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An intimate and charming event space located in the heart of Seattle’s historical district, Pioneer Square. Seattle’s first neighborhood.
Classic Speakeasy
The Reading Room has recently opened up a classic speakeasy style bar offering craft cocktails, beer, wine, and small plate food.
We open Tuesday through Saturday, 4pm til late.
Events
This magical room is perfect for any event from 25 to 200 people. The arches that separate the Reading Room from the Elliott Bay Café can be opened depending on the size of your group. Formal meals, complete with linen or a more rustic and casual theme with beautiful wooden tables are available. Breakfast meetings, business luncheons, cocktail receptions, fine dining, buffet, dancing and music venue, as well as community gatherings of all groups and sizes, are welcomed.
History
The Reading Room is located in the basement of the Globe Building designed by William E Boone, a descendant of Daniel Boone, in 1890. The Reading Room is part of Seattle’s historic underground city, which is a network of underground passages and basements in downtown Seattle, that was ground level at the city’s origin in the mid 19th century. The Great Fire in 1889 destroyed most of downtown’s wooden buildings. During discussions on how to rebuild, the decision to re-grade the area was made, as the Puget Sound tides were a constant source of flooding. As fires were all too common, the walls were replaced with arches for structure and built with bricks and stone. Ladders were used to get to the street level once the re-grade was complete. These underground parts became the homes of illegal speakeasies and flophouses. Although, it is not exactly known the complete history of The Reading Room it was a saloon before and after prohibition. From 1985 to 2010 the Reading Room was the place where the Elliott Bay Book Company invited authors from all over the world to share their readings from their newest titles.