The restaurant and piano bar are the very picture of class and refinement - two things that are in short supply in Gray Harbor. To the left when one walks in is the expanse of the restaurant proper, decorated in deep red, with accents of crisp white and a very fine metallic silver. It treads the line between opulent and garish without dipping too far into either camp. The menu is very local ingredient-forward, but prepared with French-inspired elegance and techniques.
To the right, is a piano bar and cocktail lounge called Eighty-Eight at Sitka. The colours in the lounge are slightly deeper, the atmosphere more intimate and warm than the restaurant half. The bar looks like it's been there for an age, even though the building itself is brand-new. It has the feel of something out of the 1950s, with its worn brass finishes and lacquered bartop. Small bites are on offer, as well as expertly crafted cocktails and an extensive wine cellar it shares with Sitka. There are a mix of bar seats, high top seats and two booths for more intimate conversations. A shiny black grand piano sits off to one side, present and visible but not intrusive.
The centerpiece of both sides of the space are the expansive windows overlooking the water and a replica of a spruce tree with its fractal branches that reaches skyward, jutting out with silver branches. It's really quite an impressive art piece of its own, and it really carries the message of an elegant space steeped in local food and drink.