The Viking

If you're downtown for a concert or a Chiefs game, it's hard to beat The Viking for pre-event food and drinks. A really solid craft pub menu with a fun crowd. It can get a little crowded and loud — just a heads up.

The Viking sits across from the arena downtown, which tells you most of what you need to know about how it gets used — somewhere to eat before the game, and somewhere to end up after it. The menu is built around handcrafted burgers and hearty sandwiches, with fish and chips, tacos, and salads filling out the rest, and a bar that takes its cocktails as seriously as its beer list.

It's been one of Spokane's reliable casual spots for a long time, and the range is the appeal — it's rare that a group walks in and somebody can't find what they want. Go early if you want a quiet table; once the arena lets out, the room does what a good bar across from an arena is supposed to do.