The Viking

Damn it I miss this place!

Cool bar, but the service was awful and the pseudo barbecue was soggy. I had an empty glass for 30 minutes, and I didn’t plan on wasting 3 hours there. I know they’re closing soon, but they could do better.

Their food is ok, at best (don’t order the nachos). The lighting doesn’t help, (BRIGHT), though it’s mass of illumines falls far short of the illuminate mass that is Bleachers, but I digress. The service is only slightly better, yet the shuffleboard and a+ juke box make up ground leaving the Viking with a 3 star review– Rick McCallum

This place is closing in a year or so… get it while the gettin’s good.
One of the best dives in Seattle. I’m sad to see it go.

Atmosphere was nice — it’s a good dive bar.
Food was not very good. I would not recommend eating here.

*GREAT ballard dive bar, they smoke their own
*Someday it will be replaced by another monster condo building so do yourself a favor and go
*almost clean… almost (for a dive bar)

I think the sign out front read that day: The greatest place in the world: It just is. Or something along those lines. And, i’ll have to agree, the Viking seems to be it’s own unique entity in this neighborhood.
This bar seems to be frequented by local regulars, the kind of place where you see the same people there day in and day out. It’s a pretty well stocked bar, though there aren’t a ton of choices for microbrew, they have something for everyone. Supposedly the mixed drinks are potent and good. The service was very attentive and our drinks were never left dry.
I browsed their food menu, which features a ton of BBQ. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the pork here. Which kinda makes me think I’d like to come back for another beer, and try myself a butt sandwich while i’m at it. Mmmm. Butt.

I’m new to Ballard, and as far as divey styley bars go — hell as far as any pubs or local gathering places where quaffing abounds go — this is the first place where anyone has actually spoken to me and thus, defied the Seattle Freeze. I’m swooning already.
I don’t have much to add to what others wrote other than if you’re new to town and looking for places to meet friendly people, go here. I bellied up to the bar, sat down next to a 50 something couple and noticed the husband was wearing a Chicago Tour ’99 shirt. He and his wife and I spent the next hour debating upon whether or not Peter Cetera actually sucked or ruled and at which point the ruling became the sucking, or vice versa. The bartenders weighed in and suddenly the whole thing turned into an Olympic level joke telling competition, minus the torch. Good people, good times. I will be back when I want to drink cheap beer with salty folks in old concert Ts. Old concert Ts rule.

Guinness and shuffleboard. I don’t need much else.

This place has always rocked. It is exactly what you would expect to get. Inexpensive beers, cheap shots, and top it off with some menu items that actually are pretty good. The Nordic nachos are a definite thing to try along with the pulled pork sandwiches.

The viking is a great little neighborhood bar/​tavern. Unapologetic for what it is, as it should be.
The bartender was friendly, the beer was cold, the glasses were chilled.
Something about sitting in an old leather booth, and smelling the smoked meats from the back that makes everything alright.

SUCH a great bar. Like many, I love old bars. I actually had my birthday here once. It has been awhile since I had been here, though.
I was really impressed by how friendly the bartenders are and how clean it is. It seems a rarity in local, old timey pubs like this. The positive vibe and long standing employment of workers here tells customers that this place is run the right way. The bartenders and locals offered up lots of stories as I scanned the black and white pictures. I also had a rib, yep, A rib. It was good. The sauce was especially yummy. My bf had chili and agreed it IS just like mom makes (as claimed on the menu). Goood night. This time I won’t stay away so long:)

I can’t believe I have not yet reviewed The Viking. This place is important. I took my kid here for her first legal drink. When I lived in this neighborhood, I was as much a regular as gramma and a jug of prunes.
They smoke their own meat. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if they gnawed it straight off howling beasts first. The staff are Vikings. Men like pillars who would as soon bring you grog as tear your arms off and beat you with them. Loud women with asses screaming for a hand stinging wallop.
I know two women that do not know each other. These two women have the loudest, most distinctive, blood curdling laughs I have ever heard. Last night, I brought them together, at The Viking, and made them laugh, at the same time. The sound is something that will make you soil yourself while you gaze mouth agape at the source, a tear welling up in your eye and utter disbelief defining itself inside your soul. No one else in the bar even noticed. That’s The Viking.
Go to The Viking. Drink. Eat. Laugh. Repeat.

We came here based on the four star review — over all I would give it three tops. This is not a fancy place, and that’s okay. It’s a neighborhood bar. The people were very nice and we each had a beer. I had the baked potato, which was good — never had a smoked potato before.
My husband had the corned beef brisket sandwich — again good, but not fabulous. The cole slaw was bland. Not awful, but nothing to rave about.

I love cozy, cheeky li’l bars where I can sweet talk a cutie and take her home to roll in the rollin’s.
I like the Viking too.

Yeah, I’m lovin’ me some of The Viking. I’ve been by here many times, only to fuel my want to actually stop in and check out the joint. Ian and I finally did and it was aces. In fact, it exceeded the joy I knew I would find here. Mega low-​key, but highly neighborhoody and nostalgic. Clean, and well maintained red naugahyde booths and bar stools stand out, woth retro booths lining one side and the bar on the other.
Their in-​house smoked BBQ brisket is tops! Truly a crowd pleaser, but Ian and I came away as mega fans of their BBQ pulled pork sammy. If there was a god, this would be it’s sandwich of choice.

I came here for lunch on a friend’s recommendation, so perhaps this review is biased. The people here are very nice, but the food is mediocre at best. The brisket sandwich I got contained some very not-​tender meat, and the sauce is far too sweet. The provolone cheese on the sandwich was good, and a touch I haven’t seen before. Please be aware that as a Texan I’m very picky about barbecue. To that end, this was not a good example of it. Brisket should not be ‘chewy’, ever. The chips, pickle, and diet coke I got were okay, but that’s not really the measure of a joint. I did not do any drinking here, so the bar aspect was lost on me. Overall, do not go there expecting good ‘cue.

I love this place!
They have the best staff, beer, shufflepuck, jukebox, and barstools in Ballard!
Or maybe I just like it because it’s 3 blocks away…
Oh, and try the BBQ. They smoke their own meat and it’s quite delicious.

After suffering through tastless fries at Scooter’s down the street I hope to wash away the memory with a tasty beef treat at Viking (a pub and grill). After all, they been around since 1950. No such luck! the brisket sandwich (w/​BBQ sauce) was tough and overpowered with sugary BBQ sauce.
What a waste! I think some of the reviews for this place are paid shils. If this place was primarily not a pub it would have been leveled years ago.

Being schooled in anything is not the norm for me but it became apparent that I may have to make several visits to come to master the skill that is Shuffleboard. I loved this place coming in after a bar hop here and there and invested the rest of my night at The Viking, happily. Service was good and accommodating, the scene is full of happy drinkers and the games are on!
*Please note that there is ample space between the shuffleboard table and juke box to do the electric slide. Just sayin’.*