Copper Gate

I actually got curious about this place after friends said it couldn't be described, and they were right! There are few places in seattle that are unique in a good way, this is one of them! From the viking ship bar to the, um, interesting side room, this place is a trip! Oh, and the unique food and drink offerings are well done too. I read on here about issues with the staff, but I didn't see anything like that, so I guess those old reviews must have been listened to because everyone there was great to me and my friends. more

I have been to the Copper Gate several times. Each time I go I find I appreciate this hidden gem just a little more. The Copper Gate is different, than the other bars in the area. The Scandinavian food is as unique as the bar. The space is awesome! It's unlike any other bar in Seattle. If nothing else it's worth the trip to try the house infused aquavit. While there is no draught beer, the bottle selection is far above average, and I can always find something interesting to drink! Pros: Interesting Food, House Infused Liquers, Unique Environment Cons: Slightly out of the way, No Draught Beer more

Ok, the drinks are ok, but really how can you mess up a vodka soda? The food is all a bit strange, sure its Scandinavian, so it's supposed to be unique, but it is still strange. It isn't set up very well for large parties, and the service isn't good at all. If you want to go somewhere different in Ballard and you are looking for a dive bar try the Sloop of the Viking. Much better. Pros: Strange Atmosphere Cons: Almost Everything more

I was taken to the newly renovated Coppergate for my birthday and we sat at the bar and quickly dropped over a hundred dollars. The infused aquavit drinks were wonderful but the bartender had a serious attitude. We knew nothing about aquavit and asked him about it. He treated us like we were some kind of morons. I will never spend my money there again. In case the bartender in question ever reads this review, here is a little tip (its the only tip he'll get from me) HEY! Lighten up! Pros: serve aquavit Cons: bad service more

Worst service in Seattle, unless you sit at the bar. The waitresses are ugly, old and rude. You will wish you stayed on the Ballard main drag if you don't sit at the bar. Pros: Good food, drinks Cons: Poor service and attitude, unless you sit at the bar more

Don't go here if you're looking to have any fun. The bartender will throw you out at the drop of a hat and you won't even know why except that you or someone you're with offended him in some way. Since it appears to be personal you won't see it coming. The food and drink isn't anywhere near good enough to make up for how rude they are. Pros: in the neighborhood Cons: rude bartender, unfriendly environment more

I live within walking distance of the Coppergate and was so excited when it re-opened. The drinks are unique and quite good; however, the service was awful and I will not be back! The ""server"" is dull and unfriendly and the bartender is just plain rude. My husband was even asked to keep his voice down when telling a story....in a bar? Wouldn't you expect and accept loud jovial voices.....in a bar? I don't understand what kind of clientele they want to attract! Be on your best behavior even tho they won't be on theirs. Pros: drinks Cons: everything else, service more

This bar was featured in the January 2008 edition of Seattle magazine and was recommended to me by a co-worker. My friend and I arrived at 5:00 p.m. and sat at the bar, impressed by the overall ambience and Viking theme. The bartender, who was featured in the article, was extremely arrogant when I asked him which drink was the specialty featured in the magazine article. He basically said that they are known for all of their drinks and had no idea which article I was talking about. My friend and I ordered two different drinks that were not at all good. My friend ordered an appetizer that was just okay and we left immediately after finishing our drinks and the appetizer. With very few customers in the bar at that time, I would expect a more friendly reception and would certainly never recommend this bar to others. We went to Hazlewood afterwards and had a great experience there! Pros: Atmosphere is chic and sophisticated Cons: Bartender (and part-owner) was arrogant and rude. more

""We decided to check this place out especially because my husband is from Sweden. What a huge disappointment. the food was ok and the service was awful. It all started when the bartender made me a cocktail and I asked him to add something to it and his response to me was ""I would rather throw the drink away than change the cocktail"" I didn't have the guts to tell him that I just spent the last year going through treatment for cancer and I thought he could at the very least be polite. In fact all the women in our party are also going through cancer treatment, so damm it if I want my drink changed, change it.\r \r As soon as our uncomfortable table became available the bartender warned us that he did not want anyone to move the 2 small tables together even though the seating was bench style.\r \r The waitress spent the whole time looking at herself in the mirror instead of looking at us, she was rude and if it wasn't for the 18% gratuity they added we all would have passed on any kind of tip.\r \r The food was similar to something you find in the frozen section of the grocery store.\r \r Very disappointing!"" Pros: nothing Cons: bad service and bad attitude more

The ambiance is cool, very unusual - an eclectic mix of scandanavian, retro, and je n'sais quoi. \r Some (though not all) of the portions are a bit small, but they are intended as small plates i.e. a couple of them together to make a meal. Most of them are memorably delicious and so worth the price. Also, even if a bit small, most of the food tends to be quite rich and so more filling than the dishes initally appear. The mussels can be a full meal by themselves and the fries are a mammoth portion and very tasty. The drinks selection is very interesting and worth a few experiments plus some good beers not usually available. The crowd is a nice mix. In my experience the service is very good, an empty glass is spotted very quickly - quite a feat given how crowded its been on Fri. and Sat. nites that I have been there. The seating arrangement is a little strange in a few places and the bar area can be a bit uncomfortably packed on Fri. and Sat nites. On the other hand, its usually got just the right size crowd for an enjoyable but not too busy after work drink on weekenites and earlier on weekends. All in all, a great addition to the neighborhood. Echoing another review, I hope that its just close enough to Ballard Ave. to stay busy but far enough away to keep its own unique character and charm. Pros: Interesting Menu, unique drinks more

Cocktails are definitely on the pricy side and food--forget it, it's at least $8 or so for a *small* plate--but the drinks are all made with weird Scandinavian ingredients and are really tasty. The novelty makes it worth checking out at least once. I mean, where else in the city can you have aquavit? Also, my boyfriend had the Finnish Porter which was dark and delicious. Fries, the only food we tried, were excellent (crispy, maybe fried twice?) and I liked the curry ketchup though my companions didn't. Fair enough. Pros: Great drinks, tasty fries, Viking ship bar Cons: Price, and what's up with all the weird photos? more

Nice viking ship bar. The seating is very strange at the bar and not very condusive to flow. The stools are bolted to the floor and are very far from the bar, making it so you have to hold your drink the whole time.\r The food is very good, we ordered a variety of items all the way from Sweedish Meatballs to fries. Very small portions, DO NOT come hungry, because it will cost you an 'arm and a leg' to get full. The drinks were great and unusal. However the main downfall was the price. After a total of 4 drinks and 3 food items our bill was over 120.00. Ouch, this is high, especially considering that once we left we had to go eat somewhere else.\r Pros: Cool bar and fun drinks Cons: Very expensive. Super small portions and very uncomfortable seating more

Copper Gate is unique in a few ways: 1) it's got cocktails I haven't seen anywhere else in Seattle, 2) aquavit features on the drink menu, 3) the room has a cool retro scandinavian vibe, and 4) it still feels like a low-key locals hang out. We didn't try the food, but starting or ending a date here is in the cards -- the plates and desserts looked really good. I hope that Copper Plate is just far enough from the Ballard scene to hold onto what makes it special. more