Bad Albert's Tap & Grill

This place has it all...great beer, booze if you want it, a wonderful bar menu, and Steve the owner is a gem! Let's see....what haven't we tried...the appetizer wings are fabulous - watch out, wingdome! My personal favorite is the Reuben. We first went to Bad Albert's around 6-7 years ago, when an article appeared in the Times claiming they made the best Reuben in town. They do! It comes with great fries, or you can substitute a yummy ceasar. The cobb salad is very good, the fish & chips, the back street burger. On Fridays, Steve has an incredible special -- prime rib!! Get there early, cuz when it's gone, it's gone baby! And, this guy is so hip, he even pours our current favorite beer - Manny's! They also do breakfast on the weekends -- not a bad hollandaise! more

Thick-cut, hickory-smoked bacon and Vermont white cheddar cheese on a big hand-formed patty with the basic fixin's make this burger the reason a number of my friends and I hit Bad Albert's before heading a number of blocks up Ballard Ave to the Tractor tavern, Sunset tavern, or Conor Byrne's Irish pub for the happenin' Ballard weekend music scene. The fish and chips are also very good, their salads are big and bountiful, and they have a great selection of microbrews on tap to wash down the realtively healthful bar food. Always good music (blues/jazz), and TV's unobtrusively placed in the top corners will give you a view of a variety of sports events (Sumo had our attention last time we were there) while everyone is too busy eating to banter. This is a good place for groups of 2-6, as there aren't many options in the small place to get more than that at the same table. The owner is often on the floor in jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt - dress is casual - making Bad Alberts very much feel like a reliably friendly neighborhood bar. more

With the Belltown-ification of Ballard, there aren't many of the more casual places left to grab good food. Even Hatties Hat remodeled the back and added a shark tank (!). But Bad Alberts has a very low-brow, casual Blues-bar ambiance, with basic chairs and tables inside. But their weekend brunch is great, everything I've tried over the years is good - especially the French Toast (Kittycakes) and the crab items. You can even order a "red beer" here - Tomato juice and beer - for those mornings after a rough night. Last time in we met the owner, a very talkative, nice guy pouring coffee for his customers and chatting with everyone. I have only had lunch here once, but can vouch for the breakfast. more

There are a ton of Ballard options for bar food, but I keep coming back to Bad Albert's. Great atmosphere - feels like a bar, but not one the health inspector is afraid to eat at. The salads use proper lettuce rather than the iceberg standard, and the portions are reasonable instead of gargantuan. We had a burger and the Cajun Chicken, both were great. Next time I'll try the happy hour specials! more