Old Stove Brewing Co - Gardens
Brewpub · Ballard ·
BBQ, cocktails, and beers served on a spacious patio
BBQ, cocktails, and beers served on a spacious patio
"Old Stove Gardens is primed for wintertime craft beer enjoyment. The brewery’s expansive outdoor space is filled with individual firepits surrounded by wooden lounge chairs. Order a pint inside, pick a table outside, turn on the gas, and the flames will start crackling. As long as the rain stays away, you can enjoy Old Stove’s IPAs, stouts, and sours in the fresh air while keeping warm in front of the fire. Burgers, sandwiches, and bar snacks are on offer if you work up an appetite." - Alicia Erickson
"Old Stove Gardens sounds like it might be a lush, fancy version of Old Stove Brewing Co. But the Ballard outpost is mainly just really big with lots of gravel—and that has some appeal. When the weather’s nice, the place can get crowded with large groups, families, and dogs (the Seattle brewery trifecta). But it’s never too noisy, nor is it much of a chore to find a seat. With lots of space around each table, a few fire pits, and cornhole, this is a decent spot to knock back a few beers or slushies with friends during the summer. Just get dinner beforehand—most of the food here is skippable. Food Rundown Beer The Czech-style pilsner here is genetically engineered for hot days. We also like the Amber Waves—a red ale that’s as smooth as a Kenny G riff. Slushies The blackberry vodka lemonade maintains its icy consistency for a surprisingly long time, and delivers a pleasant pucker. The mango version is a little on the sweet side, but not a bad patio sipper. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Jalapeño Artichoke Dip This is a creamy starter, but there’s barely any artichoke chunks in it and we couldn’t detect a hint of spice. The Old Bay-seasoned chips it comes with are much better on their own. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Caesar Salad This pile of wilted leaves has too much dressing and too little crunch. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Smoked Burger There are crusty and cumin-y edges to the patty, but the meat itself is overcooked and the bun is stale. Skip it. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Smoked Chicken There’s barely any chicken inside this sad sandwich, which lacks the alleged smokiness. And any meat that emerges is dry and smothered in too much mustard." - Gabe Guarente
"If you dried out a new Sharpie marking your calendar with all of the dates when you have out-of-town guests visiting, you probably plan to spend a decent amount of time parading them around Pike Place. When everyone’s had their fill of inspecting used-up wads of gum and sniffing out raw halibut, head to Old Stove Brewing. It’s a massive waterfront space with mash tuns on display, plenty of communal picnic tables, and a menu that has more than just fried snacks—like wood-fired flatbread pizzas, braised pork belly with kimchi, and soft pretzel bites dunked in Beecher’s dip." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"If you’re looking for beer, go to Old Stove. It’s a massive waterfront brewery with mash tuns on display, plenty of communal picnic tables, and a menu of food pairings that are both tasty and not so heavy, like flatbreads, salads, and soft pretzel bites with beer cheese dip." - aimee rizzo
"Old Stove is a great place to day drink indoors when you find yourself at Pike Place with some out-of-towners. But once summer hits, the floor-to-ceiling windows open up, and it becomes one of the best spots in town for outdoor drinking. We’re fans of the pomegranate sour, which is best sipped while looking at the waterfront and ignoring your guests talking about how “unseasonably warm” it is for Seattle." - aimee rizzo
