4. Restaurants

The Old Sage

1410 12th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122
  • (206) 557-7430
  • Store is closed

The Old Sage Menu

  • Smoked Meats
  • Accompaniments

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Old Sage

  • Smoked Meats
  • Accompaniments

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  • Mischa J.

    The Old Sage has a hip, cool vibe but it usually looks empty compared to the hustle and bustle of all the other restaurants nearby. I stopped by on a Tuesday night because they had a half off scotch night. Reading the menu, I realized why they might be empty... everything is overpriced. (I didn't have a problem with service, but I was seated at the bar and the bartender was friendly and attentive). Average pour of scotch was $20-$30+. You can get a whole bottle of the same scotch for $60-80 at the Liquor store across the street. Restaurant mark-ups for wine are usually 400%, but a 2000% markup is a lot. Also tried their burger... it was delicious! But on the small side for $16. The scotch was reasonably priced at half off but I don't think I would come on a full-price night. I hope management makes a change with the service complaints from other customers and the pricing issue. Unsure what else it could be because the restaurant looks so hip when walking by and the food that I tried was great.

    (4)

  • Jason F.

    For some reason I went into sage expecting more. Kinda selling itself as a "meat" and whiskey joint. I was thinking well mixed drinks and hearty portions. Well the drinks were nice (old fashioned), but the food was a bit of a let down. First, I will say that the food menu was minimal, but the bar menu was plentiful (obviously they know where to look that cash cow in the face) . Started with hickory smoked popcorn and puff sourdough, as well as seasonal salad. Frankly the starters or "snacks", were all flavored well. Main course was a twist on the tradition Monte Cristo, but done in the burger format. My guest had their burger. Waiter explained mine would take longer, which was fine, but they brought my guests out 10 minutes early. I think it's called timing, and it doesn't seem that difficult for two people to enjoy the meal together. Upon delivery, the burgers were minuscule and served on a plank, I mean slider size essentially. Mine came with a lame side salad. I mean, it was just very underwhelming. The favors were nice, and my guests burger was overlooked after asking for med-rare. With that said, it's not a bad place to grab a drink, but the food is very par at that. Nothing outstanding about this place at all.

    (2)

  • Chelsea S.

    So I have waited awhile to visit the Old Sage while my fiance is a fan of scotch. I have also read much about their food so I was excited to try it. I can't say that it started off on a good foot but in the end it was enjoyable. When we first arrived at the restaurant at 7pm the restaurant was empty, really empty. That was a bit disconcerting. Shortly after we were seated we were told that we couldn't partake in the half priced scotch night (Tuesdays) because we were using an Amazon Local voucher. Oh well. We each ordered a drink, both with scotch and the Old Sage burger and the short ribs. The drinks were brought out fairly quickly and they were well executed. I had the Blood and Sand and found it really tasty and not overpowering in scotch flavor or smoke. Shortly after that our food came out and we were wowed by the food! The burger was fantastic. It was cooked perfectly, was juicy and flavorful, the sauces and toppings were super complimentary. The buttermilk root chips were also fantastic. My short ribs were awesome. They were mouthwateringly tender and flavorful and with the watercress and super buttery smooth sweet potato puree this was truly a decadent meal. Small portions but the flavor and quality doesn't really leave you wanting much more. I loved the food and drinks but the service and the atmosphere of the bar was a little cold. I'm surprised that they were so empty of customers but whether or not I come back or not is a big maybe.

    (4)

  • Justin C.

    The Gentleman's Club of Cap Hill (girls allowed!). Well it certainly feels like a club with individually rolled white hand towels in the restroom. Boasting an extensive list of whiskey and libations, and a half off single malt happy hour, Old Sage always draws a good crowd for nightlife on 12th Ave. Thanks Yelp for the Check In Deal, $15 for a traditional burger and pint of premium draft. Half of our table cashed in on their checkins. This place has got fantastic dark and classy mood lighting, murals, table pieces, wallpaper and bar theme. A+

    (5)

  • SeanPatrick A.

    This place was hit or miss for me. The drinks were fantastic, especially my dining partner's old fashioned. Beautifully made, with a great taste to match. The appetizer salad was fantastic, and the puff sourdough bread was unique and delicious. It went downhill with the mains. I ordered the burger while my dining companion ordered the monte cristo. I ordered my burger medium rare, and he was told it would his sandwich would take a little longer due to the slow frying it takes to make it. No problem! But, my sandwich came out a good 10 minutes before his did, leaving me with a cool burger by the time he got his food, as I wasn't going to start without him. My burger was cooked to well done, and it was TINY. As in, slider tiny. For $18, and from a restaurant that sells itself on its meat, I expected a lot more. It was served with a few pork cracklings. My friend enjoyed his monte cristo, but said it was nothing special. Overall, not horrible, but I don't think that it's able to compete on the hill with so many other great places.

    (2)

  • Tammy Y.

    Great atmosphere in here on a Friday night! Parking is easy to find and this cozy spot has amazing drinks! Good service and comfy chairs/couch spots are inviting and almost coffee-shop like. A perfect spot to gather with friends at the beginning or end of the night. This is my new favorite area of Cap Hill. This restaurant/bar/lounge is close enough to hop over to the gelato place a few doors down or get small plates of food along the walk. Can't wait to come back!

    (4)

  • Carol M.

    I used a Gilt City deal as an excuse to try this place out and I'm really glad I did. I was told the chef is gluten intolerant so a lot of their dishes are prepared that way by default. EVEN DESSERTS! Which is rare to find something to tame my inner sweet tooth beast at a restaurant that's not straight ice cream. We got the pig head, beef short ribs, and duck wing (duck...a wooo wooo...anyone? anyone?). Then I got the frozen chocolate mousse for dessert. I really loved every bite I had. Honestly. Service was great. Loved my cocktail. The only thing that wasn't ideal is that it was pretty empty for a Thursday night which made it feel a little less cozy. But really, that won't stop me from coming back. Less wait!

    (4)

  • William E.

    Great place with a great vibe. Jenna was extremely friendly and helpful. The duck wings were our favorite and the Old Fashioned's were spot on.

    (5)

  • Johnny L.

    Pretty nice place! I had a drink here, as it was our 2nd stop of our pub crawl prior to dinner. I had their manhattan and it was good and strong. The place looked modern. The servers shuffled around tables to accommodate everyone. They have a fireplace area with cozy seating and a bar where you can look inside the kitchen and chefs standing around the oven. The restrooms were clean. Prices a bit higher than average.

    (4)

  • Krystin T.

    The handful of mixed reviews here definitely have it right. My fiance and I came with a group of friends for a drink around 9:30pm on a Saturday; I should've expected this but I felt WAY underdressed. I was wearing a casual dress, and maybe it was the people we were with or maybe it was the venue, but I felt way *too* casual. That was unfortunate. I'd only planned on ordering a drink, and I chose one of the lagers on tap. That was a good choice, but you can't really go wrong with beer, right? Almost everyone else ordered various cocktails, which everyone seemed to enjoy. One friend ordered the "cheap beer" from the menu; that turned out to be Hamm's and shortly after he added a shot as part of the beer/shot combo on the menu. A few of the girls were going to order the beet salad to share, but our server let us know they were out of it for the night. That was a bit disconcerting, but things happen, it's fine. They ordered the smoked pork head instead, as did my fiance. Some of them really liked it, others thought it was a bit weird; it was somewhat of a prosciutto-like meat, yet a little thicker. I decided to order a snack after all, and chose the pickled vegetables. By the time we were ready to leave (nearly 11pm), they still hadn't arrived. I'm pretty sure the server forgot, but once we reminded her she made sure to send them out. I was sort of over it by that point, but we ate them anyway and they were pretty good. The "spicy carrot" was definitely a bit spicy for my taste! The pickled beets were amazing and the other vegetable was some sort of celery, which was good but a little tough to chew into. It has a very "Capitol Hill" ambiance and feel, which could be a good or bad thing depending on what you're into. The menu is fairly limited, but what we tasted was good. I would like to come back sometime when I'm not driving so I can try some of the cocktails!

    (3)

  • Chris P.

    The Ild Fashioned is really good and the atmosphere is casual but classy. The scotch prices are a bit pricey. Very quiet on a Wednesday, which is exactly what I needed.

    (4)

  • Bani S.

    Quite possibly one of the best old fashions I've ever had. This place has great atmosphere, good music, and good service. I'll be back here again.

    (5)

  • Tabitha T.

    Old Sage hosted the Yelp crew last night for an amazing event. They really rolled out the food. The beef sliders were amazing with a light smokey flavor. I also enjoyed the smoked pigs head and recommend you get a break if you come by. They also have an amazing selection of liquors and knowledgeable staff. The interior has a comfy feel with lots of dark woods and leather. I really enjoyed the nice variety of seating areas. They have wide windows that they had open to enjoy the cool summer air. The location is also good with lots of available street parking. Overall The Old Safe is a great place and I look forward to going back again. The food is so good and the staff so friendly.

    (5)

  • Cyndi C.

    Timeless classic perfect drinks served with innovative unique smoked or pickled deliciousness! This food speaks to me! Great ambiance, professional kind service, and cool location. I've been here a handful of times and always leave exclaiming "why am I not here more often?" I love the shocking strong flavors of the pickled veggie appetizer. The Applewood Smoked Duck Wings are a Must order every time, they fall off the bone and are served with perfect accompaniments. Don't miss the Smoked Hogs head appetizer, amazing slices with homemade mustard absolutely "melts" in your mouth. One of the best burgers in the city served here... Everything we've tried -we love. Come during HH and start with some amazing appetizer such as smoked char or a fried chickpea and cabbage with Harissa yogurt dipping sauce, what? Yes?! I hope this restaurant LLAPs!

    (5)

  • Scott S.

    Hmmm..in short this place had great food and terrible service. The service was so bad it killed anything else for us. Let me explain. My wife and I dropped by here on a Friday evening and we were very hungry. As soon as we walked in, a waitress seated us and gave us menus and waters. That was awesome! Then it all went south. Ten minutes ticked by while the same waitress wandered around the place aimlessly and we started to shift in our seats. We repeatedly made eye contact with her that we were ready to order, and she repeatedly ignored us. We even waved at her once. Finally a second time we waved she came over, looking confused. My wife asked if we should be placing orders at the bar, thinking maybe we came in at an odd time (though it was about 8:30pm). "Oh!" she said surprised, "No, I'm sorry. I just didn't see that they had seated you here. Sorry about that." Keep in mind this was the same exact waitress who had seated us. She took our orders, rushed off toward the kitchen, and disappeared into the back. Five minutes or so later (and more than fifteen minutes after we had been seated) another waiter comes over and starts acting like he's our waiter. "Welcome to The Old Sage" and yadda yadda yadda. We tell him that the other gal already took our order and is helping us. I want to point out that this guy has also been hanging around the place for the last fifteen minutes and saw us come in. Now it's the same thing over again. The waitress reappears like ten minutes later then wanders around the place doing nothing. Fifteen more minutes went by before we got our drinks. We had to always wave the waitress over to get any service. We finally figured out that the waitress was stoned because she didn't remember any of the prior conversations we had with her even if only five minutes had passed. We kept reminding her about everything. Our food didn't come until we had been there for what must have been forty-five minutes and probably thirty-five minutes after we ordered. Thankfully the food was actually really amazing. I can see why practically no one else was in there. There were three other tables with people besides us this whole time so it wasn't busy. I don't think we'll come back. Sorry. Can't chance the service.

    (2)

  • Talia E.

    Came here for the first time on a Saturday night for a drink after dinner. Cool vibe (though I can't say it's all that unique on The Hill) -- with dark tables and a short menu. Solid service, nice ambiance for a low key evening or a first date. Menu looked delicious but I did not eat there. Great place to grab a drink or a few but a little too high brow ($) for an all-evening drink fest. Might come here again for a girls night out but prob wouldn't drag the boys out for a beer fest, if that helps explain it.

    (4)

  • Adam R.

    We went here for dinner during Restaurant Week for the first time this past fall. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. The fact that they focus on making food that is unique and done in house, like rending down a boars head and making a sliced appetizer was unique! They offer a Whisky Dinner on the third Thursday of each month and I would highly recommend it. Although it's a bit pricy, for what you get it's worth it. You get three courses, each paired with the evenings selected whisky, plus a welcome cocktail containing the same! The meal is paired with the whisky and they have someone representing the distributor or the distillery their to guide you through the evening. Looking forward to the next one!

    (5)

  • Ana A.

    We came here with a few friends for a happy hour on a Wednesday night, and I was surprised that it wasn't busy at all. Our table ordered an old fashioned, a Scotch, and two stout/Westland Single Cask combos for drinks, and all were excellent. We also ordered the Pork Monte Cristo, the Old Sage Burger, and the Beef Short Ribs. While all entrees were very good, the Pork Monte Cristo was the standout favorite. And we finished up with the Frozen Chocolate Mousse, which was a nice, light finish. Our server was very attentive and helpful. We also had an Amazon Local coupon, and I'm very glad we did. While the food and drinks were excellent, the portions were smallish (they were quite rich, however), but pretty highly priced for the amount you got. We definitely plan to go back, but only during happy hour/if we have a coupon. We very much enjoyed it, but just know that it's not quite easy on the wallet.

    (4)

  • Ryan B.

    I can't believe I'm saying this; it was almost TOO smoky... Great smoked meats and a fabulous Highlands scotch list to go with it if you want that extra smoky kick. Service was average; we had a large group so there were some drink orders missed but nothing so egregious that it angered anyone or anything. The one challenge-- it's loud. The acoustics there are not great if you're trying to talk to anyone farther away than three feet. Definitely recommend the monte cristo sandwich, or the burger. Though I tried some chicken leg as well and that was fantastic.

    (4)

  • Magdalena K.

    Great place to stop by, get a cocktail and people watch. We ended up there, because another place close by was full. The crowd is mostly couples on dates and smaller groups. We had a great time there! Dimmed lighting, nice interior design with dark wood touches and simple lines, beautiful people starting their night out and good bartenders. They have extensive drink menu: you can get a glass of bubbly for as little as $6 or go for couple hundred dollar shot of scotch! I highly recommend getting their gin and tonic. I had some of these, that's why I don't remember exactly which ingredient is house made, but they are delicious! Less sparkling, but they have a nice rounded and minty taste to them. I would be back there to try their bites or get drinks anytime.

    (4)

  • Katya L.

    Smoky cocktails and smoked meats. I suppose I had high expectations from the folks behind Spur, the neighboring Tavern Law (which I adore) and the Coterie Room. Oddly enough, even a year in it seems like the Old Sage is still getting its sea legs and working out some kinks. After an initial introduction via a Yelp Elite event, I came here for my birthday dinner with a friend. We were there around six on a Friday, yet the place was half-empty... yet the service was incredibly slow. Our server was sweet and friendly, but had a tendency to just drift around the room glancing at us instead of actually checking in. Not sure if that was because she preferred to give us some space, as it were, but we would have appreciated a little more urgency. Drinks and food also took ages to come out, which was surprising considering the relative emptiness of the place. I had a Moscow Mule and a smoky martini... both good but nothing to write home about. The smoky martini was definitely powerful, and interestingly flavored. Their drinks prices are somewhat absurd... $8 for a pint of cider? $8 for a pint of Odin's Gift? That's literally twice the price of the tap room. I get that it's a 'nice' restaurant/bar in the heart of the Hill, but come on, that's just ridiculous. For dinner, we had the duck wings, and I had the pork belly BLT as a salad. As I'm gluten-free, it was very nice of the kitchen to accommodate the salad request, and the dish came out presented beautifully. Both were delicious, especially the duck wings - so tender they fell right off the bone. Can't go wrong with pork belly, either. My friend had the pork monte cristo, and loved it as well. He did mention to our server that it was my birthday, and asked for "a dessert with a candle in it or something". Our server brought out a frozen chocolate mousse before she even took our food or drinks orders - kind of her to oblige, but odd that she decided to bring out the dessert first! Maybe she thought we were asking for it immediately? We also ended up getting charged for it, which doesn't exactly bother me, but I would somewhat expect a birthday dessert to be comped... The space itself is gorgeously designed, although the layout seems a bit odd - there's a lot of empty space that seems like it could be more efficiently used. Overall, I wouldn't volunteer to come here again, unless a whiskey-loving friend invited me. Even then, I'd sit at the bar and stick to drinks only. Maybe a plate of duck wings. Okay, twist my arm.

    (3)

  • Ninette C.

    I don't eat meat but the smoking action in here did smell good! I came for drinks and had a Fresh Ginger Mule with gin and it was very good! It wasn't overly sugary like many Moscow Mules can be and I liked that you could choose any spirit you wanted. The liquor selection in here is overall pretty good and of course, strong on the whiskey. I also like the decor of this spot. The room feels much more open than Tavern Law and I liked the variety of bar tables with high bar stools, couches and low tables and a bar area. I love the dark decor in here and would definitely come back for drinks and to try the crusted hamachi, amberjack and puffed sour bread.

    (4)

  • Chelsy C.

    I tried Old Sage's Dinner Series last Thursday presented by Bol's Genever. It was truly an epicureans delight and a whiskey devotee's pampering. First I'll say that Old Sage welcomes you warmly to their restaurant. You know you're in for a superb experience by the friendliness and professionalism from the staff. The restaurant is richly appointed in Old World charm, dark wood, animal pelts and huge paintings. Its reminiscent of a hunting lodge. The night we had the tasting we were treated to several courses paired with Genever cocktails. This was a one-of-a-kind menu from the creative minds of chefs Woolen, McCracken & Tough. The appetizer was smoked Dungeness crab with little Texas toasts. It was so smooth; the textures played well off one another as well as the tangy berries off the mild crab. Main course was smoked chicken legs with spicy harissa green beans. Smoked meat is one of the two things Old Sage is known for, and they don't disappoint. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and falling off the bone from slow cooking. The dessert was a many layered affair that had a crunchy caramelized sugar wafer on top, foamy whipped caramel and hazelnut mouse with bits of praline sprinkled in. It was rich and complex. All the cocktails at this tasting were infused with the The Bol's Genever, all expertly prepared from the welcoming refreshing and fruity of "Lukewarm" to the cool "Blackberry Bramble" to their Barrel aged Martini and dessert drink of spiked coffee. Each drink took advantage of the Genever's complex botanical mixture and whiskey punch. Bol's regional representative was on hand to showcase their Genever distillation and history and cultural significance as we dined. I'd recommend anyone to take advantage of the Dinner Series and have a magnificent meal.

    (5)

  • Lakota M.

    We popped in here on our pub crawl and I was immediately struck by the dark, sexy ambiance. This would be a great first date spot! It was half off scotch night ( Tuesday ) so my hubby took advantage of a few assorted scotch samples. We ordered the duck wings and malted emmer faro with mountain cheese and apples. Wow! The food was absolutely superb, They actually went together perfect and the bartender whipped up an amazing old fashioned ( even added extra cherries) This gastropub is my new crush and I will definitely try the other spots Tavern Law & Needle & Thread. Seattle is getting better everyday!

    (5)

  • Rachel H.

    The reviews seem mixed, but I am happy to say we didn't have any of the service issues mentioned by others. Our server was very helpful and wasn't horrified when we literally ordered every item on the menu and then doubled up on a few. She also let me order the accompaniments to an entree they were out of and let us get something from the happy hour menu despite it being past happy hour. I enjoyed everything we tried, but the puffed bread, short rib, pot roasted carrots and duck wings stand out for me at the moment. I'm not even a huge duck fan. Cocktails and beers were also good. I think it worked well for us because we came as a group willing to share, so if you're looking for a one entree to every person situation, your mileage may vary, but for cocktails and snacks, particularly happy hour, Old Sage is a good choice.

    (4)

  • Sean T.

    I appreciate good cocktails. And our group had a decent time. Until it was time to pay. waiter insisted on closing out individually with separate checks for every person. Normally that is great except when they try to auto-grat the party individually and don't mention it. When brought to their attention that they should really mention that to their patrons, we were met with significant hostility suggesting, "this is what every place in Seattle does!" Sorry. Many of us have worked in and owned restaurants in Seattle and don't appreciate the dishonesty or rude attitude by their employees. Not wise to try to take advantage of your customers. Our group of 12 will won't be back and will spread the word.

    (1)

  • Celeste T.

    Nice, dark/classic ambiance, with some neat wooden and metal tables, industrial looking light fixtures, and a good long bar. I had some tasty veggies, a little slider that was a bit too medium-well for my tastes, and both whiskies and a cocktail. (I was here for a Yelp event, so everything was buffet style). It was very pleasant to chat with one of the owners, Brian, though I didn't get to meet Dana (the other owner). I also got to "shmooze" with people from different local breweries and distilleries, such as Westland. All in all, I hear this place is generally pretty quiet and may be a bit on the under-appreciated side...I'll definitely have to come back sometime to experience it as a dinner place, rather than as a party place. The one bad thing is that, right there on 12th & Madison, there are so many other good places, that just being good may not be enough in the long run...

    (4)

  • Paula M.

    The place looks cool--but the decor is the best part. The food is seriously overpriced. Not great value--even if you count the quality of the ingredients. Also, not many options on the menu. Look at the drink menu before you decide to stay. It looks expensive, but it's high on low-quality choices, and has very few things you would expect from a place claiming to make high-end craft cocktails. They do not however, mind charging you for high-end product--it's just not what they deliver. There are so many great options in this area, skip it, and go somewhere worth the money.

    (2)

  • Chelsea H.

    Came here with a couple friends for drinks one night. We sat on the couches in the lounge type area but the whole place has a very chill atmosphere. We had a few drinks and snacked on a special dessert item (some delicious peanut butter something) and their freshly baked bread appetizer (so good we ordered a second). The server here was very attentive and super friendly. I'm looking forward to coming back here to try the food.

    (4)

  • Veronica N.

    Went here on a Saturday night dinner I. A group of 8. Made the reservation that morning and when I got there, the table was reserved, had a great view of the one tv at the bar. Loved the ambiance! Was looking for a nice quiet place that was good for a group and still be able to have a good conversation. Mood light with tea light candles and dark wood. Cocktails and draughts were great. Ordered the braised short ribs and it was delicious! Melted apart in my mouth. My only grip was that the portions were on the smaller side. Owned by the same people as tavern law. Overall, great experience!! Would love to come back again!!

    (4)

  • Latifa S.

    The Old Sage, is the kind of place that will take you by a surprise. It is much more understated compared to Tavern law next door: a lot more rugged than their posh gastropub Spur and complete opposite of stunning coterie room. I've been a fan of this Brian & Dana duo and their food for as long as I can remember. Dana tough is definitely one of the nicest chef in Seattle. He's the person you'd completely wowed over when you eat his food, or have a drink with when you run into him in different bars and restaurants. You rock Dana :) Back to old sage: my first visit to old sage was a few months ago during their first week of opening. We stopped here after tavern law on a Saturday night. They were packed for being less than a week old. We had some type of mule, daiquiri, scotch cocktail I can't recall and a few other libations. Drinks were on the pricier side. Few people in my group complained that it was too pricey for Capitol Hill. I didn't mind it too much. Fast forward a month half later: came here to dine on a sleepy Sunday night. We started out with few happy hour appetizers: pickled vegetables, puffed bread and salmon pastrami. For entree, we ordered Applewood smoked duck wings, Sanford's Farm Chicken, Beef short ribs and Torchon of foie gras. They are all around $19- $22 per dish. First dish: Salmon pastrami arrived at our table under a glass dome with swirl of smoke. The presentation is phenom! I've been to all of Dana's restaurant and this was by far the prettiest plate. Smoked salmon rolled with radish pudding and pretty crumbs. It is refreshing, smokey and just hit the spot. Um wow! Pickled vegetables came on a nice and heavy plank like platter. Again: the presentation is phenom! Ifs almost like I'm back in the inn at Langley or even in Lummi island but for 1/5th of the price. Puff bread came looking so fresh and pretty as well. Torchon of Foie gras: now that is a moan worthy dish. Two best pieces of foie in the garden of pears, pumpernickel and perfectly smoked! It's so good, we've ordered it twice. Applewood smoked Duck wings: 3 giant pieces of perfect wings in creamy sabayon and spicy micro greens. It was soft, tender with a crunchy touch of smoke. This was by far our favorite! Sage smoked chicken: don't let the roasted chicken underwhelm you. This isn't any regular roasted chicken you get in every other place. It's another beautiful creation of perfectly smoked chicken thigh meat ,sweet rutabaga purée, tart plums and big chanterelle. Perfection at its best. Beef short ribs: this was our dessert course since we didn't save any room for dessert. Smoky mesquite on a bed of sweet potato purée and carrot top. Meat was tender , sweet potatoes were filling. I gave up after my one perfect bite. Creativity + smoky meats meet gastro pub style food. This isn't your average gastro pub. The food is good enough to be served in Michelin star or fancy fine dining places. It is on the pricier side but each dish is bursting with flavors , perfect smoke and drinks are stiff. It's like a fancy feast minus the whole pomps and circumstance. The main attraction here is their food and equally mind blowing drinks but in a much more comfortable and low key rugged atmosphere. I've dined here 4 times in the past 2 weeks. And few more visits are planned. Yes, I know.Obsession~ And I don't see myself stopping this obsession anytime soon. Dana: your food is bomb :) Thanks for creating another beautiful place for me to obsess over. You rock!!

    (5)

  • Lauree C.

    After dining here multiple times I must say I am still generally underwhelmed with Old Sage. It's a shame because we have really loved their other joints, Spur is a favorite! Echoing everyone below, most of the problems we've had revolve around really poor service. We thought that it was just opening kinks, but being that it has been open a year and every visit still has numerous issues, we've given up hope. No matter how busy or slow the bar, we always have lengthy waits for food and drink. I understand the food takes time and they are "hand-crafting" drinks, but sometimes we have to wait ages just for a couple of ciders. Also, on a Friday night when the placed was fully booked, they had one waitress working the entire floor...needless to say we didn't see her much, it took about 12 minutes after seating just to get a drink order in and when our food came out they brought the wrong dishes. Positive note the ham dishes and the puff bread are delicious. A great place for a light bite if you have plenty of time on your hands, but if you want attentive service, you may want to try elsewhere.

    (3)

  • Carolyn H.

    This place is kind of weird. The beers are phenomenal. The food is tasty, just over priced with almost zero selection. The liquor based drinks are ridiculously over priced. For example, a manhattan is $7.00 during happy hour. The $7 includes the manhattan mix, then you pick a whiskey to add to it for an additional $7-15. Thus making the manhattan quite expensive. The atmosphere is cool, the servers are really friendly and helpful. I really wanted to like The Old Sage, I just don't think it's a good fit.

    (3)

  • John G.

    Whiskey - 3 stars Food - 2 stars Now I'm no connoisseur, but I can enjoy good hard alcohol from time to time. I don't buy too expensive of stuff though. I try to stay in the $10-20 range. I first tried a Glenfiddich, which was quite smooth. That was a brand I knew I'd like though. I asked the waitress what I should get if I like Glenfiddich and her recommendation was a brand I can't recall the name of, but it wasn't very good. It was much sharper and had a stronger alcohol flavor. From that point, I realized I couldn't trust their knowledge on their whiskey (and I'm not risking that when I'm paying like ~$15 per drink), so I just went back to Glenfiddich. I've had food twice at this place before. Both times were very underwhelming. The food portions were extremely small, especially considering their price, and I was particularly disappointed with the bread. It comes out in this huge loaf that looks very generous, then when you cut into it, it's literally ALL AIR. It had an overwhelming black licorice flavor too, which I didn't care for. I doubt I'll go back there again, but I can't say they are a bad restaurant. The only bad thing is the staff can't be entirely trusted with recommendations (service itself was solid though). It's just not the kind of place for an amateur whiskey drinker.

    (3)

  • Jennifer B.

    I keep trying to like this place but I just can't. Unless you have wine or whiskey the drinks really suck. After going back and forth about what vodka they didn't have my friend had a vodka and tonic and they make a gross tonic. I had an extra dirty martini and it was one of the worst things I've ever tasted. The olive was stale and the whole drink tasted like garbage. The service was lousy this time too.

    (1)

  • Glenn G.

    On a short trip to help my pastra-crazed compadre relocate to the Emerald City, I spent a very hectic Saturday moving things and shopping. When the day finally came to and end, I wanted to kick back, have a cocktail or four, and enjoy a close personal encounter with some excellent food. No rushing; someplace I could relax and read my book while people watching and sipping a good Manhattan. yelp.com/biz_photos/the-… I caucused with the Seattle bookmarks I've been collecting, and settled on The Old Sage. I rolled into my reservation for 1 at 6:30pm right on time, and was delighted to see that it was still Happy Hour AND that Manhattans are on the HH menu for $7! HH here is 5pm-7pm Mon thru Sat, and all night on Sunday. Next, I found yet another wonderful example of why it's better to be lucky than good - there's a Yelp check-in deal which gives you a Premium Draft and a Burger for $15 :-) I got seated at a table with some good reading light, ordered my Manhattan (which turned out to be wonderfully crafted and precisely what I needed right then and there), and checked out the venue. The ambiance is exactly what you would expect for its name. The interior has a comfy feel with lots of dark woods and leather. There's tons of seating (both tables and lounge style), nice wide windows, and the whole place actually did smell of sage. Perhaps in line with the surprising mixed early Yelp reviews, Old Sage was almost empty when I got there. Whatever happened there early on obviously isn't happening now - I was greeted with a smile and a very warm welcome, and I thoroughly enjoyed the food, service, and atmosphere all evening. Sipping my exceptional cocktail, I looked over the menu - the only downside of dining alone that evening was I couldn't try a much bigger cross-section of dishes. Everything looked wonderful! I decided to start with that Old Sage Burger yelp.com/biz_photos/the-… and see where my appetite wanted to go after that. I ordered a Lagunitas Little Sumpin yelp.com/biz_photos/the-… to go with it, and then refocused on the Manhattan and my new book ("The Drop" by Dennis Lehane). In a bit, the Old Sage Burger (hickory & mesquite; bacon, agro onion, urfa biber aioli and mountain cheese on a homemade milk bun) arrived. yelp.com/biz_photos/the-… It was served with spring onion and buttermilk root chips. yelp.com/biz_photos/the-… These last were wonderfully addictive but in woefully short supply. The burger was a bit on the small side, but very flavorful and nicely presented - I made short work of it. My server (checking on me at comfortable intervals) helped me decide on one of the Small Plates from the menu to finish off my meal. I went with the Malted Emmer Farro with local apples & mountain cheese. yelp.com/biz_photos/the-… I had no clue what to expect with this, but I trusted her recommendation and wasn't sorry at all. It turned out to be sweet and smokey, with a rich, barley/grain taste and a wonderful hint of apples. The mountain cheese blended perfectly with the dish, and I liked it so much I almost ordered another. Instead, I sipped my second Manhattan (which I ordered in lieu of dessert - a Man's gotta do what a Man's gotta do!), read some more of my book, then used Uber to order a car back to my hotel. I really enjoyed my relaxed dinner and cocktails at Old Sage. It's an intriguing gastro pub with a great food menu, a generous HH, and a list of single-malts that I'm simply going to have to come back and check-out another day! Of course, I'll be sure to bring reinforcements so I can sample more dishes :-)

    (4)

  • Rebecca S.

    The food at Old Sage is incredibly well executed. We got the picked vegetables, puffed sour bread, pork monte cristo, and the burger. The puffed sour bread was the thing of dreams; I immediately wanted to order a second. The burger was one of the best I've had in Seattle, and the chips that came with the burger were perfectly prepared. The monte cristo was like nothing I've ever eaten, and the salad with it was perfect. As for drinks, I had the house sparkling wine, which was quite good for a house wine. My husband had the locavore beer + whiskey pairing. He said it was a beer he had never had (and said their beer selection was great), and he thoroughly enjoyed the pairing. The chef clearly understands food and what goes well together. I had been quite skeptical of Old Sage because of the prices, but this is definitely one of the best gastropubs in Capitol Hill, if not Seattle.

    (5)

  • K C.

    Food was fairly good, but the service was like a black hole sucking all the enjoyment out of the evening. The short ribs I ordered had a nice smoky/sweet flavor and were tender, but at $19 the portion was tiny and came with just garnish. The drink I ordered at the bar before we were seated was never made. The one I ordered from the person who sat us also got sucked into the black hole. The one I ordered from our server before ordering dinner finally showed up when I was halfway through with my meal. Overall, I just couldn't wait to leave this place.

    (1)

  • Elizabeth L.

    Meats and malts. How smoky is the question. Killer cocktails, as you might expect from Brian McCracken and Dana Tough (Tavern Law, Needle & Thread, Spur). Well-balanced drink menu, featuring complex scotch, gin, vodka concoctions. Enjoyed the Perfect Gentleman (Hendricks gin, Calvados, sweet & dry vermouth, Benedictine, bitters). Beef short rib was the first smoky short rib I've ever had - complex, interesting flavors albeit a bit on the dry side. Pricing is a bit high given this is more of an upscale gastropub with small-to-medium plates. Pricing is $19-24 for mains; $10-14 for vegetables). Drinks are on the higher end at $11-14, topping out at $16. Modest wine list, with a decent selection of ports and sherries. Seating: Solid variety of party/seating options - lounge, bar counter seating, long communal bar tables, lounge and dinner tables. Spacious L-shaped bar lining the back and side walls, seats 20+. Bar faces the walls, which is suitable for dates/small parties, less so for scene (hit the communal tables for people-watching). Lounge features mini wood-burning fireplace, which is a nice touch. Protip: Ask for the $5 bartender's choice - Glenfiddich 12 yr. and Monkey Shoulder whiskey were featured tonight.

    (3)

  • Tana B.

    Super delicious food, the drinks were on point but the service was delayed. Not due to lack of effort - everyone was running their tails off! Maybe it was just an extra busy night. Great place!

    (4)

  • Gavin P.

    I had the poached salmon, rhubarb sorbet, and pigs head appetizer. Certainly, the quality here was above average; everything was delicious and savory. Although the size of each dish was comparable to a small appetizer. I was left very hungry and poor after paying for my expensive meal. I also enjoyed the whiskey cocktail with chocolate bitters, which all should try! Overall, this is a great place to try to sample phenomenal flavors, but not if you are looking for a large meal or you are looking to save money.

    (4)

  • Ryan M.

    I had initially rated this as a 4 star but after further thought, I really don't know what I'd dock them for - there were some dishes that I wasn't a complete fan of but that's subjective because I'm picky. Regardless of my issues, their delivery of each dish has been phenomenal, staff was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the dish and the processes. Food was perfectly cooked and well presented. We've been there twice. Once for restaurant week and another for their monthly whiskey showcase. Pictures of the food for the whiskey showcase should be attached to this review. Quiet place, even when its full, the noise doesn't reverberate. Nice place to go as a date night. As far as the food goes, I loved every bit of it. During restaurant week, for the first course I chose the Applewood Smoked Head of Pork, with miner's lettuce, sugar snaps, rhubarb, horseradish pea mustard. I thought this was super interesting considering the process to make the the head of pork. Cold smoked, its like prosciutto but creamier (fatty). Then I had the Olive Oil Poached Steelhead salmon. This was interesting to, wonderfully tender but slightly too oily for me - although the olive oil wasn't overpowering. The beet puree was good, but I also did not think there was enough starch to consider it a main course. Even for restaurant week though, the filet was a generous size. Last, I ended with the frozen chocolate mousse. That was decadent! It was like ice cream. Dense yet creamy and not airy (I'm not normally a fan of mousse because of this). All and all - one of my favorite restaurants I've been to for restaurant week. Next we ventured for their whiskey showcase dinner. This was fantastic, especially since they featured my favorite scotch - Balvenie. It was nice to see how they paired certain years with the meal. I've never had goat before but I'm now a fan based on their cherry wood smoke process. Excellent night again!

    (5)

  • Maddie E.

    The BEST hamburger and beef short ribs! Drinks are pretty good, as well. Our service wasn't amazing but it could have been an off night. A great place to have dinner and a quick drink before going out in Capitol Hill for the night.

    (4)

  • Sherin O.

    We came here for a company party and we were comfortable, service was friendly and fast, wine glasses were freakishly small, but can I please tell you EVERY dish was amazing! We all ordered different things and ate family style, there wasn't an unhappy belly in the room!

    (5)

  • Paul M.

    The idea of The Old Sage is awesome, but it fails in execution all. over. the. place. Tried to organize a birthday celebration here, and was met with the most lackluster (and effectively obstructive) response. As said elsewhere, this place is spendy - your best bet is half-price Scotch Tuesday's, where the poor service is counter-balanced with the cost-saving on the over-priced drinks menu. As a Scotsman living in Seattle, I love seeing whisky bars in the city. If it's a good Malt you're looking for, do yourself a favor and get a taxi to Macleods in Ballard for a better experience all round. Updated to one star because it managed to get even worse on a subsequent visit. Yup, I was surprised too.

    (2)

  • Van H.

    Lee was such a great bartender! He was very nice and answered all my crazy questions about drinks. I'm so picky. He made a special drink for me! A different spin on the aviation! Great customer service and nice guy! Would definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Sam C.

    The food is decent and drinks and Ambience are good. I'm giving this one star because the bartender I've interacted with here treats customers like crap and I hope the owner reads this. My friend politely asked for a mainstream local beer on a night that was not busy (Monday...) and you barked out a snarky "no" and walked away from us for 10 minutes to do who knows what with your nasty six inch beard. You're not cool, you're a gross hipster with a chip on your shoulder. We chose to visit your bar to have a good time and there are plenty of other options on Capitol Hill. Learn some respect or get a job that doesn't involve customer service.

    (1)

  • Lauren F.

    (Sorry for the length, but there's a prize at the end if you read all the way through.) Reader's Digest version: Rude server. Unapologetic manager. On our way out, at least the hostess said the behavior was tacky. After a delicious dinner at Momiji, Old Sage was the first stop to meet with more friends and a couple rounds of nice drinks before kicking off a fun bachelorette party on the hill. Another friend couldn't be there and had arranged to have a bottle of champagne for us at Old Sage. 5 of us get seated and tell our hostess about the bottle waiting for us, so she leaves to investigate. A server starts filling up water glasses and says point blank "if your bachelorette party antics disturb the other guests, you will be kicked out immediately." I was in shock, was he serious? I actually had to ask my friends if that was a joke. At this point, only the bride-to-be had a drink at dinner, and we were sober. A few other smaller things happened, but basically we drank our champagne and left. Before leaving I ask to talk to the manager, just to let him know what happened. He was unconvincingly surprised by the comment, and instead of apologizing tried to draw my sympathy by saying "but you can understand" where we're coming from... The manager then offered me a "discount for the next time I come in." Thanks for the empty gesture, bud. If anyone reads this still wants to give this place a try, feel free to tell them my story as your own and cash in on the "discount."

    (1)

  • Charlene L.

    I was really shocked after dining here! I am typically a fan of Brian and Dana's work, as I love their other restaurants. So I was extremely disappointed walking out of here with the intention to probably avoid this place. To me, it seemed like the menu was nothing special. Nothing really jumped out at me saying I had to try it. As a result, I only tried the duck wings and the pot roast carrots. The wings were really disappointing. Sure, they were tender.. but that's it.. I felt like it was braised in water, as there was no flavor whatsoever! The pot roast carrots had good texture, but other than that, it was simple and pointless. The excessive flavor on the plate (whipped buttermilk) again added texture, but no flavor. I think this place is a drinks type of place... Come here if you're looking for a great drink (or so I'm told). But from how many great places there are on Capital Hill, try to avoid this place if possible.

    (2)

  • Gina K.

    NO no no no. NOnoNONOno. I highly recommend that you do not waste a dime at this place. Our party came here because Tavern Law was too packed to fit a group of 7. We got seated at Old Sage pretty quickly, and... along came... Polly. Polly was our server but she failed to tell my out-of-town friend that the White Russian was not available - this was 20 minutes after he walked up to her to check on his drink, since the rest of our party had already been served. It was a shame! All he wanted was a drink... but instead of the promised "your drink will be out shortly," he receives, 20 minutes later, "sorry, it isn't available!" Yikes. Red flag. She also had some difficulties with swiping credit cards (charged the wrong one, the wrong amount). It's called The Old Sage - Smoked MEATS and Malts... but where, o where is the meat?? We wanted to eat. Meat. But they ran out of crucial menu items which included meat. We were pretty frustrated with this place, and vowed never to come back. It's a nice venue, but you might just come here for a table of one. It's definitely not a place you want to go with your friends. I was especially bummed because I really wanted to like this place! I've been meaning to check it out, but once was enough. The lack of service and limited food/drink items were a huge disappointment. Go check out Barrio next door, instead - you will be pleasantly surprised! Or maybe you need to go to both places just to compare how different these places are.

    (1)

  • Emily S.

    Can I just say -- the flatbread is fantastic, the sliders are to die for, and don't be surprised if I elbow you out of the way for more duck wing. I'm not as big a fan of the pickled radish or watermelon rind (too vinegar-y, too plain) but I did love the pickled beets. The punch was unexpectedly tasty -- despite its pink color, it was not too light, girly, or summery...because it was made with Scotch, it actually did pack quite the punch! Oh, but really... I'm already planning my next trip back for more flatbread! It's a lot like a mini pizza with barbequed pulled pork, rich cheese, fresh roasted greens, and every now and then a tasty bite of beets. The menu said the greens were "foraged," so we asked our waitress about it -- as it turns out, she not only knew who foraged the greens, but when. We also had the pleasure of meeting the GM, dressed casually and performing duties as a waiter. He came back to our table to make sure we'd had enough to eat, and to chat with us about the menu. We were totally impressed!

    (5)

  • Julia M.

    Everything we tried was brilliant, inventive, and a beautiful flavor explosion in my mouth. Atmosphere is moody, dark, and romantic. Went here on a date with my husband and enjoyed ourselves. Only sad thing is that the plates were small and expensive, so it won't ever be a regular place for me. If you want to splurge a little and eat something really tasty though, it's a good spot.

    (4)

  • Mari T.

    Second time here. The first time I only had drinks at happy hour. I tried out the food tonight for dinner. The duck wings and amberjack were amazing. Love the vibe, the cocktails and now the food. Becoming my new favorite on The Hill.

    (5)

  • Mandy E.

    I have to add a review to try & bump the average up for this place. This is my 3rd time here, but 1st time eating. The food was really great. Every question I had was answered in detail - from where the ingredients were sourced, to the cooking method. We had the puffed sour bread, which was spectacular, the chicken leg & the burger. All of it was exceptional. The service exceeded my expectations & we'll definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Eduardo P.

    We had a terrible experience tonight. We ordered some sweet potatoes and they were not your regular sweet potatoes, furthermore the potatoes were super salty. We returned them after eating just a bite of the sweet potatoes and when the bill came, they charged them. We asked the bartender why have they charged us and he claimed because he couldn't take them out just because we "didn't like them" . I paid for the full bill, but complained about the charge.The bartender became really rude and another person working in the bar joined him in being rude to us. I felt attacked by the staff even when I had already paid the full bill. If the food is bad and you return it fast, I don't think they should charge you. The drinks are good, but given the terrible service we won't be back!!

    (1)

  • Katy H.

    The Old Sage is a bit of a mixed bag. There were a few things that blew my mind and a few things that weren't so memorable. But without focusing too much on the negative, I think a great blanket statement for this spot would be that there's a ton of potential and in my mind, they're doing almost everything right. Which of course it to be expected because the team of folks behind this project are pros. I was insanely wowed by the food. I loved pot roast carrots, the black cod was to die for, the puff sour bread was tasty and unique, and the duck wings pretty much blew my mind. Our bartender, Charles was also lovely. He was helpful with regards to selecting scotches off the menu, he whipped up a few great cocktails, and he made sure our group of four was taken care of as he managed the large L shaped bar with other guests around the room. Aside from that the bar felt a little cold or perhaps unfinished. I loved the dark ambiance and the lighting, but after weeks of being open it still feels like this spot is working out some kinks and filling up some empty space behind the bar. I fully trust that the Old Sage will join the ranks of Seattle staples like Spur and Tavern Law and I really hope to see a lot more people in here imbibing on the weekends. For fans that love smoky scotch and smoked meats, this is definitely one to put on their radar.

    (4)

  • Patty T.

    *We didn't order anything to eat so this review is not applicable to food* Went in at midnight on a Friday because we were a big group and other places were closing or having too long of a line. We were 11 people with most friends visiting from out of town. The staff were not friendly at all. We were not greeted by anyone in anyway and were left to move the tables around ourselves to make sure everyone in our group has seat. We ordered everything on a cocktail menu and the only drink that was ok was the one with grapefruit. The rest was really overpriced and we couldn't even finish some. We were playing drinking game and we werent absurdly loud (the place was also not full and there were probably less than 10 people around not including our group), but the staff in the kitchen were pointing at us and making us feel stupid. After all that, they conveniently put 20% gratuity on our bill. Really?

    (1)

  • May X.

    Just went here earlier this evening for dinner and I have to say that I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the food (which was phenomenal) and the great service by our waitress (Polly). She greeted and seated us right away. After having given us our waters, she mentioned the Happy Hour menu and talked about the suggested food of the day. She took the time and explained about each dish and was happy to do so without rushing. Overall, great place and great atmosphere! Food suggestions: The Old Sage Burger and the Beef Short Ribs! All the food is made from scratch so it truly is top notch stuff! Definitely recommend this place. :)

    (5)

  • Samantha G.

    The Old Sage is another nice addition to the Capitol Hill neighborhood. I love the mellow ambiance of the place. It's pretty dim inside, which made my eyes strain when reading the menu. Like what many reviews have stated, food and drinks are on the pricey side. To start off, I ordered a cocktail called the monkey club, which consited of monkey shoulder blended scotch, raspberry syrup, lemon, egg white. It was surprising sweet and I like the frothiness of the cocktail. My BF and I shared family style, which is definitely the way to go at The Old Sage. The foie gras was delicious, which was accompanied with slices of donut peach, pistachio. I personally thought the pumpernickel bread that came with it didn't go well with the foie gras. I think it would have been better to choose a bread that didn't try to dominate the taste of the foie gras. My favorite dish here had to be the black cod: smokey yet still was tender and moist. The flava beans that came with it were delicious. We also shared the pot roast carrots which were good but I felt for the amount we got, it wasn't worth the price. The Old Sage is perfect for those who want to enjoy great cocktail and taste great food.

    (4)

  • J J.

    This place has really good food. It's a bit high-end, even the burgers and it's delicious. Every time I eat here, I don't leave disappointed. The decor is really cool and service has always been good, too. Their frozen chocolate mousse dessert is one of our favorites. Very nice place to hangout and grab a drink/bite.

    (4)

  • Scott G.

    Worst/most awkward service ever. Bartenders ignored us when we were sitting 12 inches away from their work station. We had to ask them to order food after 30 minutes. Wanted to walk out.

    (1)

  • Erica R.

    Drinks excellent , attentive bartenders lacking. Guess I was looking for more interaction but they do their job well, in terms of craft mixologists. No drink rec was given and no check back. Yes I enjoyed the drink but if I'm paying $10+ for a drink I expect a little customer - service oriented attention . Ordered St. Hubert hound - if you like gin and citrus , order!

    (3)

  • Nelson Y.

    Holy crap, the Holly Thistle is really good. Only came from drinks on an off-night and it was good quality cocktails my friend.

    (4)

  • James L.

    New liquor buyer, run-of-the-mill cocktail menu. It's your fault Cap Hill--this place was great and you refused to go there. Shame.

    (3)

  • Hannah L.

    The Old Sage is truly the first spot, of all the new spots on 12th Ave, into which I've walked and thought, "How did I accidentally wander into Bellevue?" So let's just get that out of the way: it's classy, it's money, it's New York City cocktail prices, and it's in my neighborhood. The staff is full of lovely and elegant people who move quietly and attentively, yet somewhat disinterestedly (unless you engage them in conversation), and I can't say I quite felt at home. Nevertheless, I think this is the future, for better or worse, for my side of the Hill. And since Old Sage is here (with cocktail prices mostly in the $12-14 range, and small plates up to $26), I'm glad it's worth a visit. It's the newest project from McCracken/Tough, so you know the cocktail program will be amazing if not affordable. I loved - LOVED - my Summer Scotch Smash: it's the sort of vibrantly layered yet subtle glass where something new happens at every second of your sip. I knew the theme of Old Sage was going to be smoked foods (which I love) and Scotch (which I don't), so I was initially worried about the heavy representation of Scotch in most of the drinks. And while you won't catch me ordering anything with Peated Scotch in it, I'm happy to report I didn't miss having a larger selection of gin-based cocktails. Somehow all the press leading up to the opening neglected to mention that Old Sage has a fantastic rotating taplist: twelve or thirteen, including one cider. On my visit, there was a little pFreim, a little North Coast, a little Maritime Pacific, a little Rodenbach, a little Odin....I'm more of a beer than a cocktail drinker, so the fact that I could order from a more-than-minimal selection at Old Sage makes this bar stand out in comparison to Tavern Law (also part of the McCracken/Tough family) or Canon. Beer drinkers looking for an elegant evening, or meeting a date who prefers a great cocktail, should truly take note and head here. Unless I get a vastly higher-paying job, I won't be able to head back here often (if ever) for food. But, I can see Old Sage becoming a new go-to spot when my cocktail-loving friends want to meet up, and I want something fancy...but also beer.

    (4)

  • Steven B.

    This place could be great, but unfortunately a couple bad policies and a few bad staffing decisions make it no fun at all. The drinks and our waiter were awesome, but the pretentious and unfriendly bartender did not deserve any part of the mandatory 20% gratuity charge they sneak into your bill...... I guess you can be a dick when you know it won't affect your tips.....

    (1)

  • Gilad B.

    Its no Spur but still pretty damn good. I really liked how their menu was set up with two sides: smoked meats and everything else. We had the Pork Cheeks and the Ribs and both were excellent. The sides were pretty good and the drinks were awesome. Also, the restaurant itself was really nice and someone I hope to come back for drinks. The one request - please do better on the dessert menu.

    (4)

  • Babette P.

    I was surprised to see that anyone rated the food at this place less than stellar - in fact it was probably some of the best food I have ever had in Seattle. It was happy hour (5-7 which is perfect for those of us who can't make it by 6) and we sat at the bar. The nice bartender from Boston told me that my favorite drink, a Manhattan, were on special for only $7. I figured they would suck as I was tempted to go for my regular Maker's Mark, but he assured me their bar bourbon was very good so I went for it. I have to say (and I have tested MANY a Manhattan), this was one of the top 3 Manhattans I have ever had. Their house bourbon is Old Forester and I am going to buy myself a bottle. Although smoked meats are generally not my thing, we really liked the atmosphere there and didn't want to leave so we thought we would give them a try. We started with the pulled pork flat bread. Delicious. Great start so we figured we'd just stay for dinner. There were three of us and we ordered the beet salad that was THE BEST beet salad I have had by far. They served it with the beet greens that were dressed lovely and there were three different types of beets. So friggin good. Our friend ordered the short ribs which were melt in your mouth perfection. Remember though these are small plates, so not huge portions but also very reasonably priced. We splurged and ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich, which I am at a loss to describe...you just HAVE to try it. It was best tasting things I have ever had in my mouth! I would definitely recommend everyone check this place out and get the food. It is our favorite new place in Seattle.

    (5)

  • Geoffrey C.

    Opening night--my fiancé and I didn't have a chance to try the meat/vegetable entrees, but received complementary bread (pita warmed up over the grill--ballooning with steam...) along with our cocktails. Overall, the ambience/music/staff seemed all in tune, and the drinks, although not cheap, were excellent. A few concerns however, include a limited menu and steep pricing ($18-28-ish). A happy hour with smaller plates will hopefully evolve--so we'll have to check in again soon. 4-stars for the promising start.

    (4)

  • Steve B.

    The service at this place was atrocious. 4 of us were at the bar on a Saturday around 945 to have a drink. The bar was not packed and we stood waiting for service for about 20 min. We ordered three Moscow Mules and one beer. The beer was thankfully not screwed up. The Moscow mules however tasted like a shitty margarita. I'd avoid this place like the plague and head to one of the dozen or so others bars in the area

    (1)

  • Heather M.

    Yummy! Their duck wings are delish. Love the bartending. Great service. Great vibe. Love open windows in summer. We will be back! Great little gem on Capital Hill.

    (5)

  • Chandini S.

    Stopped in after a not-so-successful happy hour at another establishment. I left there hungry, and I am glad we came here. We ordered a couple of happy hour dishes and we enjoyed them both. The smoked meat was delicious and hit the spot. We will definitely be back to enjoy the full menu.

    (4)

  • Jonathan L.

    We tried to go to Barrio next door, but after the lady told us it would be a 30+ minute wait, we headed to this place which had ample seating. I had their tonic water, which was made in-house. I thought it was alright, perhaps a little strong, but the waitress who served it said many customers didn't like the taste. My friend got this yellow drink that came in the tiniest glass, and it tasted like rubbing alcohol flavored with ass. I had a sip and chased it with an entire glass of water. I wish I could tell you what it was called, but I don't plan on ever going back to ask. We didn't order any food, but we spied plates being delivered to tables around us. For the price, the portions seemed small. Service was nice, but that's not enough. Hit up a cheaper place with better drinks and less pretension.

    (2)

  • Katharine W.

    Attended Old Sage for cocktails. Very nice and clean bar/ lounge environment. Friendly bar staff.

    (4)

  • Lee O.

    Having read the reviews to date, the consensus seems to be that they're doing most, if not everything, really well here, with the major exception being the perceived value. I agree completely. The food was enjoyable, the staff hospitable, the decor attractive, and the drink selection impressive. However, the price points are obscene. This was the most unexpectedly expensive dinner in distant memory. Once they get that under control - we're talking price reductions 20% or more - I will be back to revise this rating, and I'll bring at least two additional stars with me.

    (2)

  • Syd A.

    I've gotta say, We loved this place!! We went on a Sunday evening around 6 pm and found the place pretty empty so we were a little worried but the aroma of smoked meat reassured us. We started out with an order of the Puffed Rolls and the Cabbage and Chick Pea fritters. Both dishes were excellent! I went on to have the Pork Monte Cristo that was dusted with Bacon flavored confectioners sugar. It was amazing! You have to try it! My wife and our good friend both had the Chicken Leg and raved about it! We will definitely be going back!!

    (5)

  • Kay C.

    I can't comment on the food but I thought the place itself was nice and spacious - liked that it was a little dark and there was noise but it was still quiet enough to have a good conversation. The chairs were comfy and I only had wine but I tried a couple of my friend's cocktails and thought it was decent. This is a good spot that I'll stop back into on another night out on the town in Cap Hill.

    (4)

  • Jason R.

    I need to admit, I like the vibe at Old Sage. I always can get a seat at a table or bar even when they seem pretty busy. The dark ambiance at night sets a perfect mood for me. It can be a little difficult to hold a conversation because of all the background noise. Finally, the drink prices are a bit up there to me. I've ordered a lot of their single malt islay whiskeys and the pricing per pop is pricey. That being said, the bartenders are very nice and knowledgeable at explaining points to the whiskey. This is definitely one of my go to spots now!

    (4)

  • Christy N.

    Service was SLOWWWWWWWW. It took forever for us to get to get our initial drink after we ordered. Then it took forever for us to get another order of drinks. We were only there for drinks and did not have an opportunity to try the food. The drinks were ok, however, not outstanding. For how slow the service was, it's not worth it for me to go back and try again, since there are many other places out there that have great drinks, great service and great food.

    (2)

  • Kristy S.

    The menu sounded amazing, so I was excited to try this place out. The experience was beyond disappointing. It took 20 minutes for our waitress to greet us, and then another 20 minutes for her to bring us our drinks. After we placed our order it took over an hour to get PART of our food. Between the 2 of us we ordered three small plates. Two of the plates came out an hour after placing an order, then the 3rd plate came out almost an hour after that. We spent THREE hours there. For a party of two, that is insane and unacceptable. We also had to order our drinks numerous times because the waitress would just never bring them. Worst service ever,

    (1)

  • aaron t.

    Food: Incredibly rustic, and unique. Portions can be a bit small, but very tasty. I'd say a bit overpriced for what you get though..but food is damn good. Must admit they had a special Squash Sorbet that blew my mind..who knew i'd like squash.... Service: Very good though sometimes a bit slow. They spilled some "liquid" on my back but gave me a free drink and paid for my entree... good staff otherwise. Environment: dark, rustic, warming, somewhat upscale... Drinks: incredible, high end...

    (4)

  • Romy T.

    I really wanted to like this place. Great location, clean interior. Open space. The menu was great, lots of choices from new things and old favorites. Good stuff first: great food! Flavors were on point, well seasoned. I nearly never finish all my food, but I did there. Not huge portions, but did not leave hungry. Also the beverage menu was great, great cocktails and selections. The bad: they lost our reservation and made us feel like it was our fault. We used open table over 24 hours in advance and they didn't check it. When we were seated, trying to flag a waitress after 15mins and ready to order. She was sweet and nice, but then ignored us for another 30 mins. 3 of our items came out, the last one took 10 mins. Nothing like staring at your food trying not to be rude for the lone wolf. Oh, and we had to ask for silverware and waters after asking twice. Drinks were forgotten. I had to ask the bartender to get our waitresses attention so we could pay. Had this been super busy night I would have understood. No apologies for reservation, or staggered food, or forgetting drinks when reminded, or getting checks. They made us feel in the wrong and it should be ok to treat customers paying full price that way. Loved their food, hope they get their service dialed in do we can go again.

    (2)

  • Matt W.

    I didn't know much about The Old Sage beforehand except that they had an impressive Scotch collection. I went in on a whim to have a quick drink with friends before going elsewhere for dinner. Instead we ended up canceling our dinner reservation across town because the menu here looked so good. I was honestly getting a little bored with the Capitol Hill fare; it's a bit predictable and repetitive. Not the case here. We opted to go somewhat family style and try a little bit of everything. I tried the burger, the hamachi, the duck, the short rib and the sour bread. Every dish was fantastic, with bold and unique flavors, enticing presentation and a very good value for the high quality. For the drinks, the bar manager, Mason, recommended a great Scotch I hadn't seen before, and later made a a perfectly balanced cocktail after asking me a few questions on preferences. The service was spot on: attentive, personalized but not overbearing. This has honestly been one of the best dining experiences I've had in the past year in Seattle. Adding it to my list of regular spots, and look forward to bringing guests from out of town and clients from work.

    (5)

  • James F.

    Drinks were okay... a little too sweet, but still good. I was surprised by how good the food was. Pork cheeks were fantastic! and the cabbage roots were amazing, especially the smoked ham broth that it was cooked in.

    (4)

  • Sheryl C.

    The dishes we had were good but overall it ends up being pricey for a lot of small dishes. You may want to stop at Dicks on the way home! Drinks were good and service was good. I was not thrilled that we were seated at a high top table for having dinner reservations.

    (3)

  • Patrick D.

    I want to rate this place 4 stars, and usually I'm super enthusiastic for new businesses but this place fell a bit short. First the good - the decor is cool, the ambiance nice and chill, big windows to the street, attentive and professional staff. The bad - very high prices, even compared to their sister businesses Tavern Law + Spur. The $22 sockeye salmon was more appetizer sized. Also their menu doesn't give much detail - it didn't say it was smoked or that it's uncooked (but warmed). I was expecting wood fire grilled salmon. Their food is very well presented - picture perfect I'd say. But I'd rather have something more like Quinn's - semi-unusual creative dishes that are also satisfying - substance over style. The beer selection is impressive on paper - it might be their redeeming factor - but again it feels a bit like style over substance. It's skewed towards 10%'ers, and the pricing is really arbitrary. There are some good beers for $5 but then other beers that aren't actually better or more rare are $6-8. On the bottle list, the Schlenkerla rauchbier is $17. This is the classic smoked German dark lager, and would compliment good smoked meats very well, but it costs only $4-5 in a local beer store. There's no way $17 is justified. The People's Pub in Ballard has it for $5.25. They bill themselves for smoked meats and malt, so I was expecting lots of smoked meats - but the smoked salmon was not smokey, and I had trouble finding other items on their menu that are smoked. Even their listed cocktails have only one with a smoky scotch and one with mezcal. I hope to try them again, but unless they seriously rework their menu I fear they're limiting themselves to the Friday and Saturday crowd.

    (3)

  • Ben H.

    I would rate it 1 star, but I'm giving it 2 because the host was the best and really nice (he's so good at his job that he has time to help others). I came in with a small group to get some drinks to try out some of the newer spots on the hill (this was about 2 saturdays ago on the 17th) It was a semi crowded Saturday night, seemed like a good place to sit down and talk with friends. I felt like I would've been able to have a good time and I appreciated the wide range of prices on the drinks (a little something for everyone)... BUT, no one came for over 20 minutes! I don't know if it was because the bar is understaffed, or whether or not they were more interested in their more affluent looking customers, but it just didn't feel like a welcoming space and feels a little out of character with the neighborhood. I might come back later to see if I just came at a bad time... but to be honest I'm a bit turned off by this place. Though on the plus side, this experience led me to find some more fun places to hang nearby!

    (2)

  • M T.

    Not a fan of the Old Sage. My drink was really cough syrupy and I didn't even finish it despite it being the size of a thimble and $12. Felt like Old Sage was trying to hard to be modern but vintage at the same time and it's wayyyyy too hot and dark in there. Turn up the A/C! Can't comment on the food because we just stopped in for drinks.

    (2)

  • Sung P.

    I was really hoping it would be good, because it seems like it has decent atmosphere, but sadly I was really disappointed. The drinks were decent - friend got a cocktail that was actually well made and I had a beer. We ordered the sweet potatoes, flatbread and crostata, and they were all... horrible. The sweet potatoes they brought out literally looked like a pile of poop - they basically had taken irregularly shaped chunks of sweet potato (a fry shape is not hip enough?) completely coated them in various spices, most of which tasted like cumin, and then deep fried till they were dark brown and burnt. Basically it was a plate of food that should never have reached our table, and when I called it out the server was very apologetic. The duck crostata had so much goat cheese that it was the only thing you could taste - it literally tastes like I took a huge bite of goat cheese. And lastly the flatbread was the least bad thing we ate, but for some reason they coated it with mustard.... so it tasted like mustard flatbread. Oh and as an apology for the food, they randomly gave us pickled squash and beets. I love pickled vegetables, but these also were sadly kind of bad as well... The service was decent but not great, but I give them a break on that given that it was Friday night. All in all, I'm hoping they can reboot the menu and so you actually would want to eat here, because it's always great to have another fun space on the hill.

    (2)

  • Julian G.

    We sat at the bar for my friends Birthday Party. The Bartender Ben was very accommodating so our some what rambunctious birthday crew. The cocktails were great. The service (Ben specifically) was amazing. The food while "expensive" looks to all be sous vide and handled with white gloves. Let the nay sayers be... This place is great and a good companion / subsitute for Cannon down the street.

    (4)

  • Tiffany S.

    I went there with friends Friday night 5/30/2014 and let them know we came for drinks only. It took about 25 minutes to get service and then when the girl came she could not explain drinkd other than the standard its a Rum/Whiskey bar, she was very rude. The server came back and was apologizing for her behavior. Needless to say I did not leave a tip.

    (1)

  • Emma F.

    Holly over smoked food Batman! The food tasted like it came from a smoker that was forgotten overnight and set a house on fire and it was then pulled from that burning house and put onto your plate.The smoke was SO overpowering it destroyed the taste of anything else! The prices were also stupid expensive! But I guess they gotta rebuild that house somehow...

    (1)

  • Susan B.

    Cool candlelit, hardwood, lodge-like ambiance with wide open windows. Our service was attentive. Not a large menu if ur picky. Appetizer duck wings were actually charred with dry meat but we appreciated the roquefort creme-fraiche & cherry slaw accompaniment. Old sage burger was kinda small but very flavorful with aioli, caramelized onions and homemade bun & root veggie chips. Moderate price & close to home. Overall it was an enjoyable evening. Would like to try it again another evening.

    (4)

  • Trip C.

    Five stars for the food and service, 1 star for the portions and pricing = three stars. The Old Sage provides a knockout combination in their great service (we had such a great server!) and their even better food. The tough thing is, the portions are tiny and the prices are precious. They really need to either adjust portion sizes or pricing, as they way it is now, this place is just too dear to frequent on any sort of a regular basis. But on to the food. We split everything and left feeling like we'd perhaps had an appetizer and were now ready for dinner. Anyway, here's what we ordered: torchon of foie gras (pine, matsutake, pear, pine nut & pumpernickel, $19), Coho salmon (seaweed, celery, celery root & black sesame, $19), butter flake bread (cultured butter, $9), and roasted and raw gourds (mint, yogurt & calabrian chile, $12). We received the butter flake bread first. It was the size of a small dinner roll, and while it tasted really good, we could have easily eaten a basket full of these things. The gourds came next. Beautiful presentation, and a nice salad with a kick of heat thrown in periodically. Good, but didn't wow us. The foie gras arrived next. The foie itself was a cube about an inch square. No, I am not kidding. It was tiny. We dutifully split it and while the amount was minuscule, it was the best thing I have tasted in a long, long time. Like the best, most velvety and buttery meat butter ever. Ever. There definitely wasn't enough of it. The salmon was last and had the texture of a sous-vide preparation. Nicely smoky and very tender. Overall, love The Old Sage for their service and food. But like I mentioned, their portions and prices are really out of whack.

    (3)

  • Stephen P.

    I felt it was necessary to write a review after reading some poor reviews by other yelpers. First off I'm a chef here in the Seattle area and I've been a big fan of the work McCracken and Tough have done at Spur. The food is well thought out and inventive, I really enjoyed the Head of Pig what seemed to be a Porcetta di Testa and the smoked Amberjack. It didn't quite reach five star status I don't think the salt granita worked very well with the frozen Chocolate Mousse and we had the Leg of Lamb special and the lamb itself was a little dry almost like it had been sous vide at too high a temp or over braised it could have benefited from a curing brine and a lower sous vide temp. I'll definitely come back and would recommend Old Sage as a great option for a casual dinner with some very interesting food.

    (4)

  • Marie D.

    Checked out the place during a friend's birthday celebration at night so we only had the drinks which were decent. The ambiance is exactly what you would expect for its name. Dim, cozy, tons of seating and had the smell of sage. It's not really a club. Not sure if it was because of the birthday celebration but they were playing some old school jams. High traffic area from other bars/lounges so parking can get a little tricky but you can definitely find free street parking if you're patient.

    (3)

  • Erin M.

    Don't waste you're money. The food was a gross, or at least that's what my friends said. The food I ordered never came. The waitress also didn't bring other things people asked for and couldn't answer simple questions about the menu. The drinks are weak and overpriced. I should have known it would be a bad experience since the place was empty on a Saturday night.

    (1)

  • veronica c.

    Oh, the Old Sage. You're new, and your food is fantastic, but your service issues need fixing - stat. Made a 7:30 reservation online, and called an hour beforehand to bump it up to 8. The young man who answered the phone sounded a bit scatterbrained but said it wouldn't be a problem. I asked if he needed my information, and he said the computer pulled it up from the phone number, and then - literally - hung up on me. Ohhhhh-kay. When we got there, we were greeted by what I could only presume was a server. He said he needed a minute - even though there were several open tables. He then went over to commiserate with another group of servers and a hostess / manager type. A few minutes pass, and a second server type comes over and asks if we need help. Finally the first guy comes over and very awkwardly guides us to a table to sit. Drinks were solid and our server attentive. He provided good descriptive details on some of the menu items and made some great recommendations. We ordered four dishes: the quinoa and beet salad, the malted emmer, the coho salmon, and the short ribs. A little pricey, but we were willing to spend. Here's the issue: the food came out in *reverse* order. First the salmon came out. Then, a few minutes later, the short ribs. A few more minutes pass and the salad appears. And finally the emmer. Don't get me wrong: the food was excellent (the smoked flavor on the malted emmer was a little overwhelming, but forgivable.) What I find unfortunate is when you're spending $130 for two people to eat a nice meal at a place that has fabulous food, you shouldn't be getting your main courses 10 minutes *before* a salad appears. It was so odd that I almost called a manager over. We were very disappointed. All that aside, I know that this place is only a few weeks old. I'll give it another go-around in a couple months once the kinks are worked out. I can only hope until then that restaurant management sees this and makes the appropriate adjustments.

    (3)

  • Mark J.

    Food is amazing. Well worth the wait. Love it!

    (3)

  • Steve C.

    Stopped here for a taste of whiskey. I love dark places lit by candles and was digging the casual couch seating they had. The bartender was attentive and friendly. Cool that they offer a happy hour. This is probably my favorite place on 12th and want to return to try the food at some point.

    (4)

  • Maggie F.

    This place gets a five-star just for customer service! They were able to help me reserve the lounge area for my birthday, everything went smoothly! My friends and I had a great night with great drinks! It may be a little expensive, but for the atmosphere and quality of drinks and service it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Lindsay H.

    Literally slowest service I've ever seen. Half our party had to leave before dinner arrived 1 1/2 hours later. Front of house was a mess.

    (1)

  • Jason M.

    The service and ambiance were fine - but the prices were overall very steep for what they're offering. I'll try visiting again to get another verdict.

    (3)

  • Jee H.

    This is a decent bar/lounge here in Capitol Hill. Came here after dinner and got a seat at a table. Fairly crowded for a Saturday night. Had to wait a bit in the beginning for our server but when she did come she was friendly and fairly knowledgable about the drinks. Tried some of their mixed drinks and some tried and true classics. Worth swinging by for a drink if you're in the area.

    (3)

  • Kate F.

    I went to The Old Sage last Tuesday with 5 others friends. I ended up leaving with mixed emotions: 1. The Food was AMAZING! Each dish was delicious and very unique. 2. The portions were ridiculously small. I respect a restaurant that serves realistic portions but not so little that I am wanting to swing by Dick's on my way home for a cheeseburger. 3. Because the portions are so tiny I felt that the menu was over priced. The waiter was very upfront about the portion sizes but $26 for 4ounces of black cod seems a little crazy. 4. They have great cocktails, decent wine list and a good variety of beers. However, it takes forever to get a drink. I ordered the Whiskey/Scotch sampler and it took 25 minutes to be delivered (after I had inquired twice if it was still coming). My other friends were already finished with their drinks and ready for the next round by the time mine came. And then I ordered a beer which took another 15-20 minutes. All in all we had a great time and the food was fabulous.but I would only go back if I knew that someone else was buying.

    (3)

  • Paul D.

    Last night was my second visit to The Old Sage. It's owned by the same group that owns Tavern Law and Spur in Belltown. Both times I've been here the place has been empty, and I do not understand why. IT IS FANTASTIC. Admittedly the concept hits me in two sweet spots: Scotch and smoked meats. The Scotch List is the second best I've seen in the city, second only to Canon. They have my favorite single malt from every region. The smoked meats are quite simply superb. Last night I shared the cherry smoked duck wings as a starter. I had the smoked burger, my copmanion had the smoked chicken leg. The duck legs were unbelievably good... one of the best bites I've had anywhere in quite a while. The burger is small compared to some of the other burgers on the hill, but it is unique, juicy, and absolutely delicious. My companion said his chicken leg was merely very good, but that the salad accompanying it was exquisite. We shared the frozen chocolate mousse for dessert, which was rich and smooth, although pairing it with apple butter was puzzling to us both. We each got to try two drams that we'd been curious to try. While the prices per glass are high for some of the more obscure malts, it's still an excellent way to try something you've been curious about - before you shell out for a whole bottle. If you love Scotch, or smoked meats, or both GO TO THIS PLACE AT ONCE. I'm worried that they've been so empty on my two visits. This place needs to stick around - there is literally nothing else like it on the hill, or anywhere in town that I know of.

    (5)

  • Yvonne D.

    I like the atmosphere in here! the music is nice and the decor is vey trendy! the drinks were not to my taste however, but the food was delicious! the ham plate with the sauce was very nice! The service was decent.

    (4)

  • Lisa N.

    What a great space! Came here on their official opening night (7.31) expecting a full house, but lucky for me it was full without being too busy. I was pretty surprised to see how much space there was, particularly at the bar which extended along two walls and around a corner to accommodate a lot more seats than most standard bars. The shorter side where I sat allowed you to peek into a bit of the kitchen and watch (and drool) as peoples' orders were finishing up, while the longer adjacent side faces their shelves of whisk(e)ys and featuring their extensive selection of Scotch. Some long tables in the middle are better for groups and a little lounge area off to the side is great for a more casual night, so all of your bases are pretty much covered here. Drinks: I ordered the Foreign Correspondent, a smoky scotch cocktail featuring strawberries and yellow chartreuse to add some vibrance and fruitiness. I've never had anything that was able to accomplish being fruity AND smoky at the same time and greatly appreciated the presence of both flavors in this cocktail. I followed it up with a bartender's choice made with Glenfiddich 12 which was one of the two featured specials for the night (the other was Monkey Shoulder blended scotch). I asked that my drink be made on the sour side, curious about what the outcome would be, and the bartender totally nailed the flavor I didn't even know I wanted with lemon and Demerara. Needless to say I enjoyed it immensely. I also got to try a sip of Elizabeth L's Perfect Gentlemen, which wowed me despite being made with things that I don't typically enjoy (it's like a vieux carre, but made with gin) and her bartender's choice which ended up being the Monkey Shoulder cocktail we both wanted to try (essentially a clover club with scotch instead of gin). All of our drinks were well made and delicious, although the prices were high even for a McCracken Tough joint ($12-16 cocktails). Food: The food menu was also pretty expensive, with puffed bread being offered for $9 and the short rib going for $24. Portions are on the smaller side and the set-up is more bar-like than restaurant-like, so the prices seem a little outrageous, but the food is definitely delicious. Hopefully a happy hour of sorts is next on their agenda. We ordered the short rib to share and it was tender and smokey, served over whipped carrots and crunchy sweet potato. I watched in envy as orders of salmon and amberjack passed me and vow to try those both next. Overall: The ambiance is great, the drinks wonderful, the bartenders friendly, and your company (hopefully) delightful. Come expecting to spend a little more money, but know that you'll have a great experience. And tip your bartenders.

    (4)

  • Wilson C.

    this has to be one of the biggest disappointments i've had in a long time. i would have given it one star, but the inside of the restaurant actually had a nice vibe. cons: SMALL portions, i mean really small - you'll need to order a lot or eat a second dinner afterwards price - for what you get, it's WAY overpriced wait service, nice people, we had a nice waiter, but the service was slow and inconsistent pros: ambiance, they did a nice job inside food - was well prepared and tasted good (wish it was more than four bites) that said, will not be going back there again

    (2)

  • Brian P.

    Went here just for HH drinks. Solid selection of craft beers and looks like the craft cocktails would be worth trying. Cool atmosphere and attentive service.

    (4)

  • Kim V.

    Went here with friends for some drinks. Drinks were good and staff were friendly. I'm a fan of the place because the bartenders were nice/accommodating and Ithe ambience/decor of the place is something different. The food menu looked great, so I'm ready to go back and try a few items!

    (4)

  • Michael G.

    "we are at capacity" is the reason we got turned away. 2 minutes later a large table opened up. Sorry thought you were a business... Would never go back

    (1)

  • Yiling W.

    Tiny portions, expensive, and consistently delicious! Ate family-style with some friends and even the dishes I thought might be a little less tasty based on my food preferences were great. This place is worth a splurge every rare once in a while. They also mix some good (also expensive) cocktails. My favorite was the salmon, one friend loved the pot roast carrots best, another the lavender pork cheek, even the ham was sliced so thin and delicious with a green mustard. Service was entertainingly straight faced, but also excellent. The only thing we passed on was dessert, since it was all cold stuff, and I'd been hoping for something warm and chocolatey.

    (4)

  • Courtnee P.

    Gorgeous atmosphere, but seating was a little odd. Friendly service. Tasty, well presented, incredibly overpriced meat. Awesome mustard that we didn't get enough of. I paid approximately $7.50 for hot air in my hollow bread (which was $8). Awesome drinks. Can't give this place much business, because the value just isn't there.

    (2)

  • Holland H.

    If you like scotch, this is the place; phenomenal whiskey selection. The food was exquisitely prepared, the service courteous and friendly, with nice ambiance and decor. Don't expect overwhelming proportions, but overall very satisfied.

    (4)

  • Kamran M.

    This place is terrible for food. Small portions and very expensive. I do not recommend it. I didn't try the drinks but as far as I can tell this place only has the decor going for it. Disappointed.

    (1)

  • Michael M.

    I agree with many of the post. The food was good as was the service, but overall, underwhelmed and over priced! The drink list is extensive, however, limited menu...this is not a restaurant. Max was our server and was very pleasant. The atmosphere was nice, although i didn't really understand it in connection with the food and drink. Might go back for a drink, but will eat elsewhere.

    (1)

  • Sasha A.

    After turning up at Bar Sajor in Pioneer Square only to be told we would have to wait 3 hours for a table, it occurred to my party of three to check out The Old Sage on its second night of operation. Oh I am so glad that we did! It was full but not packed, with a demure classy air to it. The waitstaff, as others have mentioned, are diffident but become chattier when asked and display a good knowledge of the food and drink they are serving. Before you jump in, you have to know that you are going to spend a chunk of change. This is an experience, not a weeknight just-need-somewhere-to-eat dinner for most income brackets. You're going to want to buy a meat dish AND a vegetable dish, plus several cocktails. So, once you've decided to spend, sit back and enjoy because everything is amazing. We ordered 3 meat dishes and 3 vegetable dishes for three people, which was enough, but just barely. Of those, the standouts were the pork cheeks (fall off the fork tender), malted emmer (sweet and smokey), and pickled vegetables (pickled 3 delicious ways!). The drinks were also wonderfully crafted and the server picked out an excellent scotch to match my tastes. The Old Sage doesn't get a full 5 stars for two reasons. The first is simple - NO COFFEE. ugh. There's nothing I like better than a cup of drip after a rich meal and I'd rather not have to change location and disrupt conversation to get it. The second is dessert. They offer only ice creams and sorbets, which were rather plain sounding and we passed. I look forward to coming again in a few months to see how things are progressing.

    (4)

  • Sandy C.

    The look and feel are great. The staff was wonderful. The whisky selection is impressive. But the food is simply o.k. and the prices are absolutely outrageous. The owners need to read the smart reviews here. They need to review their menu and price points and make some changes. The portions are fine for HALF the price, and they cocktails are overpriced by $3 each.

    (2)

  • Russell P.

    The whiskey collection is excellent, but the service is slow and sloppy. Pours are a little light, and the food is overpriced. Given the number of great options in the area, I am unlikely to return.

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Late Night
    Parking : Garage, Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Trendy
    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 : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

The Old Sage

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