El Corazón

my posse rolled in all whoop whoop! mutherfuckers! had to straight murder a path through all the richies, juffalos, juffahos. hail the hatchet! the bartenders were legit murder clowns. mfl! my faygo bomb was motherfucking fresh yo! whoop whoop! that killa with the epic beard and mane of magic just blue neckin it behind the bar looked as good as cherry pie. definitely a ryda. mark and alex where total chedda and i was all gwap! great place. whoop whoop !!! ‘lo love.

Was here for Fear Factory and Soilwork and got kicked out for ending up in a backstage area while looking for the bathroom. Pathetic bar. Jerk staff. Low life doorman with the beard trying to pick fights. Thanks for stealing my $ 50 scumbags.

The service was definitely subpar, the bartender obviously didn’t know what she was doing, and to top it off the drinks were all overpriced (as usual in seattle). The only reason I would even give it a single star would be for the bands that come through there. They are the only redeeming quality of this bar.
Additionally there was this one chubby bartender who literally took 20 minutes to make one mixed drink at the bar when only 2 other people were ordering drinks. Then she got angry when I didn’t tip her and had me cut off.
Great service.

I came here for a Children of Bodom concert. This venue was in a seedy area, and the inside was dingy and dirty. And somehow, I loved it! The pit in front of the stage is wide, and has an upper level a couple of steps up for additional standing room. The bar to the left was modest, and has a list of different drinks that they offer as specials, depending on the day of the week. It doesn’t have many beers on draft, and their overall selection is pretty minimal.
However, from the bar you’re able to get an *excellent* view of the stage without having to be involved in the whole pit area scenario situation thing. Which is something I used to like, but I’m no longer a spring chicken.
The bathrooms are what you would expect to find in a location such as this, and the actual stalls are short, so if you stand up you can readily see your neighbor relieving themselves. I would definitely come back here to see concerts in the future, since the pricing was pretty reasonable.

I saw Abbath and High on Fire and while the music was great, the staff was anything but professional.
I attempted to get into the bar area and the doorman quickly picked up on the fact that my license was expired. No problem; I handed him paperwork that included a receipt for drivers license renewal, which is legal documentation suitable enough for law enforcement, airport security, and entry to restricted access areas of Federal buildings but apparently NOT good enough to order a drink at the El Corazon! I presented two other forms of picture ID, which the doorman pointed out that neither was a passport! I spoke to him, trying to be persuasive, not argumentative, when he started grabbing at his head, raising his voice, shouting repeatedly, «It’s not my problem! It’s not my problem!» I just backed away slowly, content to forget about the drinks.
Then during the show, I witnessed security evicting a fellow, running him down a long hall towards an exit. It seemed to be going smoothly; the guy being evicted was completely passive, but the security guard body checked him, slamming his back into a door frame before opening the same door and throwing the guy to pavement outside. The door closed, and I was unable to see anymore of the beat down that surely followed. When the security guard came back in, I got a better look at him… His shirt read «Security,» but his hat read «Murder,» and he seemed very tense and sketchy, and his eyes were nothing but pupils. I doubted he was actual security, but he interacted with other members of the staff enough for me to conclude that he was. It is unfathomable that someone running a business would commission a guy like this to do physical security. Just show a jury his hat, a ten second cell phone video of his handiwork, and a Doctor’s report, and this dump will be on the receiving end of a sizable lawsuit.
I cannot, in good faith, recommend this venue to anyone except perhaps personal injury attorneys who are looking for work, in which case it is five stars.

Saw Buckcherry here two years ago! The lights, the sound, the personnel, etc were amazing. It’s reasonable cost-​wise and a superb venue to see bands such as Buckcherry up close and personal. I have been meaning to write a thank you to the bodyguards and management as the guards make you feel safe! I never go to concerts such as this but the guards were ON IT, exiting clientele that make the experience less than pleasant by over drunkness or slamming into eachother. We saw Buckcherry here again this year n it was mainly because the first experience was beyond exceptional!

Violent as fuck outside, but the venue is ok

Went to the Everclear concert last night.
Awesome show and all the staff where helpful. Drinks priced pretty good and when I asked for a Vodka Cranberry, they gave me a «splash» of cranberry which was pretty sweet so I did tip nicely. Can’t say I’d go back without everclear, but still great venue for a show. I enjoyed it very much! :D loved the open tab and the laid back re entry!!!

Its been many years since I have been to a show here and I was super excited to go back. I recalled a show from years past where I had an excellent concert experience and enjoyed the 21 and up back bar area with a seat and an excellent view of the stage, this stands out as one of my best concert memories. It felt like such an intimate setting, I felt so close to the band and had plenty of breathing space.
Last night’s show was sold out and definitely did not offer me that experience. I was super happy to find easy free street parking within walking distant. My boyfriend did not plan in advance and was hoping to buy a ticket and needed to get some cash. There is an ATM inside, but he was not able to go in and use it without a ticket. We had to walk pretty far to find an ATM at another bar where they were nice enough to take our ATM fee even though they were not quite open.
Inside the bar was crowded, since it was not a 21 and over show alcohol could not be brought on the main floor. We hung out in the funhouse section as we were catching up with an old friend. It was pretty dirty in here, but drinks were reasonably priced and we were happy with the beer selection. We’d hoped the food would open up, but it never did.
At some point we wanted to see the show as the acoustics in this section are really bad. It seems like it would be a nice idea to televise the concert on some of the many tvs in here since the rest of the place was severely overcrowded. A friend mentioned that this was done in the past, but not for this sold out show. We thought we would switch the other bar area but soon found we could not make it more than 5 feet in that direction, every inch of space was taken up. I now realize that we should have gone to this bar originally but we would have still encountered the same problem if we had to go to the bathroom which is located on the opposite side of the room.
I am sad to have missed a good view of a band I was really looking forward to seeing, but overall it was an okay time. I’d definitely come again, but I would secure a spot as close to the stage as possible and avoid drinking anything to lessen the likelihood of losing my spot when going to the bathroom. I do love that the band parked right out front of the door and was standing in the street accessible to people who were brave enough to say hello. I don’t think this is a good venue for a popular band, but I imagine its great for a show with a small amount of fans.

El Corazon is Spanish for The Heart. What this place should be called is El Estomago which is Spanish for The Stomach. Just like the stomach this place turns perfectly good things to poop.
Went to a concert there that was way over sold. Not since the choo-​choo train rides to German concentration camps has such a mass of humanity been packed into such a cramped space. Just because you can physically fit a thousand people into a boxcar doesn’t mean you should. I fully understand a business wanting to maximize profits but that was no way to do it. Everyone was packed in so tight that movement was rendered just about impossible. The only water available was at the bar and it was an all ages show so unless you were over 20 you had to just stand there and dehydrate. Even if you were over 20 the bar was solid with people and the bathrooms were on the opposite end of the building. Hardly anyone was buying drinks because it was too packed to get to the bar and the bathroom. They could have sold less tickets allowing for movement and sold more drinks thus more money for the club.
There were a bunch of really unprofessional things that went on but I only have so much in me to spend on this place. Just trust me when I say the place sucks the balls, dick, and ass.
The management took a delicious meal of rock and roll, put it into a blender, poured it down the throats of the audience, and quickly turned it into the excrement that is the Hell Corazon experience.

Food ok, service ok, drinks watered down. Steak overcooked even after I requested it rare and made a point to make sure the steak was not over cooked.

Went to see Ghost last night — a show I’d been anticipating for a year. Didn’t bother standing in line and went in late to find ZERO room to move around. I finally clawed my way up to the back wall and stayed there until I was drenched with sweat. Clawed my way back to the front door and went in the other entrance to the bar area — it was somewhat less packed and not as hot. Fire department was all over the place, I was surprised they didn’t shut the show down. I’m pretty sure they got cited though. The place was easily 2x over capacity.

Avoid at all costs.
Went to the sold out Ghost show and despite the killer performance I was not impressed. The only reason I could see the band preform at all was because I camped by the main stage while the venue made the opener play by the bar.
The security were pitiful at best. Two of the guys were right in front of me and did nothing when a girl was passing out right behind me. The entire show they were too busy taking selfies to do anything about the crowd.
It was oversold and overcrowded, people were lifting garbage cans getting into fights and passing out from the heat. Several people were leaving because they couldn’t even see the stage.
Worst venue I’ve ever been to and I’ve been to a few in the Seattle area. I’m a Portland girl though so if you have a choice between El Corazon and taking a trip south, go to Portland it’ll be worth your time and money.

I went and saw Death perform last night. I went to grab some beers at the bar, had a skinny gal who was awesome, but there was a chubby girl with too much make up who said we can’t have our beers unless we tip her, and was very insistent and rude about it, ridiculous. I can’t believe such an awesome dive bar had such a terrible employee.

Very unprofessional and unreasonable staff. I made a mistake, I apologized but still got kicked out. Keep in mind I am sober throughout all this. Security picked me up and started talking at me as opposed to hearing both sides of the story. Just to prove a point that my infraction was very minor I just started recording what was happening there. If you’re too drunk you shouldn’t be allowed in the facility but just as the Santa look alike manager said «you drinking in the all-​ages crowd could cost me my job». Well Santa I’m sure allowing intoxicated people in would not cost your job.

Saw a show here last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a small bar with a stage, so it’s obviously not going to be the most comfortable venue or have a ton of frills, but for a rock show it’s perfect. Pro-​tip: Remember your ear plugs!
My only complaints are that they only take cash at the door (there is a sketch ATM about two blocks north on Eastlake that they send you to), and that I saw one of the security guys shove a girl to the ground in order to chase another guy across the floor. Obviously I don’t know what the situation was with the guy, and I can see how a severe enough infraction might cause the security to shove everyone out of their way, but it looked incredibly harsh as a bystander, considering the guy he was chasing was standing outside two minutes later laughing with another security guard.

Stage is close and the bar is a good size. Security is friendly but the bartenders are pretty rude. One older lady with black hair in particular was very rude. After waiting in a long line to close my tab, she had me walk into the back of a different line simply because she decided she didn’t want to many lines open yet the second I got into a seperate line she continued to serve the people after me. I finally paid my tab, didn’t tip, and when she asked why I simply told her she was rude. I put my card back in my wallet and she started freaking out on me like an emotional basket case. I shook my head, chuckled, and walked back over to my husband and friends. When I didn’t respond to her, she then RAN over to security yelling at them to kick ALL of us out. Completely uncalled for and immature. We still were non-​confrontational and security literally told us all to wait outside until the bartender calmed down because apparently she causes trouble often. We missed songs from a band we really wanted to see before going back in. If you’re
a young attractive female, expect age discrimination from this older female bartender.

It looks sketchy and gross but you get a lot of good music here. I watched Sonata Arctica, Delain, Lacuna Coil, and a bunch of other great bands here. It is warm inside and can get stuffy to breathe on hotter summer nights but it is tolerable. The tickets are often economically priced. It is standing room only but who wants to sit down at a metal concert, not I! They do serve food here but I’ve never tried it. It does smell good. I usually get a bottle or two of water after standing for so many hours. Give it a try and don’t judge it by its cover.

DO NOT GO HERE! Ever, at least to watch one of your favorite bands play. I have been to hundreds of shows at numerous venues. And I have never dealt with such unproffesionalism. These bouncers do not know the meaning of a mosh pit. If you shove a little, it is not welcomed. It is literally the lamest place to go see a band. I would rather go to the library and read a book. I truly feel bad for the bands that book this place. I reiterate do not go to this lame place.

This is by far the best place to see a show in downtown Seattle. It really is about the bands here. The staff let you in, you grab a beer, the bands play, you buy a t– shirt or whatnot, and you go home. It’s a rock club, pure and simple.
High maintenance yuppies, with their high maintenance girlfriends don’t come here that often, they’re much more comfortable someplace else. However, great bands play here all-​the-​time.
If you feel that the staff don’t like you, well, they probably don’t. Who cares? It’s about the music, remember. If you need someone to hold your hand, then there are professional cuddle services available.
The people who are leaving one star reviews complaining about the staff, the parking, the ac, and swearing that they won’t be back are part of what makes the place so great. They don’t hang around, killing the vibe for too long.
In the meantime, look for me at the Behemoth/​Cannibal Corpse show. I’ll be the guy in the back with a dopey smile on his face, having a great time.

This venue surprisingly has great sound, the music is loud. Tons of great bands come here. I would definitely go back. Cheap tickets and often chance to meet the bands. The workers are pretty rude though.

This place is gross, and looks sketchy.
With that said, its my new favorite place to see a show.
Up until Sunday night, El Corazon was something I looked down at from the freeway as we drove by. But with one our favorite bands playing there, we ventured in after finding parking in a back alley.
My favorite part of this dive joint is the fact that you can see whats happening on stage while in the bar. So while my husband and I chatted with friends and drank a few beers, we were able to see the bands on stage. When the band we wanted to see was on, we moved over to that room.
Another reason I love this place is the multilevel room. Not one for mosh pits, I appreciated being up and away from the crazy bodies right in front of the stage.
Will definitely return soon.

I don’t like the standing room only concert area — it’s too hot, too hard to see, and the floors are too hard to stand on all night. I sounds like an old fart, but there ya go.
I much prefer the lounge — it is usually more laid back and easier to find a place to sit or at least a table to lean on and sip your drink. The sound system is ok too, but it still gets super hot. The bouncer was a cool dude.
Recommended if you go to a show in the lounge or are a sardine.

Grunge Rocks original Seattle venue, well when it was called the OFF RAMP. However it’s 2014 and El Corazon is still around.
Unfortunately this isn’t one of the better venues in town. After you get over feeling nostalgic from its past history, you’ll find it to be a dump. One of the positives is the stage is tiny and your up close to the band. The bad news is two fold. #1 it’s a very cramp venue if people decide to show up which creates issue #2 and that’s the worse which Neanderthal, skull crushing security staff that’s the worse I’ve ever scene. Now management needs to watch the movie ROAD HOUSE for lessons on security and tell these bozos this is a job and not there personal MMA venue where customers are the victims. I actually witnessed a security person club a dude over the head his flash light when they should have escorted him out long before it got to that point. Also the venue tends to over sell and your packed in like sardines which is a hassle.
For those who enjoy dive bar venues, you’ll love it. But if you desire to be treated like a human I suggest maybe another venue for a positive experience.

I’m getting old or deaf. And hot. No, as in, where is the AC?
This place is half bar, half rock hall with standing room only for about 150. There is NO air conditioning and that is a real bitch in the summertime, holy hell. I thought my skin was going to start peeling off.
Everything is painted black — walls, floor, ceiling, bar, bathrooms, stage — everything. Most of the clientele are totally dressed in black.
I’ve been here for attending concerts only and haven’t interacted with the staff except for the muscle at the door, and they’ve been fine. The sound is horrible in the small box where the bands play, the lights suck, the acoustics are terrible, the stage is as big as your 1 bedroom apartment’s living room, and when you start to melt from the heat of all the instruments, lights, and no AC, there is a bench along the back wall to sit on if there’s room.
The bathrooms really make you try to remember if you’ve had your tetanus shot.
I will continue to see shows here until my old lady ass can’t take the heat anymore, because I like this little crazy place well enough.

Back in the hay-​day of alternative rock, I would frequent places like this all the time. The venue is definitely a shit-​hole. I’ve seen worse, but I guess since the days of punk clubs and grunge shows are long gone so people expect something a little more, I definitely felt like I stepped in a time machine being at this place. I personally liked it for what it was worth. With the small ticket prices you’re likely paying, you get what you pay for!
The stage is pretty low, there’s no «barrier», you basically can be right up at the stage where the monitors are. On that note, if you’re anywhere on or below average height (and I’m talking dudes here) then visibility will be lackluster. Sorry ladies, you’ll probably have a hell of a time seeing the band unless you’ve got a front spot.
Sound quality seemed okay to me. In my old age, I always bring ear plugs to shows now which actually enhances the sound and avoids a tinnitus party for three days after. The staff can be either friendly or give a fuck depending on who you talk to. I didn’t drink, so I can’t speak to that element, but there are at least three bar areas from what I remember.
What things usually boil town to is if you really want to see a band, the venue isn’t going to make or break it. It’s in a weird pocket of town with not much parking immediately nearby, but. it’s fine.