Smokehouse and cocktail bar Lady Jaye, opened in September in the West Seattle Junction.

Opened by four alums from Radiator Whiskey and White Swan Public House, Lady Jaye offers a country getaway in the heart of West Seattle. The atmosphere is rustic and warm, with one wall covered in cuts of wood and a long bar inviting you to pull up a stool and settle in. The warmth translates to the outside patio, partially covered, with a fire pit going year round.

The smokehouse theme doesn’t stop at the food and decor; the cocktail menu focuses on whiskey and agave, offering classic cocktails with a smokey twist. We enjoyed the Smoked Old Fashioned with smoked dickel rye, demerara, orange and angostura bitters. I’m not a big fan of smoke flavor in drinks, so I appreciated that the smoked dickel rye wasn’t overpowering.

The menu is divided into starters, salads, sandwiches, large plates, and sides. During our Saturday night-dinner, we started with the Pimento Cheese Puffs. These were not our favorite. I expected the pimento cheese to be folded into the dough paste, like a gougère; instead the dough was stuffed with cold pimento cheese.

Wanting to incorporate some veggies, we ordered the Butter Lettuce Salad with radish, green onion, smoked mushroom, lemon, and crumb. The salad was super fresh and crisp, and offered the perfect side dish to the heavier smoked entrees.

For our main dishes, we ordered the Forever Smoked Turkey Drum with ancho BBQ, lime crema, cilantro, oregano, and onions, as well as the Pork Cheek Mac and Cheese with braised pork cheeks, four cheese mac, and arugula. Both of these dishes offered a nice mix of flavors, with tender meat as the star of the dish.

This family-friendly restaurant is open 3:00 pm – midnight daily, serving up dinner during the week, and brunch followed by dinner on Saturdays and Sundays.

Lady Jaye | 523 California Ave SW, Seattle | (206) 457-4029