“Rumba was originally supposed to be a place to grab a drink and wait before you get into Tango,” Travis Rosenthal, owner and founder, says of the Capitol Hill rum bar’s origins.

Born in September 2012 on lower Pike, the bar dedicated to sugarcane and island spirits is ready to celebrate a decade on Capitol Hill.

Rosenthal owned tapas bar Tango at the time and was pinched for space. When the retail shop next door moved out, he leapt at the opportunity — but didn’t end up expanding Tango.

“I just loved the taste of it and there are so many different styles of rum, different tastes of rum, and it has such an interesting history and I felt like people weren’t aware of the complexities of rum,” Rosenthal said.

When the bar finally opened, CHS described it as being like “Ernest Hemingway hired a Pike/Pine interior designer, threw a wad of cash and said go to town” with rosewood walls and floors, bookshelves lined with curated knick knacks:

Palm frond fans circle overhead, and a giant taxidermy marlin rests on the wall. Island music, dim lighting, and nautical vibes, complete the atmospheric pitch. Servers scurry around carrying large daiquiris and bartenders climb up ladders like sailors on the main sail, grabbing all sorts of rum you didn’t even know existed.

“It hasn’t changed too much through the 10 years. I guess our rum list has grown,” said Rosenthal, who said Rumba has one of the largest offerings of rum in the country. “You can see all the bottles in one spot in our back bar, which is unique.”

Rosenthal’s rum-lust was developed during his time at Tango, which he sold in 2019 to make way for Indian restaurant Zaika. The busy restaurateur — he is also part of the ownership behind Seattle “paddle club” favorite Agua Verde — undersells recent changes at Rumba.

Last summer, Rumba expanded into the depths below Pike with the opening of its over the top, post-tiki sibling, Inside Passage. “While some elements of Inside Passage are inspired by the less problematic elements of what we have come to associate with tiki bars, we have decided to refrain from calling it that,” the team behind the bar explained at its opening in 2021.

At Rumba, 10th anniversary celebrations will take place October 10th and will include an outdoor grill with sizzling jerk chicken from Jerk Shack with Caribbean style sides. Former bartenders of Rumba will also be making appearances throughout the night, including Kate Perry, the opening general manager who helped shape the bar’s successful start, and who is flying in from Texas to attend the anniversary.

“I’m just excited to see old friends and regulars that have supported us through the years and honestly, say thank you to everyone for getting us to this point,” Rosenthal said.

The anniversary, meanwhile, finds the bar rising to new heights. He says Rumba’s busiest month in 10 years was this past August. “We’ve never been going stronger and it’s because of all the great employees through the years, and all the great regulars that have supported us.”

While preparing to celebrate the past 10 years and how the business has evolved over time, Rosenthal said the anniversary is also an opportunity to toast to another 10 great years. He acknowledges how 10 years is a long time for a bar or restaurant to be operating, but finds fun in continuing to serve cocktails to guests.

“I really feel like Rumba’s going to be here a real long time,” said Rosenthal. “I think Capitol Hill has always prided itself on independently owned bars and restaurants, and the fact that that’s exactly what Rumba is, I think that’s special in that there are other businesses in Capitol Hill like that, but I think that’s what makes Capitol Hill unique.”

Rosenthal said that over the years, Rumba has had fantastic neighbors along Pike and nearby Melrose that offer food and drink, which allows for residents and visitors to make an evening out of all the hotspots in the area, which Rosenthal describes as a “small boutique community.”

Looking toward the future, Rosenthal said the business will continue experimenting with cocktails, as well as continue to track down the best bartenders in the city who can learn more about the spirit.

“There’s nowhere else in the city where a bartender can work and play with 700 different bottles of rum,” Rosenthal said.

Rumba is celebrating 10 years at 1112 Pike and will mark the anniversary with a party on October 10th. Learn more at rumbaonpike.com.

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