Meat and booze — and heavy doses of both — take pride of place at this old-style Pike Place Plaza bastion of, well, meat and booze.

Website: radiatorwhiskey.com
Number of seats: 48
Average per-person check: $25
Popular dishes: Smoked half pig head with crispy fried ear, braised tongue, roasted loin, mama lil's goat horn peppers, parsley and herb aïoli and stone ground mustard; braised beef brisket with roasted onions, horseradish cream and baby arugula; fried pork shank with herb aïoli and mama lil's peppers.
What people come for: Open kitchen, house-aged moonshine and bourbon.
Address: 94 Pike St.
Phone Number: 206-467-4268

This new favorite in Ballard marks the latest move by Renée Erickson (the mind behind Boat Café, The Whale Wins, and The Walrus and The Carpenter), with small bites that lead to big shows of admiration.

Website: thebarnaclebar.com
Number of seats: 24
Average per-person check: $30
Popular dishes: Hand-shaven Serrano ham with pickled Treviso; octopus terrine with Ligurian olive oil, lemon and salt; sardines with salsa verde, lemon and saltines.
What people come for: Daily menu changes, tasting-menu option for groups.
Address: 4743 Ballard Ave. NW
Phone Number: 206-706-3379

Next door to the related Tavern Law lounge, this Capitol Hill temple to “meats and malts” offers fundamental old-school foods prepared with discerning new-school techniques.

Website: theoldsageseattle.com
Number of seats: 50
Average per-person check: $30
Popular dishes: Hay-smoked pork belly with English pea and malt vinegar; mesquite-smoked beef short rib with sweet potato and watercress; malted emmer with nettles, egg yolk and sunflower sprouts.
What people come for: Large selection of single-malt scotch and craft beer, happy hour program.
Address: 1410 12th St.
Phone Number: 206-557-7430