Let’s skip the keg and get straight to the beer. The city’s first tank bar will soon open in the Pioneer Square neighborhood.

The project is spearheaded by James Beard award-winning chef Renee Erickson’s Eat Sea Creatures restaurant company and RailSpur Seattle, an ambitious redevelopment of three historic brick-and-timber warehouse buildings by developer Urban Villages.

Tank bars are popular in Europe, especially in the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. They serve beer directly from large storage tanks instead of traditional kegs, so the beer is fresher. Tank bars also enhance flavor by reducing the need for additional carbon dioxide for dispensing. 

Fayetteville Beer Works in East Fayetteville, Ark., features five of its seven tank-to-glass systems, making it one of the few tank bars in the United States.

Photo by Khara O'Connell

Lowlander Brewing will operate the tank bar in the former site of iconic sports bar FX McRory’s on Occidental Avenue. Slated for an early 2025 opening, the venue will feature two culinary options in addition to the new craft brewery: Un Po Tipsy Pizzeria will offer quick, artisanal pizza for those seeking a casual meal, and a new European-inspired eatery that will provide an upscale menu.

RailSpur, named after the railways that once traversed the area, is a new micro-district in Pioneer Square that focuses on preservation, sustainability, and community innovation. 

This fall, Hotel Westland will open in the district as the nation’s second carbon-positive hotel, featuring 120 guest rooms, a restaurant, and Pioneer Square’s first rooftop bar.