The Woods is a bar and event space on Seattle's Capitol Hill, in the U.S. state of Washington. Owned by Joey Burgess and Murf Hall, the business operates in the space previously occupied by Grim's Provisions and Spirits, which had an upstairs dance club called The Woods.
The current iteration of The Woods has hosted pop-ups, including Christmas Dive Bar in 2023 and Mystic Motel in 2024. The former was deemed one of the best holiday pop-up bars in the country by Tasting Table.
The Woods is owned by Joey Burgess and Murf Hall, who also own the nearby businesses Cuff Complex, Elliott Bay Book Company, Oddfellows Cafe and Bar, and Queer Bar.[1] It operates in the space previously occupied by the restaurant and bar Grim's Provisions and Spirits, which had an upstairs venue and dance club also called The Woods.[3][4][5][6]
Pop-up bars
The Woods has hosted pop-ups, including Christmas Dive Bar in 2023 and Mystic Motel in 2024.
Christmas Dive Bar
Christmas Dive Bar
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Exterior in January 2024
The holiday-themed Christmas Dive Bar, held from November 16 to December 31, 2023,[7] featured "floor-to-ceiling kitschy" decorations and a special menu, according to KING-TV.[1] In addition to holiday film projections,[7] the interior had Christmas lights,[8] a Christmas tree, a hearth with a fireplace, garland, large Christmas ornaments and snowflakes hanging from the ceiling,[9] and a wall with gift bows. Upstairs, a seating area and bar intended to resemble a ski chalet, called the Chug and Cheers Chalet,[7] was decorated with fake snow, fur throws, and lanterns.[1]
The drink menu had "naughty" and "nice" lists;[10] options included the Eggnog Espresso Martini, the Merry Ube Coco, and Santa's Sangria.[1] The Cider Smash had whisky, lemon, cinnamon simple syrup, and apple cider,[9] and the Fireside Old Fashioned included bourbon, bitters, and marshmallow syrup.[11] The menu also included slow-cooked "lil smokies" (bite-sized smoked sausages),[7] popcorn, cheese balls, Little Debbie snacks, homemade Chex Mix, and hot chocolate with marshmallows.[1]
In 2023, Christmas Dive Bar was included in Tasting Table's list of the 23 best holiday pop-up bars in the U.S.,[9] as well as The Infatuation's list of 12 bars and restaurants with "over-the-top" holiday decorations.[12]
Mystic Motel
Mystic Motel
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Interior in August 2024
In April 2024, The Woods began hosting Mystic Motel, a desert-themed pop-up described in a press release as a "transportive space that takes guests out of the clouds and rain of Seattle and into a Wes Anderson-esque 1970s 'theme park' of a dusty desert roadside motel".[13]
Mystic Motel has fake cacti and campfires, an interior Starlight Lounge, and an outside "campfire-esque" seating area. The drink menu has desert-themed cocktails,[13] including the Cactus Cooler, the Cobra Margarita, the Sarsaparilla Old Fashioned, and the Sedona Sunrise.[14]