First, let me get you to this shiny block on a gritty end of 2nd Avenue.  Walk down 2nd Avenue heading North (you know, towards the Space Needle).. eventually you’ll find yourself between Bell and Battery Streets.     Lots to choose from and lots of good food.

From downtown, you’ll hit Wasabi Bistro first…. has a nice outdoor patio, but can’t guarantee you won’t get begged upon.     Modern Japanese is what they call it.  I say sushi & sake.

Wasabi Restaurant, Seattle

Next is Kushibar…. another outdoor patio but this one is somewhat protected from the street “peeps”.   Japanese street food on the menu.

One more door down is the Tavolata … one word… yum.    Italian wines and housemade pasta.

Tavolata Restaurant, Seattle

Buckley’s is at the end of the block with it’s fancy pub food and tv sports action found inside.

Then finally as you cross Battery – you’ll see Shiro’s, which many say is the best sushi in town… Master Chef Shiro resides here, trained in Tokyo on Ginza.   Seattle can thank Shiro for it’s first sushi restaurant back when he started up Nikkos in the late 60’s.     If you’re a sushi lovER.. this is your place.

Popularity: 8% [?]

If you’re coming to Seattle this summer you should know that since it’s the best weather of the year, EVERYONE coming to Seattle chooses summer.    The weather is like San Diego and the scenery is like San Francisco.    

In summer, hotels shoot up their prices like OPEC during conflict and so for this post – a SMART hotel choice:  The Ace Hotel.    I describe it to my friends as a grown up hostel – modern, fun, progressive and design focused AND inexpensive.     Maybe $99 for a room without a private bath.. and then $195 for a room with a private bath.   If you’re young (minded) take the $99 option if it’s available… although the room is without a bathroom, the PRIVATE shared bathrooms are usually just outside your door and are clean nice and have great bath products.      

The Belltown location is great if you’re into restaurants, bars, clubs and shopping (Kuhlman is attached!)….. it can get loud at night on the weekends from the neighborhood messiness (of the fratboy persuasion)… so you may as well just go out and join them.    Oh yeah – it’s also a quick walk to the SAM Olympic Sculpture Park, the Pike Place Market and it’s adjacent to the downtown core.

Popularity: 1% [?]

It’s a pretty safe bet any night you’re in Seattle that there will be some smoky Jazz spilling onto 2nd Avenue thru Tula’s doors in Belltown.  Sure, Tula’s might not be pretty and it might not have fancy stems, but it definitely has the talent.  

Combine that with the cool weather creeping through the downtown streets of Seattle and you’ve got yourself some cozy Jazz action.

Popularity: 14% [?]