Known as The Croc, The Crocodile Cafe opened in April 1991, and many of the leading grunge bands – including Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Tad, Mad Season, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Everclear – played there. 
Which world-famous musician performed at The Crocodile in March 1996?
Did you know, that the Crocodile Cafe’s owners liked surprises? Concertgoers at the $3 Mudhoney show on October 4, 1992, were expecting to see an unknown band promoted under the silly name Pen Cap Chew and were shocked when Nirvana took the stage. This was the last time Nirvana played at The Crocodile.
Another secret show was Pearl Jam’s unpublicized appearance on October 10, 1998, opening for the Midwestern ’70s band, Cheap Trick.
The new owners, including Alice in Chains’ drummer Sean Kinney and manager Susan Silver (Chris Cornell’s wife), continue to bring surprises to The Crocodile. In 2018, during the retrospective for Alice in Chains, they organized a scavenger hunt for their sixth studio album, Rainier Fog, and also featured a surprise pop-up show.
In March 2013 
ranked The Crocodile as the 
best club in the U.S.
It’s a fantastic venue to enjoy live music – be sure to check out the upcoming events!
The original Crocodile Cafe was located at 2200 2nd Avenue? Early club goers recall a column 
in the middle that supported the roof. Positioned about ten feet from the stage, it blocked the crowd’s view. People in Seattle had various names for this obstruction—some called it a joist, others a pole, or a post.
When the club was reopened in March 2009 by new owners, they conducted an extensive remodel. During this renovation, they removed the infamous that had obstructed the crowd’s view for 16 years.
After a COVID-19-related closure, The Crocodile reopened at a current location a few blocks away with increased capacity.
