Archive
Mike’s Chili Parlor – 12/17/11
Location: 1447 NW Ballard Way
Hours:
Mon-Thurs: 11am-11pm
Friday: 11am-12am
Saturday: 12pm-8pm
Cash Only
Mike’s Chili Parlor is a 72 year old Ballard institution. The distinctive Art Deco building has stared down modernity and continues to survive in new Ballard. A dive bar/diner that specializes in chili for decades to the point that even the Food Network has recognized their longevity in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
Mike’s is a tiny, one room bar with an old school diner counter running along one wall with a view of the huge pot of chili simmering on the stove. Along the opposite wall are booths with sagging red vinyl benches and in between are a couple of tall tables. Also crammed in to the small space is a pool table. How anyone can play pool without hitting everyone nearby, I do not know.
Their specialty is chili. Meat chili served over beans in bowls. Scooped over pasta, fries, hot dogs, and burgers. Sure you can order a plain burger or hot dog but why would you go to a place called Mike’s chili and not order chili? This is East Coast chili, with a Greek pedigree. Not a vegetarian/vegan friendly place. They have a full bar, draft beer, and wine as well.
The Service:
Probably the fastest service we’ve had over the course of this project. We had barely sat down before the server came over to ask for our drink order. Friendly, too.
The Drinks:
I had a Manny’s Pale Ale, my default beer when there’s nothing else on draft that I’d like to try.
J ordered a Long Island Iced Tea. The quintessential, dive bar Long Island. Neither terrific nor horrible. Perfectly serviceable with just a hint of tequila.
The Food:
I chose the traditional Bowl of Chili, served over beans with cheese and onion. The first thing I noticed was how dark red it was. They must add a hefty portion of paprika to the spice blend. After a couple of bites, I found it to been very spicy, a little greasy, and way too salty. So salty, in fact, that I ended up drinking a couple of glasses of water afterwards because I was so thirsty. I did like the texture of the finely ground beef though. It made me nostalgic for taco salads. I liked the fact that they pour it over the beans so they stayed firm rather than turning to mush. I think I would have enjoyed the depth of spicy flavor of the chili more had it not been so salty.
J ordered an East Coast/Midwest favorite, Chili Pasta with cheese and onion. He loved his chili so much so that he lamented the fact that he’d ordered a small rather than a large. The pasta apparently helped cut the spiciness and saltiness of his chili because he didn’t have any complaints. He liked how finely diced the onions were so they ended up being a condiment rather than a feature of the chili. All in all, he thought it hit the spot.
The Price:
Manny’s Pale Ale: 4.25
Long Island Iced Tea: 8.00
Bowl of Chili: 5.50
Sm. Chili Pasta: 6.75
The Verdict:
J and I are kind of split on Mike’s Chili Parlor. He loved his chili pasta, partially out of nostalgia, I think. There aren’t many places in Seattle that serve chili over pasta. I thought my chili was way too salty. I would be willing to give Mike’s another chance to see if it was just a freak, salty batch of chili since I did like the texture of the meat. Perhaps on some cold winter night, we’ll go back.
The Viking Tavern – 10/8/11
Location: 6404 24th Ave NW
Hours:
Mon-Sat: 11:30am-2am
Sunday: 11:30am-12am
On the window of The Viking Tavern, it proudly announces “Opened in 1950”. Walking through the door feels a bit like going through a time warp. Vinyl booths line one wall with a row of mirrors and black and white photos of the Viking over the years above them. The bar runs along the other side with old school, spinning bar stools under the chipped counter. The Viking is another piece of Old Ballard that has managed to survive. On one wall near the entry is one thing I, as a former library worker, can appreciate, a shelf of spy, detective, and romance novels.
The Viking Tavern is a bar with food rather than a restaurant that serves booze. While their specialty is house-smoked meats, preparation isn’t of primary import since the food is warmed up in a microwave.
The Service:
When we came in, the bartender was acting as server as well. He was friendly and bus but the food came out fairly quick.
The Drinks:
I ordered the Silver City Hefeweizen, which was pretty good even though it had a slight, musty flavor that I’ve noticed in a few other Hefeweizens.
J had a Long Island Iced Tea that he could smell before even lifting it to his lips. It was so well mixed that he dubbed it the third best Long Island in Ballard.
The Food:
I chose The Number One, hickory smoked, thinly sliced beef brisket, with house sauce and served with Tim’s Cascade chips and a pickle. The brisket was fairly tender and nicely flavored, even if it was warmed up in the microwave. It was okay but I like my brisket a bit moister and in thicker slices. I liked the onion roll on which it was served. The sauce was just the right consistency, with a nice, delayed spicy kick. A good barbeque sandwich for the price.
J had The Number Two, slow-smoked, shredded pork butt with house pork sauce on an onion roll. He thought it was really good barbeque. The pork was less shredded and more like moist, flavorful chunks of meat. He was kind of surprised how good it was.
The Price:
Silver City Hefeweizen: 4.75
Long Island Iced Tea: 7.00
The Number One: 8.75
The Number Two: 8.75
The Verdict:
The Viking Tavern provides good barbeque and drinks at a very reasonable price in a neat piece of Old Ballard. We liked the barbeque better than what’s sold at the Lock & Keel, the only other barbeque we’ve had thus far in this project. The meat was smoky, fairly moist, and flavorful. The sauce was really good. Their Long Island Iced Tea, surprisingly, comes in at third best in Ballard.
Our opinions of the remaining Ballard barbeque joints (Smokin’ Petes and the maybe opening before the end of the year, Bitterroot) will determine whether we return to The Viking. It is a bit out of the way from where we live in Ballard but if it’s the best, we’ll be back.
Shelter Lounge – 9/30/11
Location: 4910 Leary Ave NW
Hours:
Mon-Fri: 4pm-2am
Sat-Sun: 11am-2am
Happy Hour:
Mon-Sat: 4pm-6pm
Sunday: All Day
Shelter Lounge is located on the south end of Leary, near the Ballard Bridge, in a building that once housed a garage before being converted into a small bar called The Station, for a short time. When The Station went under, the building went through an extensive renovation, adding a large, glass enclosed seating area to the previously small building. The wood and stone lined interior features a cozy row of booths at one side, the bright enclosed patio on the other side with a huge circular bar separating the two. They serve beer, wine, and a full bar with a creative specialty cocktail menu. The food menu is rather small, with a few interesting appetizers, sandwiches, and just three entrees.
J and I had never gotten around to visiting Shelter Lounge. It’s in a weird spot, off the main drag of Ballard’s food scene with only the 2 Bit Saloon, across the street, to keep it company. It always seemed the sort of place where douche bags and frat-boys would hang out, which added to the reasons we avoided going there. According to one of the servers we spoke to, our assessment is correct at least on Friday and Saturday nights when the place becomes something akin to a club.
We decided to go early on Friday night, expecting it to be crowded. Instead, we found a comfortable, friendly place that, much like the Bal-Mar and Ballard Loft, turned out to be a huge surprise. So surprising, in fact, that we took a couple of friends back to Shelter Lounge on Sunday afternoon to try the food and watch the end of the Seahawk game. For the first time in this project, we’ll be reviewing two visits to the same place in one post.
The Service:
On Friday, we arrived just before a second server came on shift, so service was a little erratic but friendly. On Sunday the place was nearly empty so service was quick and the server was friendly and chatty.
The Drinks:
On both visits J, as usual, ordered a Long Island Iced Tea. In his opinion, Shelter’s is now tied with Shiku’s WMD for the best Long Island in Ballard. Both times it was mixed perfectly.
There were a number of interesting selections on their specialty cocktail menu, so I tried a different drink each time. On Friday, I chose the Ballard 75, Aviation gin, fresh lemon, agave nectar, shaken, and topped with champagne. It was cool and refreshing with a nice contrast between the piney gin and the crisp, dry champagne.
On Sunday, I decided to try the Jalapeno and Cucumber Margarita, Hornitos tequila, lime, chopped jalapeno peppers and cucumbers topped with Sprite. The spiciness of the jalapeno and the coolness of the cucumber played off each other quite well. Unlike some pepper infused drinks, the jalapeno did not overwhelm the other flavors.
The Food:
Appetizers:
On Friday night, out of sheer “WTF???” curiosity, we ordered the Avocado Fries appetizer, slices of avocado breaded with panko, deep fried, and served with chipotle aioli. Surprisingly delicious. The texture contrast between the crunchy panko and the creamy avocado floored us. The spicy aioli gave the fries a flavor punch that melded well. I will admit that I’m a fan of People’s Pub’s deep fried pickles but I would choose these avocado fries over them any day of the week. These were so good, we ordered them again on Sunday in order to share the wonder with our friends.
On Sunday, J ordered the PB&J Jalapeno Poppers, panko breaded jalapeno peppers, deep fried, stuffed with cream cheese and peanut butter and served with a sweet, spicy jelly. J loved these, especially the above-average peanut butter used. I’m not usually a fan of peanut butter but I soon found the flavor combination oddly addictive, especially the sweet jelly that gave them a spicy, fruity kick.
Entrees & Sandwiches:
On Friday, J ordered the Carne Asada entrée, marinated steak with pico de gallo, corn on the cob, and mashers. When it arrived, he said the loaded plated looked like something you’d get at someone’s home. The carne asada was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, tender and flavorful. The marinade gave just a hint of spiciness while the well cooked side of corn on the cob, dusted with cayenne pepper, added another note of spice. J loved the mashers. Perfectly mashed potatoes that were neither lumpy nor pasty. The huge portion tasted extremely creamy from either the addition of tons of butter or, perhaps, a cheese or some sort. Even though he was full, he forced himself to finish the mashers because they were so good.
I chose the Rum Marinated Chicken entrée, chicken breast rubbed with cumin then marinated in Sailor Jerry’s rum, served with pico de gallo, corn on the cob, and mashers. The chicken was moist, its flavor a lovely mix between spicy cumin and caramel sweet rum. I took half home since the portion was so big. My corn was just a touch tough but that was barely noticeable through the spicy cayenne pepper and cilantro flavor. The delicious mashers went surprisingly well with the spoonful of fresh pico de gallo included on the plate.
On Sunday, J and I shared a Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwich, pepper jack cheese, avocado, red onions, and chipotle aioli on grilled sourdough bread and served with shoestring French fries. The sourdough was perfectly toasted, retaining just a bit of softness. The avocado added a cooling note to the creamy, peppery cheese and the spicy aioli. The fries were awesome as well, staying crispy and hot the entire time.
The Price:
Friday:
Long Island Iced Tea: 8.00
Ballard 75: 8.00
Avocado Fries: 6.00
Carne Asada: 15.00
Rum Marinated Chicken: 14.00
Sunday:
Long Island Iced Tea: 8.00
Jalapeno & Cucumber Margarita: 9.00
Avocado Fries: 4.00 (Happy Hour price)
PB&J Jalapeno Poppers: 3.00 (Happy Hour price)
Spicy Grilled Cheese: 5.00 (Happy Hour price)
The Verdict:
Considering J and I went back on Sunday, with friends in tow, our opinion of Shelter Lounge is overwhelmingly positive. Over the course of this project, we have had few meals that were, across the board, as good as both of the meals we had here. The drinks are great and well priced, including a Long Island Ice Tea that is one of the best in Ballard. The menu may be small but the quality and portion size is worth every reasonably priced penny. Creative touches, like the avocado fries, are deliciously well executed. Though it sounds like weekend evenings are hopping, the atmosphere during the day and early evening is genial and relaxed.
Shelter Lounge has been added to the list of our Ballard haunts. No question. We have been singing its praises to everyone who asks how the project is going. I will not be surprised if it ends up on the project’s top ten list at the end of the year.
Wingmasters Sports Bar & Grill – 9/23/11
No Website
Location: 5811 24th Ave NW
Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11:30am-2am
Sat-Sun: 10am-2pm
Wingmasters Sports Bar & Grill felt like an old school sports bar. The type found all over the United States where the only things to tell you what city/state you’re in are the posters on the wall, the games on the TV, and the theme of the menu. Dark wood paneling. Worn and torn vinyl booths. A couple of pools tables. A big elk shooting game in one corner. Pull tabs at the bar and peanuts by the handful for a quarter from a defunct gumball machine. It’s the type of place that has a bunch of regulars who hang out at the bar, watching ball games. The night we visited, a college football game, a Mariner’s game, and a soccer game were showing on the multitude of TVs.
Wingmasters, as one can guess from the name, specializes in chicken wings, offered with a choice of sauces. The menu also includes the usual array of bar food, salads, burgers, and fish and chips along with beer and a full bar.
The Service:
Our server was the only one, other than the bartender, working so service was pretty slow. Once we had finished our meal, J eventually had to stand at the bar for a few minutes before being able to pay our bill since our server never came over to cash us out.
The Drinks:
I had a pint of Widmer Hefeweizen, which turned out to be rather smooth with very little bitterness. Quite nice, actually.
J ordered a Long Island Iced Tea, which packed a punch but had too much tequila.
The Food:
I chose the Buffalo Chicken Strips and Fries. The chicken strips were of uneven quality. Some were moist while others were bone dry. The Buffalo sauce tasted pretty good with a spiciness that crept up on me. I also liked the extra crispy breading that covered the strips. The French fries that weren’t directly under the chicken strips were crispy but as the fries cooled, they turned greasy and limp.
J ordered 12 Chicken Wings in Buffalo Sauce. It should be mentioned that J has been to the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York where Buffalo wings originated, so his bar for chicken wings is set very high. He took issue with how the wings were made. It seemed like they poured the sauce in the bottom of the paper-lined basket, and then placed the wings in it, without tossing the wings in the sauce. He said the wings on top were too dry while the ones in the sauce were merely okay. He was not impressed.
The Price:
Widmer Hefeweizen: 4.25
Long Island Iced Tea: 8.00
Buffalo Chicken Strips and Fries: 7.95
12 Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce: 12.95
The Verdict:
There were a number of things about Wingmasters that didn’t impress us. The atmosphere of the place was very insular. J especially felt this when he went up to the bar to pay our tab. It took him a few minutes to get someone’s attention, and when he did he felt like he was intruding on a private club. The wings were really pricey for the quality and quantity. King’s Hardware offers tastier wings for a better price, especially on Mondays when wings are .28 cents apiece. Really the only thing that was good was my beer.
Neither of us sees a reason to go back to Wingmasters. We can get better wings elsewhere and I can get Widmer Hefeweizen at the grocery store.
For those who might be wondering, in J’s opinion Norm’s, in Fremont, offers chicken wings that are the closest to the Anchor Bar’s original Buffalo wings.
Kelly O’Briens – 9/18/11 – Closed
Location: 5410 17th Ave NW
Hours:
Mon-Fri: 4pm-2am
Sat-Sun: 12pm-2am
Tucked in a tiny space in the shadow of the Leva condos, Kelly O’Briens is one of the few bars located at the east end of Market street. It’s an Irish bar complete with Irish football jerseys, flags, and posters on the walls and a menu that includes shepherd’s pie and fish and chips. Along one wall is a huge, wood bar and on the other is high benches giving the place a cozy, pub feel.
The Service:
The bartender/server/owner? gets brownie points for commenting on J’s D&D t-shirt, having played Vampire: The Masquerade and reading fantasy authors like George R.R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss. Service was friendly and quick.
The Drinks:
I ordered a cider, which turned out to be a Magner’s Irish Cider. Not one of my favorites since I prefer a dry cider to a sweet one.
J, as usual, chose a Long Island Iced Tea. After a sip, he said it was more like a Long Island Lemonade. J liked the lemonade quality but it just wasn’t a true Long Island.
The Food:
I had the Shepherd’s Pie, ground lamb, peas, onion, and carrots topped with mashers. The tidy bowl of shepherd’s pie came out piping hot and remained so throughout our meal. The mashed potatoes were a bit dry and not nearly buttery enough for my taste. The stew part, though, was pretty good, with lots of lamb. The rich gravy needed a little salt due to the sweetness of the lamb and nowhere near as greasy as other shepherd’s pie I’ve tried … The Old Pequliar, I’m looking at you.
J ordered the Fish and Chips, Guinness battered cod with batter tossed French fries. The cod was merely okay in both flavor and portion size. The fries, on the other hand, were great. Hand-cut potatoes tossed in a little batter to give them extra crispness. Crunchy on the outside and creamy inside.
The Price:
Magner’s Irish Cider: 4.00
Long Island Iced Tea: 8.50
Shepherd’s Pie: 8.00
Fish and Chips: 8.00
The Verdict:
We really liked the neighborhood bar feel to Kelly O’Briens even though the food was just typical pub fare. We’ve had better and worse in Ballard. They could definitely improve on some of the food … J likes the fish at Market Arms better … But the French fries were great.
Considering that Kelly O’Briens is nearer to our apartment than most of Ballard’s bars, we’ll go back at some point. J and I are curious about the happy hour menu which includes a few items, like mini corn dogs, curry fries, and lamb sliders, not found elsewhere in Ballard. And the bartender is a fantasy, gamer dude, which automatically gives the place extra points in our book.
Hamburger Harry’s – 8/20/11
Location: 2409 NW Market St
Hours:
Mon-Thurs, Sun: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-2am
In our continuing search for the best burger in Ballard, J and I chose to try Hamburger Harry’s. Located just west of the Market Street and 24th intersection, Hamburger Harry’s is one of the bigger burger joints with ample outdoor seating and a large, open interior. A long bar lines one side of the interior, a large screen TV used for karaoke and sports dominates one wall and the other walls are covered in huge collection of autographed sports photos. Our server explained that the owners have collected memorabilia over many years. J and I wondered between ourselves which of the photos was the most rare and/or the most expensive.
Hamburger Harry’s, as the name suggests, specializes in burgers, though they offer salads, chicken and sandwiches as well. Their menu included a number of burger toppings I’ve not seen elsewhere in Ballard. For beverages, they have the usual suspects (soda, coffee, tea) along with milkshakes, beer, wine and a full bar.
The Service:
We had dinner around 5 o’clock on Saturday so the place was pretty empty. Our server was very friendly and the food arrived quite quickly.
The Drinks:
I ordered a Manny’s Pale Ale, a tried and true draft beer you can find practically everywhere in Seattle. I like it because it’s not too bitter and goes well with a lemon wedge.
As usual, J had a Long Island Iced Tea, which he declared was “Quite good”. He said the proportions of the ingredients were a prefect mix with neither the sweet and sour or tequila overpowering the drink. He could barely taste the liquor in it, his test of a good Long Island.
The Food:
I chose the Gyro Burger, a beef patty topped by lettuce, tomato, red onion, feta and house made tzatziki sauce, with a side of garlic fries. When it arrived, the burger was stacked about 8 inches high with a skewer stuck through it to keep it from toppling over. It was a pretty good burger. The beef was flavorful, moist and just slightly charred. The ingredients were all fresh, especially the salty feta which contrasted with the sweet red onion nicely. The bun was too flimsy to hold the burger together and the tzatziki sauce was a little lost in the other flavors though. In the end, I felt like the burger needed an extra punch of flavor to take it beyond merely pretty good. I think adding pepperoncini or some garlic aioli would have improved the burger.
The garlic fries were just okay. The garlic was fresh and tasty but the fries seemed limp and greasy. Not that good.
J ordered the Jalapeno Popper Burger, topped with roasted jalapenos, cream and cheddar cheese, guacamole and garlic aioli. He really liked his burger, finding it interesting that they chose to top it with the components in a jalapeno popper rather than taking the easy way out by just putting a real popper on top of the burger. The garlic aioli was especially good. To him, his side of fries was just an afterthought. He ignored them so he could finish his burger.
The Price:
Manny’s Pale Ale: 4.50
Long Island Iced Tea: 8.50
Gyro Burger: 11.79
Jalapeno Popper Burger: 11.99
The Verdict:
Hamburger Harry’s presented us with another Ballard restaurant surprise. These were, thus far, the second best burger in Ballard, just behind King’s Hardware … mostly on account of the limp French fries. Interesting toppings, flavorful beef and, at least in J’s opinion, one of the better Long Island Iced Teas he’s had so far on this project, make Hamburger Harry’s some place to which we will return whenever we’re craving a burger and King’s Hardware is too crowded.
It’s also nice to know that Hamburger Harry’s is open late on Fridays and Saturdays. It may become a choice for dinner after an evening movie at the Majestic Bay Theatre.
Ballard Loft – 6/11/11
Location: 5105 Ballard Ave NW
Hours:
Mon-Sun: 11:30am-2am
Happy Hour:
Mon-Fri: 4pm-6pm, 10pm-12am
For two weeks J has been craving a hot dog. Not a bratwurst. Not a sausage. A good, old fashioned hot dog. I did some research to find someplace in Ballard that served regular hot dogs and came upon the Ballard Loft.
The Ballard Loft sits at the dark, once unpopular end of Ballard Ave. Bad Albert’s was the only restaurant down there until the Ballard Loft moved in across the street a few years ago. The restaurant sits back from the street behind one of the largest outdoor seating areas in Ballard. The lower level of the restaurant proper is rather small with a few booths and pub tables. Up a flight of stairs is a loft with a few more tables, a pool table and a shuffleboard table along one wall.
To be honest J and I have avoided the Ballard Loft since it’s technically a sports bar. During soccer games in particular the place tends to be packed with loud, boisterous fans watching the game on the multitude of flat screen TVs. We’re not sports fans. The closest we get is watching random Pittsburgh Steeler games and the Kentucky Derby once a year. The night we went there was a Seattle Sounders game on so we were not sure whether there would be seating available. The lower level was pretty packed but we found a table upstairs in the quieter loft.
The Service:
At first neither of us were sure if anyone had seen us go up the stairs but after a couple of minutes a guy, who may have been the owner, came up to see if we’d been waited on. He then took our drink order and within a minute a server arrived to take our food order. Once the order was in, the service was very quick and friendly. They also had no problem with my request to exclude the orange liquor in my specialty house cocktail.
The Drinks:
J, of course, ordered a Long Island Iced Tea, which was “Very tasty”.
I chose the Jalapeño Margarita from their specialty drink menu. Most Jalapeno Margaritas I’ve had were far too spicy. The Loft’s margarita was perfect. Instead of the spiciness and flavor of jalapeno overwhelming the tequila, it came through as a distinct aftertaste that melded with the lime and tequila perfectly. Very, very good and something I would not mind ordering again.
The Food:
As an appetizer, I decided to try their Bavarian Pretzel Stix with honey Dijon dip. These buttery, yeasty pretzels were tasty, especially when paired with the sweet, tangy dip. The only element missing was a sprinkling of coarse salt to compliment the butteriness of the pretzel.
J ordered Jimmy D’s BBQ Hot Dog, an all beef frank with mayo, melted Colby cheese and spicy BBQ sauce, topped with chopped bacon, red onion and jalapenos with a side of beer battered French fries. His reaction to it was “Great. Simply great. A little messy but not too spicy. Definitely not something I could eat everyday but great.” The fries were good as well but not amazing. He was totally blown away by this hot dog.
I have a confession to make. When J and I went to Chicago for our honeymoon, I failed to try a Chicago style hot dog. My only excuse is that I chose a wild boar sausage at Hot Doug’s over the typical Chicago Dog.
Anyway, the Ballard Loft offers their version of a Chicago Style Hot Dog, an all beef hot dog topped with
diced onions, fresh tomatoes, a kosher pickle spear, sport peppers, celery salt, yellow mustard and neon green relish. The only thing they didn’t get right was that the dog did not come on a poppy seed bun. It was a good dog although it was missing the “snap” of a well-cooked hot dog. The mixture of condiments, while a bit messy and unwieldy, combined well with the sweetness of the relish evening out the more savory elements. Although the sport peppers were a bit too hot for my taste.
For a side, I chose a Caesar salad which turned out to be one of the better Caesars I’ve had in Ballard. Perfect amount of slightly salty dressing to fresh romaine.
The Price:
Long Island Iced Tea: 8.00
Jalapeno Margarita: 9.50
Bavarian Pretzel Stix: 7.50
Jimmy D’s BBQ Dog: 9.00
Chicago Dog: 9.00
The Verdict:
The Ballard Loft turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Ever since it opened, J and I had it pegged as a douchey sports bar to be avoided at all costs. Instead we found a place with a great atmosphere, especially up in the loft area, really good drinks and an interesting menu. I wouldn’t mind going back to try some of their other specialty hot dogs and sausages. It did seem a bit pricy but that really is the only negative I can come up with for the Ballard Loft. We’ll go back whenever J craves a good old hot dog.
If this project has done anything so far, it has been to force us to reassess our own judgments about restaurants in Ballard. We totally misjudged this one.
Bad Albert’s Tap & Grill – 4/22/11 – Closed
Location: 5100 Ballard Ave NW
Hours:
Mon-Thurs: 11-10
Fri: 11-11
Sat: 9-11
Sun: 9-9
Breakfast Served: Sat-Sun: 9-2
Happy Hour: 3-6 Mon-Sun
Bad Albert’s sits at the what was the industrial, unpopular end of Ballard Ave until the hipsterific Ballard Loft, Ethan Stowell’s Staple and Fancy and The Walrus and The Carpenter oyster bar moved in. Now gentrification is creeping down the street although I doubt it will ever affect Bad Albert’s.
In Ballard, Bad Albert’s is one of the remaining bastions of old Ballard. For a Friday night happy hour, the crowd consisted mostly of the retired, a few younger folk and blue collar workers from the industrial area that runs along Salmon Bay. The interior reflects its clientele, being a little worn but in a homey, well-loved way. If you become any sort of regular, the waitresses and the owner will remember you. Maybe not by name but enough to say “Hi” in a familiar way.
If you can tell already, J and I have a soft spot for Bad Albert’s. For a couple of years now it has been our go-to spot for weekend breakfast. We’ve been there so often that the waitresses bring our morning beverage (coffee and cranberry juice) along with the menu. Their fried egg and bacon sandwich, with what we’ve come to call “crack mayonnaise” for its deliciousness, is one of the best breakfast items in Ballard if not Seattle. It’s so good that it’s not only on the breakfast menu but on the lunch/dinner menu as well.
Oddly enough, we’ve never had dinner there. Sure I’ve had lunch a few times and J spent part of his bachelor party drinking there last year but never a true dinner. So when we started this project, we decided to make the effort to try Bad Albert’s dinner menu.
The Service:
When we came in the first thing out of our server’s mouth was “Wait. It’s not breakfast. How come you’re here now?”. This is indicative of the service at Bad Albert’s, friendly, familiar and relatively quick. As befits a place with a regular clientele, sometimes the service can be held up by the staff chatting with customers. Some may see this as a drawback but we’ve come to find it endearing and a sign of a certain comfort.
This is probably a good point to mention that Bad Albert’s is a bar and, as such, does not permit anyone under 21 in the place. While this may be a drawback to many people, when you’re recovering from a hangover or want a quiet breakfast, having a quiet place in Ballard to have breakfast is a huge plus.
Our server also gets points for insisting on bringing a basket of French fries when I mentioned that I had asked for them rather than the tater tots I received.
The Drinks:
As usual J ordered a Long Island Iced Tea, which he says was “Pretty dang tasty”.
I asked for whatever Hefeweizen they had on tap. What I received was a lovely, smooth Hefeweizen that tasted vaguely familiar. It turned out that Bad Albert’s carries my favorite local beer, Schooner Exact’s Gallant Maiden Hefeweizen. Only one other restaurant in Ballard (so far) offers this soft, mild beer.
The Food:
Since it was Happy Hour, we decided to try one of the half-off appetizers, the Cajun Crawfish, lightly floured and fried crawfish tails tossed in spicy chipotle sauce and served with blue cheese dip. When they came out, the crawfish tails looked like cocktail shrimp, little curled-up commas. At first taste, they were not at all what we expected. Much fishier than shrimp with a spicy, sweet coating. Even after the first few bites, the crawfish tails had such an odd taste that neither of us were sure if we even liked them. Gradually the little suckers worked some sort of mojo on us become delicious and addictive until they were completely gone. Next time we hit Bad Albert’s for happy hour, we’ll get them again.
For an entrée, I ordered the New Yorker, a seasoned Angus beef patty on a toasted garlic baguette with yellow mustard, tomatoes, pickles, white cheddar and a homemade grilled onion sauce and a side of fries. As befits a sandwich on a baguette, the beef patty was elongated rather than round and was flatter than a hamburger patty. The flatness allowed the flavor of the well seasoned beef to be more obvious as well as give it a little bit of a crunchy edge. The baguette was deliciously garlicky and toasted to perfection, not too soft or hard. The pickles were huge which made me think they cut them from whole dill pickles. The onion sauce was good if a little greasy. The french fries were obviously hand-cut, a rarity lately. They had that great mix of crispy outside and tender inside. Very good fries.
J had the Albert’s Burger Dip, a seasoned Angus beef patty on toasted garlic baguette with smoked provolone, grilled Guinness onions, bacon, a small bowl of au jus and a side of tater tots. He loved it. He described it as “homey”. Like something your mom would make. Very unpretentious. The au jus dip was so awesome that I was dipping my sandwich in it. So rich and beefy. Personally we both would be tempted to order a side of au jus with anything we ate there. A big win all around from J.
The Price:
Long Island Iced Tea: 8.00
Gallant Maiden Hefeweizen: 3.50 (Happy Hour price)
Crawfish Tails: 4.75 (Happy Hour price)
The New Yorker: 11.00
Albert’s Burger Dip with Bacon: 11.50
The Verdict:
Of course we’ll be going back to Bad Albert’s. Their breakfasts are awesome. So, rather, I guess the question is whether we would go back for dinner. Yes, the food was so different than the fare we’ve had thus far in Ballard. Homey with interesting selections and combinations. I want to try the gorgonzola chicken sandwich and a few of their other options. Since they also offer my favorite beer, I think we’ll be going back sooner than later. Bad Albert’s may just become one of our go-to places not just for breakfast but for lunch/dinner as well.
The Hi-Life – 4/16/11
Location: 5425 Russell Ave NW
Hours:
Sun-Thurs: 8:30- whenever
Fri-Sat: 8:30-whenever
Happy Hour:
3-6:30
10-close
The Hi-Life is located just off Market Street in what used to be a firehouse. It still retains much of the original firehouse feel. Brick exterior. Huge sliding doors that are opened when the weather gets nice. A bell tower type structure that now has a neon sign reading “Eat” at the top. The interior is open, light-filled and airy with a bar area separated from the main dining room and a huge open kitchen.
It’s one of the few places in Ballard that can accommodate large groups. All one has to do is make a reservation at the front desk. After our wedding last year, J and I invited the small wedding party to lunch at the Hi-Life so we do have a certain fondness for the place.
The Service:
Since it was Happy Hour on a Saturday, the place was nearly at capacity when we arrived and there were people waiting to be seated when we left. Considering this, we were seated, ordered our meal and served in record time by a friendly, polite and amazingly not frazzled server. Huge kudos for the service.
The Drinks:
I ordered an Alpine Hefeweizen. The hoppy flavor was a little stronger than I like in my hefeweizens but it was okay. J had the Happy Hour drink special, Whidbey Island Iced Tea, coke, soda, lemon and Absolute Wild Tea. He deemed it so refreshing that on a hot day he would easily down a few of them.
The Food:
For an appetizer, we couldn’t resist the Spring in a Blanket, asparagus, portabella mushrooms and prosciutto wrapped in pastry served with roasted garlic-lemon goat cheese. Even though I found the pastry to be a bit under-done, these wraps were very tasty. The asparagus was cooked just right with a surprisingly aggressive flavor. The goat cheese dip was a perfect compliment to the rest of the ingredients with a light, springy herb flavor.
I also ordered a small, Happy Hour Caesar Salad. While not the best Caesar salad I’ve had thus far in Ballard, it was perfectly acceptable. The dressing was a little bland with none of the anchovy taste I prefer.
As an entree I chose the Rosemary Chicken, a pan seared half chicken with roasted mushrooms, served with grilled mascarpone polenta and an arugula salad. I should have noted the arugula salad when I ordered which led me to having double the roughage with dinner. Overall, I found this entrée just okay. The arugula salad and the roasted mushrooms were both a bit over salted and I love salt, so this is saying something. Other than the saltiness, the mushrooms were well cooked with a fine, meaty texture. The chicken was moist and relatively flavorful though I tasted not a hint of rosemary. One would think if they’re going to call it “Rosemary Chicken” it should have some sort of rosemary flavor. Not their best effort, to be honest.
J ordered the Brown Butter Gnocchi, with fennel sausage, grape tomatoes and topped with an arugula-fennel salad. He’d never had a brown butter gnocchi before and found it really different and flavorful.
The Price:
Alpine Hefeweizen: 3.00 (Happy Hour price)
Whidbey Island Iced Tea: 5.00 (Happy Hour price)
Small Caesar Salad: 4.00 (Happy Hour price)
Spring in a Blanket: 8.50
Brown Butter Gnocchi: 15.50
Rosemary Chicken: 16.50
The Verdict:
Despite the slight failure of my entrée, J and I will gladly return to the Hi-Life. As one of the few places in Ballard that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 days a week, it’s a go-to place when we can’t decide what we want to eat.
The specials on the menu change seasonally so there are always interesting choices available. Their weekday, $5.55 breakfast specials are extremely good for the price. My favorite is the delicious goat cheese and herb scramble. They also have a great French Onion soup. The Sunday Fried-Chicken Suppers are phenomenal. Their Happy Hour is one of the best in Ballard. Most of the food is in the $3-5 range and uniformly tasty as hell. Especially the seasonal petite pizzas and the BBQ sliders.
The Market Arms – 3/29/2011
Location: 2401 NW Market St
Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am-2am
Sat-Sun: 10am-2am
Happy Hour:
Daily: 3-6
Sun-Wed: 10pm-12am
After a meh phone interview, J offered to console my job woes with a dinner out. I chose the Market Arms because I happen to like their food and 20oz pints of Strongbow cider.
The Market Arms sits at the west end of the main part of Market St, located in what used to be an antique furniture store. When refurbishing it as a British style pub, the owners incorporated the huge display windows and the open interior to great effect. It really is one of the nicer bars in Ballard, with a British theme that doesn’t get too twee. Lots of dark wood and dark green walls. Plenty of seating, along the walls, at round tables in the center and stand-up tables nearer to the bar. There’s a pool table near the back, TVs that play soccer whenever there’s a game and a great juke box filled with 1980’s British music, when it’s working. Even when the juke box isn’t working, there is always ‘80’s Brit pop playing. The Market Arms is still the only place I have ever heard The Housemartins played.
On Fridays and Saturdays the bar can have a “meat market/douchtastic” vibe but the rest of the week it’s a comfortable place to have a pint and some thoroughly bad for you British style pub grub. Due to its size, the Market Arms is also a great place for group events and you can reserve tables for groups by calling the number on their website.
The Service:
Considering that there weren’t that many people in the pub, the service was kind of spotty. I had arrived well before J, who had some bus issues from work, and received my pint of Strongbow and order of Jalapeño Poppers fairly quickly. The service issues started once J arrived. I took a while for someone, a different server altogether, to take his drink order and then took an even longer time for our original server to take our food order. They have a tendency to be a bit understaffed.
The Drinks:
A British pint of draft Strongbow cider. 20oz. Nuff said.
J had his usual Long Island Iced Tea. He has said that the Long Islands at the Market Arms are the best in Ballard and this one was no exception.
The Food:
I have an inexplicable fondness for Jalapeno Poppers, those fried nuggets of breaded slices of jalapeno pepper stuffed with cream cheese. Just about the only place I can get these disgusting things is the Market Arms so I ordered a basket while I waited for J to arrive. Most of the time the cream cheese interior is molten to the point where I usually burn my tongue when I bite into the popper. Last night they were a just hair undercooked. Not cold but just warm and the breading tasted a bit doughy. I’ve had better … if you can define any jalapeno popper as “better” … there other times.
For my entrée, I decided on the Sausage & Mash, 2 British bangers served over creamy mashed potatoes with onion gravy. The bangers were great with a nice snap to the outer casing and a sweetish pork interior that held together when sliced. The “creamy” mashed potatoes weren’t exactly creamy. More rustic with chunks of unpeeled red potatoes. The potatoes tasted better when paired with the brown, thick onion gravy. The gravy was lovely with slices of caramelized onion and a slight vinegary taste.
J ordered the large Fish & Chips, 2 pieces of arctic cod dipped in beer batter with tartar sauce and fries. He’s said it’s one of his favorite fish & chip plates in the city. The fries are thick-cut, with the peel left on. Crispy on the outside and nice and creamy on the inside. The fish portions are huge … although, he claims they’ve shrunk a little since the pub opened …
The Price:
20oz Strongbow Cider: $5.25
Long Island Iced Tea: $8.00
Jalapeno Poppers: $5.00
Sausage and Mash: $9.00
Large Fish and Chips: $11.00
The Verdict:
When it first opened, the Market Arms was exceptional. The drinks were cheap and strong (for months J got $5.50 Long Islands there). The food was great, consistent and the portions were huge. The juke box worked. Now, while the Market Arms has its faults: spotty service and an occasional inconsistency with some of the food, we’ll go back. The atmosphere, the music and the British food on the menu make it one of our go-to restaurants in Ballard. I would definitely say take a chance on the food. Last week I had a lunch crab cake special there that was really quite good. It’s a good place to hang out with friends, eat some pub grub and listen to British music.
And, well, the 20oz draft Strongbow. I’d go back to the Market Arms for that alone.
Ballard Restaurant Project 