Ballard Smoke Shop

sometimes you're about to kiss rock bottom on the lips. the lowest low of your life is approaching a break-neck speed and your future looks (and smells) like moldy bacon... what do you do? well, have a laugh, and a drink. do it here, so no one will notice if you mess your pants and start crying. by the way they're open really early, so this last stand is available at any legal hour. more

Strong drinks, great staff and has not fallen victim to the gentrification of Ballard Ave. It's perfect. This is the bar that your Grand Papa used to drink at and probably still does. Great service and friendly people - don't come here for super trendy drinks you can go to the other random Ballard Ave bars for that, come here for the atmosphere and friendly people. We are in our twenties and love it. Pros: Real people, good drinks, good jukebox more

The Ballard Smoke shop is a legend in Ballard. It is great to see that it hasnt fallen prey to the yuppification of Ballard Avenue. So if you are hankering for the feeling of old working class Ballard - this is the bar for you. The drinks are strong, it has a great neighborhood bar feel and if you misbehave they kick you out. The jukebox aint bad to boot. Pros: If you are a yuppie you arent welcome here! more

a quintessential blue collar dive bar with a real sense of history. drinks are not for the faint at heart and they don't call it the smoke shop for nothing, but it's charming as can be--for those that appreciate such grit. more

In fact, it's THE dive!!!! The best dive in town... bartenders and most of the clients, near retirement age, oddball jukebox, nicotine-stained ceiling, reeking of stale booze and even staler cigarettes... no dumb mood lighting or ""fake kitschy"" decor, like the so-called Capitol Hill scenester ""dives"" Oh, the decor is kitschy, but it's for real, done in all seriousness! Not with tongue in cheek irony, like the above mentioned phony scenester dives... THAT's what makes a dive a dive, authenticity... The disingenuisousness of most of the ""dives"" on Capitol Hill and Downtown disqualify them from true divehood... they are just trendy hipster joints trying to pass themselves off as dives The Smoke Shop is the real Mccoy! more