First of all the place looks amazing inside! Like I am not kidding it was like I was hanging out in a surf bar in so cal or something cray cray. The best part though was the Jalapeno margaritas made by the tall bartender named Derik. Â Absolutely To. Die. For. Ladies look he makes a mean drink and can also juggle like a court jester...imagine what he can do with those hands ;) The only down side is that there was not very much outdoor seating but apparently they are almost done building an outdoor patio!!!
Review Source:I went there with a group of girls. I decided I wanted to order food and the bartender was extremely RUDE and had an attitude problem cuz I asked him questions about what on the menu and im hard of hearing so it was a little hard to hear him so I asked him to repeat of what I can order from the menu. I ordered a mimosa but it was filled about 1/4 of a cup and I was like really? I asked him can he pour a little more for the price im paying? he refused and said I had to stand there and wait for the food I ordered and I couldn't go back and hang out w my friends cuz they wouldn't bring it over to where my friends were sitting so I asked him nicely how long itd take he said 20 mins so I stood there for 20 mins to get my food. he was so rude and I got upset and tried to get other bartenders to help me they all ignored me. the owner noticed how upset I was and made up by giving me 2 glasses of mimosas that was filled decent not that bullshit 1/4 filled glass of orange juice and champage. she was nice and apologized but I wouldn't go back there because they are not nice to me cuz I am hard of hearing they should of been more patience with me asking them what food they serve that late of the night cuz they don't do the whole menu at that hour of night.
Review Source:I've been coming here just about every thursday since they opened. They have good great food, and have been convinced to get some good beer. They always have North West Peaks on tap, which is a great little brewery right across the street. A lot of people have commented about the service. It's been terrible for a while, but has actually gotten better in the last month or two. They used to have a great happy hour, but with their menu revision a couple months ago, some of their best items are gone, and it's overall, not as good. The ambience lately has gotten really bad in the last month or so though. With the layout, it would be really great for a date or drinks with a couple friends, or even a group of 10 to 15, which I've been regularly a part of for the last couple years. The last couple week though, there's been a really crappy DJ, turned up way too loud like he's playing for an Aurora Ave night club, and I can barely hear the waitress when she comes buy. I was hoping it was just a one off thing, but I asked, and it's not.
The group of people I've been a regular with is usually 10 to 20 people every thursday. Last week, there were only a few, and this week, only 3. I really don't want to have to find a new thursday night spot, but I just can't go back. The atmosphere is just so bad now.
L O U D
i just did not like the vibe here. Â it was fairly comfortable and dark in a divey way, the decor was like a modern version of a weird retro loungy bar... but they were blasting shitty 90s rock and had massive flatscreens with sports playing. Â so, is this a lounge? Â a sports bar? Â a dive bar?
I have been to the Shelter once which was before my Yelping days. I came here to meet some co-workers for Happy Hour.
I ordered to drink, The Dark and Stormy. Very delicious cocktail which has ginger beer in it.
For food I ordered some mojito chicken tacos. They came on a little rack of for street vendor size tacos. They were really tasty. I was still feeling a little hungry so I also ordered a caprese salad ( both of these we on the HH menu too so SCORE!) The  caprese was delicious and flavorful and filling. I also definitely had my fair share of french fries...nom nom nom.
I think what I loved most was that they have a little spot where you can roast s'mores at for free! I definitely had 2 of those :) and it was a fun activity to do with the homies. It definitely gets roasty by the fire so be advised!
Great bar, beautiful place, and the food is awesome. Â Definitely has a great lounge feel. Â The ambience is perfect, you can tell they put a lot of thought into every detail in the place.
Every time I've been here, the bartenders take good care of me, the food has always been awesome and the crowd is solid!
*Visited Sat 3/23/12*
Shelter is a good spot for the I-Graduated-From-BalMar crowd. Â Nice laid back vibe until about 10pm when it starts getting busy (with a lot of dudes). Â
Two suggestions for the ownership/management:
1) Â Check the music volume. Â You invested in some high-end speakers - which i'm a huge fan of, BTW - no need to crank the volume so high...
2) Â Clean up all the graffiti in the men's bathroom; makes your cozy/cool spot feel a bit ghetto.
I'm a pro-Shelter guy, will definitely be back!
Went there on Saturday around 10pm for my friend's party. Cozy and intimate atmosphere with more casual people. The bar is accessible and bartenders seemed more receptive.As far as pricing I thought the price was not different than standards. I recommend this place for private parties as well. You have to try their fire place seating area. It's cool.
Review Source:Whoah I thought I drove to Ballard but for some reason I ended up back in Kirkland with all the "Jersey Shore D bags and Woo girls". Â Overall its a good place if you like that meat head type hang out and would like to get in a fight over some sneakers getting stepped on. Â Service here is pretty awful and the drinks are pretty s***ty.
Review Source:This is such a cute place! The interior is really nice for a cozy atmosphere. There's lots of space but I can see the place getting packed quickly. We were able to get a spot by the fire, which was great. The free s'mores was an awesome touch. Drinks were alright, but we weren't able to get more than a round because it got really crowded. It was nice some wait staff made rounds occasionally, though. All in all, I'll definitely be back!
Review Source:The shelter Lounge is a very cool and swanky Ballard lounge / bar. Â Great night life almost any night of the week. Â i highly recommend this. Â Always attractive people. Â I know this sounds shallow, but you have to admit that is a good thing.
The bar tenders are great. Â The owner is the sweetest person in the world. Â Great DJs and drinks. Â
You have to go check this place out. Â The Food is great too.
I want to give it a 3 but I am going to have to give it a 4. I've been coming here for quite some time (fortunately or unfortunately?... lol) and it's been pretty consistent. The crowd here is generally pretty friendly. I've never had much of an issue with parking. It's close to Jack In the Box if you get hungry after (bonus for 24hr fine dining).
I see people mention the DJs but I can't say that I've really remembered the music here. I think it's good, it's fine, and it's a proper volume since it never seem to get in the way. The fire pit is cool and the architecture of the building is very, well, sort of Ballard like.
Definitely will come here over Kings since I don't have the proper skinny jeans, boat shoes, and mustache for that place.
This cool outpost on the  edge of the main drag of Ballard is worth the trek. I really like the vibe of the interior, almost like a 50's lounge.
I was lucky and was able to snag a table by the fire, a prefect way to spend cold winter nights. I'm looking forward to trying it again in the summer.
The bar got really crowded on a Saturday night and was totally not set up for a crowd and it became almost impossible to get a drink. (I can't be mad at a cool bar for being popular)
Good beer selection, Drinks were just ok but a few bucks cheaper than cocktails elsewhere in Ballard which is a plus. NOT a craft cocktail place, much more limited selection but they can mix you up something tasty.
Oh and FREE S'MORES!!! Don't miss this
Avoid when it is packed but I will be back
Love this place. Beautiful woodwork, friendly servers, reasonable drinks and great food. Had the Ahi Crisps, PB&J Poppers (unusual, but tasty) and Cuban Sandwich. The Helmsman IPA rocks and the Moscow Mule is one of the best I've ever had. Mix in good music and cool location; this is a fun place.
Review Source:I went to shelter last night and everything was so enjoyable I wanted to go back today! Â The music was great and just the right noise level. Â The food was so amazing. Â I had the vegetarian french onion soup and the portobello sandwich with hand cut french fries. Â The bread they use is light and chewy so you really can taste the onions, peppers and portobellos. Â The fries were wonderful, not greasy! Â The bartender, Alexis, was friendly, attentive and makes the best Kettle martini I have had in a long time. Â i cant wait to go back!
Review Source:This place is a great summer spot, since it has a covered patio. Â I've hit them up for happy hour on several occasions, and loved it! Â Know what i'm addicted to? Â Avocado fries. Â I'm not kidding, these things are da bomb! Â they are breaded and fried, and have an amazing dipping sauce that goes with them. Â SO GOOD. You've got to try them! Â The PB&J Jalapeno poppers are surprisingly good as well. Â I've had a variety of drinks and beers there, and all were good. Â
Happy hour is daily 4-6pm, so it makes a good location to go for a weekend happy hour. Â Fun!
We went for happy hour on a Monday. Really good menu, didn't take long to arrive, prompt service. Excellent food, good deal. And yet...no water service! Our server  came by promptly to collect empty plates but NEVER ONCE refilled the water!  They serve it in little glasses - like a gin and tonic size, so if your food is spicy or you get warm when drinking, you need regular water refills. It was clear our glasses were low, and then empty, and our server never bothered to refill on her now-infrequent trips to check on us. We had to finally ask her for a refill when we asked for the check, and she sounded a little surprised. This is Restaurant 101, and it was a slow Monday night. Shelter, if you read these...we can't be the first people to have complained about this. There was a big table next to us and their water glasses were all empty too.
Review Source:This is one of those Seattle establishments that stands out because of the setting or building they happen to be in (like the brewing room at Fremont Brewing company, or the old morgue at The Pine Box).
The indoor/outdoor area at Shelter Lounge, in my opinion, is what makes this place cool. They have a fire pit that is under cover that on a chilly evening gives off just enough warmth to make it comfortable. There is plenty of seating and it never feels crowded (except on Saturday nights). When it's warm- they can open up all the panels so a nice breeze flows through.
The food and drinks they happen to offer are top notch. They have Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon for $8- which is good value for a nice bourbon. Well drinks are mostly $6 each. They always have a nice selection of beer and the bartender is always willing to let you try a few before you commit. Service is always friendly.
Their happy hour food is very good. The deep fried avocados are a different experience- and a little addictive. I was wary the first time I tried them but now I have them every visit. They have a lot of other options available- including a killer Ahi dish.
I like Shelter Lounge a lot and it's one of my go-to spots.
Not a bad place for Sunday all day happy hour. I have been here quite a few times. I always like the ahi tuna crisps, wings and the PB and J jalapeno poppers. The regular menu I don't really care for. I have ordered the rum chicken (first 3 times I tried to order it they were out so I was excited). It wasn't horribly bad but I am not sure why they have a giant tub of cumin back there. They seem to douse it on everything, not gonna try that again. If someone stole it I think the quality of the food would go way up. I ordered the steak salad the other day and the salad itself wasn't bad, dressing was a little bland but had good blue cheese to help it out. Again the steak was doused in CUMIN, it was cook the way I asked but just a little salt and pepper is all you need on a steak, not that damned cumin flavor, kinda ruined it.
Review Source:I met a friend for dinner here on a Friday night. Â We sat in the bar area. Â I loved the way this place was designed. Â We were covered, but it still felt like we were seated outdoors. Â I like how natural light filters into the place. Â They even have a fire pit area you can congregate around if it's cold.
I was intrigued when I first saw the menu. Â There were so many yummy things I wanted to try. Â My friend told me that some of the dishes could be large so we split an order of the ahi appetizer and the Cuban sandwich. Â I loved both. Â The ahi appetizer was delicious. Â I loved the crisp from the wonton chips. Â The Cuban sandwich is large and hearty. Â This is a good dish to split. Â I loved the shoestring fries that came with the dish too.
I went to dinner at Shelter Lounge with an old college friend. We decided on Shelter Lounge because although it's been there for quite a while now, I still hadn't found time to check it out. It's kind of off the beaten path of the typical Ballard bar scene, but luckily regular my bus home dropped me literally right at the front door. We sat in the patio area out back which was super cute and kind of rustic with lots of wood and even a fire pit in the center. As I looked at the menu my eyes widened and I couldn't decide which strange and delicious dish to try first! In the end, we ended up splitting some things...
Avocado Fries - Slices of avocado breaded and deep fried. Avocado is one of my absolute favorite foods (and I'm also a big fan of French fries), so of course these were absolutely fantastic.
PB&J Jalapeno Poppers - Panko breaded jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese and peanut butter. Served with a sweet, spicy jelly. I normally love jalapeno poppers, and these just sounded so bizarre I had to try them out for myself. They were very weird, but delicious!
Spicy Grilled Cheese - Pepper Jack, avocado and red onions, served with a chipotle aoli sauce, grilled on sourdough. Grilled cheese is another one of my faves, and I loved how this one had a fancy spicy kick.
Although the menu is kind of limited, every single item looked delicious and it was kind of nice to not be overwhelmed by a plethora of choices. Although we unfortunately missed it, they have happy hour from 4pm - 6pm daily, and I would love to go back sometime to order all of the other delicious treats on the menu that I missed. They also have some yummy looking specialty cocktails.
Our food and drinks ended up being around $37, which even without happy hour prices is a pretty inexpensive dinner for two people.
Always good for a party :)  I have been to many birthday parties here, and also just random gatherings.  It is a lot of fun.  The bar has a great layout and there is almost always a place to sit.  It is the perfect spot in the summer because in the back area  they open up the walls and take off the roof to make the whole section outside.  And they have fire pits to keep you warm.  In the winter they enclose the whole area and there are space heaters to keep it toasty. Â
And the food is yummy! Â Great bar snacks. Â PB&J Jalapeno Poppers are delicious. Â and the Spicy Grilled Cheese is also yummers. Â
Great spot!!
This place is something between an upscale bar and a trendy nightclub. Â They play Top 40 music which I really liked, but there is no designated dance floor, so no one was dancing. Â Perhaps there was a dance floor before we arrived, but when we got there it was so crowded that people were just standing around tables. Â The music is really loud, so you can't really have a conversation either. Â I either wanted them to set up a dance floor so I could dance or turn down the music a little bit so I could talk to my friends. Â I couldn't quite figure out what the vibe was supposed to be? Â
The drinks are tasty but they're expensive to match the decor. Â Out waitress was awesome. Â I came with a large group (15+ people), and our waitress had no problem keeping our different tabs straight and cashing people out as they wanted to leave. Â She came around as often as she could and nobody was thirsty for long. Â I'd come back.
Wow! I'm a fan of their PB & J jalepeno poppers!!! Seriously? My Yelp friend gave a review here so I had to try this awesome combination. It was well worth it and it's on the HH menu as well. I tried their signature sandwich, made from pork shoulder, served with shoe string fries. Good stuff!
Their salad is very delicious tossed in a honey vinagrette with cranberries, goat cheese, walnuts. The flavoring is phenomenal. I can't wait to come back and try the spicy grilled cheese.
The decor is nice and there is a small fire burning and warming up the place next to the booth I sat in. They have outdoor seating that is covered in the winter and sports on the T.V.'s. Excellent place for all.
A restaurant during the day which turns into a chill lounge bar at night. Exactly my type of scene. Minus the two row bar seat deal -you'll see when you check this place out for yourself- I was a fan of this establishment as a place to have drinks on a night out! Seems like a great spot to grab drinks and food post work with friends as well.
Drinks were made on the weaker side but tasty. Kinda bummed I didn't taste any of their amazing sounding appetizers...specifically the avocado fries or the peanut butter & jelly poppers, both seem unique and uber delicious.
Enjoyed the crowd. The fire pit created an amazing ambience. The bouncers were friendly and chatty, not stuck-up at all. Maybe that's a Seattle thing though... hmmm.
Are you a 30-some douche bag tired of getting turned down by chicks in their 20's?
Are you a party girl on the hunt for a serious relationship with a mortgage broker?
Do you love Belltown's nightlife but keep feeling like its so "three years ago"?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, The Shelter was made for you! Your amazing Friday night will include girls with too much makeup and guys with too much hair gel, all smashed into a bar so full that people can't sit, stand or even move!
Just west of the Ballard bridge on Leary, The Shelter is the new hot spot for pretentious partiers looking to be been seen by other shallow drunks! Yes, you'll have to fight your way to the bar and throughout the night you'll most likely have a few drinks spilled on you. But The Shelter is so cool it's totally worth it.
Shelter Lounge hangs dangerously on the precipice of being a cool little hangout or falling into the canyon of pretentiousness.
It has a number of the ingredients that could push it either way. The decor is modern with a nice mixture of wood on the interior with tasteful ornaments on the fairly small indoors. The bar is a semi-circle and seats are plentiful. Of course, the hook is the outdoor patio and seats. There's a small covering to shield (*cough*), or "Shelter", patrons from the ubiquitous Seattle rain that overlies a giant fireplace. All very nice and cozy with a mellow vibe.
The menu is also a nice attraction. We came here for a happy hour and found that most of items fall into a "must try" category; tasty and trendy picks dot the list. It seems that peanut butter is the new black, I've seen it pop up all over menus. Shelter's version of this is the PB&J Poppers: a mix of a jalapeno pepper surrounded by peanut butter and a crispy breading topped with jelly. It's as fabulous as it sounds.
Next on the menu were the avocado fries. These serve as a nice cool-down from the jalapeno: it's composed of the soft avocado center with the same crispy breading on the outside. Combining these two are like the ying and yang of appetizers: the fiery jalapeno followed by the mello avocado. Top this off with the spicy grilled cheese and you've got a nice little happy hour spread.
The happy hour drinks were all a dollar off and there's a reasonable selection here. I spent the afternoon working on drinking my body weight in Mack N Jacks ($3 HH) while my better half was working on the vodka drinks ($5 HH). I endorse both of these.
Of course, the line between a pretentious place and a hip hangout is mostly drawn by the staff. For example, if while ordering food the staff rolled their eyes and sniffed: "all food must be ordered in French and all beer must be ordered in German", it would be almost impossible to recover no matter how tasty the food. Happily, I found the staff great here. The bartendress was cheerful and helpful with several nice suggestions. The waitress smiled and kept bringing HH plates as if that was the happiest moment of her day.
So, yeah, I'm sort of a fan.
Welcome to my new favorite Ballard hangout! Â I came here Friday night to relax with a friend, some drinks and tasty bites.
The PB&J jalapeno poppers were filled with peanutty goodness and the dab of sweet jelly on top complimented them perfectly! Â Plus, you get a whole pepper, unlike the run-of-the-mill store-bought poppers and their stingy half-pepper chicanery. Â My friend and I split Shelter's "signature" sandwich, which was a spicy and savory mix of pork, carmelized onions and provolone on a baguette. Â I scarfed my half down in a flash. Â The fries it came with were fine--but they're the really slender variety that don't stay warm for long.
To drink I had a delicious old fashioned and something called "the Saint," which was vodka, St. Germain, muddled lime and cucumber served up. Â Somehow the combination of flavors ended up tasting like a mojito. Â It was a little on the sweet side for my taste, but I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.
I love the wood decor at Shelter, the excellent music on their sound system and the huge outdoor patio. Â I can't wait to lounge around on it in the summer (although apparently it's heated, so lounging in the winter is possible too).
Shelter's spicy grilled cheese is the best thing I've had in a bar in a long time, and the avocado fries were seriously tempting. Â They also have decent deals on beer, although their selection, in my opinion, could use some improvement; I'm more of a porter/stout girl, and the menu had neither.
Aside from the delicious food, I'm not sure I really get what the fuss is about, other than the general lack of decent places to eat/drink on Leary. Â The huge TVs set to a basketball game (albeit on mute) gave the place a serious sports bar vibe, especially combined with the customers' almost exclusive focus on the game. Â Don't come here alone.
The menu isn't kidding when it says that the Shelter grilled cheese sammy is spicy. It's so spicy that the waitress offered to bring me a milk or juice on the house to help with the heat. (And, no, I hadn't complained; she was simply being awesome and courteous.) Seriously, you can't get better service than that.
Shelter has great ambient lighting, a wonderful warmth, great service, and good food. I love that it's easy to get to, right off Leary in Ballard, tucked away from the hullabaloo of the Market St. rush. I'd recommend it for a nice yet casual evening out. (Try their Cuban sammy!) I'm looking forward to going back for the PB & J poppers, which I've heard are interesting...
Any place you can be outside drinking in the rain (and stay dry) is 4 stars.
Loved the Shelter Lounge, at first you feel like maybe there is a big mirror and someone is playing a really cruel joke and that it's just an illusion, you head for what looks like fresh air and alas, it's true - amazing outside bar with awesome fireplace to keep you warm. Who ever designed this bar is a genius.
A great spot off the main Ballard drag that wont disappoint.
Location: check
Atmosphere: check
Covered patio: check
Hendrick's Gin: check
Just my style bloody mary: check
Cuban sandwich: check
Awesome bartender who gives advice and shares stories: check
Avocado fries: eh
Overall a great new Ballard cool spot off the main drag that hits the mark!
I like! I really, really really like! Reasons why I like...
1. Meat, meat, and more MEAT! -- Had the Shelter Signature sandwich with pulled pork, melted cheese, caramelized onions and specialty sauce. Sandwich bread was toasted and buttery. Ah, the best!
2. Bloody Marys -- Â Spicy, delicious and perfect. They also have a very handsome cocktail menu.
3. Top notch service -- Bartender was polite and attentive. Loved her!
4. Perfect Apps -- Had the Ahi Crisps. Fresh, full of flavor, and delicious. Daily Happy Hour is 4p-6p and all apps are $4.
5. Warm and cozy atmosphere -- Wood interior and a heated patio with its own bar. Fireplace inside, fire pit outside. Can't beat that.
6. MEAT -- Did I mention they have meat? Tons of meat on their menu! Chicken, pork, steak, and some fish! I love me some meat!
I want more. I MUST have more! I just might go back for more tonight.
Wow! What they have done to this place is really amazing and it is beautiful! It totally looks like it could be a ski lodge out of the '60's or something...booths line the walls with wood tables, the bricks on the wall remind me of grandmas fireplace (there is even a fire place up on the wall) glass orb lamps, and to make it even sweeter, the bar is an oval shape, half indoors and half outdoors separated by by a wall with a sliding garage-style door. There is a fire pit outside also. Perfect for rainy, cold, fall nights in Seattle when you still want to sit outside, but this place will be awesome in the summer too! I can't wait!
Servers are friendly, and we tried the avocado fries (thin slices of avocado breaded and deep fried) and pb & j jalapeno poppers, which were as delicious as they sound. Their full menu wasnt up and running yet when we checked it out but it is pretty inventive..they are going to offer elephant ears and carne asada..whats not to love.
The only thing I would suggest to Shelter is that maybe put an awning outside where you exit to go on the patio from the bar. You can get rained on which we are all used to but for that 2.5 seconds it is still a little frown-inducing.
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