Twilight Martini Lounge, Belltown
I was wearing my pajamas the first time I experienced a bit of Twilight Martini Lounge’s hip-hop flavor. It was 1 AM and I was heading to bed when a girlfriend called from said bar and yelled, “Listen!” as I soon as I answered. She then held her phone up to a speaker for several seconds so that I could hear the song she was dancing to. It was “Loungin’” by LL Cool J, and when I heard it I knew exactly why she called: to reminisce about the summer of 1996 when we were seventeen and drove to Seaside, Oregon with three other girlfriends to spend a weekend frolicking around the beach. We must have listened to “Loungin’” three hundred times. It was our (shout it with seventeen-year-old enthusiasm) FAVORITE song.
Music is my favorite part about going to bars and clubs, and it was the prospect of hearing some more ’90s-era hip-hop that took me into Twilight. I was not disappointed. From Bell Biv Devoe to Tupac to Big Pun, the DJs at Twilight spin the soundtrack of my high school years. The music is not all a decade old, but it is (at least on the weekends) mostly hip-hop and rap. Located in a triangle-shaped building near the corner of Western and Blanchard, Twilight is not quite a bar and not quite a club, but a nice blend of both. The space is decorated with low couches and draping fabrics, and the small candles that sit at every table provide the majority of lighting. Although I would not call the place chic–the women’s restroom could use a revamp and couches could use some upholstery cleaner–the ambience is perfect for grabbing a cocktail and lounging with friends. And if you feel like shaking your tail feather, a small dance floor often forms near the DJ booth as the night wears on.
Twilight offers a small menu of appetizers in case you need a little something to nibble on. The hummus platter is great, but very garlic-y. Avoid it if you plan on canoodling. This brings me to my other favorite part about going to bars and clubs: boys.
Twilight Martini Lounge
2125 Western AVE
(206) 443-1212
About Girls Guide to City Life
Do you know the best place to be seen? Where the best coffee, afternoon tea and after work drink? Do you know the best boutiques and where the best fitting rooms are? Where the best linens are and the best home decor? The best place to dish with girlfriends and where the best place to relax on your own is? Do you know which hotels to stay at and where to dine? The best day trip, spa and getaway? Do you know the best splurge and the best bargain? Do you know the best places in your city?
If you don’t, we do! Learn More!