The Crocodile

I wish I could give zero stars, but actually I don’t know much about this place… I walked up with an empty cup that the bouncer (asshole) determined must have, at one point, contained alcohol, so I was denied entry. I am a 46 year old who recently purchased a condo in Belltown… maybe that was a bad idea if this is how people are treated here.

This place has the perfect atmosphere for a late night concert! The staff is friendly, the crowds were great. Everything was very well managed. The age-​based layout was well thought out, with the under 21 crowd on the balcony and 21+ on the main floor for an 18+ show. I heard that the pizza is excellent, so I am disappointed that I did not indulge. Perhaps next time? However, it’s great to know that the rock scene is alive and well in Seattle!

Chill spot to see a show! Great if you’re 21 and up because you can hang in the connected bar area and grab a beer /​pizza while you wait for doors to open.
The pizza ain’t straight from Italy — toppings for the Hawaiian tasted canned, but they’re a concert venue first and foremost so ya get what ya came for at the end of the day. That being said, happy hour deals are good! $ 6 3-​topping pizza and $ 1.50 off drafts and wells last time I was in.
Never had a problem with security and always had a good time!

Okay, here’s how you win at Going to a Concert at The Crocodile: don’t worry about waiting in line outside. Ignore that. Go inside to the bar (you don’t have to be 21 to sit in most of the place) and get yourself a *delicious* pizza cooked out of their giant, open flame oven. If you get there before 7 you can get a 3 topping pizza for $ 5.75!!! It’s big enough that I regretted not sharing it with my husband. The atmosphere in there is casual and makes you feel like you’re in a rock venue.
Hang out in the bar until will call opens and then pop out there to grab your ticket. Don’t be fooled by that huge line waiting outside! It’s for the concert itself, not will call. Just make sure you don’t cut in front of people who actually *are* waiting for will call. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. Don’t be shy, just ask. Then get your ID out and get your ticket (s)!
After that, head back in to your comfy seat in the bar/​restaurant to wait for the doors to open. Sometimes they’ll catch you on your way back in and have you show them your ID and Ticket so they can pre-​stamp you to get in easier. Sometimes they’ll walk down the line and do it (I found that out when waiting in the bummer long line outside. They most likely had been doing it inside that day, too, I just hadn’t come back in). Either way, make sure to keep checking back around the door for the guy who gives stamps prior to the show. Again, don’t be shy. This will help ensure you get in as quickly as possible when the doors finally open!
Hopefully you’ve asked when the doors will be opening by this point, but if not you still can. That’ll help you be totally ready. Ideally, if you know when the doors open you can go and hover around the area where they let people in about 10 minutes beforehand. It’s inside the front doors, down the hallway to the left (restaurant is to the right). They don’t (as far as I know) tell people who’ve been waiting in line for hours that the doors are opening. It’s a huge bummer. So the people who are already in the building can just zoop on in as soon as the guy signals or says something. Don’t feel bad. It’s life. Be the person who benefits from it, not the person who bitches about it for weeks afterwards.

Great venue.
Great small size. Wide and not too deep.
Sound has been great at each show Ive been to, bass in particular has been good. Sometimes can sound a bit cluttered when many instruments are playing at once, but still very good.
Staff is mostly very friendly, especially security (!). They have been very helpful when I have talked to them.
I appreciate the nice bench on the side of the stage in case you need to sit down for a second.
They also have gotten some really great acts, I recently went there twice in one week, and I live in Olympia.
Overall, one of the very best venues in Seattle I have been to.

This place sucks I went for a burlesque show and couldn’t see anything there were way too many people and I asked what the fire safety limit is and the guy told me 565. I couldn’t move at all everyone was rude and pushy I left before the show started it was so uncomfortable. The bar charges way too much for drinks what they serve I got a rum and coke and there was almost no alcohol I watched the bar tender make it. Over all horrible never go back.

So, when I went, my experience was kind of weird. I went and saw Sophie, and don’t get me wrong, the show was f*ckin AWESOME!!! But the set up of the venue was so dumb. A tiny little section off to the side was for the 21 and under, there was a lot of us over there shoved in the corner like cattle. Also, the 21 and up section took of ²⁄₃ of the room, and was barely filling up compared to our section… the security guard was super creepy and gross. Asking for my number, letting me go up closer to the stage but NONE of my friends. Like sorry, I want to be with my friends at the concert, not by myself.
I’m officially not a fan of the venue. But the show was great. I just don’t recommend the venue.

Fantastic music venue when you see the right act.
For a small concert hall, it has a lot of floor space, and they section off the main dance floor such that you usually have enough room around you to dance with your partner (if applicable).
Prices are in general super cheap for the amount of entertainment you receive. Check it out if you’re traveling through!
Drinks are reasonably priced and flavorful — the food is surprisingly good too! Pizza comes with a crispy crust right out of the wood fired oven the have in the bar area. No need to find a different place for grub if you’re seeing a show!

I love the Crocodile because it’s grungy yet it has those swanky black supper club banquettes in the bar. A perfect combination of sleaze and charm! The staff is cool, the music is loud, the drinks are tasty.

I’ve been to The Crocodile a few times for shows. Other than the occasional 19 year olds sitting against the bar in the back, giving each other light shows with their gloves, it’s a decent place to see a show.
Last night, when we were leaving the Haywyre show, the staff actually said ‘Thank you for coming. I hope you have a good night.’ What service! ¹⁰⁄₁₀ stars.

This is definitely a It Is What It Is Place. There is really one only Croc and this is it, and has been it, for quite some years… actually, the place keeps getting better, which is not something I thought was going to happen…

I’m honestly surprised at the amount of generally positive reviews this place has received. My friends and I have had numerous less-​than-​ideal experiences with the Crocodile’s staff, but a show I went to last September stands out the most.
After waiting in line outside the venue for about half an hour to pick up our tickets, my friends and I were physically stopped from entering by a security guard, who began shouting at us. Apparently this genius mistook us for a different group of people that he had already kicked out for drinking in line. His proof? One of us was wearing a black sweatshirt, and one of us was wearing a hat.
We weren’t interested in losing our money we spent on tickets, so we asked the security guard to check the security cameras above the door. He refused to listen to us, but he did search us. Twice. We were eventually able to convince another employee to check the tapes, and after a cold hour in the 40° wind and rain the Crocodile’s manager finally came out to apologize and admit that my group of 6 was not the group of 4 that had been kicked out. I guess math and professionalism, weren’t this guy’s strong suits.
This experience was completely unacceptable, and definitely not what I’d expect at one of Seattle’s more popular venues. The whole issue could have been avoided if the staff could A) count B) take 2 minutes to check the cameras. Not coming back

Horrible staff/​security. They threw out a bunch of my friends and I for something we didn’t do and even grabbed me forcefully. We asked them to check the security cameras but they ignored us and grabbed our wrists to X out our stamps with a fat black sharpie. Not to mention the show had not even started after an hour and a half of it’s set show time. So unimpressed. Honestly NEVER coming back here and will not be recommending to ANYONE.

These security people, are unbelievable. Walked outside for less than one minute because the crowd was dead and the security was starting to kick people out. I spoke to some friends outside, and when I tried to come back in, they refused to let me in. I asked what their reasoning was, and simply ignored me. I asked to get my stuff and was escorted in, and was treated with a nasty attitude by him. I understand these people must be frustrated, but taking it out on your customers is NOT okay. I asked to receive a refund after only one opener had performed (less than 30 people in the crowd), and was denied. I had been there for about an hour, and only got 15 minutes of a «performance». Very disappointed.

I love this venue and they always have great bands come through. The drinks are overpriced but the staff is wonderful.

Friendly staff, with a historic backdrop make this joint all types of yes, but the food is pretty mediocre. The ingredients are no bad individually, but when people fear the seasoning rack, it shows in the food.

This place is always on fire when it comes to venues. Rock Stars perform here and tonight’s menu: SNOOP DOGG!
Wut? D, O to tha dbl G! Yay!
I love, love HIP HOP! Love Snoop and the whole crew of NWA! C O M P T O N…
HH is always great here! Very reasonable.
It’s not the cleanest place but average like other bars. Of course I like clean but when I go to venues, I don’t expect a lot. This place is always, always booked!
I come here to Enjoy the artist who’s ON and I chill. I can do hippie…
Tickets are always reasonable, staff is also always reasonable just don’t start SH*T. Na mean???
Just a reminder… it gets super wild crazy and hot in here, and don’t be so friendly before concerts then you get so wasted and perhaps even meet a roofie drink. NOT GOOD…
Be safe always and go with true, loyal friends who got your back. Just saying…
Life is short so, Love IT and LIVE IT!

This place is always on fire when it comes to venues. Rock Stars perform here and tonight’s menu: SNOOP DOGG!
Wut? D to tha dbl G! Yay!
I love, love HIP HOP! Love Snoop and the whole crew of NWA! C O M P T O N…
HH is always great here! Very reasonable.
It’s not the cleanest place but average like other bars. Of course I like clean but when I go to venues, I don’t expect a lot. This place is always, always booked!
I come here to Enjoy the artist who’s ON and I chill. I can do hippie…
Tickets are always reasonable, staff is also always reasonable just don’t start SH*T. Na mean???
Just a reminder… it gets super wild crazy and hot in here, and don’t be so friendly before concerts then you get so wasted and perhaps even meet a roofie drink. NOT GOOD…
Be safe always and go with true, loyal friends who got your back. Just saying…
Life is short so, Love IT and LIVE IT!

One of Seattle’s most well known live music venues– The Crocodile has hosted iconic bands such as Pearl Jam and Nirvana in their early days and continues to deliver incredible shows with big name artists for a great price!
The stage and dance area is large enough so you won’t feel cramped and the sound system is on point!
The staff members are extremely helpful/​friendly and the drinks are reasonable.

Loved this venue for the smaller concerts, but love this venue even more for Brooke who works the box office! I had an issue with purchasing tickets through a different vendor, and she without hesitation was super helpful even after me calling back and forth a bazillion times. You don’t typically get that type of person on the other end. Kudos to you guys and you’re awesome, Brooke!!!

Stopped in for a show last Friday night and was totally not impressed. For a venue (allegedly) known for music, I can’t recall a place with worse sounding sound system/​acoustics. Now I understand The Crocodile isn’t trying to be Benaroya Hall, but during the opening act, we were only about to understand every tenth word or so. Made for a terrible concert experience. I am also acutely aware that the bands playing weren’t Adele and Sam Smith, so I wasn’t exactly expecting a virtuoso vocal performance, but it was so bad we left halfway through the main act. Perhaps it was just a bad «one off» experience, but given the plethora of music venues in Seattle, I’m not entirely sure I’ll be back to give The Crocodile a second shot.

I was surprised to see all the glowing reviews, but upon further investigation saw that I am certainly not the only person who had an experience here that was concerning. The bar was fine, bartender nice enough, and a decent selection of beers and drinks. We did however have to spend far too much time in it as the concert started almost 2 hours late. This was after having called before arriving to confirm the time the doors would open and the showtime. This was not the worst part of our experience however. The concert staff was extremely rude. From the beginning as we politely asked when the doors would open we received replies that were curt at best. The security personnel were aggressive, dishonest, and pretty much over the top. We observed them hassling patrons, allowing people (who they seemed to be friends with) to cut a very large line, and even being physically forceful with one fairly cooperative guy they were kicking out.
This seems like a place that would be a great concert venue, but poor management, disorganization, and terrible staff will keep us from coming back.

Do you like rude staff, microwaved food, bathroom floors littered with toiled paper featuring toilet seats to gag for, and nicotine perfumed concert area? THEN DON’T COME HERE!!!
The Crocodile is so unassuming from the outside. There are a few posters, a sign that say «Pizzeria» and two entrances. Were it not for your typical ‘going to a rock concert in all black’ youngsters and a band truck, I would have walked right past this venue.
There was no long line, since the band we went to see is only semi-​famous. Perhaps my review would be different if there were hundreds of people clamoring to get in. We were greeted by polite bouncers who checked us in quickly.
The Cons:
The main confusing part was that there was a bouncer outside by one of the doors, yet it was not the entrance to the concert? The entrance is by the Pizzeria/​bar door (to prevent confusion for future guests). There were some issues, which have little to do with the staff: The doors opened 20 minutes late, and the show started 45 minutes late. After that, it was smooth sailing. Or was it? The acoustics were accompanied by humming. My boyfriend and I couldn’t figure out if it was the instruments or roadies. Don’t drop anything on the floor of the concert space. A lot of beer and «other» spillage, which I wouldn’t trust anything other than my boots touching.
The Pros:
Tickets for this event were $ 18 (service fee of $ 9, beware!), so it is fairly priced!
This venue is conveniently located in the heart of downtown seattle, so there is ample street and garage parking. If you go just before 8 (usually when the show starts), you can pay under $ 1 for street parking which becomes free after 8!!!
The bathrooms look AND smell clean. Honestly, what rock concert venue have you been to lately that didn’t make you want to go to the bathroom and not drink anything before the show starts? You won’t have to worry about that at this venue. The air is fresh, as well. Why is that important to note: Most small concert venues smell wrought with cigarettes and/​or weed. There was a hint of weed for a moment, but the ventilation system is ace!
The layout is intimate AND logical (and would also fit well into a period piece or horror flick): The bouncer using crocodile stamps was next to the concert entrance to the left. There is a water cooler with cups next to a trash can conveniently located next to the bouncer checking one in, so you have no excuse if you become a sloippy drunk, here. The bar and kitchen were to the right, with ample seating and standing space. You could watch your pizza cooked in front of you (did I mention it was wood fire pizza?) We sat near the bar and I observed 3 large screen TVs featuring muted music videos, which helped entertain us for a while before the show.
Entering the concert space was a matter of filing in. No pushing or shoving. The staff had two bouncers along the way (to slow foot traffic down, and insinuate crowd control? Genius!) double checking one’s wrist for the crocodile sticker, and a few silent bouncers observing people as they walked in. The concert space itself had a bench along the wall to the left of the stage, standing room in front of the bar to the center, and railing to the right which separated those who wished to watch far off to the side and avoid the crowd AND use the railing as a cup holder. The stage was a small space, but long enough that each member of the band had enough space to move freely and comfortably (headbang at one’s will). Above that space was a balcony for people who REALLY wish to avoid that ‘center stage crowd’. I mentioned some sound issues earlier, but overall it was a great experience to be so close to the artists (From whatever part of the concert space, since one is approx. no further than 30 feet away regardless of where they sit or stand). The music reverberates through one’s system. It’s quite a visceral experience!
And now for the BEST part (For foodies): You can bring your food and drink purchased at the bar into the concert space. What does this mean for you (me)? You can eat pizza on the bench to the left while you watch live music. It doesn’t get better than that. But the gift keeps on giving: The staff are attentive, friendly and make great pizza. The staff are music lovers as well, and dress as concert-​goers, so there’s a «one of us» vibe to them. As I mentioned earlier the pizza is prepared with love in a wood-​fire oven. Its ready in under 10 minutes and brought immediately to the person who ordered it, without fail. There is enough tomato-​y sauce, so you get a lot of flavor in every bite, the pepperoni is small but crisp and the cheese is mozzarella… need I say more? They have a build-​your-​own and other delicious selections, but I’m a Classic Pepperoni lady.
It doesn’t hurt that Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains have all performed in this very space.
If nothing else is convincing: Did I mention there is a disco ball?

The best venue in Seattle by far. I love everything about this place. I love the venue layout and how the restaurant is completely disconnected from the concert hall. I think having one giant bar in the back is smart in that it doesn’t create bottlenecks of people. I enjoy having the option of enjoying the show in the balcony upstairs if the downstairs is too warm, crowded or crazy. The biggest drawback I can think of here is that some areas of the upstairs can have a pretty obstructed view. The acoustics are top notch here. I’ve helped a few of my friend’s bands set up at The Crocodile and I’m always impressed by the level of professionalism of their audio techs.
As far as the restaurant goes I will say that the drinks are definitely NOT on the stiff side, so if you’re trying to get hammered, prepare to spend some $$. Food is on point, but when isn’t pizza delicious right?
I would like to see them branch out more and bring more post-​rock and ambient groups through. Maybe these genres won’t draw the crowd they’re looking for, but post-​rock and anything heavily laced with crescendos sounds absolutely incredible within The Crocodiles walls.

Check out their photography! The back bar doesn’t boast enough about their amazing framed black & white concert masterpieces. Best concert venue in Seattle– the staff are always friendly and approachable, and this venue is the best mix of classy and intimate. Tips: Stairs to the awesome upper level view are by the restrooms; Half-​off HH special on wood-​fired pizzas.

Didn’t try the food.
I’m giving the legendary Croc 3 stars. If I hadn’t been tipped off by the very friendly bartender as to how screwed up their General Admission process is, I would have really been pissed off to find out that first in line at the door basically means nothing. Thanks to the tip we got, and an assist from security it turned out being a fair process for us, but I don’t really think it was fair for anyone else in line. Get it together Croc, if you are going to run a GA joint figure out how to let the people who are there the longest in the door first. It’s not that hard.
Legendary history, check. Legendary pictures on the wall, check. Friendly bartender, check. Air conditioning? uh, nope. Sweltering, be prepared for it. Open garage door to the street with thousands of little bugs flying around inside. uh… GA process, totally broken.
The concert was great though. Glad to have The Croc checked off the list.

Great small music venue in the heart of Seattle. Five dollar late-​night pizza specials, great draft beer, great service.
Wasn’t able to see a band here, but from everyone I talked to and the reviews that I’ve read this is probably the best downtown spot for small rock shows.
We loved the food and the service, the restaurant was clean and the bathroom was fine.

This is where all those little Seattle grunge bands got their start. you know like, Nirvana and Pearl jam and Alice in chains but even since the early nineties are long gone its an amazing place to see a show!
The food is better then standard bar fare and its an all around inexpensive experience
The staff is super friendly and fun and understand people are there for a good time.
I actually saw a staff member help a kid that was drunk. where I come from he would have just had his ass kicked and be thrown out but here he was just a kid that drank to much and they helped him home safely and to me that’s a big thumbs up for a venue that deals with a lot.
love this place.

I’ve been here a few times and it’s one of my favorite places to have happy hour at! Cheap $ 4 pizzas for happy hour will not disappoint. It isn’t huge, so if you come with a couple friends and you’re hungry, buy 3 or 4 different kinds to get full (unless you plan on filling up with drinks instead). For what they price at HH, the pizza is great quality! Good ingredients and never disgustingly greasy. The atmosphere is grungy and very lax. They play old hip hop, punk/​alt. the service is great and very friendly.
Happy hours are from 4−7pm and 12−2am. Parking is scarce on the weekends. I paid $ 20 at a lot and I was really upset but the Seattle cider and mannys fixed it instantly.

The Crocodile is a great place for live Indie/​Rock music in Seattle.
I’ve been there a couple of times for concerts (e.g. Hellogoodbye, Vacationers), and I’ve enjoyed each visit. The venue is a little run down, but having The Crocodile any other way would lose some of its charm.
The Crocodile is an all ages venue, with tickets being general admissions and standing room only. I’ve only ordered tickets online, and their website is pretty straight forward. Parking may be challenging (since it’s in downtown), but you can usually find street parking if you’re patient.
Also as an fyi, Happy Hour is daily from 4 PM — 7 PM.
Before a recent show, we grabbed some cocktails ($ 9) and a Hawaiin pizza ($ 8.50) in their restaurant (Back Bar area). For the price and the quality of food, it wasn’t a bad deal.

Came in here on a Monday night hungry and semi drunk. They really only have pizza I think… cooked in one of those fire ovens. Amazing. ’
Atmosphere is pretty chill.