Lock & Keel Tavern

Brews were kind of overpriced the food was … let me tell you about it. We ordered tots and they were slightly singed and dried out as if they were left in the oven too long. I guess they don’t have a fryer? They were cheap and we already had a few drinks so it wasn’t enough to make a stink about. We also ordered smokehouse wings which came out blackened and very underseasoned. I told the waitress that the wings were really dried out and burnt and we couldn’t eat them. For 8 bucks we were expecting a little more quality than the tots. Keep in mind we were drinking and even so they still were just not good. The waitress pretty much told us to deal with it, explaining «Yeah, that’s just how they are.» It was kind of funny because it was like a textbook «Kitchen Nightmares» scenario.
I have a great respect for servers and always tip 20% no matter the service. I’d just like to give a heads up to people that have a palate even while drinking and care about basic service.

Hipster free, authentic dive bar with decent food. Patio in rear. Thank you for not selling out. Yet.
If you want hipsters, they’ve taken over the bar next door.

Really loved this local bar in the middle of the restaurant scene. Loved it so much, we went two nights in a row — smoked wings night and the ribs night. The employee that smokes the wings needs a promotion! They were insanely good!
Prices were low, which was nice considering all the places around them. The service was always great, and their bartenders really take the time to make you feel welcome.

My buddy works here, and ever time I come over to see him, this is the first place I go, since I usually get into town late. I love their Mac&Cheese menu items, they are to die for. If you can get a seat during the crowded times, it can be a truly nice environment.

Stopped by here with a friend and the bartender working was clearly having a bad day. As we left the bar the bartender proceeded to yell at my friend because she didn’t leave a tip. Her words exactly were,“if you can’t afford to leave a tip, you’re too broke to be going out!” This was not only unacceptable but completely unprofessional.

Came here after we went to King’s Hardware yesterday and they were sold out of wings. *Sob Sob* The waitress there suggested I come to Lock and Keel instead because they were having a Monday deal for wings as well.
First things first, if you are not into smoked flavors, you may find that the food here is not for you. Most of the menu consists of some sort of smoked meat. Heck the whole place smells like a smoker (not the cigarette, but the wood chipped ones).
I’ve never had smoked wings before, and if you’ve read my other reviews the one thing that I require my wings to be are CRISPAYY. Naturally, I’d prefer wings elsewhere. However, if you are not into CRISPAYY wings then the ones here are tender and pretty good with their BBQ sauce.
The Vodoo Chili was delicious. It had brisket and a nice spicy kick to it. It was probably my favorite thing I tried. The Nacho Average Nachos were pretty good too. The different colored tortilla chips were festive.
The atmosphere and service here is great. It’s got this semi-​rock, semi-​sports bar feel to it while maintaining a very welcoming environment. I also found the service and other customers to be very polite. Like pleasantly polite and not awkwardly polite.
I definitely think this is a place I would visit again and recommend people to check out.
The daily specials (couldn’t get a good photo of menu):
Monday Smokehouse Wings 50 cents each
Tuesday Smoked St. Louis Ribs 1 dollar each
Wednesday ½ price Classic BBQ Sandwiches
Thursday 3 Mini Tacos for $ 4, Corona and Pacifico bottles $ 3

This is a fun place on Ballard Ave amidst a neighborhood of newer sleek trendy establishments — this really is OLD Ballard. Great place to sit in the brick walled garden/​patio and have a super strong drink for a good price. The crowd can be kind of sketchy but I guess that’s half the fun

Three stars doesn’t mean «bad» it just means «expected». the beer selection isn’t vast, but you’ll likely find something you like. My friends and I went in on a weekday evening, but there seemed to be a fair amount of bustle anyway. They were having half price sandwiches and the sandwiches are just «okay» but for the price, definitely won’t complain. Nice location in the Ballard hipster quarters, there are so many other places around I can’t imagine wanting to come here because of a burning desire but I’d come by again if the consensus of the group jurisdicted as much.

I had always thought of Lock and Keel as the bar next to Conor’s and had not been in much. That was a mistake. The place is all old Ballard with a great happy hour. $ 2.50 PBR or $ 3.50. The food is exceptional for the price. Whiskey Weds the place should be packed. $ 1 off whiskey and ½ price BBQ sammiches? Hell yes. They are not the best BBQ in Seattle but they are well above average and my wife and I can have dinner and drinks for $ 20. Staff id friendly and on top of things. No pretention at this great spot.

Decent bar. Great place to sit and have a strong drink. Nothing exceptional but a good bar none the less.

We were spending the day in Ballard and saw the back patio of the Lock and Keel lit up by the spring sun; perfect time for a beer. I am not going to say this is the best bar. It needs some sprucing up, but the prices were good for a cold beer. They have a good selection of beverages. The service was good. They were friendly. I am not sure if there is table service, but the bartender came out to make sure our drinks were full.
I am not sure this in «the place to be» in Ballard, but it is a great place to meet friends for a beer.

L&K Tavern is great for cheap beer and playing pool. Food is okay, great for when you’ve had a few beers. What I had (French dip) was put in the microwave, and not impressive. I mostly went for a friend’s birthday get together and pool.
Pros: Pool, Cheap beer
Cons: Food

Stopped in here on a Saturday night for a quick drink (they have cider on tap!) and fell in love instantly. It was very crowded when we arrived around 9pm, and our little group had to sit at the only table available which was a table for about 7! We felt silly, but didn’t want to stand so we squished against the wall in case someone else wanted to occupy the table with us. The atmosphere was very relaxed and had a very calm vibe. By 10:30 the place had almost emptied out, which was weird for a Saturday night. Basically if you’re looking for a casual spot to grab a drink on a weekend, this is your place!

The Lock and Keel is one of the few remaining Ballard establishments that has managed to avoid getting whacked by the gentrification stick that’s taken out so many old Ballard shops, restaurants, and watering holes.
There’s definitely a come-​as-​you-​are vibe about the joint, with a mix of embedded regulars and overflow patrons from the newer, more crowded joints nearby. Depending on the night, you’re just as likely to get into a argument at the pool table as you are strike up a pleasant conversation, and the level of attention from the bar staff ebbs and flows with the size of the crowd.
It all figures up to a pleasant neighborhood bar that maintains a little bit of what Ballard used to be before it got all gastropubby. As such, I really want to give it more than an «a-​ok» three stars. But as I look back on my most recent visit, I really can’t find anything greater to pin a fourth star on.
It’s a fine, cozy place where I’m happy to quaff a few regional ales and shoot some stick when the night finds me there, but it’s also not top of mind when the opportunity to get out of the house arises.

Went here on Sunday afternoon after the Ballard Street market and it was FAB! Did you know they have a back sun porch? I didn’t either-​but it is perfect! So secluded and sunny– I enjoyed a nice Coors Light and a delicious sandwich! You must try their BBQ’d sandwiches-​so yummy. We split one called the San Diego (or something like that) sooooo good and it came with some delicious cole slaw! Perfect Sunday afternoon outing. We will defintely be going back–
Just a tip-​they don’t open until 2pm so if you are trying to go before then you will be sad.

Wow, I can’t believe I never reviewed Lock & Keel. My first time in here was years and years ago; my band Stay Tuned played one of our first shows here. There is a little tiny stage area in the back that a quiet-​er band /​small group of musicians could do ok on. However, a lound TV Tribute Rock band was a little much for the small confinement of the Lock & Keel.
The Lock & Keel has a great locals-​only pub feel, with the wood tables and the pool table. If you’re not a regular, though, you may wander in here and wander right back out after feeling the looks of «who the @*()$ are you?»

I love this bar, its small and never overly crowded. I love to school people on the pool tables. You meet a lot of interesting people when playing since they have a sign up board to play the winners.
Staff is always friendly and drinks actually have alcohol in them, not some too much ice in the glass bs. My only complaint is the one stalled bathroom, too small.

Went here for a party on Saturday night. I was disappointed that we ended up here because we were originally going to King’s and I really like King’s. Instead we ended up at Lock & Keel, which I didn’t find to be that great of a place at all.
The layout was okay, if not a bit awkward. There are plenty of bar stools, but there aren’t really that many regular tables for a group to sit at considering the large amount of space that the pool tables occupy.
It was MAYBE a bit warm inside, but they were blasting this sort of cooling, yet grossly lukewarm and humid air from the vents. As it hit my face, it gave me sort of an overall clammy feeling that I wasn’t really pleased about.
The bartender was nice enough. My boyfriend bought a beer for himself and a soda for me and he didn’t charge for the soda.
However, our waitress at the table was not friendly at ALL. My friend kept trying to flag her down so she could order some macaroni and cheese before the kitchen closed, but she continued to ignore our table completely for a VERY long period of time. By the time my friend was able to give her order, the waitress seemed exasperated and had to very visibly check the clock to ensure my friend was within the time limit — which she WAS, thank you very much. Before the food came out, the waitress brought by a metal caddy of items like napkins, mustard, ketchup, etc. She seriously banged it down on the table with such force that it startled us. She also charged my boyfriend $ 2 bucks for a soda, even after he had bought a few more drinks. I’m sure sodas did cost $ 2, but if the bartender’s going to give them out for free, we’re certainly going to gripe if the waitress charges us for them.
Overall I just wasn’t a fan of this place. The only reason I went here in the first place was for a going-​away party and the location was not chosen by me… so I highly doubt I will be back.

At Lock & Keel, the regulars don’t have to wait until the mid afternoon on a weekday to come out of the woodwork. Rest assured that if you step into the Lock & Keel, you’ll be rubbin elbows with some of Ballard’s tried and true, colorful bar personalities.
I was first introduced to Lock & Keel, while participating in Miss Amanda Y’s birthday pub crawl. After browsing through the pictures of that night, it appears that our group had a good time. And how could we not? Between the elderly gentleman who insisted on telling jokes (mainly of the make-​me-​blush variety) every time you approached the bar for a drink, to the fishermen décor, to the seating on the raised platform that gave you the eagle’s eye approach to people watching.
In just a week’s time, the Lock & Keel had lured me right back in for another visit. While I was swept up in the divey atmosphere on my first visit, a slower Sunday night afforded me the chance to discover that the Lock & Keel has a pretty extensive food menu. And while it may be a dive, the bartenders won’t scoff if you order a frilly cocktail.
While I don’t have the intention of becoming a Ballard bar personality, I would be quite content grabbing a stool, chatting up the bartender and observing the antics any day of the week.

Blah. Couldn’t find a table. No cute boys (ummmm… or girls) anywhere.
Drinks are weak. (Weaker than a woman’s arms, according to Dwight Schrute.)
My new thing is, I think you can tell how good a bar is by the music it plays. And the music here was horrendous. Sure, they’re classics, but who wants to hear throbbing «Bohemian Rhapsody» when you’re trying to have a conversation? They need hipper music, stat.
And the parking situation was horrible… oh wait, there WAS no parking situation. So I had to walk about 27 blocks to the car in freezing cold weather. It’s a cute area, but no thank you.
I won’t be returning.