Belltown Pub

Belltown is full of restaurants and clubs and lounges, but short on neighborhood hang-outs—the places you go in your flip flops and shorts (or parka and shorts in true Seattle style). The owners of the Belltown Pub are upping the neighborhood ratio with their new spot.

David Tolan (pictured at left), Erwin Arceo and Zak Nethercutt have good experience behind them and motivation and high hopes ahead of them. David has 20 years in the restaurant industry, primarily behind the bar. Erwin has been working in Seattle for more than 25 years, many with Consolidated Restaurants (Wing Dome, The Metropolitan Grill) and a few years at The Rock, Wood Fired Pizza. He is also part owner of Sinners and Saints in Fremont. Erwin and David have known each other for several years and Erwin met Zak when Zak became one of the chefs at The Rock. Zak also has fine dining experience with his stint at The Boulevard in San Francisco. "Erwin is the lead and brains of the outfit," says David. "He's been around forever and knows every step and nuance. If you add up the experience our bartenders have, it's about 120 years!" A lot of the bartenders live in the Belltown neighborhood giving the Pub a truly local feel.

Their concept is simple: provide a casual, comfortable atmosphere where people can get good pub grub as well as something a little lighter, and just loaf about in their home-away-from-home. "We're definitely a pub with a great pub burger, but we'll offer something for everyone—a duck salad sandwich, local smoked salmon tamale, local trout, pasta, soup, crab cakes and even a cheese steak. It's pub grub and Northwest-inspired cuisine with a focus on local craft beer," explains David.

The atmosphere will be lighter than it's been in previous incarnations. "We'll have six TVs and although we're not a sports bar, sport will be available and encouraged! We've painted everything, kept the booths and made the bar area larger so people can get a beer and stand around watching the games. Most places you have to get a table, we want to offer standing room as well," says David. "We've spruced up the space to give it what it deserves. It's a gorgeous spot. We want people to know we're ‘pub over club' and if I have to play bluegrass until 2 a.m. every night to keep it that way, I will!"

Their plans include a shuttle to football games and a hot wing program at the Pub during games. They're contemplating live music down the road. Ultimately, if this concept works, they'd like to take it to other neighborhoods that have a need for a casual place to relax, eat and meet up with friends.

For now, they're focusing on providing Belltown with a place the neighbors (and everyone else) can call their own.

Connie Adams/August-September 2010