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Ballard Brothers Seafood & Burgers
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Burgers Restaurants Fish & Chips Seafood, Burgers, Fish & Chips [Edit]
5305 15th Ave NW(between 53rd St & 54th St)
Seattle, WA 98107
Neighborhood: Ballard
(206) 784-4440
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
Sun 12 pm - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
142 reviews for Ballard Brothers Seafood & Burgers
Review Highlights
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"...started out ordering onion rings, which were fantabulous." In 19 reviews -
"The cajun sauce tops it off just right along with a soft..." In 5 reviews -
"The french fries are incredible." In 6 reviews
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142 reviews in English
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Review from Elana B.
Seattle, WA
4/2/2012
I came here for the first time a couple of weeks ago. My father got the salmon sandwich which he enjoyed. I ordered the fish and chips which I also thought were very good. Tartar sauce was yummy too which surprised me because I'm a diehard Ivar's fan and very few places can give me a tartar sauce that I like. The owner is extremely personable which added to our experience.
I'll be back to try the blackened salmon sandwich. -
Review from Reese D.
Seattle, WA
5/20/2012
Oh foo.
Was hoping this would be really good, since I'm a born and bred New Englander, and was really homesick for some good seafood. Fish n chips and salmon sandwiches sounded awesome, so off we went!
The booth I grabbed (the only booth not directly next to a frazzled lady and a mob of shouty children) smelled straight up like someone pissed in it. The condiments that were on the table were crusty and looked globby and old as anything. GROSS. The table was full of crumbs and there was drink spilled on the seat. THEY WERE NOT BUSY. Someone couldn't have cleaned it?
After cleaning my own table and trying to forget the pee smell, our order came. The fish was way overdone, rubbery and tough. Fries were greasy. So disappointing!
To add insult to injury? A hair nestled right between two filets. Not mine, not my cohorts. COME ON. This is the second time in 2 weeks that I've been somewhere that left hair in my food! TIE YOUR HAIR BACK or wear a hairnet when you cook!
The place is utterly flithy. I can't possibly go back to a place so dirty to eat anything, especially seafood. Avoid. -
Review from Mareth L.
Seattle, WA
3/23/2012
Things that are awesome about Ballard Brothers:
- PARKING!! This must be the ONLY restaurant in Ballard that actually has their own dedicated parking lot, unless you include 7-11.
- Fried Pickles. I adore fried pickles and these are some of the best I've had. They are rich and crispy and divine when dipped in ranch or yellow mustard.
- Service. We've only been in twice but the service was great both times. The owner came over and chatted with us a bit and was very friendly and welcoming.
Things that are a little less than awesome:
- Burgers. They aren't bad at all, they just aren't stellar. I think it's best to stick with seafood here.
- Prices. Not totally unreasonable but they do seem a bit steep for some of the items. -
Review from DK E.
Seattle, WA
3/26/2012
We actually stumbled across this place while in Ballard looking for a place to eat that was featured in our entertainment book. We live in Kent and rarely make it to Ballard so this was a nice surprise. Unlike your traditional "cookie cutter" restaurants the owner was working and made us feel right at home as if we were visiting his house.
The food is little more pricier than what our budget normally allows but we wanted a new experience, something unique and a place worth while to eat. Let me tell you, we hit just the right spot. The food is worth the cost and the atmosphere is like a blend of a fast-food and sit down restaurant with a sea-food flare. If you are looking for a unique casual experience, check this place out. -
Review from Yvonne M.
3/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Food is OK! Service is hit or miss.
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Review from Emily T.
Seattle, WA
1/16/2012
Stopped because it's close, even though we were on our way to Dick's. Wanted to see how the burger's here stacked up.
You order at the counter, wait wasn't too long. I got a Cheeseburger and my husband got the 4 piece cod.
Is the Cheeseburger worth $8? Absolutely not. It was good, tasty, nothing new or amazing. But good. Not $8 good. Wishing we would've just went to Dick's and spent $2.50 on a Deluxe.
The cod didn't fair as well. Maybe other kinds of fish are better. Bland, hard breading. We did get 5 pieces however. OK tartar sauce and pretty decent fries. -
Review from Audra B.
10/25/2011 3 Check-ins Here
You know what, I'd really wanted to love Ballard Brothers but I just can't. Their staff is hardly cheery, they take your order in possibly the most unfriendly manner possible, aren't helpful when you have menu questions and is just generally not good in my opinion. I'm usually dragged here by my wife who used to love the veggie burgers but they've now switched to a black bean burger that she doesn't like as the previous boca patty they made. I've tried a variety of items here and they're all very lackluster, but the chicken strips are flat out gross. They're these misshapen little things that are fried and look like long skinny burnt logs of blah that are super insanely greasy. Same with the fries, if you love a side of grease and oil bb is the place to go!
Another problem I have with them? They have continually gotten my order wrong. How hard is a no mayo burger when there is only 1 other patron in your restaurant! And then the worker at the pick up counter looks at me like they have no idea what I'm talking about.
I'll stick to red mill. -
Review from Terrance D.
Seattle, WA
10/7/2011
There is nothing special about this place. I only ventured to this establishment because they had a coupon in the Seattle Entertainment book. I wish we would have stuck with our original option that evening instead of settling for this place.
The lady and I ordered fish and chips and a bacon cheeseburger. The cheeseburger was nothing special and overcooked. The fish and chips were "meh," but it was the tarter sauce that grossed me out. It tasted and looked like it was left out on the counter for hours.
Also, to gross ourselves out even more, there were a crap ton of sugar ants at our table. I pick up my soda and low and behold, there are sugar ants swimming in my drink.
Avoid this place. -
Review from Nolan H.
Seattle, WA
10/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not a fan. I've encountered these guys at local festivals and every now and them will get one of their burgers to munch on. I was always under the impression that this was "festival food". Once I saw the actual restaurant, I was curious and swung by to get lunch.
The menu was very diverse and appealing. I decided to pass on the fried fare and ordered a cajun chicken sandwich. I seated myself and patiently waited for the better part of 20 minutes for my food. The place was understaffed and slow and I watched them give food to everyone that ordered after me. Once I received my sandwich, it was a bland and boring disaster.
I would suggest, a disclaimer on the menu stating "chicken sandwiches take a few minutes longer" to avoid any confusion for other people. If I would have known the wait involved for chicken and the lack of quality, I would have ordered something else. I understand that seafood is your staple, but don't offer other items if you can't deliver the goods. -
Review from Spencer T.
Seattle, WA
11/29/2011
I don't know when the one star review people visited Ballard Brothers but my experience was entirely different,. The owner ran the register and cooked the food, which was nothing short of perfect. I had the blackened salmon sandwich and cole-slaw. The fish was very fresh and cooked to perfection in about five minutes; cole-slaw was unique enough to get me interested and familiar enough that I wasn't weirded out by unnecessary creativity.
Drew, the owner, is very friendly and talkative. In the 45 minutes I was there, I overheard him check in with just about every customer to ensure they liked the food and had everything they need. He was obviously brightening everybody's day that he talked to. That isn't just good service, that's being a good person.
Another little side note is that these guys were the FIRST restaurant in Seattle to start offering the option of composting their garbage before it was a Seattle city law for restaurants to do so. They even use compostable corn-polymer dishes to serve the slaw.
The only thing I wish were different is the price of dishes - mine cost a little over $9.00 with tax, but it's not Drew's fault, that's just how our society's economic priorities shake out right now.
Why go to Ballard Brothers Seafood and Burgers when Wendy's is right next door? Because the food is as good or (probably for most people) better than anything you can get at home and it's also good FOR you. -
Review from M K.
Seattle, WA
1/23/2012
This place is really hit or miss on both the food and service.
Firs time I went we ordered 6 piece halibut and blackened salmon caesar salad. The Dude in the bandana that's usually at the cashier's stand suggested we get the cod instead of the halibut so I said ok.
The cod was pretty disappointing and the salmon caesar salad was terrible. The best part was the fries - their fries are awesome.
To top it all off Dude was listening to/watching youtube videos on the computer. He had it up loud enough that the music he was listening to was blending perfectly with the music in the dining room. Real fun listening to two different songs at once. I asked him to turn one of them off and he did, though he seemed annoyed.
We decided to give them another chance and the next time we got all halibut fish and chips, and everything was great and Dude wasn't their.
Next time we went we decided to try their sandwiches - bad idea. Both chicken and salmon were charred sloppy messes.
Went back for fish and chips, Dude was back and when we ordered 6 piece halibut he said it wouldn't actually be 6 pieces but actually 6 ounces, so probably 5 pieces. That is indeed what showed up at our table. (This was clearly a problem more than once as they have now changed their menu for Halibut)
So we've just about had it with Dude and won't be going back to go through his shenanigans to get less than we were charged for but great fries.
***Summary: I really want to like this place and support something even more local than Ivars, but I'll gladly skip this BS and go up the road 6 blocks for fish and chips. -
Review from J K.
Seattle, WA
8/28/2011
We really enjoy BB, it's got great food, and some good choices. Try the Hawaiian salmon burger, it's amazing! Blackened is the only way to go.
That said, one thing to watch is the mess up your order ALL THE TIME. We've gone about 10 times, and they prob messed up the order 6 times. If you get the tall guy with long dark hair, count on your order being screwed up. Twice we've gotten home to find out they had everything wrong and had to go back with just a "sorry" response.
Plus side is they are super green. All composeable materials and such. Really gives it a upvote!
I like this place, they are friendly and all, but double check your order as most likely they will have messed it up. -
Review from Shannon R.
Seattle, WA
5/30/2011
Yep, it's all that and a side of chips! Except these "chips" are made from locally grown potatoes, battered then fried to a crispy golden perfection. The fish is wild and locally sourced. Very fresh and delicious. For $10, my 2 kids and I shared a 6 pc basket of fried cod which was nearly enough to fill us up. It helps that the cod is piled onto a mile high stack of french fries.
The black and blue burger made with blue cheese and red relish was yummy. The blue wasn't overpowering, but blended nicely with the tart relish and flame broiled beef.
The Caesar salad was good, but overdressed for my taste. The romaine was fresh and crispy, but wilted quickly under the heaviness of its cover. It's spring, for crying out loud, lighten up. As if the caloric overload of the fried foods weren't enough, we've got to get ready for summer people!
PS. Don't tell anyone, but the guy behind the counter told me the other salad is worse. I think he chose the word "boring" as if it were nothing to speak of. Ok, I realize they may not get a huge vegetarian crowd in there, but if you've only got 2 salads, you should make them pop. Right?
I'm excited to come back and try the blackened salmon burger and fried pickles, especially now that I know kids eat free through the week!! Why was I not privy to that before? And the owner is so friendly, coming around, checking on everything with a very calm demeanor, as if he knows that nothing can go very wrong in a place that serves food this good.Listed in: The Locavore
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Review from Elaine J.
7/7/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Yummmmy!
Great quality of everything. The fries are golden and delicious. The chicken is real and juicy and steamy hot. The cajun sauce tops it off just right along with a soft steamy bun.
These sandwiches are a must-try. Simple yet...awesome. I'd like to see some lettuce maybe but still, it's pretty great. And a chocolate shake that stands right along side Dick's shakes.Listed in: Lunch date?, Burger Joints
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Review from polkadot d.
Seattle, WA
1/20/2012
Skippers on steroids! This building use to be a Skippers and has been replaced with a fabulous local business. Fish fresh, plump prawns and the best fried pickles. I have gone ate here several times and have never been disappointed. Owner is personable and that is a nice touch.
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Review from Tarah M.
5/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was soooo disappointed in this place which boasted their fantastic Cajun blackened salmon burgers. On the rare occasion that I eat seafood, I decided to try their burgers with hopes that I would be blown away and find it worth my dining splurge. Sadly, I was mistaken as I began to understand my error in splurging on those wasted calories.
The salmon burgers were okay, but really under-seasoned. In fact, the only thing I could taste was the overpowering presence of grilled onions that was all over the sandwich. It needed less of that and more Cajun spice. And as much as I enjoy a crunchy onion ring, they tend to lose its appeal when the rings are too thick. Ick.
Fries are decent. Staff is friendly. Prices reasonable. But, I just didn't enjoy my dinner as much as I wanted. I might have second thoughts of coming here if I'm in the mood for seafood. -
Review from jessica c.
Seattle, WA
12/1/2011
i like this place for seafood-fastfood.
the seafood here always tastes really fresh and i'm not sure what kind of fries they use but they are really crispy, not like most the other generic fries they use at places like this!
between a place like ivars or skippers and ballard bros... i would def suggest this place. -
Review from Mack M.
Seattle, WA
6/10/2011
The decor is roadhouse, but the fish is fine-dining quality, cooked to delicate flaking - several steps above Ivar's and really bumping up against the best gastropub fare in town, at half the price!
Excellent food, real salads, compostable tableware . . . what's not to love?
Also - a self-serve soda fountain with plain soda; why throw down 200 calories of sugar when you can flavor clean sparkling water with a lemon slice? -
Review from Katie K.
Seattle, WA
1/6/2012
Always friendly and delicious, and now they serve local microbrews - (Hilliard's and Maritime).
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Review from Seth L.
Seattle, WA
6/4/2011 4 Check-ins Here
The blackened salmon sandwich is good, so are the fries. The cod fish and chips is a bit disappointing, in that the pieces are rather tiny, almost like scraps. The burgers are pretty good though. The portions are good sized, and has a price to match. It's a self service place, and the place can sometimes feel a bit greasy, but perhaps that's expected and part of the "charm."
My issue with this place is consistency. Granted salmon often doesn't come in perfect portions, but I find the variation in size is a bit more than acceptable. Plus it's not always cooked the same. Sometimes it's really burnt, other times it's pretty good. The fries are always good though, and it's fun to try all the sauces on the table. The tarter sauce isn't always needed, and perhaps can be given upon request.
Overall, it's still a pretty good place to go, perhaps with a lower expectation first. -
Review from Teresita C.
Seattle, WA
12/3/2010
It ain't pretty to look at but the food is good.
My beau and I have eaten take-out twice, and the burgers were good, the french fries and onion rings, fantastical.
What do they do to get that crunch? There is something in the batter/fryer/mojo that makes these babies come out super tasty.
There is a big guy at the counter who is a hoot, and enriches the pick-up experience by leaps and bounds.
The only improvement I'd like to see is more veggies on the burgers. You can spare another piece of romaine can't you? -
Review from Peggy R.
3/9/2011
Can I get a 6th star, please??? We came here with my brother and his family (they just moved back to WA from Vegas). They started out ordering onion rings, which were fantabulous. I just had a small bite of one but can tell you they were perfectly seasoned and breaded. I had the prawns and chips, and let me tell you, those prawns could have sung a chorus of Bohemian Rhapsody, they were so tasty. Again, the breading was lucious, and the prawns plentiful and melted in the mouth! My brother had fish and chips and told the owner they were the best damn fish and chips he's ever eaten. The kids had baby corn dogs and chips and were quite happy. My sister in law had chicken strips and fries, and although she thought the strips could use a bit more seasoning, I think she thought they were okay.
But, before I conclude this, I must mention the fries. Now, I am not a fan of battered fries, but these were indescribably delicious. They were like deep fried soft-core porn, they were so flavorful that you didn't really need ketchup, and they weren't too salty, either. Nomity nom nom!
Truly, the last thing I will gush about is they have Coke Zero on the fountain. Coke Zero is my greatest sin; my drug of choice so to speak, so I dedicate the sixth star that doesn't exist to the beautiful Fountain Coke Zero!
All I can say is, the next time you are in Ballard, give this place a try!
P.S. I loved the tartar sauce... -
Review from Brady D.
12/22/2010
Hungry. Need food. Ah! Ballard Brothers Seafood & Burgers! I shall go here. Here's the counter. But no staff? Hmm...
*5 MINUTES LATER*
Swell, I ordered my food. Excuse me, ma'am, you're next to order. Now the wait...
*5 MINUTES LATER*
Wow, more people. Guess I got here in time.
*5 MINUTES LATER*
There's a burger sitting there and fries in the bin. That's gotta be mine. The lady after me ordered onion rings and some clams.
*5 MINUTES LATER*
WTF!? The lady after me and the family after me got their food! That burger is still sitting there and the fries are still there. GODDAMN IT! I'm gonna eat this napkin dispenser. Om nom nom...
*5 MINUTES LATER*
Oh, he's reaching for that burger! Finally! Yes, food! Hooray!
*5 MINUTES LATER*
That burger was bland as hell. I think the napkin dispenser was tastier. Blech! -
Review from Sara H.
The service here is always on spot ... which makes me keep coming back for the blackened salmon burgers. If you checkout their website they often have coupons!
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Review from Drew L.
Seattle, WA
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
The clam chowder is amazing! However the halibut I had was too dry. Surprisingly not too greasy.
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Review from Don S.
Kirkland, WA
12/23/2011
Ok went Ballard brothers today with my son, and i have to say we were nervous about the 3 star rating. With that said ii think the place rocks they have a great seafood menu my son had prawns and chips and i had a blue cheese and bacon burger and i have to say we were very pleased with our food . Next door there is a wendys that is always busy i just dont get it. For about the same $ you can eat at Ballard Bro's its a no brainer! Give them a try they do a great job, by the way the they have compost friendly food packaging and forks and spoons, kinda cool!
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Review from E B.
Redlands, CA
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Chips were crispy. Halibut was not as flaky as it should be; a bit tough. Flavor was great! Prawns seemed more fresh than the halibut. Dining room clean and bright, hip. Fun little joint to share with your friends for a bite. Not the joint for fresh from sea dinner.
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Review from Jen A.
Seattle, WA
3/4/2012
Good tasty fast food alternative. Fried clams or a salmon sandwich - very Seattle and I am a fan!
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Review from Mariana H.
Seattle, WA
3/4/2011
Having seen Ballard Bros. for years but never trying it, my aunt and uncle decided to try it out this evening and invited me along. HUGE MISTAKE!
We walked in and I ordered first, the gentleman who was at the front counter mumbled something and I could not understand what he said, so I asked for a clarification. I recieved a very snappy response back asking if we were eating in-restruant. I then began my walk to a booth and noticed the hallway floor by the mens restroom was FILTHY, absoutely disgusting! It looks as if it had not been cleaned in weeks. I hate to know what their kitchen floor looks like... ick.
After about 20 minutes of waiting, which is ridiculous for a fast food restraunt, we recieved our meal. My uncle ordered the cajun burger, my aunt ordered a cheese burger and I had the hawaiian chicken burger. I am not a huge critic when it comes to burgers as they are pretty hard to mess up, somehow, they managed to mess up all three of ours.
My uncles cajun burger was covered in something that was apparently "cajun" sauce but did not taste cajun-y and was black... on top of this, his burger was dry. Ultimately he could not even finish his burger as he was so disgusted with it. My aunt's burger had a piece of cheese, no condiments anything and was apparently very dry as well. My burger was lackluster and dry. The "hawaiian" sauce was nothing to write home about, the pineapple, was tasteless and the chicken was very thin, very dried out and absolutely tasteless.
Half- way through the meal I noticed the cashier was standing on the counter by the register... wtf...
On the plus side, their fries are amazing.
I really wanted to like you Ballard Bros! -
Review from Jordan S.
Seattle, WA
8/15/2011
Avoid. Not what I was expecting based on some of the reviews here. I can only judge based on the fish and chips, but I thought that a fair place to start. The fish was - as mentioned - small. It was also tough, over-cooked and rubbery. The battering is not what I expect from a quality joint, much more reminiscent of the type you make in a freezer. In fact, if you were to take the frozen fish sticks, microwave them overmuch and then bake them a bit, that would be about what we're talking here.
Now I'm willing to give an each their own here, fish and chips is definitely a matter of preference. But I have yet to be served anything like this, I don't think it's just a style I'm not used to.
The fries are also a bit like burger kings but crunchier, that's not a desirable trait. The ketchup is strange, overly sweet.
Left feeling unhealthy, unsatisfied and unwilling to come back. I should really learn to turn around when a place is empty around dinner time. -
Review from Corey G.
Seattle, WA
5/9/2011
This place was BEYOND AWESOME. Drew (manager/bossman/owner) was extremely friendly, honored our $1.00-off-Yelp-mention, and recommended some amazing food. I had the Blackened Salmon BLT and my wife had the Cajun Blackened Salmon Burger. Both were superb. The BLT was perfectly prepared and the bun was crispy and delicious. The bacon was yummy and the tomato was pretty good. As for the Cajun burger, the sauteed onions really cranked this burger to awesome-dom.
The place was clean, the food was great, the service was fast and friendly, and the prices were reasonable. I can't wait to go back. My only con is that the fries were nothing special, but they were a fine accompaniment to the main attraction.
Also, we were full when we left, but not so full that we wanted to slip into a coma. Perfect portion! -
Review from K. B.
Seattle, WA
4/26/2011
I love my neighbor Ballard Bros. Drew the owner and the employees, especially Raphael, are super nice. I LOVE the blackened salmon burger and often have the mushroom swiss beef burger as well (not both at the same time!). The onion rings are huge. Wish they had shakes though. The only thing I don't like about eating in there is the bleach smell, but that means they clean, so....not a bad thing.
TRY IT OUT! You can catch them at many outdoor events all spring and summer long cooking up their award winning salmon burgers. -
Review from Caesar R.
Brooklyn, NY
2/16/2011
Excellent Cajun Salmon sandwich. Comes with fries!
You're in the Pacific Northwest...what more could you want. A place that specializes in Fast Food Salmon and it's actually good.
Rock on BBS&B! -
Review from Carrie T.
Austin, TX
9/14/2011
The two stars are really for the friendly guy behind the counter, and the green utensils/composting/etc.
The fish and chips were inedible. I truly dislike battered fries, so that part could just be me, but the fish texture was strange and not tasty at all. The cajun salmon sandwich was ok, but I wouldn't come back for it. -
Review from Otis D.
Issaquah, WA
11/18/2010
Sometime shortly after mooving to Greenwood, I had the blackened salmon sandiwch at the Ballard Salmon Fest. Probably been to the old and new location a dozen times.
I've had the regular salmon sandwich once. Good, but not the cajun. If you're in Ballard with $10 or less, you may be able to put a greater volume of food in your belly, but not something that tastes better.
Never had a regular burger here. That Cajun Salmon is so good that I don't even care what else is on the menu. I had one for lunch today and everything seemed less rainy after. -
Review from Julie H.
Seattle, WA
11/17/2011
I visited the Ballard Brothers and had a perfectly lovely 4-piece fish & chips. The fish was crisp on the outside & flaky on the inside as excellently battered fish is. The fries were crisp & cooked very well. I topped my fish & chips with their house-made vinegar with garlic chips in it and it was absolutely delicious.
My companion had the Blackened Fish Sandwich and it was delicious as well.
I would recommend this restaurant for anybody including families with small children. If you have visited the Ballard Seafood Fest anytime in the last five years (plus) you would see that this restaurant has won awards every year. -
Review from Bud B.
Seattle, WA
11/16/2011
This place has great fries and the cajun shrip is good. The burgers and chicken take a while to cook but that is because its made to order not precooked like fastfood, if you in a hurry order the fried seafood as it cooks faster. The blackened cajun items are not real hot, but do have a spice taste to them, so your mouth wont burn. The owner is real nice and friendly, the place is almost 100% compostable which is good for eco friendly.
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Review from Kristine H.
Seattle, WA
I've driven by this place far too many times to count. So when a friend wanted to have lunch recently, he suggested we try this place. We ordered the blackened salmon salad (me) and the sandwich (him). We ordered some frings (fries and handmade onion rings) and fried pickles to split.
My salad was simple enough with sparse dressing, which I prefer. A little more lettuce would have been nice for the price but the fish was tender. I didn't care for the spice mixture. And it's not that I can't handle heat, the hotter the better! It just wasn't appealing to me. My friend said the sandwich version was better. The pickles will be skipped on the next visit, I've had better recently. The onion rings (huge!) and the fries (crisp!) were amazing though. Those are a definite next time around.
On my last visit, I tried the fish and chips. I was pleased with the freshness of the fish. With the proximity to the Locks, there would be no excuse for fish that wasn't fresh. The price point was good and the service was very friendly. They get three stars for my two visits. I liked the biodegradable utensils made from corn. It reminded me of Urth Caffé in Los Angeles. I think I'll go back and try the burger. It seems to be what people rave about and it might nudge them to that fourth star. -
Review from Erik M.
6/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
Ballard Brothers has been our fallback neighborhood burger joint since they were in what is now Lunchbox Laboratory. While they're not the best burgers in town, they serve up consistently good and freshly prepared food at not unreasonable prices.
The burgers are my usual fare, but on the occasions I've gone with the salmon burger I haven't been disappointed. They do tout it as their signature sandwich, so I suppose it had better be good! Their fries aren't anything terribly special, but the onion rings are nice and meaty. However, you need to eat them while they're hot, or they get pretty soggy - the batter seems to hold an inordinate amount of oil at times.
We've always done takeout, and our experiences dealing with the staff have generally been pretty pleasant. I do like that when we've called ahead to place our order it has always been ready on time, or very shortly thereafter so the food is at its freshest without having to stand around waiting for it.Listed in: Ballard Food and Drink, Family Friendly Seattle
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Review from Michelle B.
Seattle, WA
5/29/2007
Worst tartar sauce on the face of the planet!
Since it was ridiculously nice out yesterday, and I was forced to do manual labor, we decided to treat ourselves to some take-out and head down to Golden Gardens for a nice evening of fried food and a sunset...awww....
There was actually a picnic table open at the park so I placed our bounty before us - a blackened salmon sandwich, onion rings, cod fish n' chips, a coke, and two large tubs o' ketchup and tartar sauce. The salmon sandwich was tasty but a bit of a mess of flavors, next time I'll order it with less sauces. The onion rings were really good (I believe the panko breading will unite the two onion ring factions of the NW) and the fries were something magical in and of themselves, but the deep fried cod was a little dry. Why was it dry? Well, cause I had to eat it dry because there was no way I was passing that sham of an excuse for tartar sauce past my lips!
Gross, the stuff was made with Miracle Whip. Heresy!Listed in: Tartar Sauce - Either you're…
