Seattle/Ballard

Ballard is a neighborhood in northwest Seattle. While mostly residential, the ship canal locks are a major tourist attraction. Nearby smaller neighborhoods sometimes falling under Ballard's umbrella include Phinney Ridge and Greenwood, extending to the northeast, and Crown Hill directly north. A small commercial district extends along Greenwood and Phinney Avenues.

Further to the east, the Greenlake neighborhood surrounds, reasonably enough, Green Lake (both spellings are common). The lake and its surrounding park are one of Seattle's best places to jog, rollerblade, swim, and rowboat.

Understand

Known locally as "Snoose Junction," Ballard has traditionally been the home of Seattle's Scandinavian immigrants, and as a result there's hardly a Seattleite who hasn't heard of lutefisk (preserved whitefish) or lefse (a flatbread made with potatoes). Historically a working-class area supported by several sawmills and a fishery, Ballard now has an increasingly young and diverse population. Due to its close proximity to Downtown Seattle, Ballard's property values have soared, causing many long-time residents to move elsewhere. Though becoming increasingly trendy, Ballard still manages to preserve its blue-collar image as well as its Scandinavian atmosphere to a great extent.

Phinney Ridge and Greenwood are residential satellites of Ballard, with a single shared commercial strip running along Phinney and Greenwood Avenues (forming a single street with a jog in the road at 67th Street).

Get in

By car

From Downtown Seattle, the simplest way into Ballard is to drive north on 1st Avenue, veer left at the foot of Queen Anne Hill (where 1st Avenue N and Denny Way meet), then follow the arterial northward until you cross the Ballard bridge. Turn left on NW Market Street to get into the center of Ballard.

For the Phinney-Greenwood corridor, take Aurora Avenue north across the bridge, then exit at Green Lake Way; take a left on 46th Street, then four blocks later take a right onto Greenwood Avenue.

By bus

In Downtown, you can catch all northbound King County Metro routes to Ballard on 3rd Avenue.

• RapidRide Route D is the new primary Ballard-Downtown connector, continuing north along 15th Ave NW. Exit the distinctive red-and-yellow bus at 15th Ave NW and NW Market St, then walk a few blocks westbound on Market.
• Route 40 heads north from Downtown along Westlake Ave N before crossing the canal and turning west on Leary Way NW, meeting NW Market St at Ballard Ave NW (the heart of Ballard's shopping, dining and entertainment district) before turning right and continuing north on 24th Ave NW.
• Routes 15, 17, and 18 are all rush-hour expresses from Downtown to Ballard making no stops after Seattle Center; they're of limited use to visitors, but are handy if you happen to catch one at the right time. The 15 goes up 15th Ave NW, and the 17 and 18 both follow the 40s route into the commercial district.
• The easiest connection to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks is Route 44, which travels along Market Street in Ballard, continuing east via N 45th Street to the University District (where it connects to, or turns into, the 43 to Capitol Hill and Downtown).
• For Phinney Ridge and Greenwood, Route 5 offers the most direct connection from Downtown, running from 3rd Avenue in Downtown up via Fremont before continuing along Phinney Ave N and Greenwood Ave N. The RapidRide Route E skirts the east side of both neighborhoods along Aurora Ave N, making a useful stop at 85th St N. Route 48 cuts east-west through Greenwood along 85th St N, continuing southeast through Green Lake to the University District and the Central District.

By boat

The Ballard Locks are the only watercraft connection between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, operating free of charge to all boaters, 24 hours a day. Expect delays during sunny summer weekends, when whole flotillas of less-experienced boaters pack into the locks.

• 🌍 Shilshole Bay Marina (VHF: Channel 17), 7001 Seaview Ave. N.W., Suite 100, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone] ext 3006, fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Seattle's largest marina, offering guest moorage for vessels up to 250'. Accessible on Puget Sound with full facilities including electrical up to 100amp, pump outs, showers, wifi, locked security, fuel, garbage and full service repairs. between $0.85-$2.00 per foot depending on length and season. 

See

Ship entering the Hiram M. Chittenden locks

• 🌍 Hiram M Chittenden Locks, 3015 NW 54th St (At junction with 32nd Ave, served by bus route 44), ☎ [phone]. 7AM-9PM. Linking the freshwater Lake Union and the salt-water Puget Sound across a height difference of 22 feet, the locks allow boats to cross the Lake Washington Ship Canal, relying solely on the force of gravity. A salmon ladder with a viewing gallery allows visitors to witness the salmon migration, which with different species allow for viewing throughout most of the year, but preferably mid to late summer. Adjacent is the Carl S English, Jr Botanical Garden. Guided tours weekdays 1PM and 3PM; weekends 11AM. Free.  
• 🌍 Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 NW 67th St, ☎ [phone]. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM. Su-M noon-4PM. Documents the history of Scandinavian immigration to Seattle; the only museum of its kind in the U.S. $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children above 5 yrs, under 5 free.  
• 🌍 Fishermen's Terminal (south across the Ballard Bridge). Carefully wander the docks (avoiding stepping on ropes or nets) and look at the boats. Many of them sell fresh crab or fish right off of the boat in season. Visit the Fishermen's Memorial dedicated to all of those who have lost their lives at sea while engaged in commercial fishing.  

Do

• 🌍 Golden Gardens Park. A wonderful saltwater beach park in Ballard, past the locks and Shilshole Marina. Water around here is too cold to swim except for crazy and determined kids during the hottest months, but you can wade a little, walk the beach, make sand castles, claim a fire pit, and watch wind surfers and ships go by. On clear days there is a magnificent view of the Olympics on the other side of Puget Sound. Kids of all ages have endless muddy fun trying to dam up or re-route the fresh water stream flowing across one end of the beach.  

Green Lake

• 🌍 Greenlake Park. The significant feature of the Green Lake neighborhood, this park includes a loop walk around Greenlake frequented by cyclists, runners, rollerbladers, and walkers. The lake is swimmer friendly; algae growth and closures were sometimes a problem before 2004, when the City of Seattle performed a comprehensive cleanup, and it is now one of the cleanest public swimming areas in the Seattle area.  
• 🌍 Seattle Metaphysical Library, 2220 NW Market Street, Lower Level (near the intersection of Ballard Ave NW and NW Market Street), ☎ [phone]. afternoons. A member-supported non-profit library open to the public, the Seattle Metaphysical Library has been in Seattle for over 50 years. It specializes in books you can't find at the public library - books on astrology, UFOs, secret societies, shamanism, chakra meditation, astral projections, Tarot cards, anthroposophy, alternative energy, 2012, and many other esoteric topics. There is also an extensive collection of DVDs, VHS and audio tapes, and magazines on similar topics. Check the website for open hours. You can also sign up for their newsletter to learn about events and classes. Free. 

Festivals

• The Ballard Jazz Festival. Mid-Nov. Several music venues participate, and all may be accessed by buying a single ticket. $15. 
• The Ballard Seafood Festival. Late Jul. A parade, a salmon barbecue, local musicians and a lutefisk-eating contest. Most businesses along NW Market St participate by holding sidewalk sales. 
• Greenwood Classic Car Show. Jun. Draws more people than you would expect. 
• Greenwood/Phinney Art Walk. Showcases hundreds of local artists. 
• Art Up Greenwood-Phinney. Second Friday of each month. A monthly art walk. 

Music

• 🌍 Connor Byrne's Pub, 5140 Ballard Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. A major live music venue. 
• 🌍 Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. A major live music venue. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. Another more recent music venue/night spot. 
• 🌍 Egan's Ballard Jam House, 1707 NW Market St, ☎ [phone]. A small intimate music supper club with mostly jazz (vocal and instrumental) and other styles of live music offered. Open mic (vocal jam) every other Wednesday evening. 

Buy

• The Ballard Sunday Farmers Market is one of the only year-round outdoor markets in Seattle, and is the sister to the Fremont Sunday Market in nearby Fremont. The market takes place on Ballard Avenue on Sundays, and you can buy seasonal produce and local crafts.
• 🌍 Blackbird, 5410 22nd Ave NW, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. A mid-priced menswear boutique. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Ballard Goodwill Store, 6400 8th Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. As long as you're here you might as well see if you can find a bargain or a treasure. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Bherd Studios Gallery, 312 N 85th St, Ste 101, ☎ [phone]. W-F 12PM-6PM. Local artist John Osgood dedicates a space for his unique art gallery, a few of them are for sale. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co., 8414 Greenwood Ave. NW, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-Tu 3-6PM, W-F noon-6, Sa 10-6; may close early. The elaborate facade actually conceals a creative writing center for children and teenagers. The amusingly kitschy or geeky sci-fi themed goods sold by the storefront help support their operations. Rocket parking on roof. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Pema Kharpo, 8554 Greenwood Ave N, ☎ [phone]. Exotic Tibetan/Nepali/Buddhist items coming straight from the region. Get ready for the smell of incense and a greeting from one of the two female owners as you enter. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Sonic Boom Records, 2209 NW Market St, ☎ [phone]. Record store (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Top Ten Toys, 120 N 85th St (tucked behind Bartell Drugs), ☎ [phone]. The most complete toy store in Seattle, with a huge selection for both kids and adults. Don't expect your typical fast food toy giveaways. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 Value Village, 8532 15th Ave NW. Great deals on foolishly discarded items, most likely from the residents of Crown Hill. (updated Jun 2016)
• Various along Market Street and Ballard Ave. Wander along Market Street and then down to Ballard Avenue, and you'll find a plethora of boutiques and boutique spa/salons for every price range. (updated Jun 2016)

Eat

The sunset, Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains as seen from Shilshole

Central Ballard collects most of the area's restaurants, on or near Market Street. 15th Avenue NW and Greenwood Avenue house most of the rest. Many of Seattle's best Mexican restaurants are located here.

Budget

• 🌍 Bad Albert's Tap & Grill, 5100 Ballard Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. Su-Th 7AM-11PM, F-Sa 7AM-2:30 AM. Cheap yet good quality pub grub: burgers, excellent fries, hot sandwiches, soups and salads. Lunch $7-$10, dinner $10-$13. 
• 🌍 Gordito's Healthy Mexican Food, 213 N 85th St, ☎ [phone]. F-Sa 10:30AM-9:30PM, Su-Th 10:30AM-9PM. Huge servings, a fast but sometimes long line, way-cheap prices, amazingly tasty burritos that most folks can't finish in one sitting (the "Baby burrito" is about the size of an actual baby), lots of homemade salsas (on the salsa bar), and an outdoor patio. If you ask most people in Seattle where the good Mexican food is, they'll either say Gordito's or the Taco Bus that drives around town (but good luck finding that). $3-$9. 
• 🌍 Larsen's Danish Bakery, 8000 24th Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. M-F 5:30AM-7:30PM, Sa 5:30AM-7PM, Su 6:30AM-6PM. Famous throughout Seattle, this is the best Scandinavian-style bakery in town. Up to $8. 
• 🌍 Mike's Chili Parlor, 1447 NW Ballard Way, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F 11AM-midnight, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-6PM. Located just east of the Ballard bridge, this combination dive tavern/chili parlor is a good place to grab a spicy, cheap meal. They do chili burgers and dogs too. $6-$12. 
• 🌍 Red Mill Burgers, 312 N 67th St, ☎ [phone]. Tu-Sa 11AM-9PM, Su noon-8PM. Good old-fashioned burgers, fries, and shakes. Cash or check only! $4-$9. 
• 🌍 Señor Moose, 5242 Leary Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. Daily 8AM-3PM, Su-Th 5PM-9PM, F-Sa 5PM-10PM. Authentic Mexican cooking from Mexico. Try the pork canitas. Entrées $6-$14. 
• 🌍 Taquería Tequila Authentic Mexican Food, 301 NW 85th St, ☎ [phone]. Daily 9AM-10PM. The name might be deceiving, but this place takes its Mexican food just as seriously as it takes being a place to drink. Cheap burritos, tacos, quesadillas, fajitas. $1-$5. 

Mid-range

• 🌍 Beth's Cafe, 7311 Aurora Ave N. Open 24 hours a day. A Seattle institution and one of the last true 'greasy spoon' diners, this place serves breakfast 24 hours a day, 364 days a year (it's closed the day after Thanksgiving for cleaning). Frequented by an eclectic mix of goths, punks, stoners, workers and yuppies, the appeal is as much people-watching as the food - go with friends when you have a couple of hours to spare. Their specialties are omelettes, available in 6 or 12 egg varieties, with bottomless plates of hash browns. Ask for crayons and paper and you can hang your artistic creations on the wall when done. Note that Beth's is very popular and long lines can form for tables around rushes, which tend to be in the early evenings and around midnight. 6-egg omelette from $10, other items less than $10. 
• 🌍 La Carta de Oaxaca, 5431 Ballard Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. Tu-Sa 11:30AM-3PM, M-Th 5PM-11PM, F-Su 5PM-midnight. Cheap and good Oaxaca-style Mexican food. $8-$16. 
• 🌍 Indian Bistro, 2301 NW Market St, ☎ [phone]. Su–Th 11:30AM–9PM, F–Sa 11:30AM–9:30PM. Reasonably priced and delicious. Friendly owner and a definite go-to for any Indian food lover. Lunch buffet $9, Mains $10-$15. 
• 🌍 Lockspot Cafe, 3005 NW 54th St, ☎ [phone]. M-F 11AM-2PM. This is an old breakfast and lunch (burgers, mostly) spot that's mostly patronized by local workers and very popular with them. $9-$16. 
• 🌍 Matador, 2221 NW Market St, ☎ [phone]. Daily 11AM-2PM. Somewhat pricier, more upscale Tex-Mex fare, though their happy-hour bar food menu is more reasonable at $4 per plate. $8-$15. 
• 🌍 Rosita's Mexican Restaurant, 7210 Woodlawn Ave NE, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 11:30AM-10:00PM, F 11:30AM-11PM, Sa 11:30AM-10:30PM, Su 4PM-9PM. Some of the best margaritas in town, as well as good Happy Hour eats. The nachos are great. Dedicated cantina (bar) section in the establishment. $10-$15. 
• 🌍 The Walrus and The Carpenter, 4743 Ballard Ave NW (At the back of the Kolstrand Building; follow the hallway), ☎ [phone]. Daily, 4PM-10PM. Excellent oyster bar in a restored historic building. No reservations; the wait is often 1-2 hours unless you get there very early. The adjacent Barnacle bar is a great place to wait while sipping Italian aperitif cocktails and antipasti. Oysters at market price, others $8-$15. 
• Delancey, 1415 NW 70th St, ☎ [phone]. New York style pizza that rivals anything you could find in the city itself. Delancey is the product of NY transplants and its attention to detail shows. The menu is simple and well executed, basically just pizza and salad. (updated Aug 2015)

Splurge

• 🌍 Marine Hardware, 4741 Ballard Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. W-Su 5PM-closing. Small plates of refined, elegant food from local chef Ethan Stowell. Tasting menu $65, items à la carte $5-32. 
• 🌍 Ray's Boathouse and Ray's Cafe, 6049 Seaview Avenue NW, ☎ [phone]. Su-Th 11:30AM–10PM, F-Sa 11:30AM–11PM. On Shilshole Bay. Great views and, in the downstairs Boathouse restaurant, some of the best seafood cooking in the city, priced accordingly. Upstairs, Ray's Cafe is more casual, the food is good but not comparable to the Boathouse downstairs, and you can keep it to $20 a person. Entrées from $15-$35, bite sizes $9-$17. 

Drink

Breweries

• Hilliard's Beer, 1550 NW 49th St, ☎ [phone]. Spacious warehouse brewery where the production facility pretty much is the tap room. Only has a few beers on at a time, but all are well executed and the bar stools are quite comfortable. (updated Jul 2015)
• Peddler Brewing Company, 1514 NW Leary Way, ☎ [phone]. Small brewery with a big variety of styles. Not surprisingly, it has a bicycle theme and corn hole. (updated Jul 2015)
• Jolly Roger/Maritime Pacific Brewing Company, 1111 NW Ballard Way, ☎ [phone]. The Jolly Roger serves as the taproom for Maritime Pacific. It's basically a 1990s brewpub that has branched out into double IPAs. There is also food. (updated Jul 2015)

Bars

• 🌍 Angry Beaver, 8412 Greenwood Ave N, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 4AM-2AM, F 1PM-2AM, Sa-Su 11AM-2AM. Said to be the only Canadian-themed bar in Seattle. Great poutine, perfect for hockey fanatics. Full bar. $5-$14. 
• 🌍 Prost!, 7311 Greenwood Ave N, ☎ [phone]. M-F 3PM-2AM, Sa-Su 1PM-2AM. Great little Bavarian-style German pub loaded with great German beer and all beers served in their appropriate glassware. $5-6 for half a liter, $10-12 for a liter of beer. 
• 🌍 Bleacher's, 8118 Greenwood Ave N, ☎ [phone]. Daily 3PM-2AM. Standard Sports Bar, stiff drinks. Food less than $10. 
• 🌍 Naked City Brewery & Taphouse, 8564 Greenwood Ave N, ☎ [phone]. M-Tu 3PM-12AM, W-Th,Su 11:30AM-12AM, F-Sa 11:30AM-1AM. Lots of great taps and some light meals. 
• 🌍 Gainsbourg, 8550 Greenwood Ave N, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 4PM-12AM, F-Sa 4PM-2AM, Su 10AM-12AM. French fare with great variety of wine, beer, cocktails, and absinthe. Meals $8-$16, drinks from $4. 
• 🌍 The Baranof, 8549 Greenwood Ave N, ☎ [phone]. Daily 6AM-2AM. Classic dive. A Greenwood Institution. Go for the karaoke. 
• 🌍 The Crosswalk, 8556 Greenwood Ave N, ☎ [phone]. Daily 11AM-2AM. Divier than the Baranof, with bigger drinks. 

Others

• 🌍 MIRO Tea, 5305 Ballard Avenue NW, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 8AM-8PM. A contemporary tea house with a large selection of beverages and food. $2-$8. 

Sleep

There are few hotels in the Ballard area since its primarily residential, although the area has its fair share of bed and breakfasts. Along the northern segment of Aurora Ave, there are some sketchy hourly rate motels — use at your own risk.

• 🌍 9 Cranes, 5717 Palatine Avenue N, ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 4-6PM, check-out: 11AM. A bed and breakfast close to Woodland Park Zoo. 4 rooms employing different styles, distinctive wallpapers and bedding, but it may be small. The place offers a personal touch at breakfast with the hostess...and her pet dog! From $125 per night. 
• 🌍 Greenlake Guest House, 7630 E. Green Lake Dr. N., ☎ [phone]. A 4-room bed and breakfast overlooking Green Lake. The couple who own the place cook breakfast and constantly chat with guests. From $140 per night. 
• 🌍 Hotel Ballard, 5216 Ballard Ave NW, ☎ [phone]. Mediterranean-style hotel in the heart of Ballard. 29 rooms and suites with marble and carpet tiles in lavish rooms. It also hosts an in-house Mediterranean restaurant in the lobby and a rooftop pavilion. For pampering or sports, an athletic club with swimming pool, gym, and spa is just next door. From $150 per night. 

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