One of Green Lake’s prime corners is about to get noisy again. Greenlake Brewing, a new neighborhood brewery from Seattle restaurateur Cody Cluff, is set to open Tuesday, April 7 in the former Wooden City Tavern space across from the park. The roomy taproom is designed to catch both after-work crowds and weekend parkgoers, with house-brewed beer and a comfort-focused menu built for lingering.
Greenlake Brewing will take over roughly 5,000 square feet at 7110 E Green Lake Drive N and is the newest brand in Cluff’s portfolio, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal. The outlet reports that the team is reworking the former restaurant layout into brewing and taproom operations ahead of the planned Tuesday launch. The project marks another neighborhood-focused expansion for Cluff and his crew.
Wooden City Tavern’s website notes the Green Lake location closed on December 23, 2025, leaving the high-visibility corner up for grabs. After a rough year for many local restaurants, the existing kitchen and bar setup made the space especially attractive for a quick-turn brewery conversion. Cluff’s group stepped in after the vacancy put the building back on the market.
Cluff's Local Track Record
Cody Cluff already operates Magnuson Café & Brewery and helped launch the Gasworks Brewing brand, and he has repeatedly taken on large, patio-friendly properties around Seattle, as reported by The Seattle Times. Those projects suggest Greenlake Brewing will lean into an accessible tap list and a menu built for sharing. If the new spot follows Cluff’s usual playbook, neighbors can expect seasonal beers alongside a steady rotation of crowd-pleasing staples.
What To Expect
The Puget Sound Business Journal reports that the buildout will fit in brewing equipment, a full taproom and a food program tailored to the neighborhood. The roughly 5,000-square-foot footprint leaves room for a generous bar area and flexible seating. Cluff’s other venues mix sizable tap lists with approachable pub dishes, so Greenlake Brewing is likely to land in the same lane, with both in-house beers and collaborative offerings. The scale of the room also gives the team space to handle events and bigger weekend crowds.
Neighborhood Fit
Green Lake’s steady stream of walkers, joggers and nearby residents has long supported casual restaurants and bars, and a dedicated taproom could provide a year-round gathering spot to match the lakeside traffic. The Seattle Times has documented a broader wave of new breweries and taprooms across the city, pointing to ongoing demand for larger, community-focused beer spaces. Greenlake Brewing’s corner perch should let it pull in both park visitors and neighborhood regulars.
Greenlake Brewing’s opening on Tuesday, April 7 will add an early spring entry to the neighborhood’s food-and-drink roster. As the buildout wraps up and opening day approaches, we’ll be watching for permit filings and final menu details to round out the picture.
