Wyrdbyrd

BEST Art Gallery Avanti Art and Design

They recently did a "30 Pieces in 30 Days" show featuring local artists.

BEST Casino Muckleshoot Casino

A former co-worker *loved* talking about how she'd spend her weekends here.

BEST Fun Place for Kids Seattle Center

I loved playing darts in the games area as a kid.

BEST Indie Theater Grand Illusion Cinema

Any theater that has a love seat wins my vote.

BEST Live Comedy Unexpected Productions

It's sometimes hard not to double-over in one's chair during their shows. They also have improv classes.

BEST Local Bands Ockham's Razor

I've seen them live a few times. They're interactive, high energy, talented and knowledgable about music.

BEST Museum Henry Art Gallery

Years ago I saw one of the most profound pieces of art I'd ever encountered here.

BEST Theater Venue 5th Avenue Theatre

Beautiful.

BEST Theatre Group Little Red Studio

Stunning, interactive performances.

BEST Winery Zerba Cellars

BEST Car Stereo BEST BUY

BEST Car Wash Brown Bear Car Wash

BEST Motorcycle Shop Lake City Power Sports

BEST Barber Emerson Salon

Mainly because of Lancer, the local hair god.

BEST Children's Cut Brat Pack Kids Salon

BEST Day Spa Bella Luna Spa and Sauna

BEST Facial Olympus Spa

Alas, my favorite facial only comes with the body shine service, but given how much gunk it brought out of my skin it may be worth the expense at least once a year.

BEST Hair Color Emerson Salon

Lancer tinted my dreads. whee!

BEST Hair Salon A New You

Affordable dreadlock upkeep for African American hair, close to Group Health. They use natural products like Carol's Daughter and Oyin Handmade.

BEST Manicure and Pedicure Luxury Nails

A cute little family run salon right next to a Northgate office park and the transit center.

BEST Massage Olympus Spa

A nice additional to an already beautiful spa.

BEST Tanning Desert Sun Tanning Salons

A necessity for the colder months. O.o

BEST Tattoo and Piercing Seattle Tattoo Emporium

Where I got my first tattoo, from a local rockabilly bad-boy known as Hubba.

BEST Waxing Wax On Spa

I've been told emphatically by a trusted source that this is the best place. It's also in my neighborhood, so if I ever do try for my first waxing I'll likely go here.

BEST Barbecue Dixie's BBQ

I met The Man. O.o

BEST Breakfast Coastal Kitchen

There's variety in the breakfast menu, there's regional specials *and* they manage to adjust a bit for some food allergies. Yum.

BEST Burger Dick's Drive-In

Not that spoons are used there much.

BEST Burrito Gordito's Healthy Mexican

Take someone you know who always complains about never getting enough to eat at restaurants and have them order a big burrito. Then watch to see if they actually finish it. oofah.

BEST Crepes Plum Bistro

Wonderful vegan crepes, which is nice news for lactose intolerant folks.

BEST Food Truck Taqueria La Fondita #2

I've only been to one, so I'm guessing this was it based on address.

BEST Greasy Spoon Ezell's Famous Chicken

I was quite horrified to know that I had moved into a neighborhood at had an Ezell's. The heavenly rolls, which need absolutely no additional sweetener added, were enough to take years off my life. And the chicken! Don't get me started on the chicken.

BEST Healthy Lunch Thrive Cafe

Surprisingly tasty.

BEST Hot Dog Taste of Chicago

Delicious, messy dogs; sinister-looking but polite and quick staff. They also have chess sets available for those who wish to linger.

BEST Pizza zPizza

I can get a pizza with meat and vegan cheese delivered to my doorstep. They also offer vegan slices on Tuesdays and Fridays. This place rules!

BEST Sandwich Shop The Honey Hole

One of the worst-kept secrets on the Hill.

BEST Teriyaki Pinto Thai Bistro & Sushi Bar

Despite the name, I had the most beautifully presented teriyaki I'd ever seen there last month. Go figure.

BEST Alterations and Tailoring Alterations Plus

If they send you away with your piece to return later before it's been taken care of, confirm the price estimate and take notes. Depending on who is at the desk, there may be some language issues.

BEST Children's Clothing Bootyland

BEST Designer Jewelry Green Lake Jewelery Works

Amazing custom work.

BEST Eyewear Capitol Hill Vision

BEST Lingerie Wild at Heart

NOTE: This is an adult-only store. That says, they carry lingerie in a wide variety of sizes, including a plus-size section.

BEST Maternity Apparel Village Maternity

BEST Men's Clothing Men's Warehouse - Northgate

They'll adjust the collars of shirts purchased there, as well as tailor suits.

BEST Men's Shoes Nordstrom Rack

BEST Vintage and Resale Two Big Blondes

BEST Women's Accessories Olivine

BEST Women's Boutique Yazdi

I hang out more in Yazdi II, for larger sizes, but it's right next door so why not?

BEST Women's Shoes John Fluevog

Astounding designs.

BEST Asian Fusion Shallots

I used to eat here with a coworker every so often when I worked in Belltown. It's a bit of a zoo at lunchtime. You might be better off getting take-out in order to save time.

BEST Brunch Volunteer Park Cafe

Actually, I prefer lunch there, but hey ...

BEST Chinese Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon

Awesome menu, pathetic parking lot and understated decor.

BEST Fine Dining Kabul Afghan Cuisine

Complete with occasional sitar player.

BEST French Le Gourmand

Just ask about the menu when making reservations: they may not warn you that it's chef's choice.

BEST Indian Saffron Grill

From the ashes of Cedars, it's worth the drive.

BEST Italian Buca Di Beppo Restaurant

The best dining strategy I've heard for this family-style restaurant is that for each unit (2-4 people) in your group, order only one entree and one vegetable dish. This seems to help for leaving with minimal leftovers.

BEST Japanese I Love Sushi

My love of sushi, as opposed to rolls, started here.

BEST Kids Menu Rainforest Cafe

Freakin' loud, but made for families.

BEST Latin American Pam's Kitchen

BEST Mediterranean Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant

Opulent. Fabrics draped from the walls and ceilings, cushions to sit on, traditional tables, fabulous food.

BEST Mexican Azteca

No worries in getting food without dairy here.

BEST New American The Kingfish Cafe

Delicious, well-thought-out soul food in an elegant and historical setting.

BEST New Restaurant Cafe Mox

BEST Outdoor Dining Ray's Boathouse

They might have served the best local calamari I ever had.

BEST Seafood Anthony's Restaurants

Might have served me the best local calamari I've experienced to date.

BEST Steakhouse Ruth's Chris Steak House

One of those once a year treats.

BEST Sushi Toyoda Sushi

They have a wonderful spinach & sesame salad, to boot.

BEST Tapas 22 Doors

Surprisingly yummy food and drop-dead gorgeous decor.

BEST Thai Jamjuree

Accommodates groups quite well.

BEST Vegetarian Araya's

Mouth-watering menu.

BEST Vietnamese Pho Hoa

Provides a nice beginners guide to pho.

BEST Bike Shop Gregg's Cycles Inc.

BEST Dance Studio Dance Underground

I'm quite fond of Ecstatic Dance on Wednesday nights, Sunday mornings and the last Friday nights of the month.

BEST Gym West Seattle YMCA

Has a pool and a racket ball court.

BEST Running Gear New Balance

BEST Sporting Goods REI

BEST Yoga Studio Whole Life Yoga

Takes different body types and abilities into consideration.

BEST Carpet Cleaning Fuzzy Wuzzy Rug Co

BEST Day Care Bella Mente Early Learning Center

BEST Dry Cleaning Alterations Plus

Managed to clean things for me that other dry cleaners wouldn't touch for fear of ruining it.

BEST Favorite Local Charity Real Change News

Check to make sure that the vendor has a badge with their photo on it. The statement I've read from official Real Change vendors is that anyone selling the paper without a badge is likely pocketing all the money.

BEST Laundromat Lather Daddy on 12th Avenue

BEST Locksmiths Nyberg Locksmiths

Er, the full address should read "2106 3rd Ave". whoops!

BEST Matchmaker Events And Adventures

BEST Movers Gentle Giant

BEST Self Storage Urban Storage

Well, okay, actually I'm referring to the Lake City one.

BEST Beer Selection Tap House Grill

BEST Blues Club Highway 99 Blues Club

BEST Bowling Magic Lanes & Casino

BEST Brewpub Elysian Brewing Company

For their pulled-pork sandwich, if nothing else.

BEST Cocktails Liberty

... and sushi!

BEST College Bar College Inn Pub

My first.

BEST Dance Club The Mercury

BEST Gay and Lesbian Bar Wildrose

An institution.

BEST Happy Hour Lombardi's Italian

If it's anything like the one in Ballard, sure!

BEST Irish Pub Owl 'N Thistle

Was served by a waitress who was so adorable that she could have spilled soup on us and we still would have tipped her well.

BEST Jazz Club Dimitriou's Jazz Alley

I know people who adore this place.

BEST Karaoke Rickshaw Restaurant

First they feed folks, then their list of cocktails allows people to get liquored up enough go up and try.

BEST Live Music Tractor Tavern

I've seen The Red Elvises there!

BEST Movie Theater The Egyptian

Huge but cozy.

BEST Neighborhood Bar Highline Bar

I can have dairy-free pub food in here!

BEST Pool Hall Belltown Billiards & Lounge

BEST Sports Bar Spitfire

Pretty good food.

BEST Trendy Bar 22 Doors

Gorgeous and tasty!

BEST Wine Bar Poco Wine Room

BEST Food Blog Seattle Vegan Score

Being lactose intolerant, I find this sort of blog helpful.

BEST Local Personality on Twitter @oatmeal

I've taken some of their quizzes and visited their website. Pretty awesome.

BEST Local Podcast KEXP Music That Matters

BEST Music Blog Three Imaginary Girls

BEST Neighborhood Blog Capitol Hill

Given where I grew up and where I live now, *yeah*.

BEST Parenting Blog Mama Kat

BEST Sports Blog Team Pure Outdoors

BEST Amateur Athlete Re-AnimateHer

BEST Bartender Laren Waterbury @ El Gaucho

BEST Best Looking Police Officer Monique Avery

BEST Cheerleading Squad UW Husky Cheer and Pom Squad

My Alma Mater.

BEST Chiropractor Chiropractic of Bellevue - Dr. Edward Owens

BEST College Athlete Aziz N’Diaye

BEST Dentist Dr Patricia Shigihara

BEST Doctor country doctor

Genuinely seem interested in taking a holistic, rather than slap-dash, approach to health.

BEST Fitness Instructor Twayne Rawls

BEST Hottest Firefighter Tony Coleman

BEST Local Comedian John Keister

I still remember him from Almost Live.

BEST Local Musician Eddie Vedder

BEST Local Newspaper Columnist/Reporter Dan Savage

Between Savage Love and his take on politics, I consider Dan a municipal treasure.

BEST Local Radio Personality DJ Trent Von

BEST Local TV Personality Kathi Goertzen

BEST Mayor J. P. Patches

BEST Plastic Surgeon Robert Kenevan, M.D.

BEST Principal Damon Hunter

BEST Pro Athlete Sue Bird

She was on the Nike banner downtown!

BEST Sports Team Rat City Rollergirls

What can I say, I know someone on the team. :)

BEST Teacher Pamela Wilson

BEST Team Mascot Harry the Husky

My Alma Mater.

BEST Dog Park Warren G. Magnuson Park

Complete with area for doggie swimming.

BEST Pet Supplies Mud Bay

BEST Ugliest Dog Chloe

BEST Antiques Antika

Simply pretty stuff.

BEST Arts and Crafts Fusion Beads

Offers classes and creativity packs. Also has frequent sales.

BEST Bookstore Elliott Bay Book Company

They somehow preserved the look and feel of the place even after moving to the Hill.

BEST Children's Gifts Magic Mouse Toys

I think adults like this place as much as kids do!

BEST Comics The Dreaming: Comics and Games

Well-lit, clean, husband & wife proprietors, indie comics towards front, has box subscriptions, has option for mailing comics to customers, and a gaming section.

BEST Furniture IKEA Seattle

Yes, I'm that lame.

BEST Gift Shop Archie McPhee

Not necessarily something for everybody, but I've noticed that some rather significant gifts I've given have come from here.

BEST Home and Garden Swansons Nursery

This place is so huge it has it's own cafe and Radio Flyers as shopping carts!

BEST Housewares Pier 1

BEST Musical Instruments Dusty Strings

Check their hours before going.

BEST Portrait Photography Kenneth Dawson Photography

BEST Records and CDs Silver Platters

The last time I bought a CD offline might have been here.

BEST Shopping Center University Village

For simply the number of stores I can walk to and get what I'm looking for in one visit, this is it. It wasn't custom-tailored for me by any means, but there's a lot of practical stuff there within the foofery.

BEST Bakery Sage Organic Bakery & Cafe

Dairy-free by default!

BEST Beer Store Seattle Beer Authority

I used to live right near them. Their store is crammed with varieties of microbrews.

BEST Butcher Uli's Famous Sausage

Someone turned me onto their bacon sausage, which was just ... bizarre.

BEST Cheese Shop Quality Cheese

I can't have any, but I look longingly when I pass by.

BEST Chocolate Dilettante Chocolates

Every so often I pick up some of their Ephemere sauce, deadly though it is.

BEST Coffee Shop Caffe Vita

I actually prefer the one on Capitol Hill, but hey.

BEST Cupcakes The Yellow Leaf Cupcake Company

BEST Desserts Pizza Pi

It's difficult for people who are trying to eat dairy-free to find safe desserts while out. Though it's primarily a pizza shop, Pizza Pi has some deadly desserts. Highly recommended.

BEST Donuts Top Pot Doughnuts

Even a raised donut fan can find something to like here.

BEST Fish Market Pike Place Fish Market

If simply for entertainment value.

BEST Gourmet Grocery Central Market

I found dairy-free items here that I'd never seen before elsewhere.

BEST Ice Cream Shop Full Tilt Ice Cream

Offers coconut milk ice cream for folks who can't do dairy.

BEST Tea House Remedy Teas

I'm lactose intolerant and can go there with a gluen-free friend of mine and have something to eat with our tea.

BEST Wine Shop Ballard Market

Their wine steward listened to my liquor preferences without judgement, suggested multiple wines for me to try and is responsible for me going from detesting wine to having a favorite.

BEST Cakes Jet City Cakes

BEST Rings Green Lake Jewelery Works

They do amazing work.

BEST Venue The Manor

Beautiful grounds.

BEST Biggest Public Eyesore Gum Wall

It may be tradition, but that's just gross.

BEST Green Building University of Washington Benjamin Hall Interdisciplinary Research Building

From my alma mater.

BEST Local Event Steamcon

Because my friends will hurt me if I say otherwise. O.o

BEST Pick-up Place Starbucks Coffee

BEST Place to People Watch Broadway in Capitol Hill

Oh, come on! How could it not be?

BEST Place to Work Google

BEST Playground Green Lake Park

BEST School with the Most Spirit University of Washington

My Alma Mater.

BEST Man of the Year Dan Savage

Of them all, he's the only one I keep up with semi-regularly.

BEST Story of the Year The Bravest Woman In Seattle, by Eli Sanders

BEST Woman of the Year Kathi Goertzen

I remember her as a news anchor from when I was a kid. I wish her all the good luck in the world with her battle.