White Horse Trading Company
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Best Nights: Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: No
51 Reviews for White Horse Trading Company
I dont get the hype on this place...must be me...seems like a club that i dont know the handshake too...i will stick with the real white horse bar in tukwila!!!!
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Honey and i stumbled upon this place accidentally ... walking the Seattle streets one balmy august night, looking for a cozy quaint place to grab a night cap before heading home.
THIS PLACE IS SO COOL!
we didn't even think it was a bar upon first glance - we felt like we were walking into someones private party because it was THAT quaint and cozy. There is an air about it that screams London. i love that. the bartender was super nice. everyone was chatting to everyone, it really truly felt like a comfortable neighborhood spot in the UK.
it was everything we were looking for that night, and more. i feel like I've come across a really special Seattle jewel. if you hate cute, quaint, cozy bars with personality, it may not be your thing. but at least give it a shot -- it will be worth it!
oh, and be sure to use the bathroom, or W/C -- sooo cool!
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One of my Seattle hangout standbys. The chaps behind the bar are cheeky, the beer selection small and impeccable. An added bonus, they have the coolest bathroom in Seattle. Know before you go that this is often a quiet place, that's the point.
If you're lame, go to Kell's. If you know better, go to the White Horse.
PS: Can't wait to go to the sister bar in SFO.
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I'm not sure why this place has such a high rating. I mean, it's an ok place, but it's not exactly the "cozy" place I heard it was. Unless "cozy" really means "cramped and slightly uncomfortable."
The beers are great, and the cider is even better. The service was fine, neither super-friendly nor hostile. But I don't see myself hanging out there too often, since there's nowhere comfy to sit and chat--unless it's just a coincidence that I've only been there when people were making out and practically dry-humping on the sofas (EW), relegating us to the barrel-perched "table" where you have nowhere to put your legs.
And the bathroom situation is NOT COOL. So, make sure to go before you go.
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My brother took me here once on my birthday for a cider and some relaxation. It was such a nice treat I love going back. I really dug the atmosphere and my cider was delicious. I'm the type of girl who prefers old doors on barrels for tables. If you're not into huge, crushing crowds this is a nice place to go after a late dinner.
There was an unfortunate incident awhile ago where my brother's friend ended up puking on the barkeep. Considering what had just happened (ew!) the guy was apparently pretty cool about it. I'm not saying we should all act like complete schmucks there (again, ew!), but I know I respect them more for not acting like asses.
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When I originally came to Seattle back in the winter, my knowledge of the local drinking scene was non existent, thought I'd try it considering everyone's good word; after leaving that night though my feelings were mixed.
The location was convenient being that I was staying at The Green Tortoise Hostel so that was a plus. Upon entering I realized the place is much smaller then I had imagined, small but do able because it wasn't too crowded.
Sitting down at the bar I stupidly asked for something local (as I usually do) but was met with a pretty rude bar tender who informed me of the limited selection that WHTC has to offer. Rude bartender struck again a few more time thru the night with very cocky remarks I overheard (to others) regarding small chat, almost to the point of making me feel bad for the other patrons.
Tasting the majority of their beer selection that night, I'd definitely recommend the meed or pims over the beer for sure, and it also promotes the atmosphere that I think they are going for. After a few more drink orders and having a nice conversation with another local patron (who was very helpful in a see-this do-this sort of way), I headed out. Overall, the beverage selection is great...the location is convenient to many other bars in the area... while its still small, it felt comfortable.. but if all their bartenders are as rude and unhelpful as this guy then I'll likely not be returning anytime soon.
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This place is so nice and refreshing from the usual Pike Place businesses. A limited menu of just a few beers, wines and a cider, the space is small and intimate. Grab a few friends and sit on the couch and have a nice evening conversing.
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Each visit to Seattle must include a trip to White Horse. It's nestled in an alleyway off of Pike's Market. But don't worry, it doesn't fall into the tourist trap category. Far from it.
The interior looks like an authentic pub... with a bunch of literature surrounding you. It's pretty small and intimate with leather couches and a small bar. They tend to offer about 4 beers and 2 wines. Nothing on tap. The upside is that these beers and wines are super tasty. Go here, enjoy a tasty beer and have an intimate conversation with your friend(s) and you'll be a happy person.
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Looking at other reviews, I don't have much to add, just that I agree with everyone who says "cozy"!
If you're looking to mix it up, this is the perfect chill watering hole. It can get busy in the late evenings, but if you go on the early side, you can hang out with Joe. This is such a refresher from the typical Kell's experience, and to be honest I didn't know this was here until being introduced recently by a good friend. Let's hope it stays this way, somewhat exclusive, chill and unique.
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Sam Adams your cooler British cousin Samuel Smith from the White Horse Trading Company totally punked you out this past weekend. Samuel Smith the three faced talent(lager, ale, and stout) totally ran circles around you without even breaking a sweat. Yes he has an accent and chip on his shoulder but god damn does he make a tasty beverage!! So congrats go to you WHTC because you're now one of my most favorites place to chill and booze it up.
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Wow. . . 5 star average.
It seems like a great place to hang out with close friends. The locations is great and the space is cozy. They specialize in beer and wine, but this also means that's all they have. Want a cocktail? Go elsewhere.
This is all great, actually. I really enjoyed chilling there late one evening. I will, however never go back because of the bathroom. It made me that uncomfortable.
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DISCLAIMER: I knew Joe, this establishment's proprietor, when he owned the Black Horse in SF, which was/is actually smaller than this joint, if you can believe it....SF real estate and all. So i kinda knew what to expect.
Bottom line: This is the anti-Kells, and not only for the fact that it's an English-themed bar. The clientele, especially on weekends, is of a more idiosyncratic, cosmopolitan ilk. The beer selection is limited, but with Aspall Cider and Sam Smith's do you really need much more? The wines are well chosen, and the Pimm's Cup (and I know his secret and will never tell) is damn fine.
If you don't find Joe on Wednesday or Thursday, a fine native upstate New Yorker, Jake, will be manning the bar with his dry wit and fine demeanor. So go, because you'll never have this much fun in 300 square feet again.
But why does Joe no longer wear his yellow hat?
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When you walk into the White Horse Trading Company all seems right in the world.
It's just that kind of place. The kind of place that actually makes you want to talk to other people (yes, it hurt to even type that) because anyone who sees the charm in this bar is my type of person.
The fact that the bar keep shared his chocolate birthday cake with me (thanks east coast friend for having the social skills to get me a piece of cake) definitely elevates the bar above and beyond its inherent charms.
The wine list is comprised of "red or white" and the beer selection is relatively limited but you should ignore all of that anyway and get one of their dry ciders. I haven't had a cider since a few bad experiences in college (I don't want to talk about it) but this cider is crisp, refreshing, and not at all syrupy sweet the way so many ciders seem to be.
Grab a seat at the bar if you're on your own, or bring a bunch of friends and snag a spot at the comfy couches and waste away an evening chatting.
Just be ware of the odd bathroom situation if you're the type to be bothered by such a thing. It's up a couple of stairs and beyond a gate in a room that feels uncomfortably close to the rest of the bar. I like to think of it as part of the charm.
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Some girlfriends and I stumbled upon the White Horse pretty soon after it opened, and boy were we happy we did. We were looking for somewhere mellow to have a drink (before we went to the crazier places to have MORE drinks), and stayed for quite a while...and came back again, and again, etc.
It just has that...something special, that makes it feel like you're curled up on your bff's leather couch with a glass of red, chatting the night away. Everyone's cool, nobody's looking down their nose at anyone else, because people are actually there to hang with their friends, too.
Cozy. Homey. Perfect. Love!
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Those searching for a cool place to have a beer or a cider:
You found it, wait until nightfall, close the laptop, find a date,, get a bottle of cider, grab a couch, and consider striking up a conversation with the other couple next to you. Steel a kiss from said date when that other couple is not looking.
Those who Yelp:
What do you say about those five star places that we've all found, love and know right? I say, Yes.
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This place is an awesome traditional English pub, great for just chilling. Very cozy with couches and book-filled shelves. The walls have all sorts of English paraphernalia to admire while sipping on your Samuel Smith beer. Bartender was super friendly while I just chilled there one Tuesday night by myself. Great place to just sit and chat with a good friend.
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I'm having a hard time conveying a review for this place, so I'll just explain what happened when I went there this past summer:
- Stepped in at 4 PM, thought I walked into an English pub. Not a fake "English-style" pub...a pub straight out of London.
- Had to use the bathroom, remained completely sketched out as the bathroom doesn't really have a door and felt uncomfortable. Not a place to take a #2!
- Only had a couple choices for alcohol...3 different types of Samuel Smith or mead, which I'm a huge fan of. All for $5 each.
- Tons of old books on the walls along with board games, very comfortable, lax, and dirty atmosphere. Small place.
- Stayed in here for about 10 minutes before this old, big guy dressed as a clown came in and started hitting on one of the old toothless women at the bar. It wasn't a rare occurrence, this exchange probably happens multiple times a night between multiple sketchy people that visit this place.
- Finished our drinks and headed out, wondering what the hell just happened.
Two days later:
- Wondering why we left so soon, looking forward to my next visit to this place.
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Man!! Well first I've known the bartender (Jake) since I was 19. I'll admit I went in there because he was the only person in Seattle that wasn't throwing passive-aggressive hatred my way (aaaaaa yes the early days). This place STILL feels like home after three years of patronage. Being surrounded by old books (all for sale by the way) and some good brit rock or blues (depending) is the ultimate in cozy in my opinion. They have REAL mead wine and hilarious signs that read: "Beware of Pick pockets and loose women". It's nice and dark but not in the creepy "where are you hands " kind of way. Conversations aren't eaves dropped and everytime I go I meet some really kick ass people from all over the world.
The White Horse does NOT suck!!!
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As an English citizen, I consider myself somewhat of an expert on pubs. Although I only lived in London until I was 6...much too young to be frequenting pubs, my dad is a die-hard rugby-playing, ale-drinking, pub-going bloke and any subsequent trips back to the homeland have included many a family trip at the local pub.
White Horse Trading Company is a lot cooler than many British pubs I've been to AND they allow dogs. Which means when I first started dating my boyfriend, I used to meet him and his English bulldog Bella at White Horse for after-work drinks. The cozy atmosphere - comfortable furniture, shelves lined with books, a friendly bartender - was a big hit with me, and Bella was always a big hit with our fellow bar patrons. That's what I love about Seattleites - more than happy to make friends through the common love for dogs.
Great place to chill out, with or without your pooch, enjoy a pint and chat with new friends.
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Mmmmmm, a traditional Pimm's Cup with fresh squeezed lemon juice. I dare you to find a tastier one in town.
A friend described this place like visiting your British grandfather's living room. She was right. A very cozy atmosphere. Lots of cool stuff to look at on the walls and tons of books. Tiny little couches, that force you to get intimate. I'm not implying that's a bad thing. :)
I got together there with a few friends of mine and a pack of Uno cards one night. The next thing we knew, we were playing with a group of Aussies there by way of Canada. It was a blast.
A great place to go when you want to get out of the house, but want to keep it low key.
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Finally! I've been trying to come here for months now, but it's always closed (closed on Sundays and before 5pm).
Anyway, it's decorated exactly how, if I opened a pub, I would decorate my place: lots of beer signs, beer cans, books, random posters. The music was fantastic, also. None of that hip hop stuff.
The selection of drinks is something like this: lager, pale ale, stout, red wine, white wine, mead, Pimm's. Makes it much easier to decide, eh?
I can vouch for the Oatmeal stout. It was brilliant.
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Love it! Beer and wine here. Backgammon here. Friendliest bartender in town here. Good times sitting on a couch chatting with friends here. Using the bathroom feels a little bit like you're going out in the open, that's the only down point. Love it!
Really love it on St. Patrick's Day when waiting in line for Kell's. We would take turns standing in line and ducking into White Horse for beers.
The farmhouse door is my favorite part. It enables you to chat with people passing by in Post Alley. It feels like your grandparent's living room. If your grandparents keep an impressive stock of foreign beers and are awesome that is. It's very small and cozy.
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What a fabulous place! You'd never expect it to sneak up on you like it does! Walking towards it last night, I thought we were headed to another bar a little further up with the neon lights and whatnot.
Stepping into this place is almost like stepping into the past...in England, perhaps. The bartender(s) were wearing long white aprons and the main guy just looked the part as well, with his long sideburns and driving cap. It was also his birthday, we were treated to some excellent chocolate cake. It was almost like walking into some sort of library barber shop hybrid...but way cooler.
Very, very cozy...my friend had to remind me that I'm not in Texas anymore when I tried to put my feet up on the coffee table...that's how cozy it is. I opted for the Dry English Cider, which was really yummy, unlike ciders I've had before. It just worked out to be a great place to hang out with some great people and have some great conversations.
Watch your step going into and coming out of the restroom, someone could seriously get hurt!!!
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drink with your mates, 5pm doors open and closed for the Sabbath. Samuel Smith is the only brand of beer on the menu but they serve a lager, ale, and stout year round with a seasonal brew in an English pint serving. The only thing this place is missing is bourbon and scotch whiskey. As it stands, there is no reason to miss this stop if you enjoy a tranquil stop on your bar listing. I can think of no better place to bring a friend to catch up over a pint, sit for a game of chess or make some merry making on rainy night. Capacity is low and the feel is about as comfortable as your favourite living room. Bar keep Jake is an easy going guy and very welcoming, as are the regulars. 1 turns easily into 4 here
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This is a great little bar, little being the operative word here. If it wasn't for a fellow yelper I never would have known it existed I've walked by it many times on my way down Post Alley but never stopped in.
Besides being a great little bar it's also a very comfortable bar, you could lose all track of time sitting in there drinking talking with your girlfriends. Oh and the topics that come up let me tell you everything from hermaphrodite to second date masturbators to whiny needy loser ex-boyfriends to getting bendy with someone to Tasmania sheep farming to oh you get the pictures you can talk about anything in here.
The bartender is great he'll bring out another beer sit it in front of you and just wait for the head nod to open it and fill your glass oh and he'll also let you fondle his Kink's CD. Speaking of beer the drink selection here is limited you have 3 beers, 2 wines, 1 cider and a Pimms cup to pick from, there may have been one other thing on the menu but I'm not sure.
The "water closet" aka the bathroom is an adventure in peeing if you ask me. If you come here be sure to check it out.
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I wouldn't have reviewed this place had I not realized a buttload of other people already have and there's no way to keep this cute little bar a secret. Oh well.
I ended up at this bar because a dear friend of mine knows one of the bartenders and wanted to introduce us to each other (Hi Jake A.!)...He was good-looking and had a nice hat. I like hats. And he kept giving us chocolate. Oh, totally beside the point, got it.
The White Horse is tiny and most of the space is taken up by comfy furniture and books that aren't really for sale (unless you know the right people?). The beverage selection is small, but good. All in all it's a fantastic place to meet up with a few friends for a few drinks and some crazy conversation.
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One of my favorite bars in Seattle but seating is limited to 2 small areas of comfy chairs, the bar (L-Shaped with 3-4 seats per side) and one table in the corner that seats 7-8. Drinking options are limited to 3 beers (all Sammy Smith), a few wines (and by few, I mean 2-3), a keg of mead and pimms with freshly squeezed lemon. I recommend a few beers here early in the evening - happy hour is from 5-8 (dollar off the beers). Don't ring a large group. Joe the bartender is good conversation and will remember you if you're a regular.
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The White Horse is one of my favorite places of any kind in Seattle. The space is so comfortable and inviting and Joe really makes you feel welcome. Like others have said, there aren't a lot of drinks to choose from, but they are all carefully selected. If you want to step outside for a break or a smoke but don't want to lose your place, just put one of the small wooden signs on your seat. Free peanuts for you and a cookie for your dog.
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One word: Funky.
We walked in and the bartender verbally ID'd my SO. That's right, just asked her "Are you over 21?" (she is). Apparently he can tell if people are lying or not. Now, that's an experienced barkeep.
The wine list consisted of "red" or "white". Both were delicious.
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"So are you 21?"
(i nervously finger my license and passport. This is close enough to Belltown that i'm paranoid i'm getting negged.)
"Yes indeed."
"What'dyalike, miss?"
Feels like the Ashes Pub back in Five Ashes in the South of England.
Small, quiet, serving a good hit of Pimm's Cup and in no way like Belltown at all. Jake's a good guy and i always end up having interesting conversations. I just don't get that it took me this long to find this place and in three short months i have fallen deeply in love with the Horse.
Also, tasty good real dry cider. None of that sugary crap, folks.
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It's like being in your living room, in the middle of Post Alley. I came here based on a yelp review from Derek.. Good choice! We were the only ones here at about 5:00 pm on a Wednesday. It was quiet and peaceful, but I could completely imagine the place getting rowdy as the night moved on. It felt like I was in a little pub off the street in some small English or Belgium town... really.
We had a bottle of a unique dry cider, which was different than any I'd had before. It's not the kind of cider that makes you feel like you got kicked in the head the next day. It tasted like dry champagne.... But what do I know. Jake the bartender recommended this, and he knows best... I'll be coming here again.
I'm hesitant to press the "post it" button though. It's so small, I don't want people to find out about it and I'll be unable to find a seat. But I found out about the place though yelp, so I guess I'll share the wealth... grudgingly. Damn it, I'm so selfless.
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Excellent pub. Has one of each type of beverage, which makes picking you poision dead simple. I went with the stout. Luckily the publican has chosen Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, which made for a fine brew.
Dark and mellow. Friendly lamb chopped man behind the stick. Brilliant!
This place has an awesome "old time" feel. Makes me want to sit down and talk the reformation with brilliant types.
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Makes me wanna move into the market, just so's I can have a bar like this in my neighborhood.
Both the bartender and server are so cute you might have to fight the compulsion to abduct them both and open a White Horse of your own in the cellar.
Was that out loud?
It's easy to tune out the annoying (but good-for-the-local-economy!) tourist traffic just outside the door, and pretend that you are in some obscure European dive bar on holiday.
Especially after a few vodka-tonics.
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The White Horse feels like a surreal storage room in the basement of an elegant English hunting lodge. The torn vinyl sofas, the darkness, the beer barrel tables and the generous crust of Anglo-themed artifacts (saddles, golf clubs, books, Courier and Ives-esque engravings, etc.) lend the place a haphazard but cozy vibe. Mix in the odd chess club, dog, server in a tartan miniskirt, silver bearded Market dweller or roomful of hard-drinking lesbians and you can't help but notice that this is NOT your father's drinking establishment. It's your great, great grandfather's drinking establishment... on acid.
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The White Horse is less like going to a bar and more like visiting a friend who just so happens to have a bar in his living room. Joe is sarcastic, friendly, he remembers your drink, and is totally unpretentious
They apparently sell books, but the shelves seem more like a personal library, which is nice because they add to the whole ambiance thing.
At first taste I wasn't too into the pimms, but I later discovered, on a hot day - a pimms cup sure does hit the spot.
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For great ambiance and more interesting conversation, seek out the tiny White Horse, tucked behind the market on Post Alley. It is a pleasure to talk with the amiable owner, who serves just one local wine pour and a small selection of Samuel Smith's ales along with a local brew or two. Do not arrive hungry - the White Horse does not serve any food. [This review is adapted from a longer post on Seattle at wanderingaround-DOT-net.]
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A friend and I were traipsing through Post Alley and ambled in. Nice deco (we were especially fond of the spam in a birdcage). Left goofy notes in the many, many books shelved throughout. And chatted for a long time with Valerie - who is way cool, by the way.
Very simple - wine or beer. Nice, welcoming feel. Folks know eachother well, but don't seem put off by new blood. Could see myself going back. In fact....
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3 bottled beers, 2 wines, 1 mead and a pim's cup. 7 person bar, 4 chairs, 2 sofas 1 table and a fireplace. Wall to wall used English literature for sale. Salty snacks. Joe and Jake. That's all they have to offer and its all you and that's what makes it perfect.
Everyone is a regular or a tourist (out of towners stumble in thinking people know where this bar is). If you go there once, you'll become a regular, they will remember your name. Joe will say :welcome home jake will say: good morning. They are open mon-sat from 5 til they damn well please.
This bar is simple cozy and perfect, the crowd increases exponentially on the weekends yet never gets more crowded than a 700 square ft room could be, or always is. This is the tiny English pub used bookstore that you didn't grow up with unless you used to go to the Blackhorse in CA.
An un-named friend of mine has used this pub as a date tester. Take her down to the Whitehorse and see if she likes fake roses hung from the ceiling with care. Read the big book of dog breeds over wine and peanuts whist old blues music plays and the sky mists. This either heaven or hell depending on who you are.
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What a great little bar! I can't believe we'd never been here before. It's just my kind of place to go with a small group of friends (more than 10 and you're in danger of taking over the entire bar... not that that's a bad thing). Six of us went here last Friday night, and managed to snag the super comfy couch and armchairs. Our server (I believe her name was Val) was very friendly and answered all of our questions about the beer selection with ease and patience. The lager I had was delicious and dangerously easy to drink... not to fret... there was plenty more where that came from!! I didn't really get a chance to look at the books because the company was so delightful, but there's always next time!!
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