WOODINVILLE — Come for the boozy, stay for the creamy.
This corner of Woodinville whiskeys you away from the winter blues.
The Hollywood Tavern and Woodinville Whiskey Co. share a parking lot, making it an easy two-fer destination.
The tavern, a roadhouse since 1947, sports a white-and-red cottage exterior and a courtyard with a blazing fire pit ringed by Adirondack chairs.
Next door, the modern distillery’s towering copper vats and sleek tasting showroom beckon. Even if whiskey isn’t your tipple, there’s something intoxicating about watching grains turn to spirits.
The two establishments are independently owned but pair well together. The tavern’s signature drink is a milkshake made with Woodinville Whiskey, served in a mason jar with a bacon strip stirrer. The distillery’s whiskey bottles double as water carafes on dining tables.
Woodinville is famous for its wineries, with Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery and dozens of others in the area known as the Hollywood District — no relation to Tinseltown, by the way.
But let’s talk about the food. A new star on the Hollywood Tavern menu is the Woodinville Cheesesteak.
“We knocked around what a really good Woodinville cheesesteak would look like, and this thing was born,” co-owner Thomas Self said.
The Woodinville Cheesesteak with thinly-shaved ribeye, swiss cheese, red peppers, mushrooms, onions, banana peppers, tarragon aioli available at the Woodinville Tavern. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
It oozes Swiss cheese. If you want Cheese Whiz, go to Philly.
“We’re not trying to be cheesesteak purists,” Self added.
Thinly shaved ribeye meets sautéed mushrooms, banana peppers, onions and tarragon aioli on a Grand Central Bakery hoagie. Perfect for sharing, if you’re feeling generous.
“Now that’s a good sandwich,” declared my husband Max, who regretted giving me the bigger half. He vowed to get his own next time. Ditto.
“It’s a great place to sit around the fire and enjoy a beer,” said Jennifer Capoccia, visiting from Austin, Texas.
She and her husband, Brian, shared a plate of charred Brussels sprouts topped with crispy pork belly and seasoned with Woodinville Whiskey’s maple syrup. They snagged some house-cut fries that came with a companion’s hefty Hollywood Burger.
Other tavern favorites based on Yelp reviews include fried pickles and a lamb burger topped with crispy Brussels sprouts.
“We specialize in simple food with a slight twist but executed really well,” Self said.
The tavern has daily happy hour specials and a weekend brunch. Entrees include steak, fish and fall-off-the-bone ribs slathered in barbecue sauce infused with Woodinville Whiskey. And yes, those milkshakes can come with or without bourbon.
One of the Woodinville Tavern’s Signature Woodinville Whiskey Milk Shakes on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024 in Woodinville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
A century ago, people came here to fill up on gas at the Hollywood Corner Service Station. Mabel Nieman turned it into a tavern in 1947, serving drinks, advice and the occasional scolding to local farmers, loggers and mill workers. Mabel lived above a garage where the distillery now stands. Her photo hangs in the bar.
Woodinville Whiskey Co., founded in 2010, produces about 50 barrels of whiskey daily. The grains are sourced from a four-generation family farm in Quincy. After distillation, the whiskey ages back on the farm before bottling and national distribution.
Distillery visitors can purchase a bottle, or even a barrel. Empty 53-gallon oak barrels are sometimes available for about $110. Tours require reservations, but you can enjoy a close-up view of the gleaming vats from the tasting room. A flight of four whiskeys is $10, applicable to a purchase.
Doors open daily at 11 a.m. for tastings. Not early enough for some sippers.
“Sometimes, people are waiting at the door at 11 o’clock, even on a Sunday or a Monday,” tasting room associate Heather Moore said.
The tavern opens at the same time, making it a toss-up which to enter first.
Indulge in dessert. Apple Blossom, a fried apple pastry puff with soft-serve vanilla, is a Hollywood Tavern hit. Go ahead, dip a fry in the ice cream.
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