Seattleites looking to celebrate the Chinese New Year can head skyward—35 floors up—for a festive experience at Smith Tower. Now through March 3, the historic landmark’s Observatory Bar is welcoming the Year of the Fire Horse with special pricing and a themed food and cocktail menu.
Opened in 1914, Smith Tower has longstanding ties to China. Its 35th-floor bar was originally known as the Chinese Room and still showcases ornate décor gifted by Empress Dowager Cixi. Among the treasures is the famed Wishing Chair, intricately carved with a dragon and phoenix—symbols said to foretell marriage when paired together. Local lore holds that any unmarried person who sits in the chair will wed within a year, a legend that reportedly came true for the tower’s founder’s daughter, who got married in the room itself.
In the spirit of the holiday, Washington residents can purchase Observatory tickets for $10, making the experience more accessible throughout the celebration. (A valid ID is required.) The regular cost for an adult ticket is $25.
The bar is currently featuring three limited-time Negroni cocktails: the Empress Red (Roku Gin, blood orange amaro, sweet vermouth), the Golden Prosperity (spiced gin, Comoz Blanc vermouth, ginger-infused dry vermouth), and the Jade Dynasty (gin, Green Chartreuse, Comoz Blanc vermouth). Pair them with Chinese-inspired bites like steamed pork dumplings, pork belly sliders, and a Shin noodle veggie stir fry—all served alongside 360-degree views of Seattle’s skyline from the indoor lounge or open-air deck.
See more information on the Smith Tower website.