This is a really unique place. Â The owners and staff are very friendly, easy to talk with, and very supportive of the community. Â They also support local music. Â It is impressive what they can put together in their small kitchen. Â The food is always top notch and they change the menu quarterly. Â The wine and beer options are really diverse for such a small venue.
Review Source:Locol is a nice little neighborhood joint, a good place to take everyone from a new date to your visiting-from-the-'burbs Mom (Look Ma! Loads of free parking! It's like we're not even IN Seattle! Well, we kinda aren't, by Belltown or Capitol Hill standards.)
The ambience/lighting is perfect, very warm and low-lit. It's got that Northwest-modern thing going on. Bartenders have been friendly (but unobtrusive) on each visit.
Portions are tasty, but shall we say, conservative, and pricing is a bit higher than what I'd expect from a neighborhood joint on the south end of town. They get big ups from me for having Abita beer, which I've not had since I visited New Orleans a couple years ago (it's TurboDog, though, which seems to be Abita's standard export fare-- not Abita Amber or the coveted-even-in-NOLA Abita Strawberry).
One thing I don't get-- the devoted following for the kale chips. They're basically wafer-thin slices of mildly salted kale, but even the salt isn't enough to overcome the essential bitterness of the flavor. I don't mind kale in a soup or whatnot, but I expect more from anything labeled "chip".
We went specifically for the deck and found it beautiful and a nice hideaway from the city. Through the dark bar and into the back there is a new deck with a clear cover so it's dry, even in the rain. We sat in the sunshine and had a glass of bubbles and some of their fabulous meatballs. A nice way to spend the afternoon!
Review Source:A much needed local hang out. Great selection of beer and wine and really good small plates. I love the pork tacos - which are almost always on the menu. The menu does change frequently to keep things seasonal (and interesting) but they keep a few favorites on the menu permanently. Great atmosphere. Friendly, low key service.
Review Source:This is a nice local wine bar with micro brews on tap and a small menu of food. Â It appears to be a popular place as we had to wait at the bar for a bit before getting a table. Â I tried one of the wines on tap, but it wasn't really that great. Â The wait staff was very accommodating and gladly replaced it with another selection. Â It cleared out later in the evening, so it may be easier to get a group in after the dinner hour.
Review Source:This is a cool little spot. West Seattle, once again, is not a place I would find myself. If you're out go bar hop and close down a place until 2am, this is the place to do it. Nice beer selection, interesting atmosphere, friendly staff, and weird stuff around to look at and art for sale on the wall. It's a pretty simple review for a pretty simple place.
Review Source:Ambiance is perfect. This is an ideal spot for a casual bar date. It's so warm and rich, with a beautiful wood slab bar and interesting fixtures.
Great selection of wine and beer.
Food is pretty good but the portions are very small.
Staff is always nice and will go out of their way to help you select from their menu.
Live music is really something in this space. We went in at Christmas and there was a duo that really filled this charming space.
It was a rainy cold evening and the lady and I wanted to find a warm spot to have a glass of wine. This place is cozy and inviting, has a very nice bar, and the service was very friendly. While the fireplace was nice, I was instantly a little disappointed that you cannot really sit anywhere and stare at the fire, unless maybe you sit backwards on the bar stools right in front of it. Got some Rose on tap, that's nice! I ordered the pulled pork tacos and they were good for the most part, but the meat was kind of inconsistent through, like maybe parts got hard from sitting for awhile. Overall, the experience was good and it was a nice change-up for an evening. While I'm not planning my next trip here right away, under the right circumstances I would happily give it another try.
Review Source:Simple, smart seasonal plates in a small historical West Seattle spot. A sweet little back patio that is cool and quiet on a Sunday night.
Kale chips, pork tacos and horseradish pulled pork are signature staples. Their summer tuna salad sandwich is fresh and light.
Swing by now for fall menu items...Curried Butternut Squash, Spicy Chicken Corn Chowder, Oyster Poboy, Chipotle Sweet Potato Shepards Pie and Carmel Apple Remix for dessert.
Their side dishes and sauces are always a memorable addition to any plate...fresh apple cider dressing on a salad, lime-cilantro slaw, wasabi aioli, apple slaw and rhubarb-pear-apple sauce.
Fresh flavors throughout the menu with many recommendations from bartenders and owners. Long local wine list and an array of brews which includes a rotating selection of Leinie's from home sweet home Wisconsin.
Locol is a sweet spot. Go during the quiet hours to bite, sip and unwind.
As a local of West Seattle, I was thrilled to have Locol pop up in the neighbourhood. It's a fantastic spot! Food consistently wonderful - small-ish menu which is good for those of us that can't decide! - portion sizes a bit on the smaller side too in comparison to other spots - which I also appreciate - so you can enjoy feeling good when you leave and not overstuffed. GREAT beer & wine selection. Friendly and fun owners and staff - it's comfy and welcoming. Yes, if it's busy and full, you might be out of luck getting a seat right away, so take a walk and come back 15mins later (be happy they are doing well! rather than frustrated )... that's how it goes in a small local neighbourhood spot.
The patio is a bonus too - great on a summer evening.
Thank you Locol for begin here!
I have a hard time posting this review because it is so close to my home, and the food can be really good at times. Â Every time I come here the experience is truly hit or miss. Â
Ok, so they have Kale chips as a regular item on the menu and I truly love that. Â But for some reason I feel out of place in this bar. Â The place is not that big, and it tends to fill up pretty fast which can be a problem at times. Â I actually came in once, was told to sit at a table and then booted from the same table a few minutes later. Â I was told someone else was waiting for that table (ok, I get it) but there was nothing else available in the restaurant. Â I had to leave, and that kind of experience can be extremely annoying.
I had dinner here tonight and the food was good, the staff was nice, but I felt like I really did not belong in there....which is weird but there you have it.
This place is amazing! Our friends just moved right down the street, and we met for dinner and drinks last night. Our server had great beer suggestions, was enthusiastic and engaging. The food was delicious--especially the artichoke cream cheese dip--double yum!
There was a gentleman there from the West Seattle Herald taking pictures of this awesome bar, and our server asked us to move out to their (awesome!!) deck out back and sat us with a couple of people we hadn't met before. He asked us "just to talk and look like we were friends" for a few pictures. Â Three hours later, we left after making new friends and sharing drinks, more food, and talking with the awesome owner. He is truly passionate about having an amazing space with great wine and beers, and he should be so proud of his awesome space. We will for sure be back again very soon!
This place is a real treat. Â It's a bit off on its own on 35th Ave in West Seattle, but it's definitely worth a stop.
I tried the kale chips, which were surprisingly spiced with lemon, garlic, salt and perhaps anise (?). Â Delicious. Â The pork tacos were tasty, and the selection of beer and wine was diverse and the local beer I ordered hit the spot.
The ambience is comfortable, casual and laid back, but the place has a modern an trendy-enough feel that dressing up to go out won't feel out of place.
Locol is a very cool little bar and the best part is (the walk home) is extremely easy! Â Unfortunately for me, it can be a rough walk there because it's all uphill but hey, at least the important part is I can stumble home without driving! Â I went on a night that was extremely packed, which everyone was saying is a little uncharacteristic. Â
Pluses: Â Wine on tap! Â Nice!!! Â Great beer selection as well. Â I tried the meatballs which were awesome, and also tried the jambalaya which was good as well (although I didn't find it spicy enough). Â My friend had the pulled pork sandwich which I thought was pretty tasty as well. Â I definitely would love to go back and try more of the food.
The one really big minus is that the space is way too small for the live band. Â I think it's a great addition to have live music, but I feel like it needs to either be acoustic or not at all because damn that gets loud! Â
I will definitely be back here for happy hour at some point. Â Thanks guys!
This place is A-OK. Â The service was fine but the food was a little pricey for the portion and taste. Â I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and knew it was served with mustard on it. Â The mustard was caked on so that's all you could really taste with every bite. Â The cheese plate was good but a little on the small side.
It's a cool place with a decent beer selection and live music. Â I think the food could be better for the price. Â I will come back for drinks but not too sure about another sit down dinner. Â It's a small place so arrive early!
This is a great little food/wine/brew spot. Both husband and I had the field roast vegetarian sandwich - delicious. We have already decided that the next time we go we need to try the kale chips and a couple of other appetizers. The wine and beer list is impressively long but not overwhelming. We had friendly and attentive service from both of the gentleman behind the bar this evening. It is my understanding that the menu changes frequently, as a vegetarian I appreciate that their current menu is available on their website.
Only 4 stars for two reasons. This was my first time at Locol so I can only speak for this one experience. The Yelp page lists music as "background". On our visit tonight they had live music (looking at their website now I see that they have it listed every Sunday and Monday they have live music). The band this evening was quite lovely. However, after we entered around 7:30 they began to set up - in and out, in and out, door open over and over with the cold wind coming into a very small joint. The seats at the bar that we had were placed literally right in front of the band "area" (my husbands back was to them). A three piece band in a tiny restaurant (including drums!), and then the gentleman working behind the bar asked them to play a little louder because the restaurant was so full. Not the best experience for the quarter of your clientele sitting at that end of the bar.
2 sandwiches w/green salad and 3 beers = $33 (happy score!)
yes, Yes, YES!
As the Cask opened in the Admiral district in 2010, I thought it would be great if this low key, dark, great beer and wine joint had some kick ass foodie type eats.
Locol magically appears the next year, down on 35th street! Â I didn't even pray on it, it just appeared!
Ambiance: 5 stars. Â Just enough room to sit a nice happy hour or dinner crowd. Â Just enough room at the bar (great long bar!). Â Just enough light. Â Just the right distance away from the tiny kitchen where all the magic happens. Just right
Beer: 5 stars. Â Way to go on keeping it local, and appealing to everyone! Â Theres always an amber, a brown, a dark, a light, a belgian, its awesome! Â
Food: 5 stars. Â Rotating seasonal menu, YES! Â Small eats for a happy hour appetite, YES! Â 1/2 a sammy and some soup for ten bucks, YES! Â Options for ordering a full meal by getting multiple items, YES! Â All fresh and local and amazingly delish, YES! Â In the fall: PUMPKIN Â CREME Â BRULE?????? Â YES!!!!!
Resounding YES! Â Not to mention they keep some seasonal Leinies in the bottles just to make us midwestern folk feel even more at home.
After visiting Locol about about 5 times - I feel like I can really write a review. I'm going to break it down a bit.
Atmosphere - Fantastic. My favorite kind, in fact. It's very small, warm, and chill. Generally good music is playing & one time there was a live band.
Service - At times the servers are not as attentive as I would like - But they are all very friendly. Friendliness goes a long way in my book.
Food - Not typical bar food... which is a good thing. My first visit was the best one for food. I had this veggie wrap I can only describe as orgasmic. SO good. But that visit was at the end of the month... when I returned to have that wrap again - the menu had changed! In fact, aside friom the appetizers- the entrees and desserts change every month. Which is why this place cannot be a dinner staple for me. I want to know I have something I will love. HOWEVER, after all of that - I will say that in all my visits, there has always been at least one vegetarian entree option... and it's a small menu, so that's really saying a lot. Very appreciated.
Drink - GREAT wine & beer selection. If you don't want to worry about food -Come here after dinner for a nightcap or 2. You can still enjoy the atmosphere and friendly service.
I love Locol. Â
I went the first time with my sister who lives in the neighborhood, and I've been back countless times even though I live across town. Â It's my favorite neighborhood place in town, even though I don't even live in the neighborhood.
Their wine selection is stellar; I enjoy their wine service (wine is served in a small carafe, which gets partly poured by the server into your glass and then you get to decide when to finish the pour). Â If there's a wine you're not generally crazy about (which, for me means Rose and Chardonnay) you might find a surprise or two on their menu (their current Rose is my wine of the summer... it's delicious).
The appetizers are a little hit and miss -- my dining companions have been not stoked on the cheese plate (can't speak to it myself) because of the wacky preserves (a little too exotic for some cheese plate tasters palettes) and everyone loves their Kale chips, and while I love Kale chips, I'm not actually a fan of theirs, but the olive plate and Macrina bread makes a great little snack. Â
The dinners are what really shine. Â I've ordered salads, specials, soups ... and every single meal has exceeded expectations. Â Fresh food, perfectly sized portions, delicious. Â And I almost said, "for the price" but that belittles the quality of the food, which continues to surprise me each time I go back.
If you're served by one of the owners you're in for a treat. Â Occasionally the other servers aren't as engaging, but that seems to be improving too. Â
Aside from all those points, I just enjoy being there. Â There's a welcoming neighborhood feel that's really accessible, the music and art are festive and fun but not overwhelming, and the place is great for a happy hour with friends or a nice dinner out with my man. Â Â
All in all, I really love this place. Â I wish I had one *actually* in my neighborhood.
I sooooo wanted to like this place, since it's the first real hangout to open within walking distance from my home. Â But what a disappointment.
The draft beer selection was limited, nary an amber or anything like it available.  I was really there to try the Löwman Brau, which I did enjoy.
The kale chips and the snap pea salad were alright, the salad was a little underseasoned but fresh tasting.
The cheese plate was was horrible. Â A $10 plate of three tiny morsels of cheese two pots of jam and a stack of rosemary crackers. Â There was so little cheese that I was literally embarrassed for them. Â When my dining companion tried to give some feedback that the cheese plate was a little skimpy, the server unleashed a defense of where they purchase their cheese, that it's expensive imported cheese and to give more they'd have to charge more. Â
If their profit margin is THAT bad, they shouldn't offer a cheese plate in the first place.
Finally, when we split the bill, the server charged each of us the full tab amount, rather than splitting it.
I might be coerced to go back for a beer, but I would plan to eat before going there.
I really want to give this place 5-stars, because the owners and workers are all such great people. Â I decided to give 4 stars because while their monthly-rotating menu is nice, I sometimes find the food options to be pretty limiting.
Still, you will find this place packed most nights of the week after 7pm, a true sign that just such a place was needed in this part of West Seattle.
Truly a local hang-out, and a great one at that.
I have been back a handful of times...and I still love it, but the consistency isn't there for me to leave a 5 star review up as much as I want to.
Yesterday I had lunch - the tuna sandwich was very different than the times I have had it in the evening. The best part about it is that it is an olive oil packed tuna with a vinaigrette and a little lemon aioli - not a mayo based tuna. Yesterday there was pretty much no olive oil vinegar happening, but a lot of mayo (or maybe it was the aioli, but it didn't seem like it). Anyway, it was a letdown, especially since this was my last chance to have it before the menu changes and it is gone.
A week ago when I was in, I had the cheese plate again and it wasn't the same or nearly as good. No Seastack, no crème Brie. The cheeses were *okay,* but just that - okay, not great. I was expecting/hoping the cheese plate would be the same as the week before when I had it, or at least on par.
Also, ordered a French press...when it came out, the server said he "heated up the coffee mugs" so it would help. I was like, huh??? Well, the press was COLD. We didn't drink it. I asked why the water was not brought to a rolling boil, and he said the element in the heater was out or something. Regardless, why serve something that is so wrong if you know it is wrong? I love my coffee, so pretty bummed about this. We drank drip and that was okay, but again - just okay.
Another thing - my friend had the veggie hummus sandwich that she tried before and it was not the same - there were a few different veggies on it, including celery, which just does NOT work on a sandwich like that. Consistency is not the hobgoblin of small minds when
All things aside, I know I just bitched a lot but I still really like Locol and will keep coming back. I will just know that it is not going to be great every single time. That being said, the food is still good even when it is not great - but sometimes it can be great. The people are nice. The environment and ambiance is super. And I love the location. This makes it 4 stars for me, but I can see how it would be 3 or 3.5 for some. When you have a small menu and you only do a few things, you should do them well on a consistent basis.
With a little more consistency and attention to detail, it could be a 5 star place. I know, I've had 5 star experiences here... but just not every time.
I'm so excited that Locol is open. The food is awesome. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options - and not just salads and french fries like some places in WS. We had the chicknuts (popped/roasted chickpeas with pumpkin seeds), the kale chips (ah-mazing) and the curried coconut soup (spicy!).
I have to disagree with some of the complaints about the expense - the food all seemed really reasonable to me. Starters at $4, salads and small plates at $5, entrees at $8, beer $4-6.
The place is small, but incredibly cozy. The decor is great - and there's a fireplace to warm you up after a day of rain and hail :)
A friend of mine and I tried Locöl on Friday 02/11/11 for a late lunch (or was it an early dinner?). We of course had to have a happy hour glass of wine (or two) as well. What a LOVELY little neighborhood joint!
Beautifully appointed inside, you will want to sit down and stay for hours. If I hadn't needed to go home to my kid & her daddy, I think I would have done exactly that.
The food was fresh, beautifully plated, delicious and very reasonably priced IMO ($5 - $7 an item). We each had a Bib Salad (butter lettuce w/ pine nuts, artichoke hearts and Green Goddess dressing). She had some soup, and then we shared a fantastic warm bread pudding. Yummy!
The happy hour wine was very drinkable (she had the Chardonay and I had the Cabernet - $5 a glass each). Happy hour applies to wine and beer only, not food. It runs from 12 noon - 6pm, and again from 10pm - 2am. I love places that have a dual happy hour! Tells me they like their customers.
:-)
Speaking of which, the staff was super helpful and friendly.
Another fun plus... they were running a slide show on the wall of images taken back in the "Old Days" of West Seattle. It was so fun seeing all those old pictures of the Alaska Junction, Alki Beach, the Fauntleroy ferry dock, etc. A very nice touch. We were told that the West Seattle Herald were the generous and supportive peeps that provided them to Locöl, (thanks WSH, you guys rock, as always!!).
Will definitely be back again soon.
Well, I really really wanted to love this place, in a 5-star sort of way...but it just didn't quite live up to my expectations :(
Ill start with the bad since Im being negative already. Their happy hour kind of stinks! Its from noon to 6 which I thought was awesome, until I saw what it was...basically house wine for $5 (which it really should be anyways) and $1 off draft beer, but only pints. No food discounts Locol, really?! Just $1 off makes people happy and gets them coming back! Plus the portions were really small for the price, happy hour portions at least deserve happy hour prices...sigh...
Ok, now for the good! The decor is awesome in a really "cozy-cabiny-chic" sort of way. I love that everything is local, love love that!! The food was really good. We had the chickpea/pumpkin seed roast thing, beer cheese soup, and a mushroom panini...all awesome!!! I am in love with the fact that they have no tvs, music at a decent level, and comfortable but not gothicly dark lighting.
The service wasn't anything to be super excited about, but good enough. Overall though, if they had a better happy hour, I would become a very frequent visitor!! As it is now, I will definitely go back, but not when I am looking for a good happy hour or for dinner portions.
I really want to like this place - the atmosphere is good, the beer selection (while small) is good, the wine selection looks good.... the food though... well, disappointing.
The worst part of my experience (and the reason I didn't give it 3 stars) was that when we ordered bread and olive oil ($4) we got three slices of sandwich bread. $4 for three slices (cut down the middle) of sandwich bread! When I asked if that was normal, the chef shrugged and said they were out of their normal bread. I want to be forgiving, but come on (I may go back and possible change this review in the future).
A hint to locol: If you are going to make substitutions because you ran out of something - you have to tell your customers before you deliver it to them (and expect them to pay for it). Sandwich bread is not meant for dipping in olive oil.
I came here with my husband over the weekend and we had some really good food and really good beer. I'd been hearing about Locol for the past year and it was exciting when they finally opened. First, I think they're in a great location. Some may not agree with me, but Locol basically sits on the edge of a residential area with no restaurants/bars within close walking distance. West Seattleites get very excited when new places pop up within walking distance to their homes!
Apparently the space used to be a tanning salon but they've really turned it around. There is a lot of dark wood so it makes everything feel cozy. It's a pretty small space with a long bar and about 8-10 two person tables.
We came during happy hour so our pints were $1 off and there were 2 wines (one red, one white) that were $5. I really liked their draft beer selection. My husband had Two Beers IPA and I had a Big Al's Brougham Bitter and a Odin Ruby Amber. The menu is small but there are some good choices. We split butternut squash soup, fennel salad and a Gruyere and arugula sandwich. Everything was really fresh and delicious. I think the sandwich was my favorite. It also had pesto and apples on it and was a great combination.
This is a great spot and everyone seems to be excited they moved into the 'hood. I'm sure this will be the first of many visits for me!
This is a nice addition to the neighborhood.  We had been glancing at Locöl since it opened and were waiting for a time where it was not crowded.
For being a beer and wine bar, their wine selection is pretty good but their beer selection is not great, yet. Â I hope that over time they introduce more beer on tap, so far they only have Seattle micros (Big Al, Two Beers, Schooner Exact, Odin, Maritime and Georgetown). Â In its favor, the beer selection truly is local and these are quality beers in a range of styles. Â On the other hand, I'd love to eventually see some ales from elsewhere in Washington and maybe Oregon.
They have some bottles and cans but nothing in the selection stood out. Â We didn't see anything in the way of sours, or uncommon seasonals. Â I like to try new things, so more variety or a lot of rotation would definitely keep me coming back. Â
The food menu is small but looks good and affordable. Â They have 3 appetizers (nuts, chard chips, and some other thing). Â A few salads, a couple of soups (butternut squash and white bean) and sandwiches. Â I think the most expensive thing on the food menu was around $10. Â I will go there for lunch sometime.
The service was attentive and friendly, and the staff were chatty and very excited to be in business. Â The place was quiet enough for conversation, but a couple of noisy tables stood out in the small space. Â It is shaped like a long, narrow box, making nearby conversations very audible. Â Overall, though, a nice atmosphere.
The place is very pretty and tiny so it's probably always going to be crowded (hopefully!). Â I'd say it accommodates about 12 people at the bar and maybe 30-35 people in tables. Â Again, a great addition to the neighborhood.
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