Feierabend, Seattle

Let me set the scene:
It's 80 degrees and clear skies in Seattle.
It's Memorial Day.
It's 5:30 p.m.

Despite these blaring, daunting marks against a pleasant dining experience, hubby and I found the perfect solace in our new favorite german pub.

Feierabend*, the latest installment of Chris Navarro's Seattle German pubs (PROST! and Die Bier Stube), is a welcome addition to the South Lake Union scene. With plenty of places to sit, we decided to belly up to the bar. 1 Spaten Pils and 1 Franziskaner Weissbier later (each appreciatively poured in their appropriate glass thank you very much), we were ready to order. House spätzle and frites with curry ketchup, please.

Looking around, we saw the typical (and oh so lovable) Seattlite melange. The 20-something couples with their couple friends soaking up the sunshine in style (on a great outdoor patio), the 50-something women in Teva's sipping their oversized HB liters, the single indie-cutie male reading The Stranger and ordering meat sandwiches, the lost, blonde, beautiful east-siders. All at ease, all happily hydrated at this gem of a watering hole.

Nibbling our frites (that curried ketchup is TASTY), we surveyed the bar. Liters?! Beer Boots?! Clear jars full of whiskey labeled "Whiskey!" Oh the delicious precision and attention to detail of a pub that feels like a pub, not your neighborhood Applebees.

My spätzle was sooo good. I have only had it at this one wonderful German pub (to which all other German pubs in the US will be compared) in NYC, Zum Schneider, and it was so tasty and so authentic. This is pretty close, and certainly very enjoyable. Everything on the menu looked very grub, so keep that in mind if you're in the mood for something light. Then again, you wouldn't be going to a pub if that were the case...

Bottom Line?
Mmmmmm. Beer.

~the secret snob

*Feierabend means end of workday or closing time.