3 Best Nightlife in Ellensburg, Washington Wine Country

Grab a seat at the long copper bar or one of the café tables in this art-filled downtown lounge with tall brick walls and a well-curated list of mostly Washington wines. Pizza and well-prepared gastropub fare is served, and the reliably good house wines are a great deal. 

This hip little downtown wine bar with live music every Friday showcases Gård Vintners' superb Columbia Valley and Walla Walla wines. Although it's open for tastings, most folks stop in for a glass or two and a bite to eat—there's a short list of tasty nibbles, including a fantastic warm molten chocolate lava cake. Rhône wines—including a well-balanced Reserve Syrah and a bright, unfiltered Viognier—are the main focus.

This unfussy brewpub on the northwest side of downtown has a pet-friendly patio and taproom with lumberjack-inspired decor (the owner is a former logger). It's one of the top craft brewers in the region, known especially for its refreshing blackberry wheat ale and heady Riggin Slinger Red Ale.