Every Monday • 9 pm
Motown on Mondays is the place to be on a Monday. Adopted by The Runaway after the closure of Bar Sue, these funky dance nights bring an even funkier crowd. Every week a new DJ blesses guests with the groove-filled tunes of everyone from The Isley Brothers to KAYTRANADA. Prepare for old-school hits like Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, as well as R&B queens from Lauryn Hill to Faith Heavens.
The night starts at 9 pm, but it really gets going by 11. To pre-game, you have two options. The first option: arrive at 9 for the juiciest, crunchiest Korean fried chicken delivered to your table from nearby Bok a Bok Fried Chicken. My go-to is the New Classic Chicken Sandwich, think of it as an elevated McChicken with the perfect amount of mayo and a voluptuous chicken thigh. Don’t forget to order a side of my favorite tots in all of Seattle. This is the time to get a few drinks going and let the soul music intertwine with yours while things are pretty chill. The second option: eat somewhere else then swing by at 11 and expect a lively dance floor. Happy hour is also happening with $3 off well drinks and $1 off non-cocktail drinks.
I stumbled across Motown on Mondays as a fresh-faced 21-year-old in the food industry looking for a good time on my unconventional days off. What I love most is how everyone is accepted here. You have the cool party kids, 73-year-old guys who remembered when SLU was just parking lots, even theatre kids. Different vibes, sure, but they mesh together so well. Maybe it’s Prince that brings people together. Show up in platform boots or just jeans—the fit doesn’t really matter; just do you boo. When your Lyft driver picks you up, prepare for questions like, “Is this a club? Why does everyone look so cool?”
