Cellar door - Port Townsend

My wife and I love secret, hidden, underground and out-of-the-way places. Thus, as we wandered around and explored Port Townsend for the first time, discovering several shops and restaurants below street level, we knew we were in for a good time here. Even more so, as we passed the signs for Cellar Door, glancing in the window, we vowed to come back later, as they were not yet opened for the day. Our ferry reservation in the early evening meant that our visit would be brief, but it was an absolute must that we stop here, before leaving town. We 're both very glad we did! Back in Portland, there is an awesome gothic-themed bar/restaurant called Raven 's Manor, that recently opened earlier this year, and is probably our favorite place in the entire city at the moment. Cellar Door, while significantly more subdued than its compatriot in our hometown, plays to many of the same strength. The sensation of walking into a vampire 's crypt or den is felt immediately, due in equal parts to sanguine lighting, crimson drapery, and antique décor. The menu, at least with regards to the beverages (which is all we had time to order, unfortunately , shares a similar flair for the theatrical, with cocktails smoking (dry ice or crafted with the use of a blowtorch. I stuck with my stand-by of an Old Fashioned, a Happy Hour special, which came with the added touch of smokiness, as the bartender wielded his blowtorch and some sort of scented wood, to add a smoky edge to the glass before pouring. My wife embraced the darkness with a Vampire 's Kiss: the aforementioned smoking cocktail of vodka, cranberry, grenadine and lemon juice, potent, with a sour bite (hah! to it. We spent our brief time here conversing with the bartender and the two other patrons at the bar, concerning some of their favorite hikes in the region, settled up, and explored some of the backrooms of the place, at the bartender 's suggestion. While we absolutely loved our time here, it was a bit of a shame that we were forced to come so early in the evening, as I can imagine the atmosphere changes significantly on a weekend night. We 're already planning our next overnight trip out this way, and the next time, our destination will be Port Townsend, instead of a stop on our way to other places. There 's a stage with a piano, for one thing, so live music is definitely a thing here. It would be interesting to see the sorts of creepy customers that come crawling out of the woodwork to fill this place out up a weekend night. I 'd better start polishing up my goth boots!

Awesome little spot in the basement of a building. We had cocktails on a quiet Friday night and there was a nice vibe. They have a good cocktail menu; the Apollo is one of the best cocktails we have had. The 1912 is also good. Friendly bartender. Would definitely come back.

This is a basement bar with a whole lot of character. Bartender was awesome, drinks were perfect and the whole funky vibe of the place was fun! Definitely recommend for a refreshment, and well, they have a free pac man game out back, what more could you ask for!

Fantastic owner/bartender. Very fancy drinks. I wish that this bar could be rebuilt down the street from me. Go here after you have some vittles down the road. There are many to choose from. Lovely art!

This place was fun! We happened upon it when the restaurant we had reservations at was...unacceptable (no one wants to eat with a view of RVs and the smell of burning tires...that's for another review I guess). We headed into the Cellar for the cider on tap and the fun but limited food menu. The music was good, and loud enough that it drowned out the other chatter. Very hip place, funky provocative art, stiff drinks...I'd go back! I especially loved the popcorn, which came in a giant grocery bag. Worth a visit for sure, but maybe not so much for families.