"Seattle’s Pioneer Square has no shortage of old ghoulish bars, but Merchants Café & Saloon may be its most historic. Dating back to 1890, the dive leans into its allegedly haunted past with a dusty padlocked bar downstairs that looks like a dungeon, a 19th-century portrait of a lady that may as well have eye holes cut out, and even a creepy doll. While the snacks are generally forgettable, it’s still not a bad place to sip on a local draft or stiff bourbon and ponder what spirits may be haunting the backrooms." - anne cruz