Food Scene
Fantastic taproom with a great small pizza & sandwich menu and one of the best tap selections in town. Within walking distance & kid friendly.
16 locals recommend
Trailbend Taproom
1118 NW 50th StFantastic taproom with a great small pizza & sandwich menu and one of the best tap selections in town. Within walking distance & kid friendly.
Fantastic neighborhood restaurant with a stellar bar program and wonderful ambiance.
72 locals recommend
Brimmer & Heeltap
425 NW Market StFantastic neighborhood restaurant with a stellar bar program and wonderful ambiance.
Phenomenal Sri Lanken & Indian-inspired small plates and cocktails in a stunning small space.
13 locals recommend
Rupee Bar
6307 24th Ave NWPhenomenal Sri Lanken & Indian-inspired small plates and cocktails in a stunning small space.
Very close by. Pizza, beer & booze spot that stays open late. Old Seattle grunge bar vibe.
73 locals recommend
Big Mario's Pizza
4350 Leary Way NWVery close by. Pizza, beer & booze spot that stays open late. Old Seattle grunge bar vibe.
Frēlard Pizza Company
4010 Leary Way NWSolid nearby Pizza & Beer joint that is kid friendly.
There is space to dine, but it's great for takeout to enjoy with wine back at thesteelaway. On the pricey side for takeout pizza. But it is Neopolitan style, baked in a wood oven and they use very fresh and mostly local ingredients. Our "fast food" restaurant of choice. **Gluten-free and dairy free options available for those with dietary restrictions, too.
53 locals recommend
Veraci Pizza
500 NW Market StThere is space to dine, but it's great for takeout to enjoy with wine back at thesteelaway. On the pricey side for takeout pizza. But it is Neopolitan style, baked in a wood oven and they use very fresh and mostly local ingredients. Our "fast food" restaurant of choice. **Gluten-free and dairy free options available for those with dietary restrictions, too.
Great restaurant in a beautiful space. The food is amazing with creative seafood, meat & vegetable preparations. Stellar cocktails, wine & beer to round things out. One of our favorite restaurants in town.
58 locals recommend
Manolin
3621 Stone Way N Great restaurant in a beautiful space. The food is amazing with creative seafood, meat & vegetable preparations. Stellar cocktails, wine & beer to round things out. One of our favorite restaurants in town.
Joule
3506 Stone Way N Wonderful menu from a husband/wife chef team.
You will likely need a reservation at the popular restaurant with fantastic homemade pastas.
59 locals recommend
Staple & Fancy
4739 Ballard Ave NWYou will likely need a reservation at the popular restaurant with fantastic homemade pastas.
Art of the Table
3801 Stone Way NOne of the best chefs in town!
Asadero Ballard
5405 Leary Ave NWWonderful Mexican/Steakhouse. Make a reservation on the weekend.
Hands down the best sandwiches in town. Don't be fooled by Yelp reviews of Paseo. The owners sold that place and have since opened Un Bien.
136 locals recommend
Un Bien
7302.5 15th Ave NWHands down the best sandwiches in town. Don't be fooled by Yelp reviews of Paseo. The owners sold that place and have since opened Un Bien.
mkt.
2108 N 55th StTiny and delicious. Make a reservation.
RockCreek Seafood & Spirits
4300 Fremont Ave NGreat for seafood.
Drinks & Nightlife
Great outdoor beer garden a short walk from the house with firepits lit up at night.
12 locals recommend
Bale Breaker & Yonder Cider Taproom
826 Northwest 49th StreetGreat outdoor beer garden a short walk from the house with firepits lit up at night.
Our favorite brewery within walking distance. Kids are welcome at all the breweries nearby.
115 locals recommend
Reuben's Brews
5010 14th Ave NW Our favorite brewery within walking distance. Kids are welcome at all the breweries nearby.
Great nearby brewery that has a nice outdoor area. Kids are welcome at all the breweries nearby.
110 locals recommend
Stoup Brewing
1108 NW 52nd St Great nearby brewery that has a nice outdoor area. Kids are welcome at all the breweries nearby.
Our favorite Brewery in town, specializing in wild yeast, sours, & saisons. Parking is hidden at the back of the building along the railroad tracks. Order Windy City Pizza next door to bring back to the brewer!
36 locals recommend
Holy Mountain Brewing Company
1421 Elliott Ave WOur favorite Brewery in town, specializing in wild yeast, sours, & saisons. Parking is hidden at the back of the building along the railroad tracks. Order Windy City Pizza next door to bring back to the brewer!
If you can't appreciate loud heavy metal, don't go here. Otherwise, this is your spot. Check out both the forest room & the space room
Bar House
503 N 36th StIf you can't appreciate loud heavy metal, don't go here. Otherwise, this is your spot. Check out both the forest room & the space room
Add-A-Ball
315 N 36th StFun bar/arcade scene for the younger set.
Right around the corner from us, what started as an underground music venue has developed quite a draw. There are several band practice spaces nearby and the iconic recording studio where Nirvana recorded "Bleach" right in the hood to so our micro-neighborhood has quite the musician scene.
Substation Seattle
645 NW 45th StRight around the corner from us, what started as an underground music venue has developed quite a draw. There are several band practice spaces nearby and the iconic recording studio where Nirvana recorded "Bleach" right in the hood to so our micro-neighborhood has quite the musician scene.
One of the most popular bars around with barely any standing room on the weekends. But they have good drinks & food and if it gets too crowded there are plenty of other bars within a few blocks.
66 locals recommend
Percy's & Co. Seattle
5233 Ballard Ave NWOne of the most popular bars around with barely any standing room on the weekends. But they have good drinks & food and if it gets too crowded there are plenty of other bars within a few blocks.
Old-school Seattle dive bar with a good greasy spoon breakfast. One of the longest standing businesses in old-town Ballard with a beautiful old wooden bar.
45 locals recommend
Hattie's Hat Restaurant
5231 Ballard Ave NWOld-school Seattle dive bar with a good greasy spoon breakfast. One of the longest standing businesses in old-town Ballard with a beautiful old wooden bar.
Great addition to our neighborhood beer scene. They focus on farmhouse style/sour beers.
8 locals recommend
Fair Isle Brewing
936 NW 49th StGreat addition to our neighborhood beer scene. They focus on farmhouse style/sour beers.
Fantastic Taproom with a great selection. For non-beer drinkers in the crowd the alcoholic slushies on a hot day are to die for! Red Mill Burgers next door is a Seattle institution.
8 locals recommend
RidgeWood Bottle & Tap
316 N 67th StFantastic Taproom with a great selection. For non-beer drinkers in the crowd the alcoholic slushies on a hot day are to die for! Red Mill Burgers next door is a Seattle institution.
**For those with dietary restrictions or preferences, who miss beer! **
South of Downtown, not far from the stadiums, there is a dedicated Gluten-free brewery with quite a varied selection of locally brewed GF beer on tap, which also serves gluten-free food. Family friendly taproom. You can bring a growler from the Steelaway, if you want to bring any back here. Keep an eye out for their cans of beer in stores around town, too.
12 locals recommend
Ghostfish Brewing Company
2942 1st Ave S**For those with dietary restrictions or preferences, who miss beer! **
South of Downtown, not far from the stadiums, there is a dedicated Gluten-free brewery with quite a varied selection of locally brewed GF beer on tap, which also serves gluten-free food. Family friendly taproom. You can bring a growler from the Steelaway, if you want to bring any back here. Keep an eye out for their cans of beer in stores around town, too.
Sightseeing
Fremont Troll
Troll Avenue NorthThe turned this old industrial zone into a gorgeous bark with phenomenal views of Seattle & the space needle across the Lake Union.
860 locals recommend
Gas Works Park
2101 N Northlake WayThe turned this old industrial zone into a gorgeous bark with phenomenal views of Seattle & the space needle across the Lake Union.
Often referred to as the "Up" house , the elderly woman who lived hear had quite a history and refused to sell her house even when a shopping center was built up around her. It's just a few blocks away and worth a drive by.
Edith Macefield House
1438 NW 46th StOften referred to as the "Up" house , the elderly woman who lived hear had quite a history and refused to sell her house even when a shopping center was built up around her. It's just a few blocks away and worth a drive by.
Parks & Nature
Ross Playground
4320 4th Ave NWClosest Playground.
Short walk but straight up hill to great views of Ballard and the Olympic Mountains. Go at sunset and and ask us about the secret route to get there.
39 locals recommend
Fremont Peak Park
4357 Palatine Ave NShort walk but straight up hill to great views of Ballard and the Olympic Mountains. Go at sunset and and ask us about the secret route to get there.
A beautiful park with great views and sculptures as a bonus. Visit the building that houses the nurse log across the street to check out a slice of the PNW forest floor that was imported to downtown Seattle.
653 locals recommend
Olympic Sculpture Park
2901 Western AveA beautiful park with great views and sculptures as a bonus. Visit the building that houses the nurse log across the street to check out a slice of the PNW forest floor that was imported to downtown Seattle.
Free entry. Family friendly. Worth a stroll through this expansive rose garden, when everything is in bloom! Don't forget to smell the different colored flowers. There is also a sound garden within where you can experiment and make your own music. The flowers are grown without pesticides, so the flowers are sometimes fed to the gorillas next door!
25 locals recommend
Woodland Park and Rose Garden
750 N 50th StFree entry. Family friendly. Worth a stroll through this expansive rose garden, when everything is in bloom! Don't forget to smell the different colored flowers. There is also a sound garden within where you can experiment and make your own music. The flowers are grown without pesticides, so the flowers are sometimes fed to the gorillas next door!
Arts & Culture
Wonderful zoo. Look up there calendar for other activities that happen there (concerts in the summer & Christmas lights in December)
624 locals recommend
Woodland Park Zoo
5500 Phinney Ave NWonderful zoo. Look up there calendar for other activities that happen there (concerts in the summer & Christmas lights in December)
Brand new Nordic Museum where you can learn about the heritage of our neighborhood.
127 locals recommend
National Nordic Museum
2655 NW Market StBrand new Nordic Museum where you can learn about the heritage of our neighborhood.
Locks for our ship canal that was constructed at the same time as the Panama canal. During Salmon season, you can see salmon jumping up the "salmon ladder" from underground windows.
774 locals recommend
Ballard (Hiram M. Chittenden) Locks
3015 NW 54th StLocks for our ship canal that was constructed at the same time as the Panama canal. During Salmon season, you can see salmon jumping up the "salmon ladder" from underground windows.
Museum of Pop Culture
325 5th Ave NMuseum of History & Industry (MOHAI)
860 Terry Ave NShopping
Wonderful farmers market that is so much more. Right in the middle of old-town Ballard and a lot of great boutiques & restaurants and bars. Great for the whole family!
220 locals recommend
Ballard Sunday Farmers Market
5345 Ballard Ave NWWonderful farmers market that is so much more. Right in the middle of old-town Ballard and a lot of great boutiques & restaurants and bars. Great for the whole family!
One of the longest standing weekly markets in town. Fremont used to be an hippie/bohemian enclave before the condos started being built. You will see remnants of the "old Fremont" at this market. Lot's of local craftsman have booths. The flea market part is mainly in the underground parking lot.
134 locals recommend
Fremont Sunday Street Market
3401 Evanston Ave NOne of the longest standing weekly markets in town. Fremont used to be an hippie/bohemian enclave before the condos started being built. You will see remnants of the "old Fremont" at this market. Lot's of local craftsman have booths. The flea market part is mainly in the underground parking lot.
Gold Dogs
5221 Ballard Ave NWHorseshoe
5344 Ballard Ave NWWomen's clothing.
Market Street Shoes
2232 NW Market StPortage Bay Goods
621 N 35th StGreat gift shop with Seattle-based gifts.
Sfingiday
Beautiful little boutique/giftshop with a lot of locally made crafts.
Grocery & other supplies
More than just a grocery store, Fred Meyer has a little bit of everything- groceries, pharmacy, electronics shop, hardware, & toys. Forgot your toothbrush? go here.
277 locals recommend
Fred Meyer
915 NW 45th StMore than just a grocery store, Fred Meyer has a little bit of everything- groceries, pharmacy, electronics shop, hardware, & toys. Forgot your toothbrush? go here.
Ballard Market
1400 NW 56th StOur favorite local grocery store with great meat & seafood.
If you don't know what a Trader Joe's is, then you should definitely check it out.
721 locals recommend
Trader Joe's
1700 E Madison StIf you don't know what a Trader Joe's is, then you should definitely check it out.
Our local co-op grocery story that has a lot of natural & organic products. This location is their newest with a more modern industrial vibe than their original granola eating hippy vibe.
15 locals recommend
PCC Community Markets - Ballard
1451 NW 46th StOur local co-op grocery story that has a lot of natural & organic products. This location is their newest with a more modern industrial vibe than their original granola eating hippy vibe.
BevMo!
850 NW 45th StClosest liquor store
It's legal in Washington State and two blocks away so why not pay them a visit?
Dockside Cannabis Recreational Dispensary - Ballard
4601 Leary Way NWIt's legal in Washington State and two blocks away so why not pay them a visit?