A more appropriate title for this post would be “Drinking Out” because I didn’t actually do any dining when I met friends for happy hour at Vessel yesterday. I meant to. I was just so caught up in reading the fantastic cocktail menu that I never made it to the page with the food offerings. That’s OK; Vessel isn’t really known for it’s food anyway. They’re all about the cocktails instead. They take their cocktails seriously at Vessel, and the artistry and attention to detail that the bartender’s put into every drink rivals anything that the chefs could have cooked up for me to eat.

Vessel is a relatively new bar located in the historic 1926 Skinner Building right next door to the 5th Avenue Theater in downtown Seattle. The first thing you notice upon entering Vessel is that it is super chic. Lots of metal and bright, slightly harsh colors give it a very modern look. A glowing chartreuse staircase is the most striking feature. Upstairs you will find a red-walled lounge area sparsely populated with sofas and lounge chairs. Downstairs is the bar and the main seating area. Seating consists of 6 or 7 tiny tables squeezed together into an even tinier space. If you are claustrophobic, you might just want to sit at the bar instead. Otherwise, you will probably end up knocking elbows with those sitting at the table next to you. It’s not exactly the warmest of places, but since when has super chic ever been equated with warm and friendly? Fortunately, it wasn’t too busy when I arrived so I didn’t have to uncomfortably squeeze my way into a table. And, although my jeans and hoodie look surely wouldn’t cut it at night, the happy hour crowd was more of a mixed bag of hipsters, office workers and older ladies taking a break from shopping. In other words, I only felt mildly out of place when I walked in.

Once I was seated, the waitress promptly brought me a menu and a large glass of cucumber-infused water. The menu features 8 or 9 pages of specialty cocktails, liquors, wines and beer and one page of food. It is the cocktail specials that really set Vessel apart from other bars. Many are originals, and, for those that are not, the menu cites the name of the creator as well as the location and date if known (some date back to the 1700′s!) Bitters has a huge presence on the menu as do some of the lesser used liquors such as Benedictine and Chartreuse. Things that you should know about Vessel’s cocktails: Each drink will cost you a whopping $10. This may seem steep until you factor in that each cocktail consists of a hefty 3-ounce pour. And, all are expertly prepared and beautifully presented. In addition to cocktails, Vessel specializes in ice. They have different types of ice for different drinks. Sometimes it’s hand-cracked ice, sometimes it is a single sphere of super-dense, slow-melting ice. I mean really, who wouldn’t want to pay $10 for super-dense ice alone?

I started out with Vessel’s signature cocktail, the Vessel 75, which is a blend of bourbon, simple syrup, Peychaud’s bitters and orange zest. Topped with a delicious, airy maple foam, it was a very impressive cocktail indeed. I’m not much of a bourbon drinker but this was perfect. Lightly sweetened and aromatic. The wide strip of orange peel even had a very cute star hole-punched out of it. I spent a long time savoring this cocktail; it was worth every penny. I followed this up with the Bramble: citrus and juniper infused vodka, blackberry liqueur, lemon and seltzer. It was served in a tall glass with plenty of beautiful crushed ice. The Bramble was good but not nearly as complex or unique as the Vessel 75.

If you are someone who loves a good cocktail, you will love Vessel. Likewise, if you are a fan of hip scenes and designer furniture, you will also love Vessel. I happen to hate modern furniture and would certainly never qualify as hip, but I enjoyed myself at Vessel nonetheless. 6 ounces of liquor probably had something to do with that. I’ll just have to remember to trade in the sneakers for a pair of strappy heels next time! Vessel is located on 5th Avenue between Union and University. It opens at 11 AM Monday through Friday and 4 PM Saturday and Sunday. Happy hour runs from 4 to 6 every day.