Ballard Loft Restaurant and Sports Bar

Great sports bar with plenty of TVs for your viewing pleasure. Nice food selection and the bartender is top notch! Great service and friendly vibe.

Great customer service!! Our bartender, Gus, was absolutely amazing. We were celebrating our friend's birthday and she made sure we had a good time. Will definitely be back. Highly recommend!! 👌

Not a horrible option for Sunday football in Ballard because there are plenty of TVs, but there are much much better places for food and drinks. Cost $15 before tax for maybe the worst breakfast food I've had in Seattle, plus a cup of over brewed drip coffee was $4. Served in a tin with a plastic fork that bent while trying to pick it up. I shouldn't except much at a bar but at least lower the prices a hair for this kind of quality

Love the American/Irish menu. The Shepherd‘s Pie is awesome and If you are not into the Irish food there is plenty other non Irish dishes such as their great burgers and fries. Oh yes and there’s always the bar food to enjoy. FYI the new owner was born in Ireland so explains the Irish food. Many, Many T.V.’s to watch whatever your favorite sport might be... Great Staff, Good Fun in a relaxed atmosphere.

Giving them 5 stars for having a good menu, good food and for having a free-to-play pool table and shuffleboard. Bathroom is clean, and they have awesome bartenders and servers. The place doesn't get crazy during weeknights but it's definitely happening on Fridays and the weekend.

Great little bar. Hot bartender girl. Inexpensive drinks. TVs with Seattle sports on. Open, airy, enjoyable. Definitely recommend if you're in the neighborhood.

Good drinks, great service, inedible food. Great spot for a game as long as you're not hungry ...

My favorite neighborhood bar! Every bartender is so personable and easy to get along with. It just feels like you can let a weight off your shoulders when you’re there. It’s an inclusive space to play pool, shuffleboard, watch some games on tv, and just enjoy time with friends. An extra plus is the loft burger or chicken sandwich! And you can’t go wrong with the tater tots and ranch. Definitely always the first on my list for an after work beer :)

One of the few sports bars with NFL package to watch football on Sundays. They make an effort to have on every game, and will switch around what game is on what tv based on who's there. I've only been for sports games watching, but seems like they do a number of other fun things at night.

We came here to watch college football on a Friday night. We got there a little before 5 for a 515 kickoff. It was perfect timing as we found a good spot but it filled up very quickly. You order at the bar and food is brought to you with a number system. It's typical bar food. And they have a lot of drink options. Everyone that worked there was really nice and helpful even during a very busy night. There are tons of tvs and even an outdoor space with tvs. There are two floors so don't be deterred if you don't find space on the first floor.

Was in town for to hang out with friends and watch a game. Google suggested the place. I wouldn't recommend, Bad service, took forever to get served at the bar. Let's not mention the horrible food. We wasted money on that yucky burger. Please don't order food here. At least they were nice enough to come change the channel to the game we wanted to watch.

Awesome spot! Wife and I were checking out the Ballard farmers market & then she realized her football games was on. She searched a dog friendly sports bar, since we had our pooch, and we found the Ballard Loft just a few steps away. We walked into an awesome crowd with every game on and then some. My wife is following the cup so we were happy to see soccer on too. You have to walk up to the bar and order. We were greeted promptly and ordered a couple of Irish coffees and a BLT and tots. We asked to add a fried egg. The bartender made our drinks promptly and delivered our food while it was piping hot. Oh my! The sandwhich was delicious, on a warm and toasty, scrumptious ciabatta bun! So so good!!! We will be back!

Great place to watch the game! They have them all on, especially local teams, and will try to switch to the game you want. Amazing staff and really good food! Indoor and patio seating! Dog friendly! Pool table upstairs! Perfect place to hangout on an evening or a weekend!

Place smells the way it looks. Rude bartender, Carly, who doesn't wash her hands but stills makes direct contact with items you put in your mouth. Was asked why we didn't tip by the owner. Maybe because we received poor service?. I'm a server, I know people have bad days but we were polite up until Carly tried snapping at us young girls assuming we wouldn't stand up for our selves. Don't work in the service industry, be an asshole, and have your boss ask us why we didn't tip. A tip isn't necessary but a privilege. I won't pay extra to be given attitude for no reason. If one thing Carly and the owner have it's the audacity. Humble yourselves. And at least wipe down the tables.

The Shepherds pie is to die for and great portion size ... perfect leftovers for lunch. Luke the bartender makes a great drink and fun to chat with. I definitely recommend you stop by!!

Generally we prefer restaurants without TVs but that being said, there's great outdoor seating which is quiet and conducive to conversation. You order at the bar--the bartender was helpful and added an orange slice to my husband's Blue Moon which he appreciated. Our group of 4 ordered burgers with fries and a BLT sandwich with side salad. The fries were well-cooked and lightly salted, the side salad actually green (not iceberg!) and fresh. And the burgers/sandwich were not too greasy, on hearty bread, perfectly satisfying.

Wow I just had a few $8 beers which should have been $5 tops. I can understand overhead, but this is ridiculous. Not coming back again soon, thanks!

Verbally abusive bartender and an owner that could care less. I was there with friends watching the game and the bartender was rude about everything, from drink choices to ordering food. I changed my mind about ordering food and he tossed my card to me and said "get out, you dumb bitch". I was in shock and I emailed the owner, who could care less. She apologized after I sent multiple emails and then just never followed up. Seems like this behavior is condoned. So, unless you want to be treated like crap for mediocre food and a dirty atmosphere, don't go! Terrible

This is my first visit to Seattle. Today is football Sunday and we decided to eat, drink, and be merry. We were not disappointed. The vibe is chill, the staff is great, and the food is fantastic. The ranch and mustard dip is insane--in a good way. Stop by for a drink and a snack. You won't regret it.

Dive/sports bar atmosphere. Lots of TV's for the small two story space. Food was sub par. Both of our egg scramble breakfasts were served cool and our coffee was served in a paper cup. They provided non dairy creamer. One of the creamers turned into cheese....gross. My husband and I ordered one double wells vodka soda. The limes that were served with the cocktails were dry. We asked for extra lime and received two small, discolored slices each. We had to chase down our server for every request. We agreed upon a two star rating due to the high price (6.50 per well shot), bad non dairy creamer, cold food, and the fact that we had to chase down the server whenever we needed a refill. I say find another place to watch Sunday football.

So much fun! Love the employees and the vibe. Beer is good and chicken tenders are delicious. Totally worth it

I've been here a handful of times and it is either a hit or a miss. They have a nice seating area outside, but it's only really good during the summer as even with the heaters, it is still cold. They have an upstairs with one pool table, and it's usually taken. One time there was a birthday party upstairs, with no signs or any indication that there was a party besides the guest themselves telling it was reserved and that we couldn't play the pool table (even though they weren't using it). I thought that was odd. Did they rent the whole floor out? Don't really think so. I don't really like the red mood lighting as it makes it hard to see. But when this place has people and it has a good vibe and makes it fun to hang out in.

It's a pretty small bar but does have an outdoor patio. I met some friends here to watch the Seahawks game. We were sitting upstairs which was a lot warmer than the downstairs area. I would have probably enjoyed it better if I was sitting downstairs where it wasn't so hot. They have a good amount of tvs and we were able to find a spot that would fit us upstairs. The servers and bartender were really nice and attentive. It's a casual bar with loud speakers and of course people were there pretty early so you can hear the louder guests... There were three of us for the game and we decided to split the Philly Cheesesteak and an order of tater tots. The sandwich was delish! A little different than I'm used to for a normal Philly cheesesteak. They used a bun that was more of like a baguette instead of a soft roll - but I liked it. Plenty of meat and onions. Could have used a little more bell peppers in ours especially since other people's pics showed a lot more! I kind of wished I ordered my own :) I'm not a huge fan of tater tots and it's because they usually make it soggy. But here, they were perfect! Crunchy all around and soft inside. I'd go back and watch a game there again... just wish it wasn't so "far" from Capitol Hill :)

On summer days you can sit outside at the terrace or the nice bar :) There are some interesting spots upstairs but downstairs you can play cornhole games though there's a narrow space between tables. I wanted to order some food but it looked as if the sticks were frozen and just warmed. I get that it is a sports bar but I was still hungry :(

Each time we've visited since the restaurants re-opened, it's been very pleasant. Now, we usually come mid-afternoon weekday or weekend, and it's not very busy. Which is how we like it right now! So I can't speak to how busy it might be at peak times. But There's lots attention to cleaning, the service is great, the tables are far apart, the drinks are good and fair-priced, and the bacon balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts we tried were really really good. We are actually kind of picky right now and are only doing outdoor dining. Super happy!

"Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone" - so true! And THANKFULLY Ballard Loft is BACK and under new ownership and an expanded menu. Traditional bar food and Irish vittles dome right. Everything is done right, preserving the original Loft experience and adding more food/drink options. Big Buck Hunter is still upstairs, as well as shuffleboard and everything else. Added a few TVs and a state-of-the-art payment processing system. Staff is A-mazing and genuinely encourages feedback. So glad the Ballard Loft is BACK and better than ever. ...pasties, try the pasties.

Classic cheeseburger sliders are pretty good. The service was not the best despite the restaurant not even being full. It is a great place to watch sports game due to the amount of TVs they have in the restaurant. Overall, it's just your average sports bar.

Great place for a cold beer or cocktail on the patio after a long day. My favorite thing about this place is their staff -- every person that has waited on me has gone out of their way to make sure my experience was great! They are dog friendly as well and I love seeing the cute pups out on the patio

Yehhhhh~! :) I don't venture into Ballard night life scene very often and this place didn't disappoint at all in terms of good music and ample room for dancing. After a round of drinks at King's Hardware, my group of friends and I swung by here with the original intention of just hitting up "another bar" and based our decision on the guidance of Yelp. Upon arrival, this place had no line, no cover, open patio like seating and overall, the music jam of various mix (old school jams, some new jams) kept everyone in the group on their dancing toes. The sound system is pretty solid and wasn't too overly loud that your ears would bleed. Given that this was a Saturday night, I was surprised to not see MORE people filling up this sweet spot. In a way, it reminds me of Rhino Room like vibe, minus the massive crowd. Drinks were alright, not as strong (my redbull vodka was fairly watered down). Prices are standard (~around $10). In all, I would definitely swing by here again if I'm in the mood to dance :D

Perfect place for us yesterday afternoon. Sunny patio w lots of space and our dog was welcomed. Great BLT and beers. The shining star waaaaay above and beyond was the bartender/server. This is THE GUY ! He was so welcoming and friendly that he just made our visit fantastic! It's killing me that I can't remember his unusual name.... anyway he is that guy you remember as a server for a loooong time. We will be back!

Great place to grab a drink and watch football games! Fun for groups of people. The food is a average bar food so nothing to write home about but it's always a good option for a crowd and fun atmosphere with sports fans. I've had the nachos and tater tots which are both pretty tasty and the service is reliably great!

**3.5 stars** We found this place while waiting for a table at The Walrus and the Carpenter. We ended up waiting 3 hours for a table next door and enjoyed ourselves here. It was happy hour and beer/cider was $4-$5. The bartenders were very nice and we even munched on clams. They were steamed in a delicious broth and the order was large for $9. This is a great spot if you're looking for cheap drinks/food and a laid back place to watch sports.

I was the only person in the bar, yet the bartender insisted on playing the audio of his team.. the bills... (they're playing the Jets) here's the kicker.. it wasn't the game he thought it was... So we had to listen to the Chiefs/Chargers game, yet I was the only customer in there. The family of patriots fans had left because the breakfast menu was so limited. I followed shortly behind them.. who thought Irish food was a good idea?? Such a disappointing experience. I had 6 other Saints fan coming to meet me.. I felt bad having to tell them I made a bad choice. We took our business elsewhere. This place was great at one time.

I had the greasiest burger I've ever had in my life last night. To the point where the burger had to be cut with a fork and knife. The menu just didn't excite me in any way. I know it's a sports bar so I'm not expecting anything wild or eclectic but the menu items were just all over the place. Four different seafood salads but didn't see a Caesar. A lot of Irish food and seafood (clam chowder, mussels, clams, etc). I didn't feel super comfortable going with the seafood honestly. Perhaps it was the dead atmosphere. I was hoping that new ownership would spruce the place up a bit. The menus looked old and it just felt like a dive bar. I went with a $13 cheeseburger that was sopping wet. I asked to sub fries for a side salad. The cook misunderstood that ask and didn't bring fries or a side for my boyfriend so the fries came out late. $5 for a Coors lite also seems a little ridiculous. It was the same price as a Hellbent IPA. Doesn't make sense to me. I wasn't impressed before the reopening and I'm still not impressed. Likely won't go back.

Went to this bar a few years ago and wasn't too impressed. Buddy lives nearby so we decided to go in for the coug vs ducks game a few weeks ago. Gotta say its really changed for the best. Everyone was able to watch the games they wanted with little hassle. Service was great and attentive especially for how busy it was on game day. I'll definitely be back for game days again, if not slow days for the awesome food selection.

This place just has it all - great venue, delicious food and amazing totally amazing staff!!

I came here to watch a Seahawks game on the 25th. While I understood that the service wouldn't be the best because it is so busy, it still shouldn't have been terrible to the point where the server forgets we ordered food and then asks again later if we would like some food. It also shouldn't have taken until the 3rd quarter to get the food when we orders 2 minutes in to the game. This isn't the worst part though. I think it is wrong to charge an automatic gratuity of 20%. The service was horrific. If it wasn't for the game, we would have walked out after 20 minutes. In my opinion, automatic gratuity means you can give terrible service and not worry about any repercussions.

We held our rehearsal dinner/welcome party here, in the private area upstairs. We mostly dealt with Alianna, and she was so great to work with. The vibe is casual, fun & very Seattle like, which is exactly what we were looking for. We had about 40 to 45 people and ordered 8 Large Wings, 8 Hummus plates, 8 Spinach & Artichoke dips, 5 House salads, 30 Classic cheese sliders, 30 Lil Montana sliders, 30 blackened blues sliders, 5 French fries & 5 tots, beer & wine. The food was soooooo delish, and we actually had a ton of food leftover to take home. Our tab was only around $1300 (that includes the service charge), which Is way under what I was expecting. The only issue we had, which wasn't with the restaurant, but was the parking.. I would suggest taking an Uber or Taxi. All in all.. I was very satisfied and hope to hold another event there someday. Thanks again, Amanda & Edward

Ballard Loft for happy hour after work? OKAY! I enjoyed my gigantic delicious beer that took me the entire stay to finish, and the outdoor seating area. The nachos and the hummus plate were both pretty good, but not especially mind-blowing. I rather enjoyed all the jalapenos on the nachos and the tzatziki sauce with the pita! I contemplated the happy hour sliders because they let you substitute a veggie patty for no extra charge, but then realized that (almost?) all their sliders had bacon and/or cheese on 'em. I'm trying to limit my consumption of both things, so I decided to focus on the pita/hummus and beer. The outdoor seating was perfect for a sunny but not-too-hot day that it was, and the staff was nice about letting us expand our table as more people came... and good about letting us split the bill between a few cards. Did I like it? Oh, yes! Did I fall in love with it? Not quite. 4 stars it is!

Decent for a sports watch, but if you're looking for some decent food stay away from here. This is very meh, not special bar food. Lots of frozen/friend stuff with no special twists. We also were there this past weekend for March Madness and they had their very scaled back "event menu" due to games being on....but there were only like 5 tables of people and that was at 7pm on a Saturday so it seemed quite unnecessary to have the very limited event menu - makes me wonder how often they run that. Also - when I got my beer the glass had like 3 chips in the top of it. Rather than pouring a new beer the bar tender just transferred it to a new glass.....I feel like in case something chipped into the glass (unlikely, but possible) they should have poured a new beer.

I'm pretty sure my wife and I ate rancid clams. The burnt garlic flavored broth wasn't an indicator, but the time we both spent... umm... powdering our nose... the next day was. Well, that and the slimy, foul tasting clam I ate. Too bad for us it was the last one. Other reasons to visit include food that clearly sat under a warming tray for entirely too long (while others than came in after us got their food) and a waitress that, while pleasant, was generally hard to find. Shame too 'cause their patio and drink specials are pretty awesome.

Despite what I said about "never returning" I have tried the Ballard Loft a few more times. I have realized that it is a great spot to watch a game on a Sunday (or any other time when it isn't busy). The food is good bar food, nothing special...but good. Every seat has a good view of a TV. Wednesday night is wine night and it is nice to sit on the patio with friends and drink 1/2 off wine!

Love the American/Irish menu. The Shepherd's Pie is awesome and If you are not into the Irish food there is plenty other non Irish dishes such as their great burgers and fries. Oh yes and there's always the bar food to enjoy. FYI the new owner As of October 2019 was born in Ireland so explains the Irish food. Many, Many T.V.'s to watch whatever your favorite sport might be... Good Fun in a relaxed atmosphere.

They have every game you could ask for in tv. Cheap beer and food. There's a free pool table The sausage roll is on point love having this place back!

Loved this bar. Now the owners have banned tipping and instituted a service charge. By that I mean they're stealing the tips that used to go to the wait staff and lining their own pockets. Thankfully, there's plenty of other places in Ballard where I can actually reward people for good service with owners that actually have some common sense.

A great find in Ballard thanks to Yelp and Groupon! The service is quick, friendly, attentive and personable, always a key factor in a great meal. The food was fresh, high quality tasting, competitive prices for the market, and of good proportion size. The atmosphere is upbeat, non corporate and the music is played at a level where you can still hold a conversation with ease. Beers are served cold and with a great selection of tap beers. Overall a great place to relax, grab a beer and enjoy some great food!

We stopped here while waiting for our dinner reservation. They have games to play like shuffleboard, but it's a typical sports bar. The sangria I had was just white wine, no fruit (was it sangria then??).

We ordered the hummus plate and an order of fries and it took over 40 minutes. The restaurant is over half empty. No idea why it took that long.

Came here for the first time today to watch the Sounder game with hubby. The website & Yelp provided good information about the 17 flat screen HD TV's. We split the nachos with chicken and an order of the "sliders". Nachos were not the best I've ever had but were pretty tasty nonetheless. The sliders were a little disappointing as they were supposed to have hot wing sauce, jalapenos & coleslaw on them. The sauce tasted like BBQ sauce, each had 2 jalapeno slices and very little coleslaw on them. Should have asked for a side of coleslaw to dress them with. Other than the food the service was great! Wasn't too busy when we go there at noon but it got busy by the time we left. Nice patio space. Played a little free shuffleboard upstairs before we left. Wish this place was in my neighborhood but I will make the trip to Ballard to go there again!

The Ballard Loft is a fun spot for free Trivia Tuesdays! I've been to a few and they are always a good time. Their happy hour deals are great too but it ends at 7 so get there earlier. Tuesdays also pack up quick because of trivia so I would suggest having someone get there early to grab a table. I've only ever sat upstairs, but that's where the shuffleboard is anyway! It's great because you get to overlook the whole restaurant and it's closer to the restrooms too. Their burgers are decent, but their nachos are the bomb! Their drinks are great too, nice and stiff. Parking outside can be a real problem... because it's Ballard.

Probably one of the more chill bars in Ballard, The Loft is a solid place to grab a beer and hang out with some friends. A big plus is that you can actually hear the conversation without having to yell at the top of your lungs, as one would experience at a place like King's. Food is okay. Typical sports bar food plus a few additional items. Servers are usually friendly and attentive. It's clean and there's almost always a table available during standard bar hopping hours. It's usually the spot in Ballard where I like to begin or end my night for drinking. Last time I was there fo da drinkin', Outkast was on blast, so that's worth at least 4 stars in my book!

My friend and I decided to shake things up for our playoff watching this weekend, and try going to a new place, so we picked the Ballard Loft. This was NOT a Seahawks game, and it was the first game of the day in the morning, so the place was understandably pretty empty. Up until around noon, I believe it was just the bartender taking care of everyone, and he did a great job. The service was good and he was personable. They had a special brunch menu, and we ordered the florentine scramble which was quite good - better than I would have expected at a sports bar. Later on, I also ordered the tots, and they were...well, tots. But nicely spiced. All in all I would absolutely recommend this spot for game watching - plenty of T.V.s and decent sound to hear the game, with sound even in the bathroom (a nice touch). Friendly service, and decent food and drink.

Best smelling men's room I've ever been in. Bryan the bartender is the best!!! This place is the center of Seattle.

The loft is a great spot for pool and beer. We went on a Friday night and there was plenty of drink specials. We had a group of girls so we took advantage of the $3 Jell-O shots. Down stairs the bar looked good for mingling and meeting new people. They played music from the 2000s and the music fit the crowd. There is a patio out front that looks good for summer nights. Lastly, upstairs there is a second bar, more seating, pool, and shuffle board.

Decent place with good crowd. However they charged me for drinks they never served us. My buddy was three sheets to the wind and ordered three drinks for us and a hottie he had no chance of taking to first base, or even the batters box. We never got the drinks and they showed up on my tab later when I closed out. Yes don't let drunk buddy order for you but also watch out for shady bartender.

Went to Ballard Loft for breakfast and watch the Seahawks/Bengals game yesterday with about 8-10 friends. My experience: much less than stellar. The classic breakfast: terrible. For $10, got dry white toast, runny scrambled eggs, 3 tiny sausage links and a couple of strawberries. Horrific. We had a table of eight and while the service was ok, we were on the patio and there was no audio available throughout the game. How do you have all of these flat panel TVs and want people to come watch sports at your bar and not have audio available to your patrons who want the full in-game experience while watching their favorite team? Not a "Sports Bar". Great place for evening drinks, but terrible for anything else.

This place is really cool, I come here frequently. They have several TV's and play whatever you want. Really nice staff and the food is fantastic. Also they have shuffleboard, which is b*****n'! :D I love shuffleboard. lots of seating and a really cool "patio" type area.

Want some mini corn dogs? Fried pickles? Anything else on this happy hour menu? No can do. Came in for some nom noms and Golden Tee and we were informed they are changing the menu that they have displayed. It's a pretty good atmosphere but I really wanted that bar food. Management: pull your menus if the food isn't available.