Old Town Ale House
Categories: Nightlife, Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Ballard5233 Ballard Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107 (206) 782-8323
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Coat Check: No
33 Reviews for Old Town Ale House
One of my favorite lunch spots. We're here at least once a week, as its probably the closest place to my office for lunch and a beer.
Service is friendly and quick enough that we're in and out within 35min. I'm a fan of the eggplant rustica. The salad with the candied pecans is surprisingly good.
They could do better on the beer selection. There have been a few hits on the weekly Belgian Ale. More triple always needed, IMO. Chimay's available anywhere.
Mother of all that is right and beautiful in the universe. I had me THE tastiest Italian grinder sandwich ever conceived and executed by a man. It was like *moan* ... and it was soooooooooo *heehee* and then as I finished it off it was like *weep*.
AND THE FRIES! Whatever, b*tches! I'm in love!
Okay, okay, all right! Lemme collect myself ...
*ahem* Okay, so the sandwich was beyond heavenly and meaningful, talk about hope and change! And my mom's new york pastrami with grilled onions was effin' A awesome too. We didn't share. True story, and isn't it hideous? My mom and I did not even invite the other to taste of the purpose and reason for being who we were right at that moment in time.
Apparently, I was moved.
We indulged in some biers, and a delectable turlte sundae with spiced pecans and caramel and chocolate. Praise the ice cream goddess! Plus, the service was low-key and good. A nice mellow and unassuming place at 2pm on a Thursday. I finally found the upside of unemployment.
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I'd give 3.5 starts.
Good place to take a break or have lunch after browsing Farmer's market on Sunday. Good selections of beer and good food and service. It looks like this place is a super kid friendly place, so if you are ready to hear a scream or two, this is your place.
We first discovered this place when King's wouldn't let us in with our child. Seems odd that a place with "Ale House" is OK with kids while King's isn't. I'm assuming it's all part of Washington's stupid alcohol regs and not a choice on King's part. Either way, it was a good thing for us.
The place has a nice comfy atmosphere and I like the no large parties thing. I've been to too many places where a part of 10 in the middle ends up commandeering the place and making so much noise as to be unbearable. Cheers to the Ale House for understanding this.
As for the food, it's pretty standard fare. Nothing fancy at all but everything is competently made and solid. I've yet to be disappointed with the food. The fries come buried in spices and parmesan almost to the point that I wouldn't really call them fries. They are however a tasty mountain of salty fried goodness. The beer selection is pretty good and they always seem to have something great on the rotating taps.
The staff are friendly and we've never had any problems with slow orders. Finally, we like the fact that it's family friendly while still feeling like a restaurant for grown-ups. We often go there on Sunday for lunch and there's always plenty of people with kids.
Perfect place to pop into for a nice chill lunch when you get too cold at the Farmers Market in the winter. The day after I came home from Italy in September, I was missing Italia big time, so I walked to Ballard Ave and looked for something to comfort me. I found Old Town Alehouse's Orzo Minestrone and red wine.
Their "Pots de Vin", the house wine, are perfect. The menu says, "don't ask questions, just enjoy," so I don't, and I do. It's $5 for 8 oz - hello, personal wine pitcher! Just what the jet-lagged, missing-Italy northwesterner needs. I read my newly purchased "Bella Tuscany" at the bar with my wine and felt happy about where I live.
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I met up with a few people here for dinner before heading to a show at the Tractor. It felt inside like the name would suggest, and there was activity and the bar portion was mostly full but no one was waiting.
The hot turkey pesto sandwich ($9.50) was pleasing but nothing special. The fries are indeed interesting, as they are served with spices and parmesan. It might just be personal preference, but it sounded better in theory than it was in practice.
All in all, I found Old Town to be on the slightly better side of average, but especially since Ballard is such a drive for me, if I'm going to go there for dinner, there are much better places to check out.
That said, it did dawn on me that if we had tried to go to La Carta de Oaxaca, they still might not have called us by the time we were done with dinner even with half of our party showing up an hour late.
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My first choice for lunch was the Other Coast Cafe, but it was hella busy, so I ventured on down the street to the Old Town Ale House. Let me tell you, this place wasn't half bad.
They had a decent selection of soups, salads, and sandwiches. I went with the spicy chicken sandwich with fries. It was good, especially the fries. They had a boat load of seasoning and even freshly grated Parmesan on top. Different from what I'm used to but still a pleasant surprise. They have a decent beer selection and a wonderful Belgian selection (also Strongbow cider). I got a Strongbow to wash down my lunch.
Located on beautiful old Ballard Avenue, this place combines the architecture of yesteryear with a hip, modern take on the pub it derived from. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly to make the experience even that much better.
Overall, I think this is a delightful place to grab some lunch with a few coworkers or a few beers with some good friends. I'll be back, for sure.
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It was rainy and cold out and I wanted refuge in a cozy bar with lots of warm wood, dimly lit. I found what I was looking for at Old Town Ale House. In desperate need of soup to warm up rain soaked bones, I ordered the Orzo Minestrone, which was fabulous, topped with some freshly grated parmesan cheese, served with crusty bread. Just what I needed. And, hey, you gotta love a place that serves Lambic...oh how I love Lambic...such a magical mix of delicate fruit sweetness, bubbly cidery beer, only the Belgians can somehow make.
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Now that I have a kid, I appreciate the few cool places that are welcoming of you and your kid.
Pretty decent beer selection. They maximize their taps for a very good variety. They also have 3 rotating handles which is nice.
I have found most of their menu pretty good. Not amazing, but good. But here is why I go back. The chicken strips. Holy heck i didn't know chicken strips could taste so good. I don't know if it is just great chicken? great batter? great grease? heck, i have no idea, but if chicken strips tasted this good elsewhere, it is all i would eat.
Finally, they do seem to have a pretty strict policy on the large table thing. I do find it a bit weird b/c money is money. However, I do appreciate being able to go there on a Friday or Saturday night and not having to outyell a large table next to me. There are plenty of places that you can go with a large party so I think I like the rule that they have in place, albeit it would be frustrating to find out last second.
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The Old Town is one of my bud's favorite places for lunch, so when it was his turn to buy on Friday I wasn't surprised to be heading there. No problemo, I've never been disappointed by the Old Town. Had the Turkey Pesto sando, good. Subbed the gumbo for the fries, better. Washed it all down with a pitcher of Boundary Bay IPA, even better.
My only bitch, parking on Ballard Ave. We should have had rockstar parking if it hadn't have been for the multitude of delivery trucks who all showed up at the same damn time (right at noon? duh?) and all park in a fucked up way so its easy for them to offload, effectively taking up way too many spots. Not that it's the Old Town's fault but I had to vent.
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If you want some of the most unique fries in Seattle (other than the most amazing fries on Earth at Wingdome) then stop on by. They have a decent beer selection with a great rotating option (usually three). I typically go for whatever special Belgium beer they are pouring but they have the requisite Hoegaarden and other conventional Belgium brews.
On to the food....SANDWICHES...don't pass go and don't collect $200 anywhere else. The fish and chips is ok, but their Crispy Chicken and Turkey Pesto are awesome and make sure to get it with said fries (see above) and a side Caesar (with anchovies!).
The atmosphere is great for a casual get together with friends and after you gorge on the aforementioned spuds sit back and drink away!!!
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I would give this place 6 stars if I could.
The food is absolutely delicious and the staff is awesome - friendly, cheerful and helpful. I've never had to wait long for a beer and it is not packed so I don't have to scream in anyone's ear to have a conversation.
Definitely one of my favorite places in Seattle.
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Whatever happened to cheap beer on tap? I'm talk'n old skool, like PBR or Oly! Now days to find some really cheap ass beer you have to head on over to your local Quickie-mart or some dive tavern in a seedy part of town, such is life. So I'm talk'n about 99 cent cans of the finest money can buy...buuuurrpp....supply your own brown paper sack!
Okay, so here you won't find any "cheap" beer, heck most start around $7 bucks, yes, I said $7.00! Were talk'n about fine imports and hand-crafted beer, not the mass produced mind bending & buzz inducing. I was impressed with the selections until I realized they only had a few "on tap" most imports were in bottles. At least the stuff they serve here isn't hindered with the US Liquor Board controlled alcohol content issue, don't get me started on that....
We opted to go for the food, it's a long story. Short version is we, 7 of us, head on down before things get hop'n in good old Ballard. We enjoyed 2 apps, the green salsa and chips were tasty, not spicy hot but the chips came out blazing and dripping after being freshly fried up in hot oil, impressive. So was the bald headed cook who delivered our food, hairnet and all. Why the hairnet? I didn't ask...
Fish and chips were ordered along with a crispy Eggplant sandwich, Veggie-girl, our oldest luv'ed the sandwich. F&C, well, while crispy panko breading is just that, plain panko, great on texture, lacks flavor. Oh and the tartar sauce you ask, okay Michelle B. would ask me, it was PACKED with Dill. While I hearts me some dill, to much dill reminds me of hints of green grass. While my better half and I enjoyed the dill infused tartar, Grand-paps did not. I'm just mentioning this as a FYI. The fries that were served were thin and crisp, somewhat like McD's use to serve back in the day when the used lard to fry up the fries! They are sprinkled with par-cheese and spices, its all good.
While I wanted to luv this place, $7-9 glasses of Belgium's finest is a bit hard to swallow. Wine is served in typical Pub fashion, uh, Red or White?
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A lucky discovery whilst wandering the Ballard streets. Our waitress was friendly without being clingy -- and beautiful -- just how I like it. (I think some confuse this as "cold" service, especially after a lifetime of Chilis and Red Robins).
Superb Belgian beer, shockingly good pub food (best Onion Rings I've ever had... seriously), with a nice ambiance that seems to drive off the overly pretentious. I'm a big fan.
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I can't believe I haven't hit up the Old Town Ale House before. It has great , fancy sandwiches and a very pleasant atmosphere. A great alternative to all the fancier restaurants popping up in Ballard.
I had a small caesar salad (delicious and savory) and a spicy fried chicken sandwich (hot and satisfying). The sandwich was chicken in a hot wings sauce with blue cheese dressing - probably not the healthiest, but really good! I was with a large party of friends and everyone enjoyed their meals. The fries are also unusual, but so perfect, they are covered in pepper and topped with a little fresh parmesan cheese!
Sold out. The concert I was headed to at the Tractor was sold out. Well, actually I did make it inside, but a) I couldn't see anything (I'm 5'2"), b) I couldn't find my friends (I'm 5'2, remember?), c) the crowd was so loud that I couldn't hear much on my phone when Stephen J. rang to tell me he was stopping by the place. When he rang me again to let me know he couldn't get in (here's where the "sold out" reference is applicable), I ran outta there, taking the remnants of my hearing with me.
We decided we wanted a drink so ducked into the Old Town. Stephen had the Chimay and a Baron Hefeweizen, liking the Chimay the best. I had the (apple) Lambic--yum! He ordered the spicy chicken sandwich, which was "ok," while I ordered the small house salad and a side of fries. If you don't like salty fries, don't order these. I love salt, a little too much, so ate them all. The salad was ok--greens with a balsamic and spiced nuts. The nuts didn't do as much for the plate as they thought they might, but my hunger pangs were sated. The bill for four drinks, a sandwich, a salad and fries was $35. The waitress was prompt and polite, but not too chatty.
Like other reviewers in the past have complained, the Old Town was dead. The precise reason why I wanted to go inside. All in all, the experience would have normally earned three stars from me, but I was so excited to see and hear again that the Old Town earned an extra fourth star. Oh, and did I mention this is where Stephen & my first date was? (awwww.......)
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Fish and chips is best I've had this side of Alaska. Wow.
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A friend and I stopped by the Old Town on a Monday afternoon for lunch recently. The ambiance was nice enough; exposed brick walls, nice long bar, lots of tables. It wasn't especially busy, there were maybe two other occupied tables. We ordered the caprese salad, cup of soup, fries, caesar salad, beer, and fish and chips. The waitress asked us if we wanted the appetizers first and we agreed that'd be nice. They were brought out maybe 10 or 15 minutes later, and we dug in. The fries were kind of interesting. They had seasoning, which was good, and parmesan, which would've been a lot better if it had been melted instead of just grated over the top cold. The caprese salad was pretty average. The bread could've been better. My friend seemed to enjoy his soup. The waitress checked back with us after 20 minutes or so, asked us if we were doing okay, and took some dishes. We said we were fine. At this point we're like, Wow, it's taking a while for the rest of our food to come out. Another 15 minutes goes by and finally my friend flagged her down and asked about the rest of our food. She was like, You guys want more food? By now we'd been there for what felt like forever, so we just took the check. At least she was nice enough to comp our drinks.
I understand that sometimes shit happens, but if you only have three tables I'd expect you to remember that one of them ordered actual entrees, and not just appetizers. I gave them two stars because the food we did get was fine.
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I'm not much of a beer drinker (or ale for that matter), but this place serves up great food and the prices are decent. Turkey Pesto sandwich w/Onion rings please... and the BBQ chicken strips are tasty.
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Good spot as they let us hang with our friends' baby here! Fun spot to get together with a group of friends and while away the hours enjoying cocktails and some bites. Great fries and yummy eggplant rustica. Easy local laid back spot.
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brrrrrr.... it was cold in here. For some reason I thought this place looked warm and cozy, but it's not just the temperature that's cold. The service is adequate, but they certainly don't make you feel at home.
They have a selection of Belgium ales, but I didn't feel like paying $6 - $9 for beer, so I just had an IPA from Bellingham. Then I went for the fish and chips. My food was fine: three smallish pieces of fish that had a nice panko crust with shoestring fries covered in pepper. I love pepper on my fries (lots and lots of pepper), so I'm not complaining about the taste, but if you're on a date here, just keep in mind that you'll probably have pepper stuck in your teeth at the end of your meal. I'm just sayin'.
My friend and I probably could've stayed for one more beer, but we were both freezing and there was nothing compelling us to stay. The ceilings are high and the space is sparse, so it feels like you're hanging out in a cavern, not a tavern. Some music would've been nice even, but there was none. And, it's a little odd to watch people working out across the street at the Olympic Athletic Club while you're downing calories like there's no tomorrow.
This definitely won't be my hang out during the dark, long winter.
P.S. they don't have Happy Hour here, ever. We asked.
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We have always had such a good experience here. Nice waitstaff, always seated quickly, everything I have eaten here has been yummy. I am not going to wax on or anything, but I like this place. Give the eggplant Rustica sandwich a try. Side salad is yummy, fresh parm, and candied walnut things, yummmm.
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Surprised to see the Old Town gets such pitiful reviews. I've liked it since the first time I went in. They've always been accomodating and friendly, though I understand if they're a bit brisk at busy times -- which they do have, usually Thursday through Saturday nights, sometimes other nights, depending on the show at the Tractor.
That said, I must say that I usually enter a tavern looking for beer more than for atmosphere. When the Old Town is empty, it doesn't really bug me, perhaps partly because of the darkness... it still feels a bit homey when I'm the only one there. If the walls were white and it was a bright environment, I might feel otherwise.
Next time, look at the menu of bottle conditioned Belgian ales.
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Those Trappist monks, they know how to make beer. The food is superb and the setting is quiet enough for you to talk during dinner or drinks. And King's opening up nearby has pulled the younger crowd away, which is fine with this old fart.
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This place is dead. Stopped in with a friend of mine to try out their selection and they had some good ales (I like ale, not much for beer) - so it was quite nummy. Problem is .. we were the ONLY ONES THERE! I mean, seriously.. I don't know if seattle all went to sleep early, or maybe it was a bad night, but a bar should never be THAT empty.
I like draft beers and have a love affair with Belgium, so I really enjoy this place. It can be pretty dead in here...it definitely isn't a "scene" but it's a good place to go on a weekend when you and your friends can't get a table anywhere else, and the food is okay too. They don't serve hard alcohol, so the fuzzy navel crowd should be warned.
This place almost always has room for you. In fact, I find this place usually devoid of customers. That's OK with me, as I shun the general public. If you want to drink in peace, go to this place. The drinks are a little on the pricey side, and the service can really flip-flop between friendly and downright rude. No hard alcohol here (alehouse).
I like this place and the food is great. You can buy t-shirts. It is always clean here and I think they have trivia night. There are some gerat beers on tap. They also have old crafs of beer that have aged, specialty beers if you must. Nice atmosphere.
The Old Town Alehouse is both friendly and quiet, with helpful staff and a competent kitchen.
Beers on tap are largely local; expect to find Manny's Pale Ale, along with beers from Dick's, LaConner, Elysian, and other local breweries. The bottled selection contains a short but well-curated list of Belgian imports. While the only lambic on the list is the too-sweet Lindemans, it's a wise decision not to stock beer that will go stale before it is purchased.
The sandwiches are good, though nothing special. The onion rings are tremendous and crisp, with a nice herbed dipping sauce, and the house-made cole slaw is peppery and vinegary.
The Old Town Ale House achieves what it sets out to do, with grace. It's one of my regular haunts, and enough reason to trek out to Ballard.
went to this place the other night for the first time and thought it was a real find. not filled with surly socially awkward ballard hipsters, DELICIOUS belgian beers which i love--yes they are pricey but the two i had were amazing and they had a menu full of intersting ones to try--and really good pub food. we had the ballard beef dip and the eggplant rustica. the beef dip was awesome. it had these pickled cherry peppers on there that made the sandwich. both sandwiches came on quality bread. and the side salads that came with each were delicious mixed greens, balsamic vinegarette ane some roasted candied nuts that were surprisingly good. thats the thing, everything here is higher quality than you'd expect. the waiter we had was friendly, responsive and brought a higher quality wine for the same price when they were out of their pot of house wine.
im going back. for the fries and onion rings, more beer and many more sandwiches.
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Best Pub in Ballard and one of the best anywhere (and I'm comparing it to many others including 21 in Ireland) Warm atmosphere, good ales, fine grub and great fries! My home away from home.
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I liked the Chimay.
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I'm only giving one star because I have to in order to 'post it'. So we're meeting some people for dinner, and there's 8 of us...the place is empty at 8:00 on a Saturday night...that should have been the first clue. First they refuse to accomodate 'such a large party,' so we all sit at different tables...two feet apart...no table bumping in the Ale House. When our group turned into 13 they refused to serve us. Evidently we were the only one's not to receive the memo...we later found out it read, 'NEVER GO TO THE OLD TOWN ALEHOUSE.' And secondly, they pride themselves on their Belgian beer selection...with only 2 Belgian beers on tap undeserving pride should be reduced to a whimper...and at $6 for a half pint of Hoegaarden I believe their breaking US/EU trade regulations, I suspect the Alehouse is applying it's own embargo. My suggestion, the Old Town Alehouse change their name to Yuppy Puppy Winebar. We're going to Connors. Cheers!
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