The Independent Beer Bar Has Been Hewitt Avenue's Best Craft Beer Institution for Nearly a Decade

Quick Answer: The Independent Beer Bar (1801 Hewitt Ave, corner of Rockefeller) is a curated craft beer bar with 16+ rotating taps and late-night Russian-style dumplings, open since Leap Day 2016. Hours: Mon–Sat 4pm–midnight, Sun 2:30pm–10pm. Dog-friendly, shuffleboard, no pretense.

We’ve Been Sleeping on Hewitt’s Best Beer Bar for Ten Years. That Ends Now.

There’s a corner on Hewitt and Rockefeller that has been doing craft beer right since February 29, 2016 — Leap Day — and somehow never quite entered the general conversation about where to drink in Everett. The Independent Beer Bar at 1801 Hewitt Ave is that corner. Jeff Sadighi and Doug Hall opened it because they wanted a bar they’d actually want to drink in. That’s the whole mission statement. Ten years later, they still tend the bar themselves most Friday nights.

If you’ve walked past it, you’ve probably noticed the low-key exterior and figured there wasn’t much to it. You were wrong. There are 16+ rotating taps in there, a thoughtfully curated bottle list, a plate of dumplings that will make you stay longer than you planned, and a shuffleboard table. This is the neighborhood bar Hewitt Avenue should have been advertising louder.

The Tap List: The One Job the Bar Has to Do Right

Hall and Sadighi keep a simple formula on the taps: at least three IPAs always, plus a dark, a light, an amber, and enough rotation to reward regulars who come back every week. The list tilts local — Pacific Northwest craft breweries anchor it — with occasional appearances from national craft names like Firestone Walker and Sierra Nevada when the beer earns it.

Sixteen taps in a room this size means you almost always find something you want. The Independent isn’t a taproom, which means it doesn’t pour only its own product — it pours the best thing available from whoever made it well. That’s a different value proposition from the Everett Brewery Trail’s six active stops, and it fills a different need. When you want variety over house pride, come here.

The Dumplings: The Thing That Turns a Pint Into an Evening

The Independent serves Russian dumplings — pelmeni-style, hand-made, available until late — and this is the thing that makes the bar worth talking about beyond the beer. The preparation was inspired by a late-night dumpling spot Hall and Sadighi loved in Bellingham: margarine, sour cream, curry powder, sriracha, and cilantro on top. That combination sounds like it shouldn’t work. It works perfectly.

The recipe hasn’t changed since opening day. They’re right not to change it. Order them at 10pm with a dark beer and figure out the rest of your night from there. The dumplings solve the problem most bars don’t bother solving: what do you eat that doesn’t require leaving?

The Vibe: Exactly What It Is, Nothing More

The Independent doesn’t decorate for effect. There are a few TVs, a shuffleboard table, and a room that wants you to have a good time rather than a curated experience. Dogs are welcome as long as yours is friendly. Hall and Sadighi tend the bar personally on Friday nights — which tells you everything about how they think about the place. It’s theirs, and they’re in it.

There’s also a wine list for when the non-beer-drinker shows up. The bar doesn’t make you feel weird about ordering wine at a beer bar. It just wants you to be comfortable and stay awhile.

Context: Where the Independent Fits on Hewitt in 2026

Hewitt Avenue’s food and drink corridor has developed significantly. The Ten-01 Pub opened in January 2025 at 1001 Hewitt in a 1907 building with $2 train beers. R Harn Thai is at 2011 Hewitt with khao soi that belongs in a conversation about the best noodle soup in the city. Obsidian Beer Hall at 1420 Hewitt does a curated PNW beer hall in the former Toggles space. The corridor is real now.

The Independent Beer Bar helped build that corridor. It was there first, before the wave, doing the same thing it does now. The breweries and taprooms that have since opened — Middleton Brewing, Lazy Boy, Obsidian — exist in a city that’s been learning to drink craft beer for ten years. The Independent was part of that education from the beginning.

What to Order

Beer: Ask what’s local and rotating. Three IPAs are always on. If you’re not an IPA person, say so — they’ll point you somewhere good on the 16-tap list.

Dumplings: Order them. Don’t overthink it.

If you’re with a non-beer drinker: The wine list handles it without making anyone feel out of place.

The Logistics

Address: 1801 Hewitt Ave, Everett WA 98201 — corner of Hewitt and Rockefeller
Hours: Monday–Saturday 4pm–midnight | Sunday 2:30pm–10pm
Phone: (425) 212-9517
Website: theindependentbeerbar.com
Dog-friendly: Yes, if your dog is friendly
Parking: Street parking on Hewitt and Rockefeller; downtown garage nearby
Price range: $ — craft beer pricing, dumplings are an affordable add-on

Frequently Asked Questions

Does The Independent Beer Bar brew its own beer?

No. It’s a curated beer bar, not a brewery — 16+ rotating taps from other producers. It’s a different model from a taproom and fills a different need.

What food does The Independent Beer Bar serve?

The main food item is Russian dumplings — pelmeni-style, served with margarine, sour cream, curry powder, sriracha, and cilantro — available until late. The bar welcomes outside food for more substantial meals.