearly educated, sophisticated yet humble thought went into the product that has been chosen to represent Capitol cider. The staff was selected by a man who I have heard has worked for Tavern Law and the Coterie Room. I have never met such down to earth, experienced, and grounded employees as a whole as a product of an opening of a business. It gives me security and ease as a patron of this business knowing that whomever this man is, I trust. I look forward to exploring their health oriented food menu and their many bottled ciders from around the world. Dear Captiol Cider, this cheers goes to you!
(5)Roy M.
As very long time Celiac person words really can't explain the joy this place is. Its surreal to realize I could eat anything I want on the menu (except I choose to not eat most critters, but that's another issue), as I so used to first reading a menu to see what few things I can eat. And the food is really really good. My husband (who can eat all the gluten he wants) thinks their fish and chips and fried calamari is a good as any place using wheat to bread them. I love it here. And the only thing that makes me give it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the service varies from excellent to feeling like the parents are gone for the weekend and they left the kids home alone. But definitely worth it for the excellent food!
(4)Brian Q.
Selection of ciders: awesome. Ambiance: comfortable and clean. Space/seating: can get crowded, but not front row of an outdoor concert crowded. Bonus area: they have board games. Service: completely lacking; servers disappear after the first round is served. I'm dumbfounded how bad they are. Been several times and they just stand around. Hailing a taxi takes less effort. Too bad, too. Otherwise this would get an easy 4 stars, but their consistency at being inconsistent servers is a huge penalty.
(2)John H.
We were only there for a few minutes waiting for our table at a nearby restaurant, but these folks gave me a very good impression - enough to earn themselves four stars. The service was on point, and they were knowledgable about everything they were serving at the bar (which was a LOT). Considering the service at the restaurant we had been waiting for, I wished that we had just stayed at this place instead.
(4)Ian H.
I really liked the atmosphere and all the amazing options for cider. My SO and I really enjoy cider and were excited to hear about this place a few months ago. He also LOVES poutine. And loved theirs. However I would really have liked a vegetarian version of it. That little reason and that I felt the server wasn't that friendly is why they are not getting 5 stars.
(4)Dan G.
This place has potential; I plan to try it again in a few months. We sat upstairs, in the restaurant part (although it was still 21+, at least on a Saturday after 8). The ambience was a nice, classy pub feel; a little bit like Smith, but less agressively hipster. Noise level was mild, unlike the downstairs. I asked the waiter to recommend a dry cider, and he brought a sample of the Snowdrift Cornice; it was quite good, but I'd had it before, and with 15 ciders on tap I wanted to try something different. Unfortunately none of their other dry ciders on tap hit the mark; the Virtues were sour, and the Blue Mountain was deadly dull. According to the waiter, they normally have more dries on tap, but this time we had better luck with the sweets; my wife tasted the Blue Mountain Raspberry (which was like a good lambic) and settled on the Redstone Hopped Mead, which was excellent. The bottle selection is extensive, but of course you can't sample them, and most bottles are over $30. The good news is that you can buy bottles to go at 50% off, which brings the price in line with a high-end grocer like Whole Foods. And they have ciders you probably won't find anywhere else in Seattle. For food: the baby zucchini, house salad, and crispy chicken were excellent. The steak was nicely cooked, but unseasoned; and the fries were poor. The chocolate mousse was okay; not as light as it should have been. I'll definitely go again, to try some different taps, buy bottles to go, and see if the kitchen has gotten more consistent. For now, though, I have to stick with three stars.
(3)Kristen S.
AWESOME! this place RULES. I loved the atmosphere, the menu, all the ciders and beer were delicious! The fish and chips were tasty as well. They were able to accomodate a large party and split all the checks for us with no problem. The blackberry cider was amazing. This place was super awesome I will most definitely be back next time I am in Seattle!
(5)Amy S.
I REALLY wanted to love this place; cider and a 100% GF kitchen! However the execution leaves so much to be desired. We arrive on a Wed night around 6:30pm. We're told we'll have to wait for the downstairs to open if we don't want to sit at community tables. This even though there are 3 available booths upstairs and no one else is waiting! About 10 min later, downstairs opens and we get a booth. Menus and water arrive relatively promptly, but then we wait, and wait, and wait, and wait. Given that we were the only people in a booth and there were about 4 people at the bar and 3 serving staff this really boggles the mind. Finally order drinks; once again it takes ages before we see them. Put in our food order, apps (fried acorn squash and padron peppers) come in reasonable time and are delish. We finished our drinks and our water during the apps and our server (Ford) passes by our table multiple (more than 3) times and does nothing. We finally flag him down and he asks (incredulously) if there is anything we need. We're a little snippy (sorry) and say ah, drinks? water? He seems surprised. Food comes (fish & chips and pork chop) and it too is delish. Again an eon seems to pass before we see Ford again. While we were waiting all night for service, he was having a good ol' time chatting up a bud at the bar. So glad that he had a good night. Bottom line: it was great as a GF to not worry about any of the food and it was all very, very good. I'm used to the slower service of many Seattle places (and don't mind it quite frankly), but this was ridiculous.
(2)Brad M.
If there was a 0 they would get it. The food is straight off of a Sysco truck. No talent hacks and the bartenders are smug hipsters!
(1)Sarah N.
I expected more from this place. Being gluten-free, I was excited check out their menu and try a couple of ciders I've never had before. But, I never got the chance. When I walked in and told the host that I was meeting a couple of friends. She said, "oh, take a look around for them, there are a couple other tables here expecting parties of three." so, I look around, don't see my friends, and ask her if i can take the booth in the corner. She said, "No, I'm sorry, we don't seat incomplete parties." I said, "but, you just told me there were other tables who were expecting more, and they were seated" and she said that they had enough people that they could be seated. I said ok, I'll wait. When my second friend arrived, I said "do we have enough people now? And she said, no I'm sorry. you don't. Granted, all the tables had one or two people sitting at them So we walked out and went to another place down the street. Even if that is their policy (which I doubt because I met a friend there a couple of weeks ago, and she had been practically camped out in a booth all afternoon), it's ridiculous. The place wasn't even close to full. I don't normally write bad reviews, but I doubt this place worth the attitude. There are plenty of other great places to eat and have a drink in the neighborhood, even if you're gluten-free.
(2)Gregory C.
I have celiac and this place is awesome. My wife and I went here for dinner and she was worried it didn't taste gluten-free. The whole place is (except for the beer selection) and it was delicious.
(5)Beth H.
Maybe I hyped this place up in my head a little too much before going because I found my first visit pretty unexceptional. I went with Kiki M. and her review is pretty spot on. It's a nice space, service was good and friendly. The food was tasty enough (although add another restaurant that claims to serve poutine but messes with the dish). Unfortunately I found the prices waaaay too high for what you're getting when it comes to the cider. I love cider. I go to the festivals, I try everything I can get my hands on at other bars, and right now I have a home-brewed batch in my pantry that has been aging for the past half a year. Imagine my disappointment when I ordered a glass of one of my favorites off the menu and got a teeny tiny pour in the bottom of a wine glass. I can buy a big bottle of that stuff at Whole Foods at a way more economical cost ($15 at a store but $40 at the restaurant). Yes, I understand restaurant markups but even Pine Box a few blocks away has delicious, similar cider options and you get a pint of it for the same price (or less!) as the sad little sips at Capitol Cider. It was a bummer. Unless they offer the Hill's most amazing happy hour I probably won't go back.
(3)Ryan M.
If you are gluten-free then this place will allow you to enjoy dishes you may have given up on ever eating again. The food is good as far a gluten free goes but is a bit overpriced. The cider selection is good but again, a little overpriced. The reason for my 2 stars is the service. The doorman was nice, but from there it went downhill. Our server apparently felt inconvenienced to have to be there, and our presence just seemed to be adding to this feeling. He tried 3 times to close out our check when we wanted more drinks and we had to sell him on the idea of bringing a desert menu. We even overheard him mocking another customer who confronted him on the poor service. They may have good servers there, but we didn't run into one.
(2)Paul C.
They have really excellent food that's well prepared. Go during happy hour and try one of each :-)
(4)Steve C.
Capitol Cider has an incredible amount of ciders on tap. I never knew there was so many varieties of cider. The bartender was super helpful for recommendations. It was a pleasant visit.
(4)Brandon S.
A cider house! Awesome. The variety of what's on tap for ciders and beers is what this place has going for it. The atmosphere is great. The gameroom/bar downstairs is pretty awesome with the boardgames, checkers/chess tables, and the fantastic shuffle board tables. So, why not 5 stars? The drink and food prices are pretty steep with no signs of a happy hour on the horizon. They are a bit understaffed from what I can tell as it was quite busy downstairs with only one waiter for about 30-40 people not at the bar. Seating was sparse as it was so busy. Improvements to be made that my party of 6 came up with (we really want this place to stick around) 1. Please put a burger on the menu. I mean, you are a bar for crying out loud. Make it fancy or whatever, but just add a burger. 2. Purse hooks under the long, narrow, tables not at the bar. There isn't enough room on the table top for them, so you're either setting it on the floor or taking up valuable seating by placing it on another stool. 3. Some folks are new to cider. A quick, bullet pointed guide to ciders or even descriptions of what's on tap would be great. 4. On that note, offer some kind of taster. We would have gladly paid for a tray of cider tasters to see what we liked and didn't like. Having to make a guess and then be out $5-12 if the cider wasn't to your liking isn't a game we want to play. Lots of folks are new to cider, so it only makes sense. 5. It would be great if 3 out of 4 non-salad entree options didn't all consist of fried food. 2 poutines and a fish and chips entree were both fried of course. The only thing left, not of the salad variety, was a Shepards Pie. No thanks! 6. Add some bottled options. This has to do with taste and price. Sure my friends were open to trying a few ciders, but after paying an avg of $10 per glass, they were ready for some cheap PBR, Bud Light, etc. etc. Want people to stick around? offer some cheaper alternatives to draft cider/craft/micro brews or you may find your demographic dwindling down to only those that prefer cider instead of those willing to try it. Those cheap beers aren't my cup of tea, but it was enough motivation for them to want to leave your place and search for another bar with more reasonable prices. I was obliged to leave since I had already rung up a $75 tab with just a few ciders and an entree.
(3)Andrew M.
Upstairs restaurant: 5 stars is not an adequate rating. For the others like me traveling with celiacs, this is a dream destination. Prepare your taste buds. This place has 20 different ciders on tap and the kitchen is a dedicated gluten free facility. The staff is knowledgable and easily made substitutions to accommodate my dairy intolerance. Recommend: Brussels Sprout appetizer and char fish.
(5)Linda F.
This is the way gluten-free food should taste! I love it when I can dine out, enjoy good food, good service, in a nice atmosphere, and not feel sick afterwards.To the other reviewers who don't care about gluten-free food, you can go to any other restaurant in the city. Leave the few truly good gluten-free spots alone!! My fiancé and I tried Capitol Cider a couple of weeks ago and, although I enjoyed my food more than he did (I'm the one with gluten intolerance), we both had a solid four-star experience overall. We started with the potato croquettes (yum) and the pickle jar. Whoa, the pickles were sour! But they were yummy and complemented the rest of our meal beautifully. I had the roasted chicken breast and it was delicious - juicy, tender, and flavorful. My fiancé had the duck and he thought that the skin wasn't crispy enough and that the fat needed to be rendered down a bit more. I had a bite of his and didn't really remember anything about it except that it wasn't as flavorful as my chicken, which is really saying something when duck is less flavorful as plain old chicken breast. We didn't have any cider, so I can't comment on that, but we will definitely be back! Thank you, Capitol Cider, for keeping it GFF (gluten-free forever).
(4)Kelly L.
Met a friend for dinner/drinks here and we both really enjoyed ourselves. The atmosphere is fun and sophisticated, booths were comfy, food was delicious and the staff was nice and friendly. I got a few samples of different ciders before ordering a full glass and I was not disappointed. It was light, crisp and refreshing, but of course now I can't remember the name. Oh well. I do remember what we ordered: triple creme cheese plate (comes with fresh figs, apple chips and mustard), avocado salad (with fresh snap peas and orange slices) and grilled baby zucchini (with a side of AMAZING dill ranch sauce). We loved every last bite. All in all I'd highly recommend this place for meeting friends after work, I just wish they were also open for lunch!
(5)Saucy B.
a lot of the food here is thoughtful and well prepared. it's great to have a good gluten free option in town also. i was disappointed with the pork chop, it was overcooked. however, the cheddar grit cake it came with was perfectly cooked.
(2)Claire W.
Cool ambiance. Literally and... actually way over-air conditioned. But we really dug the decor. The fries were fantastic. Food a little pricey, but good. I really liked the cider I got (Tieton Dry Hopped... almost beer-like, just like I like it). A tasting flight would be awesome, as they have such a huge array of options! I think this place will be really great on cold, rainy winter days. In the summer, it's a bit of a bummer to come out of the sunshine and into the dark, A/C-ified place. Still cool though- will definitely be back!
(3)Alison M.
1) I am a huge cider lover (not a big beer drinker), so a place where I can get 15+ ciders on a rotating tap is going to be a place that I'm going to want to return to often. I wish I had more time/more money/a higher alcohol tolerance so that I could try all of the ciders on their tap in a shorter period of time. It is fantastic to have a locale with so many ciders. 2) It's also great that the food here is pretty tasty. While I agree that the prices are higher than I'd like, the portions are at least pretty large. That doesn't excuse unnecessarily high prices, but better than them being small portions and expensive. Point #1 above is what makes this a 5-star place for me, even given the somewhat-higher-than-ideal prices. The food on its own would probably be 4-stars or so. Ideally they can make this a place that even non-cider lovers enjoy, because I hope that they stay open for a long time. (And if they lowered their prices, that would be great too.) Some specifics: - The lamb shepherd's pie is just delicious. It smells divine even before you dig into it. - The first time we had the fries they were, I kid you not ,THE BEST fries I have ever had. The second time I came for them, they were just good - not spectacular. Not sure which is the norm? - Both times I have been there, the servers have been friendly and attentive, and the length of time it took to get drinks and food was reasonable, even on a really busy night. - Did I mention the huge number of ciders on tap??
(5)L H.
My daughter has gluten sensitivities so I was happy to find a place to eat where she could relax, knowing everything was safe. Capitol Cider is cozy and quaint without being stuffy. The staff was very friendly. We sat at a table near the front door but it was fine. Others have said it was cold and felt too out in the open. We didn't notice any draft or on lookers. We had the fish and chips and roasted brussel sprouts. The food was great. I especially loved the fish. The fries were a bit over cooked but that didn't stop us from eating everyone of them. I will eat there again when I am in town and I am sure my daughter will eat there again!
(4)Jacob B.
we have been here a few times and the service is very slow. the drinks are great though - but the last time we went the cider flight had all the wrong ciders in it. don't come here if you're hungry as you won't get your food until an hour after you order it.
(2)Chris W.
We dropped by for Tieton cider's birthday bash (free oysters from Taylor and a sample of bourbon-barrel cider? How can one resist!) But not to be too colored from the event, we had drinks and nibbles beforehand, they stock a large amount of cider. It's their thing. I've seen a few reviews that appeared to be shocked by the prices, I don't get it. There isn't really a cider equivalent of Oly or Rainier (in the States, at least...) and there are some very high quality offerings at Capitol. I'm a fan of their dry, French-style offerings, and only wish they had more of them. I didn't check out the extent of their menu, however the fries were wonderful with the side of buttermilk-bleu ranchish dressing.
(4)Matthew H.
I brought in a crew of 20+ friends last week for a birthday party; the experience far exceeded my expectations. Earlier in the day a very helpful staffer (I'll leave her anonymous) provided suggestions on food platters so the kitchen could get a head-start. To my amazement the beautiful platters of food were sitting on the huge table when we arrived--they made me look like a hero. Additionally, the bar staff was meticulous in matching a cider with each person's tastes. The professionalism, courtesy, and attention to detail deserves five stars.
(5)Anne B.
I am so disappointed. I am eagerly awaited the opening of this place as it is close to my home and I love cider. I went for HH and had the baby zucchini and fries. They were both disappointing. They both came out with the same bland aioli. I am not a fan of steak fries, so I did not like them. The zucchini was cooked nicely, there just wasn't much of it. The service upstairs was awful!!! I finished my cider and the server flew by a few times without asking if I wanted another drink. I had to get someone else's attention, she was awesome. I must say I was not impressed with either cider I had upstairs, they both tasted watery. The server came back later poured us the last of the water in the bottle on our table in my friends glass, mine was nearly empty and his was less than half full. He never brought us back any water, nor did he offer my friend another drink. We had to flag him down later and ask for the check. BTW-they were only about half full upstairs and there was more than one server. We went downstairs to play shuffleboard and get another cider. The bartenders down there were fun and friendly. They let me try a couple ciders before picking one. It was good, but was surprised when I paid because they were not $11/glass good. So...the two stars is for the service downstairs being good and the shuffleboard. I will never eat here again and will just head downstairs for shuffleboard.
(2)Lauri S.
20 July 2014. Very poor service. Our dinner order of Fish and Chips never arrived! Absolutely no follow up from the server after taking our initial order. No bill, we just left the money for the two ciders without a tip on the table. We could not get her attention to even pay the bill. The cider was good, but I will not be back.
(1)Dae Y.
we were downstairs. it was REALLY LOUD. we were with great company, but the place was just SO LOUD. it was hard to hear the person next to you, let alone across the table from you. but alas, it might have been my overall mood. and my overall state of youthfulness. definitely try it out though.
(3)Sylvia L.
Great cider, tasty food! Had the pail of fries with aioli sauce and it was so good! Will definitely recommend to my friends.
(5)Brittney G.
They had a fantastic selection of ciders on tap. We went early (6ish) and got seated right away at the bar down stairs. The bartender was friendly enough and the ciders were great. The cheese plate was good, but small and pricey for what it was. Also the music was good if you're into drinking and jamming to Bon Iver and City and Color.
(4)Anya S.
My fiancé and I came in for a late dinner on Sunday to check out a brand-new Capitol Cider, and we were blown away! The space is georgeous. Our server, David, was incredibly helpful and knowledgable (especially for a brand-new place). The drinks were great, and the food was incredible! We had the fish and chips, which was amazing! Seasoned well, perfectly cooked, and some of the better fish and chips out there. I eat wheat, and I didn't even realize that their whole kichen is gluten-free (including that great fish) until later! They have their whole experience dialed in. Nicely done, guys.
(5)Liz O.
Great vibe, good concept. Busy crowd. Our food was cold but still had a good time. 6.5 out of 10.
(3)Adriana K.
At last! A bar devoted to cider; I am so delighted! We took out of town friends here as they love cider and I had wanted to try. Since it was our first time there, we weren't sure if we should seat ourselves, and I had read about the cool downstairs; we noticed some stantions pushed aside, so we walked downstairs to check out the games. There were some guys in the back of the bar who told us it was closed until 6 but we could look around. We went back upstairs and as we did, were confronted by an upset waitress who informed us the downstairs was closed. We explained that it wasn't block and we had wanted to check it out, and she clearly was annoyed with us. Oh well. It happened to be happy hour (on the weekend too!) and the happy hour cider was great. We tried the fish & chips, picked veggies, and a side of fries and were quite happy. The theme of the place was turn of the century explorer with these awesome classical style portraits from local students that were quite impressive. Old books lined the shelves with knick knacks. Seems a place that could get crazy on the weekends, but chill to hang out on weeknights. Cheers to cider!
(4)Heidi W.
Good food and the lower bar has great ambiance. They were severely understaffed when I went and our waiter wasn't able to come by the table for a good 15 minutes at a time. The later in the evening the louder the music and more crowded, but the cider selection is great.
(4)Miss Y.
wow... we rarely go back to a same restaurant let alone have the same item from the menu two nights in a row. capitol cider's food is legit. everyone should try the quinoa salad and the chocolate mouse is AMAZING!!! they have a great cider selection for mixing with light beer, service is good and of course the food is awesome!!
(5)Jessica S.
Great cider, great service, beautiful art work! A new gem for Capitol Hill!
(5)Shannon K.
Great atmosphere and set up. Shuffleboard is always a huge plus. The prices however are terrible. $15 for fish and chips ( cheapest thing on the main menu by $6) was so small that my wife immediately said I got ripped off..... Which I did and the four others around me who got it too. Fix the prices and make a more appropriate menu for what the place really is. Also, have happy hour on Friday's!
(2)Ryan D.
I'm not sure why this place overall has 3.5 stars, it's a true gem for it's pure commitment to gf food and cider (which just so happens to be gf). The food is incredible. A bit decadent yet well priced. The cider cuts through the heaviness well and washes down a thick meal with ease. The patriotic, dark decor is thoughtful and moody. I'll make sure to come back here on my next visit!
(5)Grizwald Y.
Huge selection of ciders on tap, incredibly food, good ambiance, and good location.
(5)Laura M.
A cider for everone: sweet ciders, dry ciders, hopped ciders, habanero ciders, sour ciders, and thanks to a friendly and attentive staff I think I have sampled them all. Lucky for me, not a cider fan, they have a well rounded selection of beers on tap too.
(4)Kaelin C.
Went here for the first time tonight and had a great time. met some friends downstairs and ordered the Anthem Cherry, which was every bit as delicious as I thought it would be. Played a game of shuffleboard with some good looking gents. Very impressed with the staff, they seem very friendly and attentive. I didn't have to wait to order, and the bartender even waived the cc minimum as I was only having one drink. They also have other board games downstairs. The atmosphere is sophisticated, although loud. Can't comment on the food as we didn't order any.
(4)Amber F.
This place is going to be my new hang out spot. Stopped by on Saturday because I heard the soft opening was going on. The upstairs is nice, but downstairs is where it's at. Love the ambiance, love the decor, love the music, love the games, love the cider, love. They were a little busy at first, so it took a little bit to get to us, but they made sure we knew we weren't forgetten. Loved the place so much that when a friend stopped in town for a night Tuesday, after dinner I told her I had to take her to "my new favorite bar." She was just as impressed as I had been. While we were catching up, drinking cider, and playing Scrabble the manager stopped by our table to introduce himself, tell us a bit about the artwork (LOVE IT), and welcome us to the bar. I foresee many, many visits in my future. Maybe one of these days I'll actually order some food, which sounds great, but I've only been after just eating. And I need to be more persistent about getting in on a shuffleboard table, but I'm excited they're there!
(5)Michelle S.
Atmosphere is great. Lots of choices!
(4)G S.
Fun, casual and cozy. Reminds me of an English pub with tasty food and drinks.
(5)Carolyn E.
A cozy bar with frigid service. The bar was not busy but it took the staff 30 minutes to even acknowledge us once we had been seated. When we finally got our drinks we were asked if they could bring the check, like they were trying to get rid of us.
(1)Sung P.
I'm surprised this place is getting an average of 3.5 stars. Went there for the first time last week and really enjoyed the place. I'm not a cider drinker, but they make great cocktails and the server was knowledgeable. Great atmosphere, especially downstairs. I like Quinns for most things more in general, but they get super packed, so I would totally go to capitol cider as a close alternative. The food I had was decent, but honestly I don't get the gluten-free bs. I ordered a charcuterie plate and it didn't come with any kind of bread... which is kind of a big miss - it's not like having bread in the building will make people break out in hives...
(4)V V.
I wanted to like this place so much more. First, it's super dark in this bar and severely over air conditioned to the point it's uncomfortable. They have no outside seating in a prime Capitol Hill location? The ciders were all interesting and I left with some new I information regarding the different styles. The main reason for my three star review is the food we ordered was terrible. Our table ordered the grilled peppers and what arrived appeared to be something you would buy in bulk from Costco, they were gross. I saw some fries going out to other tables and they did look good, but we were looking for a lighter option. With so many food options near they need to step up the quality.
(3)Rachel S.
I love cider, and I especially love it on tap, but it's rare to find a place that offers a cider on tap, let alone a place where you have more than one choice. With at lest 10 choices of ciders on tap, most of them from Northwest producers, Capitol Cider has finally given cider lovers a place of their own. I can't say enough good things about this place. The wait staff was friendly and attentive, and our waiter was able to offer good suggestions of cider based on our different preferences. The atmosphere is great, dark and homey, with large booths. I didn't check it out, but from what I heard they have shuffleboard and other games available in the downstairs area. And to top it all off, the food was AMAZING, some of the best around. I will definitely be back, and can't recommend this place highly enough.
(5)Chris P.
Spencer and Co know what they're doing! The upstairs room is an elegant, restaurant setting while the basement is a bar stocked with all sorts of delicious ciders and beers. I hope to come back ASAP and try their fish and chips!
(5)J C.
Look, it has lots and lots of cider. I wish it was a more vegan-friendly place, but it's gluten-free, and that's pretty important.
(3)C S.
Wow what a place. Fantastic food with great ambiance and a full list of cider to back it all up. They is also a very interesting collection of art with a brochure to explain it all. I would highly recommend dinning here. Just want drinks? Head downstairs and check out the basement bar.
(5)Seth T.
Little pricey but good atmosphere and gluten free food apparently.
(4)Michael C.
The food is amazing. Best fish and chips I have ever had, seriously so good. The salmon fritters are amazing as well.
(5)Doctor D.
Great experience. Everyone was friendly, the food and cider were great, the decor is cozy. I'll definitely go back soon. Congrats on a successful opening!
(5)Jeffrey L.
So excited to go to this place since it opened, but when we got there the host never acknowledged us. Stay down and waited 10 minutes before we diced to go hunt down some one to get the our drink order, then another friend. Showed up and she came back by and said " oh, did you just got here?" to the friend and not us, proceeded to get water for our friend, so I mentioned, we were here 10 minutes ago. So I. UT to the. Have and said I will have a beer, and she said oh let me get your server. She came back and grabbed our order, and didn't come back for another 10 min for just beer.... Needless to say I wanted to like the place but it's service as a new establishment is just horrendous. Never would I suggest this place. Thanks cap cider!
(1)Merlin L.
Good selection of cider and beer. Did not eat any food. It may just be novelty, but I've never been to a bar that had more than one cider, which was from a bottle. Price I'd say is a dollar or two too much though.
(4)Valerie W.
Legit place with some damn legit local and NW ciders on tap. Street level you'll find yourself a quaint open restaurant. Down below a bar full of loud voices, shuffleboard and good times. The staff is awesome and knowledgeable about what they have to offer. They will also let you sample before making a decision. The Baked Apple Cider I got literally tasted as such. It was like fall season in my mouth, not overly sweet and just the right amount of spice. I had 2 glasses...of course. The decor is wooden, cool lighting, and even board games! Overall a very chill place to grab a drink! Don't like cider? They have a full bar and yummy beers! I've heard the good is pretty decent as well. I will be back!
(4)Court S.
I fell in love with this place yesterday! I had brunch at CC at around 11:00 am with a group of very hungry lacrosse playing friends. Usually I am put off by any restaurant that brags about being gluten free or healthy, but this place really surprised me! The menu selection was above and beyond what I would expect from most brunch hangouts and the atmosphere is welcoming to all... not just your bearded hipster types, whom I detest. I had their Country Fried Schnitzel with Scrambled Eggs, which was yummy, but maybe a little bland; I like everything spicey... I am a Southerner.. so it could just be my thing. Also, I had some type of cider that our server recommended that totally rocked my world! Aside from great food and reasonably priced drinks, the service was impressive! Our server, Zach, was SWAMPED, but he made our table feel like we were they only once in the joint and remained patient with all of my special requests. I have to admit though, they failed my "ice water" test.. when I ask for "ice water" I mean I want water with ice in it, instead their busser / expediter brought me room temp water... this seems to be the latest fad in trendy restaurants... WE ARE NOT IN EUROPE! Anyway, great place to grub on a Sunday... live it up!
(5)Josh B.
Easily the worst service I have received in Seattle. Hostess seated us and it was quite a long wait for the waitress. The place wasn't busy AT ALL. Waitress (Marisela) was totally unhelpful and acted put off when I asked her if there were egg-free options for condiments for fries (menu lists aïoli). For a place that specializes in food for people with food allergies, I don't understand why it was such a terrible request to make. My dinner partner asked if they had ketchup and she snapped "yes" and then took our menus. Fine, I guess we won't order dinner. The fries were OK, the drinks were OK. The service was the worst. Marisela would very occasionally wander past our table and halfheartedly mumble at us without stopping. Just as I decided I wasn't paying for this ridiculously terrible service and was getting up to speak to the hostess, Marisela decided to actually appear and speak to us directly. I demanded the check and we left. I am still pretty pissed off that she was so fucking terrible at customer service. I hate not tipping, but she really left me no choice. $22.00 for fries and two whiskeys? Fucking what? I wish I could give zero stars.
(1)Jonathan C.
Really good cider and the downstairs is absolutely amazing. Very fun and low key environment. A good place to go if you want to get out of the house, but don't want to go to a packed bar. Hard to say how busy it gets on the weekends because I went here on a Tuesday night and it was very chill and low key. Also there is Shuffleboard which is tons of fun. Highly recommend coming here if you have a group of like 4-6 people, just a boat load of fun!
(5)Wen L.
Fun game room downstairs with board games and shuffle board. They have a great list of ciders too! Tasty!
(3)Dulce B.
I go to Capitol Cider a lot. I have celiac disease, so the 100% gluten free kitchen is like heaven on earth for me. The food is fantastic! I've only been for dinner once, brunch is what I normally eat here. I absolutely love the fish and chips and the chilaquiles are delicious as well. Their eggs are cooked perfectly and the potatoes are so good. Get the doughnuts--they are amazing. Maybe I'm just not a huge cider fan, but I haven't been super impressed by any cider I've tried there. The thing that kills Capitol Cider for me is the service. It's always awkward dealing with the servers because they're either, well, awkward or they're just straight up rude and dismissive. We're usually seated by a guy, and he's actually really nice. My husband and I also went for brunch on Valentine's Day and our server was the nicest we've ever had. But these two individuals are exceptions to what seems to be the rule. Honestly I like the food so much that the service doesn't bother me that much, but I can completely see how it would make some people not want to come back.
(4)Alan H.
My date and I had an enjoyable evening here, commiserating over the sadness of The Lobby losing its lease last November. Full disclosure, neither of us sampled from the cider menu. The ambiance is typical Capitol Hill loud, but they do have booths along the wall that I recommend heartily. The food is okay, service professional, and the drinks are good (and don't stint on the alcohol). Overall, I would say perhaps a bit pricey, but fairly typical for Capitol Hill.
(3)Austin G.
As a HUGE cider conisouer, I loved this place. It's near Pike Place Market and seating for many. We sat at the bar and ordered happy hour items from the menu. Their snitzel is good and meat plate. They have dozens and dozens of cider options and they let you try as many on tap as you want. If you don't like cider, they have a decent beer and cocktail list too. A solid 4 star experience!
(4)Laren B.
There are some things that you just can't deny! This place has an amazing space, style, and location on the hill! Plenty of room for large groups but it fills up on most nights. I only take issue with the teeny tiny portions of their food and some of their beverages! Everything tastes delightful but for the price, one would expect more! Their staff can sometimes seem a bit overwhelmed as well. Maybe poor staffing? Not sure if this was already mentioned in other reviews but the space downstairs is much cooler and easier to hang in now that they have fixed the ventilation/cooling situation. No need to worry if you just want a beer here. They have that too!
(4)Tyler J.
I have been wanting to try Capitol Cider since I moved to Seattle. I finally did on Monday night, and have to say that I was very happy with the food and drink. It's was great to be able to go out to eat and not have to think about diet restrictions and have so many options available. My partner and I tried started out with the cheese plate which was a perfect appetizer. Just enough for us to nibble on while deciding on entrees without filling us. We were having a hard time deciding what to order for entrees and finally went with the duck and chicken. Both were fantastic and well prepared. For dessert we order the creme brûlée and the buttermilk cheesecake and and we scraped up every last crumb that we could. And the portion sizes were perfect. I wish I could give this restaurant 5 stars; however, it loses a star for service and ambiance. The staff was very polite, but came very much across as they really did not enjoy engaging with the clientele. The server was attentive enough but never but when asked questions regarding the menus, gave answers that left the impression she did not really know the menu, or just did want to engage with the table. I was also very disapointed that in a fairly empty restaurant, my partner and I were shoved into a small corner of the upstairs where four deuces sat practically on top of one another which made it difficult to have any sort of conversation as the couple next to us was very loud. Despite the lacking service and the small eating space, I will go back for the food and drink list with hopes that maybe the night that I dined was just an off night for the staff.
(4)Jared B.
4 stars for the bar, 3 for the food. The fact that a bar in Seattle carries more than two ciders on tap alone makes Capitol Cider worth checking out. They carry a wide range of ciders (about 20) ranging from reasonably priced to woah, is it really better than the cheap stuff? The staff is generally helpful with suggestions if you know a little bit about what you like in a cider, otherwise have fun playing the guessing game. I've yet to be disappointed. The food is tasty as heck, but with so many cheaper options within a block, I make sure to fill up before I come. The menu isn't that large, and neither are the portions. Good finger food to share if you play nicely. I didn't feel that the value matched the price but I did enjoy the food. The decor is an upscale dive (fine, hipster.) kind of scene, lots of historical portraits and paintings on the wall with museum-ish kitsch make a intimately quirky atmosphere that makes it good for conversations with friends and lovers alike.
(4)Lisa M.
I love the food. ..best fries! We often order take out since my son has Celiac but we don't want to dine out. It's amazing to have a place we know we can eat at safely, but even better that the food is so good! we went once for brunch and we all loved the food too. Yay, brunch is back!
(5)Alexander L.
Worst customer service ever. Waitress was rude and cannot split a simple check. Party of 12 and we will NEVER EVER go back again. Good luck running the restaurant. They hire quality people (the worst!). Customers beware!
(1)Seth S.
THE BEST FRIES IN SEATTLE BY A MILE. Really they're my favorite fries in existence. The aioli dipping sauce makes them into a next level treat. My sister medically can't eat gluten, so having such a solid entirely gluten free spot is clutch. Did I mention the fries?
(5)Tyler B.
Stopped on a Wednesday night for a beer and was immediately greeted by the bartender angrily yelling to us that we need to show our ID's before my group of 6 even sat down. Yes, virtually every bartender requests ID's right away, but she yelled at us like we were severely annoying her simply by showing up. We didn't show up really late or anything (10:30pm or so) so who knows why she was in a bad mood. That really didn't phase anyone in my group, but when we went up to the bar to look at the cider selection (which was great) she gave us more lip for no reason! After she took our order she went to the other end of the bar and socialized with another group for 5 minutes, took their order, and poured their beers before pouring ours. The bar wasn't busy at all- my group was 1 of 3 there. Overall, I'm certain that minus this unfortunate bartender it is a great place to grab a cider. If you're not into cider they have a few IPA's, pales and stouts (some on nitro). Maybe try avoiding the downstairs bar area.
(2)Nathan T.
Went for an event for my high school; I left my tab open and after I was closed out a horrible bartender lady yelled at me and the whole bar because she was "busy" in the downstairs bar. I ignored her ignorance when she called out our group (other educated folks) for not tipping enough (20%+). I had 1 $6 chile flavored cider and tipped $3 and got flak. Totally bogus reaction. I asked to talk to the manager and she says she is the manager. Great bar, great selection, 1 entitled woman who is grumpy and must have had a bad day....and apparently "manages" something. Go to lost lake or neighbor lady instead....
(1)Siera M.
This review is only for Capitol Cider's Drink and Draw event held on the second Thursday of each month. The drink and draw is located at the bar downstairs. It included a live model and free drawing supplies like sketchbooks and charcoal. A friend and I arrived around 745 (the event is from 7-830 I believe) and it was already packed to the brim. There were barely any art supplies left and no room to sit and draw so we decided to play shuffle board on one of their two shuffle board tables. The cider list was pretty lengthy (as a cider bar should be) and reasonably priced. Didn't get to try the food, but we will try to come earlier for the next Drink and Draw!
(4)Natalie G.
Great service, food, and cider selection. The fish and chips were delicious, but at $16 I was expecting more than two pieces of chips and a small pile of fries. The big list of ciders is nice, but watch prices some can get spendy. Also I am pretty sure it isn't a pint of cider only 12 Oz for the price. Service was great for our big group of six, even though his 20% tip was already guaranteed (groups of six or more it is automatically added) it was nice he split up the checks for us. So overall everyone loved their food, I would go for their happy hour menu next time (if they have that option) they are a little too darn expensive for the entrée size.
(4)Shandiin G.
The selection is out of this world! There are so many ciders to pick from! I love that they all have are very unique flavors and I appreciate that they put the percentage of alcohol on each one. What's also very unique about this place is that they are constantly changing out what's on tap. That basically takes the palate for a fruity adventure every time I go there. I also love that they have (what I think is) shuffle board and other games on the lower level. That makes the experience there a very fun one. Its also a great way to start a friendly competition with who ever is there. Most of the staff there is very friendly and very knowledgeable of what is on tap. They give very good descriptions of how they taste and they even give samples. I will say that the last time I was there that some of the waitresses were not very friendly. I understand that it is very busy there but its not necessary to tell us to move and over all not be nice! I do plan on returning to this place, but I really hope that some of the staff members learn to check their attitudes at the door before coming to work.
(3)Paul V.
Came here in a group of four after dinner one night for some drinks. Most people in our party had a penchant for sweeter alcohol that doesn't get you too drunk too quickly. Not necessarily my favorite type of drankin', but I'm open to different experiences! So what's the first thing that comes to mind to fit the lighter/sweeter liquor? Cider, of course! I had read about Capitol Cider online and realized that it was close to our dinner spot. So we moseyed on over. We sat in a booth upstairs beneath a portrait of Sir Samuel Reginald Archibald Worthington III (Full disclosure: I made that name up, but like all the portraits, this gentleman looked pompous and Britishey). I'm not entirely sure what they're going for with the decor in that upper room. Maybe I'm not well-versed in cider history, but I certainly don't think of old British ships and Royal Navy generals when I think of cider. We got a couple of snacks and a few glasses of cider. First off, if you like cider, this place is yo' jam. For real. They have so many by the glass choices and a few nice flight options as well. You will leave here with a much more advanced knowledge of your relationship with cider and what you like and don't like. The waitress we had was very helpful in helping to steer each of us towards a selection that we would like. There is also a nice assortment of unique cocktails if you really don't feel like cider when you're here. The price of the cider is a little higher than what I'm used to paying, but with the variety and uniqueness of the cider offered here, that totally makes sense and I pay it happily to be able to sample such a diverse number of beverages. The food, or at least the cross section of small bites we had, was what takes this down from a 4 or possibly even a 5 star establishment, to a 3 star for me. The food itself was okay. I wasn't blown away by the flavor, but I was blown away by the price! I recommend against coming here for tapas or dinner because you may need to declare chapter 7 in order to feel full! Based on the location and vibe of the place, I get the sense that all the food is local, organic, fair trade, sustainable, blessed by the last cider samurai of the Himalayas, and a bunch of other adjectives that make you feel less guilty about eating it, but the price certainly reflects it. After reading the reviews, I regret not checking out the gameroom downstairs. I anticipate that I would have had a much better time if I had only come for drinks and games. I'll give it another chance.
(3)Allison P.
I love cider!!! And a place dedicated to cider what could be better!! Great list of ciders on tap and bottles! Many I haven't heard of which is nice! Wish the menu had a bit more info about each one. Server was really nice and helpful with recommendations. And brought us samples of ones to try! Service was kind of slow, but not bad. The downstairs is very nice! Great atmosphere!
(4)Heather F.
I was SO excited to try out Capitol Cider for the first time. I love cider and they offer about twenty or more on tap. The atmosphere was great and the cider was awesome. Why the one star? SERVICE! They do not care about you here. I felt they were inconvenienced by my group and our order. They have a large selection and we had a few questions and the waitress not only knew nothing about the ciders but she was so put off by the fact that we didn't know the difference between some. We tried to ignore it and have a good time but then they brought a cracked glass to one of my friends. I'm not talking about a small chip, it was a huge crack right down the middle of the glass. Capitol Cider has a great space and sweet cider but nasty employees that are bringing the place down.
(2)Alexis N.
One of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. The food is amazing, and the ciders are the best in town. Perfect place for a date, or night out with friends. I go there at least once a month.
(5)Jingwen Y.
Foofoo food. I sound like a baby saying that. It's fancy, it's hisptery, and probably going to be popular since it's around capitol hill. We came in here for a good cause so I ordered one of their salads. The food portion is very disappointingly small. After eating my foofoo salad I decided to walk over to Dick's to get a greasy burger and fries to satisfy my hunger. Service was not friendly. It took forever for my salad to come out and instead of being nice to me, the waitress made me even more cranky when I asked about my food. They have some interesting events and I would definitely come back to check those things out but definitely not coming here hungry.
(3)Chelsea H.
I cannot rave and rant about this place enough. I love that there are 2 floors. One for a more relaxed dining experience, and the downstairs is more of an upbeat bar with shuffleboard, board games, live music, etc. Great food GREAT CIDER (cherry one is awesome) Great service Lot's to do. I have gone here with friends, and I have also brought my parents here when they came to visit. There is something for everyone here, even if your not gung-ho about cider. TRY IT, you won't regret it;)
(5)Lauren H.
Cozy bar with lots of ciders. It was an interesting change of pace from typical beer taps and many of the varieties were good. The bartender was very friendly and let us taste a few of the ciders before choosing. The gingerbread cider was a bit sweet for my tastes, but was a favorite for others. The food was also great. The brussels sprouts had a nice flavor and cheesecake was super soft.
(4)Jaddahti J.
We went during pub trivia night, so it might not always be like this, but be prepared if you go on a Tuesday. I really liked the look of the Capitol Hill neighborhood- very old downtown feel, but with the dearth of parking that can be expected along with the the colorful but crumbly atmosphere. And this place looked perfectly like an old pub; all dark and wooden and rustic. We were in the downstairs game room, which provided a great venue for Trivia night, but was so crowded and horrifically loud that CBear was unable to hibernate in peace and left us for a stroll around the hood. The throngs also resulted in spotty service. It was necessary to flag down whatever server we could to order food and keep the cider glasses filled, but at least there wasn't any pressure to run up the bill that way. We ordered only a few small plates. Fried green tomatoes were OK, but not my thing. Potato, bacon and green onion croquettes sounded great, but were just fried blobs of mashed potato. Although that's nothing I would kick out of bed, there was only one speck of bacon detected in the whole order, and nothing as tasty as a green onion was noticeably involved, either. Pulled pork pupusas were the best, but even they were not good enough to persuade us to try and lasso and elusive server to order the entree we originally planned. We enjoyed some but not all of the ciders we tried. The apricot was disappointingly bitter and not at all resonant of fruit. The apple pie flavor was sweet, spicy and the hands-down favorite. We did share a peach cobbler, which could have used an extra pimp shot of sugar in the filling but was served with a cheddar and oatmeal crust which was divine. We had a blast at trivia, and would have won had we not stubbornly ignored Miss K.'s advice about the apostrophe in "Lay's". Still hungry, we stopped at Wendy's on the way home. If you don't have a medical condition requiring gluten-free, the fast food after-party was definitely the way to go.
(3)Cindy C.
Really chill bar with great food! Came here for the first time on a Friday night with some buddies. Went immediately to the basement area which is a very charming, chill and casual setting. I ordered a cherry bomb cider which was really great. I highly suggest that one. I also ordered some fries with a mustard dipping sauce, cider glazed wings with ranch and the short ribs. The fries came out first. It was a small serving, probably enough for 2 people to share. The mustard dipping sauce was super yummy. The cider glazed wings were actually pretty small. I'm guessing that they came from more organic chickens cause I'm use to the super-growth-hormone-injected chicken wings back in TX. The Ranch tasted more like tzatziki sauce, it lacked that ranchy zing. Nonetheless, we all enjoyed it. Now the short ribs. The short ribs were amazing. Sooo tender, falling apart when I took my fork to it. You MUST get this if you're here. Service was good and attentive. Atmosphere is great. Food is delish.
(4)Kristin W.
Love this place! I've been loving cider lately and heard about this place through a friend. I arrived promptly at 4 p.m. for HAPPY HOUR. We sat in one of the big booths - there were three of us. Spacious. I love the community table in the middle. Cider - Lots to choose from, fairly decently priced for a glass of cider. A few ciders on Happy Hour. I tried the Weston's Reserve (HH Cider). It wasn't too sweet, but not dry, just right. That came in a bottle. The first cider I tried was the 2Towns Brightcider. I didn't want anything too sweet and this fit the bill. I enjoyed both of them. Food - Yum. I believe food is gluten free, not that it matters to me. I got the Cider-Glazed Wings. Very tasty, not what I was expecting. Tangy, vinegary tasting. It was a decent portion. I couldn't even finish it all and I can eat. I also got the cheese platter. Enjoyable. It came with fruit, spreads and some flatbread thing (?). My friends got the HH fish and chips. Came with lots of fries, a couple tiny pieces of fish. I didn't taste it, but they said it was good. Fries were okay. Our server was awesome! He was attentive, but not overly. He was funny and gave us some great drink suggestions. Knowledgable and helpful. I liked him :) Overall a great experience. I love the ambiance. Great service. Great food and drinks. Heart heart heart.
(5)Tracy T.
This place has gone so far downhill I'm sad. Some of the best things they started with (roasted veggies with brown butter aioli and the pork and avocado salad) aren't even on the menu anymore. Everything is deep fried, super unhealthy and tastes like it was forgotten in the deep fryer (pork belly that comes with the fried squash tasted more like pork jerky). I used to love this place, but sadly will not be back.
(2)Nicole B.
20 ciders and 10 craft beers on tap, all delicious! We sat downstairs in the bar. It was a very cozy atmosphere with candles lit everywhere. Music was playing just loud enough, not overly loud where it's obnoxious, but just right. We didn't get a chance to try the food, but from what we saw it looked very good. They also have shuffle board tables downstairs along with a bookcase full of board games to play. Our server was very knowledgable and attentive. The ciders were outstanding!! We will definitely be back to try the food!
(4)KJ S.
We came here 2 nights in a row during Washington Cider Week because we loved it so much after the first experience. My wife states she had multiple mouth foodgasms both nights!! On the first night, we sat downstairs at the bar and had a flight of Tieton Ciders as well as the cheese plate, dinner, and cheesecake for dessert. The chicken breast dinner was awesome, and my wife loved the pepper starter so much that she ordered it both nights. On the second night, we sat upstairs. Service was far slower, but the food was still awesome. On my second night, I had the fish & chips - nice flaky pieces of fish with just the right amount of batter. If I didn't know this place was entirely gluten-free, I would have never guessed it! There was no hint of bad texture on anything! The Silkroad Red Nebula cider seems to be one of the staff and patron favorites, and I cannot disagree. I'm also a fan of the Tieton Apricot and the Tieton Cherry ciders, both of which are on the sweet side. If you can squeeze room for dessert, I highly recommend the cheesecake. The Peach Brown Betty was good, but the Cheesecake was amazing!!
(5)Kat L.
I have been a fan of Capitol Cider since they opened, but have recently found myself going least once a week over the last month. I have never been much of a cider fan, but they have made a believer out of me. There is a huge selection of ciders on tap from all over the country along with a couple international ciders (but of course you will find a concentration on northwest ciders). Ciders from very sweet to very dry. The bartenders & waitstaff our excellent at recommending a cider. If you are unsure about something, ask to taste it before you commit to a whole glass. They are happy to let you try and infact might even bring a couple other samples over of similar ciders you might enjoy. The selection is rotating, so it can be a tad disappointing when you fall in love with one cider and it goes away. But hey, that's when you go and fall in love with a new cider! They also have rotating beer on draught if cider really really isn't your thing Okay so the cider is great, now you're probably wondering about the food? How good can a 100% gluten free menu be, right? DELICIOUS! They specialize in seasonal new American. I can't say I have ever had a dish I was disappointed with. Some of my favorites are their pickled veggies (it's a sweeter type of pickling) and the croquettes. You also can never go wrong with one of their salads. I recently went for brunch and had one of the best eggs benedicts of my life. Instead of an english muffin it sat on scalloped potatoes. Instead of ham they used the most perfectly cooked fatty pork belly. Instead of a traditional hollandaise, they use a spinach hollandaise. It took a lot of strength not to literally lick my plate clean! There is a downstairs called the "game" room, which has a very Seattle bar feel and the only way to truly enjoy Capitol Cider (though it's not open for brunch). They have board games and two large shuffle boards. They also have stage and have random events there. It's really cool to just walk in on one. It can get pretty noisy but you are still able to have a conversation with someone. Overall, this is a "please everyone" type of place.
(5)Marc M.
After being here a few times, this place gets a solid four stars in my book. Since I don't drink beer, cider has been a welcome addition to the variety of beverage options out there and these guys always have the best and most diverse selection available. Any time you walk in, you are guaranteed to find something new to try as they are constantly rotating their taps and bringing in ciders literally from around the world. The food items I have tried have also been really good which is especially cool considering everything (yes, everything!) on their food menu is gluten free. If you stop in on the weekend, expect lots of people and a loud, upbeat, and fun atmosphere. If you are looking for a more intimate experience then this may not be the ideal bar to visit. I love the idea of this place, I just hope they can continue providing the level of service and quality they've established so far.
(4)Tom B.
This is a really nice addition to Seattle's pub scene, which doesn't have many gaps left to fill at this point. These guys definitely specialize in cider, but there's something for everyone here--you can bring a crew of cider maniacs here and they'll all be happy, but they're serious about their beer list, too, and they offer wine and spirits. The food is also really good; they're pretty thoughtful about covering their bases for sure. It's a little bit squeezed into a well-occupied older building at Broadway and Pike, but it's a very cool space and they make the most of it for sure. You never feel cramped. The place has an old-timey feel, like maybe they're hinting at a colonial america vibe, but they don't hit you in the face. You settle in and get comfortable on wooden chairs (or booths) and gradually start to notice the oil paintings above you--landscapes, founding fathers, ex-presidents. Classicist stuff, but not stuffy. Then you start to realize that cider and hard cider were probably pretty common drinks on these shores 250 years ago, and it dovetails together. The service is really nice--super friendly, patient with questions, quick with tasters, right on point throughout. We sat upstairs right at the bar, which I've heard makes a difference in their timeliness (downstairs can be a lot slower, they say). We had a couple ciders and a couple beers, all of which were interesting and well-chosen, and not just the run of the mill by any means. We also had a cheese plate, a bowl of potato soup, and the roast pork with avocado. The pork comes out in very small bites served in a cabbage cup, which was a cool presentation, and everything about the soup and cheeses was right on. In the end, this wasn't cheap--pushing $70 for three small plates and four drinks. But that's quite alright, because the quality, service, and setting were right on point. If you're eating, this might almost be on the splurgey side for a casual meal, but it could probably go either way--and it rewards the splurge well enough. And for drinks the prices are pretty standard for where you are. I'll definitely be back, especially with cider lovers.
(4)Annette F.
I didn't figure this place until I ordered a beer. I would guess they have about 20 covers on tap...oh my! I had to order a cider to make my cider living friend jealously. I stopped in this bar on April Fool's day and loved the live music downstairs. They have a great environment for groups to hangout and drink beer. All cider fans should check this place out!
(4)Crystal K.
Cider yes, service and price, No. We stopped into Capitol Cider for appetizers and cider and although the pace has a fun vibe downstairs, it is way to far up its own butt to actually be cool. There are many ciders available which is cool, but they are not full pints, and more expensive than they should be. The appetizers were fine, but nothing to go out of your way for. Service definitely lacked, our waiter did not come around for quite awhile, and when I finally went to the bar to get some drinks, I was told we had to wait for our waiter...? What? Also when all was said and done and we had the bill split on two credit cards, one was charged twice for both halves ($45.44 and $45.45) and the other also charged for a half. Experience definitely not worth THAT price, it was overpriced as it stood.
(2)Joseph E.
This place has excellent food. I have been there 3 times and have had stellar service and food. Their menus are creative and use high quality ingredients. If you have a gluten intolerance or celiac, you should try it. I am very sensitive and get sick very easily. Not once have I been glutened here. My only complaint is that they have so many ciders, the kegs may sit around a bit. A few of my ciders (tried about 6) have been flat. Some ciders are brewed with minimal carbonation, so I can't place fault on Capitol Cider. It can be busy, so plan your outing to this location carefully. Portions are on the small side, but you are getting quality. If you are celiac, you can't argue about portions because you get to eat out safely.
(5)Thomas L.
Fries are to die for!!!!! the steak was cooked perfectly though nothing to differentiate from other standard steaks. The mussels were ok though the potatoes were uncessary. Booths are nice and long and can accommodate 6+ people. Definitely a plus for gluten free peeps as their kitchen is a gluten free kitchen!
(4)Mandy M.
I appreciate a cider bar. Hopefully more are on the rise! This place has two levels, and the downstairs is dark and intimate. There's a lot of variety on the menu, and my server let us try a sample before we committed because a few people in my party weren't sure what kind of cider they preferred. But they don't do flights! I wish they did.
(5)Katya L.
Capitol Cider has an entirely gluten-free kitchen! I didn't know that! I'm sold! Have come several times - the first, for a tasting/bottle release event for Tieton Cider downstairs. The basement tavern is a great event space, although I do wish (and this goes for regular nights as well) they'd try to keep a body count. It's dim and intimate and has the tendency to get very, very packed, which kills the intimacy and reduces us all to blind moles, stumbling around, desperately searching for a spot at the bar. Stopped in again during Santarchy, and as expected for a Saturday night on the Hill, it was absolutely slammed. We managed to find a spot at a table downstairs, and even got table service, which was far more than I expected! Score! They have a cider on tap (I believe it's one of the Seattle Cider family) that's 12% abv, so we ordered a round of that. Service was pretty quick, especially for a busy night, and the cider was tasty and packed that requisite booze punch. Came back to actually sample the menu and learned that the kitchen was 100% gluten-free. So exciting! Personally I can handle some cross-contamination, but for the extremely gluten-sensitive this is a must-know! And for the gluten-friendly, the menu doesn't suffer. I definitely didn't look at it and go "wow, I wish this had some bread on it". I had the scallops, and they were divine. I'm definitely biased - after going to so many bars that focus on beer and then throw a gluten-free cider option in there as an afterthought, and it's usually Woodchuck or Angry Orchard, a bar that's focused almost entirely on cider is a godsend. But Capitol Cider definitely has merits on its own, and I hope it sticks around for a good long while.
(4)Kathleen C.
I was pretty excited to check this place out. They have a list of ciders on tap, and some beers as well I believe. The decor is alright. I was downstairs for a bit and they were playing some Kanye, then I go upstairs and they're playing oldies. Whatever the case, I liked it! I came here with some girl friends and we all got different ciders and a flight to try as well. I had the granny smith one, ehhh, not amazing. It had this weird stench. My favorite was the the sour cherry. It didn't taste like sour cherry, but it was good. I'm not a fan of beer at all, so this being a cider bar really suits me better. However, I don't feel like I want to drink very much cider though, like maybe one glass. That's about it. Don't know that I'd come back often, but I wouldn't mind coming again in the future. 4 star for the idea of this place. 3 star for the actual experience.
(3)Nicole B.
Went here for brunch a month or so ago because we learned it was 100% gf kitchen. Brunch was amazing. I was dying to try their gluten-free fish and chips, so I knew I wanted to come back. Yesterday we were in the area and decided to try their dinner menu. We got there just in time for happy hour and we were very excited to order off the five dollar menu. Don't bother! A five dollar steak kabob is really just three little pieces of steak, the mozzarella caprese salad is literally two slices of a tomato they've cut in eighths. The only thing that was good about the dinner was the gluten-free fish and chips. The price is pretty on point at $15 and everything was so yummy on that particular plate. Also, the gluten-free donuts with blueberry compote on the five dollar menu were pretty amazing. If you go at happy hour, just order a few plates of that and some bubbles & call it good.
(3)Dan S.
*Gosh, this is a tough one, the food was good not great, service friendly but just not a blow me away experience overall *The wings. Hmmm. Wings really are not that hard, they came out rubbery and flavorless, we got the honey glazed ones. Just super disappointing esp. when I asked twice "can you make them extra crispy?" Just a 101 type app *Entree. The 26 buck rib eye, juuuust enough extra fat (I expect fat and love it so on a rib eye) to make it not awesome plus it was too chewy, not at all melt in your mouth
(3)Megan Q.
I love capital cider. Lots of cider choices. Somewhat expensive but the food is really good. We went on a night when they happened to have charcoal and paper for drawing. It ended up being really fun.
(5)Lieda L.
If you're lucky enough to make it out here ask for Jacob, he's hella bomb diggity!!!! Food, libations, and atmosphere was hella good period. (Sorry for the Northern California speak.)
(5)Madeleine H.
In my week back visiting Seattle, I tried to go to this place twice. The first time, my friends warned me away because it was already so crowded. Coming back the next day, I can see why. The upstairs is nothing special - mostly a restaurant setting with a small bar in the back, but it was a good place to meet my friends before seeing the downstairs. And oh, the downstairs. I am a sucker for such an "old world" tavern feel - dimly lit, fireplace along one wall, dark wood furniture... mmmm. The LED menus with the tap list, while a little out of place, were nevertheless a nice touch and suggest a menu in heavy rotation (I hope this is true). Another big draw to the downstairs is the board games, and the shuffleboard in the back looked cool also (but even on a Monday evening it was already too busy to get a turn in). As the name implies, cider rules here. I love cider as much as I hate beer, so this should have been great for me, but I was not particularly wowed by my selection. I might have done well to avail myself of more samples. The food was also okay, and the apple cobbler was exquisite. We ordered one of those as a group and it disappeared way too quickly. I only partially understand the hate for the service. The service upstairs was decent, but the bar was quiet. Downstairs, it was significantly slower, but my friends and I were too distracted by a rousing game (as if there's any other kind) of cards against humanity to truly notice. I get why this is a popular spot now. It was just opening up as I was moving out. Overall, though, I don't think I'm missing much. I'd certainly go back if asked, but I'll sooner go over to the Raygun for a board game.
(3)Mike V.
My sister from NYC loves cider and heard about this place. So my girlfriend, sister and I headed to Capitol Hill and visited Capitol Cider. Though the outside is nothing remarkable, the inside is nice. One cool thing about Capitol Cider is you can go downstairs to another bar. Inside, most of the tables are bench style and allow larger parties or a few smaller groups. There are local artists works on the walls and each table has a brochure of the artwork. Nice touch. Now onto the food and cider. My sister got a local flight of ciders from the region. She found that a Oregon cider was her favorite and the one from Olympia reminded her of medicine. We ordered dinner which was surprisingly good. Roast chicken with potatoes and beets was well prepared and quite tasty. You can order food from the main menu or the bar menu which allows more variety. The only downside of Capitol Cider was the service. It was a busy night but not so much so that service should have been this bad. Our waiter never checked on us and it was impossible to flag him down. We actually got the check before we were completely done for this reason. Not sure I would totally go back based on the service, but the food is good.
(3)Greg G.
Amazing bar. We stopped in with some friends while we were in Seattle. A bar focused on cider is great enough, but they also have a pretty great selection of meads - something I've never seen anywhere else. I had one of the cysers that was on tap, and it was excellent. Also bought a bottle to go, so I'll make my way through that eventually. We didn't have food there, so I can't really speak to any of that. But definitely a reason to go to Capitol Hill.
(5)Karen L.
My BF and I LOVE cider, and we happened to walk by this place on our way to another bar to meet up with our friends. BF tried the green goblin cider, and I tried the pear cider (they were out of the raspberry cider, unfortunately). The ciders were pretty good, and we would definitely come back to try their other ciders. Maybe next time we'll also get to check out the downstairs area, which apparently has shuffle board and other games. As an added bonus for any art geeks out there, they also have paintings all over the walls, and even provide you with a little information guide. EDIT: We came back to try their food, and suffice to say, they are still deserving of my 4 star review. We had their calamari, fries, and the platter which had bacon, sausage, and smoked chicken. It also came with some salad and other veggies. It was surprisingly very good, although the wait was kind of long. The bacon was a very tender and moist pork belly. I just wish there was more. Unfortunately, they were out of raspberry cider again! That just means I will be back.
(4)Liz E.
Wow great ciders! They taste extremely fresh and they have a beautiful selection. I wish the menu had descriptions though, and sometimes it seems like the staff doesn't know the ciders. For example, multiple times, I've said, could i have a sour, refreshing cider? Sometimes I get a recommendation, but sometimes I just get an 'oh I'll get you samples' which is great, I love samples, but when the place is crowded it just means I end up waiting 45 minutes to get samples, finish them, and order a full drink. I'm always impressed with the ciders though, they taste magical. I like the food very much. I always get a pickle plate because I think it usually plays well with cider, and I also routinely get fish and chips. It's super crispy and salty and a good portion. I LOVE the tartar sauce it comes with too. Very dilly and oniony and sour. I've gotten steak-frites which is also good. I've gotten a few other things that I honestly can't remember because they were meh. I think the pubby fare is the way to go here. I don't really like coming here when it's very crowded. The place gets overrun with drunk fratty types, and it's impossible to hold a conversation. The place often feels understaffed on crowded nights as well. I always want to get dessert because they sound good but I've gotten them and been disappointed multiple times :(.
(4)Jessica G.
Tieton Cherry Cider? Yum! This place is such a fun spot in the heart of Cap Hill. You can go relaxed dinner style upstairs or go downstairs for shuffleboard and other good times. I love, love, love the happy hour here! My favorite? Pickled vegetables. They are delicious! And I have watched friends drink the pickle juice on more than one occasion, so it must be tasty. (Both experienced some stomach disturbance later but felt it was totally worth it. lol). Fries are also a must. The ciders and beers on tap are pretty extensive and are fun to try. I am a total girl, so I often go for the cherry or pear ciders, but they are definitely delicious and should be appreciated as well as anything else. Prices are reasonable. You could probably get by on some appetizers and ciders alone, but if you're going to go for dinner, I'd recommend the House Salad followed by the Crispy Chicken entree. And for dessert, I really need to come back and try the Apple Crisp...mmmm. Also? And any establishment that has shuffleboard for entertainment is just fine by me. ;) Parking is hairy...it is Cap Hill...so you're better off walking, if possible. Otherwise, street parking is pretty much the only option.
(4)Tam N.
I have had bad experiences with this place for so many times, and both my boyfriend and I kept giving them another chance thinking that the reason why it was not great was because of how crowded it often gets, but no, I have not had any good time there, and decided to stop giving them a chance. The first time I went, I was amazed at how many people packed in that bar and what a big selection of beers and ciders they have. But the bartenders and waitresses didn't seem to be very good at providing a fine customer service. We were playing Shuffleboard there, and I was spreading the sand on the board when a waitress came and appeared to be overly protective of the board and asked if I knew that the board already has enough sand on it, in a very mocking tone. It was my game, I can do whatever I can as long as I don't break the rules or don't do anything wrong. I was just simply evening out the sand. The second time I went there with my friend who enjoys the crowd but is not much of a big drinker, so he was there to just socialize and try a couple new ciders, so he picked out a drink randomly on the drink menu and point at it saying: "Can I please order number 3?" The bartender refused to look back at the menu and asked: "Number 3? Number 3 of WHAT? I want the nameeeeeeee." I swear she was so intimidating by asking that back. Then after getting the drink's name she just walked away with an annoyed face, and told another bartender about it RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. How rude!! . I agree my friend should have said the name instead, but the name was new to him and he did not really know how to pronounce it correctly, but the bartender shouldn't be harsh on him, or on any customer in general. Many more bad experiences with them, but I feel like this is enough. To be fair though, their ciders are pretty good, and a few waiters and waitresses are nice.
(2)Claudia C.
I really enjoyed this place for sure. They were busy so it was understandable that the waiter was everywhere. But he was very knowledgeable about what foods could be made without milk for me. The chicken that I ordered was perfect. A little skin on it to make it crunchy and it was so juicy. I wasn't too fond of the stuff it was sitting on but it wasn't bad. I'd rather have some rice or something but the flavors went well together with the chicken. My bfs ribs or steak just melted when he forked them. Perfect. It explained why they have us butter knifes and not steak knifes. They weren't needed. That food was that good. I especially liked how I got the last of a barrel of cider wine on tab and they gave me another full glass for free. Bother the berry types I got I really liked. A huckleberry ad a blue&black berry. Tart and sweet. The guy was a bit confused about the yelp coupon I had thinking it was for weekend brunch but he let us use it after inspecting it wasn't for specifically lunch. I also loved how the guy knew what desserts I could eat without checking. Very impressed. The only reason for the 4 and not 5 star was the prices of the food vs the volume. The food was delicious so it kind of makes since. I was just expecting more. Maybe I shouldn't have?
(4)Charles S.
Capitol Cider is my jam. Okay I'm not just saying that because I host Pub Quiz here on Tuesdays from 8 pm to 10 pm. Yes that plug is shameless and I'll walk you though what you should be doing whilst you are ingesting copious amounts of knowledge during Think & Drink. Capitol Cider has a cool split level vibe, The upstairs is very grown and sexy where the downstairs ballast bar is hip and young adult. Check out their live music, drink and draw and other events they have during the month. You can also just go there to play board games so it's a great place to chill as well. Oh yeah what's that other thing people do when they go out to bars? Eat and drink? Okay I guess you have to live right. :P Just joshing ya. Their food to say the least is awesome. To say the most, it's so good you'll wanna punch your mama. Or is that only me. Well whatever. The Chicken Breast is sooooo good, and what ever they put under it makes a person who doesn't like veggies very much, able to eat them. Seriously if I ever go on The Next Food Network Star, I'm recreating this dish. The beef options are amazing too. The short rib melts right off the bone the way you think it should and the rib eye is just URGH just words don't describe it man. Just go and spend the $26 dollars and TREAT YO SELF*. Gotta save the best for last right! The Cider. I'm that dork that gets Angry Orchid most of the time I come here. Before you're all like "oh Chaz what would you get that at such an establishment will all the ciders on tap?" Well basically it's like that NSA FWB you have. You know what to expect and it's nothing more and nothing less. Now where there are the times I want to delve into the world of other ciders, I swear everybody that works there is a Cider Sommelier. So if you're unsure what you'd want to order, just say what flavor profile of Cider you want and they'll take it away from there. So come, relax and stay awhile. We'll see ya on Tuesday!
(5)Chanel G.
I like the ambience of the place. I think it's cool that they have board games (although they could use a little sprucing up since many are missing the pieces now). I went on a Monday night and they had a pretty nice live band so that was entertaining. The sad part is that my ciders were pretty nasty! I got the regional flight and was basically only able to tolerate one of them. There was one that tasted like straight up chloraseptic throat spray, wish I could remember the name. I also had an order of fries which were pretty tasty. Overall, not a bad place.
(3)Anila Y.
Comfortable and friendly joint for a low key Sunday evening! They have an excellent selection of ciders and they are generous about letting you taste different ones before ordering! We had great service, the place was clean and the atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for on a Sunday night. Also loved the simple dessert: Local apples and pears. Very simple, sweet, fresh and delicious!
(5)Laura W.
They have the best mussels in the world as well as dry cider- just incredible! They don't have bread to mop up the rest of the sauce after you eat the mussels tho:(
(4)William H.
Great cider and liquor menu. Don't come in here in the afternoon on weekdays and expect consistent service. They are open 10am-2am on weekends, but don't serve anything but popcorn and trail mix from 3-5pm. You can find this out on the website by reading all the menus, but it isn't presented clearly. Most damning, they say nothing to you about a last call on food while you're there. It's more than a little strange to have your friends successfully order food at one point and then to fail at the same goal 20 minutes later. I've never been anywhere that didn't warn you before they closed down the kitchen. Good food and drink, but the management needs to be clear about their limitations and the wait staff needs to inform you when the restaurant you are in stops being a restaurant.
(3)MacKenzie M.
Huge burgers that you can easily share. Service not so great but enjoyed sitting outdoors.
(3)Sarina B.
I really want to like - no, love - Capitol Cider. But it's just "meh" for me. I anticipated the opening for about a year, before it finally opened up and I was able to check it out. I'm a celiac and am keen to check out anything catering to the gluten-free crowd, and I've become a cider lover to offset my no-more-regular-beer-days. The first visit was great, it was just a couple days after they had opened and we stopped by on a Saturday afternoon. It was pretty empty, we sat downstairs and played some of their provided board games at a table and enjoyed a few rounds. Went back a couple months later after word had gotten around that they were now open, and each visit back has slowly deterred me from seeking it out to return again. Friday and Saturday evenings after 7:30-8PM, forget finding seating anywhere - you'll be lucky to find a spot along the wall to sidle up to. Sometimes when they're busy the drink service isn't bad, but other times I've waited 20 minutes just to get up to the bartender at the bar. The tap choices are pretty decent, and I appreciate I can go there and get things on tap that other local bars don't currently have (not many big name brands here, think craft/local/exotic). There's a tap beer menu as well, but I don't think they're gluten-free and thus have not tried any. Haven't tried any food there. Two small complaints? 1) Cell signal downstairs is horrible (hey, I like to check-in via Untappd!), there seems to be a wi-fi network but I've never wanted to deal with getting the password from someone. 2) Ladies: the women's bathroom stalls are TINY (this is coming from a person who is also tiny, and I was barely able to use it properly). You'll go into the stall and must immediately sit straight down from lack of room to move and the door'll be touching your knees as you sit. There's also no purse hooks inside the stalls. Overall, I like the idea of this place, but the execution/experience isn't necessarily worth the few cons for me, so I don't go out of my way to come here.
(2)Tony G.
One afternoon a friend and I came here for some afternoon cider drinking. We met two cute girls and had a really nice conversation with them. We told them we were coming back here later that evening and they should meet us up. They agreed. Problem is, we forgot to go back and not sure if they came back to meet us. My friend and I are horrible human beings and deserve one star. Capitol Cider, on the other hand, is a four star establishment. I am not a huge cider fan but I thought it was fun trying out different ciders and how they are different. If you sit at the bar, you may be able to try a couple different samples. You may be able to do that while sitting at a table, I am not sure. I haven't had a full meal here, but had the fries and they were delicious. I've heard great things so I can't wait to try a dinner here. Zipzap Zubidy Bop!
(4)Brenda H.
This is the place that finally got me to create a yelp account. 20 different ciders on tap (yes, on TAP). Stopped in on a Tuesday shortly after they opened at 4p. I strongly suggest that you sit up at the bar; the bartender was extremely knowledgeable and very willing to discuss/educate. When a keg is emptied, they replace it with something else so stop in often. Restaurant offerings are gluten free (to go with the natural gluten free nature of cider). I can attest that the cod cakes are amazing. Summary: THE place to go to in Seattle if you like cider
(5)Alyxx B.
Being medically gluten free, gastro pubs are generally difficult places, and Gods do I miss them. I was told about Capitol Cider by a friend and promptly forgot. We decided to try it on a whim, and OMG wow. Service was fantastic, cider choices were great, and the food; amazing. Fish & chips. Calamari. Potato croquettes, Brussels sprouts with a bit of heat to them. A couple different ciders (the wine-like Prohibition was.....wordlessly delicious - brought a bottle home), and the night was happily complete. My partner thought the croquette could have used more bacon. Wow....that is the only negative we could come up with. Go here. Gluten free or not, cider fan or foodie, go here!
(5)Kathryn N.
Ooh I love cider beers!!! And this place has a crapload for me to try! Will have to come back. The black currant was pretty good. Very fruity. Someone got the habanero, not spicy but definitely had a kick to it. The blue mountain was very sweet and refreshing! Can't wait to try more!
(4)Hannah M.
Being gluten free, I have become obsessed with cider. This place is the cider capital (no pun intended) of the city! There are so many options on tap and even more in the bottle! We had some great dry cider, we definitely will go back for the drinking. The food was pretty good. The cider-glazed chicken wings were really yummy and flavorful. The fish and chips were alright, the breading on the fish was REALLY hard and crunchy. The fish and the tartar sauce didn't have a lot of flavor in my opinion. But the beet appetizer was not good. It had bleu cheese, but no dressing. I would definitely have to recommend they had a dressing to that dish. It just was really missing something! The ambiance is cool and they have some great art that was done by Gage Art Academy in Seattle. I would definitely go back to this place and try some other menu items.
(4)Inness P.
I don't care much for beer, but I love cider - partly because it lets me blend in when I drink it in a bar next to a bunch of friends with pints. So I was really really excited at the beginning of this year when I heard that Capitol Cider would open. I waited for what seemed like ever, and eventually my patience was rewarded. Capitol Cider definitely delivers on the cider (and the beer, from what I hear) - it has a huge list of pretty excellent cidery options. I loved the chocolate nitro they had for a little while - it was creamy and unique, just divine. The Finn River Black Currant is also pretty wonderful. The cider disappoints not at all. I also like the space itself. Upstairs, it's more of a restaurant scene; downstairs, there's a bar, some shuffleboards, lots of booths/tables, and TVs. Both are good hangout spots, depending on your mood. The waitstaff is always courteous, though when the downstairs gets even slightly busy, they tend to forget orders and have to be reminded several times. Where Capitol Cider loses stars: the food. Happy hour prices are okay, especially for the fish and chips (which would usually be $15!?). The fries aren't my favorite style, cut thick and long when I prefer shoestring, but they're good. They are inexplicably served with some kind of mustard aioli, which is fine for the first few bites and then gets overwhelming. My boyfriend enjoyed the fish part of his fish and chips, but it didn't blow his mind. We caught the latest Seahawks game downstairs this past Monday. They had some food specials advertised for $10 each. My friend ordered the "pail" (imagine you had a small aloe vera plant, and you wanted to put it on your desk - you might put it in this pail) of chicken wings. He reported that they were just okay, "buttery" and so smothered with blue cheese that he could only taste that. My boyfriend and I split the nachos (with meat on the side - weird little square chunks of pork in a tiny bowl). The chips were so, so good, but I wanted way more of them. All in all, there were probably only 6 - 8 chips, haphazardly topped with an oddly grainy cheese, sour cream, and kalamata (I think) olives. Football games make me inordinately hungry, but I wasn't about to buy another fistful of chips FOR TEN DOLLARS. Unacceptable. Two friends ordered chicken meatballs and those seemed okay. Three big ones to a plate. There weren't a lot of satisfying-looking vegetarian options on the (limited) bar menu, so I compromised my values (egads!) and ordered the beef and lentil chili. It was overwhelmed with corn cake and sour cream, but it was at least warm and good and a big enough portion to finally appease my appetite. If I only want endless cider options and a place to hang out with friends, Capitol Cider is a good place to be. But if I want cider AND food (AND a football game), I will give preference to Pine Box, unless Capitol Cider steps its game up.
(3)Lauren B.
As a non-beer drinker, this place is amazingly fun to visit - so many choices!! I really loovvee the basement style... very medieval, and a great setting for the recent Game of Thrones trivia they had here! Not really a fan of the food - even tho their chefs are talented, it's a little fancy for my taste in bar food, and gluten is sort of a staple of my diet (bread... yum...), but I respect what they're doing and it's definitely a great spot if you have any GF friends!
(4)Chelsea H.
Very fun atmosphere, great selection of ciders, upstairs and downstairs areas for lots of seating, board games, decent food, trivia nights - all great. But service is so horrible it almost completely offsets this! They surprising don't have a great knowledge of the ciders and I almost walked out without paying once purely because no one would come back to our table to take our credit cards. It seems to me that they have plenty of workers around so it's kind of baffling how poor the service is...
(2)Melissa T.
I am a big fan of cider, so I had this place bookmarked for my next trip into town for quite a while.. It's a fun place to meet up with friends (there are games downstairs) and your beer-drinking pals will find plenty of selection on the menu to keep them happy. It *is* super duper packed pretty much all the time, so good luck finding a table for a large group. That isn't necessarily a horrible thing, but our group would have liked a bit more breathing room. The appetizers were all on-point (we tried the charred brussel sprouts & fries with aioli) and the service was very good. The only thing that is currently keeping this to 3 stars is that I wasn't over the moon for the ciders I tried. I'd have to come back and sample some more, to be fully impressed. It might have helped if the menu had a bit more information about each cider, and it wasn't just a random selection.
(3)Breana M.
Cider is better than beer a million times, so of course I love this place! My BF and I met up with a group of friends late on a Tuesday night to get buzzed and play a few board games. I got the Ace Pineapple because it had the lowest alcohol content and I had to drive later, but it was good! It tasted just like alcoholic pineapple juice, so people who don't like sweet drinks should stay away. My favorite part was all the decorations on the walls upstairs and down.
(4)Jenn N.
This is quite the popular place right now but it's easy enough to get a table even during prime drinking hours. There is a diverse list of ciders, beer and liquor that should please everybody in the crowd. The downstairs part of the restaurant would be a wonderful place to hole up in the winter time with your friends playing the vast assortment of board games and shuffle board. There is even a small stage downstairs with live music on certain nights of the week.
(3)Natalie C.
My friend and I were visiting from San Francisco this past weekend and several people both at home and in Seattle recommended this place because we are both gluten free. We were both amazed when we discovered that not only is the entire menu is gluten free, but the service was incredible, and the food was AMAZING. I got the ribs and the wings, both delicious. Our server warned me when I ordered the spicy sauce on my wings that it was really hot, but I had to show off how tough I was and went ahead with it. Boy did I learn my lesson. By wing #3 I was involuntarily sobbing from the heat, and I could no longer feel my tongue. These wings were so awesome that I was stoked to eat them leftover and have the same crying effect the next day. Thank you Capitol Cider for showing some out of town ladies how it's done!
(5)Aaron W.
I really wanted to like Capitol Cider more than I did. With so many (over 20) ciders on tap this seemed to be an ideal spot for cider lovers to sample many different new varities. Unfortunately, pricing and service sullied my experience and it didn't live up to my hopes and expectations. As far as the cider goes, there are a lot of options. They even have flights available, something I'd never seen done before with cider. It was a great way to try three of the more expensive ciders but for the amount of cider you get the value wasn't fantastic. The value on most of the tap ciders is fine, though, and there are enough to choose from that you can come back time and again and always sample something new. The food was a mixed bag. Everything we tried was tasty but overpriced. $10 for a plate of calimari where I could literally count every piece. They seemed to be more focused on presentation than amount of food or value. We also tried the fish and chips (which were fantastic) but cost $16 for TWO pieces of fish and less than a handful of french fries. We're already paying to drink if we're here so I don't know why they feel the need to overcharge on food, too. Many of the entrees are over $20 so it seems like Captiol Cider has a bit of an identify problem. This makes sense because the upstairs is super quiet and romantic, more of a restaurante feel, and the downstairs is loud and packed and full of board games and shuffleboard. The food pricing matches the upstairs but not the downstairs, which is bigger and the more attractive option of the two. Our server was terrible and while I usually try not to take off stars for that because it does change, there was no saving grace to make up for her. We were seated in a corner booth that had one side of it up against the back wall (literally a wall, no seating on that side) and so we were facing the wall with our backs to the bar and rest of the downstairs area. We went unnoticed for a good ten minutes before I finally got up and asked the bartender to have our server come over. When she did arrive, she didn't listen to us and was positioned as if she was about to sprint off in a race. The moment I finished saying the name of our ciders she bolted without even asking about food or allowing me 5 seconds to start ordering something. This was a common theme of how she treated us through the night - not rude, just in a hurry and couldn't be bothered with focusing on us for even a few minutes. It was extremely off-putting. Overall, I'd still probably go back for the drinks but I would definitely eat elsewhere.
(3)Cat Y.
Met friends here for a pre-show drink and snack - at 6pm on a Friday it was still only moderately busy and we were seated right away. The cider selection was pretty good and our server was knowledgeable about which was more sweet, dry, etc and would suit our needs. The food was good although they sent out the wrong order of wings. When we brought that up to the server, she apologized and took them off our bill. Very considerate and good customer service.
(4)Nathan W.
Pros: 100% gluten free menu, super tasty eats, huge selection of delicious ciders. Cons: probably the worst service in Seattle, about 25% of what we ordered was unavailable (both food and drink). Our server virtually ignored our table while dining (don't worry, she ignored other tables too - saw a table finish their dinner and the empty plates sit for 20 mins!). We had to repeatedly ask for basic things (e.g. water). One entree was forgotten, and we had to bring it to our server's attention. She could barely muster an "I'm sorry" when delivering the final plate ten minutes later. More items were forgotten during our dessert course...she appeared to take copious notes as we ordered, but maybe her handwriting is atrocious. :-/ All in all, come here for some awesome food sans gluten and a huge cider selection. Just be prepared to hang out and be ignored by your hipster waitress that's really in no rush to do what she was hired to do.
(2)Jennifer N.
Board games at a bar that has tons of cider! It doesn't get much more awesome than that. I absolutely love the concept, and the basement area where they have the gaming room is awesomely laid out and very well decorated which makes it really fun to hang out in. As far as the cider goes, it was great. They have a ton of options on tap, plus a HUGE selection of cider in bottles as well. The food was also really tasty. I had the corn appetizer - SO GOOD!! Some of the best corn I've had since leaving Texas. I also had the apple crisp and it was extremely yummy! Definitely recommend both of those. I nibbled on the fries my friends had, they were good too. The games they had left a lot to be desired. Some of the games they had were Battleship, Yahtzee, and other games of that variety. They definitely didn't have the types of games that we like playing - such as Bohnanza and Citadels just to name a couple. If you're a serious gamer, you will want to bring your own games as we did. If you're not, you are probably fine. I didn't love their reservation system. We called ahead and attempted to get a reservation for 6, but they wouldn't take it. But when we arrived almost the entire place was reserved for multiple large parties. We had to sit in one place for a little while, and then move to a different place after about an hour because one reservation was coming in and another and left so something opened up. It was annoying.
(4)Mary N.
I came for a professional happy hour. Loved the selection of beer and cider. Nitro beer and cherry cider was yummy. Food was not very good and selection was ok. They have a very good location with a room for large groups on the lower level. Issues are it was short staffed, which caused a bit of a wait for service and they seem unprepared to host large group people even though they were forewarned. I would come again for the drinks but not the food. It is a 3.5 stars.
(3)Adam S.
I only had the drinks here, I didn't try the food. But I really enjoyed the atmosphere and set up of this place. Of course, it's steered to cider lovers like myself, and though the prices are a bit high, the quality of the drinks are worth it. Definitely not a place to party, but a good place to chill. I didn't have enough time to fully try the place out since it was my last night visiting Seattle, but I would definitely come back to it.
(4)Patrick D.
This place is surprisingly cool. We weren't expecting much from the outside, but inside it's big, well decorated, and has a large downstairs floor with games and another full bar. The downstairs area was more to our liking - a casual, semi-divey bar with board games and two shuffle board tables. Hard to draw a comparison, but kind of like Lava Lounge crossed with the Smith. And it's much more than cider. The beer menu was surprisingly good, with good local beers like Georgetown Johnny Utah that aren't often seen in every other Capitol Hill bar. They have big LCD screens that display the cider + beer menu, with prices indicated. Prices were reasonable and on par with other nearby bars. I also appreciate that they have their full menu and taplist posted on their website - makes it easy to find a reason to go back. About the games - they have Apples to Apples, several Scrabble sets, dominoes (see the picture I posted!) and a bunch of other interesting and unusual options. I haven't tried the food, and probably wouldn't come here for dinner - it seems better as an after dinner drinks and games place. Or since it's right across the street from QFC, you could stop here for a break after doing some shopping! One last tip - when you go downstairs, check out the large mural art they have past the shuffle board tables. It's amazingly detailed - we kept discovering new surprises. Probably the best bar artwork I've ever seen.
(5)Ivan R.
Awesome spot! Came in with a friend on a late Wednesday night and hung out at the bar upstairs. Our bartender was Eddy - really cool guy! He was very enthusiastic about making sure that we got to try out a lot of different ciders so that we got to enjoy something that we really liked. Came back on a Friday night with a couple of friends and hung out downstairs. It was pretty busy but we still got awesome service. Staff here is awesome for sure. The atmosphere is really cool too, very much enjoyed hanging out here. Drinks are kind of pricy but everything else was cool.
(4)Stan R.
Great ciders, decent food but WAY overpriced
(3)Rosa O.
I came here for a trivia night about a month ago. Sampled several food items- charcuterie plate and polenta with mushrooms. Loved the polenta, felt so-so about the charcuterie. In keeping with the theme, I tasted a lot of the ciders and really loved the variety of it all. The downside: the trivia was in a stone/concrete walled room making it almost impossible to hear, and the bonus question segments were so crowded that my team gave up on even trying to fight through the throng. Topping that off, the grading times were so long that many of us gave up hope on knowing the results before going home. This is a place that I might stop by for a drink, but to me it's not a food or hangout destination.
(3)Phil C.
Would be two stars or worse if judged solely on price. Pros: fairly nice space, lots of different ciders on tap, excellent service: Cons: Bar downstairs is very loud, and the prices are nothing short of ridiculous. $18 for a shot of Chartreuse? $9 for a wine-glass-sized pour (and not a generous one at that) of cider? You've got to be kidding. The food is reasonably good (though nothing to write home about), but at these prices we are definitely not going back.
(3)Saira R.
Neat little spot in the basement. Good cider choices, and if you get there earlier enough you can grab a table and play a board game. It's a little dingy and dark down there but what hipster joint isn't? The service here isn't something I look forward to. Be forewarned.
(4)Sarah C.
My husband and I went here for dinner the other night. It was a bit pricey, but so worth it. The waitress recommended an awesome cherry-apple cider. The fish and chips were amazing. I could barely tell it was all gluten free. Highly recommend it. It's our new favorite place.
(5)Katy H.
Aww man! The hipsters are totally gonna rule this place. But that's A-OK with me because that just means it's going to be popular, which it deserves. Under the management of Phil Thompson, my favorite bartender in Seattle, this place is going to absolutely destroy. I can see it now, people will be flocking from Linda's, 611, Cha Cha and the Unicorn just to get a stool at the bar downstairs. With enough room to easily fit about 200 people between the two levels, the top floor (where you enter) is perfect for dates, dinner, happy hour and a calmer, more quiet experience. I love the clean but warm nautical motif. Then head downstairs to the game are and you're basically in a dream-basement. There are booths, there's a massive communal table that'll make you feel like you're in some dining hall from a scene in Game of Thrones, there are shuffleboard tables, game tables, there's a small stage, and of course, a HUGE bar! Complete with more than 30 taps and dozens of bottled beers and ciders, you get your choice of beverage, including a full selection of spirits for non cider/beer drinkers. This place really has it all. After three visits I still have so much more to taste and try out. Definitely pay attention to the cider lists and go for stuff that's on tap. It'll be a little nicer than most bottled stuff but they really did a great job at selecting some of the best stuff to stock the bar. You can't go wrong with anything.
(5)Chris M.
I'm unfortunately not a big fan of cider, but this is a great addition to Capitol Hill. They've got a live music stage in the basement with a pretty large bar area surrounding it and a huge list of ciders on the wall. It's low-lit, with old photos and memorabilia on the walls, lots of wood and a strong pacific-northwesterly vibe -- whatever that is. The downstairs stage is the best feature, a very intimate environment to see local musicians.
(4)Liz O.
I suppose a pub with a $$$ price should be a warning sign. Yes, it is a little costly! So here's the scoop... sampled a few ciders and ended up choosing the Finnriver Pear - to no surprise, it is the second most expensive on their list. Woe is me. That's the way it always seems to go. The others were a little bland, what can I say! Finnriver Pear was delicious... but 10 bucks for a glass is eye-popping! Atmosphere at this place rocks. Upstairs for calm, downstairs for cool. What would be suitable would be some projectors with some old-time films playing, or something of the sort. But I digress... The cider is worth a stop. 50% off bottles to go is a little...troubling. You'd think they'd want you to stay inside and spend more! I'll wait to see if the prices are modified any.
(4)Andy Z.
food: ordered the calamari and and the chicken wings. i usually squeeze some lemon juice on calamari, but the sauce it comes with made it good without it. plus theres some pickled onions or something on that makes it a good pair. the wings are fried without batter. my favorite kind. drenched in a sweet sauce. good stuff ***4/5 service: a lot of complaints from other reviews about poor service, but i had a great time. it was very busy in my opinion, but a server came to us fairly quick. we had to sit in the bar at first , but was later seated to a booth. score! the best part: a server dropped by our table and said someone didnt want their order of grilled pork and avocado and offered it to us for free! best ever!!! ***5/5 ambiance: we wanted to eat up on top, but no seating for at least an hour. so we settled for the gameroom/bar downstairs. not a bad trade off. a busy place, given though. there are board games and shuffle board available. we played battleship for awhile. ***5/5 price: had a drink each and two appetizers (plus the freebie!!!). i think its worth another visit, even without the freebie. the food is good. portions are a tad small but good for sharing and trying out the food. ***4/5
(4)Nisa T.
I was excited to try capitol cider. I love cider so i was hoping for a great experience. Came in, got a flight of ciders. all of them except one tasted really poorly. The waitress didnt come and check on us or anything. soooo i wouldnt come back.
(2)t m.
First of all, cider is pretty good. The service, however, is your a-typical Capitol Hill "go cram it" attitude. Yes, it's a Friday night on the hill, I understand it will be busy. Nevertheless, when you drop nearly $500 dollars for dinner one expects a certain level of service. The food: OK. Overly salty meats and meager portions. The drinks took so long that they came out almost at the same time as the food. No steak knives with the steak? Remind the waitress. Need a fork for dessert? Remind the waitress. Did you order food too? Remind the waitress. When asked if she would split up the check (as we asked in the beginning) she rolled her eyes and said it would take "a while" so we spent the next 20 minutes that could have been used to seat another party splitting our own check. Since it was a party over six, there's an added gratuity. Not the usual 18%. It's been bumped up to 20%. So she made a $100 tip for doing nothing. And yes, we were "those people" who spoke to the manager about this fiasco to which he replied "That must have been frustrating for you." Obviously just seeing dollar signs over our heads. I wouldn't go back--especially on the weekends but the line out the door and the frightful blast of arctic air that blows in every time it's opened say otherwise.
(2)F. P.
First stop on my bar-hopping Thursday. Great way to kick it off with some artisan cocktails and shuffleboard downstairs. I had a bourbon based cocktail (the name escapes me now, which is annoying because it was really good). I may have to go back today just to see what the ingredients were (the online drink menu doesn't have it). Early in the evening so not crowded ... so nice.
(4)Helen A.
I love cider and as a celiac I can't drink beer so cider is the only drink I really drink. I'm a heavy irish cider drinker from Ireland so I know my ciders. First off the staff in the bar were really friendly and helpful. They give you a glass of water to have and are constantly re-filling it which is great. I had the pleasure of going with someone who has already tried a few so I went with their suggestion of the "Snowdrift cornice". This was really tasty and is my new favorite cider. However at $9 it was a bit expensive so I wouldn't be drinking it all the time. I didn't try any of the food but it did look really tasty and smelt great. The decor in the place is really cosy and their are some cool pieces on the wall to look at. We sat at the bar stools and it was comfortable. All in all I highly recommend giving this place a go if you like cider and want to try out some new ones. The menu can be long and daunting but just ask the staff and they will be able to help find you one you will enjoy.
(4)Arry Y.
What a cool concept and despite being pretty tired after a few drinks with dinner, decided to follow our good friends to this new place on the hill. Upstairs is dark and quiet --- think it'd be cool to hang out there on a dark and stormy fall/winter evening, drink in one hand, scrabble in the other. Great for hanging out/chillaxing. Downstairs is pretty big, but the sounds is TERRIBLE. You have to shout directly at your companions to hear them. Pricy too for the drinks. Pretty cool they got board games... For good brews and the ability to hear your friends, hang out upstairs - or go down the street to the Stumbling Monk (they got board games too), the Elysian Brewing, ... I dunno, there are so many other choices!
(2)Tien N.
Love the atmosphere here! Super cozy. Went with the girls for Kathy's early birthday and had a chill drink. (We didn't order beer or cider, just the usually vodka mixed drink) but it was tasty! We had a corner booth downstairs and we loved it.. Until we got random people coming to our table and sitting down... The crowd wasn't great but I had a good time with my girls
(4)Felix S.
This is the kind of bar and pub that I would open. Everything is gluten free, though you wouldn't know it. The staff is lovely, the drinks are great. I highly recommend trying this place out.
(5)Sharon W.
Had such good cider and great food. It also had games which were a lot of fun. Downsides, pretty busy so servers didn't come often. Also I don't know ciders very well so it was hard to decide because there is no description or anything on the menu. Also the server that is mentioned a few times is a little mean. We asked for samples and she said they don't do that but then we saw our friends at another table get samples. Then we asked for our bill to get split and she also said she couldn't do it took us about 30 min to figure out our bill but she ended up splitting it because she got confused. This place would get 5 stars if they trained (Marisa?) on customer service better.
(3)Nik D.
My experience is only with the downstairs bar. I love the selection of ciders. Though, I wish there were more information about them on the menu, and I wish they had a cheaper selection of beers. I was there to watch a soccer game, and the TVs were total crap. The aspect ratio was wrong, resolution sucked, and the colors were way washed out. They probably aren't playing sports on those TVs usually, but I know they usually show the Sounders games, but I certainly won't be back to watch a game there.
(2)Chris O.
Very middle of the road review here. After reading a bunch of review I came with slightly over expectations. First off, the wait is very long. Our server said she was the ONLY person waiting all the tables. So from that, you can imagine the time it took between sitting down, taking our drink orders, then taking our food orders. Prices are definitely above average, however my pork chops were very good and juicy.
(3)Ninette C.
Came here on (hard) opening night and it was nowhere nearly as crowded as I expected. Also, there's no sign. We followed the suite numbers and then had to ask the bouncer. I'm assuming they're working on the sign still or something. As soon as I went in, I noticed all the colonial-themed decor. Interesting. Can't say I've ever seen a bar with that type of theme before. We sat at a table and I ordered the pear cider that she said got good reviews. It was pretty good! I like that there's a wide variety of glasses, large bottles and small bottles of cider. There's a big variety of prices too. Mine was $5.50 for a glass. After we got our drinks, we found out the downstairs was really what we wanted. The upstairs is more tables, eating and restaurant-y. The downstairs is the shuffle board and more bar-esque. The one thing about the downstairs is that it's REALLY hot. I look forward to watching this bar progress and will be back!
(4)Julian G.
To sum it up - This place is Smith with Cider and a smaller menu. If you must read more.. You'll find that the food menu is pretty small and not much variety to it. I ended up having the Caprese Salad and the Fish and Chips. The Caprese Salad was good borderline great. The Fish and chips were good, however they could have benefited of 1 extra piece. I'm not a big eater and i even noticed this. The Fries are by far the star of the show and pretty much their signature. I'm NOT a fan of steak fries but these are pretty much the best i've ever had.. Super crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth soft on the inside. I suggest coming here for the Cider and sharing the fries.
(4)Cali K.
This place is delicious!!!! I was so skeptical about a fully gluten free kitchen. I didn't even notice. The Brussels Sprouts were Devine, as were the potato croquets. Most of us had Fish and Chips. Very very Good. The Cider was amazing. My first time trying cider and I loved the server's recommendation, the Goldilocks. They had tons of Cider Ales, some beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Loved our server too!
(5)Claire A.
Really good! The lower ratings surprised me. The cider menu is excellent. I like the idea of cider but I don't know the difference between ciders. There is a great variety... the Tieton is perfect for beginners. Food menu is great too. As a vegetarian I ordered lentils and the Waldorf salad. Good portion size, good flavor.
(5)London B.
If you are in search of scrumptious gluten-free cuisine or a fan of delicious fare in general, then Capitol Cider is the place to be! The bf was uber-excited to find a place completely dedicated to gluten-free customers, so needless to say this place has been a "must try" for a while, and it most certainly did not disappoint. We arrived around noon for brunch, and the place was super packed. But luckily, we were seated within 5 or so minutes. The waitress was super apologetic and explained to us that they unexpectedly received a rush of 3 large parties. On to the grubs: -Coffee (strong, bold and flavorful Stumptown coffee; adorable brown and white sugar cubes; and fresh cream) -Mushroom Omelette (goat cheese, herbs, carmelized onions, porcini/bella mushrooms; side of potatoes) -Apple and Pork Sausage (two large apple, pork and herb sausage patties; cheesy grits; braised kale and onions; and a 6-minute boiled egg) Final verdict? Absolutely delish!! By far one of the best breakfasts around that we enjoyed in a very, very long time. The flavors and seasonings were excellent, the portion sizes were perfect, and the presentations were bright and inviting. Extra points: It took a while (around 20+ minutes) for our food to arrive, so the chef sent us a complimentary fruit plate to our table while we waited. I don't think that's ever happened to us before as patrons, so we were super appreciative. Ambience: Lovely, dark nautical, quasi-Victorian decor; very cool electro-pop/electro-clash music playing. Now, can't wait to return for dinner and to check out their downstairs game room, of course.
(5)Kalli H.
The staff member Ricky or Richie forcefully put his hands on people that I was at the bar with. Saying we were taking too long to finish our drinks. The bar was empty to begin with and his inappropriate forceful and honestly illegal behavior does not help their lacking establishment. Hope they fire him or they will go out of business soon. Honestly with how boring it was in there they will pry go out of business anyways. Their drinks were also terrible. Never plan on going back there, and I suggest you save your night and do the same!
(1)Lillian H.
cider's not bad. like the variety of the selection. place isn't to bad. just insanely crowded.
(4)Bianca D.
Though I was only in here for 1 drink but it was easy to tell that they did have a good cider selection with decent prices. Service was fine, but nothing special. Cozy seating that can work for the various needs of its patrons; seclusion, romance, large group settings, etc. I would mention which cider I chose, however, I was drunk and therefore do not remember. My apologies.
(3)Caitlin H.
AMAZING! After a rough first night in Seattle after eating off the gluten free menu at another restaurant only to discover it wasn't really gluten free - I was delighted to wrap up our anniversary weekend at Capitol Cider. If I knew it was going to be this awesome, I probably would have dragged my boyfriend there every day! I loved that I could choose anything off the menu and when I saw the fish and chips I jumped at it (I was worried this would never be possible) and they were delicious! In fact, my boyfriend who does not have to eat gluten free thought they were so good that he kept trying to steal the fish off my plate! We will definitely be back the next time we visit Seattle!
(5)Eileen C.
Came in here around 5:45 pm on a Tuesday to meet a few friends and were able to sit down in time for their happy hour. The place was extremely empty when we walked in but was starting to really pick up around 7 pm. The friends I was with told me that this place gets extremely packed on the weekends. My friends had gotten there earlier than me and had already ordered so I awkwardly sat down and barely made the happy hour but not one, but two extremely friendly servers came and helped me figure out what I wanted to drink and eat. I asked him to bring me his favorite cider because there were SO many options to choose from. The server highly recommended the "farmhouse pick" and I'm so glad I ordered it because it was crisp and fresh. It was just perfect. We ended up ordering a round of ciders (we each got a different type/flavor, they have so many!) and many small "bar food" plates including a salad, wings, grilled brussels sprouts, and pail of fries (during Happy Hour you get $1 off all their food). The fries were good but the aioli it came with was amazing. The wings were beautiful. They were crispy and came out glazed with cider and a side of their house sauce. It was topped with shaved celery. Everyone really loved the wings! I ended up paying about $20 with tip for the wings and a drink during Happy Hour. I read some reviews about poor service but we definitely did not experience that at all. The servers were friendly and funny. We wanted our bills to be split and even though they were getting quite busy, our server remembered every individual order. The general ambiance of the place has a laid back, hipster feel with dark walls and vintage lights that give off the classic brown-sugar glow. The place is adorned with books, candles, and vintage paintings with gorgeous frames. I would totally come here to read and drink hard cider on a rainy day. They also have a large space downstairs with a separate bar and pool tables.
(5)Emma F.
Tried this place for the first time this weekend and here are my thoughts. Ambiance: Upstairs - really nice with paintings from the owners mom's art students add a really nice touch. It also helps that those kids are talented, some of that art is quite good. Downstairs - It was hot the day we went and the downstairs was so hot we were sweating within seconds of getting down there. Service: Everyone was super nice and the waitress was able to answer all our questions easily. Not a small thing considering that they have just opened. Shows they hired good people and trained them well. Some of the servers have overly cooky personalities but it wasn't a detractor from the experience. Food: Chili Prawn - Amazing! Not very spicy at all and great flavor. They also were perfectly cooked, not rubbery like so many shrimp skewers tend to be. Eggplant - This should be called goat cheese with thin slices of eggplant. Delicious, but really needs bread or something to spread all that cheese on. Lamb Poutine - Delicious, "greek" style take on poutine. Shepherds Pie - Disappointing, the only good thing about it was the cheesy crust. The real let down was the filling which tasted like an overly sweet Italian Lamb ragu, you know they kind where they use too much carrot? Was excited to see a real shepherd's pie, you know with lamb vs beef, and was terribly disappointed. Booze: I expected more ciders on tap and less beer. This place is called Capitol CIDER, why are half the taps beer? They did have bottles of cider which was nice. Overall: I am glad to have this on the hill and I am looking forward to going back and trying other dishes, the quinoa in particular looked really good so I will be getting that next time.
(4)Celeste T.
I really wanted to like Capitol Cider, as I love love love cider (and prefer it strongly to beer.) I came on the week that they opened, and I know that places have to work out some kinks early on. I showed up with a party of about 6 people, and we ordered things that looked interesting to us, especially if they were on the drier side. I started with an Anthem, and two friends of mine got the Honey Bear at the recommendation of the server. What they got was dark, rich, complex, and almost like a Belgian beer. I really liked my Anthem, but loved the "Honey Bear." So I ordered one for myself, and got something light, crisp, and more like an apple jolly rancher than a Belgian beer. I am pretty shy, so I figured I'd drink it and laugh at the mistake. So when I was done with that one, I figured I'd order another and see if I go the dark whatever my friends had gotten...nope, a jolly rancher again. So I explained it to my poor server, who was just confused. The bartender swore that what he gave me was a honey bear...so what did my friends get? I also ordered the fish and chips - dark, thick fries (tasty) and very large pillows of fish. I never like how the thicker (like, literally, large cubes) fish cuts get overdone on the outside and remain somewhat undercooked in the middle - there's a reason fish is generally fried in fillets. But the batter was tasty, salty and with a little bit of heat. Ambiance - downstairs is LOUD! Keep that in mind if you are trying to have a conversation. The upstairs seems nice. Give them time to work out the kinks and perhaps visit in a month or two...
(2)Heidi M.
I love cider and had been looking forward to an opportunity to try Capitol Cider on a visit to Seattle. Some friends and I met in the upstairs bar for happy hour around 4:30PM on a Thursday afternoon. Upon arriving, I have to say, I didn't think much of the interior. The booth seats were not very comfortable, and the decor is a little stuffy and tired for my taste. Initially our service was quick with water and the first round of drinks, but around 5PM, the bar got really busy, and service was very mediocre from that point. I understand happy hour means a busier floor, but they didn't seem to have enough staff to cover all the tables. More significantly, I was really disappointed with the cider selection here. While I love cider, there are many styles, and not all are created equally in my eyes. The menu gives very little information, so unless you are familiar with the ciders they keep on tap, you may have difficulty making a selection. It doesn't make it that clear which items are on tap and which are bottled. The menu on their website is out of date. When we asked our server for help, he seemed to have difficulty explaining any of the ciders in clear terms. I even gave an example of a cider I like (not on their menu) and what I like about it to help him guide me. He simply suggested a different cider by the same company even though it was nothing like the cider I mentioned. His first recommend wasn't good... no one at my table liked it, but we finished it. His second recommendation was undrinkable and I sent it back. I tried Schilling's Ginger cider (the strength of the apple and ginger tastes were almost even, which made them feel like they were competing... tasted more like pouring yourself a half and half cider and ginger beer, only from crappy ginger); Woodchuck Barrel Select (this is whiskey barrel aged and it does taste and smell overwhelmingly like whiskey and oak... which is fine if you love whiskey -- I found it undrinkable); 2 Towns Ciderhouse Rhubarbarian (the rhubarb taste is noticeable, but not too strong, and the cider is slightly tart); and 2 Towns Ciderhouse Scrumpy (dry, strong, this was the most drinkable).
(2)Patti S.
Fun restaurant! Good food! The reason for only 4 stars is the service! We were not in any hurry, but we were with babies. Service could have been a little faster. Oh, and I was never offered dessert! So happy it's GF! The short ribs were so tasty! But the best thing is the curried ketchup! OMG!!!!!! I need the recipe! I would def recommend to anyone GF or not! But for a Celiac it was near perfect!
(4)Just Y.
If you've had a rough Friday, you know how important Brunch is. We opted to give Capitol Cider that opportunity. Ever had an infectious (in the good way) bartender? One who just seems so happy about his job that you can't help but smile? Well, whomever was staffed last Saturday Brunch was just such a guy (although he is way too young to know that many Supremes lyrics!). He completely made the visit. Space wise, if you're walking by and it looks crowded, take a peak downstairs - much more room there. Top-side dining is bright and cozy, bar-space very limited. I can only speak for brunch, which was nice and filling, with most options being pork-based, but a tad on the "pass the hot sauce" side. Schnitzel being a generous plate for the amount, a smidgen greasy, but if you go for it - get more delicious grilled apples. The hash was delicious, a little on the small side for most of my friends, but another good pairing with cider. Take note of the window above the bar; fun to see the brick wall on the other side of the glass!
(3)Jocelle A.
No opinions, just facts. They refused to take our lunch order at 2:40 pm saying they don't serve food anymore and the kitchen is closed. 5 minutes later they came out with food for the table right next to us. On their menu it's clearly written that lunch is until 3pm.
(1)Joshua A.
Awesome downstairs! Monday night has an awesome salsa band, great drinks, and a good group of people having fun and actually dancing. It's great for large groups as well with their bench seating. Also, did I mention the epically long shuffle boards? Great choice for a weekday date or just to dance. A++++
(5)Katie K.
Being gluten intolerant can make eating out difficult so finding out that Capitol Cider has a 100% gluten free kitchen was enough of a reason to stop by on a recent trip to Seattle. The building is really neat and the restaurant has a old feeling with an upscale twist. We al l love cider so we opted for one of the flights from the featured cidery of the day, Seattle Cider Co. It was a great decision as the anniversary ciders had tons of flavors and were a flight that made sense. The ciders were printed on a small flight page so we knew exactly which one was which. For food, we were there on Saturday at noon which just happened to be brunch. We were too tempted by donuts on the menu so ordered those first. It came with 5 donut holes topped with a blueberry compote. They were perfection. Next, I ordered short ribs over a potato cake topped with a poached egg while my friends got an omelet and a scramble. Delicious! This is a must to go again and again.
(5)Lani C.
5 stars for the cider, ambiance, and service. 3 stars for the food. If my math is right, which it never is, Capitol Cider is getting 4 stars from me. The cider was delightfully tart, like I had wanted. The atmosphere was awesome (read the foldout about their art). The hostess and waitress were friendly and casual, but attentive. Which is good because I don't like when people hover (...like my mother). The food and menu seemed decent enough for pub fare: the sausage was good and that stone ground mustard was great. The steak was cooked nicely... ...But holy. We drank a lot (of water) that night to counter that the crazy amount of sodium consumed there. We didn't finish the sauerkraut (more salty than vinegary) or the fries. Maybe Capitol Cider was having an off night- I don't know. But to be safe, I would recommend asking for any salad dressing on the side, unsalted fries if possible (you can always salt them yourself, right?), and more of that cider.
(4)Sarah Elizabeth P.
Amazing cider list -- if you're craving cider, come here, order from the bar and drink happily :-) If you're gluten-free, the food was good, not amazing, but solidly good. However, if you're not gluten-free -- there's better much better food elsewhere on the hill. Finally, the service was severely lacking. We were there on a Friday night, yes, it was busy, but we sat at a table for over 20 minutes with empty glasses and no one came by to see if we either wanted another drink or the check.
(3)Chandini S.
I like the cider, but the food wasn't worth it. And given the neighborhood, there is no excuse for bad food. We spent $100 for two people, and we could easily spend that at places with much, much better food. I'd go back for a quick drink, but I'd eat dinner somewhere else.
(3)Erin T.
Gluten free kitchen, apparently. We enjoyed the potato croquettes and the fish and chips, though the proportions were not really equal between everyone in our party (some got one large piece of fish and other received three large pieces). The French fries were good but some bordered on the inedible side as they were fried to a blackened crisp. The cider selection is good but it would be helpful noting what is gluten free and what isn't for those of us with celiac disease. The server didn't know and so I found myself on google a few times during our meal. The dessert was the most disappointing as it was a baked apple crostini-type thing with uncooked raw oats and if you have celiac disease, this is a potential red-flag. It almost seems like this is a restaurant jumping on the gluten free bandwagon without doing their research before-hand. It almost works, but the staff need a little more training. We were there with three toddlers and while they ate off of our plates, we still paid a 20% gratuity for having a party of 6 even though the servers weren't that attentive and didn't go out of their way for our way for our group. Overall our group of four adults and three babies/toddlers ordered 4 entrees and two appetizers, two rounds of drinks and a dessert to share. It was enough food and we would possibly try it again without the kids in tow.
(3)Aaron T.
Interesting ciders, original ambience, but poor service and tiny portions (for food). I've twice had terrible service at the tables now, although great service at the bar. The happy hour specials are a disappointment: it works out to about a dollar per piece of calamari. My recomendation: sit at the bar and order a cider, nothing else.
(3)Angela H.
Went downstairs to the bar. I really dug the vibe, kind of didn't like the dim lighting. Good selection of beer; I was happy to see they had one of my favorites there, get the Petrus Aged Red!! They have board games and the waiter/bartender was super chill and cool (side note: found out his mom was from my hometown! seriously, this world is too small). Definitely stop by here if you want a chill place to grab a beer and play scrabble with friends, lol.
(4)Lisa H.
YES YES YES gluten free fish and chips!!! A little pricey for a simple plate, The wine wasn't great ( at least the whites we tried) but it is a cider bar of course.
(4)K C.
Myself and two others went here because my friend likes ciders, and wanted to give it a try. I'm somewhat sorry to say that the only part of our dining experience her that wasn't terrible was the beer and cider, but then it's hard to screw that up. The food was atrocious. It started as mediocre, but as each bite was more forcefully muscled down, The chili had little more moisture than just ground beef, and not much more flavor. This topped dense and bland patties of corn. The fries weren't oil blanched ahead, and this gave them a soggy and burnt quality. The "aioli" came from a bottom shelf mayo jar had garlic powder, and mustard enough to color, but not flavor. The cheese plate was actually a little offensive. It was set on the table without any explanation of the cheeses (insultingly small portions), what animal the milks came from, or mention of anything else on the plate. The cheeses themselves were cut far enough in advance to have a skin on the brie (I'm reasonably sure that it was President or something similar), and for the parm-like crumbles to be dried and taste like fridge. The blue was unmemorable. Service was spotty. The server tried, but just didn't measure up. He forgot which beers we wanted, though he seemed to write them down, and he didn't tell us what the kitchen was out of when we got our menus. He seemed frazzled, though there were two other faces on the floor and it was a mild crowd upstairs. Not only will none of us be back, I will actively warn my friends and possibly enemies away.
(1)Nicole H.
My co-workers (group of 10) decided to come here for Happy Hour on a Wednesday. The restaurant had maybe 3 tables full but the servers remarked that they didn't "know what's up with the big group" and acted put out by our group. They were extremely rude when a co-worker tried to order at the bar because she had to leave quickly and didn't want to wait for the entire table to order. Lots of ciders on tap but servers and bartenders do a poor job of explaining subtle differences. NOTE to Capitol Cider: there are a lot of places that serve cider on the hill and ALL of them have staff with a better attitude!
(2)Sarah C.
Very impressive! We sat at the bar, and received great service from the bartender who was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the tap selections and the menu. He was generous with tasting glasses while we decided what cider to order, with a few of them magically appearing while we discussed the selection. I chose the Finnriver Lavender Black Currant - beautiful deep ruby red color, lovely flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. I tried at least 4 varieties and they were all wonderful - and this comes from someone who isn't typically interested in alcohol. The fried green tomatoes with dill remoulade and a garnish of pork belly were great. We also had the pickle plate which included the best pickled beets I've had since my grandmother made them for me. My friend ordered the short rib entree which was perfectly seasoned and melt-in-your-mouth tender. I stayed with the appetizer menu so I could try more of their selections within my budget. I had the pulled pork lettuce cup with avocado. The pork was just-right spicy - enhanced by the lime squeeze the bartender suggested - and the avocado-cucumber on the side was a great way to quench the heat and cleanse the palate slightly between bites. I can't wait to go back soon and share this great spot with my husband. Highly recommended!
(5)Stephanie A.
This place was super fun (I believe I was I might have been a little to loud for the place). A little background. I heard a piece on KIRO Talk Radio (thank you Rachel Bell) about ciders making come back. Then she plugged this place. Downside, my husband and I love cider but this place doesn't open till 4pm (no joke, 4pm - 2am everyday). We, typically, requested our babysitter till 6pm . . . we've corrected this mistake ;-). We went out with a couple-friend of ours. The three of us got samplers (there are three on the menu), and she got the habanero cider. This was just our starter. Afterwards, we all chose our poison. I had asked if I could take one of the menus so I could take notes of each of the cider we had chosen (and shared with each other). The waitress said I could but only because their menus change regularly as they get new ciders in. So, here is what I know. If you get the apricot cider, don't smell it, it will mildly ruin the experience of the cider. Once I figured that out, I really enjoyed my choice. The habanero cider was not spicy but left a warm feeling at the back of your throat; it make me think that it would be good drink if you have the standard cold (post-nasal drip). The ciders that are made in the whiskey barrels did not have the cider bite you would expect but they also didn't have the burn of a whiskey; it was smooth . . . so smooth. The brut ciders were like champagne that tasted like apples and they were exactly like a brut, dry. The food was really good . . . and all gluten free. Definitely a new experience if you have not had to try and eliminate gluten from your diet (as our cohort found out). We started out with the cheese plate . . . that was an experience worth remembering, I will never look at blue cheese the same way again. My husband and I had potato croquettes and they are as yummy as you could imagine. I ordered the beef and lentil chili which was mild and filling (but only due to cornbread that is "in" the chili). This was a great experience and I can't wait to do it again! DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT though, JUST CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!
(5)Mike J.
My friends and I had high hopes for this place. I don't drink a lot of beer and really like hard ciders. This place does have a nice atmosphere and had at least 10 or more ciders (along with that many or more beers) on the menu on tap. There was very little information about the ciders to determine which ones might be sweeter, dryer, etc. The service staff we had did not seem to know much about the items to help recommend and then the other thing that was totally ridiculous is that they didn't offer any kind of sampler or flight to try and taste a grouping of them. Place overall a bit overpriced on the food so I think if a few things were done on menu, more knowledgeable staff, and offered sampler then rating could go up here.
(3)G C.
OMG. Go here. Why does this place not have five stars? I will say right off the bat that I'm gluten free, but lest you think that makes me unfairly biased about the quality of the food, it doesn't! I know lame ass crumbly bread and soggy things fried in rice flour when I see them. This is NOT that! The menu is a foodie heaven with a nod to subtle pairings and happens to be devoid of wheat flours. Had the fish and chips-- amazing. The tartar was fresh, made with dill, capers, and a blend of sour cream and yogurt (I think). It had light, layered flavor, and a reminder of what true tartar is supposed to be: not a heavy addition to the already heavy fried fish, but a cool, light complement to cut the fattiness. The unexpected star, however, was winter squash soup. To die for. The red wine reduction drizzled on top and the spiced walnuts made this dish like candy. One of the best things I've had in a while-- and that's saying a lot for a bacon-loving foodie like me! I'd never been in here and wasn't expecting much. Seriously an amazing evening.
(5)Saurya D.
Loved the setting downstairs. The bottled blond beer was refreshing and the habanero based cider had a lovely kick to it. I tried the chicken sausage and was quite happy with it. Good balance of sweet and savory. The fried fish and chips were good as well. The fries was crispy, something that you don't find in most places.
(5)Shawn A.
I've been twice now with a group and both times the service was terrible and the attitude of the staff ranged from rude to surely. I think this place has been open long enough to have worked these issues out. As other people have pointed out, they really seem to dislike large groups The food is ok. Nothing to complain about but nothing special either. At best it's serviceable and over priced.
(1)J B.
The food here is good and our waitress warmed up after a bit. Highlights were the fried acorn appetizer, the rib eye and the buttermilk cheesecake. Good atmosphere, though gets loud further into the night.
(4)Valery J.
Great place!!! Went with a friend for dinner who was thoughtful to find a place that had a completely gluten free kitchen. I must say the place is not disappointing. Great service. Being from out of town I can say this was one of the best places I ate while in Seattle. I gave me a little of a NYC feel. Not bad when you miss home...
(4)Kate S.
A couple visits in and I have to say Capitol Cider is a win in my book. Why you may ask? Well, lets see.... 1. I love cider. Almost as much as I love beer, so having 15-20 taps of cider (not to mention an overwhelming bottle list) at your disposal is awesome. Yes, some of them can get pricey -- but Anthem cider's are ALWAYS $4 during happy hour and you have a nice selection of cheaper offerings ranging from $4-7 depending on whats on tap that day. You can easily spend more if something catches your eye, but complaints about price seem unwarranted to me. Cider is always a bit more than beer, and hell. If you want beer they have 10-15 excellently selected taps of those as well. 2. The artwork. I love it, and I love that Capitol Cider chose to share and reflect the atelier history here showcasing the awesome replicas/copies the students that used to be housed here made. 3. Food. This is where your wallet can be hit a bit. This is a gluten free menu folks -- so no cheap sandwiches and the like here. Fancy fish and chips, lamb, steak, what have you. However they have nice Happy Hour offerings and I have been pleased with everything I have tried here (the fish and chips, salad, desserts, etc). The food is good, and totally share-able. So check it out. 4. Events. Capitol Cider strives to provide the hill with cider themed parties. Tieton Cider is celebrating it's birthday? Well how about free samples of their bourbon aged cider and all the Taylor Shellfish oysters you can eat. National Cider week? Daily tap take-overs with the brewers in house giving you details and smashing deals on special ciders that they make. 5. The downstairs. It's a "game room" -- but really well appointed. Dark, rich, and dare I say sexy? With board games, shuffleboard, and I'm sure elsewise to keep you entertained. This basement would be a FANTASTIC place to hold a little intimate get together for a birthday party or any sort of celebration you may want to have. In fact I may have to start or end my next birthday here just because I like the downstairs that much. 6. Growler fills. Yup -- you can get a growler of cider and take it home. Where else on the hill, let alone Seattle do you have a wide range of choice of cider to do that with? No where I know. So yup. Capitol Cider is a ~total~ win in my book.
(4)Lauren H.
Capitol Cider is what happens when the owners of a place have money to burn and don't particularly care if their business doesn't quite work. Overpriced drinks, unfriendly staff, mediocre/unremarkable food menu. (The only thing going for them, food-wise, is that the menu is gluten free...I can see the appeal in that, if you're going to a cider bar). The decor isn't bad...definitely has that east coast feel. I just feel like every time I come here, as someone in their 20's, I am totally out of place. Maybe I'd appreciate it more if I was less familiar with other bars in the area, or didn't live on the hill... I so wanted to like this place. Great concept, it just falls flat for me.
(3)Aaron M.
We were on our way to Canon and needed to stop for a drink and to rest our legs. It just so happened, that we were walking by and I saw a sign that said Cider! Not having anything like this back in California, I got excited and we went in. First impression as I walked through the door was: cold, dark and medieval. All in a good way though, very unique bar, kind of like a dungeon, but I really was diggin it. To start off, I had the Finnriver Mole Habenero Cider which was as unique a cider you can get. Sweet on the front, with spicy on the back end of it. Great cider! After that I tried their mead! I believe it was 8%, fruity and full! Smooth, very smooth. Highly recommend Capitol Cider to everyone looking for something a little different and all it's own!
(5)Megan A.
It is a Friday evening and you find yourself lost in thought as you lounge in an over-sized armchair, tucked away in the corner of a dimly-lit, quaint room. The sweet notes of a jazz band fill the space and the sultry sound of the singers voice is intoxicating - or perhaps the intoxication stems from the imported cider that you are sipping from a snifter. Just keeping it classy. Capitol Cider almost has the potential to be this place, but sadly falls short. In reality, it is a Friday evening and you try to settle into a comfortable chair, but someone is practically sitting in your lap, because one hundred other people occupy the basement along with you. Your thoughts are disrupted as a bro, who has just won a game of shuffleboard, slams into you while performing his celebratory dance. There is a fantastic jazz band playing, but they are barely audible over all of the patrons. You are in good company, but you have to shout at them to have a conversation. It is enough to make you want to cry into your over-priced glass of cider. The pros include: fairly attentive service, a classy space, an extensive cider list, and live entertainment from an adorable band called Miss Miller and the Swells. The first problem I have with Capitol Cider is the sardine mentality. I understand that they want to make a profit, but packing people past capacity is uncomfortable and hard on the wait staff. We eventually managed to snag a table in front of the stage, but could barely enjoy the music even though we were about a foot away. The environment has the potential to be amazing, but the shuffleboard tables attract a strange crowd. I was bumped into by a guy wearing a basketball jersey and sunglasses. It was 10:30 and we were in a dark basement. Are you Stevie Wonder? Nope. Are you a Blues Brother? Nope. You sir, are neither blind nor a bad ass, so lose the shades. The cider itself is okay. I ordered the Finnriver Black Currant cider, which was pretty tasty, but didn't really have that cassis flavor that I am obsessed with, and was certainly not worth the $9 price tag. Then to end the experience, we had to deal with an angry bartender. The place was packed, so we went up and asked to have our server bring us our checks. After patiently waiting half an hour, and continuously trying to wave down our waitress, we decided to close our tab at the bar. I politely asked to close our tabs and was shocked by the response I received. The waitress snapped, "your server can do that!" I explained that we had already requested that our server come and had been waiting 30 minutes for our checks. To this she responded, "EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH," stomped away, swung the bar opening as hard as she could, came back and slammed my card onto the bar. I'm sorry, but are you three years old? I don't think I have ever gotten a response like that from someone that I was TRYING TO PAY.
(2)Brandon R.
I cannot sing enough praises about this place. Recently gluten free, I was delighted to find a restaurant where I could order anything. I called in and ordered takeout from their brunch menu. I got the omelette, which was delicious (their gluten free potatoes are amazing). I also got the donuts, which were equally amazing. When I picked up my order, I met multiple servers and the bartender, and everyone couldn't have been friendlier. After I paid, I mistakenly left my debit card. I went back late the next day when I discovered it was missing, and the gentleman who I spoke with said "Yes, You did leave it... We tried to catch you, but you were already gone." He confirmed the type of card, and my name, and brought it back to me. I plan to make this my local spot. So glad I live close... This place is a gem. Hope the servers are paid well.. they deserve it. Great food, great people, great service.
(5)Joni G.
Wow! This place has a 100% gluten free menu Amazing gluten free fish and chips! Duck was good but I've had better, less oilier at Canlis. We went on a Sunday evening and they had live jazz playing from 4pm-7pm which was a plus! One negative is that service is fairly slow.
(4)Melanie J.
I'm only 2 years into living gluten free and lemme tell ya, I miss pub food. A lot. So, imagine how excited I was when reading the initial reviews of Capitol Cider...Everyone was talking about the fish and chips! WHICH THEY DON'T HAVE. In fact, there's nothing about the menu that suggests pub fare whatsoever. How unbelievably disappointing! Cons: Poor service, even though our server was nice she was slow and had no suggestions for drinks or food. Pretentious menu. Like Cap Hill needs another fancy foodie joint. Pros: FANTASTIC cider selection, which the only reason this place got more than one star. The food we ended up ordering was very flavorful and decently presented. Not exactly the best value for the portion size, however. Will I go back? Probably. Like I said, the cider selection was amazing. Just eat dinner first.
(2)Trish P.
great selection of ciders and a fun game room downstairs!! came on a weekend and it was packed to the brim. despite this, we actually managed to grab a table, and got to play dominoes while drinking cider. they have about 30 or so different ciders to choose from (alcoholic of course), so theres something for everyone. and, there all kinds of different board games to play. it is really chill in there, and such a great place to just hang out with friends. i really, really like the board game concept!! this would be great back home, but we would probably have hooligans stealing the game pieces :( check them out when you're in Seattle!
(5)Steve D.
Super fun bar making a nice niche for themselves in Seattle. Solid beer and cider on rotation and a couple hidden gems downstairs! (aka the two best shuffleboard tables in town). They also have a variety of boardgames and hold events downstairs. Always a good crowd of people here to chat it up with. Staff is very friendly and thoughtful. Shout-out to Talia for always picking out beers I'm going to like!
(4)Rachel C.
Best selection of ciders. Great for out-of-towners and has a great gluten free menu. They have a game room downstairs with board games.
(5)D.W. D.
Terrible service. It was my birthday and the waitress was rude from the get-go. My napkin had cheetos in it as I unfolded it and she was angry at ME for it, and didn't get me a new one. She rarely showed up to our table after that except to fawn all over the Urbanspoon reviewers (we asked them, they told us) sitting next to us, who had at least 3 servers giving them freebie after freebie and excellent service (lesson: don't trust Urbanspoon reviews from 9/7). My husband even asked for the dessert menu (we have been looking forward to this gluten-free birthday dinner for weeks) and when the waitress finally showed up again for US (she had revisiting the Urbanspoon table 4 more times before she came back to us) she handed us the check, not the dessert menu. I got so upset I asked her to leave and get us another waitress, explaining the situation and how angry we were (my husband was too livid to talk to her at all). The owner came over and told me the waitress had "gone downstairs to cry" and did I want a free dessert? Um WTF? How about an apology by SOMEONE? She didn't seem to really care that much how much her staff had ruined my birthday experience and nearly brought me to tears, but comped us two desserts and got us a new waitress who also didn't show us any service at all after that. Decided to get up and walk to the door to get them to hand us the check finally, after another long wait of being ignored. Did I mention this was a SLOW SUNDAY NIGHT and they had a TON of staff on hand? What were they doing, all rolling dirty silverware? The food isn't that good for the experience you will get from the terrible staff. REALLY BAD EXPERIENCE. There are better places to put your money for a random Sunday or your next BIRTHDAY. Places that clearly care more about their customers and the experience they leave people with. AVOID.
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