(WSB file photo)
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Whisky is in the name, but pending state approval, Morgan Junction restaurant/bar Whisky West (6451 California SW) will soon be open to customers of all ages. Their management is hoping the change will keep them going through their 10th anniversary in June 2026 and beyond.
“We had struggled to turn a profit,” said General Manager Mike Sweet, who explained that special events like trivia and music didn’t bring in enough patrons long-term to make the business thrive. They had considered making the change to all-ages previously, but with the long, narrow layout of their space, they couldn’t comply with both the rules that require a railing around the bar area and ADA rules for accessibility. Sweet says the state Liquor and Cannabis Board rules were recently relaxed just enough to allow them to work out a solution that complies. It happened just in the nick of time too. “We are not able to pay the bills without doing something. It’s a last-ditch effort to keep the doors open and stay in the neighborhood.”
Now it’s a process of waiting for approval from the Board. “You have to build everything first, then they decide if it’s okay.” The building part is installing a railing barrier between the bar and the restaurant seating, which happened last month. Sweet is expecting preliminary approval today, followed by an in-person inspection. “They did tell us everything looks great. It’s just formalities at this point.”
Whisky West has no plans to change to how the space feels, or the kind of music played, so no surprises for regulars. “They’re not going to notice any difference. There’s not any change other than that [all ages will] be allowed in.” (Seating at the bar, though, will remain 21+.)
Happy hour will still be 3:30-5:30 pm every day, and their extensive menu of burgers, rice bowls, salads, sandwiches, and appetizers — everything under $20 – will not change either. But they will be offering up a kids menu for those 12 and under. Those $12 plates are mostly smaller versions of items already on the menu, but there are two new dishes just for kids: spaghetti with meat sauce and a mac and cheese.
Sweet is hopeful the change to all ages will bring in customers who didn’t realize all that Whisky West has to offer. “We have a huge menu that I think is priced really well. We have burgers, salads. a little bit of something for everyone, and nearly all made in house. We’re a lot more than whisky.”
It’s difficult to say how soon the approval process will allow them to open the doors to under-21s, but they hope it won’t take much longer.
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