Places near me Random place
All the United States Washington Seattle Blue Moon Tavern
Gastro Obscura

Blue Moon Tavern

This popular bar has been blurring the line between normal and edgy for more than 75 years.

Seattle, Washington

Added By
William Creswell
  User Submitted
Founding stone   Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
Neon sign led entrance area from the street.   Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
Local stylized booths and tables.   Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
  Taterchips / Atlas Obscura User
  Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
Blue Moon’s Neon Sign   bobtiki / Atlas Obscura User
Pool room and lounge seating.   Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Built in 1934 after the repeal of prohibition, the Blue Moon became popular because of its proximity to the nearby University of Washington Campus.

But that's not why it's stayed so popular.

Local laws prohibited the sale of alcohol within a mile of the school for years, making it an appealing respite for thirsty university students. From there its legend grew as an oasis for carousers and goodhearted rule breakers.

Eventually, the Blue Moon realized its true potential as a haven for counter-culture. Over the years it has been visited by the likes of Theodore Rothke, Tom Robbins, Jack Kerouac (allegedly), Allen Ginsburg, and Dylan Thomas.

Related Tags

Bars Unique Restaurants & Bars

Community Contributors

Added By

crackdogx

Edited By

Blindcolour, Rin Wolfe, bobtiki, Taterchips...

Published

February 4, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Seattle

Seattle

Washington

Places 137
Stories 18

Related Places

  • Petoskey, Michigan

    City Park Grill

    As Ernest Hemingway scribbled notes for stories, he left a lasting impression on this bar: a charred hole where he extinguished his cigars.

  • Nokishita711’s cocktails are made with custom infusions of unlikely ingredients.

    Kyoto, Japan

    Nokishita711

    Sip “liquid cuisine” made with meat, vegetables, and insects.

  • Cheeseburgers are the ultimate late-night feast.

    Nashville, Tennessee

    Dino's

    East Nashville's oldest dive bar will bring you back to life with animal-style bar fare.

  • He’s definitely watching you.

    Nashville, Tennessee

    Chopper

    Feast on award-winning birria tacos from a food truck inside this neon robo-tiki bar.

  • A cocktail made with Waldmeister, the “forest master” known in English as sweet woodruff.

    Berlin, Germany

    Velvet

    Taste freshly foraged yarrow and black locust blossoms at this ambitious cocktail bar.

  • Hoppin John Risotto

    Williamsburg, Virginia

    Chowning’s Tavern

    Enjoy dishes that founding fathers once ate at this Colonial Williamsburg pub.

  • Inside El Batey.

    San Juan, Puerto Rico

    El Batey

    Everyone from Alan Ginsberg to The Rolling Stones has stopped by this classic dive bar.

  •

    Asheville, North Carolina

    The Odd

    A 17th-century bezoar, dirt from an infamous site, and other curios decorate this unusual bar.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member