Nightlife in Bellevue

Hot-pink chairs, barstools, and booths cradle diners as they enjoy plates of Asian fusion cuisine. The menu's fragrantly seasoned entrees borrow heavily from the recipes of Thailand, featuring various curries, fiery chili pastes, and housemade peanut sauce. Chinese staples include sweet-and-sour chicken, whose complementary flavors mirror the restaurant’s complex cocktails. Bartenders muddle jalapeños, infuse vodkas with blackberry and cantaloupe in-house, and periodically retreat to the back room to squeeze fresh milk from ripe coconuts.

As dinner parties cycle through, the modern setting begins to morph into a late-night lounge, which remains open until as late as 2 a.m. as DJs spin records and tap dance into the microphone.

At ComedySportz Seattle, the spontaneity of improv humor marries the competitiveness of athletics in weekly shows that churn out laughs for roughly 100 minutes each. During a match, two opposing teams of comics square off in red and blue uniforms as a referee presides. The teams launch into sketches and routines fueled by audience suggestions, much like on the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Since random, casual outbursts are so integral to the show, no two performances are the same.

Belltown Billiards stepped up the nightlife game by blending a pool hall with a sleek, modern lounge. Stripes and solids roll atop eight custom-designed Brunswick pool tables, above which curved, industrial-style awnings arc like wings. Nearby, black leather couches in the lounge give onlookers a comfortable spot to watch games or the cue-twirling victory dances that follow them. Bartenders also pour out a selection of beers, cocktails, and wines from a neon-lit bar.

The onsite kitchen, helmed by a professional chef, makes Mediterranean-inspired entrees with fresh, local ingredients from nearby Pike Place Market. Small groups can order apps such as bruschetta or pork sliders from the à la carte regular menu. Thin-crust pizzas and buffet-style meals from the large-party menu cater to crews of up to 400. Belltown Billiards also hosts regular public events, and DJs spin dance beats every night.

Rather than relying on microwave ovens, heat lamps, and deep fryers, chef Kathy Christopher and her culinary team craft all of Hilltop Ale House's pub favorites right on the grill. Cooks create each item on her weekly menu entirely by hand, roasting cashews dusted with curry spices and stacking Reuben sandwiches with Boar's Head corned beef braised in Blackthorn hard cider. Meanwhile, barkeeps work the taps, helping wash down meals with more than 15 microbrews including a rotating selection of handcrafted suds from small, local breweries and cask-conditioned beers in kegs powered by hand-pulled engines that use no CO2. A 55-inch high-definition LCD television bathes diners in the light of major-league matchups, while the English-style pub's back room–adorned with French doors and windows looking out over a garden–sets the stage for special lunches, dinners, and paintball matches.