The Hideout is not somewhere that I’d send a visitor to Seattle. Strange neighborhood (near hospitals) on a street with not much else on it. It attracts a small, eclectic crowd who choose to go out of their way to drink at this watering hole.

An art gallery mixed with Gaudy-meets-Americana bar vibe … but nothing is perfect about it. Some of the art is good, some of it is not so good. The service is personal yet unpro at times. The ornate mirrors don’t really mix with the 50s cooler behind the bar. But all these uneasy quirks make the place hum. That, or Erik’s regular office hour gatherings have altered my perception.

I suspect The Hideout could dissolve as fast as it appeared and like the great film you stumble into to escape a rainy day that never releases on DVD, you’ll miss it if you blink.