4. Restaurants

BalMar

5449 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA, 98107
  • (206) 486-5449
  • Store is closed

BalMar Menu

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  • Sabrina S.

    I've only been to Bal Mar for a work function, which was set up buffet-style. So I can't review or speak to the regular service at Bal Mar. That said, the upstairs "loft" really is the perfect layout for a large function - save for the awkward, darkened space beyond the bathrooms. I can't recall all of the food, but there were house made potato chips, pita & hummus, spicy sliders, grilled veggies, blondies (or brownies) and a few other treats. The sliders were by far my favorite, and I'm not kidding when I say they were spicy. But they were oh so good! They also had chicken satays made from chicken breast and a fantastic peanut dipping sauce. I stuck to club soda as my mocktail that night, so I can't speak to their drinks, either. All in all a decent evening!

    (4)

  • Diane S.

    A huge thank you to the staff here! I just threw my boyfriends 25th bday there this past Saturday and it was an amazing venue! Your staff is so friendly and the VIP area was perfect! Everyone had a great time, thank you for all the great dancing and drinking. I can't wait to book another party here! (Hand down best place to host a surprise bday party!)

    (5)

  • Anthony S.

    Balmar is a great experience to have. Great food good drinks and at night if you're feelin it upstairs has a dance floor and a second bar, keeping down stairs strictly to drink food and pool which is perfect. The place isn't huge but they have a great floor plan that flows very well. Over all has a great concept and diversity of function!

    (5)

  • Song K.

    Went dancing at BalMar twice so far and I am hoping not to come back here again. The first time, we had a bachelor party and it was some old school music that was difficult to dance to but lucky for us, the bachelor was so wasted that he didn't care...or would dance to anything in his condition. :) It was a bit awkward feeling in atmosphere and the layout was a bit uninviting. The second time I visited, it was for a birthday party and the place was super crowded with no coat check. Having no coat check is fine but when heat rises, people are packed on the 2nd floor, and there seems to be no ventilation, it becomes a disaster! It was very difficult to get any drinks or even move around the place and the downstairs once again seemed very clicky and uninviting. Not a fan of the night life at this location. Perhaps I should go back to visit the restaurant instead one day.

    (2)

  • Alvino H.

    I went on a Thursday night, definitely not the best time to go. I had a steak burger because there was no people and no music. I was the only customer. I didn't even have a drink. Anyway, I feel like it wouldve been good if I went on a weekend.

    (3)

  • Howard C.

    Came here for a birthday recently and boy was that a mistake. First off, if you're over 30, you're going to feel really old here (I'm talkin 21yos with backwards fitteds on) - but then again you're probably not their target demographic anyway. It's so hot and crowded in here I'm surprised they can pass fire inspections. My GnTs tasted so watered down that I felt like I needed to bring my own Hendricks. On the bright side they played good hip hop and pop muzik. Turn up!

    (2)

  • Alan H.

    I can't say enough good things about my first visit to BalMar. My date and I walked in around nine on a Saturday night. After a negative experience at a restaurant down the street, we were seeking a cosy romantic spot for post-dinner drinks. The place was almost empty, and the interior had nice exposed brick walls and wooden floor, low tables and couches. We felt special; how could nobody else know about this great place we asked ourselves? I can hear the regulars falling on the floor laughing at this point - we sure misjudged this place (but in a good way). Gradually (at first) the weekend throng began drifting in, and infinitely diverse people watching quickly ensued, although we soon realized that past 50 years old, we were (made to feel welcome) dinosaurs here. We didn't go upstairs to dance, but the music was great, a variety of great tunes reminding us of the 90's-00's. Note that some of the music might have been a bit too oriented toward listening if you need a serious beat to dance by. Finally, they had ONE cocktail server for the entire downstairs bar. A recipe for disaster I hear you say, but no, this was SuperServer (TM), able to leap tall bars, cover the entire floor with breathless efficiency (even keeping our water glasses constantly full), and never missing a drink order or check. To management I would say, whatever you pay her, it's probably not enough. Absolutely love this place. Perhaps the young crowd will find it entertaining if we go upstairs to dance next time?

    (5)

  • Ravi S.

    My girlfriend and I were in Ballard last Friday evening to see a show at the Sunset Tavern, and we were looking for a place to hang out at before the concert. We ran into this woman on the street with a clipboard who was trying to get people to sign her petition for her cause. She invited us to join her group upstairs at BalMar. When we gave her skeptical looks, she added the we wouldn't be pressured to sign the petition and that she just needed there to be fifty people so they could get a group rate. She seemed nice enough, so we decided to head upstairs and get some drinks. The petitioners seemed pretty out of place. MalBar seems to be going for a hip and modern feel, while most of the petitioners were in their mid-fifties and jeans and t-shirt types. The staff didn't seem bothered by it though. We went to the bar and ordered and old fashioned and a vodka soda. The old fashioned the bartender made me was hands-down the best old fashioned I've ever had (that was made with well whiskey). The bartender did not cut any corners when making it and the proportions of everything were perfect. Both of our drinks were pretty stiff too which we greatly appreciated. We sat enjoying our drinks while the petitioners stamped one dollar bills with red ink stating that "This bill shall not be used for corruption" or something along those lines. While we didn't end up being swayed to join the political group, we were very impressed with the drinks we had at MalBar and would definitely come back again.

    (5)

  • Harsha G.

    If I feel like dancing this will be the first spot I would hit in Seattle. Great music, wonderful ambiance and good looking people ;) you know the kind of crowd that is not just easy on the eye but can dance their hearts out. You will bump into such people here :) The drinks are cheap and the dance floor is real small, so get here by around 10.30 so you could dance all the way upto 2. Love it here, will be coming back for more...

    (5)

  • Peter S.

    Ah, I was reluctant to write a review on this joint because I figured the less I talk about this place, the less likely it was that this place would get discovered and overcrowded. A time ago, my sis had her birthday gathering here and nothing about this place distinguishes itself from the hundreds of other lounges in the greater Seattle area....except: stiff dranks and 90s hip-hop and R&B. Now I know there are spots that have both but what I loved about the place the first few times I visited, was that the DJ was spinning my nostalgic jams and it wasn't undergarment-sweaty crowded. I could flail, kick, gyrate, pretty much do anything my body desired without feeling claustrophobic! Radical! So, for the last few months, this was our spot to get a few adult beverages and shake our rumps. Alas, the dream ended not too long ago and now, after the last couple of get-togethers, I've realized this place is too small and poorly ventilated. There was a group of people sporting their new scents, B.O. for Women, and it was all up in my nose all night. Sad. I'm sure I'll find my way back here again and I hope people stay home when I go. I need room to dance, people. But, if you're going to come, maybe shower or slather on some deodorant....ALL over.

    (4)

  • Tami W.

    Judging only on the drinks and appetizers. I spend more time in Ballard then I do in any other of Seattle's neighborhoods. Which means I've been here a dozen times for various time killing drinks. I've indulged in the calamari and that was delicious but most of the money I've spent here has been on cocktails. I do love the cocktails here. As recently as NYE I enjoyed the libations here. My favorite is the cucumber martini. It's fresh and delicious and exactly what I look for in a drink. There's an amazing sinful indulgence drink there that bodes well as a dessert when I need one. Perhaps one day I will judge their food.

    (4)

  • Ninja S.

    UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ ermergerd did you see that boi? he was checking you out! what? UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ Can I have a rum and coke? I don't know how to make that, for I am a mixologist. UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ I'm with the dj, ok? I'm wiiith the deeejaayyy. UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ Girls go to BalMar until they get old enough to coug at Matador.

    (3)

  • Kate B.

    BalMar certainly brings in an interestingly-mixed crowd. Sometimes me and a few friends go dancing here on the weekends but as one of my friends pointed out, it can be a little bro-y at times. It does feel like a meat market, but at least the drinks are halfway decent. The idea of paying a cover to dance at this kind of place is kind of laughable, though. Sometimes the place is hoppin' at 10 PM and other times, the dance floor is dead at midnight. Its kind of a mixed bag, and for that reason I'll give it 3 stars.

    (3)

  • Bryan H.

    I used to really enjoy going to BalMar. Cool atmosphere, friendly bartenders. I'm not sure what happened though. The upstairs now feels like Tia Louis, Amber, or any of the other lousy lounges/nightclubs that can be found in Belltown. Did I just sober up and become more mindful? What happened guys????

    (2)

  • Trish Q.

    Balmar has a great late night happy hour too. I just found out about this and was very impressed with the portion sizes and the menu choices. I love the ambience here it is a fun trendy place but not stuffy. The staff is fun and they really seem to engage with their patrons. I will say they do need to be a bit more attentive to when drinks are empty had to do the "push the glass to the side of the table" to get the server's attention. The food was great though and it is fun to go on a late evening

    (4)

  • Max Z.

    The BalMar has been a good time, every time. For the most part they offer the standard bar drinks, the layout is really nothing extraordinary, and the lines can be long, but I really only go there to dance. Their Saturday night DJ sticks to crowd pleasers but keeps everyone happy and moving. I would suggest showing up early or you might burn off your buzz from pre-gaming before you even make it upstairs.

    (4)

  • Dagny H.

    Really cool place, the food is inventive and tasty, the drink are usually good, although I had a Manhattan last night that was terrible. The dancing is fun, but they need to put some fans near the dance floor, as it's like a sauna with all of those bodies. Great spot though.

    (4)

  • Renee F.

    I have given Bal Mar a few chances to win me over and they cannot seem to do it. The food is horrid; too salty, too rich, and not very good quality at all. The drinks taste like shellack, even when I order top shelf. The service is not much to speak of either. I am happiest walking right by.

    (1)

  • Melinda M.

    Divorcee. Sounds nice, in a way. Like Cabernet, or risque, or buffet... Right, this is going downhill. Much like Bal Mar between the first and last time I visited. Like a divorcee, Bal Mar used to know who she was. A wife. Maybe a mother. Somewhere within the continuum of what society regards as "normal" for women at a certain stage of life. But now? She's lost her identity. She's traded PTA for the bar scene, beets and pecorino for caesar in a bag. Relying on the trends of her youth - or cheese from the grocery store - to convey her social relevance. She's failing miserably, and so is Bal Mar. Yuck.

    (2)

  • Amanda R.

    This is really a tough one...for a few reasons. One, I suppose there is a reason there is only one club in Ballard. The venue itself is really cool in a lofty sort of way. I was here on a Saturday night and it was pretty crowded. That being said, however, I didn't wait in line or pay any entry fee to go upstairs. Honestly I think the doormen took a look at my group and knew we wouldn't stay long. I think we stayed for one drink and then hit the road. Drinks came fast and strong. We did dance a little until the sqeezy men started the grabfest. I really can't see any reason I'd be dying to go back for but that's just a personal thing.

    (3)

  • Laura N.

    Food was good (salmon was a little cold... had been sitting in server window until my friend's steak was prepared), service was good. Cocktails were awesome! Like the ambiance.

    (4)

  • Maureen K.

    We went for happy hour and got a couple things off the happy hour menu: pan seared scallops, friend calamari, and risotto cakes. We also asked for the lamb sliders, but were told they "ran out of buns," but were substituting it with sourdough bread. The waitress asked if we were ok with that and we said it was fine. The risotto cakes were decent, but the fried calamari was nothing special. Unfortunately, the scallops were a sad sad sight to see...two small shriveled up pieces of scallop floating in a sea of basalmic reduction. The tastiest menu item turned out to be the lamb sliders (lamb on sourdough bread). The lamb was tender and tasty without being too gamey or overpowering. The prices for the plates and drinks were between $4-6 each and the drinks weren't half bad. However, when we got the bill, we were charged "lamb sliders x 2". I politely told the waitress that there was an extra charge...she looked at me blankly and said b/c they ran out of lamb sliders and since we got the sandwich, they had to charge us double. Err...you didn't tell us that running out of buns + a sour dough substitution = 2x the charge for the customer. For pete sake, then take it off the happy hour menu for that night!! Anyways, I wish I could've given it 4 stars b/c everything was pretty solid, just not quite 4-star worthy. Everything at the restaurant was a little off that night. First, we weren't told about the price change to the item we clearly ordered off the happy hour menu. Second, their "live DJ" happened to be their bartender working double duty as their DJ. Third, our waitress said she'd been working since 11am and had to stay until closing "because that's the way they do it" there. Yeah, I'm chalking it all up to an off night...

    (3)

  • MamaRed P.

    My friends and I stop by here again last Friday and the food was fabulous. The bartender is fun to talk to. And our waitress was friendly and helpful. Our group really have a good times and I feel in love with Balmar again.

    (4)

  • Hunter O.

    Oh belmar your so fancy and modern and hip.. I was uber sad that when I was there I did not see a hot chick with a small dog in her bag. But to your defecne your bar tender did ignore me and my friend while we stood at the bar trying to order a drink. and when our waitress went missing and I asked the other server for help he did respond with no I cant do that but I will get your server. Wow I almost forgot how nice it was to be told to F off Seattle style. So thanks for that. So belmar this is were we part ways and I wish you well and that I hope to never return to your place. But if i do I will not hold our past against you and will try to enjoy you again.

    (2)

  • Sarah V.

    I don't have much to say except that I absolutely love their cocktails... especially the Bocce Ball *drools* They are a little pricey, but the drinks are so great it is worth it. If I wasn't so poor, this would be my usual spot... but, alas, I am poor. Every time I have been there were a lot of frat boys, so beware if that type of thing bothers you.

    (4)

  • Unjeela G.

    I came here for a friend's birthday. Cute, 2story bar with a small dance floor. Cocktails are well-made, good assortment of wines. Hard to find seats unless you reserve them beforehand. Weird movies on the tv screen.

    (4)

  • Joe M.

    Having lived in New York and San Francisco, I can't tell you how happy I am to have found a place like this here in Seattle. The "cocktail of the month" has never failed me, the wines are priced reasonably and are varied, and the bartenders have always been friendly and prompt. The place can get a little crowded on some nights (but hey, that can be a bonus too), but it's the kind of "crowded" that gives a joint that special kind of vibe. BalMar is a great place to stop for a nightcap with their after-10 happy hour or as a place to kick off the evening (they have an earlier happy hour too!) or as a place to just linger and pass the evening.

    (4)

  • J K.

    Classy little Ballard bar. The food was okay. Many interesting drinks.

    (4)

  • Brad H.

    BalMar is a wonderful place to visit in the Ballard area. The upstairs lounge has its own bar, great seating areas and a nice meeting space venue. The food at BalMar is amazing, very high quality and large portions. The service is top notch and everyone working was polite, efficient and personable. BalMar is a great place to go for a great night out and to host private events. The drinks are also made strong which is always a plus! Thanks BalMar.

    (5)

  • Doni W.

    Surprisingly, not as douchey as I thought this place would be. Found seating easily enough for a group of roughly 12 people in the upstairs area, a seemingly impossible task in most places as this was a Saturday at 11:00pm. Very strong, delightful drinks (no food ordered) which certainly helped our group along with the debauchery as this was deemed our "Sexually Inappropriate with Friends" night. Great music playing as it DID inspire six of us to later go dancing at 2:00am. Clean restrooms with plenty of TP and no lines. Yep, that's about all I remember! It'll do.

    (4)

  • Morgan C.

    I stopped here because I don't know the area and had my dog with me and had to sit outside somewhere. I ordered an IPA and the spiciest tequila-marinated chicken wings and they did not disappoint, very large, meaty with a burn that was just short of painful. They were very greasy but really hit the spot, with crispy skin and tender meat.

    (4)

  • candice s.

    We went here on a lark - it was late, we were hungry and in Ballard to see a show at the Sunset. What a pleasant surprise! The food was fantastic - beef and lamb sliders, mac 'n cheese, and fab signature drinks. The place was crowded but we found a seat fast and the service was pretty good. We will definitely return!

    (4)

  • Tia H.

    I went to bal mar last night and had a great time. stiff drinks, upbeat music, and plenty of throwbacks. I haven't danced in years, but couldn't resist the atmosphere at bal mar! it's in a great location, easy über access. and across the street from the matador! stopping by for late night happy hour nachos after all that dancing was a good call. thanks for the fun night, bal mar!

    (4)

  • Jessica S.

    Whoa! This place is just blowing up on the weekend! There is a wait to go upstairs, where all the good stuff is happening. Still has good music and I love the dance floor. Bartenders are busy. If you are looking for a fun spot in Ballard, check this place out!

    (4)

  • Brittany L.

    First of all, from a design standpoint, BalMar is easy on the eyes. Exposed brick and beams with straight and sleek lines everywhere and dark furniture. The aesthetic alone is what drew me in initially. On a weekend night, the downstairs of BalMar is a dimly lit lounge with a collection of small but high tables and a long bar. Servers (and even bouncers) are fun and friendly and drinks are great. The upstairs is where you will find another bar, a DJ, and a dance floor full of overly-aggressive guys pumping their fists and copping feels off poor girls to the beat of boring top 40 and hip-hop. We spent a lot of time getting drinks below but didn't stay long for the dancing. The minute my two friends got nearly pulled to the ground and felt up by a hammered guy, we figured it was time to go. Long story short: Great place to grab a drink on the lower floor, but beware of the upper dance floor...

    (3)

  • josh C.

    Seattle could benefit from more places like this. Its a comfortable, clean, huge space that is well designed and without attitude. I'm glad this place is so down to earth, more so than some of the dive bars even. I've been here several times and the staff has always been friendly and attentive, even when they get really really busy. This place can get too crowded in which case I can't really handle it but when there's room to sit and hang out, it's worth it.

    (4)

  • Faith R.

    Thanks for putting up with our Bachelorette party last night! Though there weren't a ton of options on the menu (understandable for a Wednesday night) everything was delicious! The cheeseburgers were great, the fries were especially good, and the bartender did a great job of being accommodating with all our froofy drink orders. I had the Jones soda which was really good and even stronger than expected (no complaints there!). The white gummi bear shots our server suggested were also really good. Thanks for being so flexible for our last minute plans. We had a great time.

    (5)

  • Betsy H.

    If I could right a 3-1/2 star review I would because I don't know that 3 is quite enough, but I'm just not willing to put 4 up there. The drinks, great. The staff - great! The food..... ehhh... I don't like the new menu. The edamame is too oily, the chicken skewers are boiled more than grilled and they no longer come w/ peanut sauce, and the wontons were crispy and fried instead of boiled which made them hard to eat. Not a fan of the food so far, but hey - the drinks and the bartenders (especially Joey and John) are really cool. Trivia night on Tuesdays is a blast too.

    (3)

  • Melody P.

    A group of friends went to BalMar after Aaron E's birthday dinner. We tried to get in before 10PM avoid cover. Two floors: 1st floor is more like lounge and the 2nd floor is like a lounge with a dancing floor and DJ. The special cocktails on the menu were strong. I only had two and felt the buzz! Good waitress service (came over for drinks as soon as the glass was empty) Be aware: Don't get too drunk. Otherwise, they kick you out! (An experience from a friend)

    (4)

  • Leela W.

    I'm bumping my rating to two stars because a few days after posting my review, the manager contacted me and apologized. I didn't respond, so he contacted me again to make sure I received his email and also asked if he could buy me and my friends a round of drinks. He seemed very apologetic and told me if he wasn't there, to just let security know and they would get our drinks. We had actually visited Balmar on one occasion ofter my initial review and securiy was very nice to us, as always and we just stayed downstairs so we couldn't hear the music or see if it was the same DJ, but we had a good time. I told him I'd take him up on his offer next time we're in the area, but we haven't been in the area yet. I'll have to visit a few more times and see how it goes before updating again.

    (2)

  • Katherine L.

    Having never experienced Ballard nightlife, Balmar gave me a good impression. The bartenders were super nice. When my friend and I weren't sure on what to order, but gave specifics as to what we were craving, the bartender put together something tasty and wonderful that fit the mood. Their dancefloor is nice as well. It's not too big to look like there's an obvious dance floor but big enough. All in all, a good place to be on a Friday night!

    (4)

  • Laura D.

    For a long time, I defended Bal Mar but they just keep making increasingly poor choices (food, cover, etc.)

    (2)

  • Alex H.

    Got a section reserved for a friends birthday and received easily some of the worst service in my life. They screwed up the majority of our drinks which took at least 30 minutes to get each watered down round. When I gave up and asked for beer they seemed to be out of anything worth getting. I eventually asked for a Corona and it took over an hour to get it. The server came back to the party three times to first tell me it was still coming and then he forgot twice after that apparently. I try going straight to the bar and I get a rude response of "you need to get it from your server." Unbelievable. He gave it to me for free after saying just give me checks because I had no intention staying any longer. But that meant nothing seeing as how half our night was ruined by this crap service. We tried to be patient as it WAS an incredibly busy Saturday night, and I know I would never be able to handle a party that large on my own. But I expect the establishment to dedicate more servers to a party of 20+. Not just one who can't seem to remember our drinks.

    (1)

  • Eric R.

    My friends and I went to BalMar both to celebrate my friend's birthday, and to fundraise for a non-profit organization. Both experiences were top-notch. The staff, prices, scene, and service provided at Bal Mar were all amazing. I was very impressed with how the staff was able to seamlessly handle at least three different groups in the upstairs area. The DJ was great, the dance floor was always packed, and the staff were exceptional. BalMar's event coordinator made our fundraiser an effortless venture, and I greatly appreciate her professionalism and efficiency. BalMar is the number one place I can recommend for planning a birthday party or event, and the scene there is always great.

    (5)

  • A.J. S.

    BalMar is the butthole of Ballard. Say that 10 times fast. The "bouncer" outside makes people wait outside to make people who actually care think it's at capacity. It rarely is. I would know because I've been dragged here kicking and screaming by men who want to find a college age "date" to help with their "homework." Twice we have been balantantly ignored at the bar. The bar isn't even 2 people deep, with 2 bartenders and a barback. It is completely unexcusable to have to wait with no eye contact to get a mixed drink and a beer for more than 5 minutes.. It's just not. The other time we just wanted to close out. But barely could. The drinks are watered down and not cheap. The college mix of bros fruitless attempt at mating and girls attempting to walk down stairs in their new Steve Madden stilettos bring entertainment for a couple of stars, but unfortunately, this is BelMar's only saving grace. If you are over 22 and looking for strong drinks, great service and good conversation, I'd suggest other places.

    (2)

  • Richard T.

    The club is split into 2 levels with the downstair being a lounge area and the upstairs is where the real action happens with the DJ and dance floor. The bar upstairs is pretty big and you can order right from the bar as I didn't see any table service with it being really crowded throughout the whole time we were there. I saw that you can reserve tables, but no one was sitting in them. They serve a stiff drink as I had a shot of tequila and a chaser to match. The one shot could definitely give you a buzz as the shot was fairly big. If you do come, be here before the real crowds that arrive later in the evening and you have to wait downstairs due to crowd control. There were lines downstairs and outside the club by the time we left on a Saturday night. Crazy busy.

    (4)

  • Jackie F.

    This bar does not belong in Ballard!! I saw a bouncer kick TWO people (a guy and a girl) half way down their steep stairs. Saw them choke out the guy they kicked down the stairs. It was traumatizing. The police came because multiple people called 911 after the stair kicking incident, but the cops didn't do shit because this happened in side the bar. Fuck this place! Never going back. The bartender that made my drink was really nice and the bar its self is nice but maybe the bartenders upstairs should cut people off more often so it eliminates possible violence. FREE BALLARD!!!

    (1)

  • Amy S.

    Cute bartenders and good drinks, what else can you want?

    (4)

  • Brenda A.

    This place is an amalgamation of pieces. It wants to be a restaurant with a quaint bar downstairs, and a trendy bar/night club upstairs. I went for drinks and dancing, after a dinner elsewhere. By around 11:30-12 on a Saturday night, it was packed, and there was a wait for people to get in. The bouncers can be super grumpy and will kick you off of the stairs when waiting for someone to get in. It does get packed though, so if that's the scene you're looking for for the evening, then you'll get what you asked for!

    (4)

  • Stacci L.

    The night started out okay minus sitting on ripped and damaged furniture... This place carries the absolute most disgusting, rude and disrespectful staff. I can not believe what I had witnessed when I was there Friday night...the manager/owner should be completely ashamed of their behavior and what they find to be "appropriate".

    (1)

  • Rosa N.

    A year ago, I was at Balmar bar.. All of their bouncers are extremely unprofessional and were grabbing and hitting on me and my friends consistently the whole night even though it was obvious that I was with my boyfriend. They wouldn't take no for an answer. Even when my boyfriend asked them to be respectful and stop hitting on me, they continued to aggressively hit on us. At the end of the night when we tried to close our card, one of their bouncers asked my friend if she needed a calculator. She said she didn't need his help. He started screaming all sorts of profanity at my friend. He called her a cunt, a bitch, a hoe... Pretty much every name you can think of. I screamed at him and said that he couldn't speak to my friend like that. He violently grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back and physically forced me out of the bar. He then told me that he was going to get his gun and shoot me. I called the police and I was in fear for my life. Officer Lee came and made a police report and looked for the bouncer that threatened my life. Seattle police detectives called me to ask about the situation and informed me that there was a lot of bouncer brutality and inappropriate behavior from bouncers in Seattle. Charges were never pressed against the man that threatened my life. We came there tonight because our friend invited us for his birthday party. The lead bouncer (a different one that defended the man who threatened to shoot me even though he heard him say that he was going to shoot me). The lead bouncer came up to us tonight and asked if we were the people that called the police on his coworker. A few minutes later, he came up to us and said that we were not welcome there and that we had to leave. I spoke to the general manager of the establishment, David Short who told us that they fired the bouncer that threatened me, but that we were not allowed to be at that bar. I would highly recommend staying away from this bar, unless you want to get hit on by every disrespect grimy bouncer and get your life threatened by an employee that threatens your life with a gun because we didn't want his help on how much we should tip. If I could give this place zero stars, I would. I grew up in Ballard and I am ashamed that this establishment exists in my home town that I love.

    (1)

  • Chris D.

    We clearly entered some sort of alternate dimension on our first and only visit to BalMar. There were no popped collar high fivers, no too tipsy for their 5" heelers and not even a hint of a bouncer. Come to think of it, our group of 5 was probably about 80% of the patrons in the place... and it was a weekend night. Strange. Maybe it was the light evening, but the bartenders were friendly, talkative and spot on with the drinks. After the rest of our group left, we managed to get invited to hang back for a round of Scotch with them on the house. I can't say that's ever happened to me. Oh and you know what else hasn't happened? The bartender calling his cabbie friend to drive over from Capitol Hill to personally chauffeur us home for the exorbitantly high cab fare of $8! The horror!! I like BalMar... at least the BalMar we went to.

    (4)

  • Kyle O.

    Ate dinner here the other night and wasn't too impressed. We ordered the king salmon, ribs, and calamari: *Salmon- we asked for it to be cooked mid-rare but it came out well done w/o much flavor *Ribs- sauce was good and meet was a bit tough- I prefer a slower-cooking where the meet tenderizes and falls off the bone *Calamari- this was more like deep fried frozen squid strips- the sauce was pretty good, but squid quality lacked. They were out of the scallops and beer that I ordered :( I'd consider going back for drinks, but will eat elsewhere next time I'm in Ballard.

    (2)

  • Joseph H.

    So last night my friends and I bar hopped in Ballard. We had a great time everywhere else and saw that BalMar was bumpin. We were a pretty small group at that point, about 5 of us. Usually they have a really good DJ on Saturday nights and it's the only place of its kind in Ballard. We get through the door with no problems what so ever. Very nice lively atmosphere! We start to head upstairs to the club portion of the building and stood in a 6 person line. We get to the front of the line and next thing you know, 7-8 girls literally push us out of the way and go up to the bouncer/cover taker. One of the chicks taps him on the shoulder and boom, he starts letting them up one by one. Out of the 15 people in line, he starts picking and choosing who he wants in. Not to mention he's looking at all the girls walking up the stairs like they're a piece of meat. This is sooooooo unprofessional. I've been to clubs where they have an access line, that's not the problem. The problem is that we asked him what the hell he was doing and he told us not to worry about it and that they don't have a special line for people. Clearly he was wrong. After a long argument and his poor attempt to not let us speak to his manager, we finally we're let up and they accepted our money. I won't forget this, and neither will allllll the other people in line. I would not recommend this place if you are afraid of people judging and choosing favorites. High school.

    (1)

  • Nina H.

    This review is only for the late night drinks and dancing part of BalMar. I came here for my birthday celebration after a few drinks at King's Hardware. It's just a few blocks down and on the corner of Ballard Ave NW. I thought BalMar had a great layout and it was gorgeous! I love that there was a staircase up to another bar and dancing area. The music was great and people looked like they were having fun. The crowd seemed pretty diverse and different from the crowds in Belltown and Capitol Hill. It was definitely a nice change! The bartenders were friendly too and I just really liked the way the lounge looked because it felt classy and not trashy!

    (5)

  • Alyssa M.

    The bartenders and setting itself was nice. The DJ played weird/non-mainstream rap all night to a 25-30 year old professional crowd.

    (3)

  • Diamond C.

    Went on a very late less busy night (this place can get busy!) and got cocktails from Joey B. The man is a master at his craft. Best bar experience and cocktails I've ever had -- and I'm a microbrew man at heart! I'll be coming back!

    (5)

  • Cami G.

    I waited 30 minutes to buy a drink at the beginning of the night. I then waited 45 minutes to pay my flipping tab. I know, it's Saturday and the Ballard knuckleheads are out in full form monopolizing the bar while the chicas monopolize the dance floor but if you want to serve and want my money, then add another bartender to the mix. Patrons can be sketchy. Service/bartenders are few.

    (3)

  • Doug D.

    I wanted to really like this place as it had a dark, easy feel. We went on a weeknight for drinks (good idea) and dinner (bad idea). The drinks, The Guilty Conscience (vodka-cucumber) and Fish Hook (manhattan) were great! The calamari and mussels were also good! ...and then the burger arrived. I would have to say it was one of the worst burgers I have ever had. It was tasteless. It's hard to believe you can make such a bad burger, but they managed. Actually, it may be the beef used (HarrisRanchBeef) was tasteless. Either way: Bad Burger! The ribs were okay and the mixed baby greens salad was a yawn. Unfortunately, the service was also subpar. At moments they were attentive and other times clueless. Actually, our server was bad and the two guys around her seemed to try to cover for her. We might go back for a drink - but not for dinner.

    (2)

  • Vicki L.

    My review feels like it leans more towards 3.5 stars but since I'm fairly particular about my dance music I'm rounding it down to 3 (still respectable though!). I popped by with my partner in crime to crash in on some birthday shenanigans and was pleasantly surprised to find that the level of douchebaggery was not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. While I didn't order a cocktail, my friend did and reported that it was respectable for the price (generally at places like this I stick to wines as they're the "safe" bet). On Saturday it appears that arriving before 11pm yields free entry to the dance floor upstairs (score) so we mosied up after quickly finishing a round at the bar. Now, I've struggled to find a place in Seattle that plays decent hip-hop/dance music beyond "top 40 / trance that makes my head hurt", and I have to admit that BalMar is probably one of the better places I've stumbled upon (so far). That said, the bar isn't set terribly high in this city and the DJ did muck up a lot of the transitions from track to track, and flipped some really ... odd choices as well (I'm all for a little retro revival but I've got my limits y'know). I will say he gets bonus points for A) being somewhat cute and B) being a good sport after I started playfully heckling his song choices and encouraging him to play more legitimate hip-hop (and, to his credit, he did amp up the jams after said heckling). Would I could back to BalMar? Probably only if a friend had another party/celebration, but if I was in the neighborhood looking to get a little boogie in, there's a chance I might pop in (before cover charge starts!).

    (3)

  • Amne N.

    BalMar is a trendy cocktail lounge and upstairs on Friday and Saturday nights turns into a club. Cocktail Lounge Review: Food menu is just ok, not anything amazing. Happy Hour daily until 7pm offers cocktails for $6 and house wine for $5. The lounge area is a good starting place for drinks and appetizers prior to dancing the night away upstairs. Upstairs Review: BalMar has become one of my favorite clubs in Seattle and one of the few options in the Ballard area. Great spot for birthdays! TIp: Make sure you get upstairs prior to 11pm unless you want to wait in the line at the bottom of the stairs. Favorite Cocktails: Peardon My French and Guilty Conscience

    (4)

  • Daren D.

    That cleansing cucumber soft drink was pleasant and refreshing... That space upstairs where the boom-ts-boom-ts-boom-ts is coming from was playing music from a stereo or some such electronic device (DJ, where art thou?)... That customer crowd had some.... H0T LADY LQQKS! omgggggggg...... *faints & falls*... That fry small plate with aioli and ketchup was good... 3.6.

    (4)

  • Leah B.

    my group of 10 friends scored when we stopped in this weekend during the super bowl. It was DEAD inside and it was happy hour! We choose a nice corner lounge area and went to town. I had the hummus plate, the fried cheese balls, and the twice baked potatos. The potatos were my fav, the hummus was second, and I could pass on the fried cheese next time (though fun to try). my friends ordered the devil eggs, the calamari, the jalapeno poppers, some burgers, and the appetizer sampler. We had a few drinks as well. the server and bartender were nice but when you have a group that big you really need to write down orders. He had to triple check with us on what we wanted. After my husband and i paid our bill, we realized on the way home that he forgot to add one of our drinks. One of our friends had to pay for it when we left. I could see going back, but only for happy hour prices.

    (3)

  • Angela B.

    5 stars for the venue: Great dance floor, fab & fun music to hang or dance to, nice comfy couches, loads of fun people, it's packed!!! 3 stars for the service and price. I ordered a well drink (cheapest rum you can get) and it cost me $6 plus tip. A fancy drink (such as cosmos, martinis, etc) runs around $10. The service is almost non-existant. Bartenders are either too busy or if they are not too busy seem a little stuck up. But since I typically go to bars for the people and the dancing, I would definitely definitely definitely come back! I might even plan a dance party here myself as I'm already wanting to

    (4)

  • Victoria C.

    This is where to go if you want the Belltown feel but want to hang in Ballard. 1. Packed. Line out the door. 2. $5 cover charge to go upstairs to the "dance floor". Really? Lame. 3. Sausage fest. I got grabbed at by several creepers whenever my bf was not at my side. 4. Yuppie/preppie crowd. Meh.

    (2)

  • Katy H.

    Solid drinks equal solid ratings. On a particularly rainy night in Ballard I showed up too early to get into Majestic Bay for a movie. Having to waste 20 mins or so, I dashed across the street and found myself all warm and cozy in Bal Mar. While my drink order wasn't taken too quickly, I did get good service and a lovely cocktail from the specialty menu. I hear the food is great too so I'll be back for more soon. I love the vibe here, the tall ceilings, and the dim lights. Looks like a great date spot!

    (4)

  • Felicia C.

    Good for peeps in their 20s who like to dance. I am neither. Drinks are strong, but specify your brand of vodka or else they put the cheap stuff in.

    (3)

  • Rylee O.

    I judge bars/lounges a bit differently than most I suppose. I like sitting at a bar and being able to start up a conversation with the bartender or anyone sitting within talking range. Try to do that at the Bal Mar and people look at you like you just took a crap right in their fancy cocktail. Not my scene at all. At all.

    (2)

  • Brittany H.

    I like to come to BalMar late to dance. I've never eaten anything there, and I don't remember any exceptional drinks (not saying that there aren't any). But my favorite thing is to wait until it's late enough for the place to be packed, then get on the dance floor upstairs. Note: If it's a really busy night, you might have to wait in line to get upstairs.

    (3)

  • Alaina G.

    Love the variety of atmosphere this restaurant & bar provides. The main level offers more of an intimate restaurant feel, while up stairs offers more of a hip lounge feel. There is more seating, a DJ & dance floor that creates entertainment and great people watching! We usually only sit upstairs... have ordered the Three Cheese Macaroni and it's de-lish, especially topped with frizzled onions!

    (4)

  • George I.

    Love the atmosphere there. It's schik and yet not overly classy. The crowd is in their 30's or late 20's. Great drinks - I usually have the Manhattan.

    (4)

  • Nam N.

    i'm going to stick with 3 stars for this venue as i don't remember a whole lot from the place. i was wasted coming in and even more so coming out. i remember having to pay to go upstairs for a party of some sort. i remember having food but the portions were so tiny and the calamari just tasted like little rings of batter - couldn't taste the calamari itself at all! don't remember much else. perhaps i'll write an update if i ever go back. oh and the bum standing outside pissin on the wall isn't a good way to attract people to the venue. haha

    (3)

  • Corinne W.

    Book your private event at Balmar. My friend threw a birthday bash in Balmar's upstairs lounge right next to the dance floor. Service was amazing. The Balmar staff knows how to treat you right. The catered food was delicious, fresh and dutifully replenished. Our waitress was efficient and friendly, despite waiting on 30+ people. They provided us with plenty of cushy couches and stools and the area stayed clean and clutter free thanks to the diligent staff. The bouncer came upstairs early in the evening to make sure everyone had a special stamp so we could get in and out of the dance area without waiting in the huge line. I highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Paige W.

    We had our annual Christmas party here....with about 100 people. I contacted the event coordinator (Sue) who made sure we were set up with the right type of space for our party. The event went great. Sue confirmed with me prior to the event and followed up post event. The staff/servers were great....putting up with alot of gym people who cannot hold their booze. :) We had the backroom in the upstairs area and the high cocktail tables near the dance floor. The space worked great until it was opened up to the public (around 10:30 pm) and we were pretty partied out anyway. I would recommend this venue for any large party gathering.

    (5)

  • Eugene O.

    Out of all of the places to go, we decided to come here on New Year's Eve. Not a great opportunity for an introduction to a swanky place, because it was exactly what I thought it would be: sweaty, packed, loud and unpleasantly crowded. However, out of all of the chaos, our server was fantastic and attentive. The beer selection was decent, and the burger was very memorable: perfectly seasoned and hand-made, piled high with fixens and accompanied by crispy fries. I'm going back just for that dish alone, because I keep dreaming about it. This place has a great atmosphere that's perfect for a gathering of friends.

    (4)

  • Chelsea J.

    Creative, tasty drinks, and variety of food that ventures outside the typical bar food. BalMar surprised me this time around! I have been a few times for drinks but this was the first time I'd eaten at BalMar. I usually think of bar food as being greasy, high calorie, and not too creative or unique. BalMar proved my notions wrong with their toasted tapenade bruschetta and grilled salmon sandwich. Big portions and reasonable prices. My friend and I agreed that the soup, calamari, and hummus were just okay. My friend liked the salad with sirloin a lot and I loved the salmon sandwich! I was surprised at the thought and creativity that went into the food and the drinks. We had a spicy tequila cocktail that was made with ghost chilies. So good! You can get mild, medium, and hot spice level for the drink. The medium had quite a kick! The service was nice and helpful. I continue to think the crowd at BalMar is a little weird- it's a mixed bag. It's like half club, half bistro. Nice spot to have a drink. Drink prices are a little higher than other bars around Market and Ballard Ave. but I think the quality merits the prices. I'd definitely go back for dinner!

    (4)

  • Aprameya R.

    Expensive. An utter lack of service on a Wednesday night. I'm sorry, I expect much better. Sadness.

    (2)

  • Faith Y.

    I left with blood on my hands. And I mean that very literally. Let me rewind. The evening already started off chaotic since BalMar is apparently the only place in Ballard that boasts something resembling a dance floor. That's where the troop and I headed to you know, dougie. There was a brief line to get inside and then there was ANOTHER line to get upstairs. What kind of bar or even a club has TWO lines? The first time I ever tried to go here for a friend's birthday, our group couldn't even make it past the front door since they were "at capacity." That's just lame. Then after waiting 15 minutes to go to the "dance" section upstairs, I was immensely disappointed. It was basically a small cleared space where everyone stomped on your foot, spilled drinks and grabbed at anything to stay in a semi-dancing state. And judging from the fist fight that broke out a little later, this place was a major meat market. I was trying to get a breather when the dance crowd suddenly broke apart and a scuffle went down. One guy started pushing through with his face half broken and I shoved some napkins in his hand hence explaining the blood from the beginning of this review. By this time, it was only 1:20 but the staff decided a little fight was enough to shut the whole place down early and clear it out. Pre-cautionary measure I'm sure but it put a lid on the whole evening. When we got outside, we saw not one, not three but FIVE coppers. That's a bit overkill no SPD? Definitely eventful but if this is a typical Saturday night at BalMar, I'd like to stay at King's or the Smokeshop and create my own dance floor. Danggg. But I do hear very different experiences go down on weeknights, I'll have to see!

    (2)

  • Wilo D.

    One star but experience worthy of no stars. Very disappointing. I'd heard a lot of good things about this restaurant bar but our experience was far from it. Very bad. When we went to eat at 8pm on a Monday night, the restaurant was out of the mussels, out of all their chicken dishes, and their ribs, and had to serve our skirt steak sandwich on a Kaiser roll instead of a baguette cuz there were out of that too. The yelp menu posted on the web is not up to date and the restaurant doesn't offer a lot of the selections posted. The drinks selection was good and there was variety. I guess that's the only saving grace. We've been to a lot of restaurant bar establishments in the area and sadly, this one fell short. We won't be back.

    (1)

  • Kevin R.

    I wish I could give this place negative stars. Their food is fine. Their drinks are average. And their vibe attracts everything that has turned Ballard ave into just another place in Seattle for d-bags from across the Seattle metro area to come and drink and start fights. Don't believe me? You don't even have to go inside, just stand within a half-block of the corner this place resides on a Friday or Saturday night and wait. One of the few places in the area with genuine bouncers at work each night and it isn't enough to stop them from over-serving the idiots that flock here. Between this place and 4 or 5 others that are new in the last 3 or 4 years, Ballard ave has become just a bit more ugly.

    (1)

  • Faye F.

    Nothing too fancy about this place. Drink choices aren't that varied and a little bit pricey (after HH) for their location, but their calamari was delicious though! Every some weekend (forgot which days) they have an Art Walk and drink upstairs. Service was pretty ok, though there were a few times when it was difficult to get our server's attention.

    (3)

  • Grace W.

    I heard about this restaurant because it was featured on groupon. Usually for groupon deals, I rate our experience between a 3 to 4 but I was pleasantly surprised by how delightful of an experience we had here. We decided to sit outdoors since it had been more recently warm in Seattle. The patio seating is nice because you get the summer breeze and can hear the live dj music from in doors. We ordered the absinthe sample. The guy who makes the absinthe came to our table and gave us a tutorial behind the history of the drink and methods to drinking it. Absinthe is the beautifully green murky drink that tastes like ouzo or licorice. We also ordered the calamari, Harris ranch hamburger and skirt steak sandwich. Since we wanted to try the white truffle aioli, the server put the sauce on the side. The portions were fair to large and the taste was spectacular. My burger was juicy and fries were crispy. The best part of our meal was dipping the fries in the truffle sauce. The total meal including our groupon came out to 25. We gave our waitress a nice tip because we were blown away with just the entire experience. I probably ate about 1000+ calories of food but, it was worth it. I highly recommend buying the groupon and coming here.

    (5)

  • Lisa B.

    I came here with a girlfriend and we danced the night away. Side note... If you like something more laid back and not crazy, stay in the down stairs :) The food was decent, and they had strong drinks!! Great location, and makes for a fun night out...

    (4)

  • Sila B.

    After much frustration (and no success) with trying to plan my birthday at HG Lodge, someone suggested the BalMar as a venue. With my birthday 2 days away, I called in a desperate attempt to get some sort of reservation; which turned out to be no problem at all. Arriving at the BalMar, we saw quite a few tables outside, filled with diners--which was great, but we weren't there to eat. After a quick talk with the staff, they had no idea about my reservation. However, they quickly accommodated us in a huge area upstairs toward the back. Our server was amazing; she took care of a rowdy bunch of people with ease (and seemed to have fun)! The DJ started around 10, and there was a pretty good dance floor that wasn't overcrowded. The cocktail menu is huge, with all sorts to choose from. The Guilty Conscience cocktail is a fabulous concoction of vodka, orange and lime, maybe some ginger ale...to be honest, things are a little blurry from that night. But try it. It's good. The place was sophisticated, but still laid back. All I wanted to do on my birthday was dance and pop champagne, and the BalMar allowed me to do both.

    (4)

  • Michael D.

    For a late night menu, I thought it was good food. It wasn't knock me off my chair amazing, but definitely surprisingly good. There were a couple little tweaks that I think could have made them a little more effective, but all in all, it was exactly what we were looking for that evening. I don't think that it is the type of place that I would go to for a dinner, but for a Friday night out where I need something to eat, it was much better than many of the alternatives. For full review and pictures check out deckonfood.com/?p=1886

    (3)

  • William T.

    This was the destination that we headed to after my friend's wedding. We had a roped off room on the second floor for two hours. After that time we were part of the regular club crowd. Apparently, the area we were hanging out in was $10 to get into. I found that out after we stepped out and then realized that we left an item behind. Fortunately, the bouncers were cool and didn't charge the dollars. The bathrooms suck, unless you are doing blow. If you are, they are fine because there are a bunch of douchebags doing blow in there and they kind of suck. The drinks are weak and not worth the price you are paying for the glass you, apparently, have the privilege of holding, that is if you can get the waitress to attend to you. The atmosphere is obnoxious and cancerous to conversation. The lighting is poor and the decor makes me think that somebody from Team Edward did the design. Essentially this place is so poor that it spit out people at a rate that even douchebags couldn't replenish. Just ignore it and go to one of the places down the street where you are less likely to get roofied. Luckily, it is Ballard and there are any number of good bars a stone's throw away from this ridiculous excuse for a reason to charge you money. Give it a pass, you'll thank yourself later as you watch the disoriented, cashless crowd spill from its clutches later in the evening. You will think, "Wow, I am glad I am not one of those people!"

    (1)

  • Sashiana P.

    Great upstairs for dancing, but always crowded at the bar. Cool lounge areas. I only give it 2 stars because one time the staff stole my clutch that I left on a table when I was dancing. I know they stole it because it had my iPhone in there and I was tracking it every day (don't judge me). The thief was charging my phone and leaving it at the bar. I would come in/call every day and tell them that I know it's there, the manager and bartenders were really nice about it, or at least pretended to care. It was really amusing (not really) watching the little blue dot go into the back alley to smoke and walk around the bar for a week. I finally brought my lap top in and the bartender helped track it down to the pizza place safe next door ( you can play a sound from your computer). The pizza staff told me that the manager was the only one with the key and they would be in the next morning. When I woke up the next day my phone moved 20 min north. I just about had it with these low-lifes but decided I would rather play investigator all day instead of going to work (bookkeeping). I picked up a friend for protection and iphone support, drove to the location, called the cops, waited outside in the pouring rain for 3 hours... and didn't end up with my phone. In the mean time I had to replace my drivers license, credit cards, house keys, work keys, car key, and get a new phone. A month later I got a facebook message that my clutch had been found aka, I reported my phone stolen and they locked it forever and it couldn't be used. Everything was in there even the $5 I had. Other than that experience - the bar itself is fun and they have good happy hour. I always think it's funny when small bars charge cover. It's only $5 and if you are with some friends sometimes the guys just do $5 for the group (how sweet :|).

    (2)

  • Ninette C.

    This place LOOKS great, but I never have an AMAZING time.I've been here on a quiet evening for drinks and then once or twice to dance on weekend nights. I really like the decor of the place. Its chic, has a small-er feel and I like the candlelight and brick walls. It was nicer when it was quiet. On dancing/party nights though, the crowd just doesn't do it for me and it got so packed once, we had to wait at the Matador for enough people to leave so we could go in! It also doesn't help its across from the Matador, my favorite bar in Ballard. Its really the only place to dance in Ballard so if you're there for that, you're kind of stuck. I would give it another try but I won't be going out of my way for it.

    (3)

  • Lana R.

    First off, the reason for friends and I to go to BalMar is to get our dance on--so we're always on the upper level. I've never stayed down stairs. Every time I've been to BalMar (which has been a good few times) it has been loud and crazy. I tend to get in about 2 minutes before they charge cover fees, which is convenient, and have always been able to snag a spot when we need one. I've been to two birthday parties at the venue, in which they have the nice reserved area in the back behind the bathrooms which is nice and cozy. I also had my bachelorette party here--thanks to my lady friends. It was quite a fun experience. Our waitress was amazing and so sweet. She even had a cupcake stand for all of our cupcake royale cupcakes! We had reserved a spot near the bar (of course) on the couches. The only sad thing about the night was that the bouncer wouldn't let my friends hang one of the bachelorette party games on the window (you can't really hang it on the walls), but that was understandable... it was a giant picture of a almost naked man, after all. And bouncer and waitress got me a drink or two :) The only food I've tried here was the salmon--It was actually really good! I was delightfully surprised. None of the drinks stood out to me for all the times I've been there... for better or for worse. Word of caution, though, you really have to want to be in a dance-club type of scene when going to the upstairs bar and dance floor at BalMar, because that's exactly what you'll get. But every time we've dropped by we have a delightful experience!

    (4)

  • Theo A.

    I used to frequent this place and now that I live in Seattle I realized that it gets worse every single year. I have noticed an influx of eastsiders hanging out here. In short douchers and woo girls now took over this place just like the bar 2 mins from here called Shelter.

    (2)

  • Mariana B.

    Think of BalMar as a pubescent teenager. Your hormones are raging and everything is exciting (dance floor?! great bar food!). And then it's littered with pimples and body order (creepers on the dance floor, wondering why the heck you are booty dropping in Ballard). Overall it's a pretty descent place. I'd recommend it for happy hour since the food is pretty good and has a good ambiance.

    (3)

  • Aliya H.

    I went to Bal Mar a few weeks ago on a Friday night and it was so memorable and refreshing that I decided to sit on my little brown booty and write my very first Yelp review! I live in Belltown and definitely enjoy a few of the restaurants, happy hours and the company of good friends but avoid the bar scene at all costs. Douche city. Anyhow, the crowd at Bal Mar seemed like they were in their 30s to 40s, which was perfect for me. There's something for everyone with a bar/loungy scene downstairs and DJ/dance floor upstairs playing a good mix of old and new. It definitely felt like it was geared towards people in their 30s rather than 20s. The crowd was a great mix of people. Good looking crowd! I was with a guy friend, a hot guy, and other males in the place did not seem to have any problem starting a conversation with me and also involving him in the conversation. Very impressive and hot! I probably just need to get out of Belltown more! Chatted with the bar manager and owner for a bit. It was nice to see that they were involved and seemed to care about the quality. One of the girls we were with didn't know what to order so we asked the bartender to make a "vodka surprise". He was excited at the challenge and created a tasty cocktail for her! The biggest surprise, I was hungry and asked one of the bartenders what was good. He suggested the salmon croquettes. Ok, they were PERFECTION down to the dill dipping sauce and I don't throw out "perfection" easily! I can't stop thinking about them. I didn't try any other food so I can't speak for it. I'm excited to return and would love to check it out on a weekday for a more mellow vibe.

    (5)

  • Nina W.

    The crowd here on a Friday, reeked of Axe Bodyspray, and desparation. I wasn't too phased by it, I kinda chose to ignore the douchey surroundings and just focus on the lovely ladies I was visiting with. The dj was spinning mostly mid 90's Rap and R&B. If I closed my eyes, I was transported back to the days of my underage clubbing escapades, because the young unruly lady that was me would have freakin' loved it here. The place was nice enough, but not really my style anymore. Redeeming factors? They had Fremont Brewing Harvest Ale on tap (which I shared with a friend), and they made my other friend some kinda Prohibition-y cocktail with lime, vermouth, and gin, that was so well made, it didn't even have the faintest taste of gin at all. I hate gin, and even i'd drink one.

    (3)

  • Todd B.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm a dive bar fan through and through, but once in a while I'll step out with the other half and a good place to that is the BalMar. Rustic/modern interior, perfect lighting, eye-candy staff and tasty morsels make this place easy to miraculously lose more hours than first intended. Add a good conversationalist to your mix and you could easily close the place down. Drinks are perfect and worth their higher than average prices. Comfort and ease of access are at every turn. I occasionally waited longer than I would have liked for a refill, but there were plenty of distractions so I didn't mind too much. Even with my beloved Smoke Shop right next door, in the right company, BalMar pays off in spades.

    (4)

  • Riss J.

    Insert some reference to some saying about if someone else said it better.. me: is everyone still at BalMar? I just parked Ninja: I have no idea, I left an hour and some change ago me: well shit, I'm sorry I missed seeing you on my bday (pause for short walk from sweet parking spot) me: I've never been here before, I'm not sure i like it. Ninja: yeah, it's a doucheatorium. Indeed, and certainly at 1am. So, I stayed long enough for a quick drink. Service wasn't all that great. I sat at the bar and was ignored by both bartenders for a good 10 minutes while various folks mashed in between those of us sitting and were promptly served. I'm sure Aaron's bday was fun, and if I was with mah-Yelp-douches I'm sure I would too...so outside a future "reserved couch" event in which I show up earlier, I don't see myself returning here.

    (2)

  • Alex M.

    So I've been here twice. Once, many moons ago on a Saturday night where it was jamming. The second time, and the more important one, was trivia night! On Tuesday's! I recommend coming for this as it's in danger of disappearing. It's a lot of fun and there is money and free beer if you're losing. Plus it's in downtown Ballard. The drinks are decent and the bartenders are super nice.

    (4)

  • Peter H.

    Not really my scene so I'll try not to be too biased. It's very dark and usually pretty cramped. I feel like both of the bars (upstairs and downstairs) are kind if awkward locations. Decent drinks though and a good sized dance-floor if you're in ballard and looking to dance, not many other places to go in ballard for dancing.

    (3)

  • Kat C.

    It was my birthday last August and I wanted to celebrate somewhere chill and swanky, so I thought.. Bal Mar? I worked with them via e-mail to setup my RSVP for the booths across the bar upstairs and everything went smoothly. The 2 ladies I worked with were super friendly and responded within 24 hours. The night of the actual celebration turned out to be a total upset. I had about 20-25 ppl in my party and we were given the most unfriendly and sloppiest waitress ever. She was incredibly hard to flag down, took forever with our food and drinks and.. She continuously spilled drinks all night.. One being on my friend. I didn't even hear an apology and there was no offer for compensation for anything. It was about half an hour before closing and my friend was ready to close her tab. After waiting for awhile for the waitress, who never returned to check on us, she resorted to going to the bartender, who told her she had to go to the waitress. Ugh. My friend finally got the bill, checked it for accuracy and tipped the appropriate amount and we called it a night. Three days later, she checks her online statement and sees that Bal Mar charged an extra $13 to her bill. WTH! She calls up Bal Mar and demands an explanation. They didn't give her a straight answer as to what happened, but assured her that a credit of the difference would be issued. Five days later, still no credit. She called and left messages and no one ever got back to her.. Hmm? So, the atmosphere itself - the guy to girl ratio is slightly off, favoring a sausage fest filled with pretty white boy douche's. You have to pay $5 to go upstairs after 11pm, lame. On a happier note, the dj is good on both Friday and Saturday nights, playing a good mix of 90's and today's hits. The drinks are good and they have late happy hour.

    (2)

  • Allison G.

    Went here to eat at 7:30 on a weeknight. It was pretty quiet and the decor is nice, which is literally the only good thing about this place. I ordered the Skirt Steak. The waitress didn't ask how I wanted it cooked and ran away before I could tell her. It came with sides of fingerling potatoes (of which there were three) and swiss chard cooked with bacon a la collard greens. Everything on my plate tasted the same: vaguely burnt garlic and grease. The swiss chard was disgusting, greasy, and fatty. Not the vinegary flavor of collard greens. The steak was pre-cut into strips that were cool when they arrived. Obviously pre-cooked. My boyfriend got the ribs, and said that coffee flavord barbeque sauce is a mistake. The bartender also seemed more interested in flirting with a woman at the bar, refilling her wine constantly, and holding her hand than in filling drink orders. I watched the waitress make most of the drinks (pouring the end of a bottle of wine and the beginning of a new one to fill my order of a house red). Not going to BalMar again.

    (1)

  • Kyla C.

    Oh how I long for the days of the old BalMar...what happened! Oh yeah, this place became popular and lost all of it's awesome-ness. Three years ago I "rented" a space upstairs for my husband's birthday. It was great - good service, good atmosphere, fun music, just a great experience. Now it's nearly impossible to find a table in this place that's not already reserved for someone, even on a weeknight, WTF?? I used to frequent this place after my dinners at Oaxaca but now I don't even think about trying to go because it's always packed and it's just too velvet rope-y for my taste. This time I went with some friends and we got upstairs before it became a major douche-fest. Our waiter was not great...couldn't find him most of the night. Good luck getting a drink at the bar too! When I went to close my tab, I miraculously found our missing waiter but he couldn't close me out because I didn't start my tab with him, I started it at the bar. I asked him if I could order a drink through him and then close out. He said sure so I ordered a drink (that I never saw but yes, I got charged for it) and still couldn't close my tab through him?!? I waited at the bar to close out, with sweaty frat boys to my left and pushy overdressed girls on my right. Finally the bartender acknowledged me and sure enough, there was the $8 vodka drink I never received...sorry, no tip for you!! When we finally got out of this overcrowded sweat-fest, there was a huge ass line out the door. Why do people wait to get into a place where they'll have to wait over 20 minutes for one drink - it's beyond me! There are a ton of places in Ballard and BalMar is just not a place I plan on going to again, especially after Saturday night. It's so sad.... The only high note of the night was the quesadilla I got, pretty tasty but small.

    (2)

  • Brett J.

    Friendly service, quality pours, nice decor.

    (4)

  • Sovannary S.

    Waited at the bar for 30 minutes, saw them serving others that got there AFTER me. So then I finally decided to prop my short self on the bar and yell "I am parched! I want a DRIIINK, I've been here for half an hour!!!" The bartenders continued to ignore me, and instead of FINALLY serving me and several others that had been waiting they asked a manager to kick me out. But of course I wasn't going to go down with out a fight, I explained to the manager my dilema, and my opinion of bartending ettiquette (first come, first serve) and that their bartenders had none. She let me stay. I'm angry because these bartenders knew EXACTLY what they were doing. They could have handled things differently, yes, maybe I shouldn't have yelled. But how else were they going to notice me, although they did walk past me several times, two of them even LOOKED at me. Makes me very sad to say this, but maybe if I was WHITE they would have noticed me. :( sad. sad. I will never come here again and I will always talk this place down.

    (1)

  • Andrea A.

    Only been here once but was tons of fun. This place is great for huge group parties. The bartenders do a good job making drinks. Didn't have the food so I can't say anything about that.

    (4)

  • Melissa B.

    The BalMar is a very classy/Hip place right dap in the middle of Ballard. Both the food and drinks are good, and the crowd that visits there is a bit more refined.

    (5)

  • Angelina V.

    Geez Louise. The bartenders are nice upstairs, although getting a drink in the feeding frenzy is quite the task. They really need to get some ventilation up in there. It smells like a gym. The gaggles of douchey men and sorority girls make for for wonderful people watching. The DJ's play the cuts from my generation which is weird and it gives the place a "washed-up" feel, like trying to be hard from Ballard? really? Every lil' suburban face you see there know all the words to the grittiest of rap songs from the golden age of Gangster but were born in the 90's. And they karaoke style shout the words so serious on the dance floor. Very serious folks. Very. Paying a 5$ cover to witness all of this isn't really worth it. I have a good time, but I just don't think Ballard is my thing.

    (2)

  • Lisa T.

    This is a lounge/chill out place - depending on day and time. Or it can be a fun, place to be seen, dance club - depending on day and time. Or, both - again, depending on time and day. As a chill out lounge - really great place to just sit back (try and grab the front window seats) and people watch, converse, and drink some beers. The happy hour menu is decent with decent prices (although I didn't try any food). At night times the upstairs becomes a dance club - and even charges cover after a certain time. The couple of times I've been, the DJ was playing some good danceable music and people were having a good time. It can get PACKED though and super hot/sweaty. Overall, a good place for groups and some can stay downstairs and drink/hang out while others can go upstairs for more action. Plus, great location as its walkable to other places in Ballard.

    (4)

  • Peter L.

    Feels more like Belltown than Ballard on weekend nights, but BalMar still has a lot going for it. For starters, the place is spacious, on two floors, a main floor and a loft. But more importantly, they have some serious cocktails. Started off with the Deschler's Cocktail - Old Overholt Rye Whiskey, Cointreau, Dubonnet, and Peychaud's Bitters. Watched the bartender assemble the components carefully - no rushing here, even with a crowd. And the results were solid - thoroughly enjoyed it, and went for different cocktail, which ended up looking like a Cosmo but tasting much better. Want to try a fizz or a side car or a cocktail with egg whites? BalMar has them too. Will definitely have to try again on a school night to see what it's like.

    (4)

  • Tom Y.

    In Fremont, BalMar is always one of the top contenders for where we end up. Located just a few blocks away from the grungier section with King's Hardware, The Loft, etc, BalMar is slightly more dressy and classy. The atmosphere is definitely more of a dance club tinge, but it is still one of the best places to lounge. Regardless of whether you grab the couches or a table downstairs, or go up and claim the wall stools for easy access to pool, BalMar has a great vibe. Both the bars are awesome, the staff are extremely unobtrusive (yet show up in good time when needed), and the crowd is pretty great. The late-night food (I've never gone there during the day) is pretty standard 'classy' fare, with offerings of tadaki and tuna, as well as your normal fries and calamari. The drinks are pretty strong, and for a fun lounging kind of night, it doesn't take a lot of 'em to keep you happy (unless you have a standing blood alcohol level of 0.12 to begin with). There are just a few tables outside for warmer weather seating, but the place is surprisingly well ventilated for how it looks. Though there are only a couple of pool tables, there are always spots to play. If you really are planning on multiple games, I would definitely suggest taking the high stools next to them to call spots. The games are fairly cheap, at something like $1.25? At certain, seemingly random times, a signal apparently I can't hear will sound and a migration to the open area by the pool table will occur. It can get pretty packed when people congregate here to dance, but it's still pretty fun all the same. If you're in the area, and tired of the run-of-the-mill Fremont scene, definitely take a look at BalMar for a well-rounded funhouse.

    (4)

  • Gavin N.

    I came here for a friend's after house-warming party gathering. Honestly not really my scene. The bar itself is kind of nice, price is fair. But yeah just not really my scene. However, I will give props to this. Possibly the BEST Mojitos I've had in the Seattle area. The fact that bartender wastes a straw on each one to make sure it tastes right is just shows a little extra care for each drink he makes that more bartenders should do. So that's cool. ~G

    (3)

  • Constance B.

    Note: This review is for their event planning service only. I contacted BalMar to reserve their room upstairs for my birthday party. Throughout the whole process, Susan and the BalMar staff were professional and helpful, real class acts. BalMar has the best deal around in terms of event space. You can reserve their "room" upstairs (there's no door) for $100 on a Friday or Saturday night and then you have to meet the $1000 f&b minimum, which was super easy to do with my 50 guests. You get a dedicated server all night and our server, Zac, worked his butt off! He was very helpful and friendly. Another awesome thing: I wanted to raise money for Northwest Harvest during my party and BalMar helped! If you want to raise money for any charity you can sell wristbands to your guests (you provide them) and anyone with a wristband will pay happy hour prices on food and drink all night long. It was great! Though we did meet our minimum, if you do not they will sell you the difference in BalMar gift certificates, so really you don't lose any money. Just bring your friends, tell them to drink up and have a good time. BalMar is a great event space with a professional staff and I will definitely be planning more parties there. Thank you Susan and Zac!

    (5)

  • Garin C.

    Watching Ballard become a hip location for the nightlife by far Bal Mar takes the cake. Every single time I have gone there I have had amazing service from some of the most experience bartenders in town!! If you want amazing, unique cocktails Joey and Kate are there to help. Joey always creating funky fresh drinks that always seem to knock my shoes of by the end of the night. Katie is your connoisseur at matching drinks with there delisious foods. My personal favorite is the truffle fries with a garlic aoli dipping sauce. Then if that not savory enough try the incredible Beecher's Mac n Cheese; now you may not be able to get one because they are the first thing on the menu to sell out. In line behind would be the tuna, and living in Ballard you have one of the most freshest seafood EVER. Hands down! I have taken huge groups to just a few friends, or even a date because the overall experience is warm relaxing ( weeknights); Weekends great spot to meet local singles and dance the night away. You get your money worth on food and drinks worth it every time.

    (5)

  • Kinga H.

    Chic interior. Trendy music. Downstairs was just my style... chill, laid back, and fun. The upstairs was over crowded and for the booty shakers. Luckily we stayed downstairs and avoided the creep factor associated with that. Love how they have cucumbers in their bar drink prep line. Yum! Ha

    (4)

  • Myra A.

    While most the native Seattlites whom I talk to abhor this place, I can't say I agree. I've been to BalMar about 3-4 times in the past year and I've always had a good time with visitors from out of town. It's laid back and coming from a girl who is used to larger cities than Seattle, it doesn't get unbearably crowded. If I arrive too late to go upstairs sans cover, I have no qualms staying on the first floor for a couple of drinks before moving on with the rest of my night in Ballard. The bartenders have always been quick and friendly and the drinks strong enough to my liking.

    (4)

  • Katy B.

    The bartenders and servers are A+. Great drinks, friendly service. So why am I rating this so low? This place has become a ticking time bomb of depravity. I know the economy is bad right now but there is no reason this place needs to be packed to the brim with people. The management/owners/head honchos need to get it together. Yes, this place has a dancefloor but it is not set up to be a danceclub. As a long-time patron, I'm sad that I will not longer return to the Bal Mar. It used to be such a fun place enjoy drinks and time with friends. This place just seems dangerous to me now and not in a fun, expired-permit-rollercoaster kind of way. In a 'ripped from the headlines' example, google the recent situation involving an off-duty cop who apparently brought a gun to the club (?!). Now I'm reading reviews about fighting, blood, and open wounds(!). One of the last times I was there this past year, I had the bad luck of stepping in front of a completely trashed guy double-punching his way through the crowd. He literally punched me in the back so hard I lost my breath. In the SAME NIGHT, I saw two crazy girls pulling out their blades and compare switchblade length. Whaaaaat?! Party people heed my warning and go somewhere else - like downtown - where at least you know to be on your guard. Don't let the sleepy charm of Ballard confuse you. That water out back is deep enough to ditch a body.

    (1)

  • Carrie M.

    The BalMar is awesome, especially if you are a nonprofit seeking an event space for a fundraiser. We held a happy hour event at the BalMar last Thursday, and it went really well. Susan met with us beforehand, told us that there was NO COST (!) to use their lovely upstairs (brick walls, high ceilings, a bar, bartenders, and DJ equipment) as long as we guaranteed a minimum number of guests attending. And they gave us happy hour prices all night! The bartenders were great, and BalMar made it possible to have a fun fundraiser with minimal prep. Also, I highly recommend the caipirinhas :-)

    (5)

  • Ernie K.

    This is an awesome bar to chill and relax with friends. I went back to Seattle and mingled with few friends and we had such a great time here. It's not too noisy and seats are comfy and for a new yorker like me, drinks weren't expensive either. And when we order shots, we got so much that it was worth two shots in the city where I am from. And omg, girls there were hot. If it was a guys' night out, I would have drool all over them. Just kidding. If you are in the neighborhood or simply looking for a good place to hang out, you should definitely check it out.

    (4)

  • Hannah H.

    We came here for New Year's Eve as part of a party that my brother and his gf booked, they had a reserved space on the 2nd floor in the back which had a sign to reserve it. The place was packed but our waitress Pia killed it. She was able to keep the drinks flowing faster then the bar could and despite the crowd navigated through with double trays most of the time. Pia seemingly didn't get mad when people kept crashing into her and spilling/breaking a lot of glasses. The bar took a long time to get a drink at, but given the NYE situation, can you really complain? Overall, we had a fantastic NYE here and the party was a blast.

    (4)

  • Delilah R.

    The great thing about The Bal Mar is how intricately the bartenders know their mixes. You can ask for suggestions with any base be it bourbon, vodka or whiskey and you then are guaranteed suggestions with various outcomes be it sweet, minty, sour or just plain bold. It's an appreciation that I have grown for the constant creativity of the bartenders at The Bal Mar. There is never a dull drink consumed and I feel here that they are specialist in not only the way they pour the concoction but even the way they explain it to you before you are served. There is also a long list of events and activities, mostly taking place in the upstairs area, consisting of trivia nights, live music and much much more.

    (4)

  • Ranny K.

    It's very rare that I visit BalMar, but when I do, it's always been a fun experience. For one, there's no cover. (That's ALWAYS a plus.) And on a night when everyone is out of town (Memorial Day Weekend), I walked upstairs to the dance floor to find a really cool, diverse crowd. Because the line gets too long, I've never been upstairs. Didn't realize how big it was. In the back there's a more intimate area where they open for parties (I believe there's a fee or a bar minimum). I imagine that it could get a bit hot upstairs, and if it does, they probably open the balcony window/doors. Meanwhile, it was a little slower downstairs than what I've experienced the other time I'd been there. The crowd has been friendlier and feels a little less douchie than other places. Maybe it's the Ballard area? As for the music? Eh, minus 1 star. It was an interesting playlist with Dr. Dre followed by Lady Gaga and then some house music. I'm hoping that it was just the DJ that night. Whatevs, I had fun. Good for Girls' Nights? Yes. Dates? Nah.

    (4)

  • Katie J.

    Pretty good place. Get there early to avoid the cover. Upstairs is the place to be. My friends rented out the back room. It was nice to have a place to sit after some dancing with the ladies. I love that they have Staropramen beer. I think the cocktails were a little thin with booze. 4 stars because the bathroom sucks.

    (4)

  • Sonya L.

    Went here with the ex for a drink and a bite to eat. It was around 3pm on a Sunday afternoon and the place was literally empty. I was actually surprised to see that they were even open, but it ended up being nice. The Sangria del BalMar was amazingly delicious and I would definitely have it again. It didn't seem to have a lot of alcohol in it, but it was delicious so I didn't really care too much. The Mediterranean Plate was pretty darn tasty, although I would liked to have more pieces of pita with it considering how much other stuff comes along to put on the pita. The hummus was amazing and I could eat it all day long. I dig the interior a lot - the brick walls go perfectly with the rest of the decor. I just really like the feel of the place. Drinks are a little pricey - I went with the sangria because it was slightly cheaper than some - and some of the food looks a little steep as well. But the happy hour looked pretty darn good, so I'll likely try to hit this place up again during that time.

    (4)

  • Krystin T.

    Three stars about says it all - definitely not bad, but not amazing, either. I went on a Saturday night, so it was packed beyond belief and there was no seating room. I hadn't planned on going somewhere fancy, so I'd thrown on jeans and a sweatshirt - and I was VERY underdressed. Of course, I managed to fix that by taking off the sweatshirt and re-doing my hair in about two seconds, but I'm not usually a fan of bars that require dressing up, so that might have colored my opinion a bit. I don't think that the price was that ridiculous - I bought myself a rum & diet (which was decent, by the way) and my boyfriend a beer and it was about $10, which I feel is pretty standard. This seems - in MY opinion - like a place I'd go with girlfriends if I wanted to dress up and have a fancy girl's night, or if I were single and looking to pick up guys. It wasn't exactly the best place to go just chill with my boy and his friends... in jeans and a sweatshirt.

    (3)

  • Chrys E.

    This is a great place to go for happy hour, after dinner cocktails, or to meet up with a group before heading to a movie or other venues. The cocktails are well crafted, the wine and liquor selection is fantastic, and the fries are my favorite in the whole wide world. The music is usually a bit loud even in the down stairs area, so it feels a lot like being in a club even if you go there just to eat. If you want to flirt and make eyes at your date whilst sipping a tasty beverage this is the place.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth L.

    Non-existent ventilation = fire code dance floor... DJ spins top 40, hiphop, dance hits, kept a steady stream. youngish crowd, some aggressive types and creepers.

    (2)

  • Lisa N.

    Swanky, hip interior that seems incredibly out of place for being next to the Sunset. We came on a Sunday night so it was pretty dead, but maybe that's for the better. The upstairs area wasn't open since there were only, like, eight patrons total which totally bummed me out because I wanted to see the space as a potential birthday venue. In retrospect, the downstairs couch areas by the door and bar would have worked perfectly. Perhaps next year! We got an order of the truffle fries to see what all the hype was about. Honestly I'm still not sure. The fries were thick and crispy, but felt way too oily to make me want to finish off the order. The aioli, which is where the truffle was featured, was kind of bland and kind of salty at the same time. I'm not sure what was going on, but I'd be willing to give them another chance. Overall, it's a sexy space for a mellow night of drinks or a cute date. Non happy hour prices seem a little steep for being by so many more affordable places.

    (3)

  • Hsin-yi W.

    If you have never eaten dinner here, you should! I have not been disappointed with any of the food I've ordered here in the past three years. Also I love the drinks here. Try the special cocktail. Thanks Balmar for not disappointing me on my birthday!

    (4)

  • K K.

    I wish I could give this establishment negative stars. I have been here multiple times in the past, its crowded, service is slow and their bouncers are THE WORST. My most recent visit sparks this review and my desires to never return.. Not only will I ever go back but I hope they close their doors or their bouncers are fired. As we were walking down the stairs the bouncer yells at us, pushes and shoves while swearing at us to get off his stairs. (Hello sir, we are walking down, leave us alone is what I was thinking) We had no contact with the bouncer until this point, where he outlandishly began pushing us down the stairs and telling us to move. He then proceeded to push *a now mad customer* into the railing, throwing his thumb out of the socket. The bouncer then said " your kicked out" we were like really? We are kicked out, we were walking down the stairs, he should be fired and kicked out. We called the cops, they came and talked to the white, bald, tattooed, rude (should be fired) bouncer and he admitted to hearing the loud pop/injury to the customers thumb and shouldn't of acted the way he did. Not only was this completely un called for, but he can't treat customers like this. I consider everyone stay away from the bald, white, tattooed bouncer before he hurts you too or this place entirely. Get off your high "bouncer" horse and be polite or get fired. This establishment really needs to look into their security and reevaluate who they hire to protect their company.

    (1)

  • Angelina L.

    Been here a few times before, but I was down in Ballard and looking for some food since I hadn't eaten all day. I think I've found a new place for grilled cheese sandwiches!!! UM, YUM!!! The cheese (Big Ed's Farmhouse) was delicious and who would have thought that adding caramelized onions on a grilled cheese sandwich would taste SOOO good. The side salad was, just that, a side salad. After looking at what they offered for wine, I decided to do something different. Not that their wine list wasn't good, but I was in the mood to be adventurous and I wasn't in the mood for a cocktail. The bartender was great and gave me some advice about which bourbon to try. Service in general was good. Price was very reasonable. They have an upstairs for either the normal patrons or can be rented out for private parties (attended a birthday party here once). The dark lighting and the brick walls just makes the place!! I so want to go back and try their White truffle aioli fries.

    (4)

  • Cindy M.

    Yikes. This was one of the worst service experiences I've had in Seattle, and to top it off, they automatically add 18% gratuity on a bill that's over $100 (even if it's only 4 people dining). AND - this little practice of theirs isn't shared on the menu or the website. WTF? So our experience pretty much goes like this: -Got the comfy spot by the windows - Score! -Drinks are super yummy - Score! BUT THE GOOD DOESN'T LAST FOR LONG -Pork sliders swimming in grease (enough to make the bun soggy and leave a pool on the bottom of the plate) -Seared Ahi - cold and mealy -Waitress who forgot to remove the sliders from the bill -Waitress who refused to split the bill for the four of us -Automatic 18% gratuity added to the bill for only 4 diners (over $100) -Being rushed to finish up and close out in a practically empty bar Never. Going. Back.

    (2)

  • Scott K.

    Friday and Saturday nights are a big NO. A beautiful venue, dark, modern and yet still inviting. The bad news is that it goes fraty on the weekends as my fellow Yelpatonians have already so eloquently presented. I find happy hour on a weekday here absolutely, and wholly, enjoyable. The mood of the place is exactly what you want after a hard days work. Clean, friendly, with fantastic appetizers. I consistently order the clams with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce! Freaking perfect every single time! What really makes Balmar though, is just how cool the staff are. The wait-staff are friendly, security is smooth, and, the bartenders are polite and outgoing, There really seems to be a genuine camaraderie between the staff. How they maintain that positive attitude after their Fraterday nights shall forever remain a mystery!

    (4)

  • Stephanie M.

    Mondays they have Happy Hour food specials from 5-11pm and they have the BEST grilled cheese sandwich with White Truffle Aioli sauce! Monday nights, Kate is bartending and ask for a PABST-MOSA (PBR and OJ). She claims it's her signature creation. :)

    (4)

  • Aaron E.

    Truffle Fries FTW!! I can't get over how delicious they are! Perfectly fried, crisp coating and the truffle flavor is delicate but obvious. The garlic aoli is so creamy and the perfect accompaniment. After missing out on the awesomeness of BalMar for the past few months, I was ecstatic to go back with some friends. It was a quiet, Wednesday night and we had a seat at the bar. The bartender/our server was very attentive and gave a good recommendation for a drink choice for my friend who couldn't drink. Sad for her. The "Clear Conscience" she received was tasty. The cucumber made it very crisp and refreshing and it had the perfect touch of sweetness. The Long Island I ordered was made perfectly. Boozy, citrusy and very tea tasting. After a few of those, my night was off to a good start. In addition to the delicious Fries we had an order of the Mac and Cheese. It's by no means your typical Mac and Cheese.... it's oh so creamy and cheesy and has some great seasoning. It's a very cohesive, delicious dish and just might be the best Mac and Cheese. Epic win. Besides the awesome drinks, delicious food and friendly service, BalMar has good prices going on. They have GREAT specials during Happy Hour on their food ($3 Fries and $5 Mac and Cheese) and their portions are huge.

    (5)

  • Sabina S.

    One of my absolute favourite places in Seattle. The crowd it attracts is amazing and so much fun, the food is to DIE for (the fries esp.), and the DJ on Saturday nights knows how to get people dancing. I'm literally here 3-5 times a month, and I always meet interesting, cool people here. Definitely a hit if you're looking for something other than the "30-something yr old frat boy and airhead" scene. The bar staff is amazing, and the bouncers are ALWAYS so nice and wonderful to my friends and I every time we're there. People of substance, fabulous drinks, great music, delicious food, 5 stars for sure!

    (5)

  • Tarah M.

    I loved this place immensely. Perfect location in downtown Ballard. Great offerings of reasonably priced drinks. Excellent ambience to hold your own lil' bar crawl. Attentive bar and waitstaff had our stiff drinks ready in no time. With all of this, no wonder I had a blast! Came here to enjoy a Saturday evening with my favorite folks and enjoy we did! We managed to wink our way past the bouncer to the upstairs dance area where it appeared to be "happ'nin" that night, despite the line that was beginning to curve around the main floor bar. Great music and fun atmosphere on both floors made for a very fun evening. As my fellow yelpers mentioned, BalMar has a great blend of laidback vibes mixed in with a more mature "clubbish" vibe upstairs which I think suits almost anyone looking to have fun without going to a raggedy club to shake a tail feather. I must come again for HH during which, among other things, I will try their truffle fries which I hear are simply scrumptious. Awesome place that will certainly be visited again!

    (4)

  • Amanda M.

    This place is definitely in the running for my favorite bar-restaurant combo. The happy hour food menu is very solid and an excellent value. Everything we tried the other night was a success. Front runners were the macaroni and cheese (seriously, might have been the BEST mac 'n cheese I've ever had?!) and the grilled cheese (the addition of caramelized onions is genius!). The fries are also quite tasty. BBQ Pork sliders were okay, though the bbq sauce had a bit of a weird taste to it in my opinion. The mixed green salad with balsamic was good sized and fresh. Drinks are good and fairly priced, and the bartender upstairs seemed to know her stuff - she didn't bat an eye when my friend requested a negroni, which I don't think is the most common of requests (but I could be wrong!). My dirty martini was nice and salty, just how I like it, with three big olives. Success! I also love the atmosphere. Quieter candlelit tables downstairs for dining; second bar upstairs with lounge seating upstairs and a small dance floor that filled up by 11pm.

    (4)

  • Natassja B.

    I recently reserved the upstairs bar area for an engagement party. The party started at 5 and I had guests arriving until 7. The venue was classy but not stuffy so I had people come in everything from fancy cocktail dresses to sneakers. We had plenty of room and the food we had pre-ordered was great and already set up for us when we got there. They were nice enough to turn down the music when we did toasts, going that extra mile so everyone could hear the speeches. After that, the dance floor began to fill up and the cocktail party turned into a dance party with great music! BUT, the best thing I can say was that our service was phenomenal! Not expecting anything more than average bar service, the staff exceeded our expectations! The bartender was attentive and efficient with a smile, our cocktail server was super nice and made sure my hand always had a beverage without being pushy, and Susan the event coordinator had been on top of communication and setting expectations from the get-go. Planning larger parties can be really stressful, and a venue is a venue. What made the difference for me was the superior service I and my guests all received that night. Bal Mar made my party an event to remember, as my guests are still gushing about what a great day it was. Thank you so much Bal Mar, I will definitely be sending people your way!

    (5)

  • Yvonne C.

    As my girlfriend and I were walking down Ballard Avenue after dinner, we saw so many adorable bars that we wanted to stop in but we were meeting some people at BalMar. I didn't know what to expect but the person who suggested BalMar had given me so many great recommendations for everything else so I trusted his opinion. As G and I walked up and heard the base thumping, this wave of nausea came over me. We were then greeted by the ID checker who insisted on stamping our hands. What am I, 21? It was a little ridiculous and I went to the bathroom to wash it off as soon as I could. I'm with Genevieve, the space was really beautiful and it was nicely decorated but I need to be in a certain mind set to enjoy a place like this.

    (2)

  • Erin O.

    It was good for what it is.....A bit trendy for me and I think a bit trendy for Ballard.

    (3)

  • Kat F.

    Oh man, so we're sitting upstairs on one of the couches at BalMar and we're going "yeah, so we've heard this is a meat market but it doesn't seem that bad. Sure, there's the douchey table of frat guys and sure there's that orange girl in the unfortunate shorts over tights outfit but whatever - just like any other bar." Then, this girl walks in. She's not totally hooched out - short skirt but I was wearing one too, she's not orange, and she seems sober enough. But then, she's waiting for her drink by the bar and she starts to dance! And I'm not talking about a little two-stepping to Beyonce, I'm talking arching her back, shimmying her hair in the face of one of the frat guys, playing with her jacket like she's going to take it off and twirl it over her head kind of dancing. WOW. We were about ready to move on to our next stop anyway but once that happened and the frat guys started to eye each other up to decide who could get to the girl fastest we decided to ask for the check. Ps: The grilled cheese is really good!

    (3)

  • Garrett S.

    While I very rarely drink alcohol I make the exception here because there are always so many truly unique drinks that are surprisingly refreshing. Additionally, every side dish I've had has been creative and flavorful, even though I can't remember the names of the drinks or dishes. As my Housemate Connie said, "try anything, everything is great".

    (4)

  • Emily T.

    It takes a place like BalMar to get this girl to change in her PBR tall boy for a chocolate cake martini. Located a stumble away from The Smoke Shop, BalMar brings a little sass and swank to Ballard Ave. If you feel like gussying up for a girl's night, BalMar would be an excellent place to begin your evening. Please note, I made a point of saying begin. Since as the clock ticked on, the once casual chic bar turned into what can only be described as a frat party, meat market mashup. So come early to enjoy the atmosphere. Order a fancy drink. Eat their seriously yummy fries. And move on.

    (3)

  • Jason T.

    I won't be going back. Perhaps the things I dislike about this place are what will attract others, but I found the atmosphere pretentious, service poor, and the clientele tiresome (I even tried the whole Jager Bomb thing to get into the BalMar spirit - it didn't help). The bartender we happened to encounter was rude. They keep a line at the door but still manage to let in too many people, making it impossible to obey signs posted on a gaping 6-foot section of the bar requesting that it be kept clear. The bartender was a bit ridiculous about making sure not so much as an elbow crossed the line. If money drops in the jar and the bartender doesn't see it, does it count? Apparently not, as I was called out for not tipping, even though it took up to 10 minutes from ordering a beer to receiving it, making any tip at all seem generous. Granted, this was one of few visits to Seattle, but I was expecting to find a place that didn't seem like it was trying too hard to compete with the most insufferably trendy parts of LA or DC, especially since I'd heard that Ballard was supposed to have character.

    (2)

  • Glen J.

    A nice casual bar with a medium crowd density. The environment is pretty laid back, and people seem to mind their own business here which is why I like this place. I occasionally drop by here, and have a Martini or two in order to wind down after a long day of job searching. Another reason I like this place is because it is very diverse-friendly, and that's nice because in many other bars I stick out like a fly in soup. Right now I'm drinking a standard issue martini and having a small plate of nachos, and I'm enjoying it very much. The service is great, and the hit to your wallet is small, so that is another reason why I recommend this place to anyone who visits this area of town.

    (3)

  • Kristi S.

    Balmar is an unusual combination of a craft cocktail lounge with an upstairs club. This combination just happens to be exactly what my 31-year-old self desires. I love dancing and enjoy the Friday night DJ, Ben, because he plays a combination of hip hop, top 40, and some dance/electronic music. He's always been really good to my friends and me when we request a song (I cannot say the same for a lot of other Seattle DJs) and we tip him accordingly. Top 40 is my favorite and it's near impossible to find a club that plays it in Seattle unless I hit the 21-year-old venues (no thanks). The bonus about BalMar is that I can actually get a GREAT cocktail while out dancing. If you frequent this spot on weekdays, it is much quieter and the bartenders are quick to offer suggestions off the list or create a delightful treat for you based on your preferences. The reason I give them a 5 star is that I can still get a unique and delightful adult beverage in between dance sessions on a weekend night. Sure, it takes a little bit longer on a Friday or Saturday but the fact is you can still get a great cocktail at a club if you are looking for that better-than-average total experience. A friend of mine and I went in on a Saturday in early December and danced upstairs until about midnight. We then slipped downstairs to the less crowded bar and the bartender, Ian, asked my friend what she'd like. She asked if he could do something with the grapefruit vodka that wasn't too sweet. He asked a few more questions and came back with a refreshing, slightly savory, citrus beverage that is now her favorite. Perfect ending to a dance-a-thon and we didn't even have to go to a different venue. Hence the 5.

    (5)

  • Lei G.

    Like everyone else said, the venue is great. It's a nice two storied restaurant. We were lucky enough able to get great couch seats next to the bar pretty easily on a Saturday night. That being said, the service was really bad. I asked one of the bar tenders and she told me that they only have one server for the second floor that night. (That's crazy considering this was a Saturday night with at least 200 people on the second floor alone) Needless to say the only bar was super crowded, and it was a good thing since it kept me from ordering their $10 drinks. Secondly the DJ was just ok the night I went (YMMV). I only notice these things because it's my hobby. He was mostly spinning straight top-40 hip-hop, which is fine but he made no great transitions and no attempt at all at scratching! There were a few train-wrecks and key clashes too! To think I missed Infected Mushrooms that night :(

    (3)

  • Lily S.

    Very pretty interior w/ its brick walls, candlelit tables, and pretty pretty bar. Their drinks aren't too bad either. I showed up really late there, so I didn't have to deal w/ the usual weird university crowd. The bar staff was v. nice to me and the company I was with wasn't too bad either. I'd go again. But only if it's not crowded and not a scene.

    (4)

  • Melissa L.

    Love the happy hour here -- especially the deviled eggs and the Vietnamese chicken sandwich. A great spot for me to stop by after work and chill out for a bit. The drink specials are also usually pretty tasty.

    (4)

  • Jammypac B.

    Never ate here, so I can't vouch for the food. However the bartenders (at least the ones downstairs) are fan-fucking fantastic. Impossible to stump with arcane booze questions, and they'll gladly suggest concoctions that are on the mark - even letting you sample sips of strange hooch they offer.

    (5)

  • Randi M.

    There is something "magical" about this place. Something not as obvious a the drinks (which are very good, by the way) or the food (if you are an appetizer person, as I am, you will find a few gems here - notably the best grilled cheese in Seattle). I spoke to the bartender, who told me that there is a corner in the back on the first floor where people just fall in love. Really. Fall. In. Love. Magic. I could do without the "scene" here, but bring someone special and sit in the corner in the back. I'll vouch for it!

    (4)

  • Megan R.

    Good place to go with a group of ladies for a night out! The house wines are pretty good and decently priced. The atmosphere is nice, dark but still light enough where you can see the person sitting next to you. You also can semi dress up and not get weird "why are you wearing a dress in Ballard" look. It also seems like a nice place to be able to carry on a convo if you are here for just a date as well. The upstairs is also fun if you have a larger group - lots of comfy places to sit. All in all a good place to start or end your evening in Ballard.

    (3)

  • Sarah K.

    Been there twice now. I would give 3-4 stars for the first time and about 1-2 for the second. First time, I went with a pal on a Friday night and we sat upstairs before a huge bachelorette party had a reservation for the upper lounge (great idea for any party, as the upstairs is relaxed with a dance floor, pool, and huge windows near a well-stocked bar). ANYWAY back to the drinks! She had the BalMar Drop, which was just as delightful to sip as to look at, and I had the Morricone (Ghost chili infused Aha Toro Tequila and cucumber) Absolutely to die for. Not for those who suffer from IBS or are sensitive at all to anything spicy. I am dead serious, it's one hot tamale! I love spicy food, and could eat habaneros on a sandwich, and be overjoyed, so it was a real treat to actually find something truly spicy! We had a really nice waiter who was very attentive and knowledgeable. Second time, Sunday night, my boyfriend and I were one of three parties in the whole place. We sat at the bar with one bartender, not doing much of anything, just yapping on and on to his tattooed pal at the other end bartop. He eventually sauntered over and gave us menus, and in my opinion, waiting a little too long to take our drink orders, not very talkative or full of suggestions. But then, he had a friend in the house who was obviously his top priority. I am trying not to be to harsh, but when you really only have five customers at a ime, and you work for tips, maybe try to be a little more social and friendly. He is lucky that I work in the industry, and I am mostly incapable of tipping below 18%. Very on the fence about you, BalMar.

    (3)

  • Will L.

    I conduct seances here regularly. Well, irregularly, since I've only been here about three times, and one of those times I didn't. But the other two times, I used candles off the little tables on the second floor to call upon some spirits of the dead. A brief cold draft, a musty scent... or maybe that was my breath. Bal Mar is one of those spots where the bartenders will give you free soda or juice if you're a designated driver. Me likes. It's important to reward responsibility, even if it makes you have to pee a thousand times and keeps you up all night. Note to self: drink Sprite, not Coke. The interior is a woody, dark, earthy, airy place. I mean of Bal Mar, not my cranium. Well, there, too. Pool tables upstairs give a good fun energy to what otherwise may be mistaken for a very formal, posh drinking room. The bartender downstairs makes one of those chocolate martini things that dates go ga-ga over. And he'll bring you a string of olives if you ask. I asked. Yum. Olives.

    (4)

  • Jane A.

    We were visiting from San Francisco, and popped into this bar completely randomly, not knowing quite what we were getting into... The decor was nice, and the service was excellent -- we sat at the bar, and the bartender was always making sure we were doing okay on drinks, and answering questions we had about the liquor. The DJ spinning that night was quite good. The cocktails were delicious and well-prepared. We were all impressed with the attention to detail and the variety of interesting drinks. My favorite of the evening was the Capri, which had just the right combination of sweet and bitter grapefruit flavor. The biggest drawback to *my* enjoyment of this bar was the clientele. If this were San Francisco, I would describe it as a "Marina crowd", but I'm not sure what the equivalent is in Seattle. There were a lot of tube-topped girls running around, and a lot of greasy-haired boys chasing after them.

    (3)

  • Rosie R.

    I'm not much of a Ballard fan, having lived there once and now seeing the gentrification and yuppification hit this place hard over the years. That being said, it does have a few great spots. BalMar is one of the decent spots to tip a glass in this 'hood. I had my birthday party here three years ago and my guests and I had the perfect party spot in the upper-level lounge in the back corner. Plenty of places to sit and hang together, regular waitress service, etc. I had also been here several times, and recently checked it out on a Friday night which produced this review.... HIGHLIGHTS: Music: Enjoyably NOT what I expected. For the first half of the time I was there, this DJ played R&B and Hip Hop CUTS, some of them from the '90s. Some of it was the kind of hip hop that frat boys like to listen to to make them feel harder than they are. Nonetheless, still great music. But after that, he played some house-ish stuff I didn't fully enjoy and to top it all off started playing some weird Burning-man style porno cartoon above him. Weird. Ambiance: Nice place, great brick walls, lots of lounge-y seating upstairs. Menu: Lots of great choice, and the late night menu has some great deals. Food: Fries are great, though they no longer serve them with banana ketchup (a joy to see on a menu at a place like this, coming from a Filipino girl at least!), but the garlic aioli was still good and rich. I also enjoyed the flavors of the Vietnamese sandwich (jalapeño mayo!), but see the lowlights below for what can be improved. LOWLIGHTS: Yuppie douchebag central: Lots of ironic t-shirts, awkward guys mock-gangsta dancing to the music, too many screen print t-shirts worn with blazers and skinny jeans, and a few too many fedoras with facial scruff. Cut my gums: the Viet grilled chicken sandwich was delicious, but it was on the absolutely wrong type of bread. Instead of a crusty/soft mini-baguette, it was on some other super hard crunchy bread which made it hard to take bites out of the sandwich without squeezing the contents from the sides. If they can change this up to the right kind of bread, they could earn an entire star more. Service: It was soooo difficult to flag down a server to even order. And you cannot order food from the upstairs bar, so we were dependent on the barely-present wait staff. If service were better and the bread was right, it really could have tipped the scales for me and attract me back as a repeat customer. Unfortunately, it did not so I guess I'd come back only if I were meeting someone there.

    (3)

  • Eli G.

    This place is good, but the bartender I met on Saturday night simply put the experience over the top. While both the bartenders upstairs were great, it was Joey who caught my attention by making a familiar drink that very few bartenders actually know how to make: the sazerac. One, it's an old staple that has been lost with time. Two, it's kind of a pain to make, and he didn't hesitate at all when I asked for two of them. Lastly, he made them WELL. Great bar with some great bartenders. This was supposed to be the first stop on a birthday barhopping trip down Ballard Ave with about 30 people. With the help of Joey's great cocktails, I was able to easily convince my friends that we'd be hard pressed to find a better time at any other bar in Ballard. I'll be back again and again....

    (5)

  • Alisa B.

    I know that in the 20-some years I've been patroning restaurants I've probably had worse service but goodness knows I can't remember it. The sign said "Seat Yourself" so we did so. Foud a little place in the corner at a bar table with excessively slippery seats. We talked for a bit and watched the ONE server there (on a friday freaking night) flit from table to table geting orders and asking after inquiries. We finally grew silent waiting for her to even acknowledge our presence (this is after people who arrived after us WERE ALREADY SERVED THEIR FOOD!). Finally a busser (the only one) came over and gave us some water. It was a whole 15 minutes before our server came to our table, giving us our food menu and drink menu which the moment after she handed it to us she asked us what we wanted to drink. "uh, we haven't even looked at the menu yet..." she replied with a gruff OK and wandered off again. She eventually wandered back and took our order. Once again we waited another 15 minutes for our food. The food was OK at best. The mac was good and the Ahi was pretty tiny. Our drinks were on both sides of the fence. Mine being outrageously strong and full of bourbon... yes there is such a thing as too strong. His being refreshing and quite lovely. The decor was pretty cool, it was industrial with a stairwell leading to a semi private quarter. It seemed like it had a ton of promise but dear lord get another server because this was simply PATHETIC!!! *NOTE* I just recieved an email from the owner apologizing very politely and told me that the situation had been addressed with the server and that they were indeed short staffed that night. I will go back and try again, if they have improved I promise to update the review.

    (2)

  • Brandon C.

    I spoke with the server another night not too far from the first experience. We talked about a lot of things but i really feel like she felt horrible for being like she was. I have a renewed faith for Balmar. This goes to show you all out there that it could have just been a slight misunderstanding and after talking it out, you find the true answers to what happened. See previous review below

    (3)

  • Morgan L.

    hooolllyyy sh*T. cool staff, lame customers. 10mins after my boyfriend and I arrived, a huge fight broke out and they made everyone leave. I doubt we will be back.

    (2)

  • Heather F.

    My review of this place will be extremely bias based on the fact that my enjoyment of this bar is in large part due to the entire staff. As I read over the reviews, I've noticed that the biggest complaint is the the "Belltown" feel on the weekends. My totally grown-up response to that is, well, duh! The BalMar offers a creative menu, both food and cocktail. It is a beautiful space and a good place to go (albeit mid-week) if you want to kick back with some friends and have a few great cocktails and conversation.

    (4)

  • Helena P.

    I received an email from the owner apologizing for our lackluster experience - she promised to look into it and invite us back for dinner. Now that's customer service! I will take her up on the offer and hopefully be able to give an even higher rating. I gave an extra star though without tasting our next meal because I respect a business who cares about their product and reputation enough to graciously invite an unhappy customer back. Classy move Balmar! I dig it!

    (3)

  • Greta D.

    I have really mixed feelings about this place: - I hate packed bars on Friday and Saturday nights, so avoid this place. Avoid going out those nights in general in Ballard unless you can deal with it being packed to the hilt. So, that's not their fault. What I did appreciate about being there a Friday night recently was that on the 2nd floor there is a back room that is reserved for private parties. Now that was actually pretty fun. Our cocktail server did a decent job getting our drinks to us and she had to weave through a packed dance floor to get to us. What I think is EXTREMELY LAME of Balmar is that the door guy confiscated my gift bag for the birthday boy because it contained a bottle of wine. I didn't smuggle it in - it's not a big deal to bring gift bags to other bars. I don't fault BalMar for this policy, and the door guy was professional and said he'd get it back to me or the bday guy at the end of the night. What is EXTREMELY crummy of them is that we went back downstairs when leaving, asked for the gift bag, someone disappeared for awhile looking for it upstairs, they wouldn't let me go back upstairs to try to track that person down. There was at least one other gift bag also confiscated. I phoned the next day, asked that they be left somewhere to pick up, got a message back from the manager and said sure, but it wasn't where she said it would be on Saturday night and also when we tried again on Sunday. One of the gift bags had a sentimental item in it besides a nice bottle of wine. If you are going to confiscate gift bags, BalMar, get them back to the recipient. It really cheapens what was a good impression I had of your bar, and we'll definitely not consider using that space in the future since you can't seem to keep track of items for the birthday party members. Lame, BalMar. I would have given you 4 stars and recommend that people splurge on reserving the backroom otherwise.

    (2)

  • Jason C.

    I'm very behind on the Ballard night scene so good things to say about this popular spot is nothing new. Its lounge vibe is a great blend of chill and cool. There's plenty of tall seats at the bars, there's several tables laid out for diners, drinkers, and socializers. The drinks were affordable and the bartenders quick. Great place for a birthday gathering. The one thing I found interesting was on a Saturday night it was pretty much cleared out my 1pm. Maybe it was a slower Saturday night, but I was certain that a place like this would be crowded up until it closed. Also, 80's and early 90's music all night long. I wasn't the biggest fan but back to back Billy Jean/Thriller made up for it. If there was room to actually do the Thiller dance, I'd give it another whole star. But there wasn't.

    (4)

  • Rebecca L.

    who needs food when you can drink? you don't go to balmar for the food, you go to balmar for the drink, the service and their delicious tequilia fry sauce. (which i dubbed heavenly goodness). The staff here is amazing and they know how to make a good cocktail. In fact, they have been known to experiement with different mixtures and have you taste them and come up with a name. pretty damn cool if you ask me. they are also the one who lets you try different brands (i got to try dry fly vodka and LOVED it! ). The bartenders are the ones who tell you great stories and are part of the dining experience. So if you're looking for a great meal, go somewhere else. But if you're looking for a great place to lounge, then come here and no where else. With their happy hour prices being quite reasonable (i think it's like 3.50 for draft and 4.50 for lamb sliders. yum) it really is the only place i would go in ballard.

    (4)

  • Sarah B.

    I usually pop into BalMar for drinks with a friend either for a chill drink and conversation or as a stop along the night's journey. It is quite enough that you can talk but has enough going one with it being on Ballard Ave that you can get a bit of people watching in too. The food is higher end bar food and the drink menu is extensive. My recent favorite is the Pablo Pierre which has three of my favorite liquors: tequila, St. Germain and sparkling wine. Throw in some peach bitters and lime juice and you have a fantastic, and slightly dangerous, drink. There is an upstairs as well and I have never had a problem getting a table at any hour of the evening.

    (3)

  • Me H.

    I ended up in Ballard on a Saturday evening a while back, and we went searching for a happy hour that might still be going on it was almost 6:00 pm after all. As we walked past Bal Mar we saw the sign Happy Hour Daily from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. We went in. Both food and drink specials, we thought we scored. Their "Premium Well Spirits" were $4.00, I asked what their well vodka was, it was Smirnoff, now I'm a tiny bit of a vodka snob and to me Smirnoff is yuck so I went for a glass of red wine, it was OK for $5.00, a little weak for me I like BIG BOLD TASTY reds. The food was OK, I did like the fries but nothing else really impressed me but what did impress me was the fact they were constantly filling our water glasses, I don't think mine went empty once. The service on the other hand was not as impressive as our water person she was a bit snooty with us. I was like whatever and finished my wine, switched to a beer and than we all headed home for the evening. If you're looking for a Saturday happy hour with food and drink specials in Ballard Bal Mar will work and it wasn't crowded so it could handle a group of six to eight people nicely.

    (3)

  • Stephanie C.

    Cool environment, friendly bartender and servers. Nice atomosphere. We were in-and-out pretty quick... so this place is a-ok with me and I'll probably stop in if I were in the area.

    (3)

  • Kate S.

    Yuck this place grosses me out, but I keep going back. To explain my "yuck", it's a total meat market. The girls are all dressed... the way they dress in Seattle to go out (jeans and occasionally high heels), and the guys are aggressive and trashy. In my experience, some men here are pushy, aren't polite in line for drinks at the bar, and have a general lack of class. Now, I keep going back because it's the only place in Ballard to dance. It's the only place that isn't so hip, you're self conscious of your every move. Go to the Balmar (short for Ballard & Market, where it intersects, ...genius...), if you need to get your dancing bug out and let loose on the weekend. Keep in mind though that there are plenty of other great places in Ballard that are more deserving of your time and money!

    (2)

  • Michael B.

    The Good: My fries with truffle aioli was screemin'....good. The Bad: Service. I stared at my frosty Stella sitting on the counter for 5 minutes before it was delivered to me. I felt like walking over there to pick it up, chugging it, then walking out. (I was kinda thirsty). The funny thing is....I'll probably be back. I have a coupon.

    (3)

  • Javier H.

    Bal Mar is a great place, I was here for a friend Bday party and we have a great time, we party at second floor and it was full of cool people, great loacation in Ballard, service was great, music was good for dancing at the same time give you energy to chat with people, will come back

    (5)

  • Eugene C.

    Interior wise, this is one of the coolest, most stylish bars I have been to in Seattle. It has an upstairs and downstairs, with separate bars on both. A couple of pool tables on the upper level. Mostly yuppyish crowd. Drinks are decent. Apparently, the food is good, but have not tried that yet.

    (4)

  • JC D.

    This was our first stop on my birthday barhop. The outdoor seating was very inviting on one of Seattle's hottest days of the year. We didn't get why the heat lamps were on on such a hot day. The atmosphere was okay. A lot of thirty-something-late-40's guys acting like frat boys preying on the 20-something ladies. And just to keep it even, there was also a lot of "Cougars" looking for their fair share. The bartenders were meh okay, the waitresses were cute and kept my stiff drink full. The prices are about right for a wanna-be swanky joint.

    (3)

  • Jim L.

    My wife and I went out last Friday night without a plan and without reservations. We decided to head to Ballard to marvel in the massive changes to the area in the past 10 years and hopefully have dinner and a few drinks. We scored an amazing parking space without criss-crossing the area 14 times, which was a rare treat and quite an adrenaline rush, I gotta say. After that we stopped in Ocho, in the hopes of having a drink with or without some tapas to kick off the evening. The place was overcrowded and the bartenders and hostess seemed unconcerned by our presence or needs. We left without consuming any food or drink, but my wife did use the bathroom...take that Ocho. We thought maybe we would just get some reliably decent food at Matador and have some drinks there. No dice. Forty five minute wait...WTF? At Matador? Carta de Oaxaca didn't look promising either. The line was still out the door. So we went to Bal Mar. It wasn't overly crowded, but it wasn't alarmingly empty, either. That was perfect by us. We got seated and ordered some drinks. We also ordered some dinner. I got the house steak frites (I am not sure they called it that) and my wife got a beet salad and a cheese plate. As it turned out, my steak frites came with a small salad of its own. It was a nice little salad, unremarkable maybe, but tasty. My wife's beet and goat cheese salad was very good. My steak was well above average, especially at $12. It wasn't really big, but it was five or six nice slices of perfectly cooked hangar steak and it came with a mountain of delicious, crispy fries and some sort of insanely rich white truffle aioli. The aioli was overwhelmingly "truffle-y". It was a nice complement to the meat and fries, but a little went a LONG way. In summary, we liked the place. Overall, my dinner was an amazing value. The food was well beyond competent and very satisfying, at a price that can't be beat. The drinks were poured well, if a little pricey. And the waitress was cute and friendly. Can't ask for a lot more than that with no planning and no reservations.

    (3)

  • kat s.

    Dear Cocktail, I am over the legal drinking age, and therefore do not need abundant amounts of sugar to disguise the taste of alcohol in my drink.

    (3)

  • Chris Y.

    I am lucky enough to have 2 employees as customers and have always wanted to visit this place as I enjoy the comfort of anonymity in a Seattle Bar. But the bartenders here are great! Ian was not only perfect for making a night go away the old fashioned bottle way, but great selections for picky drinkers such as the company I brought with me. Then on our second visit Joey B picked up and served great drinks and was polite, funny, and even seemed to be attempting to give me an ear although I had to keep it down at this point. Great Dinner Specials!! love the menu too but the bartenders give you way more than you would expect from a smaller business!

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    My friend and I were bar hopping last night. He wanted me to try this place because he liked the atmosphere so much. When we arrived at 1:00 AM, it felt more like a club that was trying to be upscale, but was ruined with super-loud music and annoying patrons. My friend was disappointed, and he said it wasn't like this at all during the week. Our waiter was nice and prompt. He suggested a delicious champagne concotion for me. I can't remember what the price was, but I remember it being on the expensive side. (Around $10.) Maybe it was that I was in a deep conversation with my friend, but it felt like our waiter was a little too frequent in visiting us, although this is a rare problem to have at a packed bar. Again, the music was so loud, I had to shout over it. The place was crawling with scantily-clad women and drunk men acting like frat boys. I generally don't have a problem with it if they keep to themselves, but they were roaming around the entire bar, yelling to each other, falling over, and being all-around annoying. The worst part was how the employees closed up shop. Last call was at 1:30 AM. Okay, that's understandable. They turned the lights on at 1:35 AM. Then they turned the music off at 1:40 AM. Finally at 1:45 AM, the waitress came up and said something to the effect of, "We're closed now, you guys need to leave." She had a smile on her face, but the way she said it was snotty. Excuse me, what time are you open until? 2:00 AM? She was making it sound like we were being an inconvenience by sitting there and having a conversation when they were supposed to stay open for another fifteen minutes. I don't think I'll be going back here, at least on a Saturday night.

    (2)

  • Kyle L.

    Happy Mondays are awesome, happy hour food until the kitchen closes! The bar tenders are very knowledgeable and the food was awesome. This is a great place to take a date. Plus they have pool upstairs!

    (4)

  • G R.

    Its a nice place for really stuck up people. I like the place, the staff is really friendly considering the people they put up with every night. I don't mind going here and having a bunch of anti-social yupies stare at me and talk amongst themselves. I find it amusing that they feel the need to pretend to be something there not. Better than anyone else. You look like your having so much fun...doesn't the stick hurt,? I should organize a hostel takeover.

    (2)

  • Amanda K.

    I went here with my fiance for happy hour. Our waiter was not at al attentive. At first we ordered drinks and happy hour fare..... Then we sat around forever waiting for the waiter to come so that we could order more food. He would come outside and flat out ignore us, or not come out at all. Finally we decided to go inside in hopes of getting service. Still no service and when he did come over, my fiance went off on him about how our service was really lacking. All in all they were nice about it and gave us 10% off our meal, but it was a bit dissapointing.

    (2)

  • Jenna E.

    Balmar- a CLASS act! Not only did they rescue/save me from a ton of headaches by keeping my purse safe once unattended on the dance floor last weekend, they returned it to me, taped shut with my name on it and everything intact inside! If this happened in Belltown, the outcome would not have been as favorable and my purse definitely would have been stolen and rumaged through at the least! The management there is top notch and a class act! Jennifer

    (5)

  • Kelsey F.

    Nice atmosphere, though I got the feeling this place isn't quite sure what it is. They had a large, flat-screened TV playing football but the overall ambiance of a nicer bar. There was an upstairs area that was reserved for a larger party (or two? I couldn't tell), and I caught glimpses of someone holding what appeared to be a pool cue, so perhaps there's a pool table upstairs. Nice outdoor seating area for the nicer weather days, and as we were walking in the door, we noticed a bowl filled with doggie treats. Props to Bal Mar for that. The drinks are fabulous. The list of specialty cocktails is long and the drinks we had were totally worth it. Mine came with not one, not two, but three brandied cherries in it. The little kid in me rejoiced. The food wasn't bad - the mahi mahi was really good, the lamb sliders were tasty with the feta adding just the right amount of saltiness. But the drinks were the reason to come. It wasn't overly loud and the servers were attentive with the water (it was a really warm day) without being intrusive, which I don't like when I'm on a date. Or in general, but especially when I'm on a date. They also have free wifi. Definitely worth checking out next time you're in the Ballard area.

    (4)

  • joe b.

    I have yet to find a single thing about this place I don't like! They have a really nice staff, the drinks are cold and stiff, and cheap if you can hit the happy hour (highly recommended). And the food (yes, food!) is really good, and again affordable! And what can I say, I'm a sucker for candle lit brick lofts. If I'm drinking, and in Ballard, then I want to be here! And it's right in Ballard bar central, and is a nice middle ground to the fussy Matodor across the street, and the tough guy dives a few doors down. Great bar, great location. I want to go right now.

    (5)

  • Lis M.

    My boyfriend and I stopped by on a whim, because the two other places we had tried earlier in the evening were full to the brim and the wait on a Friday night was particularly long. So we ended up at BelMar which had no wait that particular Friday night. We were swiftly seated and our beverages arrived quickly enough, as did our food. No long waits there either. We passed the time surveying the human drama as a guy tried to pick up the duo of girls at the table next to ours. (He had to be twice their age, and impervious to kind refusals because he kept talking and talking and talking. There did seem to be a lot of frat-boy types and guys who ought to be old enough to know better, but hey, it gave us something to gawk at while we waited for our food.) Some of the drinks on the menu looked mighty tasty and I would have tried them if I hadn't had to drive home later that evening. As it was, I stuck to my water. The drinks service was adequate and generally timely, although not as prompt as other places. Food: Solid, decent food. Not amazing but I could still develop a fondness for certain items. I tried the risotto cakes (good but I'd prefer an actual risotto dish) and the lamb sliders (tasty) and the sweet potato chips in dipping sauce (piquant and delish). My boyfriend says his steak was good but on the small side. "Steak if it was a garnish," he says. Ambience: Loudish. If you like a bustling (but not too crowded) chic vibe, this might be your sort of thing. I liked the music just fine, but it would be on the loud side if you weren't sitting right next to the person you were talking to. The tall chairs were a tad uncomfy, but otherwise the decor was nice. Would I go back? If I was in the area, certainly, but it's out of my way, and a little far from my new 'hood. The boyfriend notes that it wouldn't make his favourites list, but he enjoyed it enough that he too would return if he was in the area. Worth going to if you live nearby, but don't make any special trips.

    (4)

  • sofia f.

    Started off there for a bachelorette party and the service was ok, food was excellent and the mojitos were bomb. I would go for happy hour for better prices and get the pork sliders.

    (3)

  • Michelle B.

    Exposed brick walls, candles flickering in recessed nooks, high ceilings, and wood floors make the BalMar's ambiance second to none. It's sleek and hip while still being warm and inviting. Plenty of seating, attentive bar tenders, and good music is what we walked into. Then the evening changed. Around 11:30 they started playing top 40 dance tunes and the crowd took a turn for the worse. The folks chatting it up and enjoying their drinks left and in came the frat boys and the girls who try too hard. If you get there on a weeknight or before 11:30 on the weekends you'll have a five star experience. Any other time you'll be lucky to find a measly three stars to dole out.

    (4)

  • Lei W.

    This is a nice bar with diverse clientele. The service was okay, it was a pretty busy night and they seemed somewhat short staffed though. Because it was so crowded, I didn't stay long, but I had a great cocktail called a "Bocce Ball" that was pretty much a strong amaretto sour. It was really good though! The food was so-so. I loved the seared Ahi, but the risotto cakes were a little bland. I didn't like the lingonberry/balsamic sauce because it's just my preference to have a savory risotto. I probably wouldn't go back because I prefer a more pub like atmosphere. This place felt more like a singles bar to me.

    (3)

  • Geoff N.

    If you don't feel scared enough about reaching middle-age, make a visit to the Bal Mar and you will be...you.will.be... The bar, which is done up to look like some indie low-key brew pub / pool lounge, is primarily inhabited by people who reached forty and promptly fell out of the dignity tree, hitting most of the branches on the way down. Example 1: The graying man in his mid 50s hitting on the 20-something blonde. He looks snazzy in his red polo shirt and khakis. He leans nonchalantly on the wall, his mediocre beer belly slumping over his belt, which keeps his cell phone holstered like a six-shooter at his side. (FYI: Cell phone holsters are the business casual equivalent of a fanny pack.) Example 2: The pack of high five-ing white guys gathered around the pool table. It was ridiculous 15 years ago when Almost Live did a sketch about it. Ridiculosity only increases with age. Example 3: The drunken agro-alpha male past his prime still trying to be the supreme jock sports star... at the pool table... Every time he misses a shot, he shouts and slams the cue against the side of the table in frustration as if he is projecting his anger over other performance issues into the game. Example 4: The man wearing the "What really happened at 9/11?" t-shirt and... no joke... sky blue pajama pants with bears on them! Do I look like I'm kidding!? He had BEAR LEGS!!! GET IT!? The government must've stolen the rest of his pants or something. My friends and I sat with our weak drinks growing ever more depressed at the prospect that one day we might find the various choices we were witnessing to be reasonable. If you feel like hanging out with Business-Letch, Captain Agro, Agent Pajama Man the Conspiracy Theorist and the League of High-Fiving White Guys. The Bal Mar is the place for you. Otherwise, don't bother.

    (2)

  • Paul R.

    This is definitely a new Ballard place, by that i mean, the women all have their teeth and people actually dress up to go there. It's a nice place for a date, strong drinks. I'd suggest going there on an off-night as opposed to the weekends. I've not eaten there yet and really don't intend to, it seems more of a bar than a restaurant.

    (3)

  • Adam K.

    This is a comfortable and spacious bar in comparison to many others on Ballard Ave so it's convenient when you're trying to squeeze a bunch of friends in one place. Bal Mar is a dimly-lit cocktail bar with clean lines and a modern aesthetic (but who knows cos it was dimly lit). The bar offers a unique array of cocktails and has a kitchen providing food late. All the drinks I tried passed the bar. Unfortunately, their prices we're unexpectedly high, atleast $8 per drink. When you get a double, no joke, they charge you double for the double. I'm not an avid drinker but I've never seen that before.

    (2)

  • Stephanie C.

    Minus the horrible company I was with - this place totally rocked. I saw a midget, a fight and a women dressed up with a feather boa, tiara and a wand? Where was I? Ballard?! Waiting outside in the rain for a friend to meet me - two papier-mached ducks overlaid on bicycles road past me down ballard ave. with music blaring from their beaks. Again, where am I? Ballard? LOL Can't wait for next weekend - hope to find even more randomness. Drinks were strong, reasonable and the dark romantic atmosphere was just what the doctor ordered.

    (4)

  • Christina L.

    maybe it was just saturday night but i'm thinking that there should be at least some form of dress code that says flip flops are not ok. that really took down the look of the place. it was happy hour so we ordered some appetizers. the price was ok but the food was not. we ordered the salmon croquettes and fried artichoke balls. both tasted the same and only had one flavor. salt. couldn't taste the salmon or the artichoke, just salt. the fries were ok but nothing to write home about. here is the part where bal mar gets a lower rating. our watiress was AWFUL. i think her name was rachel or rebecca or something. you would think she'd introduce herself clearly since we were in a vip booth and she would be helping us all night right? she was very unsmiley. that's already pretty uncool. i can understand having a bad day, we've all had them, but i've worked in food service before and you have to smile over whatever is going on inside. the thing that really got me about her though, is aside from her inattentiveness to our group (maybe because we were visually different than the rest of the demographic?) was how often she spilled our drinks. she spilled two martinis on a friend wearing leather boots. she apologized but didn't try to make up for it in any way. each time she brought drinks out, she would let the liquid slosh out on the table or on whoever sat closest to her. one time she almost dropped her tray and the liquid ON the tray spilled out all over the table. the last two hours of the night she came back once and we had to resort to walking to the bar. to top it off, when they turned the lights on at the end of the night, our server was still off somewhere else. my friend ended up trying to get up to the bar to ask about closing her tab. he said that if she had a server, she had to pay with the server, which meant she had to go chase her down to pay. she used a credit card to pay and wrote in the tip. three days later, today, my friend checks her credit card statement online and notices that the bal mar charged her $13 extra. which means, the waitress wrote in a new amount as her tip. if that's not uncool, i don't know what is. i have no intention of ever returning.

    (1)

  • Loe B.

    Welcome to the cougar den. Where woman hunt 20-something year old men like prey. You also run into the likes of say...your father, or that obnoxious frat boy you saw at Pesos. Im not giving it one star because this is one of Ballards only more "upscale" lounge and if I were say in my mid to late30s or 40s I would probably have fun here reliving my youth. Oh and the DJ actually took our song request!

    (2)

  • Becky W.

    Forgettable. That's all. Not bad, not great, simply forgettable. Once again, Ocho was too packed to get any attention, so we went down the street for small plates. I had the roasted beet and watercress salad and some calamari. Both were fine - good flavor, but I can name other places that make my mouth water more just thinking about it. They seem to have a good specialty drinks menu, but they didn't have exactly what I was looking for, so the waitress recommended this one, the Guilty Conscience. I asked if it was sweet, she said no. It was. It was tasty, but not along the lines of what I wanted. And too sweet. Then the waitress got flaky and cleared our table at odd intervals, walked by without checking on us repeatedly and just didn't seem to have her stuff together. The art on the walls is amateur, unoriginal and unexciting. The furniture and lighting are nice, but also forgettable. If Ballard didn't have so many other great places to eat and drink I'm sure this would get 3-4, but I'll take my stars elsewhere. Maybe someday it will be Ocho.....

    (2)

  • Carrie H.

    4 stars. I'm swallowing the fact that it's for the yuppy crowd (which I am not), which I would immediately retreat and give it 2 stars. I went here for a birthday party near when this place first opened, and sat upstairs. We nearly had the whole top floor to ourselves (including our own bartender/server). They were friendly enough, and their specialty drinks are great. I had food there, too, and remembering that it was pretty damn dee-lish. In the back of the upstairs is a lounge area that was great to hang out in. They also have a pool table, albeit not the normal sized, which I find annoying. It was like a pool table for the kids. On this night, it was nice and quiet, and thus, 4 stars. I don't want to think about if I were to go out again.

    (4)

  • Brian G.

    Best Mac and cheese in town! If you get there at a later hour, sit upstairs... it's more of a bar like setting. Eventually turns into a dance floor with a DJ, we went there for a friend's birthday outing. if you don't like the music or dancing.... at least it's good people watching.

    (4)

  • James R.

    Oh please. East coasters know that neighborhoods within cities have character. There's the 'working class' neighborhood, the 'artist' neighborhood, the 'high-end' neighborhood. Every city has them, and every city has a handful of places that, either successfully or unsuccessfully, do a good job evolving the character of a 'hood by pushing its limits. Ballard is a young, working-class neighborhood, that caters to indie-minded socialites. Bal Mar is a high-end, cheesy bar that caters to people that don't know better. Its expensive interior contrasts its low-brow staff and stingy bartenders, making me think it's the product of some entrepreneurs looking for an untapped market north of downtown. They found it. The Bal Mar is Ballard's only cheesy establishment. Congrats, boys. Expectations should be to 'low'. The already-ambivalent staff gets meaner and more forgetful as the place fills up. You shouldn't be shocked by random charges on your tab, waitresses who pretend they didn't take your order when you make it a 2nd time, or anything else that would make you boycott a bar. I've actually had a bartender hand me someone else's credit card when I settled my bill (lucky for me he didn't know how to void it out of the register so my night was a freebie!), and a friend of mine had the door guy chase him down the street and assault him because of a misunderstood comment in the doorway. How's that for service! The all-time best story was on their inaugural New Year's Eve party. They started the night charging something outrageous so you could sit on an ottoman and not hear what your friend just said. Then, when no one came, they lowered the price. Then, when no one came, they removed the cover. Then, when no one came, they sent people into the street telling passers-by that there was free champagne inside. Genius! If you want a dorky bar where the patrons spend more on hair gel than on CD's, go to Matador. At least their staff is attractive and professional. Bal Mar is a wanna-be place in a part of town where no one else wants to be like them. Bottom Line: Nice try, Lord Dorkos. How about you try a Brazilian steakhouse in Georgetown next time you have some money burning a hole in your pocket? I know it's not easy putting together a restaurant, but it is easy walking up and down the street and noticing that there's no place for a dude ranch bar in a cool neighborhood.

    (2)

  • rob h.

    Great selection of booze and a stunning atmosphere. Every time I end up here I have a fantastic time!

    (5)

  • Jen G.

    If BalMar's signature drink the Ryan Lee were an actual man, I would have no qualms licking sugar off of his ... er, wait. I am talking about a drink here, right? Sorry, the thought got away from me for a second. I almost said rim. You know, the sugared rim of the glass? Nevermind. I'm obsessed with pear martinis as of late, so the tangy pear brandy drink really hit the spot paired with the molten chocolate cake. I was so enamored with the drink, I almost didn't mind that it cost $8. And we'd just come from funky King's Hardware down the street, so BalMar's exposed brick and candlelit ambiance was a welcome change from the antlers and naugahyde. BalMar is the perfect place for a romantic nightcap, however, our little group of three managed to circumvent that notion, as our topics of discussion ranged from farting and pooping to knitting. Perhaps it was when my friend used the word "whore" rather loudly we realized our conversation was better suited for King's Hardware. What can I say? I blame that damn Ryan Lee for making us talk dirty in such a classy place.

    (4)

  • Felecia C.

    I went here on a Saturday night....and I had fun. That's right. I suppose there were "frat boys" here, and in fact I did see some maybe-sorostitute girls in dresses dancing on the seats in the back. Ah, youth. Really, if you want a dive bar, go to a dive bar. Bal Mar is not for you. But you can still wear plaid here. It is Seattle, after all. I have to give our waitress credit for dealing with a group of 10+ people and not screwing up our individual tabs. It was refreshing. I would like to go back but eh it's so far.

    (4)

  • Andrew B.

    In a lot of ways its Belltown in Ballard, I can't say it enough: most bars suck on Friday and Saturday, but the Bal Mar is Belltown (pretty amateur drinkers poised to make mistakes and endanger the vomit or pregnancy free lifestyle I enjoy) Otherwise My review is mixed; at first I loved this place. The bar is beautiful and classy with great liquor selections a first rate cocktail list and one of the only places in the city with well trained bartenders. It's a departure for old Ballard's proletariat and from new Ballard's strollers. I would go in on the off days, have great drinks and good (quality and price) happy hour food. I started suggesting the place to people and talking in it up, then it went wrong. I took three groups of friend there, all with really crappy outcomes. Basically boils down to inept lazy waitstaff, awful fellow customers and the bartenders that were great to me (likely because I'm in the industry) shitting on my friends and embarrassing me. I think the staff knows that the patrons here are the worst people in Ballard and jump to the same elitist conclusion that the patrons do about those dressed neither in striped shirts nor in mini skirts. Thusly, justice is served. Go in on a Monday, sit at the bar you'll have a good time and a great drink. Go in a Friday night; watch someone puke in a urinal (a frequent occurrence).

    (3)

  • Jon D.

    It's cool here. Good white russians. It has a classy, dark, and chill lounge vibe. Comfy couches all around, a bar upstairs and downstairs, different music on the two floors and dancing upstairs.

    (4)

  • James F.

    Good happy hour selections, but not all that much food. I really enjoy the Bal Mar, Good beers, food and service along with a cool atmosphere and surroundings. but I am unimpressed with the happy hour, $5 food items that are not so large, good for one person maybe.

    (3)

  • Becky R.

    I enjoyed the staff and the atmosphere. I recall a DJ and some tunes that didn't overrun my enjoyment of talking. The tricky part of this review is - I was there for the owner's birthday party, so all the stuff I enjoyed (drinks/food) was complimentary in celebration. It was a fun place, and the pool tables made my evening even more fun with friends and meeting interesting people. People - youngish and some not so young, jeans and some trendy attire as well, not a lot of dresses, but a few skirt wearing females. A good casual place to hang with friends. (I was there on a Saturday night) Drinks: good stuff, can't comment on price (I had white wine). Food: yummy! (certain they don't normally serve this sort, b-day party style) Atmosphere: Very nice - I would return a few more times to find out about the drinks and such!

    (4)

  • Angela M.

    Happy Hour at the Bal Mar: all three times I've been, it ranged from nearly empty to moderately busy. The service has always been prompt, attentive, and helpful with food recommendations. The signature drinks are creative, although a tad weaker than I like. The food...the food! The first time I went (shortly after they opened, I believe) everything I tried was stellar. Even the clams we were accidentally served (we pointed out that we hadn't ordered them, our server shrugged and said, "Then they're on the house!"), which I normally am not fond of were amazingly tasty. The food, round two: terribly disappointing. We ordered 5 items and every single one was bordering on "send this back, won't eat it". Too bland, too salty, too soggy, whatever. Not good. I hoped that my 2nd visit was an off-night and ventured back for a third try. The Bal Mar redeemed itself. Like the first time I visited, everything I ordered was delicious. I'll certainly return for a 4th go 'round, we'll see what happens then....

    (4)

  • Sean M.

    Hey you Belltown hipsters! What are you doing in Ballard on a Friday night? Was the line at Venom too long? Where all the tables at Belltown Billiards full? Why are you here? Whats next? The Tractor playing Techno? A line at the Sunset? I came here last Friday prior to attending a show at the Sunset. The service was good, but the drinks were odd. I ordered a Whiskey Sour and got something with rum in it. It was too busy to send back so I just drank it.... At one point I swear I saw one of the bartenders reading a book on how to make drinks. As I bolted for the door I realized Belltown had taken over all of Ballard that night. At this point its best just to find the nearest liquor store and head home...

    (3)

  • Jim M.

    Popped in here a couple of times for cocktails. Have to say, the atmosphere has been great the times I have been there. The servers were pushing a mojito, or some other foofy drink. I am a dry Kettle One martini guy. Pretty hard to screw this up....add lots of Vodka and ice in a shaker, and pour. Somehow, the bartender got it wrong. I have missed out on Frat nite, and havent made it upstairs for the pool antics some have commented on, havent tried the food yet. Sounds like this place is a bit Hit & Miss, although i have hit it each time I have been there. Its been a great quite place to grab a quick drink or two.

    (3)

  • Brian S.

    The BalMar, located at the intersection of Ballard Ave & Market St (fancy that!) in the heart of Ballard, is a swank joint. Brick, steel and hardwoods, mixed in just the right proportions in this classy 1920's buildling, provide a comfortable atmosphere to relax and have fun in. The food is prepared flawlessly, mostly American fare with slight Asian flare served in small portions Tapas style. My must try top picks are the Skagit River Farms Pork Skewers and Garlic Spinach with Sultanas. The bar is well stocked, so well that their cheapest scotch is Laphroaig 10 year... just try getting a scotch & coke and they will bring your scotch neat as the bartender (wisely) refuses to mix it. Don't tell them I sent you though, I had a few too many on my birthday this year ... I just hope they let me back in!

    (5)

  • bruce s.

    Totally a BellTown Wannabe. Looks like busloads of 20 & 30 somethings came over from Bellevue! Too bad, because it's a nice looking place for the most part.

    (1)

  • Mary M.

    Bal Mar is such a great happy hour you almost feel bad for taking the menu items at the price they are offering. While I agree that the food is not Stellar with a captial S I have to say in this economy money talks! The happy hour in on until 7:00, a full hour later than Matador accross the street, and they have lots of great items on the happy hour menu nincluding the risotto cakes for $2.50 that's right $2.50. I love the margaritas too, made from scratch and not so big that you can't order several without feeling like you're not able to drive the 6 blocks home. Love it! Go see a matinee at the Bay and walk over for happy hour, have a guilt free play day.

    (4)

  • bill m.

    I stopped at this place because Ocho was full. Decent appies, decent drinks but the place seemed a little pretentious. There are a set of couches in the bar area that were "Reserved" at 8 PM on Friday night. We had to move to a table. Not too much of a deal, but seemed odd. Other than that, I'd go again, I liked the space, it's well laid out, nice lounge atmosphere and good small plates.

    (3)

  • Diana H.

    Stopped in last night on a whim around 9. While other places on the Ave were crammed with people, this joint had several tables open downstairs (didn't make it upstairs). We hadn't ate yet and were pleasantly surprised at the size of the portions in relation to the prices. I had the steak salad with Gorgonzola and caramelized onions with vinaigrette. It was pretty good; although, it could have used one or two more pieces of steak. We also had the Brie cheese crostini with chicken and apples. The chicken and apples were delicious, but they were a little sparse with the Brie. I drank the blood orange martini (probably won't order it again, just not my thing). With two other drinks, our bill came to just over $30. Not bad for all we had and the service is prompt and friendly. I will definitely go back. Recommendation: on cool evenings, don't sit downstairs near the door - even with the curtain around the opening, it got a little breezy. Might be nice during summer though!

    (3)

  • John H.

    Nice upscale place with a great location, right across the street from the overcrowded Matador. Go for the atmosphere and service, and be prepared to spend a bit for some really great cocktails. The Ryan Lee was favorite, and went down fast. If you're on a budget, stick to well drinks and stay away from the food, and you'll still have a good time. As mentioned, it's a super spot for dates or small groups. But, there's also some pool tables upstairs and free pool on Sunday nights.

    (4)

  • Carly L.

    Carly likey! I love the exposed brick of the space, the warm feeling when you walk in. This was a perfect place to go to on a cool fall evening. Great happy hour, wine choices, booze selection. I got some fries for the table and the dipping sauce was delish. Our server was attentive, friendly and had no qualms with splitting the tab. I will be back.

    (4)

  • Shauna W.

    I've been here for a couple of private parties. You can rent out the top floor or just a section, depending on what time frame you're looking for. Drinks are good, even though they'll charge you for a ginger ale on top of your beverage bill. I will say that the one time I ordered food, it took over 30 min. to get to the table. This was on a Monday night, the place was practically empty. And I'm pretty sure I saw the server snacking on what should've/would've been my fries. SMH.

    (3)

  • John E.

    We really wanted to like this place, nice website, cool building, good location, etc. but we didn't. My girlfriend, sister, and I went there last Friday. As others have said, the portions are small so don't expect a big meal. That didn't bother me, but if the portions are small and relatively expensive, I expect them to be great. errr, wrong. The salmon special was o.k, and the goulash was alright (according to my girlfriend). Add this with overpriced PBR and you have yourself the makings of an expensive night on the town where you come home and eat a couple Fred Meyer frozen waffles. Also, just because they have PBR on tap, doesn't mean it isn't a little snooty, it is just a poor attempt at trying to be "for the people". I am originally from Nebraska, so feel free to inflict your geographical prejudices on my review, but I will take a night at the people's pub any day over the Balmar.

    (2)

  • Jules P.

    The staff suck, especially the douche bag bartenders! By far the slowest service ever. But a great place if you want nine dollar beers. Did I mention the bartenders are douche bags!

    (1)

  • David H.

    Pretentious. When did Ballard import all the beautiful people, and why are they looking at me like I have poo on my shoe. I have been here twice. I liked it when the upstairs was reserved for a party and I knew the host, had a bunch of friends there, and was enjoying pool and drinks. I will not go back. But maybe you will like it - check out the other reviews.

    (3)

  • Chris G.

    I haven't eaten food here, and have only been brought here for drinks with friends. I generally don't like the types of places where seating is competitive and it's too loud inside, but this place was OK. In spite of its smallish size, obtuse clientele, and location in coolsville, USA, this was actually a fun spot to hang out (on the one particular night that I was here).

    (3)

  • Elyssa H.

    My friend and I stopped in here for some food before meeting up with a birthday party group. I had their steak and fries and it was impressively good! I have been here several times for drinks but now I know that I can get a REALLY decently priced steak here also that's cooked perfectly! Go Ballard.

    (4)

  • Mel N.

    I have been to BalMar before but never during the daytime - which I will say turned out to be the more favorable time to go. The only reason I am not rating this venue as 5-star is due to the calamari we ordered during happy hour - I've had better. Other than the app choice, everything about this place during happy hour is ideal. Does not end until 7pm and is offered daily - ENOUGH SAID, RIGHT!. They also have limited outdoor seating. While parking was a bit of a pain since it is near the 5-way intersection in the heart of Ballard, my friend and I walked right in, got a table and were greeted immediately; key during this time of the evening. Our server was extremely nice and even gave us a heads up that happy hour would soon be ending. Food was satisfactory (order a split plate of the sliders - its a deal and tasty), but the drinks were 5-star. Order the June Bug - best bev you will have all June! I recommend following up with a $2 PBR. Our total bill was $32 between two of us for food and three drinks each...not too shabby.

    (4)

  • Laura K.

    I love the space. The exposed brick walls and upscale decor. The leather benches are comfy and the place is huge so it's great for large parties. The bartenders are sweet and very knowledgeable about their extensive selection of liquor. The pitfall here is to avoid all the stupid people that come here on the weekends. If you find yourself here on the weekends find a cozy corner to hide out in but during the week you should definitely sit at the bar.

    (4)

  • maddie s.

    My first bar ever! We went to the Hi Life for dinner on my 21st birthday and walked over here afterwards. There were places to sit, pool tables, bars upstairs and downstairs... I'm not sure how pricey it was because I was drunk and the bartender bought me my first drink there. I really liked it though. It was pretty crowded, but not too crowded- just lively! We were going to go over to the Matador but it was too crowded and you have to wait for a table, etc. I probably wasn't the typical customer, I'm not Ballard hipster- and the 21 drinks pin, shot glass around my neck, and tiara probably didn't help. But I did have a blast- so to me, Bal Mar is great!

    (5)

  • Jeremy C.

    Laural B. introduced me to this place last night, and I agree completely with her review. The main draw is definitely the atomosphere; it's a beautiful space and the layout works great for dates, small groups or people watching. I was also impressed that they had a spicy pepper drink on their menu - while not quite as hot as, say, habenero vodka it definitely had a kick. The waitstaff was attentive and friendly and attractive and the food was fantastic - albeit a bit pricy for the portion size.

    (4)

  • Natalie W.

    Cocktails and Wine- Oh my! To be honest we wanted to try Ocho, but it was really crowded. Bal-Mar ended up being a perfect choice for the night. The staff is pretty chill. It was kind of weird facing the kitchen because the cute cook in the sideways hat kept trying to stay out of eye view when he wasn't cooking because we looked straight at him without trying. Our bartender was not overly attentive or eager, which I liked, even though he only had a couple of people and one older bushy eyebrowed gentleman who was chewing his ear off while ordering cocktail after cocktail. The cocktail list was wonderful. I really liked many of the combinations- creative and fresh... not fruity and sugary. Too bad I had to order wine... stupid eating lean thing! My sangiovese was good though. The food was just about normal- I had expected more. We ordered the hummus plate, fries, caesar salad... which is all done... everywhere. I did like that they had grilled cheese on the menu though :). To be fair the hummus plate also had a garlic eggplant puree and grain salad, and the fries were the huge battered yummy good with drinking kind. Other options were chicken skewers, dumplings, burgers, and other forgetful items. Regarding the vibe and spacial features Michelle B. said it perfectly- "Exposed brick walls, candles flickering in recessed nooks, high ceilings, and wood floors make the BalMar's ambiance second to none. It's sleek and hip while still being warm and inviting. Plenty of seating, attentive bar tenders, and good music is what we walked into." There is also an upstairs! FYI- some of the seating available is wrap around bar, long padded couches with small ottomans as the tables, and bistro style 2 and 4 seaters. I had just finished up a observation by my superior when we went to Bal-Mar so I was dressed for my previous work situation . I made some friends even though I looked like a underage in Ann Taylor clothing in beige tones. This was a good place to go on a weeknight with a friend and relax. So far I think Bal- Mar is pretty sweet...

    (4)

  • Betsey S.

    Bal Mar is a chic, cozy, 2 story place in downtown Ballard, converted from an old department store, whose brick walls remain. The owner (and I read all this on their website), a native Ballardite, spent much of his time growing up in this building as his father ran a business in it back in the day. So that's pretty sweet that it's not run by some transplanted Californian or something. I thought it was going to be a sort of snooty place, but I was way off. There were people dressed in a wide range of attire, people drinking Patron and people drinking PBR. You know you're in Ballard when PBR is on tap even at the nice places. Once I have food from their regular menu, I may come back and throw down the big 5 stars for Bal Mar. It's got potential to be my new holy grail happy hour. It rivals Nectar's... (see my other reviews) Edited to say: BalMar was so great for the engagement party I planned for two friends - they were totally accommodating and very happy to have us there! It was wonderful. Edited 2/22/08: The staff at BalMar continues to impress me every time I go. Stephanie was our waitress Friday and she was excellent! I heart BalMar. Excellent Sidecars.

    (4)

  • Esteban D.

    Seven Dollar Beer Night. That pretty much sums it up. This place is all right if you want to look around for people who are overdressed in Ballard, and like overpaying for your drinks. This place wouldn't be half bad if it weren't for the chachi ass people who hang out here. Maybe I'll give their food a try, because I would rather have drinks at any of the 10 or so other options down the street that aren't as pretentious.

    (2)

  • Nina N.

    ambiance - good.. young hipsters... singles swarming array.....older mid 30's creepers trying to look "hip" preying on mid or early 20's lol..... dark..rustic....kind of ballardish.... drinks- weakly poured... :( so beer is my other choice........ food - tom.bas.mozz. grilled cheeze with a spicy tomato dip!!! ugh delish.......................... mahi mahi tacos.. decent..good... bill- pretty cheap considering we were there for happy hour..... I like it.. it's not really much of my scene.. but if you are looking to chat with some local singles.. then maybe it is.. I just wanted to eat after work... and eat cheap!! lol...

    (3)

  • RowerRob C.

    Pros: Trendy martini lounge. Word on the STREET is that it is owned by the guy who runs Twilight Martini Lounge. Service is good. Martinis are good. "La Carta De Oaxaca" restaurant is right next door if you ever get hungry. Cons: Ballard crowd.

    (5)

  • Laural B.

    It's on BALLARD. and MARKET. Get it? This was an old brick warehouse converted into a snazzy winebar sort of restaurant. It's got Kobe beef (the local variety) on the menu, so don't come here expecting a big hearty meal for cheap. Or at all. The ambience is killer though, and I definitely love to bring friends who never leave Cap Hill.

    (4)

  • Sheila Y.

    I love the downstairs of Bal Mar....not so much the upstairs. When I want to go to a place with super pricey drinks I demand the super exclusive looking ambiance as well dammit! Probably best Mojito I have had in a looong time, and I ordered the Brazilian Margarita. Both drinks were amazing. I like to think that the acai berry addition to mine added a little bounce to my step...enough so that I jaunted alllll the way down to La Carta...;) On other occasions I have sampled various martinis and their bartenders do an above average job of mixing up the libations. My favorite so far is the Strawberry Blonde, which is a like a light kiss on my tongue...perfect! The only place to sit here is in the back on the comfy couches. Its a great place for a date or to catch up with a friend you haven't talked to in ages. Its not so great for a big group b/c those on the outskirts of the group will never get a word across (literally). If you want that go down the way to People's Pub or any other dive joint in Ballard for that matter.

    (4)

  • Alice H.

    This place is also a nice fairly new addition to the Ballard/Market St. area. Come to think of it I really didn't know that it was called Bal Mar because of it's location until just recently! Silly me. It's a great place for evening cocktails with friends, but I went there for a birthday party on one of these warm muggy summer nights and the the group was set upstairs, and man was it a sauna up there. Also the food wasn't anything to write home about. I think they are just getting started on the food part so I will definitley give it another shot sometime again this summer I'm sure!

    (3)

  • Megan M.

    Have been there several times. I have had the best experience when I sit at the bar, upstairs. There's a cool DJ playing and the bartender service is great! Lots of fun drinks to choose from. Will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Ben J.

    It was fine. Not too crowded, but not completely empty either.

    (3)

  • John S.

    **All names in this review are fictional - not to protect anyone's identity but we just didn't know their real names so we just made shit up** Bal Mar is one of those places you go when you're in the mood for some good people-watching. And it is good, like 5-star good! We particularly enjoyed watching Travis working so hard to pick up on Betty who kept checking her crackberry while Travis' wingman Nate was so bored he could barely keep his eyes open while Angela did everything she could to entice him (seriously, hiking up the skirt, leaning half-way across the table, drinking like a fish - all the signs were saying 'I am so yours'). My date put her grad degree in psych to good use and called the play-by-play with skill (although she did totally get busted twice) and it all came down to the wire as we watched the game clock tick down to zero. Alas, in the end poor Travis was not going to score and while wingman Nate totally could have he had absolutely no interest in closing that deal. But we felt like we had scored - very entertaining! Aside from the great people-watching, Bal Mar is a comfortable place to just hang out and enjoy some tasty beverages and food. One thing I really like about Bal Mar is that they stock my flavor of Vodka. I usually just stick with a Cerac and soda but my date ordered the Guilty Conscience and after one sip of that I quickly switched. It was so good with the muddled cucumber and ginger! The food is usually good; we tried the toasted cheese and mahi mahi tacos, highly recommend the toasted cheese and the tacos were so-so. As far as Ballard goes, Bal Mar is a comfortable, fun place to grab a drink and maybe some food. Weekends can get a little crowded with the cheesy Belltown crowd infiltrating but if you're looking for entertainment it might be worth it.

    (3)

  • mamalicous M.

    This place was great. You know when you are a kid and you walk past someplace and say "ooh, wish I was older so I could go in there" I had that same experience while walking to go meet some friends at another bar and stopped and said "oh yeah I'm in my 30's I CAN go in". Ritzy but really comfy atmosphere. Great place for 30 somethings to go. The appetizers were reallly good and they had a nice drink list not too bad on the price. I had some pear flavored beer and it was smooth going down.

    (3)

  • Anna A.

    We did a quick dip in for happy hour. Bartender poured nice big glasses of house red. Caprese salad was decent though the tomatoes where little on the raw side. The decor is nice. So I guess there is nothing wrong with this place but its not really my kind.

    (3)

  • Meghan S.

    I was only here for the after hours scene, so I can't really comment on the food. This restaurant was modern chic meets Seattle trendy. It had a classy feel with a diverse crowd that fit right in with the elegant light fixtures and candles, and contemporary yet "interesting" paintings that hung on the natural brick wall. The frou frou drinks were a little pricier but nothing too extreme. They had some common beers on tap and the bar tenders and waiters were very attentive and nice. The martinis were fun and unique and made you feel like you fit in the trendy atmosphere. There are tables that you can sit at if you are lucky enough to snag one, along with lounge areas that you can reserve if you are to bring a party group. Upstairs has pool tables and more lounge areas to chill at. The only downside of this place was that it was a tad bit loud and hard to hear if you have a large group. I would definitely go again.

    (4)

  • Jaclyn S.

    The only reason this place doesn't get a 5 star is the service. The waitress was friendly enough but they were definitely under staffed and took awhile to get food and drinks. I made sure to order a second drink before my first was done to make sure I would get it before we were done with our meal. Other than that the food was delicious! The truffle fries are amazing! You won't be disappointed with their food selection.

    (4)

  • Skip B.

    I'd like to say that more people need to know about this place. However, the last three times I've been there, I could not find a place to sit. As other's have said, great atmosphere. I just need to not go there on the weekends.

    (4)

  • Bryan M.

    Great location. Very cool building. Candle lit, chill vibe. DJs on the weekend spin the beats. Good happy hour. We recommend the Taylor Shellfish Manila Clams and toast.

    (3)

  • Sara N.

    this is a beautiful space, and my drink was really good..the Ryan Lee with Pear Brandy...I had two. the food I thought wasnt all that special. I thought that the hummus/baba/pita plate was very bland...SALT, please? the waitress was very friendly though. I definitely recommend for a drink , perhaps. I also didnt feel like it was too swanky, even though the feel of the place might exude this..and, besides, we are in seattle, so anything goes, right?

    (3)

  • V F.

    I don't know what to think of this place. I haven't figured out how it survives. It's not bad but it's not great either and it's slightly dark and cold in there. Happy hour is ok, wine is priced at $5 glass, beer isn't really all that discounted. The food is in the $5 range and seems merely ok. My friends ordered a cheese and grilled onion sandwich that was greasy and overly sweet. They also ordered the ahi roll that tasted like it had been grilled earlier, put in the fridge and served. It was rubbery. Additionally it's been dead in there every time I've been in with what seems to be more employees than patrons.

    (2)

  • Patrick M.

    This restaurant-bar with the unfortunate name indicating its location on the corner of Ballard Avenue and Market Street represents the new face of Ballard. The decor is slick and stylee. The stereo softly pumps out Thievery Corporation and the like. The food is decent but overpriced for the portion size. The drinks are tasty but spendy as well. However, the bartenders and servers are all very friendly and helpful. It's a great date place, with low lighting, low slung seating and an out of place pool table in the loft. Don't leave without ordering the Chocolate Lava Cake.. It's worth every penny.

    (4)

  • Holly K.

    Visiting from Portland for the weekend...had a great Friday night there-we went around 10. Because we had such a fun time, my friends and I decided to go back Sat. There was a line of at least 30 people with 20 people crowding around the bouncer. We decided it was worth the wait...plus, there were at least 5 people walking out every couple minutes. Then more people walked out. Then more. Then like 30 people walked out and the bouncer refused to let ANYONE in. It's common sense that when half the bar leaves, you should let more people IN. Apparently that's not the case at BelMar. Then, he let some people in (half the line in front of us LEFT by this point.) So then we just had 3 people in front of us. Mind you, we are hot sexy young single girls!! A bunch of people walked up to the bouncer out of nowhere..a group of at LEAST 12 people and he let ALL OF THEM IN. I was so pissed at this point I didn't even want to go in...and it was like maybe 20 degrees out...fucking cold. He could see us shivering obviously...We then had to wait another 15 minutes to get in after he let all of these random people in that probably paid him off...or maybe they were his friends? Either way, fucked up and rude. So then after finally getting in...oh, surprise surprise the bar is fucking EMPTY. Literally we walked straight up to the bar, the bar tender was nice and chatted with us for like 5 minutes because she had NO CUSTOMERS. We asked her why we had to wait outside for so long if there was NO ONE in the bar. She apologized and said she didn't know why...maybe marketing reasons?? I will NEVER GO BACK here no matter what and will always tell everyone my horrible experience. Get a new bouncer or a new philosophy on wanting customers...totally not worth waiting 45 minutes in the fucking freezing cold. Stay away.

    (2)

  • dean c.

    edit: This place sucks.

    (2)

  • Mary S.

    Well I have mixed feelings about this place. My first impression was that it's pretty yuppy-ish, kind of like the Starbucks of bars. But when faced with some of the other divey prospects in Ballard, which were not acceptable to my friend from NY, I relented and went back to Bal Mar. I think it's actually pretty pleasant- not too loud, but the drinks are kind of pricey. I would come here if your intent is to have say, two glasses of wine, and not to get sloshed, because if that's your goal it will cost you here.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Late Night
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Trendy
    Noise Level : Very Loud
    Music : DJ
    Good For Dancing : Yes
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

BalMar

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