Inside Passage

Inside Passage on Capitol Hill Has a Selection of Cool, Kitschy Mugs | Eater Seattle

"Opening Friday, June 25, Inside Passage sets an over-the-top oceanic fantasy mood: a giant tentacled sea creature (a rubber-and-foam octopus nicknamed Kiki) hangs from the ceiling, thatched booths and vintage memorabilia fill the cozy space, and rustic wood accents recall an old ship. The owners originally described the concept as “tiki” but, as manager Jen Akin says, they reconsidered that label after learning about its problematic colonial and cultural-appropriation associations; interior designer Notch Gonzalez instead aimed for a more nautical mix of tropical “immersion” aesthetics and Pacific Northwest seafaring history. Cocktails come in elaborate, highly Instagrammable mugs — from an anglerfish-shaped mug holding a Japanese rum concoction with yuzu, lemongrass, mango, and kelp (complete with a pulsating colored bulb) to a Bigfoot-referencing scotch-and-pineapple-rum blend with coconut cream served in a canteen; vintage 1962 Seattle World’s Fair glasses used for a Copperworks gin and aged rhum agricole topped with mandarin and almond milk sorbet; a gothic pirate-themed Goonies-style rum, vanilla, and banana take on an old fashioned with dry ice flair; and a tongue-in-cheek Seattle-tech-giant spin on the Zombie (Novo Fogo silver rum, acai, passion fruit, allspice) that even elicited a chuckle. Inside Passage is walk-ins only from 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesday through Sunday, offers indoor dining with bar snacks like smoked mushroom bao and spam sliders, and also sells canned cocktails to go." - Gabe Guarente