Minor
Ranked 10th best neighborhood in Seattle
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Great for
- Medical Facilities
- Parks & Recreation
- Internet Access
- Schools
- Neighborly Spirit
Not great for
- Gym & Fitness
- Nightlife
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- LGBT+
Got a burning question? Why not ask the locals! Simply ask your question below
Reviews
Minor
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
"Vibrant and Diverse"
Minor (Central District) is a super interesting and vibrant community. It lies right where South Seattle culture meets North Seattle culture. Nobody likes to talk about it, but Seattle was once legally segregated by race, and the Central District is right at that transition point.
The perfect example of this is the fact that the mostly white middle/upper class, private, Jesuit Seattle University is less than 2 blocks from Seattles youth jail, which is mainly full of youth of color. Awkwardand a clear indicator of the social justice work Seattle still has to do. This jail has understandably been a point of contention in Seattle lately, with many protests around spend several millions on a new youth jail rather than other community services. The current youth jail is in an old high schoolliterally a school to prison pipeline.
Sorry if that got a little heavy there, but these are real conversations and happenings in this neighborhood. But that tension is actually part of what makes this part of town so awesome. Because people are actually talking about it. You cant ignore it, and so even reserved, polite Seattleites will chime in on occasion.
The further east you get in this neighborhood, the more residential it becomes. This part of town has a lively and welcoming community, from all backgrounds. Youll mainly find single family homes, with some apartment buildings scattered along the arterials. Another tough conversation that Seattles been having recently is how the neighborhoods that were once filled with people of color are now being white-washed, as housing prices rise throughout the city.
Also along those main streets is where the amenities are. There are restaurants, cafes, bars, and a few small shops dotting the streets of 12th, 23rd, Cherry, union, and Madison.
In the south and east parts of the neighborhood, along Cherry, 23rd, and Union, the restaurants reflect the vibrant diversity in the neighborhood. Youve got a great selection of Ethiopian food (Ras Dashen, Meskels, Assimba, and Caf Selam, to name a few within 2 blocks of each other), Ezells Famous Fried chicken, Fats Chicken and Waffles, and Durdur East African Caf. Its pretty awesome.
Then even further south, as you get closer to the International District, you start too see more Chinese, Vietnamese, and other Asian restaurants.
The restaurants along 12th cater to the relatively well-off, if still young, student population of the private Jesuit Seattle University. The current restaurant du jour is Ba Bar, an upscale Vietnamese place that is notoriously hard to get in to (at the moment). Also along 12th is the college haunt Rhein House, which has games and a good beer selection. There are plenty of other decent places, just expect a lot of students during the school year.
Head northeast on Madison and there are some more college-friendly options, like the friendly Elysian Brewpub (welcoming to everyone from retirees to biker gangs), Thudsuan Thai, and the low key El Gallito.
Overall, I love this neighborhood and the dynamic energy that is there through its mix of residents, its real conversations, and, of course, the food.
The perfect example of this is the fact that the mostly white middle/upper class, private, Jesuit Seattle University is less than 2 blocks from Seattles youth jail, which is mainly full of youth of color. Awkwardand a clear indicator of the social justice work Seattle still has to do. This jail has understandably been a point of contention in Seattle lately, with many protests around spend several millions on a new youth jail rather than other community services. The current youth jail is in an old high schoolliterally a school to prison pipeline.
Sorry if that got a little heavy there, but these are real conversations and happenings in this neighborhood. But that tension is actually part of what makes this part of town so awesome. Because people are actually talking about it. You cant ignore it, and so even reserved, polite Seattleites will chime in on occasion.
The further east you get in this neighborhood, the more residential it becomes. This part of town has a lively and welcoming community, from all backgrounds. Youll mainly find single family homes, with some apartment buildings scattered along the arterials. Another tough conversation that Seattles been having recently is how the neighborhoods that were once filled with people of color are now being white-washed, as housing prices rise throughout the city.
Also along those main streets is where the amenities are. There are restaurants, cafes, bars, and a few small shops dotting the streets of 12th, 23rd, Cherry, union, and Madison.
In the south and east parts of the neighborhood, along Cherry, 23rd, and Union, the restaurants reflect the vibrant diversity in the neighborhood. Youve got a great selection of Ethiopian food (Ras Dashen, Meskels, Assimba, and Caf Selam, to name a few within 2 blocks of each other), Ezells Famous Fried chicken, Fats Chicken and Waffles, and Durdur East African Caf. Its pretty awesome.
Then even further south, as you get closer to the International District, you start too see more Chinese, Vietnamese, and other Asian restaurants.
The restaurants along 12th cater to the relatively well-off, if still young, student population of the private Jesuit Seattle University. The current restaurant du jour is Ba Bar, an upscale Vietnamese place that is notoriously hard to get in to (at the moment). Also along 12th is the college haunt Rhein House, which has games and a good beer selection. There are plenty of other decent places, just expect a lot of students during the school year.
Head northeast on Madison and there are some more college-friendly options, like the friendly Elysian Brewpub (welcoming to everyone from retirees to biker gangs), Thudsuan Thai, and the low key El Gallito.
Overall, I love this neighborhood and the dynamic energy that is there through its mix of residents, its real conversations, and, of course, the food.
Pros
- Diversity
- Good cost of living compared to other neighborhoods
- Great medical facilities
Cons
- Gentrification
- Heavy traffic
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- LGBT+
- Hipsters
- Students
- Trendy & Stylish
Minor
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Childcare
"The Central District—a friendly neighborhood"
This neighborhood is mislabeled on StreetAdvisor. Rather than “Minor,” it should be labeled either Central District, or Squire Park. The Central District encompasses several sub-neighborhoods on the southeast side of Capitol Hill, including what is here called Minor (but is actually Squire Park).
I have lived here in the Central District for several years, and have seen rapid changes accompanying Seattle’s recent growth spurt. It is a vibrant community, filled with single-family homes, and many diverse families.
The neighborhood changes have been approaching mainly from the west, with the single-family homes gradually being demolished and replaced with multi-unit buildings. Though much of the Central District is currently protected under low-rise zoning rules, this too is changing with upcoming HALA (Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda) zoning changes. This may allow much higher-density housing in the Central District, which would alter the neighborhood immensely. However, we are in dire need of more affordable housing in Seattle, so it is a necessary, if bittersweet, change.
23rd Ave, as well as Cherry, have wonderful selections of restaurants and cafes. There are 3 Ethiopian restaurants on Cherry alone! Café Selam is my personal favorite. The Cortona Café on Union does excellent coffee, and has a vegetarian-friendly selection of bites. Unfortunately, there are not many Indian restaurants nearby. Kanak Cuisine of India is decent, and has many options for vegetarians, which I very much appreciate. However, it is quite far north, not technically in the Central District. Yet it is infinitely better than Cedar’s on Broadway, which does both Indian and Mediterranean food, and neither well. The only reason I go here is to pick up a quick homemade Chai to go.
One thing we love about living in the Central District is the proximity to downtown, as well as both I-5 and I-90, which makes my commute to downtown, my husband’s commute to south Seattle and our regular hiking trips to the Cascades easy.
I have lived here in the Central District for several years, and have seen rapid changes accompanying Seattle’s recent growth spurt. It is a vibrant community, filled with single-family homes, and many diverse families.
The neighborhood changes have been approaching mainly from the west, with the single-family homes gradually being demolished and replaced with multi-unit buildings. Though much of the Central District is currently protected under low-rise zoning rules, this too is changing with upcoming HALA (Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda) zoning changes. This may allow much higher-density housing in the Central District, which would alter the neighborhood immensely. However, we are in dire need of more affordable housing in Seattle, so it is a necessary, if bittersweet, change.
23rd Ave, as well as Cherry, have wonderful selections of restaurants and cafes. There are 3 Ethiopian restaurants on Cherry alone! Café Selam is my personal favorite. The Cortona Café on Union does excellent coffee, and has a vegetarian-friendly selection of bites. Unfortunately, there are not many Indian restaurants nearby. Kanak Cuisine of India is decent, and has many options for vegetarians, which I very much appreciate. However, it is quite far north, not technically in the Central District. Yet it is infinitely better than Cedar’s on Broadway, which does both Indian and Mediterranean food, and neither well. The only reason I go here is to pick up a quick homemade Chai to go.
One thing we love about living in the Central District is the proximity to downtown, as well as both I-5 and I-90, which makes my commute to downtown, my husband’s commute to south Seattle and our regular hiking trips to the Cascades easy.
Pros
- Good cost of living compared to other neighborhoods
- Diversity
- Close to downtown
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- LGBT+
- Students
- Trendy & Stylish
Minor
rating details
2yrs+
- Eating Out
"The Place You Go When You’re Sick"
Sadly most people visit Minor area of Seattle because they are either in or visiting someone who is at the Swedish Medical Center. The main destination of the area is either the hospital or the Seattle University Campus. Because of these two businesses there are more than enough coffee shops and restaurants to go around and to keep anyone busy while they are in the area.
It’s not an area with much to look at thought, no really great parks are in the neighborhood and the coffee shops are a mixture of locally owned haunts and chains like Starbucks, Tully’s and Seattle’s Best. You’ll always find parking when in the area, but it’ll cost you and there is a lot of pedestrian traffic because of the hospital and school. Traffic is a nightmare in the area no matter what the time so save ample time when you head to this neighborhood because it’ll take you good 15-minutes longer than you though it would.
It’s not an area with much to look at thought, no really great parks are in the neighborhood and the coffee shops are a mixture of locally owned haunts and chains like Starbucks, Tully’s and Seattle’s Best. You’ll always find parking when in the area, but it’ll cost you and there is a lot of pedestrian traffic because of the hospital and school. Traffic is a nightmare in the area no matter what the time so save ample time when you head to this neighborhood because it’ll take you good 15-minutes longer than you though it would.
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Retirees
Minor
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Schools
- Childcare
"A Neighborhood For Young Professionals With More Than Minor Degrees"
The neighborhood of Minor encompasses an area that is easily defined, unusual for many Seattle communities. It lies neatly inside a triangular-rectangle bordered by 12th Avenue South, East Madison Street, 23rd Avenue and East Yesler Way.
The Swedish Medical Center-Cherry Hill Campus (http://bitly.com/eljSM3) is the fulcrum point of Minor, with the eastern section of Seattle University (http://seattleu.edu) next door. The Seattle Science Foundation (http://seattlesciencefoundation.org) is on the Swedish grounds as well.
There are dozens of embedded businesses, restaurants and coffee shops, with most of them around the perimeter. One of my favorite places to get coffee is Stumptown Coffee Roasters (http://bitly.com/f0HcuT) near E. Spring St. and 12th Ave. A very unique shop, which is apparent from the seating. It features benches and then foot stool-like seats for the other half of your party. A lower level with an extremely large roasting facility allows you to grab a seat at the bar to watch them cup or train other baristas. Oh, by the way, the coffee tastes great too. A great music venue around the corner is Chop Suey (http://chopsuey.com), on Madison. A lot of great bands featured on KEXP (http://kexp.org) play here. Making our way northeast on Madison, we find places like Piecora’s New York Pizza (http://piecoras.com) which has been around for over 25 years. Madison Market (http://madisonmarket.com) sells delicious natural and organic food.
Turning and heading down 23rd Avenue brings us to the Seattle Film Institute (http://seattlefilminstitute.com), a prestigious institution helping students grow in cinematography skills. In way of fast food joints, check out Ezell's Famous Chicken (http://ezellschicken.com) near Jefferson St.
Looking to the south side, SOHO Coffee Company (http://sohocoffee.blogspot.com) and Home of Good Bar-B-Que (http://bitly.com/efrmqx) are a couple of places not to miss. Edwin T. Pratt Park (http://1.usa.gov/gYPZs0) is a good sized green space with play equipment and a wading pool for the kids. It also has a couple of basketball courts.
On 12th Avenue we find Saba Ethiopian Cuisine (http://sabacuisine.com) near Fir Street. A few blocks north is another Ethiopian restaurant, Blue Nile Ethiopian (http://bitly.com/f3hRbU). For some tasty Haitian cuisine visit Waid's Caribbean Restaurant (http://bitly.com/fVWUYn) near Jefferson St. Inside the Seattle University Campus, enjoy the Watertown Coffee and Saloon (http://watertowncoffee.com - A coffee shop by day, a saloon by night). For some great Italian food head to Ti Amo Pizza & Pasta (http://tiamopizza.com) north of Cherry St. More Ethiopian awaits at Kokeb Ethiopian (http://kokebrestaurant.com), north of Columbia St. Coming up to Spring Street, be sure to set an evening aside at the Lark (http://larkseattle.com). This is a unique place to dine with a menu that will continue to keep your taste buds guessing. Finally, Cafe Presse (http://cafepresseseattle.com) will satisfy that romantic side, serving authentic French Cuisine.
City Park (http://1.usa.gov/gO8Sxi), near the northern edge of the neighborhood, has more greens and play areas for the kids. For some refreshment nearby, check out Tougo Coffee (http://tougocoffee.com) on 18th Avenue. To experience Seattle's only dine-in theater (http://central-cinema.com), head to the corner of Union and 21st Avenue.
The majority of Minor, besides the land occupied by the hospital and university, is predominantly residential. This makes for a degree of peaceful existence so close to the urban core. Besides numerous residential streets, there are a number of churches (old and new) and spiritual centers in the community.
The majority of residents are under age 40 and single, making this neighborhood prime for new transplants and graduates from the University of Washington (http://washington.edu). Also, having Seattle University located here drops the number of gray-haired people to a minimum. The predominance of office jobs held by the population is indicative that many men and women work in the financial district of the city or at Swedish Hospital (http://swedish.org). The crime rate here might be a step higher than other young neighborhoods because of it's closer proximity to the Central District.
Despite the challenges, Minor is still a hip place to live and holds incredible resources not only for its own residents, but the entire city.
The Swedish Medical Center-Cherry Hill Campus (http://bitly.com/eljSM3) is the fulcrum point of Minor, with the eastern section of Seattle University (http://seattleu.edu) next door. The Seattle Science Foundation (http://seattlesciencefoundation.org) is on the Swedish grounds as well.
There are dozens of embedded businesses, restaurants and coffee shops, with most of them around the perimeter. One of my favorite places to get coffee is Stumptown Coffee Roasters (http://bitly.com/f0HcuT) near E. Spring St. and 12th Ave. A very unique shop, which is apparent from the seating. It features benches and then foot stool-like seats for the other half of your party. A lower level with an extremely large roasting facility allows you to grab a seat at the bar to watch them cup or train other baristas. Oh, by the way, the coffee tastes great too. A great music venue around the corner is Chop Suey (http://chopsuey.com), on Madison. A lot of great bands featured on KEXP (http://kexp.org) play here. Making our way northeast on Madison, we find places like Piecora’s New York Pizza (http://piecoras.com) which has been around for over 25 years. Madison Market (http://madisonmarket.com) sells delicious natural and organic food.
Turning and heading down 23rd Avenue brings us to the Seattle Film Institute (http://seattlefilminstitute.com), a prestigious institution helping students grow in cinematography skills. In way of fast food joints, check out Ezell's Famous Chicken (http://ezellschicken.com) near Jefferson St.
Looking to the south side, SOHO Coffee Company (http://sohocoffee.blogspot.com) and Home of Good Bar-B-Que (http://bitly.com/efrmqx) are a couple of places not to miss. Edwin T. Pratt Park (http://1.usa.gov/gYPZs0) is a good sized green space with play equipment and a wading pool for the kids. It also has a couple of basketball courts.
On 12th Avenue we find Saba Ethiopian Cuisine (http://sabacuisine.com) near Fir Street. A few blocks north is another Ethiopian restaurant, Blue Nile Ethiopian (http://bitly.com/f3hRbU). For some tasty Haitian cuisine visit Waid's Caribbean Restaurant (http://bitly.com/fVWUYn) near Jefferson St. Inside the Seattle University Campus, enjoy the Watertown Coffee and Saloon (http://watertowncoffee.com - A coffee shop by day, a saloon by night). For some great Italian food head to Ti Amo Pizza & Pasta (http://tiamopizza.com) north of Cherry St. More Ethiopian awaits at Kokeb Ethiopian (http://kokebrestaurant.com), north of Columbia St. Coming up to Spring Street, be sure to set an evening aside at the Lark (http://larkseattle.com). This is a unique place to dine with a menu that will continue to keep your taste buds guessing. Finally, Cafe Presse (http://cafepresseseattle.com) will satisfy that romantic side, serving authentic French Cuisine.
City Park (http://1.usa.gov/gO8Sxi), near the northern edge of the neighborhood, has more greens and play areas for the kids. For some refreshment nearby, check out Tougo Coffee (http://tougocoffee.com) on 18th Avenue. To experience Seattle's only dine-in theater (http://central-cinema.com), head to the corner of Union and 21st Avenue.
The majority of Minor, besides the land occupied by the hospital and university, is predominantly residential. This makes for a degree of peaceful existence so close to the urban core. Besides numerous residential streets, there are a number of churches (old and new) and spiritual centers in the community.
The majority of residents are under age 40 and single, making this neighborhood prime for new transplants and graduates from the University of Washington (http://washington.edu). Also, having Seattle University located here drops the number of gray-haired people to a minimum. The predominance of office jobs held by the population is indicative that many men and women work in the financial district of the city or at Swedish Hospital (http://swedish.org). The crime rate here might be a step higher than other young neighborhoods because of it's closer proximity to the Central District.
Despite the challenges, Minor is still a hip place to live and holds incredible resources not only for its own residents, but the entire city.
Pros
- Great medical facilities
- Good nightlife options
- Close to downtown
Cons
- Heavy traffic
- Difficult parking
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Singles
- LGBT+
- Hipsters
- Students
- Trendy & Stylish
