the breakfast there is awesome too... about the only two things i miss about having my office in ballard is the matador for happy hour and the hi-life for breakfast... funny i used to go to concerts... More

the breakfast there is awesome too... about the only two things i miss about having my office in ballard is the matador for happy hour and the hi-life for breakfast... funny i used to go to concerts there back when it was the ballard fire house... the good ol days
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The Hi-Life is my new favorite breakfast spot in Ballard! We usually go on Sunday mornings, there is always a wait. Everyone from young hip twenty-somethings recovering from a hangover to retired... More

The Hi-Life is my new favorite breakfast spot in Ballard! We usually go on Sunday mornings, there is always a wait. Everyone from young hip twenty-somethings recovering from a hangover to retired folk migrate here. The atmosphere, food and prices appeal to everyone. The atmosphere itself is wide open and airy. They have kept a few traces of the old firehouse in the decorative touches. Service is always impeccable. Coffee is strong and yummy. There is a twisted spin on the standard breakfast menu. The standard omelette's, biscuits and gravy and the BEST pancakes I have ever had. Breakfast prices range from $4.75-10.50. Happy hour is fun too. Wood fired pizzas for $3, nice plate of spreads and crispy chips for $3, and a variety of drinks for $3.
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The Hi-Life located in Ballard is for me, the place where everybody knows my name. OK, maybe not everybody but a few bodies. The Hi-Life has wonderful food, but especially a great happy hour. ... More

The Hi-Life located in Ballard is for me, the place where everybody knows my name. OK, maybe not everybody but a few bodies. The Hi-Life has wonderful food, but especially a great happy hour. On Tuesday's they also have the best and cutest bartender EVER! The girls and I (you know who you are) enjoy meeting on Tuesday after work to rehash the weekend and prior week's events. We are served in this wonderful old firehouse that has great ambiance. The drinks are perfect and flow oh-so-well. I invite you to come out and try their wonderful pizza's, salads and menu that changes every three months or so. Always something new at this neighborhood hang-out including changing art work. Hi-Life is one of my favorite places to go dressed up or in jeans and a t-shirt. Have fun and tell me what you think of the Tuesday night bartender.....yummy!
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My partner, Michael, and I finally got a chance to go by Hi-Life and we were pleasantly surprised with the transformation of the former firehouse turned band venue now turned restaurant. We'd... More

My partner, Michael, and I finally got a chance to go by Hi-Life and we were pleasantly surprised with the transformation of the former firehouse turned band venue now turned restaurant. We'd mistakenly thought when we heard about the pizza being served here that the food would be more Americana style. Weren't we surprised when we finally dined there and learned that there is a strong French influence or at least in terms of the menu layout, names, and some of the food presentations. Michael started his meal with the Ceasar Salad ($6.25) which was sizeable, flavorful, and it met Michael's high Ceasar standards. He followed it up with a spicy sausage pizza ($9.75). It was definitely spicy!! I had just a sliver of it and it definitely got the tongue sizzling. For my meal I ordered the daily special ($18.50), a grilled salmon with a eggplant puree and a red bell pepper sauce. The salmon was nicely grilled (a big piece too) and the portions were big enough that I split the plate in half right away and took the extra home for a full meal the next day. Michael went home with 3 pieces of pizza left over. I was happy to see that there were lots of options for any kind of palate. Several veggie dishes, family style dinner options, single entrees, and family friendly but with a good sized bar area too. Overall, great interior space and layout. Beverages besides water for our dinner consisted of Maritime brew ($4.00 pint) and a Pomegranite martini cocktail ($7.25). Many options on the bar menu made it tough for me to decide what to order but it was nice to see some interesting options besides the standard fare. The service was very good (it wasn't too busy at 9:30pm on a Wed) - we had Rebecca as our waitstaff - and overall we decided it was a good experience and we'd be back, much sooner than it took for us to go the first time. We hear from good friends that the happy hour is great here and our server, Rebecca, told us that the breakfast is good as well. We'll have to go back to check it out....we'll update JB if we do.
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Nice space, but the food was disappointing and hence, overpriced. The pork porterhouse was dry and tasteless, and the accompanying greens and polenta were... so-so. The scallops were ok, but the... More

Nice space, but the food was disappointing and hence, overpriced. The pork porterhouse was dry and tasteless, and the accompanying greens and polenta were... so-so. The scallops were ok, but the sauce was weak and watery. Maybe the breakfasts are better, but I doubt we'll give it another chance. Strange, as we've enjoyed the other restaurants in the "family".
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...what's not to love? I had a very good dinner here on Sunday. The french onion soup is a little on the sweet side, but excellent and I had the grilled salmon for my entre which I thoroughly... More

...what's not to love? I had a very good dinner here on Sunday. The french onion soup is a little on the sweet side, but excellent and I had the grilled salmon for my entre which I thoroughly enjoyed. The atmosphere in the place is great. Cosy and casual (while still feeling a little upscale). It's not cheap - $15-30/entre, but great value overall. I haven't had their pizzas, but those are next on the list.
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Love the Hi-Life! You need to get the pork chops! Kid-Friendly and trendy atmosphere! What more could a mom ask for.

Love the Hi-Life! You need to get the pork chops! Kid-Friendly and trendy atmosphere! What more could a mom ask for.
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I'm never disappointed with the folks at Chow Foods (Jitterbug, Coastal Kitchen, 5 Spot, Atlas, and Endolyne Joe's). Their food is consistently delicious. They staff are great. Their decor is... More

I'm never disappointed with the folks at Chow Foods (Jitterbug, Coastal Kitchen, 5 Spot, Atlas, and Endolyne Joe's). Their food is consistently delicious. They staff are great. Their decor is classic. Their remodel of the firehouse is really nice, down to the brass fireman details and the pole that has been cut, but shows you where it used to be. I order the French toast sometimes, but then I bring a toothbrush because it is SO sweet. Other things I've ordered were yummy as well. I also like a menu with personality. I'm happy that Hi Life came to Ballard...
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I don't know much about Ballard, but I've now been there a few times in the recent past. I had lunch at Hi-life late last week, and was really impressed with the space and the atmosphere. I... More

I don't know much about Ballard, but I've now been there a few times in the recent past. I had lunch at Hi-life late last week, and was really impressed with the space and the atmosphere. I expect that Hi-life is a great place to go for brunch, or for a beer at the end of the day. Their lunch was good, but not a particular stand-out. I had the Kefta Marrakesh, a dish that supposedly contained spiced beef patties along with a honey-yogurt sauce. The patties were underspiced and barely distinguishable from burgers, but the sauce was quite tasty. Halfway through our lunch, we heard a loud thumping on the high ceiling overhead. As it turns out, the Hi-Life sits underneath a martial arts studio. Kind of cool, but also kind of annoying to hear thumping while you eat. I'll probably try to go back for dinner & drinks at some point, but it isn't at the top of my list for lunch.
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I have only been here for breakfast, but it was a totally excellent dining experience. Wonderful dishes from the mundane (bacon, eggs, hash) to the sublime (French toast with hazelnut mascarpone... More

I have only been here for breakfast, but it was a totally excellent dining experience. Wonderful dishes from the mundane (bacon, eggs, hash) to the sublime (French toast with hazelnut mascarpone cream!) The old firehouse location is open, spacious and comfortable. Everything was excellent, and the prices were completely reasonable. Words to the wise though; time your visit carefully, as the place becomes intolerably crowded, with a long wait, starting around ten a.m. on weekends.
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