The Unmarked Stairs In Spokane That Lead To One Of The City's Best Restaurants

Everyone likes a secret, even when that secret has gotten out. Such is the case in Spokane, Washington, where one of the city's best restaurants is hidden at the bottom of an unmarked staircase inside an old brick building. The Hogwash Whiskey Den is quite possibly one of the best places to eat and drink in Spokane, receiving accolades on a number of pride points: its ramen, its chicken sandwich, its craft cocktails, and even its bartender.

But it isn't just the food and the drinks that make it such a local hot spot, although inside you'll find a pretty impressive assortment of food and beverages. To find the Hogwash Whiskey Den, you'll have to first find the Washington Cracker Company building, an old brick multi-story building in the city's East Downtown Historic District. Even then, you'll have to put a little work into grabbing a meal or a drink. The restaurant is tucked away in the basement, at the bottom of an unmarked staircase. 

Eating your way through the best of the secret menu items at In-N-Out is a pretty awesome undertaking, but it doesn't compare to the feeling of heading down an unmarked stairway to find a hidden culinary treasure. It's akin to winning a scavenger hunt when you finally get to sit down and order some food and drinks.

The building itself is a part of Spokane's history. It has been around since 1891, when it was an integral part of building the country's burgeoning biscuit and candy industry in the latter part of the 19^th century, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. It also just happens to be located in an area that was once quite popular for illegal activities and establishments like speakeasies, making the modern-day placement of the Hogwash Whiskey Den quite appropriate. 

Whether it's tracking down a secret pizza place in a hotel on the Vegas strip or looking to try out the most scandalous speakeasies across the country, finding hidden gems has become a passion for many foodies. However, the secrecy and allure of modern-day speakeasies like the Hogwash Whiskey Den, particularly when it's in such a historically accurate location for such a spot, is just part of what makes it a popular hangout for locals and visitors alike. It serves up plenty of beer, wine, and cocktails, along with an impressive assortment of whiskey flights because, well, with a moniker like Hogwash Whiskey Den, you kind of have to.

The menu is top-notch, featuring elevated bar foods and internationally-inspired dishes like whiskey barrel-aged shoyu ramen noodles, smoked brisket taquitos with Oaxacan cheese, and something fun called bly ploofs — fried pork rides sprinkled with cheese dust. While you could absolutely make your own pork rinds, or bly ploofs, at home, why would you when you can sit in a modern-day speakeasy at the bottom of a basement staircase in Spokane?