This is a curated list of Seattle’s most notable and permanent restaurant and bar closures. See a closing we missed? Then drop us a line.
DOWNTOWN — JarrBar, a popular anchovy-tin-sized bar near Pike Place Market, has been on life support since March, when owner Bryan Jarr announced it would temporarily close due to rising costs and debts. In late November, Jarr said on Instagram that his behind-the-scenes efforts to find a path to reopening were unsuccessful; JarrBar is officially permanently closed, almost exactly a decade after opening. In his farewell message to guests and former staff, Jarr wrote that over the course of its tenure, “JarrBar became its own living being. Not perfect. Not polished. But full of character, highs and lows, triumphs and flaws. Just like the rest of us.”
PIKE PLACE MARKET — Not far away, venerable craft brewery Pike Brewing Company is closing its fish bar and its pub, the latter of which had been at the market for 36 years. Pike will still be brewing its beer and operating a taproom at the Seattle Convention Center, but brewery CEO Matt Lincecum (who also co-founded Fremont Brewing, now under the same ownership as Pike Brewing) told Eater Seattle that rising costs had made operating the pub unsustainable.
CAPITOL HILL, DOWNTOWN, and DENNY TRIANGLE — Skillet, an upscale diner chain that began as one of Seattle’s first food trucks in the late 2000s, has closed three of its diners. Greg Petrillo, a Skillet Group board member and the company’s former CFO, told the Seattle Times that reduced customer demand and rising costs contributed to the decision to close. Skillet has retained its locations at SeaTac Airport and Seattle Center.
BALLARD — The tiny shop Hildegard, which sells fermented products, herbal concoctions, and other products will close at the end of the year, reports MyBallard. “We find that there’s increasingly less space and support for businesses like ours that don’t fit neatly into a box,” the owners wrote on Instagram. Until it closes permanently, it will be open occasionally on Sunday afternoons.
DENNY TRIANGLE — A health-conscious, vegan- and gluten-free-friendly restaurant called Bloom appears to have closed, according to an Eater reader tip. The restaurant, inside the Nexus condo complex, is listed as “temporarily closed” on Google Maps and its listed phone number has been disconnected; it’s also unavailable on food delivery apps. Bloom has another location in Los Angeles that is still open.
LAURELHURST — Sandia, a Mexican restaurant near University Village that was known for its brunch, closed on November 2.
LESCHI — Across town, coincidentally another brunch-focused Mexican restaurant has closed: Heavy Restaurant Group has shuttered the Leschi location of Pablo y Pablo, saying in an announcement that a slow fall and winter had doomed the restaurant. “We cannot afford to continue to operate at a loss,” ownership wrote.
MAGNOLIA — We missed this over the summer, but the Slice Box pizzeria in Magnolia has been closed since August. The SoDo location is still serving some of Seattle’s best slices, however.
DOWNTOWN — Finally, the Seattle Art Museum’s restaurant, Market, is closing at the end of the year — but it will soon be replaced by a different concept, Bar Dojo, from the same restaurant group.
