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Waterwheel Lounge
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 2 pm - 2 am
Fri 11:30 am - 2 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
98 reviews for Waterwheel Lounge
Review Highlights
"The Waterwheel Lounge delivers a good time."
(in 10 reviews)
"My most favorite dive in Seattle."
(in 27 reviews)
"guitar hero competitions."
(in 5 reviews)
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98 reviews in English
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Review from Loralee V.
Mercer Island, WA
1/26/2012
Tucked in and away from the street, I bottomed out trying to get up into the lot! My first time at the Waterwheel Lounge was last Sunday during the brunch hour and I ended up staying into the early evening. It is, as described, a charming dive. Everything is exactly what one would expect out of a dive bar. The decor is totally tacky, shower curtains instead of doors on the bathroom stalls=somewhat effective, but the atmosphere more festive than one can imagine in a place like this. -The staff are beyond efficient! - Super service and lots of fun.
Basically typical bar food & menu, until you order from the specials menu.... It quickly turns into a nearly exquisite culinary feast! Delicious, nearly gourmet, and inexpensive! The drinks are strong and cheap, and the crowd friendly, so watch out.
For an appetizer Chef Ramon personally presented a new twist on Eggs Benedict: the egg sat atop a fried tomato on top of a sliced roasted green chili. - Truly a scrumptious melt in your mouth flavorful experience. After a few mimosas and fireballs, we shared a delicious fry bread taco w chili cheese sour cream, etc. with the group. Also at the table I tasted other sides that were on other specials... The mashed potato, with sautéed mushrooms & sun dried tomatoes, parsley caramelized onions, etc. everything amazing!
Gotta' have more next Sunday! -
Review from Allison W.
Seattle, WA
1/6/2012
First time at the mighty Waterwheel last night. It is, as described, a charming dive. No cider on tap, but they have the Strongbow in the tall cans. Burger was pretty delicious, though dirty fry oil meant the fries were not so good. Seems to be a common problem in places--is fry oil all that expensive? 'cuz dirty fry oil ruins perfectly good food. Everyone is so nice there, and the bartender was nice enough to honor my expired Groupon at face value (I thought they HAD to, but she said otherwise).
We came to check out the Wednesday trivia, and it was not all that impressive. All four rounds were themed, and very much geared to a younger crowd. Very few general knowledge type questions, more along the lines of "Musicians with the first name of Chris" and "sports movies". This was my first time playing at a place that uses a trivia service, and I was not impressed. I'll stick with homegrown trivia elsewhere, and hopefully my next visit to La Waterwheel will be on a clean fry oil day! -
Review from Nina H.
12/8/2011
The bf bought a Groupon for this place so we decide to come here on a Tuesday night. Little did we know, we walked right in on bingo night and we were late... It was a bit awkward trying to find seats since it was pretty much a packed house but we managed to squeeze with three others close to the bar. Turns out we had unknowingly sat with the owner and her parents!!! It was such a nice surprise because we all started chatting while playing Bingo at the same time... and it's pretty cool because my bf got Bingo on his first try... and then a few rounds later, I won too! We were really lucky!
We got a free drink each for winning. It was definitely a nice introduction to our night. We then proceeded to ordering the pesto sandwich and fried chicken. I was super excited about the food because I heard great things about the chef and the menu. The pesto sandwich was fabulous and the bf really loved it. The fried chicken was HUGE... they really weren't kidding when they said that we'd need a to-go box after eating.
Overall, the night was really fun and spontaneous. We got into a little trouble with parking since we parked behind the Pho Vietnam restaurant and apparently the owner gets really mad when people park in their lot... duly noted. Don't park behind the pho restaurant because they'll take down your plate number and tell on you. But we moved the car onto the street, no biggie.
Karaoke night started at around 8:30 pm and we stuck around for a couple of songs which was very fun and entertaining too.
Food is cheap and drinks are strong, friendly crowd, I'd definitely recommend if you're looking for a casual and drama-free night out! -
Review from Jay H.
Seattle, WA
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Tried this place for the first time last night aaaaand... I'm a fan. It was cattle car crowded and was standing room only. The clientele was varied and pretty entertaining in-and-of-themselves. It was karaoke night (maybe that's every night?) which I'm definitely a fan of as well. The wait to sing was very long but the crowd got into most of the songs which always makes things more fun. I had fun singing Creep by Radiohead... a personal fave. It seemed like they had a good selection of songs and the KJ was engaging.
I was enjoying a nice glass of water as I was driving but my friends who ordered drinks said they were strong and the prices seemed reasonable.
I'll definitely be back as it's just down the street from me... but maybe on a night that has a better oxygen to person ratio.
Check out this joint... you'll dig it! -
Review from Graham L.
Seattle, WA
1/23/2012
The waterwheel is a blast! Amanada is awesome bartender, who even when it is SLAMMED is still quickly serving drinks! The karaoke is sweet too. Great, fun, friendly atmosphere to go party on the weekends.
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Review from Brittany L.
Lynnwood, WA
8/22/2011
I have great (albeit very hazy) memories of The Waterwheel. One in particular involving getting up on bar stools and assisting those singing karaoke by belting out some Pat Benetar with my bestie on her birthday. Even nearing last call this place seemed like it could go on for a few more hours. Everyone here is down-to-earth, fun and just as willing to act a little crazy with you. The drinks are a good price, it's always a good time and as far as dive bars go, you can't get much better than here. It's like home -- if your home involved many happy people smushed in one place playing bingo or singing karaoke. It just feels comfortable.
Word to the wise, ladies: Don't make the same mistake I did -- If you enter a bathroom and it looks like a mens restroom, it is! Turn around and walk out the door and THEN you'll see the women's restroom! Oops! -
Review from Atif M.
Seattle, WA
11/16/2011
Divey in the "I'm looking for a dive" kind of way. Food's not bad, but really I come for the booze. If you can get here for happy hour the deals are really good. If you're looking for somewhere that's fun but not super high maintenance, this is a good spot.
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Review from Elaine K.
6/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was recommended to me as a "dive bar" in my neighborhood so decided to give it try. It's easy to miss though. We literally drove past it (despite having an address in hand), did a U-turn, and then had to look very carefully before realizing we had arrived. It's tucked in a bit from the street.
The chicken wings came highly recommended so decided to go with wings - half regular, half spicy. Glad I was able to do half and half since the spicy were too spicy for me (and I can take some heat!!) and it was sopping in the sauce which I didn't like. The regular wings were definitely better than your typical wings at a bar - crunchy, flavorful, and not soggy. Boyfriend had their special of the night and found his meal to be too salty. The drinks were super cheap (under $5!)...couldn't believe the prices, but then again, I don't go to many dive bars so it may be on par with other places. It was a Friday night so by the end of our meal, Karaoke started!! What?! Hilarious and unforgettable at the same time. -
Review from Tarah M.
5/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yes, the Waterwheel isn't much to look at from the outside. But I'm going on the cliche that it's what's on the inside that counts. You know, don't judge a book by its cover? Okay, I'll stop. But this place exceeded my expectations! Seriously, how can you go wrong with BBQ, towers of beer, and best of all..karaoke?!
First, the food. Delicious and devoured, although I have to say I'm a bit biased because I didn't touch their barbeque. My friends scarfed down the pulled pork sandwiches, however, so I'm sure it was a hit. I enjoyed their ginormous nachos as well as tater tots and was plenty satisfied. Pair these with their stiff drinks and you can say HELLO! to bringing on the drunk karaoke! The crowd was easygoing and fun and even when my gals and I got a little carried away with our singing, we still got some love from everyone. Staff was super friendly and helpful.
Note to self: Tower of beer will certainly bring down the house next time. On my checklist. -
Review from Jamie A.
9/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is an awesome hole-in-the-wall dive bar! The food is tasty, and the drinks are delicious and well-priced. The bar is fairly small, but the atmosphere is comfortable and fun. The best part (in my opinion) is definitely the karaoke!! I had so much fun singing! Plus, there are so many awesome people that frequent the bar that I made some new friends. I even sang a song with one of my new friends and arm-wrestled her just for fun (it was a draw). I will definitely go back to this bar and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys karaoke.
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Review from Lisa T.
5/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
What a fun place! Upon walking in with our group of six, we were met with a random smattering of round tables and high stools. We grabbed up a table and crowded around.
This place has that dive feel but is definitely more than that. The drinks are STIFF, the food is actually quite delish (who doesn't love tator tots?!), and there's plenty of people-watching via the karaoke going on.
The place was crowded on this Saturday night - with an eclectic mix of ages and characters.
Service...very friendy bartenders, albeit a smidge on the slow side.
Something we didn't order but will next time...the tower o' beer! If you don't know what that is, you'll easily figure it out if you go! -
Review from Lindsay T.
Seattle, WA
4/10/2011
I've been to the Waterwheel many a night and have always loved it. I generally get there on Friday or Saturday nights for karaoke and it has never failed to be entertaining. If you come with a large group I highly reccomend a beer tower, it's festive and keeps the night going!
The karaoke selection is pretty great and in the past the bartender has done a few numbers while he works which is always impressive.
Bottom line: If you like local dive bars then you should definitely check out the Waterwheel. -
Review from Jorge M.
Seattle, WA
2/12/2011 2 photos
3 liter's of joy!!
Came here with some fellow Yelpers for the beer tower challenge.96 ounces of frost brewed ale.From the outside it looks like a shithole ,but as you walk in.I knew what I was in for being a dive bar aficionado.Went straight to the bar and ordered not ONE but TWO 3 liter beer towers of Fat Tire 2° Below Ale.Our friendly bartender brought them over with good advice on how to conquer the tower.With a nice tap dispenser,we drank every last drop.With a Groupon deal it came out to $20 bucks for both.
Will definitely come back for another round of mayhem and indulgence!! -
Review from Daren D.
2/19/2011 1 photo
It feels like an above-average dive. It's alright. I just hung out briefly with some buddies before leaving for a buddy's dinner.
And wow, you want length? Come here. :P -
Review from Christy K.
Seattle, WA
9/21/2011
Gotta love this dump! I don't mean to be rude, but the Waterwheel is an old school dive bar. The drinks are cheap and strong, the food is almost edible and the regulars are as odd as Ballard has to offer. I love this place!
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Review from drew m.
Seattle, WA
9/21/2011
Waterwheel Lounge is not a lounge; it's a shitty dive bar. Service was unfriendly and extremely slow. The other patrons were aggressive. As I was leaving the bar one young man asked me, "Where the fucking are you going bitch... you fucking bitch."
I would not recommend Waterwheel Lounge. -
Review from Inna B.
Seattle, WA
9/14/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Holy moley does it take a lot of booze to spend $25 here!!!!
Some of my co-workers and I recently started trying to do a weekly happy hour, and I joined them for a Waterwheel one time.
First impression was... "This feels very back-yard frat party!" We loved the astro turf. Note that none of those are BAD things to us... Just not what we are used to in a venue or something we were expecting to find!
It was happy hour and apparently bingo night. We had lots of fun playing. We started off with one of those super-tall beer tower things... but I didn't have any from that. Not an IPA fan, and that's what the person ended up picking. I ended up having 3 Hoegaardens (and taking one red-headed slut shot with the team- ugh! Never trying that one again!) instead. I also had some tater tots and they were quite tasty. They had some amusing prizes that I never won, probably because I lost the focus to keep playing after about 1.5 beers.
Is this a snazzy bar with fancy cocktails and a great view? Definitely not. Their staff is nice, however, and it's a fun place to kick back and enjoy yourself with a group of friends.Listed in: Happy Hour Adventures!, Ballard, Talk DIVEY to me!
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Review from Natalie L.
Seattle, WA
2/1/2011
My fiance and I just went here to use our groupon. This place was fantastic. My fiance best described it as a Cheers vibe. Tonight was BINGO night and everyone seemed to know each other and was having a great time. The drinks were cheap and the food was amazing.
I got the fried chicken. The waitress told me it was going to take a half hour to make so I knew it would be good. It tasted just like my grandma's blackened skillet fried chicken. It was salty, crispy perfection. My fiance got the bacon cheeseburger. Both were some of the best food we've had.
Great food, cheap drinks, and I even won at Bingo. We'll definitely be back. -
Review from Krista M.
9/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
Well things have changed in the past year since I've been here haven't they?! The Waterwheel was always good, but now it's better!
They've added a pretty decent sized beer garden in the back. Although now it's a bit harder to find parking for the bar. But eh, who cares? The trade off is worth it. They even have a flat screen mounted OUTSIDE. Nice.
They've also got some pretty lively karaoke nights happening here, Woo HOO! Although, the night we were present for karaoke it was craziness! Almost too much for my old fogey taste but still, it's apparently a fun place to get your groove on.
I still haven't tried the food, but will do so in the future. I will be back because the drinks are tasty and the service is always friendly. Waterwheel is a great place to throw back a few with the buddies. -
Review from Kristine H.
Seattle, WA
6/24/2011 3 Check-ins Here
If you are a local who likes an unpretentious bar, come here. It's divey and wonderfully so. Bartenders are friendly and the drinks are strong. There's an outdoor area now for relaxation and while the patrons might not be people you'd invite to your home, you'll have fun. They do poker nights, karaoke, bingo and fried chicken. Trust me. Unless you have stupid high standards, you'll have fun.
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Review from Joel B.
Spokane, WA
7/3/2010
Top three bullet points in order of precedence:
1. Outstanding happy hour
2. Unsparing bartenders (free pour bar)
3. Eclectic crowd, often a little rowdy
When I'm not in uniform, this is where I go to lose my military bearing. I walk in sober, and walk out in a state other then sober with some money to spare. What else do you want from a bar?Listed in: Bars to get rowdy in on a…
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Review from James M.
Seattle, WA
9/24/2010
The Two Towers . . . of BEER! The Waterwheel offers a 3 liter beer tower with a convenient tap for easy pouring if you are bored with the standard pitcher(though they have those too).
The staff is very friendly and helpful which adds to the fun and positive vibe of this casual neighborhood bar. -
Review from Katie S.
San Francisco, CA
2/25/2009
A Pitcher of Mac n' Jacks = $14
$4 Two Egg Breakfast & a $3 Bloody Mary = $10 w/ tax n' tip.
Happily Allowing Yelpers to Rick Roll it up on a Sunday Night = Priceless -
Review from Alli D.
11/17/2008 ROTD 1/6/2009
To all you people who don't like rowdy, sweaty girls with musical instruments gettin' all up in their grill while you're trying to sing karaoke, I have two words:
My bad!
I just can't control it. Like the full moon to the werewolf, something in the music-lyrics-beer combo turns me into another person entirely. Add in Cousin and her bag-o-tricks (i.e. percussion collection) and it's all over.
The greatest thing about karaoke at the Waterwheel was that the karaoke-master didn't get pissed at us and make us put it all away. Dudes at the *other* places in town (cough-Ozzies-cough) apparently don't like their patrons to have a good time. No such snobbery at the Waterwheel.
Let's see, what else was so great about this place? Well, for starters, when I ordered a Mack-n-Jack from Stu (owner), he offered me space to place my face right under the spigot. I declined, but still appreciated the offer. The fries we ordered were super good too! AND, just in case you feel a little hefty after the beer and pub grub, there are two exercise bikes out in the back to burn off some calories! You know, in case you're not comfortable making a spectacle on the dance floor (like yours truly).Listed in: I'm *kind* of a big deal...
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Review from Sonya L.
7/30/2010
Went to the Waterwheel for a friend's birthday a couple of weeks ago and had a really good time! The drinks were strong, the bartenders were friendly, and the owner was a really welcoming and nice guy!
The outside area is new since I was here last and it is awesome. Great for those warm summer nights. There's a beanbag toss and plenty of tables and benches for sitting.
The only downside was the karaoke. I LOVE karaoke and there was a great selection of songs, but it took eons for the two songs I sang to rotate through. I wouldn't have been able to sing another song if I'd wanted to because it took so long in between turns that it would have been last call before I could get another one in. The lady who was running the karaoke also wasn't particularly friendly and clearly did not like the choice of songs that I sang with my boyfriend and my friend.
Other than that small hitch, we had a great night and I'll definitely be back here again.Listed in: Bodacious Ballard
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Review from Drue C.
San Francisco, CA
2/21/2008
Any bar that has free wifi is a good bar in my book.
Any bar that looks imposing and a little rough from the outside, is set back on a road that doesn't have many other bars or restaurants around it, thus making it sort of dark and certainly not somewhere that you would "just pop in" on your way to another bar makes this my kind of bar for sure!
The fact that I can STILL feel like I am super young when I walk in to a place seals the deal for me.
This is not exactly a dive. No bar that has a clean bathroom with a medicine cabinet stocked with FREE tampons, Aqua Net and scented lotion could really be a dive. It does nod heavily in that direction, though, with the older clientele, wood grained toilet seats behind curtains instead of doors, cheap strong drinks and an interior that is dated back to the 70's.
I haven't tried their food but I am guessing if my gramps were still alive he would think it was fantastic, which means I would, too. If only I had a take on whether gramps would like karaoke or guitar hero because, apparently, on set nights, this place also has these modern marvels to go along with the wifi. I personally prefer to go on the other nights and make a toast to gramps.Listed in: Seattle drives me to drink.
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Review from Matt R.
Edmonds, WA
8/25/2008
Let's see. What did I do here last night?
* Drank some very good beer. Mac & Jacks on tap!
* Helped Don celebrate his B-day and Trevor & Jessie have a killer last Seattle event.
* Unsuccessfully attempted 'Street Spirits (Fade Out)' by Radiohead on karaoke.
* Pretty successfully tried out 'She Don't Use Jelly' by The Flaming Lips on karaoke.
* Kicked 'Punk Rock Girl' by The Dead Milkmen's ass on karaoke.
* Watched people play Wii bowling for their first time. It's always funny seeing people Wii it up for the first time.
* Got licked in the face several times by the most hyperactive dog ever.
* Heard good (for the most part) karaoke of songs I've never seen available in karaoke before. Very wide range of songs to choose from.
* Had a blast with a crowd of happy fun Yelp and non-Yelp folk alike.
Sundays here are going to be fun from here on out. Karaoke and Wii. Powerful combination. Go. You'll have a great time.Listed in: Places with alcohol
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Review from Sarah B.
8/25/2008
Why is my wallet sticky? This is the question I asked myself this morning. What had the Waterwheel done to me last night that resulted in the inside of my wallet being smeared with shiny goo?
I'm really not sure. I'm assuming somehow I managed to get a small amount of booze in there, perhaps from money that was was once on the bar in dangerous proximity to a drinkpuddle. Yes, it's true - the well drinks here are cheap enough to put down a five, tip your bartender and still have change. They are not fancy. They are not garnished with little umbrellas. They do not taste like a million glittering fireworks cascading off of your tastebuds. They taste like booze. They look like booze. My rum and coke was barely brown. Enough said, at least on this front.
Everything else is exactly what I'd desire and expect out of a dive bar. The decor is totally tacky in that comfortable down-home sort of way that makes it easy to tie one on without worrying about knocking over a really fancy vase. I promise you will never risk setting yourself alight on an ill-placed votive candle at the Waterwheel.
Shower curtains instead of doors on the bathroom stalls? Klassy, but effective. Mostly.
The oft-mentioned stools are also everything somebody with childbearing hips or inner ear problems could ever want out of a drinking establishment seating arrangement. Like sippy cups, these stools offer a true sense of security and balance, even when dancing in your chair to karaoke favorites.
Given the way they pour here... after two or three drinks, you're going to need all the seating stability you can get.Listed in: Behold, Ballardia!
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Review from Valentina V.
Seattle, WA
3/27/2009
...Imagine you have a soft spot for dingy, merry and colorful holes-in-the-wall with karaoke.
...Imagine then you win some money via inheritance--oh, that sweet, sweet Aunt Margie, rest in peace!
...If you don't have Aunt Margie or your family members tend to live up until they're 100-years old, then you got the extra money because you just asked for a Quick Pick as your change at the gas station's mini-mart.
...Don't dream too big. The extra money isn't that much! Well, it's enough to buy a house and make some remodeling. Happy now?
...You decide to buy an old but charming house in Ballard. After paying for it, you still have a bit of the money left to make your dream of "I want a hole-in-the-wall-in-my-house" a reality. You have an unfinished basement-dungeon underneath those 90-years old original hardwood floors. Better place? Impossible!
...You sit down and visualize how you want it. Then, magically, you're transported to the Waterwheel for ideas, beer and karaoke.
That's what the Waterwheel is about. I felt like entering into the "bar in the basement" of a good friend's house. It's a warm, friendly place where Alex the bartender, sings along some tunes while he's serving you a pint. If you ask him, he will be happy to mix a Cosmo for you (he told me he likes to be asked for a specialty drink, 'cause he doesn't have much chance to make those). Needless to say, libations here are on the cheap side of the moon!
The karaoke selection is large, large, large. From Motown and hairband Rock to Enrique Iglesias and The Hoff, you'll pretty much find the song you have been craving to sing for ages. You can even dance when someone else is singing: there's space enough to shake it to the raspy voice of a Michael Hucknall wannabee.
We had a wonderful time during the Pearl Jam Karaoke night our dear M'lady Katie hosted. Even thought not everyone sang to the tunes of the legendary band, we had fun listening to a varied selection of musical choices between those. Yelpers and non-Yelpers (Garrington, man!) kept returning for 5 more minutes of fame.
That night I discovered, after two years dating The Dude, that he LOVES karaoke and that he can do a killer impersonation of Eddie Vedder. I wish I could be a bit bolder, so I could have a "Tom Jones fervent female fan" moment...! Second place in the karaoke competition can give you an idea of my man being good (and hilarious). Fellow Yelper Heather F. and her pretty voice got the first place. Our friend Garrington came up third.
Karaoke is not the only form of entertainment available at the Waterwheel. They have a pool table. The have TVs with your favorite games on. They have plenty of great bar conversation. The incredibly sweet karaoke gentleman--very a-la-80s in his gray suit--will sing for you from time to time.
Waterwheel feels like home. In these times of general tribulations, this is one of those places where you'll successfully wash out any pains and worries.
Just ask for a pint and grab that microphone. And make sure you can reach Marvin Gaye's highest pitch! And afterward, get your butt back to your basement...good luck trying to recreate such a wonderful place! -
Review from Jake R.
12/9/2008
This is quite a small bar, but it packs a lot of fun!
One of my best friends used to live in a condo right across the street and I can't believe we never ventured here, we sure missed out!
I came here for my first time for the "Singing for (your) Change!" yelp event. I walk in and this place is packed, granted it's a rather small place, but it was like sardines in a can in there and I'm not complaining! I would rather be in a packed bar any night of the week then sit awkwardly an empty bar, the more the merrier I always say! :)
The bar tender was a really cool, friendly and very attentive dude. Granted I was sitting at the bar but he was always there with my next drink when I wanted it, no waiting! He even got into the karaoke and sang a few songs, which weren't too shabby if I remember correctly.
It was nice to see some yelpers I knew and a few new faces too! This is a fun bar with a great atmosphere and I'll be sure to check it out again, definitely if the yelpers host another event here! -
Review from Michelle S.
Seattle, WA
7/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
I was lying awake in bed last night debating how best to rate the Water Wheel and my recent experience there. This pretty much sums it up: I was having a spectacular time sitting on their outdoor patio drinking cheap, tasty cocktails and playing bingo with my friends until a fellow patron made us feel so uncomfortable we decided to leave abruptly. (His comments immediately took my five-star experience down to the unrecognized zero of the Yelp scale.) Unfortunately, this rushed exit also meant I had to forgo my rightfully earned "free shot" for winning an earlier round of bingo. Dammit. Double negative. (In this case did not equal a positive.)
Although that situation (the patron's rudeness, not the loss of my free shot) cast a very negative shadow on my overall experience, it was in no way the fault of the Water Wheel or their staff and should not affect their rating here. I spoke with the owner and bartender immediately after the incident occurred and both were genuinely concerned, apologetic and friendly, which everyone in my party greatly appreciated.
In conclusion, outside drinking and playing bingo makes a pretty awesome combination. After all this drama I feel the Water Wheel deserves the chance to earn a fifth star (and a review update) on a future visit. So if the fates allow, I'll be there on Tuesday ;) -
Review from mel r.
Emeryville, CA
3/31/2008
the food seem to be merely a means to soak up the booze or in other words, sustenance to filly the belly-not bad, not good, just warm. Decent prices on food and drink though
the short haired bartendress was quick, pleasant and handled Betsy's drunken mob with ease.
To me though, this bar strikes me as a wood paneled double wide that should be smack dab in the middle of a cowboy town...like Norco, Ca:
http://www.norco.ca.us... -
Review from Marissa S.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 8/25/2008
Thank you Stu, this one's for you!
What kind of bar opens it's doors to rowdy yelping karaoke birthday madness? the BEST kind ;-)
Plus you put up with me screeching the words to "Closer", which earns extra bonus points as I wouldn't have had the ovaries to do it in any other bar for the first time ;-)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/30/2008
I used to hang out here a lot more when I was still hanging out with my friend who lives right… Read more »
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Review from Riss J.
Updated - 8/26/2008
Three visits later, and it's time for an update.
My first visit, I had a close encounter with the best smelling yelper I know and a Sharpie.
Second visit is a blur, because it was Party Bus time!
Third visit, was for Don L.'s birthday party! After the fun time at the Rickshaw, karaoke was something that was gonna be for his birthday, and I had just found out they started doing it at the Waterwheel....but...could they do it on a day when we could do the party?!? Oh hellzyeah! Wil was a wonderful middle-man between me and Stu and Stu was more than accomodating and happy to have us crash his place for the party.
Rumor has it the Waterwheel will now be sporting Wii bowling and karaoke every Sunday in honor of the 'late, great', Sunset Bowl, so be sure to check them out!!!! Don't make me cut 'ya, GO!
What a freakin blast Don's birthday was! Just about everybody sang (you songless people know who you are, sit and cry in your cheerios at the shame of it all!), and the songs were just as fun. You never knew what someone would pick next!
My karaoke debut consisted of trying to sound like a 12 year old girl for Don's rendition of "Teenage Dirtbag"...thanks to the free-flowing alcohol I somehow managed to get up there 3 more times.
HUGE props to Sarah for joining me for "Faith" and for gyrating on the floor with me to "I touch myself", I could not have done it w/o ya lady! =)
*Single Tear* for Jesse's "Leavin on a jet plane", and ^5's to all the yelpers I drug up there to sing with her, you and Trev are gonna be sorely missed lady! I mean it, Greyhound, $40, I'll be waiting at the station!!! ;-)
I'll run out of room if I try to highlight the entire night and all the fun that we all had, so I'll leave more up to everyone else's reviews.
Happy Birthday Don L! you really rocked (and rick rolled!) that mic all night mister!Listed in: Candy is dandy, but difficult…, More *bang* for your buck
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/2/2008
Heather hit it right on, the hip uncles basement! I loved it!
The drinks were good, but I have no… Read more »
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Review from Aaron M.
12/8/2008
I don't recall alot about this place other than it is very far from my house. And they made a shot that ended my night.....
Walking 30 blocks while drunk I am surprised I only fell once....my knee is still scabbed up. I don't know if I will be back this place it is bad news bears. -
Review from Tammy W.
4/18/2010
The crowd at the Waterwheel was about as diverse as you could get in Seattle. Two punk rock guys in black leather and Misfits fingerless gloves; three Italian guys dressed in suits and ties; older guy in pink polo shirt with the collar flipped up; cougars; androgynous boy, a girl celebrating her 21st birthday, and Motley Crue guy with bleached blonde shoulder-length hair, acid washed jeans, and a visor. Throw in the typical tee shirt and fleece, 20-something to 30-something crowd, and you get one helluva good time for karaoke.
It's nice to have a covered area outside for smoking, and it is well used by this bunch.
The rotation on Saturday night is long, so don't expect to sing much. Oh, and don't park in the parking lot if you can avoid it, as it is customary for others to double-park behind you. We had to wait for a while until they could find the guy who boxed us in.Listed in: Welcome to Ballard!, "Karaoke" Is The Japanese Word…
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Review from Paul B.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2008
By the time I got here, I was already very, very drunk, thanks to the combined and coordinated efforts of one birthday, my beautiful girlfriend, many awesome Seattle folks, and some very heaving pouring.
So, I don't really remember many things about the Waterwheel. In fact, come to think about it, the ONLY thing I remember is that I was served a rather wicked Gin & Tonic at the (faux?) wood-paneled bar. I know I had a great time...
Clearly, I'm going to have to come back at some point.Listed in: Drinking in Seattle
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Review from Betsey S.
10/6/2008
What's not to love? The 'Wheel sort of feels like drinking in your friend's basement that he or she turned into a kick-ass bar. There's karaoke, bingo, poker, Wii, sports on tv, two stationery bikes outside for exercising away your vodka between drinks... and on the slight chance that nothing else fun is going on at the 'Wheel, there's a shelf of books. I'm halfway through the Fantasy Football 1989 Guide.
Excellent Sunday morning (okay, excellent ALL day on Sunday) spot for breakfast and a bloody mary. $4 two egg breakfast and a $3 bloody mary. Done and done. And you can feel good about going in your jammies, there's no judging at the Waterwheel. I'm so glad to finally have MY neighborhood bar!Listed in: The 'Hood... Ballard, Shots and Shenanigans
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Review from Ian S.
8/25/2008
Not a bad place to have a drink.
They seem to have a variety of gimics to get people in to harass and annoy the regulars. This includes:
- guitar hero competitions
- karaoke and wii bowling on sundays
- poker nights
The place feels like the basement of a houseparty of someone you don't know very well with new people wandering in every so often. If you like that kind of an environment, you'll like this place. -
Review from Jay Y.
Kent, WA
10/2/2010 1 photo
So it's very casual and has lots of TV's if you want to cagtch the game.
The environment is very close so can't be a germaphobe like me or have personal space issues. :)
We were upset they ran out of ribs! We went there for the ribs because of the reviews from Yelp. They said they ran out Friday.
Had a hard time finding parking, so we parked in the neighborhood behind the bar.
We were there just before 5pm so it was just starting to pick up.
Since there were no ribs or brisket we had the :
Tattor Tots: Crispy and perfect with cheese according to my friend.
Onion Rings: Over cooked and stuck to one another with a side of tarter sauce. Batter was smooth and brown.
Fried Chicken: Salty and burnt. I'm a southern girl so I drowned mine in hot sauce because I didn't like the seasoning which was burnt on. It's a half chicken by the way.
Mashed potatos: Large size and with white gravy. What?! I like brown gravy with black pepper.
Mixed Vegetables: Peas, Corn, Green beans and carrots from frozen
Coleslaw: Creamy and vinegary
Drinks:
Buttery Nipple: Yum! Perfect finish to my meal. ($5.00)
Amaretto Sour: Sweeter than normal but still good. ($5.00)
Bud Light: ($3.50) My husband had this and said it was good.
Diet Coke: Can't go wrong here.
It was good for a Group On promo but I wouldn't go back. Maybe if you enjoy college age girls, jeans and t-shirt, Sports on TV and Fried foods.
Service was nice but needed more help. Only one waitress for a Saturday night.
