Inside Passage

Seattle, Washington, United States

Inside Passage opened on June 25th, 2021 after a long delay because of the COVID pandemic.

It is owned by Pike Street Hospitality Group (the group behind Rumba, Agua Verde Café, and Tango Restaurant).

You enter by going through Rumba.

The interior was designed by Notch Gonzalez — and is more nautical than "tiki" in nature -- mixing tropical aesthetics (thatching, lighting, drink mugs) with Pacific Northwest seafaring history (including the name). That’s reflected in the rubber-and-foam octopus (which the bar nicknamed Kiki), as well as rustic wood accents throughout that recall an old ship.

The bar very pointedly tackles the concept of "tiki" on their website and declares that they are not a tiki bar but an "immersion bar". They have tried to resist using any depictions of tikis, weapons, or native wahines (but topless mermaids and ship figureheads are nautical and okay apparently).

Despite this, if you are a fan of tiki bars, you will probably find much of their decor and their cocktail menu VERY familiar...