"Turns out that one of the best restaurants in town is located inside a Ballard butcher shop after hours. You can experience Beast & Cleaver a few ways: buy some chops or links to cook at home, grab a masterpiece sandwich on Thursdays or Fridays at lunchtime, or attend a tasting menu dinner under their alter ego “The Peasant.” No matter when you show up, the steaks, burgers, homemade sausages, and surprisingly, the salads at this meat-focused operation are outstanding, and the wine list is excellent, too. We'll be honest—it's really hard to secure a spot for The Peasant. Sometimes you can find a table for two on a random night of the month because somebody cancelled, and if you really want to get technical, the cancellation policy is three days without penalty, so check in 72 hours in advance for your best odds. And since some tables seat more folks, you could get even luckier if you're trying to book a large party. If you sign up for Beast & Cleaver’s newsletter, you’ll get an email when the next batch of dates open up to book online." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley