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    Asadero Ballard

    4.4 (1.5k reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Steakhouses
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Asadero Ballard Reservations

    Asadero Ballard Photos

    Business Info

    ASADERO BALLARD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Asadero Ballard

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    David H.

    Haven't been to asadero in prob 10 years! But yoooo the experience was still the same.. a bangah! Went w a group of 5 We ordered their queso, baked potato, two variations of tacos, a ribeye, an Aussie + a Japanese cut. It was honestly the perfect amount of food for us and ooo the quality! Although the Aussie + Japanese cuts were def the most pricey, we all thought the ribeye was perhaps our favorite thing on the table. The way the meats are presented, it allows you to cook it to your liking, which is super dope esp if yall all have different preferences. We all got 1-2 drinks each. At the very end, our server gave us each some complimentary peppermint tea. The total ended up being ~530 before tip. Go chance em!

    Gina B.

    For years, I'd heard Asadero was one of the best steakhouses in Seattle. My partner loves steak, so we were quite excited to finally give it a visit. We were seated at a small table right behind the cool Catrina statue at the front entrance. I had made reservations, but it didn't seem necessary as it was lunchtime and there were a good amount of empty tables. The table we sat at had a worn out/peeled center... which I later realized was probably from the heat of the stone for the steak. We ordered the lunch special with Vacio steak, and Tacos del Patron. I forgot to take a photo of the menu, but it said that the lunch special comes with your choice of soup, salad, and side... and a steak split into two. I didn't realize until after ordering that the server did not inform us of the options for soup or salad, so we received whatever they chose for us I guess. We did choose the cauliflower as our side. The price for the lunch special is about $10 more than the Vacio steak order alone. I thought it was a nice deal. Soup and salad were alright. Cauliflower was big and flavorful on the charred outside, but the center was undercooked, bland, and unpleasant. There was a sauce provided on the side that kind of helped. Even with it being split in two, they gave us plenty of steak. The knives provided weren't the best to cut it up, but they did the job. Cooking the steak to our own liking on the hot stone was pretty fun. I'd say the steak was good, but not sure if I could tell the difference in flavor between this and ones from other steakhouses. But again, it was delicious and I was able to finish my piece. I honestly didn't need the salsas/ toppings provided on the side, but they tasted good and were nice to have. The tacos were delicious, with wonderfully tender meat and well-seasoned toppings. Service was ok, but I expected more engagement from such a pricy place. I think for people who really like steak, Asadero is a place to check out at least once for a unique dining experience in Ballard.

    Lengua
    Jia W.

    This was the best steak I've ever had--juicy, perfectly seasoned, and paired with the salsa, every bite was perfection. The lengua was also amazing; it had none of that "weird" taste people sometimes expect and literally melted in my mouth. The service was exceptional. We sat at the bar and our bartender was both bartending and serving, yet still stayed incredibly attentive even though it was busy. The ambiance was great too--super relaxed with darker, cozy vibes. It does get very busy though, so I'd definitely recommend making a reservation.

    Australian waygu
    Kailey C.

    Would give 6 stars if I could! Everything was top notch, from the hostess to the bartender and servers, to the food and drinks. We sat at the bar and our bartender was incredibly knowledgeable and answered all our many questions about the steak options and wine varietals. Love that you can cook your own steak as an option! They refresh the hot plate when it gets cool, service was all around very attentive. We had the A5 Japanese ribeye and Australian waygu and preferred the latter because the Japanese cut was very very thin. Recommend wearing clothes you can easily wash because of all the juices splattering as it's heated on the hot plates.

    Prime rib tacos.
    Tami A.

    We came here for a Sunday night birthday dinner with reservations and, to be fair, that part went smoothly. It was busy but we were seated right away, which I appreciated. First thing you notice when you walk in? The place smells amazing. Like straight grilled steak heaven. That said... I also noticed later that my coat and clothes smelled like I had been standing over the grill myself. Not the end of the world, but definitely a thing. I ordered the guava hibiscus sour and for a $20 cocktail, I was honestly a little confused. The menu talked up foam and a smoke bubble situation, but when it came out, there was no foam and the glass was definitely not full. I asked about it, and the explanation was basically that the foam is just for texture (then why list it?). She did bring out some smoke afterward, but it didn't really change anything. Just felt... underwhelming for the price. For dinner, I had the prime rib tacos. On looks alone, I was worried -- the steak was kind of grey and not super appetizing. Thankfully, it tasted better than it looked, so that was a win. The rice dish the waitress recommended was fine, but nothing memorable. Not bad, just not something I'd crave later. We ended with the flan dessert trio, and that was probably the most solid part of the meal. Pretty good, no complaints there. The service itself was good -- our waitress was attentive and checked in at the right times. The vibe is very moody, dark, trendy mexican steakhouse energy. It feels like a place that wants to be special-occasion dining. Overall, by the time the bill came for the whole table, I just expected a bit more consistency and a little more "wow" for the price point. It wasn't bad by any means, but for what we spent, I'm not sure it fully delivered.

    New York strip waygu
    Kaitlyn H.

    To start you get water with your choice of fresh fruit, amazing love. Then we moved on to our appetizers which were the bone marrow and guac! Guac could be more flavorful and i wish the tortillas were like chips and easier on the teeth they were a little too hard. The waygu New York strip was phenomenal and "the best steak I've ever had literally" it was really cool that it was served on a hot stone big fan. Finished with complimentary peppermint tea it was pretty great. Sam was our service and he was awesome! The top shelf marg was amazing Vibes were amazing love the dark setting cozy and not that loud. Would love to dine here again i left very full and very satisfied

    Flan trio
    M C.

    The restaurant offers a pretty chill vibe. It gets busy and the food is excellent so a reservation is recommended. I completely forgot to take photos because I was starving and was looking forward to dinner. Our wonderful meal consisted of: 2 Australian wagyu ribeyes, TUETANOS - bone marrow with crostini, PAPA JOSPER - baked potato with delicious toppings, and RAJITAS POBLANAS - Fire roasted poblanos with corn and cream sauce. Then flan and peppermint tea. We loved everything. Our fabulous server was Damian, but everyone on their team was friendly and attentive. Damian checked on us frequently to ensure our experience was great.

    Ribeye
    Yvonne F.

    Mexican fusion steakhouse in North Downtown Seattle! It's located nearby Ballard street that is extremely busy, so parking is tough. However, plenty of stores and restaurants to explore. The restaurant interior is moody with lots of darker tones of red and wood, ideal for a date night or more intimate with friends. I split an appetizer of the guac and chips and enjoyed the assortments of salsas that came with it and the few pieces of sourdough bread, I thought that was fun! I ordered the Ribeye medium-rare and thought the flavor was yummy, it also came with a chimichurri sauce and a salsa. I couldn't tell under the dim lighting, but I think my steak came out more rare (which I did not mind) however, it was such a thick cut, it became a bid tedious to chew -- it did not quite melt in my mouth which was disappointing. Service was also friendly and attentive, he came by a few times to make sure we were doing OK and if we needed water re-fills.

    Kasey G.

    Great place for dinner, moody lighting and an authentic vibe. I had the wagyu tacos, so simple yet so good. The fish tacos were good, a little bit of a kick.

    Magnetque -.

    Although people who served were very nice and helpful, quality of food was poor. The taste was poor, too. We were four people and ate 6 , 7 different dishes, Just two of them were nice. Others weren't good. It looked like gambling and we lost it. The smoke inside the restaurant was on our clothes even tomorrow . It wasn't delicious but very bad smell. I don't recommend this place.

    Cheesecake, inedible
    Jamie K.

    This is by far one of the most creative steak houses I have been to, plus having A5 wagu. That was totally worth the price. It is totally worth every penny. The meat comes on a sizzling heat plate, (see video) then you take it off and cut piece by piece to Cook the slice of what you will eat. This steak was amazing. If you haven't had Japanese wagu before this is a must. It is nothing like Australian. We also had the baked potato, 10/10. The crème they use is delicious. The only thing that was not good at all was the cheesecake, it wasn't sweet, hard as a rock and flavorless. The ambiance was amazing service was nice. Must try!

    Zabuton
    Edward C.

    Every time I come home I long for Asadero. Not many if any steak houses besides Asadero that I make a must eat. The Zabuton is still as good as I remember. Flavorful, tender with a good amount of fat but not too much. Plated on a hot stone with salt and a cutting board on the side for the Zabuton so you can decide how well you'd like it done. I love my steaks on the rarer side as pictured. Carne Asada for those who love tacos. The salsa plate is always great. Bone Marrow is a must. Service is always friendly and very educational, the new choice of fruit/cucumber in the water is a great choice. Same cozy environment to enjoy one of the best steaks Seattle has to offer.

    Potatoe
    Chris R.

    Great food, me and the girl shared a ribeye and 3-4 sides, her drinks were awesome and food was great. It's a place you could make it expensive or get out of there for a normal night out. Small intimate setting great for dates.

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    2 months ago

    Everything was top notch, delicious and excellent. Perhaps one of the best steak dinners I have had in any restaurant anywhere.

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    15 days ago

    Other than parking everything else about this place is great. I guess it just adds to the journey.

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    Asadero Ballard Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Asadero Ballard

    What are the prices? They aren't listed anywhere...?

    I have pics of their updated menu. It's on my review.

    Do you do private parties? 20 to 30 People?

    The restaurant is tiny. Food is excellent but they have no large tables. This is my favorite place for steak.

    Do they do separate checks?

    I'm certain they would if you asked them.

    What is the max person limit for a reservation?

    The booths can easily sit 4 large humans, rather comfortably sit 6 average sized humans, and very uncomfortably squeeze 9 (as long as your waitress is okay with it like ours was).

    Is there outdoor seating available, and if so, is there a way to make a reservation specifically requesting that seating?

    We do have a small outdoor patio. When you were making a reservation just make a note that you would prefer outdoor seating.

    Is there an online menu with prices? The ones posted on their website do not show prices.

    Jules, we don't have a posted menu with pricing. However, our pricing for entrees ranges from $20 to $120 with periodic specials that can go above that; generally those are for larger format, luxury steaks like wagyu tomahawks.

    Where should we park?

    Hi Celena, We do not have a parking lot, so it is just street parking for the restaurant. There… Read more

    I would love to go here tonight on a Saturday's what time should I get there if I don't want to wait hours ?like should I get there at 8pm or early at like 5-30?

    Earlier is better

    Is this wonderfully high rated establishment kid/toddler friendly? TIA

    Yes, but not in the evening. I would suggest going when they open. Ive gone with my kids early on Sunday mornings.

    Looking to have dinner on a Wed night at Asadero. I hear the restaurant gets busy pretty quickly but on a work week night (e.g. Wed), when would you recommend getting there? I'm in my 3rd trimester so would prefer not to wait terribly long :)

    Honestly, whenever I've gone they always have like a 2,000 hour wait but I just creepily scope out the bar area, about 6 tables (which you can share with other people) and the actual bar and sit down within 10 minutes.… Read more

    View All 12 Questions

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    4.4(188 reviews)
    4.8 miFirst Hill

    I had an amazing experience for my 25th birthday here at Koko's; I flew in from California and…read morewanted a cute birthday dinner, Koko's did not disappoint! Special shout out to Alex, we arrived early to our reservation and he provided 10/10 service. Right of the bat, they greeted us with excellent hospitality and kindness! They made our visit an amazing experience and provided us with the best seats in the house! Thank you Alex, you're the best The drinks were delicious! I got the Jamaica Martini 10/10 recommend! For dinner I ordered the Poblano Cashew Enchiladas, honestly one of the best meals I've had in a long time Thank you so much for the best experience!

    such a cute spot for delicious mexican food and tasty cocktails in seattle. the vibes are…read moredefinitely more upscale and moody, so this is one of those places that i'd say is good for a girls night out, date night, or just showing visitors around. service is great, our waiter was super sweet and helpful. the staff also cleared our table pretty swiftly and even offered us new plates at one point, which i really appreciated. one of my friends also came here for her birthday and she got a little something on the house, so i can definitely say service is top-notch! foodwise, even though koko's is more expensive than your average mexican spot (you're totally paying for ambiance and service too though), the portions are heaping. i barely finished my enchiladas and all of my friends took their meals to-go. (those burritos are massive omg.) the mole enchiladas were SOOO good, as were the cashew poblano enchiladas. their sauces are so yummy and the presentation was on-point for both enchiladas. i also had a bite of my friend's carne en morita which is a slow cooked pork dish, and i was obsessed. the only thing i'd say to pass on would be the tacos. drinks were also great and had amazing presentation. i was very satisfied with my carajillo and my friend's passion fruit mojito was also very tasty (you could NOT taste the alc in it i swear) overall, koko's is a great spot if you're looking to dress up for a cute night out but also craving some tasty mexican food.

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    Pancita - Beef brisket suadero tacos

    Pancita

    4.5(91 reviews)
    4.1 miRavenna

    Excellent! The food, service and ambiance were all top notch. I love how cozy the corner restaurant…read moreis. The food was delicious- we started with the sourdough, then the Caesar, brisket tacos and finally the chorizo-stuffed trout. All of the ingredients were high quality and prepared perfectly. We loved every bite and will absolutely be back.

    I really, really wanted to like this place. We'd heard through word of mouth that they were serving…read moredishes straight out of Mexico City, so on a whim one Friday night, my partner and I grabbed a 7:45 reservation--which, honestly, might've been the first sign. I'm usually a fan of a smaller, curated menu because it suggests care in sourcing and execution. But for us, the execution just didn't land. Everything is served family-style, but the portion sizes didn't justify the price point. We started with the sourdough and butter spread, and it was a letdown right away. The bread was hard as a rock, and the butter--while sounding interesting--came slightly burnt and didn't feel worth $11 for two pieces. Next was the albacore tuna tostada. As someone who travels to Mexico City often, I was genuinely excited for this. But it leaned heavily on avocado, with barely any tuna to balance it out. For $25 and only two tostadas, it felt pretty stingy. The rapini quesadilla sounded promising but ended up tasting mostly like broccolini and mushrooms--nothing that really stood out or justified the dish. We finished with the 21-day dry-aged steak, which, at $59, felt like it should've been a highlight. Unfortunately, it missed the mark. It came out essentially raw, which I didn't mind in theory, but it was incredibly chewy and lacked flavor. It was difficult to cut and even harder to enjoy. The tortillas were nice, and the demi-glaze had potential, but overall it just didn't come together. Even the refried beans on the side were underwhelming--something you could easily find done better at a casual spot. On the bright side, the mezcal margarita with a tajín rim was excellent--well-balanced and probably the highlight of the night. And the service was warm and attentive, which I appreciated. But overall, for the prices and the hype, this place just didn't do it for me. Maybe we ordered wrong, but I've had much better elsewhere. I hate to say it, but I probably won't be back.

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    Maiz Molino - Dip sampler

    Maiz Molino

    4.4(125 reviews)
    3.9 miDenny Triangle
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    Went back to Maiz Molino recently on a Sunday night for dinner w/ friends. I was disappointed to…read moresee that the menu has changed a lot (and not just seasonally, but just a completely different menu) since the last time I visited (maybe a year ago or so). Before it seemed like Maiz Molino was focusing on elevated, unique Mexican dishes (shown in the pics in my prior review such as short rib, and other sort of "fusion" dishes, and more seafood focused, etc.) Now, the menu seems way more generic and casual like enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, tamales, etc. just offered w/ different proteins. They are still focusing on maiz but just a bit more generic in the preparation and offerings. Also, they had 2 separate menus which was a bit confusing. One is a generic all day menu and then another menu had brunch and dinner on it. It was around 5:30 p.m. but they were out of a particular steak dish that we were interested in. Service was friendly. We had enchiladas, a dip sampler (for appetizer) and Tlacoyos. Everything was fine but nothing really stood out, sadly. It wasn't very busy while we were there, so hoping that they are doing ok as a business. I would love to come back if they brought back the old menu w/ things that you cannot really find elsewhere, including the great cocktail menu and desserts that were offered previously.

    This place WOW-ed me. My fiance and I didn't make reservations the day before Valentine's Day and…read morethought we would just try our luck. So many of our regular spots had lines out the door, which was no surprise, but we ended up getting a table here. Figured Mexican food is hard to mess up. Started with drinks- THE BEST MARGARITA I HAVE EVER HAD. It was perfectly balanced, fresh, just perfect to me. My fiance got a horchata and loved it too. They have an option where you can try ALL of their dips for $20, which I couldn't resist. It was so fun, they had like 9 different ones! I got the shrimp tacos and they were so flavorful that I almost gasped. The creamy sauce, crunchy veggie toppers, smooth avocado, and perfectly cooked shrimp...just wow. I will be dreaming about this dish for years to come. I am a pescatarian and gluten free and there were TONS of options for me. They mostly use corn for everything, not flour. The staff was gracious and kind. They seemed a little understaffed but truly made the most of it and made every table feel attended to and special, which was so lovely. Really cool vibe- lots of art and special touches. A really cool place that I can't wait to recommend to friends.

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    Pablo y Pablo - PORK BELLY BENEDICT

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    3.8(607 reviews)
    2.4 miWallingford
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    Pablo y Pablo has lots of menu options and serves cozy, hearty food that fills you up really well…read more Everything tastes great and is satisfying. The only downside was that the food took a while to arrive, which slowed down the experience a bit. Still, the quality and warmth of the dishes make it worth visiting.

    I was in the city again so where did I go to eat? Pablo y Pablo...twice...because I was that…read moreserious about them. Food/drinks: Vegan nachos with carnitas -- check! Still huge portions. Still delicious. Still gluten free friendly and dairy free. Watch out for jalapeños; the seeds are definitely in. Mulled wine -- yum! Agave daiquiri -- strong, interesting, wasn't my fave (didn't finish it). Sangria -- solid! Service: A little more than fine. Friendly. Helpful-ish. Checked in at the beginning but less so by the end both times (when a check in would have been useful). Food comes out quick. Ambiance: Still cute for happy hour, friend meet ups, date nights, etc. Not hurried or rushed. Consider a reservation if you want to be safe. Why 4 stars? It's really 4.5. Honestly, service plus the menu changed in the 2 days I was there, and I missed out on the hot chocolate drink I reeeeallllly wanted. I wish there would have been a heads up that I was getting the last day of the menu. Hope it's not another 3 years before my next visit P y P!

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    Asadero Ballard - mexican - Updated May 2026

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