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PAX Prime 2015 Food and Drink

seventyx7xseventyx7x Registered User regular
edited August 2015 in PAX West
Let's discuss all things food related at PAX Prime!
Where have you eaten in Seattle before? Where have you heard is good and want to try this year?
I know we have a google Doc with places to eat somewhere around here.
Last year I had Lil' Woodies which was a pretty good burger place up the hill with average prices and a small seating area.
I also tried Dick's Burgers in Queen Ann. Very cheap and very good with an retro feel (cash only.)

zerzhul on
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    pogoplaypogoplay Writer/Blogger/Gamer Calgary, AlbertaRegistered User regular
    Personally, I always enjoy Gordon Beirsch (Spelling?) and the Crab Pot. I always make an effort to go to both of these places because the food is epic.

    As for the Google doc and the food thread from last year:

    That Google Doc is here. The thread is here.

    Attended: PAX Prime 2010, PAX Prime 2011, PAX Prime 2012, PAX Prime 2014.
    Attending: PAX Prime 2016
    Twitter @Pogoplay
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    BanjhexBanjhex Washington StateRegistered User regular
    • I like the 5 pointe cafe in Belltown. It is a dive but has some really good food. I love their Cuban.
    • Looking for something nicer then Sitka and Spruce is really good. I think the chef that did the taco bar is not there anymore. But none the less it is still great.
    • For drinks Pie Bar on Capital Hill. They have martinis that taste like pie. They also have pie.
    • Breakfast with a group? Then Beth's cafe has an omelet served on a pizza pan.
    • Zeeks Pizza is pretty good for that pizza fix.
    • Some people like Rockbottom. To me it is a little generic sports bar/restaurant. But if you like that sort of thing then I recommend it.

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    jukkakhanjukkakhan Registered User regular
    If you don't mind braving the Pike Place Market crowds, I just have two words: Piroshky Piroshky.

    PimDtoK.png
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    ddt58ddt58 Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    jukkakhan wrote: »
    If you don't mind braving the Pike Place Market crowds, I just have two words: Piroshky Piroshky.

    I don't mean to quibble, but that's not two words. It's one word twice.

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    FloruFloru Registered User new member
    edited May 2015
    Here is the link to last year's food topic with the doc contained within.

    Always tasty selections there!

    By the way, has anyone been to to Sutra Restaurant before? I want to take my mom out to celebrate her first year of retirement and she is 100% vegetarian.

    Floru on
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    jamsyarbotsjamsyarbots Wilmington, DERegistered User regular
    jukkakhan wrote: »
    If you don't mind braving the Pike Place Market crowds, I just have two words: Piroshky Piroshky.

    I went there twice in 2013 the line was always really long but the wait wasn't. The staff there are pros.
    I was curious if anybody knows of any places nearby that have vegan options. One of my group is vegan and it would suck to make him go eat alone.

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    YoungFreyYoungFrey Registered User regular
    jukkakhan wrote: »
    If you don't mind braving the Pike Place Market crowds, I just have two words: Piroshky Piroshky.

    I went there twice in 2013 the line was always really long but the wait wasn't. The staff there are pros.
    I was curious if anybody knows of any places nearby that have vegan options. One of my group is vegan and it would suck to make him go eat alone.
    I don't, but Yelp does: (Vegan, Vegetarian).
    Only a few of those are fully vegetarian even, but Veggie Grill and In the Bowl seem to be.

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    PerestroikaPerestroika Registered User regular
    I hate to share my secret spot, but Dragonfish is just one block from the convention center and has food and drinks for a steal. Their happy hour is 3-6 and 9-1am.

    It's just me, a block of dirt, and a cavern full of danger.
    PAX Prime Attendee: '10, '12, '13, '14
    Prime 2015 Cosplay: Hilda, Female Sunset City Hero, Squirtle Squad url="http://www.facebook.com/steleus"]X[/url
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    slash5150slash5150 Registered User new member
    Also, this should be said, if you really want to enjoy the food, go before PAX starts or after. If you try to go to some places near the convention center during PAX, you're going to be waiting.

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    YoungFreyYoungFrey Registered User regular
    slash5150 wrote: »
    Also, this should be said, if you really want to enjoy the food, go before PAX starts or after. If you try to go to some places near the convention center during PAX, you're going to be waiting.
    For breakfast places, this does not apply, but the inverse might.

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    MarokazamMarokazam Registered User regular
    Any vegans or vegetarians know of good places for vegan food? I went to 2 places last year but wanted to see if there are other good places.

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    Hoboking006Hoboking006 Registered User regular
    Any good noodle places? Like Pho?

    May PAX be upon you.
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    The_ReflectionThe_Reflection Registered User regular
    Blue Water Taco is a walk in taco shop about two blocks from the convention center that has an amazing calamari burrito.
    Five blocks down pike is a stand called Japan Dogs that has real good hot dogs with weird combinations like yakisoba on a hot dog. Real good.

    those are the two places I always have to hit at least once while at PAX.

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    cursecurse Bellevue, WARegistered User regular
    Any good noodle places? Like Pho?

    Pho Cyclo: Multiple locations: Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Downtown Seattle (Downtown Seattle location only open for lunch Mon - Fri).
    Long Provincial From the people who run Tamarind Tree in the International District. Pho + multiple other options.
    Green Leaf: Locations in the International District, Belltown. Good Pho, but I love the duck noodle soup and the Banh Xeo appetizer.
    Ba Bar: Capitol Hill. Upscale, most expensive, but very good. $11 - $13 for a bowl.

    7lcw1cifdzb4.png
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    cursecurse Bellevue, WARegistered User regular
    YoungFrey wrote: »
    jukkakhan wrote: »
    If you don't mind braving the Pike Place Market crowds, I just have two words: Piroshky Piroshky.

    I went there twice in 2013 the line was always really long but the wait wasn't. The staff there are pros.
    I was curious if anybody knows of any places nearby that have vegan options. One of my group is vegan and it would suck to make him go eat alone.
    I don't, but Yelp does: (Vegan, Vegetarian).
    Only a few of those are fully vegetarian even, but Veggie Grill and In the Bowl seem to be.

    Veggie Grill is a little "chain-y" but still good. I'm not vegan / vegetarian but I like going there.

    Wild Ginger has a vegan menu. More upscale Asian, but a lot of good options.
    Portage Bay Cafe in South Lake Union has vegan options for breakfast.

    Many of the restaurants in the area are pretty accommodating for vegan / vegetarian eating. Tom Douglas spots will work to come up with vegan options (they had a series on their blog about going vegan at the various restaurants). Loulay has been helpful in making vegan dishes for those in our group as well.

    7lcw1cifdzb4.png
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    KeroanKeroan Chicago, IllinoisRegistered User regular
    I will mention that the Hurricane Cafe is closed now

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    itzzzdaeitzzzdae So. Cali.Registered User regular
    Every year I attend PAX I go to SweetIron once or twice.

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    SolelronSolelron Wandering Gamer Cornelius, ORRegistered User regular
    If you like crepes and the place by the convention center is packed, there is another decent place down near the Camlin and the olive 8.

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    adias.angeladias.angel Tech-Savvy Wife Kalamazoo, MIRegistered User regular
    edited May 2015
    The food is one of my fav parts of PAX.

    Breakfast:
    • Crumpet Shop (Pikes Market)
    • La Paneir French Bakery (Pikes Market)

    La Paneir has the most amazing breakfast pastries (and also eclairs) you will ever eat. The crumpet shop is a hearty, real British crumpet. You can get a different savory version with egg/toppings/etc or they do a sweet version with homemade preserves. Also a really amazing cup of tea and coffee.

    Lunch:
    • Juicy Cafe (In WSCC)
    • Mod Pizza (Near WSCC)

    Juicy Cafe in the WSCC has some of the most amazing tasting food and it's overall very healthy. Great options if you eat meat or if you don't. Very quick and has a changing menu each day. Mod Pizza is quick, not to expensive and is fairly good (for thin crust pizza).

    Dinner:
      1. Long Provincial Vietnamese (Near Pikes Market)
      2. Palace Kitchen (Near Westin)
      3. Momiji Sushi (North of WSCC)
      4. Mezcaleria Oaxaca (North of WSCC)

      These are out top four dinner places. Pretty much our must goes tos when we come to Seattle. Long Provincial has some of the best Asian food we have had in a long time. Everything we have tried has been amazing. Palace Kitchen is wonderful. If you don't do dinner there at least do dessert. Their food is great but their desserts to die for. Momiji is my fav sushi place. Similar menu to a lot of the local sushi places but the building/atmosphere puts it above the rest for me. Mezcaleria Oaxaca is authentic Mexican food and some of the best we have ever had. You really can't go wrong with any of these four places.

      Somewhere that we thought was a bit over rated was (don't stone me!) Top Pot Doughnuts. We have some really killer mom and pop doughnut places here in Michigan and Top Pot didn't even come close to quality or taste. If all you have are chain doughnut stores then this would be a step up but didn't really meet the hype that we kept hearing.

      adias.angel on
      Prime '12, '13, '14, '15, '19 .. East '12
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      LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
      Somewhere that we thought was a bit over rated was (don't stone me!) Top Pot Doughnuts. We have some really killer mom and pop doughnut places here in Michigan and Top Pot didn't even come close to quality or taste. If all you have are chain doughnut stores then this would be a step up but didn't really meet the hype that we kept hearing.

      I like you more every year. So many better donuts here - if that place put 10% the money into recipe development that they put into marketing, it would be nearly as good as the local Westernco.

      And I'm completely serious here, but if you want good donuts, go either to a fancy sit down restaurant that cooks them to order (like Revel) or go to one of the defunct 80's franchise stores. Seriously - many of the franchise spots like Winchells and Westernco have been purchased by Vietnamese immigrant families who bring their amazing baking traditions to a donut shop. It's not unusual to get the best donuts of your life at one of these places, along with a selection of scrumptious Vietnamese (Asian-French fusion) specialties like custard filled beignets or deep fried rice cookies.

      Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
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      IncreaseBlueIncreaseBlue Registered User regular
      Not quite a request on food, but does anyone have any good bar/pub recommendations? I know that there's a Gameworks in the area but was wondering if anyone knew of anything else that could be interesting to hit up.

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      LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
      Not quite a request on food, but does anyone have any good bar/pub recommendations? I know that there's a Gameworks in the area but was wondering if anyone knew of anything else that could be interesting to hit up.

      There are so many that it's impossible to list them all here. What are you in to? Sports bars? Gaming Bars? Craft Cocktails? Extensive tap lists? Cheap food? Fancy food? Ethnic food? Nightlife scene? Quiet? Rowdy?

      Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
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      IncreaseBlueIncreaseBlue Registered User regular
      Not quite a request on food, but does anyone have any good bar/pub recommendations? I know that there's a Gameworks in the area but was wondering if anyone knew of anything else that could be interesting to hit up.

      There are so many that it's impossible to list them all here. What are you in to? Sports bars? Gaming Bars? Craft Cocktails? Extensive tap lists? Cheap food? Fancy food? Ethnic food? Nightlife scene? Quiet? Rowdy?

      Probably something that's more on the quieter, chill side. Got a couple of beer drinkers in my group (not me, I like whiskey) but everyone agrees on keeping it on the cheap when possible.

      We definitely don't fit well in the club scene lol, which was a bummer during PAX South because we could only find dance clubs instead of regular bars. Gaming bar could work too but I'm just thinking a fairly quiet place to grab some drinks and regale each other with PAX tales.

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      ddt58ddt58 Seattle, WARegistered User regular
      There are many brewpubs with good beer, but if you want quiet you will have to get outside a five or ten block radius of the convention center. I like King Street Bar and Oven in Pioneer Square. Decent, giant calzones also.

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      bacon_avengerbacon_avenger Defender of Pork Products Pacific NW, USARegistered User regular
      edited May 2015
      Every year, my friend and I make at least two stops at The Elephant and Castle pub, conveniently located under the Red Li... errr, Motif.

      EDIT: Hmm, looks like they are renovating right now, so it should be interesting to see what it's like this year.

      bacon_avenger on
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      sanovahsanovah Nerd of the West San Diego, CaliforniaRegistered User regular
      Anyone ever eat at alberonas, milianos, or romeos pizza? I remember trying at least two if not all three during my first PAX and falling in love with one, I think it was Romeos and having it almost nightly with my group, but I can never remember which one.

      So does anyone eat at these three ever or regularly and if so which one did you like best? I'm pretty sure I liked either alberona or romeos so I may just order both one day and see which I like better for my weekend. But if someone can give a good recommendation on any of them might save myself some trouble and money.

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      KeroanKeroan Chicago, IllinoisRegistered User regular
      Every year, my friend and I make at least two stops at The Elephant and Castle pub, conveniently located under the Red Li... errr, Motif.

      EDIT: Hmm, looks like they are renovating right now, so it should be interesting to see what it's like this year.

      We have Elephant and Castle in Chicago as well and I will say their poutine is Canadian approved ;)

      Another really great chain is Specialty's. We have a couple in Chicago and their turkey pesto sandwich makes me cry with joy. Great salads too and you can order ahead online for a specific time and just run in and pick it up, if you're running between panels or need to swing it by your room. It looks like it's only a block from the center!

      They also have warm, fresh cookies and alert you online when they are coming out of the oven. Just sayin'

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      embraceternityembraceternity Seattle, WARegistered User regular
      edited May 2015
      Marokazam wrote: »
      Any vegans or vegetarians know of good places for vegan food? I went to 2 places last year but wanted to see if there are other good places.
      jukkakhan wrote: »
      If you don't mind braving the Pike Place Market crowds, I just have two words: Piroshky Piroshky.

      I went there twice in 2013 the line was always really long but the wait wasn't. The staff there are pros.
      I was curious if anybody knows of any places nearby that have vegan options. One of my group is vegan and it would suck to make him go eat alone.

      Right next to the convention center is a vegetarian restaurant where you can turn any of their dishes into vegan, called Cyber Dogs! http://www.cyber-dogs.com/ One of my friends I went with last year was vegan, and we kept eating there for lunch. It's really good.

      There's also Cafe Yumm, which has vegan and vegetarian dishes as well as non-vegetarian. http://www.cafeyumm.com/7th-Pine

      Here's an entire list of vegan/vegetarian locations in Seattle, if you're interested. Some are closer to the convention center than others.

      embraceternity on
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      ArtereisArtereis Registered User regular
      edited May 2015
      I tried a couple of places last year that I hadn't made it out to yet:

      Brunch at Lola - This was an amazing meal, probably some of the best eggs benedict I've had in a while. They also have some small fresh donuts that you can get with a plum sauce and I think mascarpone for dipping. I'm going back this year for sure.

      Dinner at Miller's Guild - This is a pricey restaurant, but I love the interior with the giant hearth. The food was pretty good but didn't blow me away. I haven't decided if I'm going to return this year or not.

      As far as old favorites go, my wife and I hit up Specialty's for lunch nearly every day. The sandwiches are all fantastic and the wheat germ chocolate chip cookies can't be beat.

      We also make sure to hit up Le Pichet because it's just really good country French cooking.

      If you're a foody and you can afford something other than Subway every day, definitely get out away from the WSCC for some meals. Seattle is such a great restaurant scene and is one of the primary reasons why I prefer Prime to the other PAX venues.

      Artereis on
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      adias.angeladias.angel Tech-Savvy Wife Kalamazoo, MIRegistered User regular
      edited May 2015
      Somewhere that we thought was a bit over rated was (don't stone me!) Top Pot Doughnuts. We have some really killer mom and pop doughnut places here in Michigan and Top Pot didn't even come close to quality or taste. If all you have are chain doughnut stores then this would be a step up but didn't really meet the hype that we kept hearing.

      I like you more every year. So many better donuts here - if that place put 10% the money into recipe development that they put into marketing, it would be nearly as good as the local Westernco.

      And I'm completely serious here, but if you want good donuts, go either to a fancy sit down restaurant that cooks them to order (like Revel) or go to one of the defunct 80's franchise stores. Seriously - many of the franchise spots like Winchells and Westernco have been purchased by Vietnamese immigrant families who bring their amazing baking traditions to a donut shop. It's not unusual to get the best donuts of your life at one of these places, along with a selection of scrumptious Vietnamese (Asian-French fusion) specialties like custard filled beignets or deep fried rice cookies.

      Can you recommend a Vietnamese bakery near the WSCC? I just googled Westernco and it said permanently closed. :(

      adias.angel on
      Prime '12, '13, '14, '15, '19 .. East '12
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      fueledbyginfueledbygin Registered User regular
      edited May 2015
      Based off my first time to PAX last year (and first time to Seattle in over a decade), some highlights:

      Really enjoyed the sushi nearby at Japonessa; basically, sushi latin fusion-light on the latin.

      If you're up for a slightly longer than short walk (4/5th of a mile), Portage Bay Cafe is pretty good for breakfast. I generally roll my eyes at buzzwords like "local, organic, sustainable", but I genuinely enjoyed their food and wasn't snarky at all while we ate there.

      We also went for breakfast (well, it was like 3 am on a very late day...) at Beth's, which appeared to be a prominent spot on many PAXers' eating lists based off the sheer number of people in cosplay that were there + the number of nerdy subjects people had done drawings of and plastered on the walls.

      There's a gazillion breweries/pubs and we did a lot of drinking, but the cream ale at Hale's Brewery was something that really stood out as something I wished I could get back home.

      Also, I became a fan of those Seattle dogs (hotdog + cream cheese) I'd pick up from random food carts to munch on at nights when we'd be walking from point A to Z.

      fueledbygin on
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      LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
      Somewhere that we thought was a bit over rated was (don't stone me!) Top Pot Doughnuts. We have some really killer mom and pop doughnut places here in Michigan and Top Pot didn't even come close to quality or taste. If all you have are chain doughnut stores then this would be a step up but didn't really meet the hype that we kept hearing.

      I like you more every year. So many better donuts here - if that place put 10% the money into recipe development that they put into marketing, it would be nearly as good as the local Westernco.

      And I'm completely serious here, but if you want good donuts, go either to a fancy sit down restaurant that cooks them to order (like Revel) or go to one of the defunct 80's franchise stores. Seriously - many of the franchise spots like Winchells and Westernco have been purchased by Vietnamese immigrant families who bring their amazing baking traditions to a donut shop. It's not unusual to get the best donuts of your life at one of these places, along with a selection of scrumptious Vietnamese (Asian-French fusion) specialties like custard filled beignets or deep fried rice cookies.

      Can you recommend a Vietnamese bakery near the WSCC? I just googled Westernco and it said permanently closed. :(

      I know there are some down in the ID, on Boren & Jackson, but don't know of any downtown if the Westernco is closed. Maybe Cap Hill?

      Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
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      LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
      edited May 2015
      Not quite a request on food, but does anyone have any good bar/pub recommendations? I know that there's a Gameworks in the area but was wondering if anyone knew of anything else that could be interesting to hit up.

      There are so many that it's impossible to list them all here. What are you in to? Sports bars? Gaming Bars? Craft Cocktails? Extensive tap lists? Cheap food? Fancy food? Ethnic food? Nightlife scene? Quiet? Rowdy?

      Probably something that's more on the quieter, chill side. Got a couple of beer drinkers in my group (not me, I like whiskey) but everyone agrees on keeping it on the cheap when possible.

      We definitely don't fit well in the club scene lol, which was a bummer during PAX South because we could only find dance clubs instead of regular bars. Gaming bar could work too but I'm just thinking a fairly quiet place to grab some drinks and regale each other with PAX tales.

      So this may be a little hipper than you're looking for, but it's quiet and chill and has a solid, affordable selection of beers and whiskeys. http://seattlealibi.com/...
      Otherwise, the Athenian is always a good standby. A little touristy but still a local favorite. http://www.athenianinn.com/

      LexiconGrrl on
      Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
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      FenrisfangFenrisfang Edmonton, AB, CanadaRegistered User regular
      All I can say is that I can't wait to have my first crepe! So delish, and yet I can't remember the name of the place right outside the convention. Anyone?

      PAX Tickets: check!
      Hotel Booked: check!
      Sitter for the kids: check!
      Excitement level rising: check, check and triple check!
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      IncreaseBlueIncreaseBlue Registered User regular
      edited May 2015

      So this may be a little hipper than you're looking for, but it's quiet and chill and has a solid, affordable selection of beers and whiskeys. http://seattlealibi.com/...
      Otherwise, the Athenian is always a good standby. A little touristy but still a local favorite. http://www.athenianinn.com/

      Awesome! Thanks so much for the suggestions, we'll definitely be hitting some of these places up!

      IncreaseBlue on
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      adias.angeladias.angel Tech-Savvy Wife Kalamazoo, MIRegistered User regular
      Fenrisfang wrote: »
      All I can say is that I can't wait to have my first crepe! So delish, and yet I can't remember the name of the place right outside the convention. Anyone?

      Wasn't it called la creperie or something like that?

      Prime '12, '13, '14, '15, '19 .. East '12
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      YoungFreyYoungFrey Registered User regular
      Fenrisfang wrote: »
      All I can say is that I can't wait to have my first crepe! So delish, and yet I can't remember the name of the place right outside the convention. Anyone?

      Wasn't it called la creperie or something like that?
      La Creoerie Viola

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      AlazullAlazull Your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.Registered User regular
      jukkakhan wrote: »
      If you don't mind braving the Pike Place Market crowds, I just have two words: Piroshky Piroshky.

      You can order your piroshkys in advance online and just pick them up.

      And if you order $20 or more you get a free tote bag.

      User name Alazull on Steam, PSN, Nintenders, Epic, etc.
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      AlazullAlazull Your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.Registered User regular

      So this may be a little hipper than you're looking for, but it's quiet and chill and has a solid, affordable selection of beers and whiskeys. http://seattlealibi.com/...
      Otherwise, the Athenian is always a good standby. A little touristy but still a local favorite. http://www.athenianinn.com/

      Awesome! Thanks so much for the suggestions, we'll definitely be hitting some of these places up!

      Also try my favorite bar to wind up in at the end of the night, St. John's. Nerd friendly, and no matter how busy it is it's pretty tiny. Good beer selection, and a nice line up of whiskeys as well to help you out. I cannot sing this bar's praises enough, you'd be remiss not to give it a visit.

      User name Alazull on Steam, PSN, Nintenders, Epic, etc.
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      YoungFreyYoungFrey Registered User regular
      Alazull wrote: »
      jukkakhan wrote: »
      If you don't mind braving the Pike Place Market crowds, I just have two words: Piroshky Piroshky.

      You can order your piroshkys in advance online and just pick them up.

      And if you order $20 or more you get a free tote bag.

      There is a Piroshky on 3rd now too. I've not been, but even though it further from the convention center, I bet the line is a shorter.

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