Just discovered this place after moving into the area and LOVE it as a local pubby hang out. Â I went on a Tuesday evening when they happened to have $1 ribs - delicious! Â There's a great selection of beers on tap and the staff is down to earth and friendly. Â At night it does tend to get a little less "local" and a little more "college kids out partying."
Review Source:Stopped in here on a Saturday night for a quick drink (they have cider on tap!) and fell in love instantly. Â It was very crowded when we arrived around 9pm, and our little group had to sit at the only table available which was a table for about 7! Â We felt silly, but didn't want to stand so we squished against the wall in case someone else wanted to occupy the table with us. Â The atmosphere was very relaxed and had a very calm vibe. Â By 10:30 the place had almost emptied out, which was weird for a Saturday night. Â Basically if you're looking for a casual spot to grab a drink on a weekend, this is your place!
Review Source:oof.
came here bc their next door neighbors didn't have food. was really looking forward to their menu items - we ordered their chili, mac & cheese, and chicken wings.
the chili was perhaps the best item out of the 3. their wings had barely any flavor, and right when they were brought out my girlfriend said "they smell burnt." I don't know that they were burnt or just bad. I still ate most of them (not all, however, which says something!) because I dunked them in BBQ sauce. but yeah - really don't recommend.
our service was great and they had $3.75 strongbow for happy hour which was suh-weet. they have pool tables so we had a good time, but probably won't eat here again. wah wah.
The Lock and Keel is one of the few remaining Ballard establishments that has managed to avoid getting whacked by the gentrification stick that's taken out so many old Ballard shops, restaurants, and watering holes.
There's definitely a come-as-you-are vibe about the joint, with a mix of embedded regulars and overflow patrons from the newer, more crowded joints nearby. Â Depending on the night, you're just as likely to get into a argument at the pool table as you are strike up a pleasant conversation, and the level of attention from the bar staff ebbs and flows with the size of the crowd.
It all figures up to a pleasant neighborhood bar that maintains a little bit of what Ballard used to be before it got all gastropubby. Â As such, I really want to give it more than an "a-ok" three stars. Â But as I look back on my most recent visit, I really can't find anything greater to pin a fourth star on.
It's a fine, cozy place where I'm happy to quaff a few regional ales and shoot some stick when the night finds me there, but it's also not top of mind when the opportunity to get out of the house arises.
At first glance I wasn't expecting service due to the decor, but my first impression was quickly proven wrong with a greeting and smile. Our server didn't have much knowledge of the wine selection but his shirt made up for that, he quickly apologized and asked the bartender. We had a very positive first experience with very attentive service. The clientele all seemed to be in high spirits, which makes for a likely return, plus the smell of tasty meat will be a definite option upon return. A very pleasant surprise and experience
Review Source:I went into the Lock & Keel last night while waiting for JD McPherson to go onstage at the Tractor. I am glad I checked it out. NICE bar. Great bartenders. Small town feel. The patrons at the bar were all nice people from every walk of life. Everyone was friendly. I will definitely return.
Review Source:Update: This may not have been the fairest review. The problem customers have also been seen trying to start fights in other bars around Ballard. I will try this bar again soon to tryout the food. Drink prices are also very reasonable.
Original post: Â 2 pool tables, good beer selection, amazing staff.. The customers have something to be desired though. It seems that people like to start fights in there.. Oh well, at least the staff is great..
We returned at the request of the owner, to take in some sounders action and check out the place again.
The crowd was different, relaxed, chatty, and the place was a good hangout. No obnoxious screamers. Just a full bar chugging and chatting. Turns out our first visit happened to be a bad one due to some sailors birthday or something.
Beyond the much better crowd and atmosphere we tried the bbq. Being from KC we don't see it offered with the same frequency and have been tentative with what Seattle calls mexican.
Turns out the bbq is dynamite, making this place that much better of a hangout. & the fact that they show sounders games and the place isn't super expensive(noble fir) or loaded to the teeth(market arms), we could definitely be coming back for more of our soccer needs.
This ones well worth a visit, and if you don't get a great experience the first time, try it again.
Went here on Sunday afternoon after the Ballard Street market and it was FAB! Did you know they have a back sun porch? I didn't either-but it is perfect! So secluded and sunny- I enjoyed a nice Coors Light and a delicious sandwich! You must try their BBQ'd sandwiches-so yummy. We split one called the San Diego (or something like that) sooooo good and it came with some delicious cole slaw! Perfect Sunday afternoon outing. We will defintely be going back-
Just a tip-they don't open until 2pm so if you are trying to go before then you will be sad.
Wow, I can't believe I never reviewed Lock & Keel. My first time in here was years and years ago; my band Stay Tuned played one of our first shows here. There is a little tiny stage area in the back that a quiet-er band / small group of musicians could do ok on. However, a lound TV Tribute Rock band was a little much for the small confinement of the Lock & Keel.
The Lock & Keel has a great locals-only pub feel, with the wood tables and the pool table. If you're not a regular, though, you may wander in here and wander right back out after feeling the looks of "who the @*()$ are you?"
I have been here two times now, both Friday nights.
The decor is reminiscent of the old feel of Ballard (a fishing community- thus somewhat nautical themed.)
The drinks are some of the cheapest in Ballard ($2 beers, $3 wells.) Â What is even better than that? The wells are fairly stiff. :)
I love this bar, its small and never overly crowded. Â I love to school people on the pool tables. Â You meet a lot of interesting people when playing since they have a sign up board to play the winners.
Staff is always friendly and drinks actually have alcohol in them, not some too much ice in the glass bs. Â My only complaint is the one stalled bathroom, too small.
What happened here made me laugh so hard, I felt like my sides were going to burst.
It was a weekend. It was crowded. We looked half the age of most of the patrons. We still got a table next to a couple that desperately needed to get a room. We waited 30 minutes before someone walked by and acknowledged us. My friend said to the friendly man who greeted us and said "We are hungry." The man looked surprised and embarrassed as he replied, "One minute, let me get a waiter for you ladies - I was just headed over to get someone myself." And voila! We had a server!
Happy hour here is awesome. Beer for $2! Food was pretty good for a bar - we ordered mac and cheese and the hot links. Spicy and satisfying.
There are pool tables in the back, the restrooms are tiny and hard to find, and everyone is drunk or on their way.
NOTE- this review is based entirely on our experience tonight. Â Keep that in mind.
Monday May 10th 2010
I have been to the Lock & Keel many many times and always enjoyed my time. Â Tonight however, the bartender (who is a really nice guy) is blasting mid 90s gangsta rap all..... NIGHT. Â I am a fan of rap, but much like pancakes... there is a time and a place. Â The L&K and rap together do not work. Â We are not alone in this opinion... as the place is slowly but surely clearing out. Â Its as dead in here as I have ever scene it. Â This blows. Â Sadly, we are heading elsewhere. Â
If this is the new way... I will give it one more shot and be gone!
Meh. That about sums up my feelings on this place.
Went in here on a Saturday night for a friend's going away party. It was hot, humid, crowded, and nary a place to sit. I'm guessing it's like that at every bar in Ballard on a Saturday, but the other bars have such better ambience. I didn't get the best service here either. I had to attempt to flag down the waitress for about 10-15 minutes to order some mac 'n cheese. It was pretty tasty though, so that's one good thing about my visit here. That, and the company. Won't be coming back here on my own accord, will most likely head over to King's if I'm in the area.
Went here for a party on Saturday night. Â I was disappointed that we ended up here because we were originally going to King's and I really like King's. Â Instead we ended up at Lock & Keel, which I didn't find to be that great of a place at all.
The layout was okay, if not a bit awkward. Â There are plenty of bar stools, but there aren't really that many regular tables for a group to sit at considering the large amount of space that the pool tables occupy. Â
It was MAYBE a bit warm inside, but they were blasting this sort of cooling, yet grossly lukewarm and humid air from the vents. Â As it hit my face, it gave me sort of an overall clammy feeling that I wasn't really pleased about. Â
The bartender was nice enough. Â My boyfriend bought a beer for himself and a soda for me and he didn't charge for the soda. Â
However, our waitress at the table was not friendly at ALL. Â My friend kept trying to flag her down so she could order some macaroni and cheese before the kitchen closed, but she continued to ignore our table completely for a VERY long period of time. Â By the time my friend was able to give her order, the waitress seemed exasperated and had to very visibly check the clock to ensure my friend was within the time limit - which she WAS, thank you very much. Â Before the food came out, the waitress brought by a metal caddy of items like napkins, mustard, ketchup, etc. Â She seriously banged it down on the table with such force that it startled us. Â She also charged my boyfriend $2 bucks for a soda, even after he had bought a few more drinks. Â I'm sure sodas did cost $2, but if the bartender's going to give them out for free, we're certainly going to gripe if the waitress charges us for them. Â
Overall I just wasn't a fan of this place. Â The only reason I went here in the first place was for a going-away party and the location was not chosen by me...so I highly doubt I will be back.
It's here. It's okay.
Servers were friendly.
Atmosphere was pretty relaxed - enough people to feel comfortable, but not crowded and annoying.
They stop serving food at Midnight on weekends.
I came to Lock & Keel because friends were here and I had the opportunity to meet Tony G. and Emily T. Â Other than awesome people happening to occupy this bar, there was no other compelling reason to choose this place over any other. There is also no compelling reason to avoid it, either, except for the selection of better drinks (Hazlewood) and better food available in the area. Unfortunately I didn't see any remnants of salty old fishermen who used to hang out here. It was mostly chill but fratty dudes, and then us. Â If you're in this part of Ballard and it's convenient, it'll do.
5 min earlier I had stated that I wasn't hungry, but that was before the deeelightful scent of BBQ. Split some pulled pork with my boyfriend. We got the spicy sauce which was not spicy but o so good. The sides (cole slaw and tater salad) were pretty good but sides to me are supposed to be removed from the plate and set to the side so I can focus on what I came for. I'd been to this Ballard staple before but never had food. I'd definitely go back for lunch.. or dinner by myself, get a pile of Q and whiskey and have a grand time.
Sometimes the clientele is sketch. Yet another reason to love it and what it does to keep Ballard, Ballard.
Ok so the apparently the BBQ is good. Why did I not know this and why does it take me my first visit to the Lock & Keel to read the reviews?
Right. So I left sans ingestion of said BBQ and had the fajitas instead. They were pretty basic but absolutely perfect for what I was looking for. It's weird that I was in a pub without having a drink so I cannot comment on the stiffness or lack there of but everything else was pleasant. Just nothing to write home about.
So I'm writing about it on Yelp.
I appreciated the ambiance... the tall ceilings, brick walls. I think the place needs more chairs and tables, however. It's a big place with limited seating. I wouldn't mind going back at one point but I think I'd need three pub hops prior to fully enjoy myself.
Every time I walk past Lock & Keel it is crowded and loud as all hell, (which I am sometimes down with if I am in the mood) but that is b/c I am walking past there during prime time bar hours. Stopped in for a drink and a place to chill Friday evening around 7pm and it was exactly what I needed; a gin and tonic with a heavy pour and a place to sit. But it gets even better than that! The place we found to sit was outside...on their back patio!?!! I had no idea they had such a cute, cozy patio with folding chairs, benches, foliage and Old Ballard charm. Our server was fast and attentive; she kept those drinks coming at a rapid fire and made sure we were never dry.
We weren't planning to eat, but I smelled the most wonderful smell. My favorite smell on the entire earth. Smoked meat! Oh, who knew that the Lock & Keel had potential heaven-like qualities?!! Their smokehouse is located right off the patio and will make your mouth water. Had the pulled pork, pulled chicken, potato salad, and mashed potatoes. It was all perfect and hit the spot.
Go to Lock & Keel during non-peak hours and you will not be disappointed. Go there late at night if you want to be stepped on and spilled on.
It's been awhile since my last trip to the Lock & Keel, seemed pretty much the same as I remembered it, though, and I'm not quite sure or not, but I think they added the back patio area since my last visit. Â Nice improvement, especially with global warming rearing it's ugly head lately.
Overall, it's a simple bar for simple people, such as I. Â No frills or fancy ambiance, just good salt of the Earth people coming together to partake in the ceremony of drinking. Â I give this place extra stars for having two pool tables and being able to accommodate our party of 20+ people quite nicely.
Another star for having Ween on the jukebox, though White Pepper wouldn't have been my first choice, it's Ween nonetheless. Â Bananas and Blow, my friends, Bananas and Blow.
At Lock & Keel, the regulars don't have to wait until the mid afternoon on a weekday to come out of the woodwork. Rest assured that if you step into the Lock & Keel, you'll be rubbin elbows with some of Ballard's tried and true, colorful bar personalities.
I was first introduced to Lock & Keel, while participating in Miss Amanda Y's birthday pub crawl. After browsing through the pictures of that night, it appears that our group had a good time. And how could we not? Between the elderly gentleman who insisted on telling jokes (mainly of the make-me-blush variety) every time you approached the bar for a drink, to the fishermen decor, to the seating on the raised platform that gave you the eagle's eye approach to people watching.
In just a week's time, the Lock & Keel had lured me right back in for another visit. While I was swept up in the divey atmosphere on my first visit, a slower Sunday night afforded me the chance to discover that the Lock & Keel has a pretty extensive food menu. And while it may be a dive, the bartenders won't scoff if you order a frilly cocktail.
While I don't have the intention of becoming a Ballard bar personality, I would be quite content grabbing a stool, chatting up the bartender and observing the antics any day of the week.
Blah. Â Couldn't find a table. Â No cute boys (ummmm... or girls) anywhere.
Drinks are weak. Â (Weaker than a woman's arms, according to Dwight Schrute.)
My new thing is, I think you can tell how good a bar is by the music it plays. Â And the music here was horrendous. Â Sure, they're classics, but who wants to hear throbbing "Bohemian Rhapsody" when you're trying to have a conversation? Â They need hipper music, stat.
And the parking situation was horrible... oh wait, there WAS no parking situation. Â So I had to walk about 27 blocks to the car in freezing cold weather. Â It's a cute area, but no thank you. Â
I won't be returning.
The staff here is wonderful. Â I sadly forgot his name but the bartender here with red hairs is probably one of my favorites in all of Seattle. Super friendly. Also, the tall guy with dark hairs is wonderful as well. Both are always smiling and happy and appear to enjoy what they do, which is refreshing. The drinks are stiff and I always leave feeling taken care of and like I enjoyed myself.
This bar is pretty relaxed..a few pool tables and a juke box...the menu has mostly appetizers..good bbq and quesadillas..no fryer. Another bonus is that it is one of the less scenester bars on ballard ave, the corner table in the front with the booth is nice, and I don't think I've seen any douchebags inside. What more can you ask for?
A Ballard mainstay -- catch the double meaning there? Â I'm so clever. Â ;-)
A pub. Jukebox. Two pool tables. Sometimes crowded. Nice clientele.
The bartender is nice too -- he gave me my jukebox money back because he had to turn it off at closing. That doesn't happen very often... or ever.
One of the things you have to fight as you get older is the way aging asses stick to sofas. It's a real problem. That stuff that dissolves glue doesn't help. It's not stickum, it inertia - the tendency of objects once at rest to remain at rest unless acted upon by a force. The only force that acts upon my ass, for the most part, is the unending quest for food. That'll bring on a gluteal shift in a BIG hurry.
On a cold Friday night in January, my SO and I were sitting with friends in the soulless Fox Sports Cafe in Seattle, when one of our tablemates said something about barbecue. My prime motivating food force is barbecue, about which I am incapable of keeping my mouth shut. I inserted myself into the conversation: "I've never found a single good barbecue joint in the entire Northwest!" I growled. As a native North Carolinian, I don't take that fact lightly and I've been sent out on so freakin' many wild goose chases by well-meaning friends who simply don't understand what barbecue is to a Tarheel - a wild-eyed quasi-religion - that I don't even bother to try their suggestions anymore. But this guy went on to tell us about his six-foot barrel smoker and his quest for hickory and his all-night pig roasts and I...sniffed a kindred spirit. He suggested a Ballard dive bar, saying that he had some brisket there that really cranked his propeller. When we got to the car later, Judye suggested we find it. I said okay...leery, firmly convinced we were wasting our time but...intrigued.
Friday night in Ballard is the wrong freakin' time to try to park, especially when you need a handicapped space, as we do. I was just about to give up when Judye suggested that I at least go in and check the place out. Two feet in the door, a wave of hickory smoke aroma hit me like a squishy fist. Irish music was on the stereo. The clientele was that wonderful Seattle mix of students, middle-aged barflys, and people who don't know that Grunge is dead. I went back to the car. "We have to go in there," I said.
We got a couple of drafts and sat people-watching while the kitchen plated up our brisket. I love bars that have shit hanging from the walls and ceilings; not prissy gallery-style stuff but miscellaneous crap that accretes there over time like a coral reef. Lock & Keel, to extend the analogy, was the Great Barrier Reef. Boat parts, an entire eight-man scull on the ceiling, random stuff that looked as though it was stuck there by a passing hurricane.
Quickly - very quickly - our plates came. One bite and I was done. Friends, in a state that really does SUCK as a barbecue destination, this brisket would have been perfectly delicious served in any barbecue joint in West Texas. It was smoky, sweet, tender, PULLED - NOT sliced! - like barbecue should be, and covered with a tad too much of a very good sauce. I ordered potato salad and beans and both of those were excellent. And, even in mid-January, they still had Sierra Nevada "Celebration" ale on tap! It was a lot of food but it was 9:45 and we hadn't eaten at Fox Sports Cafe - because we're not stupid - so we both absolutely and pretty slovenly pigged out. And our total bill, with two beers, was $28. I would have thought it was cheap at twice that.
I'm a life-long connoisseur of beer joints. Love the atmosphere, the vibe, the people you meet. Lock & Keel is among the best of its type I've ever seen; a genuine, unslick, ungroovy fisherman's bar that looks, smells, and tastes(!) as God intended. It was the exact antidote to the slick pretension of Fox Sports and we returned to the car full, happy, and eager to go back again. I know, for some of you guys, finding great barbecue isn't that big a deal but for me, seventeen years here without my beloved smoked pig parts, it was like clouds parting and God handing me a freebie. If any of this resonates with you and you haven't been to Lock & Keel...GO. (I only gave it four stars because of the #$@^%#% parking)
I knew I forgot a stop along the pub crawl route.
Pretty much all that's worth mentioning is Scott getting hit on, and I mean *really* hit on, by his first cousin while here.
She also had a nice chat with me at the door about how adorable her nose is.
Says a lot about the bar that that's all that's fit to print, eh?
I like this place... but I also went to in on a Wednesday night... revaluation might be needed at a later date! It should be noted that our server was very open to giving hugs when asked and that she didn't seem to think it was creepy- she basically joined in the merriment that was our adventure.
We wandered here after tipsy stop offs at the bell for "photos" and other walking adventures. We are lucky that what we stumbled upon was pretty cool and conveniently located. We found that Lock & Keel had a patio, pool tables, a high bar, and tons of seating for groups or small intimate* parties.... variation never hurts.
They have regional micro-brews (Boundary Bay, Diamond Knot, Maritime, etc) and good ol' PBR... which was our drink of choice for the night. $2.75 baby!
The late night menu was tempting with it's BBQ sandwich, mac and cheese, and CHILI MAC (I heart chili mac)- but in the disorder of being us we never got around to food*
This was THE bar for my friends and I when I lived in Ballard...still is when I visit.  Strong drinks and friendly bartenders.  It gets packed in on a Fri. and  Sat.  Lots of easy socializing outside as there is another bar right next door!!  There's also a patio in the back that is excellent on a hot summer night.
The food is fab. Â BBQ has been mentioned so no need to re-discuss b/c all said is true but I have to say that the Mac N' Cheese is something I have to order every time I go. Â It's thick, creamy, topped with fried onions and served with chips! Â Old fashioned, nothing fancy and very traditional but by Gawd it is GOOD!
Service is quick, even when swarmed with drunkards and on top of that they will never give you grief for splitting up the tab! Â
*I once was in the bar next door with my friends, stepped out for a minute and walked in here to check the scene and ended up sitting at the bar with the intention of having just a shot. Â Before I knew it, the bar tenders were using me as their drink making guinea pig and there was no tab for the experiment. Â Rad.
It's chill, fun and accepting. Â You will have a good time here so if you are walking by, walk right in. Â No regrets, for sure!
Me and some close friends of mine have had a few memorable times here. Well not that memorable because we all get so freakin drunk but you get my drift. Cheap beer and a laid back atmosphere can induce slurring and improves good times. Its nice to go somewhere and not have a bunch of hipster trendy douches look at you weird because you aren't intentionally looking like crap and trying to look cool and not succeeding like they are.
Review Source:fun place with pretty good food. Â The smoked beef brisket is fantastic. Â The turkey can be pretty dry but everything else is great. Â Oh and the wings are super good, nice dry rub that is pretty spicey.
Good line-up of local beers from breweries like Diamond Knot, Lazy boy, Boundary Bay, Maritime, etc.
The place has a boat motif and most of the regulars are nice and make you feel welcome. Â The staff is nice, but can be really slow if it is busy. Â Fun place with some above average pub grub.
Strong drinks! We went for happy hour and I was slurring my words by 5 p.m. Okay, okay, I'm about 5'1" & 95 lbs. But I know a strong drink. BBQ grub was pretty tasty (perfect with cole slaw). Recommendations for sitting out on the back patio, especially during hot weather; it was lovely: cool and quiet. Cheers!
Review Source:The plus: Â did have PBR for non-punking prices and twice that for other brews.
The minus: Â $7-9 sandwiches from a divey pub? Â Pass. Â Room service priced food should accompany a good reason to not get out of bed.
Playing pool with yelpers was fun, but I doubt that I'll be returning.
This place isn't glamorous, but who needs glam when they are craving a cheap draft and some of the best pub food around. I was shocked to see the prices on their food menu. Not only is it cheap but there is alot to choose from: salads, sandwiches, BBQ, veggies, onion rings, etc... The BBQ smells amazing and you can get a huge plate of it with 3 sides for $8. Next time I come I am saving my money for the food... but the drinks, staff, and ambiance are great. Don't forget to look up! (sorry for the dark pics)
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