Creative cocktails & skyline views in a lively rooftop setting
"Perched atop the hotel, Firn—Pioneer Square’s first rooftop bar—organizes cocktails by ice style (shaved, crushed, or geometric) and highlights seasonal, locally driven ingredients; one standout, the Letters to the Forest, mixes Averna amaro, Douglas fir eau-de-vie, blackberry, honey, thyme, alpine bitters, and lemon. Small plates such as Dungeness crab dip, charcuterie, and pickled bites pair well with glacier-inspired cocktails, and guests can choose the indoor bar or a native wildflower–lined patio that offers Puget Sound views and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Firn has quickly become a local hangout for date nights, weekend outings, and post–First Thursday art-walk cocktails." - Bailey Berg
"Pioneer Square’s first rooftop bar has a pleasant patio for outdoor hangs—just don’t expect much elevation or a decent water view. The drinks lack complexity, and the snacks are mediocre. Alas, there’s utility in popping up here before or after a Mariners game if you don’t feel like having stale beer and wings." - kayla sager riley, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo
"Also at the Populus is Pioneer Square’s newest (and first, apparently) rooftop bar. There are small bites like dungeness crab dip and pimento cheese profiteroles. But cocktails take up the most real estate on the menu. We’re talking an N/A espresso martini, a frozen cocktail that involves tequila and white chocolate, and clarified rum punch." - kayla sager riley, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo
"Touted as Pioneer Square’s first rooftop bar, Firn at the Populus Hotel opened with a lot of pressure upon it (the poor thing). And while the long patio space makes for a nice outdoor hang, don’t expect a surplus of high-elevation excitement. It’s located on the sixth floor, eye-level with a few skyscrapers—and the only waterfront sighting is a small slice of shimmering blue obscured by shrubbery. That wouldn’t matter if the drinks were fantastic, but they lack complexity in general (looking at you, five-ingredient clarified cocktail that just tastes like pineapple juice)." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
"Touted as Pioneer Square’s first rooftop bar, Firn at the Populus Hotel opened with a lot of pressure upon it (the poor thing). And while the long patio space makes for a nice outdoor hang, don’t expect a surplus of high-elevation excitement. It’s located on the sixth floor, eye-level with a few skyscrapers—and the only waterfront sighting is a small slice of shimmering blue, obscured by shrubbery from almost every angle. That wouldn’t matter if the drinks were fantastic, but they lack complexity in general (looking at you, five-ingredient clarified cocktail that just tastes like pineapple juice). Alas, there’s utility in popping up here before or after a Mariners game if you don’t feel like having stale beer and wings." - Aimee Rizzo