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    The Lockspot Cafe

    3.3 (444 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    The Lockspot Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    THE LOCKSPOT CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Sunday Menü.
    Susan C.

    Located right next to the Locks in Ballard this cafe has been there for years. Great place to get take out for the Park at the Locks. We ordered the fish and chips to share and the clam chowder. Since there are many fish and chip places to choose from theirs would be rated about an 8 out of 10. Highly recommend for a date at the Locks!

    Leonard Jack ..

    To begin with, great location if spending time at the Ballard locks, or golden gardens park. The long time staple was everything I expected. The building seemed much older and slightly outdated decor, which I wouldn't change! It adds to the dining experience, The menu gave all the expected breakfast choices and some unique options. I had the French toast, which was incredible and cooked exactly how I asked. I also ordered the smoked salmon omelette which might have been one of the best omelettes I've eaten. Place was good enough to bring me back same day for a burger at dinner time. Prices are very reasonable as well,

    Dining room
    Jacque C.

    Looking for some comfort food that would break the budget, Hubby and I decided to swing by the Lockspot one evening. We hadn't been in for years and not since the new owners took over. It reminded me of why this place has endured for decades and become a Ballard icon. The new owners, whom were among the very first to provide box Mel's and food to feed restaurant workers for free during the COVID pandemic, haven't changed the place a bit. You instantly feel comfortable. Service is warm, friendly and welcoming. It's the kind of place where one feels like they can turn to the fellow diners at the next table and start a conversation. The food was great. Hubby had the fish platter, with a breading that was light but added just the right touch of flavor and didn't overwhelm the fish. I had the chicken friend steak with sausage gravy--a cardiac special for sure which is probably not going to be featured on the cover of Food & Wine, but was tender, delicious and satisfying. We grabbed a couple of slices of the freshly made carrot cake to go. The bar area was full of people who were relaxed and it looks like a great place to chill and have a beer or a cocktail. Suffice it to say, we'll be back.

    Fish Sandwich with onion rings
    Sabrina T.

    This spot is right in front of the Ballard Locks, so it's great for a little snack/lunch. My wife and I ordered the fish sandwich with onion rings and the "famous" fish and chips. Everything was good but just good. It lacked flavor really. Everything came out perfectly fried and fresh, service was quick and kind. It just wasn't anything special to rave about it. Overall a great location and maybe some other options are better but for me it was pretty average, but happy to support a black owned and woman owned business!

    Salmon chowder bowl with Caesar salad combo
    Jun Li Z.

    Food I ordered the salmon chowder on a wintry cold day in Seattle. This was amazing and I definitely was expecting chunks of salmon but barely got any pieces of it which was disappointing (hence the two stars, this for $16 was a tad bit high). I was craving more salmon meat than cream but nevertheless it was delicious! Service Attentive and friendly! Ambiance TV, bar, well-lit with windows I'd come here again to try their other dishes! Fast service!

    Fish & Chips
    Sofie D.

    To start, this place is vibey and dark and if you're visiting the locks nearby, it's perfect. The ginger beer drinks are well-made and well-priced. The staff are super nice and attentive. The fish and chips were fantastic, seasoned perfectly, the homemade tartar sauce was standard, and the fries were tasty. However, you don't get a whole lot for the price. I was disappointed in my portion size compared to my wife, who got the fried prawn basket. The prawns were near-tasteless and hardly salted at all, however the cocktail sauce accompanying them was delicious and her portion of fries was much greater than mine. Varying quality and portion sizes for a big price, but the fries and drinks are good. I'd come here again at our next visit to the locks, but I wouldn't get the prawns.

    Valerie W.

    I love me an old school divey spot and Lockspot Cafe is a fun place right next door to the Ballard Locks. I hadn't been here before but can appreciate there is a "eat-in" restaurant & bar in addition to an order window for food/coffee/beer. Inside is dark and divey...love it. Staff are generally friendly. I'll definitely return to try some other menu items and perhaps a drink at the bar...where I failed was getting a to-go order as I don't live terribly far away. My order of fish and chips, a beer, water...$30 Ooooff. The fish itself was decent; I really enjoyed the panko breading and homemade tarter. One piece was great and one was chewy however. I also don't think the meal warrants the $17 price tag, even though I understand prices are high in general right now. Fries were soggy by time I got home after my 10 minute walk. Sad.

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    The food is absolutely delicious the customer service is up to par ........... this place was clean than server was dope

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    8 months ago

    Bad food, bad service. Nothing really more to say. An extremely disappointing dining experience. Stay away!

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    They make you feel at home with in minutes of walking in I knew I had found my place!

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    Macleod's Fish & Chips Scottish Pub - Chicken and chips

    Macleod's Fish & Chips Scottish Pub

    (257 reviews)

    $$

    Ballard

    We dropped into Macleod's for a bite before a show at The Tractor Tavern, and it ended up being the…read moreperfect choice for a pre-concert meal. There are a variety of seating options from open bar, large tables, quant upstairs, and booths with tall backs. The walls are filled with a myriad of Scottish memorabilia that give you something to talk about wherever you look. The kitchen doesn't skimp here--the portions were very generous, and everything was delicious. Salmon Sandwich, fresh and flavorful. Cod Fish & Chips, perfectly crispy and classic. Shepherd's Pie, hearty, savory, and exactly what you want from a pub. We ventured into the specialty cocktail menu and weren't disappointed. Both the Sea Legs and the Island Flight Special were well-balanced and a great start to the night.

    Perfect Sunday Find - Crispy Halibut & Unexpectedly Amazing Mashed Peas!…read moreWe stopped by on a sunny Sunday while out for a walk, just planning to grab a drink--but ended up having one of the best fish & chips I've had in a while. The halibut was perfectly fried: crispy on the outside, tender and flaky inside. The fries were a bit on the softer side, but still flavorful. Surprisingly, the star of the dish for me was the mashed peas--bright, creamy, and elevated by a touch of lemon that brought everything to life. We paired the meal with a dry cider, which went beautifully with the fish. Such a spontaneous and satisfying find. I'd definitely come back--especially for those peas!

    The Old County - Fries and a 'dough knot' pretzel

    The Old County

    (32 reviews)

    Ballard

    This was my first time in to Old County and I was actually a bit surprised by how many people were…read morechillin in there on rainy Summer Thursday at 8pm. The Top Hits for this spot is the chicken wings. My hubby doesn't go anywhere without trying the wings and these were pretty top notch. Just shy of a 10 at a 9/9.5 both me & the husband scored the wings. Crispy skin and yummy sauce. The mild buffalo was burning my mouth off and the teriyaki was really really good. And they allow a large handful of fries for only $2 additional. Delicious! The only reason the wings did not score a Perfect 10 is becuz though really meaty and tender they could have been a tad juicier and may have been ever-so-slightly overcooked. I'm a pretty harsh critic and these were F*CKING GOOD!!! The Old County Bar is very similar to Old Pequliar down the road becuz they have the same owners. They also have the brand new dart boards, but FYI they have Dart league on Thursday evenings and there is no ATM for the pool table, so bring your quarters. I have nothing bad to say about this place! It had a comfortable, sports bar-ish ambience and the service was just fine when it seemed kind of busy for 1 bartender. I didn't see any one else working the front with him. I'd go back no problem, even if just for those FANTASTIC WINGS!

    Haven't tried the food yet but as far as experiences go, ours was top notch. Love a bar that…read moredoesn't try to do too much. A great environment to grab a few drinks and watch a game. Quality pool table as well as real darts not the tacky electronic ones. Will be my new local watering hole.

    Ray's Café - Manila Clams

    Ray's Café

    (634 reviews)

    $$$

    Sunset Hill, Ballard

    This was a pleasant surprise as this establishment has it all! Great location, views, service, and…read morefood! There were three of us for lunch and we shared a shrimp cocktail, Thai mussels, crab cakes, and a delectable dessert - chocolate cheesecake with a raspberry topping. My Seattle friend had been here many times and only thing that had changed over the years is the bread served with the mussels. Apparently, the other bread soaked up all the Thai sauce juices better than the crusty baguette. I wasn't complaining as I didn't know better. But the Thai sauce should not be left behind. Delicious is an understatement!

    Ray's Boat Cafe and Ray's Boat House are about the best Northwest seafood experience you're going…read moreto find where everything is exceptional. Just had lunch here yesterday after coming here for years and I really appreciated just how wonderful Ray's is. Going to Ray's is like getting in a time machine and going back to the best of times for Seattle. The large wharf where Ray's is located is right out of the 1940s. I marvel at how the wharf was built before pneumatic nail driving machines and everything was driven by hand. The wharf is huge with a couple of boat docks down below. One of the reasons this is one of the best restaurants in Seattle is the gorgeous view of Puget Sound, one of the best vantages in the whole city. Walking into Ray's everything feels like class. I always enjoy looking at the old classic photographs on the Walls of Ray's, Ray history and various random Northwest seafood artifacts. This place feels like a classic four star restaurant with 100+ years of history in the best of ways. The service is exquisite and some of the best we've experienced. Extremely attentive but also knows to leave you alone when you're visiting. Our two servers, the hosts and the bussers we experienced yesterday were all excellent with wonderful energy. The food is in the running for best seafood in the Northwest. The clam chowder is the measuring stick of any seafood restaurant and the chowder here is fabulous. Hearty, thick and creamy. What I appreciate about the clam chowder is it's the ancient Ray's recipe that's been the same ever since I started coming here and it is world class. We ordered a little bit of everything here as we usually do because the food is exceptional. I always go fish and chips and can report the fish and chips here are about the best you can find in town. The tartar sauce here is especially good and unique. The rest of the table ordered various seafood dishes and everyone reported that they loved their dishes. Really about the best seafood I've experienced in a restaurant. Ray's is pricey but the food and the service are among the best in the Northwest as well as the history and experience. One of the things that always impresses me about Ray's is Ray's doesn't try, it just is. For Ray's to not just have survived but thrived for 80+ years on just the quality of it's food and service is stunning and a testament to how wonderful this business is. With so much of the beautiful Seattle we natives know and love being destroyed, a beautiful ferry ride over to Seattle and a meal at Ray's is one of the greatest Seattle experiences one can experience in that town. I just had a stunningly bad experience at supposedly one of the best seafood houses in the world in San Francisco where the food and service was abysmal. I realize now after visiting Ray's that we were so underwhelmed because as Native Seattlites, we've been blessed with the best seafood houses in the world like Ray's living in the Northwest. Nothing else compares.

    Chinook's - Blackened Rockfish Tacos

    Chinook's

    (1.1k reviews)

    $$$

    Interbay

    Chinook's Seafood Restaurant is a great spot for classic Pacific Northwest seafood with beautiful…read moremarina surroundings. We visited the Friday after Thanksgiving and arrived around 5 PM, hoping to beat the crowds--and luckily, we did. The restaurant was still fairly calm before the evening rush arrived. We had hoped to take advantage of Chinook's Happy Hour, but learned that the Happy Hour menu is only available at the bar, not at dining tables. Since we wanted an easy, relaxed conversation, we decided to stay seated at our table instead. Our server, Marilyn A, seemed a bit frazzled, likely because she had several tables to manage at once, but she was clearly trying her best to keep up and serve everyone promptly. We started with fresh Kumamoto and Totten Inlet oysters, which were delicious--clean, briny, and very fresh. For our entrées we ordered the wild salmon burger, salmon and chips, and the classic Caesar salad. All were enjoyable and satisfying choices, especially if you're in the mood for simple, well-prepared seafood. We skipped dessert since we had just returned from Leavenworth and had fresh sugar and gingerbread cookies waiting for us at home--a sweet ending we were already looking forward to. Overall, it was a pleasant early evening seafood dinner and a nice, relaxed way to wrap up the day.

    As always, the food was delicious. The oysters in particular were fantastic. So fresh and so juicy…read more The complimentary bread was also so delicious. We asked the oysters to arrive first and then the calamari, which were both before our main entrees. The server delivered exactly on the order and we really appreciated it. The ambiance easily is one of the most unique views in the city, I would say. Overlooking the rows of harbored boats, there does not exist many restaurants that can rival the ambiance here. Also, pretty much every seat in the house has the same view, so you really can't go wrong if you wanted to impress someone here. We went for lunch, but anytime of the day really works here. I've been here for a quick drinks at the bars too, which is also fun. All around the most well kept secret gem in all of Seattle!

    Local Tide - Dover and Fries ig @snapped.by.neel

    Local Tide

    (500 reviews)

    $$

    Fremont

    I came here with a friend today around 2pm! There was a line to order but we didn't mind waiting,…read moreSunday afternoon on a sunny day so we expected it! I've been wanting to try this place for awhile and I am so glad I finally did! We ordered a few things to share and every single dish was delicious! Shrimp toast: this was a great appetizer to share! Very crispy and the sauces on the side gave it a more complex flavor! It came with a sweet mayo and chili sauce. The chili sauce is definitely spicy if you can't handle spice so beware on how much you're using if that's the case. I also really enjoyed the slaw that came with it, it was very refreshing and it had a bit of sweet mayo flavor to it, I think it's the same as the dipping sauce but I could be wrong! Fried oysters: these were delicious! I think fried oysters can be a hit or miss for me, sometimes the interior can feel too dry and feel kinda of mushy-like, like I'm eating bread rather than seafood. But this had great texture on the inside while being crispy on the outside! The sauce on the side tasted like a pepper aioli which gave the oyster a nice tang *the fried dishes were great but after having a few, it definitely felt heavy, so this would be something I share with someone else vs eating it on my own Smoked salmon belly dip: I really enjoyed this! It was creamy and had chunks of salmon in it. It wasn't too dense or thick so it was perfect for scooping onto the kettle chips. The kettle chips were lightly salted so it was the perfect combo with the dip. Clam chowder: wow I absolutely loved this! This is different than any other chowder I've had. While I love a white creamy chowder from your typical seafood places, the base being a fish stock definitely brought out the seafood flavor vs a white chowder feeling like a cream base. This chowder still felt creamy and rich without the seafood flavor being overpowered. Rockfish bowl: the crab rolls were sold out by the time we made it to the register so we opted for this instead and I am so glad that we did. I didn't really expect this to blow me away but this was such a refreshing dish that balanced out the fried dishes we got. It used viet flavors that you may typically find in a banh mi which made it refreshing and had great texture from all the different fresh ingredients and fried garlic. I also loved how the fish came in patty form mixed with pork, it was flavorful and moist. I love any type of fish tofu/patty, I think it really makes fish flavorful when it sometimes can have a really mild flavor. I'll definitely be back to try the crab rolls!

    On the higher price-end, Local Tide has a small menu of gorgeous healthy and fresh dishes!…read more The shrimp toast is 100% in the top 3 bites I have had in Seattle, absolutely no doubt!!! Just be mindful that the portions are a little small for what you spend though

    The Lockspot Cafe - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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