UNIVERSITY DISTRICT. A university crowd frequents this local mainstay, which has a saloon-like ambience with lots of dark woods and beer memorabilia. House brews are much-loved, whether they're Big Time standards or specialty creations, and you'll find ambers, oatmeal stouts, and ales among the selection. Hearty pub food like pizzas, chili, and sandwiches makes a good complement to the beer and also helps ward off alcoholic discomfort if you indulge a little too much. A CD jukebox offers a host of good music, and there's shuffleboard in the back room. A perfect destination for a laid-back evening.

REMOND. Two distinct family lines converge at this Redmond watering hole, where spicy Cajun cuisine and cozy Irish airs create a unique family-friendly scene. Enjoy a plate of crawfish or hearty serving of gumbo along with a home-brewed quaff on their "bayou-side" patio out back. Inside the shack, meanwhile, you'll have no problem finding good conversation and, perhaps, a cricket opponent. Live music is featured 2-3 nights a week, and may range from Celtic and Irish to blues and jazz.

WEST SEATTLE. Decorated with wrought iron fixtures and painted tangerine and aubergine hues, this sleek neighborhood pub perfectly mirrors the upstart attitude of its West Seattle environs. In the evenings, area professionals stop in to enjoy a microbrew or glass of wine at the refreshingly subdued bar. The menu offers a unique take on the concept of pub grub, winning patrons with dishes like Spanish-style fried calamari with lemon-garlic aioli, chicken jambalaya with andouille sausage, and enchiladas. Innovative egg dishes (served at weekend brunches) have become somewhat of a local legend.

WEST SEATTLE. A favorite nighttime haunt of the West Seattle crowd, this friendly brewpub offers a casual setting for mingling with friends or enjoying a bite of pub grub with the family. The spacious seating area is marked by its rustic red brick walls and high ceiling, which combine to give the place the look and feel of a European-style beer hall. Year-round house quaffs include Alembic Pale Ale, Elliott Bay IPA, Luna Weizen, and No Doubt Stout, and a variety of seasonal brews are also available. A loft area upstairs offers a few pool tables.

CAPITOL HILL. This local microbrewery, with its huge interior, expansive windows, and copper-topped bar, is eminently cool and is a great place to hang out with friends and sample house-brewed beers. Many of them bear mythological names, in keeping with the brewery's name, and you'll find everything from lagers and stouts to pilsners and ales. A good menu of pub fare includes pastas, sandwiches, stews, and fish and chips.