After years of uncertainty, one of Seattle’s oldest bars is preparing to welcome customers back. The Historic Triangle Pub, a longtime Pioneer Square gathering spot, is currently in the middle of a soft reopening, bringing new life to a historic building that has stood on First Avenue South for more than a century.
The pub’s comeback is being led by owners Matt Greenup and Steve Bassett, who signed a lease two years ago with plans to restore the neighborhood watering hole. Originally scheduled to debut earlier this year, the reopening was delayed by construction work, building-code requirements and safety upgrades. They’ve been sharing regular opening updates on Instagram and on November 5 The Seattle Times reported that the pub “is scheduled to reopen by next weekend.”
A Seattle bar with over 116 years of history
The story of the Triangle Pub dates back to 1910, when the ground floor of the newly built Triangle Hotel opened as a saloon. Designed with a distinctive wedge-shaped footprint inspired by New York’s Flatiron Building, the structure was built around existing railroad tracks during Seattle’s Tidelands Real Estate Boom.
Over the decades, the building served railroad workers, longshoremen and other downtown regulars. Its history also includes a Prohibition-era speakeasy, a Western Union office and a brothel operating in the upper floors during and after the Great Depression.
The bar has operated under several names, including Jack’s Bar and Flatiron Tavern. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Seattle landmark in 1976.
What to expect when the Triangle Pub reopens
The approximately 700-square-foot tavern has seating for around 25 people, although owners plan to accommodate additional customers during busy Seahawks and Mariners game days by pulling out additional stools. The pub also has a patio with seating.
The restoration will also include a remodeled basement kitchen, with a dumbwaiter planned to transport food upstairs. Acclaimed Seattle chef Mitch Mayers, formerly of Ballard’s Sawyer restaurant, has been brought on as a food-menu consultant. Sawyer received a 2019 James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant.
The pub plans to begin with beer and wine service first before introducing food and a full bar program as construction and licensing are completed.
Located near Seattle’s major sports stadiums, the Historic Triangle Pub is poised to reclaim its place as a classic Pioneer Square neighborhood hangout—this time with more than a century of Seattle history behind it.
