Our Story
In 1987, we thought a boarded-up tavern on the corner of 65th and Latona would be an ideal location for a neighborhood watering hole. With little experience in such matters, the group set out to create something new from the smoke encrusted remnants of the Latona Tavern. The building envelope remained unchanged, and the inside took on a completely new identity. The lowered ceiling was removed to expose the high ceiling, the covers on the windows were removed letting light into the dark tavern, and the design process began.
From the start, we wanted to focus on local beer and local music. We hoped that would provide a special experience in an intimate setting. What could be better than a delicious beer while listening to great music in a community of friends? We had music 4 days a week with jazz every Sunday. The acoustic music nights introduced many to fresh local talent while the Sunday jazz featured some of Seattle’s best-known players. Today, the amazing Phil Sparks keeps the energy of live music going every Friday, hosting one of the longest running Jazz happy hours in the city. He took over from the highly entertaining Boots, Barrie, and Murray, who would close every Friday happy hour with their popular encore Route 66.
The beer was the most important element of the pub plan and we focused on the few breweries that existed. There were only 6 Washington Breweries back then if you can believe that. Can you name them? Jump forward to 2023 and we are approaching 450 state breweries and closing in on 10,000 nationwide. We have always showcased the local brewers in the best possible way by protecting the beer with weekly cleaning, short draws from keg to tap, and quick pour through.
We built our reputation on introducing the community of brewers to our customers with brewer appreciation nights and events where the consumer could meet the often-reclusive brewers. We helped to encourage new beers to be brewed for the Latona creating an opportunity for brewers to move beyond their normal schedule to make something new and exciting.
We also added a food element to the Latona. Our small but “mighty” scratch kitchen developed a reputation for our burgers but the rest of the menu is excellent, featuring ingredients from local purveyors. The food has become one the most significant part of the evolving Latona story. Through the years the people have made the Latona grand. Our customers are amazing with fascinating stories to tell and experiences to share.
Our employees have been unbelievable and they have made the whole journey possible and enriching. We thank and salute them all. We hope we have brought you some fantastic experiences, you have certainly made this journey worthwhile.