Usually a "first stop" place for my friends and I who are starting the night off chill. You have to get here relatively early or else you'll be stuck in a long line outside the door. No cover which is great. It's pretty crowded inside with limited seating. Small bar, so waiting for that is kind of a pain.
Service is great even on busy Friday/Saturday nights, food is pretty good (love the artichoke and spinach dip with crostinis), and the drinks are alright.
The butterfly room looks awesome, but it's usually closed off for private parties the times I've walked by it.
There's another bar upstairs at the dance floor where you have to pay a $5 cover to get up there, and it's a freakin steamroom! With heat rising, sweaty bodies dancing, and little (basically no) ventilation, it's a little hard to breathe. The music varies, so I get a little confused when I'm shaking my booty to a rap song and then it suddenly switches to an 80s rock and roll hit.
I always tend to come back here since it's in the heart of Cap Hill, but I'm sure there are better bars/restaurants on Cap Hill that I have yet to experience.
The experience at Grim's has been getting better, slowly but surely. Â The first time my friends and I went here, we almost had to beg for our bill because they were so understaffed that they couldn't get anything done in any amount of time someone would consider "reasonable."
Their drink selection is not bad, and I remember that they had a pretty decent selection of scotch and whiskey.
One thing worth mentioning (and I'm not sure whether to consider this a pro or con at this point) as that Grim's is a three level complex - each being its own world. Â The first floor is the standard bar, where friends can actually have a conversation. Â The second floor is a private room, I think? Â I gathered that when the bouncer who seemed to be overdosed on adrenaline and tight shirts tried to stop me from getting in the door, even though I was actually headed to the third floor. Â Ass. Â The third floor might as well be somewhere in Pioneer Square, as it turns into this nutz dance floor that is packed wall to wall. Â It wasn't a horrible experience, but not necessarily something I was looking for.
All in all, Grim's is a place that has something for almost every crowd. Â Worth checking out.
I have only been here a few times, but its always good. I like personal getting there early for happy hour, before ti crowded. Â I love the crunches that you can get to eat. I recommend the hummus, and grille onions.
Lots of great drinks and beer on tap. I love that everything in served in mason jars. If you get a chance try an sneak a peak in the butterfly room upstairs. Its so cool! I would love to rent it out sometimes for a private event.
I have been to Grims a few different times. Generally speaking their drinks are ok and the ambiance is not bad. The reason I am giving Grims one star is because of the total epic failure in service. Â I ordered a meal I didn't like, it wasn't cooked well and after two bites I asked the waiter if I could send this back and maybe swap it out for something else. The waiter, hesitated then said I could order something else but basically I would be paying for whatever I ordered and the item I didn't eat. I decided to pass, where I was then charged for the meal I returned uneaten. This has never happened to me before and I was not only disapointed because the serivce was shitty, my meal was shiity, but then I paid for a meal I didn't eat or even like. I don't know if this was the general policy of the resturant or if the waiter was just a hipster jerk with high waters on. My advice make sure you order something basic that you will enjoy or you'll leave with less money, an empty stomach, and a bitter taste in your mouth.
Review Source:There is a line to get in here. Not sure why. The bouncers are cool. I would opt to stay downstairs in the lounge and avoid the 5 dollar cover to go upstairs. It's hot up there with only 1 fan and 2 windows open. Feels like a steam room. It's to crowded. The bartenders are over worked. The sound system and DJs are good. Drink prices are normal about 5 dollars. I would go elsewhere though.
Review Source:Went here for the first time last a few weekends ago and can't stop thinking about the strata that I had... Â to die for! Â Also, our server was engaging and genuine, calling our drinks, "happiness in a glass" and making great conversation without intruding. Â It was a mellow brunch location and we will definitely return for more!
Review Source:Grabbed drinks here with friends a few weeks ago and enjoyed it! Large space, industrial style decor, different seating arrangements. Not necessarily a fancy place, but a good spot to stop by for a quick, strong drink or some food. We didn't try any food but the menu looked good. There's also a lounge/dance club upstairs that we didn't visit.
Review Source:I didn't like this place, to be frank. It seemed really uppity to me, then again I'm a university student and there were a bunch of people in their late twenties and early thirties who looked like they tried really hard with their outfits and were drinking cosmos and wine. Okay, I'm being mean. I'll stop. We came here to check out the butterfly lounge but there was a fairly hefty cover charge so we said screw that and wandered to one of the many other bars in Capitol Hill.
Oh, also, if you don't have a horizontal ID they might not let you in. This is completely understandable, however, what's the point of that if the bouncer doesn't even follow the rule? He was an ass about my boyfriend's vertical ID (I know, he really needs to get a horizontal one), but then when I went inside to tell my friends who had already went in that we had to leave, the bouncer was like, 'Just this once.' and let him in. That was sort of nice? But also pretty weird because he was acting all douche-y about it before. Also, it's possible that he allowed it because there were a lot of us and we were basically money walking out of the door.
The decor is pretty nice. It just seemed snobby and expensive. Maybe I'd come back here to eat food earlier in the day, but I do not recommend it to bar hop.
Visited Grim's with a gilt city deal (I think... may have been amazon or bloomspot) on a Tuesday evening with a friend. The deal was $40 worth of food for $20. The menu is pretty limited here for food, with lots of options for drinks. Think comfort food that is done a little on the fancy side. Grilled cheeses of many varieties haha. Drinks first... hard cider and moscow mule.
This restaurant is neat... feels old school. It screams hipster though. Lots of long tables for large parties, with small, low, round tables for smaller groups. I found the small tables super awkward, but I am six feet tall... too low for me.
On to food: I went with the spicy albacore tuna melt with a salad at the server's recommendation, while my friend went with the grilled cheese #1: Tomato, Basil, Prosciutto and Gruyere Cheese plus tomato soup for an added charge. For apps we decided on the prosciutto crostini and artichoke dip.
Food arrived fairly quickly. Apps were okay but mostly went uneaten... so not really impressive. Liked my tuna melt but it was not really spicy as advertised. Grilled cheese was well received. Drinks were good, but serving sizes on them are pretty small. Since I had the deal, my total was only about $5 for the tip. $25 (deal price and tip) is great for all of the above, but I wouldn't be happy if I had paid full price.
I think the layout of the place is great having three floors with bar, lounge area, and dance club up top, so you can start off in more a quiet area to drink and talk before deciding to go to the dance section. Â I was not in love with the music choice at the dancing section, but that could have been just the particular night I was there (Friday night).
Review Source:I am too old to do anymore bar hopping so when I do get invited for a chance to visit the Capital Hill bar scene, I don't mind giving it a go once in awhile. Grim's is more of a restaurant / bar than a nightclub for dancing even though music is played throughout the establishment. When our group reserved The Butterfly Lounge upstairs for a party it wasn't very large to accommodate all the people and seating was tight. I liked the fact that we had our own privacy as a group even though it wasn't an exclusive room just to ourselves as other people can just walk in or out if they choose. It was good though that we had our own bartender to fill all the drink needs instead of going downstairs to the main lower level. What made it even better was the bartender gave me a discount on my drink I ordered since it wasn't available when I first got there and he remembered me!
I didn't have a chance to try any of their food, but from what I saw what others were eating it looked pretty decent. The staff was quick in bringing people their food once it was ordered and they were very busy filing all the orders. Good place to have a drink and to have a good time socializing.
Prices are decent, but my expectations end up higher than what is delivered. We had the pork belly that people have raved about. The portion size is fantastic for the price, but it was really bland. The Grilled Cheese No. 3 was about the same. I didn't taste much truffle flavor, and leeks and havarti on their own are pretty plain.
Haven't tried going upstairs, but at this point I'm more inclined to go to Tavern Law instead.
Went to Grims the past couple Thursdays for beer and making an ass out of ourselves dancing.
The environment was upbeat, plenty of female influence, they have a smaller but good selection of bottled beer though they did not have red stripe (the only bummer)
ill be here again in the near future!
I've been waiting a long time to write a proper review for Grim's, because in my bar-going experience this place truly stands out as one of the greats; even amongst the other strong contenders in Capitol Hill.
My second weekend ever living in the city, I came to Grim's for dinner early on a rainy winter evening because we had heard how good their grilled cheese sandwiches were. They did not disappoint! We had finished our sandwiches and a couple of drinks, when we noticed they were just opening an upstairs area. All of us were in "explore" mode so we decided to scope out the upstairs, otherwise known as The Butterfly Lounge. Little did I know I would be hosting my birthday party there just eight months later. The walls in this lounge are lined with butterflies set in backlit mason jars perched on inset alcoves, the walls and floor are black, and the ceiling is a golden tin stamped with an intriguing pattern. It's laid out long and narrow, with reclaimed pillows and tables lining the walls.
At the other end of the benches is the bar, where Caleb makes the BEST drinks. Seriously. Best. Bartender. EVER. He has lined the walls of his bar (he is the only bartender that works the lounge, it's only open Thursday - Saturday nights) with all kinds of crazy bitters. He makes great drinks like a Blood & Sand or a Moscow Mule, but he is the kind of bartender who loves a challenge. Tell him what you like in a drink (a type of booze, a flavor profile, a fruit, etc), and he will make you something that is one-of-a-kind and truly exceptional. I brag about his skills to all of my friends until they finally come with me to visit the lounge, and every single one has sang his praises back to me. I get kinda smug about it, because I know he rocks!
My birthday party (about 60 guests) went off without a hitch, and I can't imagine a better guy to have behind the bar. One of my most memorable birthdays, no doubt. We had the lounge reserved from 7-10, and we got to play music from my iPod the whole time. The food was incredible, I had the short ribs but tried everything from the chicken to the mac and cheese (benefit of being the birthday boy). Bonus if you rent out the lounge: you and your guests get to go upstairs to The Woods (dance club) for a lump sum of $150! Normally $5/person.
The Woods on my birthday was a great time! Timing was a key factor here, we rented The Butterfly Lounge from 7-10 and The Woods opened at 10, so for a while it was just my friends up on the dance floor... felt like a VIP!
All in all, this place is fantastic and you can truly spend an entire evening under one roof and have three entirely separate but equally awesome experiences. Every time I come to any one of the three venues hosted under the "Grim's" name, it's always great. Strongly recommend!
We stopped here on our way to Poquitos- made fantastic travel time to Seattle from Woodinville. Â We had heard that the old fashioned's were amaze-balls and wanted to grab a HH drink before dinner.
We were parched from a long day of wine tasting and the service was amaze-balls. Â We all got water and a cocktail- all delish and the prices were amaze-balls. Â Such pretty little drinks, and they tasted good.
I again, only had water, but it was delish. Â service was fantastic. Â We were enjoying the beautiful space when a bunch of already drunk (at 6 pm) birthday party gals also came in. Â There looked to be trouble but alas it was cool like a cucumber.
We asked to see the butterfly lounge and he happily showed us upstairs, it was beautiful and if I didn't live in Maple Valley then that is where I want my next Birthday party. Â I don't know if I'm hip enough for a place like that but certainly I appreciated the effort put into the space. Â Katy H's review details the space perfectly. Â I don't go out much these days but it's nice to know that bars/clubs/ etc are stepping up their spaces from dingy to interesting.
Of note: we had dinner reservations at Poquitos and after dinner we walked by and the place was a zoo. Â I would encourage everyone to stop by for HH and enjoy the outside area and the calm beautiful space that they have created.
Cheers!!
If you're looking for some comfort food like a grilled ham & cheese or some meatballs this is the place for it. Â We had a big group so we sat at the table with the round chairs that don't move. Â It's almost like I'm either sitting in prison or in a grade school cafeteria again. Â They sell Hamm's beer in a can so definitely a laid back, chill environment.
There's 3 levels. Â The second is the Butterfly Lounge which I haven't spent much time in. Â When the sun goes down, the third floor opens up for some dancing. Â Love the natural smell of "the Woods". Â Great music, but it can get packed, stuffy and hot! Â Be prepared to sweat because there are no windows for air circulation. Â Don't forget long lines for the bathroom too. Â $5 cover.
Went to Grim's for a birthday on a Friday night and waited in line for about 10 minutes. At 11, the place wasn't incredibly packed. I didn't stay too much downstairs but the space looked promising with the assortment of tables, smaller chairs, and standing counters.
The upstairs also has a bar and dancefloor. The music played throughout the night was a nice mix of stuff, if not a bit dated. The DJ wasn't the greatest and would suddenly change songs. The crowd was interesting. Not sure how I feel about Grims but I'm willing to come back a couple times to give it a chance.
It was cute that the drinks are served in mason jars. Prices are pretty standard but were light on the alcohol.
Pretty great place to go on the weekends, nice crowd, good food and drink, and lively dancefloor upstairs. The only reason it's not getting a 4 or 5 star is because of the bouncer, he's a real dickwad, and the place's strategy of getting people in through the door: the classic "make a fake line and they will come".
Well, it works, for now. People are lined up down the block and they hold everyone out there, whether they're in mini skirts in sideways rain or otherwise, then when you finally get in you realize that the place is half empty and there is no reason at all for a line, other than to try to trick passerby into thinking that the place is packed. I suspect that this tactic won't work forever.
Were it not for the fake line/a-hole bouncer this place would be a 4 or a 5 star nightlife venue on Cap Hill.
We came here for my friends wife's Birthday. This is one of the best places to go as far as Capital Hill is concerned. They have the full bar on the first level and then a dance club on the 2nd level (with a bar of course as well). Both levels are pretty good size areas. You have to get here by 10:30pm or 11:00pm or else you have to deal with a big line. The sad part is the bouncers make you wait when there's plenty of room. I hate when bouncers do that. Then when you get in there's another line to go upstairs to the dance floor. That line didn't move in a half hour so we left. When you do finally go upstairs there's a $5 cover charge.
Review Source:My friend and I went here for the first time today, completely on accident. Â We actually drove to Cap Hill to go to another restaurant, but they were closed. Â Grim's was the closest place open for breakfast, so we gave it a shot. Â
We had eggs benedict and their breakfast plate and both were outstanding!! Â The cook clearly puts extra attention into their cooking. Â Both of these dishes were standard diner fare, so you wouldn't expect a whole lot from them. Â Wrong!! Â The eggs benedict was the best we'd ever had; very buttery!! Â And simple things like their sausage patties were also better than what we've had elsewhere. Â Obviously, Grim's uses top quality ingredients for their menu.
The décor was also really cool.  I'm a sucker for comfy, upholstered furniture, so add that to delicious dishes and I'm won over.  The only thing they could do is replace the just a bit too small tables.  However, we'll adjust;-)  I'd highly recommend Grim's for breakfast.  We'll definitely be back!!
As others have said, go for the pork belly! This is my favorite pork belly. Sweet and savory, wouldn't mind a bigger portion, but it's actually a pretty (un)healthy size. I've been here a bunch specifically for that; I should probably try some other things on the menu. Best to bring a friend so you can try their meal too!
I really like the communal tables and atmosphere. I've been here during the block party and the 2012 election night and it was mondo crowded but I still had a great time. Other nights it's just another restaurant in a cool location with friendly people.
Grim's is great for food! It's such a nice atmosphere to come here. The menu is very inviting and we had a bunch of things from the menu and all were pretty darn good. The wait staff here is attentive and friendly which is what you would expect from any establishment, but it's good to know anyways. We had:
-Porkchop: cooked perfectly and absolutely savory
-Spicy meatball: good balance of flavors, very delicious
-Ribs with pickled cabbage and mashed potatoes: suuuper good
-Bangkok PB&J: this was actually just ok
-Pork Belly with Bok Choy: I would order this time and time again
Overall a great place for a meal, a drink, to hang out, or any mix of the above. The community seating downstairs is a bit entertaining if you like to shoulder surf or listen to other peoples conversations occasionally. I do so it was just dandy.
I had the best pork belly I've ever experienced in my life at Grim's. Seriously. Every bite melted in my mouth. My date, who is not a fan of pork, fought me over the last forkful.
They also have some very interesting (but delicious) sandwiches, like peanut butter cucumber. The seating, as mentioned in other reviews, is uncomfortable especially if you have a bony butt. But that's all I can complain about.
Go for the pork belly. Oh lord, the pork belly....
I like Grim's a lot. They really have it all going for them.
It's fun as a bar at night and the Woods is a fun place for dancing! They also serve some tasty food!
I went recently for brunch and was pleasantly surprised! The Bloody Mary was excellent! I ordered the Eggs Benedict with roasted potatoes and it was very good. The Benedict was served on a biscuit which is a bit different than I'm used to.
I went for dinner last night. The menu was pretty big but everything seemed heavy aside from the salads. Lots of meat, cheese, and bread dishes.
Heidi P. and I shared the pork belly ($10 for a big portion and it was excellent!), the mushroom croquette ($8- we both agreed this was good but a bit under seasoned), and the bread pudding.
I ordered the Painted Hills burger on a Macrina bun with cheddar cheese for $12 which included a small side salad. Heidi got the tuna casserole.
My burger was very good. I think the food in general is a good value for the quality and price. We were impressed by the reasonable prices. Of the items we ordered I would order the pork belly and the burger again.
I am a big fan or Grim's and will enjoy going whenever someone suggests it! I look forward to trying the fancy grilled cheeses at some point, too.
Really good food. Â I loved the different kinds of grilled cheese. Â And the prices were completely reasonable. Â Service was good. Â We went on a Saturday night so they were pretty packed. Â Our waitress was curt but efficient. Â
The decor was amazing. Â Hipster, but funky too. Â The only thing about the decor that I did not like were the chairs at the big tables. Â Very uncomfortable.
You know what? This place was freaking awesome. But let's be completely honest, I've written many reviews that say places are awesome. Though this place has a really unique feel that will blow your mind.
Coming into this place I initially thought "Grims"? Really? Dude that's freaking depressing. Is this some ghost town pub? When I walked in, I was in awe. What an amazing atmosphere. Very chill and very hipster. Not in the weird way hipster, but in a very classy way. Drink were served in jars, it had a unique old look and feel to it, and a very comfy place at that. It made you want to STAY.
But unlike a lot of people I like to eat. I know I know, this is a bar. But seriously a guys gotta eat. I had the bananna nutella panini. OMGGGGGGG. All I have to say is you have to TRY THIS. If you are a true nutella lover, they make an awesome panini desert into it. The presentation was awesome, the taste was superb, and the awesomeness just echoed into the tingling sensation of yummy food. Overall my experience here was awesome and was very unexpected when the food came out. Definitely need to try.
Happy New Year everyone!
3.5 stars
I have mixed feelings about arguably the current hottest bar in the hottest neighborhood in Seattle so let's do the good ole' pros and cons list:
Pros:
-Cool decor on 1st floor-love the keyhole wall and the rustic feel-very "in" right now +1
-Butterfly lounge- that gets a separate mention on decor in and of itself. Plus I loved how it was small, dark, homey. If it wasn't as crowded, it would make a cute date spot. +5 because the butterflies in the jars are just THAT cool
-Mason jars hold your drinks. Way to cash in on a hot new trend. +1
-It's hot and popular right now so if you want to seem cool, come here +1
-Bartenders were cool +5
Cons:
-It's hot and popular right now so if you want to wait in a long line, come here -2
-Once you get in, you have to wait in yet ANOTHER line. There's technically two bathrooms, but one was closed for some reason everyone had to wait in line for ONE bathroom. Mixed gender which I am def not a fan of. The line to the bathroom takes up a good bit of the bar so what does that tell you? -10
+13
-12
Total: 1
Wow Grim's you just eeked through to a positive score didn't you? I guess that means I'll bump this review to a 4.
I've been here both for drinks at night and brunch during the day, and both were mediocre to disappointing.
At night, the scene gets pretty bro-y. If that's your scene, then it's probably great.
For brunch, the portions on my scramble were teeny tiny and the bacon wasn't fully cooked. At least the prices are low, but given the tiny portions, it's still not worth it.
Grim's is the perfect all-in-one place: good eats, strong drinks, dancing til dawn (or at least last call).
Eats: Â
The grilled cheeses (3 options!) are no joke. Â I've all had 3 and I must say that they're really the perfect solution to help curb that drunkenness. Â #3 will forever be my go-to. Â I recently tried the Pork Belly with apricots and damn, so tasty. Â Super tender pork with a crispy outside and the apricot is so weird, but good! Â The arugula salad was a great combination to keep my meal fresh and not too overwhelmingly heavy. Â
I've had brunch here once...I just remember that the portions were smaller than normal, but super cheap. Â Must've been that strong bloody mary that I had...
Drinks:
My go-to drink is always tequila-based...so the mexican mule and me get along great! Â I've heard that the Dark and Stormy is a popular one. Â
Dancing:
The Woods (3rd floor) can be extremely sweaty, but I love their 90's nights. Â Always playing a great mix of music, $5 cover, and bar upstairs. Â I've seen a couple fights up here, but I'm okay with that from a safe distance :). Â
The main floor can get a bit crowded as the night goes on, but they do take dinner reservations for large parties (or not so large parties). Â I love the swivel-seats and comfy lounge chairs--makes for a easily socializing time. :) Â Bartenders and servers are super helpful and fun too! Â Definitely a place to visit if you haven't already!
Grim's--I am so mad! Â All I have wanted for these past two(?) Â years is to get a glimpse of your awesome-sounding Butterfly Lounge. Â Apparently, this is much easier said then done. Â On my first trip (from Spokane) we went on a Thursday or something. Â When we asked about sitting in, or at the very minimum just looking at the Butterfly Lounge we were told it was only open on Fridays and Saturdays. Â
After trying to send a message via Facebook, confirming Grim's was going to be open during Thanksgiving weekend, mentioning how we wanted to see the Butterfly Lounge (and hearing absolutely nothing back) we checked their website. Â I'm pretty sure it doesn't post restricted hours for the Butterfly Lounge there. Â But I'm too lazy to check now, so just know that's the impression I got. Â
Seeing this Butterfly Lounge was on my to-do list and I was determined to make it happen the next time we drove the 6 hours to Seattle. Â So we went back to Grim's on a Saturday. Â
When we walked in (around 1 PM) I saw a guy coming down the stairs-yay! Â So we walked up to finally see this Lounge. Â And it was closed. Â Apparently, so were the stairs, because when we came back down, that same guy put a chain across the entrance. Â I asked him if we could sit in the butterfly lounge and he told us it didn't open until 9PM. Â Ugh. Â If the Butterfly Lounge is only open on restricted days and times YOU need to post that in a prominent place! Â Very frustrating. Â I think he should have offered to at least SHOW us the room, since we came such a long way, but he just briskly told us to find a seat--down stairs.
NOT cool. Â I doubt I'll go back a third time since the Butterfly Lounge is so elusive :-(
I was at Grim's for a friend's birthday bash in on a weekend night. The place itself was  lively. The seating there were communal tables so you could talk to the party seated next to yours if you wanted (looks like a place where you just grab your own table sort of place). Although the food was good (I had pork belly, which was small size enough...since I wasn't that hungery. The meat tasted nice and tender), the place was popular and more people seemed to be ok with waiting in longer and longer line further into the night, I found the service very subpar.
There were about 8-10 people in my party. The waiter didn't remember the food that everyoone ordered. Â They apparently "ran out" of my first choices of food at 8pm...it wasn't even late into the night yet (hey, the food was on the menu and the menu wasn't that extensive either). I was the person who arrived the latest in my group and ended up ordering my food and drink separately from the whole big group (since everyone already ordered). Yet, my food came out earlier than some other people's food. Worse, one person in my party ordered a hamburger. The waiter actually got it wrong and ordered a chicken for her instead. When everyone's food was out except the hamburger, the waiter just asked my friend to eat a roasted chicken dish that the waiter apparently got it mixed up instead....umm...hello?!?!..at the end, though, my friend never got the hamburger she ordered...
Overall, it's a lively place and fun place to meet up...way too chaotic and too crowded on the weekend though. And with such subpar service, I think I could find a similar place with much better service on Capitol Hill elsewhere.
I visited Grim's for brunch.
Food: Â average-sized portions, not too large. Â I tried the crepes with ham, eggs and cheese with a side of fruit. Â Very good, but not super filling. Â I also tried the egg strata with mushrooms and Gruyere cheese - came in a nice bowl and piping hot. Â Better portion size, but would have benefited from a side of toast.
Drink: a large assortment of mimosas, bloody marys, juices, coffee and tea. Â Coffee is by Cafe Vita which is always good. Â You can also get drinks by the carafe. Cold drinks are served in mason jars.
Ambiance: very cool, rustic/industrial look. Â I've heard the Butterfly Lounge is even cooler! There are some smaller tables with cushy chairs, but then there are also long family-style tables.
Customer service: very good. Â No complaints.
Located in the center of Capitol Hill, so parking can always be a challenge.
I would definitely go back - maybe for a drink in the evening!
Let me start off by saying that this meal I am about to write about was great...fantastic...awesome...memorable...and it hit the spot on all fronts. I had a Bombay & tonic, a french dip, and dessert was bread pudding. Let's begin, shall we...
The Bombay & tonic was nice and stiff. I love the glasses they use...reminds me of a mason jar, but i forget the name. They definitely know how to mix a solid drink without overwhelming you with the alcohol. Yay!
The french dip was soooooo good. The roast beef was as tender and juicy as can be, the havarti was nice and creamy, the horseradish aioli gave it a nice tangy bite, and the Au jus was PERFECT as it soaked into the bread and made each bite better than the last. It was like a rustic french dip...I loved it.
And now for the bread pudding. Hands down, the best bread pudding I have ever had and that's saying a lot because my Aunts from Louisiana make great desserts and Grim's takes bread pudding to a another level. It was creamy and not too sweet; moist, with gelatin-like consistency (instead of being too soft or overdone). It arrived warm and begging to be eaten. My friend and I ate it like it was our last meal...seriously, it was that good.
As for the service, it took a little while to get attention after we sat down, but once we got menus everything was smooth. I lowly lit restaurants, so the ambiance was perfect for me. Low lighting, communal tables, and boisterous conversations always make for a great setting to chow down and enjoy the night. This was my second time at Grim's, but the first time I sat down for a meal and it will not be the last. Good ish!
Disclaimer: ive never been here for food... i hear it's pretty good.
1. Why would you wait in line to come here when there are SO MANY GREAT PLACES on the hill? It's super crowded, and it takes forever to get a drink... and the drinks were nothing special. Also, i don't know if it's just me, but im convinced the majority of the people here are frat boys and belltown girls.
2. THis is what i call Faux-thentic. everything looks rustic, industrial, old, and one of a kind... when really the decor is not authentic in any way. It's as if the designers googled "williamsburg, Brooklyn" or "Hipster Bar" and just followed the directions. In their defense thought - the butterfly room is pretty cool
Home of the fancy grilled cheese sandwich and the dark and stormy style cocktails.
What's that you say? Â It's not a cocktail without bitters? Â Shut up. :D
Every interesting bar has to have a non-obvious upstairs and Grim's is no exception. Â Go check it out.
If you don't go upstairs, you'll be at a hipsteroff at the picnic tables with the rest of them. Â May the best mustache win.
This is definitely one of the current hot spots in Seattle. Â
Downstairs: long rows of shared tables. Â Good opportunities for socializing.
Upstairs: LOVE the music; they play old-school jams ('80s/'90s, mostly hip hop, lots of loud singing along). Â I happen to remember all the white people screaming the theme song to "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and thinking, hmm I don't know whether to love or hate this, and these people.
So yeah, lots of dancing and another bar. Â Cool.
OVERALL PROS:
-Huge windows both up- and downstairs, for street/people-watching
-Chances for socializing
-Music
OVERALL NEGS:
-It's Capitol Hill, yes it's mostly hipsters.
-Line out the door, so be ready to wait if you arrive after 10pm
-We sat by the stairs and counted as we noticed a trend... how many guys here are wearing a plaid shirt? Â Well, turns out 3 out of 4 men! Â Almost every single guy. Â It turned into a game - if a guy wasn't wearing the "Dress Code", whooooo!
--a "Whoo girl"
We were in a rush for dinner and didn't know where to go. After wandering a couple blocks, I saw Grim's and headed over. The space is open with long tables and swivel chairs connected in pairs. It's neat. The vibe was super chill, relaxed. We were immediately given iced water (so appreciated cuz it was one of those warm evenings in Seattle) and menus. Shortly after our server came by and we asked her if it was possible to be out of here in 30mins (as we had a SIFF to catch). She said they could do it. We both ordered their "blue" burger, medium. The hub asked for some truffle oil on his (the oil was listed on another menu item).
After several minutes, our burgers came out. They looked delicious and came w/ a side salad instead of the usual fries. I was kind of missing the fries especially after seeing the burger did not have any greens in it. I put my salad in there, channeling a Man v Food moment (speed challenge, rar!). While we were shoveling, our waitress came by with the check, we slipped our card in, and she swept by to grab it. It was all very seamless and I appreciated her continued diligence that we were in a hurry.
The burger bun was very interesting..it was more bread than bun, and was toasted. It held up the heavy beef patty and the generous sprinkle of bleu cheese and caramelized onions. The chipotle mayo was a little lost in the bleu cheese but it also wasn't crazily over-applied, which I prefer since I generally ask for no mayo. The hub said he could tell his has truffle oil (70c surcharge). The balsamic on the salad was tasty and went well with/in our burgers.
Of course I felt awful for being so rush-y, but the experience was good enough where I definitely want to linger next time..try a drink, or their mac and cheese, and maybe head upstairs if I'm cool enough.
Love this place, great location, and great atmoshpere. I'm always craving their grilled cheese (number two, of course) and their soup. It is amazing. The decor just sets the place off, the little lock boxes all over the wall are awesome and give it a cool unique touch. Their Mexican and Moscow mules are just what I want in a drink, STRONG and tasty.
Love the fact that themed floors for this place, too cool. The third level is a dance floor that you have to pay cover for on weekends, depending on who you are, it may or may not be worth your money.
Hip place, fun to take friends to especially if they've never been. Gotta love Grims all the way!
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