Crescent Lounge

Gay bar & karaoke · Seattle Capitol Hill

Small, dim, cheap and open since the late 1940s: the Crescent Lounge is considered Seattle’s oldest gay bar and is known for karaoke every night.

• ★ 4.1 on Google (328)
• Since 1948
• Karaoke daily
• Dive bar

Address

1413 E Olive Way
Seattle, WA 98122

Opening hours

daily noon–2 am

Crowd

very mixed, all genders, from students to 50+, lots of regulars

Flirt factor

medium

Programme

Karaoke every night

Getting there

on Olive Way, 10 minutes on foot from Link light rail Capitol Hill or Westlake

What makes the Crescent Lounge special

The Crescent Lounge on the slope of Olive Way opened in the late 1940s as the Crescent Tavern and has served a queer crowd ever since. The Stranger calls it the city’s oldest gay bar and oldest dive bar. Today it’s run by a family that also owns the building.

Inside it’s small, dim and wonderfully unpretentious, and on the back wall hangs a community mural by artist Larsie Mae Freeman. The drinks are cheap and strong, the song list is long, and there’s karaoke every night.

Atmosphere and crowd

The crowd is very mixed: regulars, students and night owls looking for a nightcap after other bars. Straight guests also like to come with queer friends. The bar team gets the most praise. Late in the evening there’s hardly a seat free.

Contact

Editorially researched, as of October 2026. Sources: The Stranger, The Ticket (Seattle Times), Seattle Met, The Infatuation, Out x Out, Google reviews (4.1 stars, 328 reviews). Opening hours, prices and programme may change, please check before visiting.