I've been here only once, but it was well worth it. We were driving by and just decided to try it out on a lark. The place was pretty near empty. The place reeks of old cigarette smoke and could use some reupholstering. I ordered a very tasty (and certainly unique) omelet with shrimp, imitation crab meat, and barbecued pork. Oh yeah, that's how we do it in da 206, and you know this! To drink I got a whiskey sour which was reasonably strong. I think it was happy hour, but the waitress was brand new and didn't ring us up right. So she gave us a coupon for a free drink that she just scribbled out on a bar napkin. There's plenty of pull tabs if you're into that kind of thing. The regulars seemed nice enough and the place has a friendly atmosphere. I'm curious how it is on karaoke nights, it seems like it might get kinda crazy there. But in a fun way!! read more

Simply put, this place will not win awards for its looks, service, or food. It's a dive-y, grimy, seedy, greasy place to go for Chinese food and adventure. And if you're looking for cheap fun, you've found your place! A group of friends and I came here knowing what to expect and we were okay with it all. Such stroooong drinks they provide. Wowwee you can easily get drunk off of one cocktail here. We pleasantly watched as drunkards danced and stumbled through their karaoke and we were provided hours upon hours of entertaining people watching and karaoke singing of our own! What I like about the Rickshaw is that it doesn't pretend to be what it isn't. It's not a fancy restaurant with upscale Chinese cuisine. The folks aren't pretentious or trying to be something they're not. Yeah, some of the people looked a bit creepy, but hell, they might think we're creepy in comparison. In any event, I knew what to expect and I had plenty of fun on a Saturday night. Tip: I hear they have $3 super stiff cocktails all night long on Thursdays! read more

Having always driven past the Rickshaw, I've been oddly fascinated by the appeal of the place. Blatant Chinese stereotypical Asian writing and images? Chinese and American food? Karaoke 7 nights a week? Must be a winner... I took a gamble and scheduled my birthday festivities at the Rickshaw in hopes of a dive bar with some good karaoke. I was not disappointed. The labyrinth of mirrors and walls made for some interesting fumbling around, late in the night. Entertained by the singers who were surely regulars, and gleefully delighted that my karaoke attempts were not met with any critiquing eyes. The karaoke host is definitely a seasoned veteran at her job, encouraging karaoke newbs to do their thing, singing back-up on most songs, and even pulling out a special birthday song for myself. All in all, a fun night; would be back for karaoke fun, but probably not the food :) read more

The karaoke is fantabulous, especially with the cordless mic! The Rickshaw is truly a place where the hipsters meet the hicksters, where the blue urban dwellers mingle and boogie with the folks from north of the Northgate line, and a righteous time can be had by all. But good lordy, don't even think about eating the food there... read more

At some point, I just...stopped enjoying coming here. Too many bad experiences. They over-serve like crazy. I've seen a guy who was literally passing out at his table manage to get TWO MORE cocktails. Ultimately he tried to start a fight and got thrown out. I suppose some people love that kind of seediness, and maybe it's just that I'm getting old, but this place just makes my brain hurt anymore. I can stay home, turn on basic cable, and get annoyed for free. If you go during the day, before karaoke gets rolling, the scene is much calmer, and the (Chinese-American) food is actually pretty good. read more

Kitschy Dive bar awesomeness, with sweet bartenders, an awesome Karaoke mistress with a killer voice. On Mondays they have Judith Ballard who will read your cards for like $15, something fun and different. The food ain't great or healthy by any means, but it's passable and with everything else going on at the Rickshaw, who cares about eating? Extra points for the owner for the pet rescue outfit she runs. Why would I not want to support this business. read more

Best bad karaoke around! but what's cool is no one cares if you suck, because most of them do. There were a few karaoke all stars (Brooke) who rocked anything that was put on the screen. Beer. CHEAP beer. $2.75 bottle. Not sure about the food...never tried, kinda scared to. The 'regular' patrons are welcoming and encouraging, as well as the ladies that run the joint. They tend to over-serve, so watch your back as people drunkenly scramble to hook-up at about 1230-1 am. Great song selection, fun crowd, cheap beer makes for a rad Saturday night out. read more

Cheap yet strong drinks, sassy bartenders, big book of songs with stains that you don't question are the good makings of a karaoke joint. The food sucks but who cares? The purpose of this place is to get you buzzed enough so you have temporary courage to karaoke in front of strangers. And remember kids, the very first time you perform a specific song in public you say "suicide" before you sing. This allows you grace for not hitting every note. Best time to go if you wanna sing lots - Monday thru Wednesdays between 9-11pm. On busy nights you'd be lucky if you even get one song in even if you stayed for 3 hours. read more

Ordered to go via Grubhub and was pleased with the convenience of that system. I ordered the crab wontons and pad thai with mild spice. The crab wontons were weirdly sweet to me and the pad thai was way more spicy than I anticipated- I suspect there was a mixup with the order. However, still tasty food, and delivered quickly so I say 3 stars. read more

I came in here for the first time for a friend's karaoke party. We had such great service and everyone was really friendly. The wings looked delicious, and the drink selection was pretty decent. My highlights were the renovated bathrooms and the pay match games, so entertaining. read more

I'm not a huge fan of karaoke, but if you are, this might be your kind of place. Yes, the Rick is kitchy and it's a dive. Yes, the clientele is somewhat questionable. Yes, the food is pretty mediocre. And yes, the location leaves much to be desired. But it's relatively inexpensive and a whole lot of fun, the karaoke rocks, and if you come here with a group you can enjoy the shenanigans and still maintain a bit of anonymity. The drinks are standard well fare, but that's not bad, because they're cheap. Like I said, the food is middling to merely edible, but those greasy eggrolls are there to help you offset the growing pool of alcohol in your tummy. The only letdown here is that the staff can be kind of cranky and standoffish. I guess their behavior is understandable, given the cross-section of weirdos that come in on any given night, but it remains a bit of a bummer. Still, this is solid fun for those who want to belt out a few songs and down a couple of drinks without dropping a wad of cash. read more

We ordered delivery on at 7:37pm on a Wednesday night. Our food (if you want to call it that) took almost 2 hours to be delivered! We called to check on it at about 9:00pm and the person who answered the phone told us the driver left about 15 minutes ago. We live literally 2 blocks away! When the driver finally arrived he told us that he got stuck in a parade. Well, the parade was 20 block in the opposite direction???? To make things worse.... We paid $36 for inedible food that was delivered at 9:32pm. read more

Do not order delivery! Short version: the driver couldn't follow the delivery instructions after 15 minutes and multiple attempts/phone calls, and I ended up having to find her to get the food. Once I got back to my apartment and opened it, it was cold, soggy, and not made the way I ordered it (asked for no onions, but it practically had extra!). I ended up throwing most of the order away. The only thing I ate was the jalapeño poppers, since they were miraculously still crispy, despite barely passing for warm... tried to call about a refund and got no answer. I had been excited to find delivery with burgers on the menu. Not worth it. Maybe it's better if you eat at the restaurant, but I have no plans to bother with that now. read more

Seriously ridiculous. We're new to the Ballard area and jumped on GrubHub to find a place that delivered. From the other reviews, we thought we had a decent shot at some good American-Chinese food from Rickshaw. It took them over an hour and a half (well over the projected time) to get our food to us. It got here luke warm, the servings were tiny, and to add insult to injury, they forgot a couple of items on our order! We went through GrubHub to file the complaint. They offered us a free entree next time we order from them (as if that's going to happen), and said they'd send out their driver with the rest of our food ASAP. It's been over an hour now and we haven't heard anything. Seriously? This is ridiculous... read more

Surprisingly this wasn't my worst Chinese food experience, but it's up there on my list of I'll never eat there again. When I first walked in there was nobody around. No hostess waiting. If you venture in here, firstly know th at its a bar primarily. I waited for a bit until I finally asked the only customer sitting with her young child if she knew if they had a server. She began to laugh and told me she believed the bartender was the only one working. When someone finally came out, I was really surprised to see not a small Asian person, but a tall white lady. Should this have been my clue that eating here would be a waste of time and money. I shrugged off the feeling and ordered the shu mai, sweet and sour chicken and crab rangoon. Seriously the easiest more "Americanized" food you can't get wrong. Oh was I wrong. My food came out smothered in sauce and dripping in oil. I don't know what possessed me to eat some of it anyways, but I was raised in the South and manners are essential. My plan was to have lots of leftovers of delicious Chinese food, but in the end I paid my bill and walked out leaving all of my food almost completely uneaten. read more

Convenient to where I live? Yes! Karaoke any night I want it? Yes! Drinks are alright, food is merely okay and the service has been horrendous both times I've been in....buuuuuuut I'm sure I'll end up there on another drunken night in the future.... read more

I love this place. Great service, good drinks, karaoke!! Awesome!! They can improve on the looks on the place but overall I love it. read more

The Rickshaw used to be better. But that was some time ago, before the remodel. The remodel was necessary due to a fire but it still looks like the same dump. Let's discuss the food. Nice large menu Chinese and American food + more. But prices are up and portions are down. I ordered chow mein which did not come in a traditional Chinese take out container, but looked more like I went to Readi Spaghetti instead. They are using the same round plastic containers. I wonder if they own Readi Spaghetti... read more

Rickshaw Restaurant - This isn't how Chinese food is typically served... - Dive Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Hands down one of the best bars I've been to. Good vibes and good people. The bartender is absolutely fantastic! Super tentative, welcoming and friendly. Karaoke is NO joke there, they just get down and have fun. Oh and can't forget the food, it's technically a Chinese food place, but the burgers are bangin'. I would recommend this place to anyone! read more

I totally agree with Tarah M.'s review! Just a fun place to chill with friends, drink stiff drinks, sing along with the good and bad karaoke music, and eat greasy "Chinese" food. Not the place for a date, for authentic Chinese food, frilly drinks, or smooth sounds - this is the place for great people watching...and after a few drinks, you may find yourself karaoking to some Backstreet Boys song. Careful! :-) read more

Went for a birthday party last Saturday. First impression: I'm kind of scared the FBI might bust in here at any minute for god knows what reason. Followed by: I am going to avoid the bathroom. And then: Wow, it is pretty crowded! Guess the people know where to get some solid karaoke and cheap drinks. They do card you like 3-4 times (since they don't check ID at the door, and when we stopped in at 10pm there were still kids at the restaurant). Seems like it clears out a lot around midnight and you get most of the place to yourself and the Karaoke DJ (who plays a tambourine- awesome!). read more

My friend and I came here for drinks and food on a Monday. This place is a gem of a dive bar! Our server Amber was upbeat and friendly. The food was great...I ordered a tofu-veggie dish and my friend ordered the Hangover Burger. I will definitely order Chinese takeout from here in the future, and will come back for the karaoke (every night at 9!) and the sweetest, warm hearted clientele and employees. read more

If you're up for cheap drinks and even cheaper tracks on the Karaoke mic, you're in for a treat. The ambiance is borderline surreal with rope-lighting all around the "lounge". The drinks are cheaper than the vinyl which blanket the low-grade booths that feel like they've survived years of severe flooding....but that's a huge part of the charm of this gem. If you're looking for some Chinese grubs, run--don't walk--the hell away from this place. This place is for crooners and booze-hounds only. The clientel here is epicly strange, and wonderfully 'from another planet.' Name another chinese restaurant where you can belt out some Journey, get a palm reading and get groped by a 55 year-old karaoke host on a Monday night.... That's what I thought. Beware, however, that you might just fill a small void in the corner of your heart if you spend a night here. It will become a guilty pleasure for you......trust me. Go here if the above intrigues. If not, stay away...you'll make the wait for my drink longer. read more

Hmm.. so this is a Chinese restaurant.. but you can order cheeseburgers, quesadillas, etc. I guess they really take "Chinese American" to a new level. Maybe they should rebrand it to 'Chine-a-mex'? Anyway, my friends and I stopped here after going to another nearby bar. I was hangry, they wanted to sing karaoke, and this place was open until 2AM. When we arrived, they said we could sit anywhere. Other people arrived after us.. and the server tended to those tables without even stopping by ours. She kept looking over at our table (evident that we didn't even have water cups). I finally went to the front and asked for a food menu. She played coy when she came to our table after that asking "has anyone helped you yet?"... she was the only server. I got the General Tso's chicken.. which was okay. I asked for the spiciest it could be (level 5).. and it wasn't spicy at all. Karaoke was entertaining.. though some of the songs had the artist singing, so you couldn't even hear the actual people singing karaoke. It's okay if you're in the area and don't want to deal with parking in a more crowded area.. but there are way better places to go. Oh, and although they are open until 2AM, they stop serving food at 1AM, and karaoke stops at 1:30AM. read more

Giant pot stickers, adequate Chinese food, and some of the best/worst karaoke entertainment you could ask for. If you want a dive-y Chinese restaurant, the 'Shaw will deliver. read more

I have never eaten here but received a Val-Pak coupon and decided to give it a try. Admittedly I was hesitant because it did seem a bit of a divey restaurant. However, I was somewhat positively surprised. While I was initially a little off-put because of the "old" smell when I walked in, it was relatively clean and nice - not beat up - brand new menus and a decent ambiance despite the kind of odd elongated lay-out. The food actually turned out to pretty good - seemed clean, fresh and well prepared. I had the Almond Fried Chicken - and enjoying my left-overs. As so often there is a little extra breading and a bit of cartlidge but was prepared reasonably well and tasted decent. I had the Mo-Shu Vegetarian - great pile of vegetables. This tasted actually pretty good - though I am no expert. However, I did notice a bit of gastric discomfort related to this plate - not sure if in sauce or vegetables entirely but when I had the vegetables alone later I noticed it albeit less. I ended up throwing the remainder out. I do note that I tend to be a little sensitive so the cask iron stomach guys won't have a problem. I received a very good portion of food for the cost. Oh, one little thing - the well gin kinda - sucked but the waitress gave me credit on that and re-poured a G&T with Hendricks and that was fine. Service was very good. Despite a kind of sketchy review, I will return and try some other meals to see what happens. read more

I've been here a lot. Food is decent, usually there is karoake. Tonight there was trivia. They have daily drink specials. Looks like 1$ well drinks for ladies night are off the menu. I always enjoy my vegetarian hot pot. My friend always enjoys her potstickers, she craves them and is always up for a stop off here. The bar is kind of divey, much like you would expect from a place called the rickshaw, not sure why but the building just implies it should looke the way it does on the inside. Service is usually good and friendly. Definetly worth checking out. One day I hope to get the fortune telling. Someday I'll be back for the trivia. Karoake is a blast. Can be pretty crowded on a weekend with a large group though. read more

I had my 30th birthday here and boy, was it amazing. They have a cool little party area off to the side that you can reserve for free. The service was amazing and we were checked in with regularly, even when it got really busy. The food is good for what it is and goes well with drinks and karaoke (get the Chinese Donuts). The karaoke was awesome and the karaoke host was the best I've ever had. She even put my name in the queue when she noticed I didn't have another song, just to save it for me so I could sing again. She also had the whole bar sing happy birthday to me, which was fun. The Rickshaw isn't fancy, it's divey in the best of ways and you will have the best time singing your heart out here. Perfect for large groups or parties. My large group of 20+ people raved about their experience and looks forward to coming back! read more

I've been going here for years. Was my favorite karaoke spot forever and the site of of one my first dates with my wife. Then one day came to visit my favorite KJ and after a small portion of a beer and going outside for a smoke and to refresh myself on the song I was about to sing and when I came back to find my beer removed and myself cut off at the bar. My crime? I apparently was 'falling over' near the the butt drop. Why was I falling over? Because people, including the bartender who apparently cut me off was blocking access to the butt can and i had an awkward moment. Next thing I know my wife and I have to pay our bill for no reason. The server, made clear he didn't agree with the decision as did Aphrodite, the KJ we love and who has been a part of my wife's and I's relationship since we first started dating. But the bartender/bar manager who the server wouldn't give me the name of because he "works at multiple bars and won't be responsible for a bad review" (what does that even mean?) unilaterally decided against the advice of both their server and their KJ, and that I was cut off when there were far drunker people around still being served and when I've been far drunker at that bar and still received service. My impression based on discussions with them at the time and subsequent to they events makes it seem like the server and the KJ were as baffled as I was. The bartender also claimed that a fresh beer that had only two sips was "more than half gone" and they'd make no adjustment to the bill for stealing a beers worth of money from me. My wife left in tears and I with the knowledge that my favorite karaoke bar was being run by a server too terrified of the bar manager to stand up for his customers, even when he explicitly stated that he disagreed with her decision. I would also mention that after I was cut off I pulled that song off brilliantly - no slurring or missed words. We don't come as much as we used to but we made a habit of coming here a few times a year. We're never coming my back again. Not sure where the server or the unnamed Bartender came from but if this is how they treat old regulars then you can be sure the Rickshaw is not your old karaoke haunt, but rather a place where you'll have to pay for a stolen drink and have your SO sad and crying that some terrible shill decided to ruin your night out after months of stress based on a single, narrow, misinformed judgement of lost balance in of all places...wait for it...a bar. Shame on the bartender and shame on the server for defending her. Sorry Aphrodite...never coming back. Update: the server's name was Andrew and it turns out the bartender (Samantha) claimed I "fell down on the ground and crawled". No such thing happened. I have terrible balance but I absolutely did not spontaneously fall down and crawl. Didn't have a single scratch or bruise the next day. I also want to add that Andrew told me to talk to the bouncer about it. The bouncer told me to talk to Samantha, and Samantha wouldn't talk to me. It was also striking how much they didn't seem willing to talk to each other. In retrospect all I can say is what the fuck happened to this place? read more

Yeah, the Rickshaw is a true Seattle classic. Ever see a bunch of crazy people there on Monday night taking over the place? Probably my friends... there's a big group of us that are obsessed with that place... they even made a myspace page for it: http://www.myspace.com/karaokeattheshaw Reasonably good food (if you go, you MUST get the Chinese doughnuts... you'll thank me later) and good drinks. And yes, everyone that works there is super nice. The Rickshaw, for being a dive bar, is great, and definitely worth visiting if you're interested in getting in some serious karaoke singing! But more than anything, it's a classic of Seattle! read more

drunk karaoke is what this place is built on. If you go here for the food or atmosphere, you're an idiot. Either that or a regular. Their song book is second only to Ade's at the former Bus Stop and also-former McLeod Residence (RIP to both). And if you're desperate for a greasy plate full of flavorless breaded deep-fried crap to soak up some of that booze, order the Pu Pu Platter. read more

This place always seems to bring in a decent crowd, especially on the weekends. It must be the stiff drinks and karaoke 7 days a week! The food is bad but it's safe to order the chicken strips. They are awesome! The crowd can range from old dirty bastards to college kids. "The Rick" is worth a visit if you live in the area. It's nothing special but the drinks are stiff and I saw a really good cat fight here once. read more

This is a fun place to come and drink, and better yet, sing karaoke. I've been coming to Rickshaw every other Thursday and, so far, have been enjoying it. The atmosphere is relaxed, friendly and non-egotistical. The place has a wide assortment of cocktails. I recently tried their Beijing Tap-Water and it was delicious. The bartenders mix the drinks pretty strong, which is great on Thursdays when all drinks cost $3.00. The food is definitely tasty; I love their salt & pepper chicken wings. Their fries are pretty good too (very salty!). It's a cool place to stop in and stay a while when the weather turns rainy and cold. read more

Yet another contender for Kitchen Nightmares. They are definitely in the running for best dive bar. The creepy Lynchian lighting and decor was a plus. I was excited for the tasty greasy eatins about to occur. The menu was huge. It had American, Chinese, Thai cuisine spread out over five pages. I was starving and ordered a good standby dish of General Tsao's Chicken on the server's recommendation. First bite was acceptable. I was pleased with the fresh, piping hotness. It had a nice glaze on it but had a slight aftertaste of catsup. Sauce started to become overkill halfway through the dish. The texture of the chicken could have been good, but maybe they used the wrong chicken part or they fried it wrong, but the edges were very chewy and stringy...like chicken gristle. The side of rice was obviously old. A little yellowish but mostly dry and chewy. Hubby got his standard bowl of hot and sour soup. It looked ok but it tasted like bland chicken soup. He asked for a side of chili paste/oil and by the end of the bowl, the had used the entire serving (about three tablespoons) plus a teaspoon of soy sauce to give the soup some flavor. Bathrooms. Eek. They would be one star except for the genuine divey atmosphere they excelled at. read more

If you wanna Karaoke.. eat some mediocre food, but get some strong drinks than by all means come on down for the Karaoke show! You dont even have to sing, just enjoy the other horrible singers, and drink up! I miss Greenwood, my old neighborhood. read more

zero for three for the food I've tried at this place. At first glance, the menu seems insanely varied. I suspect this is because the same ingredients go into a number of dishes. Asian cuisine should not use spaghetti noodles. the bar portion has a good reputation for divey fun. Will have to test that one of these days. The karaoke was painful. The water was wet. read more

Sadly, the Rickshaw appears to be losing steam. I ordered the lunch special and it looked like the appetizer/lunch special. It was a tasty appetizer - but not what I was expecting for a lunch experience! On the plus side: good internet, lots of parking! No one is here! I will be stopped off for another meal after this one! read more

Oh my what a great place to eat. Great quick service, all sorts of delicious cuisines and at a moderate price. The Pad Thai was really good and so were their egg rolls, everything was tasted great. I don't think you could go wrong coming here. read more

Karaoke, booze & Chinese food=interesting! I think this is more of a neighbourhood-bar-karaoke-place. I think the Chinese food is an add-on. The appetizer plate is good with friends, and a strong rum n' coke...or beer, as the place seems to draw some interesting & colourful locals. Seems they could clean up that men's room. The fried rice was good. The karaoke was hilarious! There is a smell of grease on my clothes after I left. read more

The Kung Pow chicken is pretty good and delivery was fast. I also like being able to order online. The pork fried rice and pork Chow mein were far from fabulous. The sweet and sour chicken wasn't great either. read more