"When the beloved punk rock (and pirate-themed!) Kraken Bar & Lounge was forced to close its doors back in March 2023 after developers bought the building, it seemed that life had come to an end for the decade-old U District watering hole. But never underestimate the bar that sued Seattle’s NHL team. The owners snagged the run-down old location of Cafe Racer and spent a year fixing it up. Now months into its new life, the Kraken is thriving in all its punky, piratey glory. Come for the beer and hard-hitting tunes, stay for the stories and live bands." - Brianna Gunter