Russell’s opened in 2014. Co-owner Joe Russell had spent eight years bartending at Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub in Pike Place Market before opening it, according to The Stranger. In June, Esquire included the tavern, at 4111 Stone Way N in Seattle, in its 14 Best Bars in America list. Bham Now reported the selection, and The Seattle Times also noted the recognition.
The bar’s recurring food offerings include taco Mondays and weekend breakfast sandwiches. The Seattle Times has also reported on the tavern’s weekly pie service.
Russell’s also serves pie on Wednesdays alongside specials on selected whiskeys. The Seattle Times reports that co-owner Ashley Russell began making pie for the bar about a month after it opened and still bakes the pies herself. Its account describes the offerings as changing with the seasons, with apple, pear and pumpkin among the flavors matched with familiar spices.
The pie program adds a weekly food offering to a bar also known for its drinks and breakfast sandwiches. Details about how the pie tradition began and what is served are drawn from The Seattle Times’ reporting; this account does not reproduce its recipes or its more detailed descriptions of Ashley Russell’s methods.
Seattle’s pandemic-era restaurant response
A separate example of the challenges facing Seattle’s restaurant industry came in March 2020, when Seattle Restaurants United petitioned city, state and federal officials for relief, according to Eater Seattle. The coalition’s advocacy effort is distinct from Russell’s recognition on Esquire’s list.
