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Categories: Dive Bars, Burgers, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Phinney RidgeMon-Sun. 2:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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I'm having a hard time finding where to begin with this place, there is just so much going on here. I had heard about it for so long, both from Yelp and from friends, that my expectations bordered on the bizarre. When a friend decided to celebrate his birthday here, I was expecting to find myself sitting on a spit-soaked bar stool with a group of Hell's Angels staring me down as I ate an animal that someone had just maimed at the nearby zoo.
In reality, the Kort Haus isn't as frighteningly gross as some have led me to believe. No, it's not a fine dining establishment, but it's more spacious and well-lit than you'd think, the tables are clean, and there are plenty of games (pool, darts, arcade). There are also 20+ beers on tap, and we're not talking 20 varieties of PBR.
Now, I could whine about the slow service, but that was solely because we happened to come in on an off-night with one person running the entire place. And did I mention there were 12 of us?
Only half of our party ended up ordering food, because the one guy could only make burgers in batches of four, all the while having to bartend, too. I know I would've cried had I been in this position, but the guy stayed chill and friendly despite all the stress. The second round of burgers actually didn't take that long, and my elk burger (and tots!!) more than quelled my appetite in the end.
I would be more than willing to come back and give this place another try, provided I'm ravenously hungry again.
We went in for a birthday on a Tuesday night. We were the only 12 people in the bar. When I arrived, I was told we had to order in shifts of 4 people because the bartender was the only one working. Not a good sign. Four of my friends had ordered about 20 minutes before I arrived. 45 MINUTES LATER, they are served their four burgers from the gentleman who was coughing up something fierce. Sure, he didn't cough on the burgers when we were watching but who knows what was going on in the back. By this time, it was over an HOUR from when they originally ordered the burgers. So, a few of us went to the Red Mill around the corner for a burger and shake. When we returned, four of our friends had just received their burgers. Insane! This is the SLOWEST service I have ever seen anywhere. Besides that, the bathroom smelled something fierce (but had Will Smith lyrics scribbled on the wall), the t-rex doll had no hands and there was no hef to be found in the place.
The one star is for the Will Smith lyrics scribbled on the bathroom wall. But I wouldn't recommend going just for that.
While it is true they have an amazing selection of exotic burgers, the quality of them leaves something to be desired. They taste like they have been frozen since the cold war. I got an alligator burger and it tasted like those frozen burgers they used to serve in the school cafeteria.
Now I'm a fan of dives, but this place is more like hanging out in someone's dirty basement. It reminds of Lenny's done wrong. I love Lenny's but this place is just nasty.
Ahh, Kort Haus what happened? You use to be cool...
I use to love this little dive bar but after my experience there a few weeks back you won't catch me there again! This is the only place that's ever served me obviously moldy food. Yuck!
I took two friends there who'd never been before. The bar was being staffed by a woman who was clearly more interested in her personal cell phone call than in helping us.
When our food arrived I was in for an unpleasant surprise... My taco was topped with a mix of shredded orange and white cheeses that was sporting its own topping of blue fuzz!
I went up to the bar again and got the woman away from her cell phone long enough to point out the moldy cheese. She waved off my concern, explaining there was feta in the cheese mix. I must have given her a look akin to what I was thinking ("Feta's not blue!"); because she then said "Well cheese is made of mold anyway, so if it's molding there's nothing wrong with that." She then went back into the kitchen. I didn't eat my moldy taco, but I was still charged for it.
I recommend this place only if you want bad service and don't mind running the risk of spoiled food!
What the heck is this place?
Stumbled in here on Saturday night and was confronted with that weird exotic animals menu, a bunch of people in plaid and trucker hats (oh please let it have been a theme party) and some dude who told me he'd put $20 worth of speed metal in the jukebox. I thought maybe I'd wandered into some weird candid camera joke.
I had wanted a bar with Buckhunter, darts and pool so that I could beat my date at bar games. Ed's Kort House delivered on all accounts, with a big side of WTF too. This ain't no classy joint, but I bet each time you go, something new and wonderful is bound to happen. For example, the wonders of the women's bathroom probably never cease. Truly one of the last great dive (diiiiiiive) bars in the city limits.
In the words of someone else: I'll be back.
For those interested, the waitress (Ed's daughter) told us that the exotic animal burgers are buy one get one half off on Tuesdays and Sundays. So, bring a posse of meat eaters and have at it.
It's the Kort ---- Haus
Mighty mighty, just lettin' it all hang out
It's the Kort --- Haus
The burgers are stacked and that's a fact,
ain't holding nothing back.
It's the Kort --- Haus
It's the one, the only one,
who's got burgers made of venison
When eating and drinking there everybody knows,
and here's how the story goes.
They know they got everything
a drinker needs in a bar, yeah.
How can they use, the meat they use
for only $10. Oh what a winning hand!
It's the Kort ---- Haus
Mighty mighty, just lettin' it all hang out
It's the Kort --- Haus
The burgers are stacked and that's a fact,
ain't holding nothing back.
The place is a dive, but in a good way,
makes an gal wish for younger days
Be careful in the bathroom it's not so clean
Sure enough to knock a man to his knee
It's the Kort ---- Haus
Mighty mighty, just lettin' it all hang out
It's the Kort --- Haus
The burgers are stacked and that's a fact,
ain't holding nothing back.
Oh shake it down, shake it down now (repeat)
I love this place! The staff are super awesome and friendly. The layout makes it a great place to meet new people and mingle with your friends. Prices are pretty good. Pretty decent beer selection. And a good little back porch area.
It being the Christmas season, I went with the Reindeer Burger, and was pleasantly surprised!
Rudolf... I'm a monster... I know, but it's your fault for tasting so good isn't it?
There is something just a tad unsettling about serving half the animals you just saw at the Zoo, but that's the dark price of being a meat eater, isn't it?
The owner is a swell fella, and I'm pressured by his affable nature to give him more stars, I really am... but a dive is a dive. Holes in the seats, and layers of beer signs everywhere... the surroundings aren't what I'd call inspired.
That said... the worst thing about the Kort Haus is the bathroom (shudders). It was a chamber of horrors the likes of Freddy Kruger could not devise. I'll save you from the details... but needless to say... hold it.
My friend told me about this place on Phinney Ridge that serves exotic burgers. Bear, Bore, Alligator, Kangaroo, Venison, etc... so I looked it up on yelp. The reviews all pretty much said the same thing - it's WAY dive-y.
I can do dives. I need to get my dive-face on, but I can do dives. When I lived in Hellevue, I frequented the Mustard Seed. Dives are cool.
This place..... this place is BEYOND DIVEY. It's like, borderline health hazard. It's so disgusting, I didn't want to touch anything. The decor was ugly, dark, and gloomy. The SMELL was RETCHED. UGhhh...
I had to immediately take a shower when I got home and wash my clothes.
On a good note, the venison burger was pretty good. I'd never had venison, so I gave myself a high five for being adventurous.
My boyfriend got the alligator burger, which I found repulsive in thought and taste.
I'll never go here again, which is sad, because I was really looking forward to it before I went. This is not a place you'd see on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" because no one wants to see what goes on in the kitchen. It's scary. *shudder*
Style points for having exotic animal burgers.
If you love divey bars, a good mix of folks, burgers and beer, this is the place. Do not, I repeat do not, expect gourmet dining. Gastro-pu it is not, but if you are looking for an above average burger selection (ostrich is always good) and a beer, this place does the trick.
Do expect a jukebox, pool tables, less than sanitary bathrooms, and an array of exotic meats thrown in between a bun and some condiments. A little on the pricier side (avg 7-10 bucks), but c'mon, you're eating alligator!
This place is GREAT! It reminds me of the wonderful dive bars of my college days mixed with a little Seattle flair. There has always been a great mix of people, drinks, meat, and bar games. Plus this place has Buck Hunter...how could you go wrong?!
This was apparently the final resting place and last stop of a mighty seven pub-crawl. Holy crap. I don't remember much about this place except that it was very dark (bonus) and wasn't as crowded on the Sunday before Memorial Day as the other 6 bars we'd been to previously (another bonus). Yeah! Pub crawls and I have a love/hate relationship, apparently. Thank you, Kort Haus, for showing me the light!
Ed's is super. Outdoor seating, your choice of whatever animal burger you could imagine, a cock-ring dispenser in the bathroom, and the ever-present dancing mexican dude. Ed himself is a stand up guy and he's got my vote for Mayor of Greenwood Ave.
Carnivore heaven, vegetarian heaven, Guinness heaven, Big Buck Hunter heaven, 20 beers on tap heaven, "adult" video bar top game heaven (including "Foxy Boxxi"... not nearly as risque as it sounds I'm afraid), grande juke box heaven, friendly patron heaven, friendly staff heaven etc.
The Kort Haus is a totally comfortable kind of bar. There was no adjustment period for me - I came in, sat down at the bar, sighed and was relaxed in about 30 seconds flat. The staff kept buying us shots, which I thought was just because they're super nice but it turned out a couple in our group knows them, AND they're super nice.
There's no scene at the Kort Haus. There are exotic meats though, including camel. Interesting, considering their proximity to the Zoo... but I am not one to question the source. When I ordered my Guinness, I was asked if I wanted a warm glass or cold glass. Hmm. Cold, I guess? Does anyone ever ask for warm?
Minus a half star for the lackluster tots (they don't compare in size, price, or flavor to the tots at Noc Noc) and minus another half star for the computerized darts which has seen better days. But I can deal, everything else rules.
Although I supposedly visited Seattle for the weekend, I believe when I walked through the front doors of the Kort-Haus Tavern, I slipped through the time and space continuum, and ended up in Newark, New Jersey circa 1992.
It was a sad and creepy place. And it was WAY too bright in there. Nobody looks good in that light. I saw (way too clearly) some really frightening displays of PDA that scarred me. If this place had a little more irony, I think I'd get it.
Don't take yourself so seriously and turn down the lights and maybe Kort-Haus, you will gain a little charm. But at this point, you're just meh.
There is a very depressing time of year when most bars start running out of good seasonal winter ales. Usually the first to go? Jolly Rogers. It also happens that my birthday falls during this depressing time of year, so I thought for sure that drinks with friends the other night would be sad and Jolly Rogers free.
Enter Ed's Kort-Haus to save the day. I think we finished off their supply, but it couldn't have gone to a more deserving or appreciative crowd.
The new bartender was a sweetheart, and helped to make my birthday celebration exactly what I wanted it to be: Good friends, Good beer, and a crowd of guys in the corner who had been playing Buck Hunter for 4 hours straight.
This tavern has certainly seen better days and Charlie D. and Sean T. basically covered its aesthetics so I won't bother with a recap of my own.
If you are tired of the same old burger and want to try something different, stop by the Kort Haus and have your choice of 'exotic meats' like black bear, ostrich, camel, alligator, llama, kangaroo, reindeer and wild boar. The burgers come with the traditional condiments with a choice of your onions raw or grilled. There are three cheeses offered: American, Swiss or Pepperjack. You also have two choices of fries, regular or spicy for a dollar more.
I was pretty hungry from working on my high-pro glow from El Chupacabra and ended up ordering two burgers during our stay here. The first one was the ostrich which I liked a lot. It was like eating a really juicy cheeseburger. The second was the wild boar which I can definitely recommend! That sucker was very tasty indeed! Sean T. and Denice M. can attest to that.
Our bartender was very nice and helpful. He also mentioned that they do have specials on their burgers on Sunday and Tuesday nights. I can't remember if it was a two for one or a certain amount off. Either way it is a good deal because their burgers are a little pricey. I think the average price of their burgers hovers around $10 - $12.
There are vegetarian offerings here too, so bring your herbivore friends. A good time will be had by all.
I will definitely visit this place again.
If you find yourself in the mood for something "different" for dinner, Kort Haus might be your place. But beware of the bar itself because A) it's freaking expensive and B) it isn't the best looking place on the planet. I remember my bill being over 40 bucks for two pitchers and one burger..ouch!!
And for as much as they charge for their burgers you would think they could afford to replace some of the furniture in their bar. Because they have one of those bench seats that's all beat up and covered in duck tape...which totally says "classy". Well I split my ostrich burger with Sean and Ian..so I ended up with some ostrich, reindeer and alligator. It's kind of hard to describe the tasted of the different meats but I liked the reindeer(Rudolph) the best.
Note to all you Jeanne's out there...use a different name when ordering your food at Kort Haus. Because earlier that evening we were at El Chupe and I stole a name tag with the name " Jeanne" on it. So when you order your food at Kort Haus they ask for your name and with me being a smart ass I gave the name of "Jeanne" and the owner/waiter replied back "that's my ex-wives name..and I don't like that name". So once again don't use that name..please.
Well honestly that was a new experience for me and it wasn't a bad one so if you're brave of heart and are looking for something out of the norm then Kort Haus might be right up your alley.
Big Buck Hunter? Check.
Exotic meat burgers? Check.
A plethora of potato options (tots, fries, waffle cut fries, etc.)? Check, check and check.
A touch screen game tv with adult "Find the errors in this picture" game? Check.
Yes it's dirty, it's a dive bar, man! Yes you will reek when you leave. (My husband once came home smelling like the yak burger he'd had, which made me want to, well. Yack.) But it's a totally mellow not pretentious place to have beer and/or watch a game, and in Ballard/Greenwood now a days that's sayin' a lot.
The best thing about it, and why it gets four stars instead of three - they have a multitude of vegetarian meat options. Burgers, chicken burgers, chicken nuggets, corndogs - all of the vegetarian variety. Thank you Ed!! I know it seems like a scary place to eat at first, but I've always been very happy with my food there. Also he has an amazing number of beers on tap, and they vary - love love love.
Besides, I hear he just upgraded to the new Big Buck Hunter...PRO. Word.
I've driven (and walked) past this place quite a few times and have never paid much attention to it. But when Ian K. suggested a happy hour here and mentioned that they serve various exotic meats, I figured it was worth a try. Now that I've tried it, the only thing I can say is that it's worth a try for the exotic meat burgers, but nothing else.
The place seems a little dilapidated inside (and out), but not in a cool, "we designed it to look like this" way. More like a "we haven't lifted a finger or spent a dime on this place in decades" way. They had a decent selection of beer, but based on my bill, it was apparently very pricey. As for the exotic burgers, I had a double reindeer burger (Rudolph and Donner), and it was pretty damn good. Thanks to Denice M., Charlie D. and Ron M., I tried many others - ostrich (good), kangaroo (not bad), wild boar (good), and camel (not so good). I would definitely go back for the burgers alone. I just wouldn't hang out here for any other reason.
In the interest of honesty I must state a few things:
1) I run an espresso bar and am a wee bit OCD when it comes to the cleanliness of my own shop (Bleach? Clean white rags? The more the better!)
2) I inherited this from my Mom who has never met a container of bleach she couldn't use completely in 5 minutes.
3) I have absolutely no problem eating from street vendors in foreign countries, drinking in dive bars around the world and for that matter prefer said venues.
4) I am either a hypocrite or complex...I prefer the term complex.
Ed's is a dive bar, plain and simple. In a neighborhood (some would say entire metro area) filled with condos, vegan restaurants, faux dives and hipsters Ed's Kort Haus is a shining bastion of grime and goodwill that I visit again and again.
I LOVE Ed. He is the old fashioned coot owner/operator of bygone years and I have to say that I adore talking to him (his life is straight out of Jerry Springer....no, really they wanted him on the show). The Buffalo burgers and tater tots are decent and completely acceptable as dive bar food (i.e. completely unhealthy but great for giving you a base for say 5 pints of cider from the tap. I've never been there that I haven't had nice conversations with strangers though I will say that one weekend evening I did find myself in the midst of a horrible popped collar frat boy incursion but I assume they were slumming or lost and they vacated soon after I arrived.
To sum up. Ed's is everything that a dive bar should be and I like it like that.
T o sum it up in two words, an experience. From start to finish, the Kort-Haus was, well, different.
Upon entering, an obligatory check of the bathroom was in order. The verdict? Not suitable to "do business" in. As you open the door of the men's restroom, it's realized there isn't a door on the stall, which leaves the potential 'squatter' there to squat in front of whoever walks in the bathroom, and maybe the bar patrons as well.
After ordering a couple of beers (they do have a large selection on tap), I inquired about ordering food. Ed (owner) directed me toward the tables, which housed the menus, of the take out variety--paper and copied a few more than a few times. In a "regular" place, you're probably asked "what'll you have?" after inquiring about the food and menus. Not at the Kort-Haus, however. At the Kort-Haus, things are done a little differently.
Instead of being waited on, Ed proceeded to tell the bar that every month he is delivered magazines in black plastic. Of course being the congenial (and awfully giddy...maybe hitting the sauce in back?) bar host, how could I NOT have predicted that Ed would then pass these Playboys out to the whole bar? How could I NOT have predicted that Ed would then tell a story about how the co-star of Disney's "High School Musical" had taken nude photos of herself, that could be found on the internet?
It finally came time to order, and not a moment too soon. Who could tell what else was going to happen in this place! The order: one reindeer burger and one camel burger. The reindeer was ok-cooked well enough, and slightly gamy tastin. The camel, however, was ridiculously gamy, and left one of us yearning for a toilet (but not THEIR toilet).
The pros to this place? A wide selection of exotic meats (reindeer, caribou, boar, kangaroo, camel, etc.), interesting stories to tell on Yelp, and.........that's it. the cons? Very pricey ($38 for two burgers and two beers), and the atmosphere leaves much to be desired (both physically-and the patrons and employees). I recommend this restaurant to: brave souls who want to be able to say "yep, I visited the Kort-Haus!!" Oh, P.S. if you really think they use separate grills for veggie and non-veggie.....heh heh heh!!!!!!!!
I haven't seen this many animals eaten since the HBO Furry Cathouse Orgy documentary special.
The burgers and fries are good. They have beer. The atmosphere is dark kind of like a cave. A cave where you might drag the things you have killed with your flinstsone's club to cook them over a campfire for you and the cavewoman you have sweet talked into coming back with you by tapping her head with that same club into a light loving concussion.
Ah the heady days of natural selection. How far we have fallen into the dark ages of civilization, running water and sanitation, and good posture.
Fortunately there are places like this where you can growl as you sink your canines into the juicy pulverized flesh of lesser predators and prey that didn't run quite fast enough. GRRRAAAWWWLLLMMMMPHMMM! TASTY!
.
.
.
* note: I'm kidding about the HBO documentary. If they actually have one, I don't know about it.
Last night I went to the Kort-Haus with some friends. We were thinking about the Tin-Hat (very close to my house, and my local watering hole of choice...) but decided to hit this place up, because...well I don't remeber why.
This place is a pretty typical dive bar. Greasy food, dart-boards, pull-tabs, juke-box, slightly surely bartender.
With one exception.
They serve, what a novice would call, exotic meats.
We're talking buffalo, deer, ostrich... I was hoping for some gueyduck ,
but alas, I was denied.
I will say, the night we went, our service was horrid. I ordered a corndog. I came to my table frozen in the middle. I sent it back, It returned in the same icey corpse it had apparently been doomed to for all eternity. They waitress also brought our entire table of patroons the wrong order. We ate some of it anyway.
It's also a little bright in there for my standards, and you can find a jukebox with much better selection elsewhere... trust me.
This place will do in a pinch, but if you can get to the Tin Hat, or even the People's pub.... go there.
$9 for a pitcher of frothy Rainier - the glasses were warm. Now that that's out of the way...
I have to agree that this isn't the cheapest bar in the neighborhood, but it does have exotic appeal. I ate my first kangaroo burger and it was very lean and tasty. My bf had the reindeer burger - the texture was much more like an angus burger, but it smelled funny (go figure). The tater tots are standard fare, and the spicy fries (waffle) are nothing to write home about. The portions look small, but we were both satisfied after a burger, fries, and two pitchers. They had a new bartender (self-admitted) who was very friendly and welcoming (A+ for that).
I recommend sitting out on the back patio on warm days. If you sit far from the door, up against the rail - you can see Green Lake down the block with the Cascade's behind. Very cool.
Would I go again? Definitely. Will I go on a night other than their Sunday/Tuesday special burger night where you can buy one, get one half off? Probably not.
Aside from all the exotic burgers people are talking about they also serve a variety of vegetarian choices you don't see at most dives like veggie "chiken" nuggets on a bed of fries, which I love to wolf down with a couple pints of strong ale. Speaking of ale they have something like 20 beers on tap including a variety of local breweries.
I give 5 stars not only for the nice beer selection and the veggie options, but also because the jukebox is cool. I was able to play the metal band Death on it. That is a rarity!!
I'm not in Greenwood very much since I live on Capitol Hill and don't have a car. However, I would make the trip out to Greenwood just to go to Kort-Haus.
It's a dive bar seedy enough to make you feel like an authentic working man, but not so seedy that a young woman can't go in and hang out unattended. Wild meat burgers (crocodile, ostrich, bear, moose, and more) are the cherry on the sundae. And while they don't have liquor, they do have some delicious ciders so that even a non-beer-drinker like me can kick back and enjoy a glass of something fizzy.
GROSS.
oh man, i had to take a shower when I left this place. So encrusted with filth I can't believe the health department doesn't say something. I didn't eat, but that is because of the dirt in the bar, I can only imagine if it is that dirty where people can see, what about where people can't see. yuck.
We sat at the bar, which was covered in filthy duct-tape. Yeah you heard right, like the whole thing is duct-tape.
Will somebody please buy this cool old place that has potential and gut it.
Make sure you get your shots before entering.
Happy to have watched half a ball game here
and more than half a pitcher disappear.
Specials include drinks and food. The food is more
than just good burgers. Many beers on tap.
Darts, pinball, jukebox, pool - tv's
Also, free pool Sunday's and one free table mondays.
Sort of a comfy old pair of boots joint.
One awesome spicy buffalo burger with swiss. Figures as its near the spicy buffalo range.
Cool staff.
Me like.
Sure it's a little divey, a little dingy, but the beer glasses are clean and that's what matters. After all, the place is called Ed's Kort Haus (i.e. not German, just purposefully misspelled), so you have fair warning.
The selection of draft beers here is pretty extensive (~20) and mostly local. They're often served with a smile by Ed himself, and they won't set you back like those pricey Belltown alcohol boutiques.
If you're like me and always appreciate a good dive, you've already been here or are now planning your visit. If not, I'd at least recommend stopping by for a beer next time you feel like slumming or doing a Phinney/Greenwood pub crawl.
Eff this place
This place is a dive in the not-cool sense of the word. Sure, it's a novelty because they serve moose, but it's so gross in there. It's the kind of place where you don't want to touch the tables, or if you dropped a dollar on the floor you'd want to take some vitamin C before you pick it up. The rug is so skanky, it's disgusting! They haven't recovered from the era before the smoking law set in, so it smells like a casino lounge on the ugly side of Vegas.
The staff is really rude, too. Like, crazy rude, like the people are either crazy themselves, or they're used to dealing with drifters constantly. My last time there, which was a tongue-in-cheek gathering at the dingiest bar the host could muster, they asked for a credit card from each of the dozen well-dressed folks because of some deep fear of someone dining and dashing.
Their food is self-explanatory. They have bar food, and stock a bunch of weird animal meats. Whatever, if you're vegetarian, eat before you go there.
The other thing that stinks is their policy about calling the liquor board on their neighbors. I won't elaborate, but they tried to shut down a new restaurant on the same street, citing idiotic offenses that even the police acknowledged as harrassment, after identifying the source of the complaints.
They don't get only one star because it is good if you only have $5 but want 2 beers.
Last word: This place eats it. If you're hungry for a turtle-burger, try your luck, but any biological sensitivities to any substance will be enflamed here. Cheap beer, but the paranoid service and disgusting interior make this place a not-funny joke. If you do go, walk in a puddle on the ride home so you don't drag that funk into your car/house.
Not a bad place to get a beer... if you really, really need one. I'm hoping the alcohol in my cup killed whatever wasn't cleaned off of it.
The bar staff was attentive to my party of 5 and made sure we were happy with the level of beer left in our pitcher. So that was good.
There are pool tables and arcade style games and food... none of which I tried so I can't comment on those. For bar atmosphere, however, this place seems like a good place to watch a game or get a beer with good friends. Just wipe down your cup before using it if you get a chance.
I live a few blocks from this place and was a regular for a few months. They were frequently out of just about anything I tried to order, but I adore dive bars and they serve Guinness, so they were mostly ok by me.
The last time I went to Ed's was at the end of June when I watched the bartender scream about a huge rat being behind the bar. She let a patron come behind the bar and stomp it's brains out, and then had her boyfriend pick it up by the tail and hold it proudly in front of him as he walked it out of the bar (dripping blood) and tossed it into the trash can by the back balcony (where several other patrons were sitting.) F-ing disgusting. I won't be going back.
The Kangaroo & Kiwi is just a few blocks away and worth it for the cleanliness, product consistency and lack of obnoxious and tactless help.
d: "whoa...they have black bear burgers?"
m:"yeah..."
d: "is that even legal? can you just eat black bear?"
m: "i don't know."
d: "seems kinda sketchy doesn't it?"
c: "well you can go hunt and kill a black bear, it's not like a grizzly or anything."
m: "right, i mean they have black bears in new jersey for chrissake. in the suburbs."
d: "yeah...but i mean, it's still a bear."
m: "it IS still a bear. that's true."
d: "i don't know how i feel about eating bear."
or something like that. i didn't have a tape recorder or anything, and we were about 4 beers down at that point, so it's hard to say whether that's completely accurate - but i'm sure it's the type of conversation that takes place many times at the kort-haus.
as the other review so succinctly stated it: this place is a dive bar. it's really not the kind of bar you'd think about eating in on first glance. in fact, i'm not sure you'd even eat anything from a vending machine in a place like this. luckily though - there are no vending machines - unless you count the ones in the bathroom - and they don't sell things to eat. for the most part.
anyhow...oddly enough, in this joint where even peanuts seem dodgy, they specialize in serving up exotic meats. kangaroo, the aforementioned black bear, buffalo, ostrich, crocodile, etc. if you can make a burger patty out of it - they've probably got it. and they seem to take their exotic meats rather seriously. a friend of mine got the spicy buffalo burger and said it was great. a couple other guys at the bar come in every tuesday to try a new type of burger. so...people DO actually eat here. and the atmosphere is pretty classic - and the type that's quickly disappearing from condotown usa.
the bartender also explained that sunday's and tuesday's - you buy one exotic meat burger, the second one is half price. so...there's that.
yes yes this place has all sorts of meats to eats.
kangaroo. boar. bear. alligator.
but its all about the walnut burger.
One of the last dive bars in Seattle. Don't take this the wrong way. Dive is not a bad term. I love bars that are not trying to be more than they should. Don't get all pretentious on me and charge 7 freakin dollars for a basic micro-brew. The beer selection is good, they've got them all covered. Burgers a plenty with the exotics available, check their whiteboard for what's available that day. It's a great mainstay in the neighborhood. Sadly with the new condos taking over the Phinney ridge I'm afraid for this little place being overrun by bug money. Go check it out and keep a real bar on Greenwood/Phinney.
Good selection of beers on tap and the craziest hamburger selections I've ever seen. I didn't notice the "exotic" list until I had already ordered but I'm definitely going back to try a yak burger or maybe a camel burger. The bar itself feels like a bit of a dive (which I prefer honestly) with pool tables in the back and at least one Big Buck Hunter game that looked kinda complicated. The staff was friendly and efficient and I'd like to frequent this place more often.
So where can you find great beer (Ed brought in a keg on my recomendation and I need help in finishing it off!), a great assortment of exotic meat, and a Large vegetarian menu with 2 big screen TV's, dart boards and Buck Hunter? Ed's thats where. This place rocks! There are many regulars there and Ed is just hilarious.
Total dive, but the claim to fame is unusual burgers. They are good, and so are the fries!
The waitress was very helpful, everyone liked their "exotic" burger, and they had a wide selection of good beer. A pretty cool place all in all.
Burgers & Brews Wednesday…
Neighborhood: Ballard
50% Off Burgers
Seattle, WA
Bellevue, WA
Category: Meat Shops
Neighborhood: Green Lake
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Phinney Ridge
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Broadview
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Ballard
Category: Pubs
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