Seattle Must Visits

Fremont Brewing is a must and family friendly. No food but you can bring your own if you choose to eat there.
Naked City in Greenwood neighborhood has a family section and I highly recommend it. They serve food.

 

Fremont and Rubens Brews would be my choices. Both make outstanding beer and Fremont is Kid friendly. They are also both in your area.

 

Reuben's is also kid friendly. You should go to Chucks (taps, bottles, food trucks and ice cream). And maybe The Yard.

 

Naked City.

 

Drop the Family at Molly Moon's ice cream in Wallingford for 15 minutes and walk 2 blocks East to Bottleworks.....

 

Breweries: Fremont, Reubens, Black Raven (it's east, but you should go), Naked City (it's a bar and brewery).

Though not "musts" you can easily hit Odin's from Fremont (a 3 minute walk), and Stoup / Populuxe / Peddler / Northwest Peaks from Reubens (there are even more breweries in walking distance from Reubens if you care to really hit it hard).

Beer Bars: Brouwers & Six Gill (right by each other so it's a two-fer), Chucks (as much bottle shop as bar - close to Naked City), Noble Fir, The Yard (up near Naked City ... and has good Mexican Food and a nice outdoor space).

Bottleshops: Bottleworks (they often have interesting vintage bottles ... last time I was there they had Firestone 16 and Black Butte XXIII among others), Chucks, Malt & Vine (if you head out to Black Raven).

 

The OP said his "leash will be fairly short" and you suggest he should head for Redmond?!? Are you trying to get him in the doghouse?

 

I noted it was east! I'm assuming he can use the internet and is enough of a big boy to decide if it's feasible. ;-)

In some states, a 20 mile round trip isn't considered far. When you can walk to 12 breweries in Ballard, you lose perspective on distances.

 

It should also be noted that if you're planning to visit any of these places with family members under the age of 21, they won't be admitted to the following (that I know of): black raven, brouwers, sixgill, bottleworks, the noble fir, and Malt & Vine.

 

The Stumbling Monk is worth a trip, not with kids tho. I always take my daughter to Chuck's Hop Shop. Beer for me, ice cream for her.

 

Fremont proudly welcomes all beer enthusiasts; dogs, kids, adults of all maturity levels, meerkats, muskrats, regular cats. Beer is COMMUNITY...Because Beer Matters.

 

How about hepcats?

 

We got your kind too, Daddy-O.

 

I'm bringing my cat next time. Just try and stop me.

 

A lot of people like cats. They taste just like chicken.

 

What about squirrels? Will Fremont provide them, or do we have to bring our own?

 

I like Populuxe which is very family friendly. The backyard gives kids plenty of room to run around. Note that many of small breweries are only open around the end of the week.
Also when visiting, note the lack of Michigan beer. I think Jolly Pumpkin is the only offering out here.

 

Beertunes, we have a strict BYOS policy. I prefer mine on a stick with a light ginger/ lemon glaze and hazelnuts.