Food & Drink
Remembering the Carousel Room: Seattle’s First Hotel Cocktail Lounge
The "martini store," as regulars call it, is still cranking out cocktails.
By Tim Appelo May 24, 2017
This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
When the Mayflower Park Hotel opened in 1927, the Seattle Daily Times raved, “Seattle Obtains Large Structure to House Guests!” The 12-story, Renaissance-style gem with stained-glass windows gave Seattle visitors an elegant home, and when liquor by the drink was legalized in 1949, it gave locals and visitors a playful place to hoist a glass. The hotel’s Carousel Room became the city’s first hotel cocktail lounge, with merry-go-round horses hung from the ceiling. There were no windows, due to moralistic “blue laws” that forbade windows in bars, lest passersby glimpse sinful drinking. When blue laws ended in 1976, Birney and Marie Dempcy—who bought the hotel in 1973—restored it and turned The Carousel Room into Oliver’s Lounge, Seattle’s first bar with windows. Known for its martinis, Oliver’s has won Seattle’s Best Martini Challenge so many times (seven) that some regulars simply call it “the martini store.” Mayflower Park Hotel, downtown, 405 Olive Way; 206.623.8700; mayflowerpark.com
Follow Us
Where To Find ‘Authentic’ Mexican Food in Seattle
A primer ahead of Cinco de Mayo
With Cinco de Mayo upon us May 5, thoughts turn to Mexican cuisine. What is “authentic” Mexican cuisine, anyways? Gino Garcia, who grew up California’s Central Valley and traces his family roots to Mexico going back more than a century, says it’s a futile exercise to search for “real” Mexican cuisine in Seattle. “I don’t bother much with authenticity,” says Garcia, who is…
Seattle Restaurant Roundup: Tourists, Canadians, Hot Honey, and Cider
Remember when hot honey burst onto the dining scene last year? You’d find it drizzled on pizza, slathered on fried chicken, even as a dipping option for cornbread. But if the temperature has turned down a bit for you on this trendy condiment, let Queen Bee’s Hot Honey — made and served up with Caribbean…
Restaurant Roundup: Take a Bite of the Latest Seattle Food News
Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City
Seattle is a special place to eat — you know it, we know it — so it’s not exactly a surprise when local culinary talent makes the headlines. Nevertheless, it’s always worth throwing a little more shine to the spotlight — take a peek to find out which star gained some national acclaim this week,…
Counter Culture: Time Out Greek & American Restaurant
Cozy Mountlake Terrace gem delivers every time
Time Out Greek & American Restaurant, a hidden gem in Mountlake Terrace, has been serving up delicious comfort food since 2004. Founded by Emmanuel and Georgia Flemetakis, this family-owned restaurant is now run by the next generation of the Flemetakis family. The menu is packed with classic Greek comfort food, offering everything from gyros and…