The Nest, reviewed: Elliott Bay's best sunset seat

I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve dragged up to the top of the Thompson Hotel, and the reaction is the same every time: they go quiet somewhere between the elevator and the rail. The terrace looks straight down onto the Market rooflines and out across Elliott Bay to the Olympics, the Great Wheel turning in the foreground, ferries crossing all evening. It’s the rooftop I point to first when someone asks, and I don’t expect that to change.

What to expect

The space splits between an indoor lounge — green velvet, marble, very handsome — and the open-air deck. The rail seats are the prize, and I’ll be honest: I’ve gotten them exactly twice, both times by showing up at opening on a weekday. Summer weekends bring DJs and a line down the stairs; the vibe is fun, but it’s not the night for a quiet drink.

What to order

The cocktail list rotates seasonally and leans craft. Last visit I had an old fashioned that justified its hotel-bar price purely by where I was sitting when I drank it. The skewers are better than they need to be — order two.

Best time to go: golden hour, roughly an hour before sunset — reserve ahead or do what I do and arrive at opening.

Photos courtesy of The Nest, Thompson Seattle.