Iconic 24/7 diner & dive bar nears its 100th year of serving locals and tourists alike at all hours
originally published in Newsbreak
Tucked into the heart of Belltown, The 5 Point Café is the kind of place that has earned its reputation not by polishing its edges, but by embracing them. Since opening its doors in 1929, this notorious dive bar and diner has been called many things—“the best dive bar in the world,” “Seattle’s most iconic restaurant,” and, for some, simply home.
Owner David Meinert knows the legend well. In the 1990s, before he ever thought of running the place, he was working across the street for a band management company and would find himself at The 5 Point often. It was a favorite haunt of Seattle’s music scene—many of the bands that defined the city’s grunge era stopped in, partied hard, and, just as often, got themselves kicked out. His long-time girlfriend worked behind the counter, too, and when the café was on the verge of shutting down in 2009, fate intervened. The then-owner, who adored her, offered to sell the business. David, already familiar with its glory days, took the deal. “I bought it to revive it and keep it the same for as long as Seattle exists,” he says.
And that’s exactly what he’s done. For nearly a century, The 5 Point has been a constant in a city that’s always changing. It has never closed its doors except for a short pause during COVID—making it the longest continuously operating bar and restaurant in Seattle. Inside, the spirit remains unapologetically gritty and brash, a nod to the diners and dive bars that David himself says he’s always loved. Large portions, stiff drinks at fair prices, and a 24/7 schedule—including what might be the only 6 a.m. happy hour in the state—keep locals and visitors coming back. The massive chicken fried steak with sausage gravy, eggs, and hashbrowns is a best-seller, and as regulars like to say, it really is “as big as your head.” And for the adventurous, there’s no shortage of cocktail options—12 variations of a Bloody Mary lineup next to classics like the Brass Monkey.
Running a business like this in Seattle is no easy feat. “Seattle is a very difficult place to do business,” David admits. Rising taxes, street crime, and the city’s sky-high minimum wage make the margins tight. But the challenges also push the team to adapt and stay creative. Today, staff not only make a living wage but also receive health insurance and retirement benefits—rare perks in the restaurant industry. “I love the people and the creativity it takes to negotiate the challenges and continue to improve the food and culture,” David says. “It’s a challenge, and that’s awesome.”
Of course, the real stories of The 5 Point don’t come from balance sheets—they come from the people who wander through its doors. Some of the tales are so wild they could only happen here (and are maybe better left unsaid!). The 5 Point embraces that kind of chaos—it’s part of the DNA. With mottos like “Alcoholics Serving Alcoholics since 1929” and “We Cheat Tourists and Drunks,” the café makes no apologies for what it is: a dive with soul, grit, and history. It’s the kind of place where regulars rub elbows with travelers, where music legends once stumbled in after shows, and where the food and drink come with a heavy side of personality.
As Seattle continues to evolve, David’s mission is clear: keep The 5 Point Café as authentic as the day it opened. “We want to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving city while trying to keep the soul of old Seattle going,” he says. For anyone who’s ever slid into a booth for breakfast at midnight or ordered a bloody mary before the sun’s up, that’s a promise worth raising a glass to.
📍 Address: 415 Cedar St, Seattle, WA 98121
👤 Owner: David Meinert
📅 Established: July 1, 1929
🍳 Signature Dish: Chicken Fried Steak with sausage gravy, eggs, and hashbrowns
🍹 Drinks: Brass Monkey, 12 versions of Bloody Mary, and Seattle’s only 6 a.m. happy hour
💬 Motto: “Alcoholics Serving Alcoholics since 1929” | “We Cheat Tourists and Drunks”
🕕 Open: 24/7!