great cheap beer, excellent ambiance for sports nights. the pool table and dartboards in the back are also free and very fun! unexpectedly the fries hit the spot for being perfectly hot and crispy and potatoey read more

If you're looking for a chill dive-y bar that almost always has street parking with complimentary darts and a pool table Old Pequliar is a great choice. The menu is not amazing but it gets the job done and for the price the value is up there! I learned that this place has the same owner as the Old County Bar a few blocks down on Market street. The menu looks the exact same but with a couple of small differences. The prices are a little more affordable too and the darts area has much more space. I highly recommend Old Pequliar if it's a wearing-your-sweatpants-but-still-want-to-be-social kind of chill AF night (or day)! read more

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Great old timey dive bar. I brought people from my fantasy football league there to watch games on Sunday, and the bartenders there couldn't have been nicer, or more accommodating. read more

I have been to The Old Pequliar a few times over the course of my life. I enjoy the food and the general atmosphere. My first time, my family and I came and the pub was not serving food yet so we had to wait. My sister and I were not old enough to drink, but our other family members were. We got a bit hangry, though the others did just fine. The food did not disappoint even with the wait. All of the items I have had here are tasty, with my favorites being the lamb sliders, fried pickles, and fries. Most recently, I arrived a little after it opened today, Sunday 28 May 2023, at noon and a worker let me know the wait before they would start serving food was about an hour. While I am now old enough to drink, I had been coming for the food today so I decided not to stay and wait. If coming early for food, taking the delay to starting to serve food into account may be useful. read more

The Old Pequliar - Front of the building, Sunday 28 May 2023. - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Came here on St. Patrick's Day to what else? Wear green and have beers whilst watching NCAA basketball upsets happen. Really should've known better. Place was jam packed and only grew as the sun set. The experience here started out alright - had a few nice pours of Guiness throughout the visit and an 'Irish car bomb'. I also had some of the beef sliders off of the special's menu for the day. These were good and went well with my beer flow. Not a bad deal for $9 as apparently, it's usual menu price is $8.75 for two along with fries. The hitch here was that their card machines went down. Very unfortunate I know, and some readers are probably saying "Always carry cash", well that's a rarity for me, and if I do it wouldn't have been enough to pay off a big tab. The bigger problem was, now that between the four bartenders, they were clearly overwhelmed with the mounting crowd with most people not even knowing what was going on. The manager (I guess) was on the phone frantically trying to get the the card system back up and running. I'd think that someone would make an announcement that it's cash only at the moment, maybe post a sign or something. No, I only found out after standing in a line for about 20 minutes and even then, getting someone's attention over the massive crowd wasn't easy. Finally, I was able to get someone's attention and pay on one of their machines as it seems one of them came back on. Point is, I think you have to be ready for such an occurrence. Otherwise, it was alright here and may consider another more low-key visit as opposed to probably their best business day of the year. read more

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Poop perfect spot for my husband's 55th birthday. Reminds me of a bar I used to work at in Scotland

Awesome spot, feels very east coast Irish bar to me. Bar food favorites for cheap, not Michelin but hits the spot. Games upstairs, a bunch of TV's downstairs. Can get busy but they do their best. Nice patio. An all-time local. read more

The perfect dive bar for Ballard folk. I loved this place from the second we first tried it, from the great bartenders, the cheap prices, and the solid good-valued food. They have a pool table, 3 dart boards, and plenty of seating both indoor and out. It can get pretty busy at night though but the bartenders are great at managing crowds and being as quick as possible. read more

I keep coming here for drinks and leaving happy! The bartenders and goers are friendly and personable. Drinks are good, beer selection rocks, kitchen is open until 10 and they have snacks afterwards. I love the patio and the option to park, but as far as Ballard goes it's walkable in a cute area. Bar games as well! read more

Nice place to drink. Reasonable prices Food service start at 4.00pm Your made aware beforehand that was nice read more

Night cap. The OP is the place to be touch tunes should I say more. Dart boards and pool table to go along. Never had to order food with Guinness pours like that. Warm cozy fires and places to sit inside and out. The dive bar of the dive bars. read more

The bald cook rocks. Nice,pretty, and cooks nicely lamb sliders crushed it great service read more

The Old Pequliar - Awesome people - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Pretty bad experience. I reach for my bag, and I'm told I'm "Im acting strange" by the bartender. Then I'm told via the bartender that he doesn't think another group at the bar doesn't want to talk. It's a classic Ballard bar in that it's staffed by ass hats and not worth your time. read more

Great little pub which gets extra points from me for being so close to home. Nice atmosphere, good service, good happy hour, and delicious wings. A couple of pluses, TouchTunes jukebox, and they're open on Christmas Day. read more

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Came here for the first time and loved it! The happy hour and the atmosphere is awesome, so happy I found this place :)

Excellent service. Good, strong drinks and decent bar food. Outside seating, too. Happy to have them as a regular neighborhood go-to.

Your favorite dive bar! Affordable drinks, nice staff, lots of seating, pool tables, and decent drinks! Within walking distance of lots of other places, and perfect food for a late night. read more

We loved it. Food was great. Great bartender. Served with a smile. Bathrooms were adequate. Not many people there on a Sunday night. We were shocked! Quiet place to ourselves. Still fun though. We will be coming back. read more

We've been coming here for a while now, and I almost don't want to rate it to keep it all for myself. They have happy hour from 4-7pm every day and all day happy hour on Monday. They have the absolute best buffalo wings and during happy hour it's $6.50 for 6 big ones. Their bartenders are all wonderful and it is a great neighborhood joint. read more

Friendly staff, clean venue and good menu selection. Thanks for supporting the recent beer crawl and for showing you care abut your guests and community. Will return here again read more

Great neighborhood bar! The drinks are great and reasonably priced, darts and pool, friendly staff, what more could you ask for.

You strange little thing, you. You've been a constant in Seattle's pub culture for many years. I haven't been in a few, and felt the need to visit as the last stop on our self-guided beer tour. Nothing has changed, same stools, fireplace and super-friendly, inviting bartenders and employees, and same kooky mix of patrons. Loud music from the jukebox and hollering from game players at the end of the bar, a wee update might be in order, but only if you can retain the quirkiness that makes the Old P what it is, a respite from the posher, hyper-stylized playground that the rest of Ballard is quickly becoming. read more

A hustling and bustling institution in a neighborhood where the watering holes have changed flavors an awful lot over the last 25 years. The OP has weathered the changes without appearing to have significantly modified its approach during that time. There's a big wide bar, and there lots of casually scattered tables. There's a huge bar back with a diverse array of elixirs. There are a dozen tap handles staring you in the face right across from the stools. There's a big darts and parlor shenanigans lounge a couple steps up in back. There are bathrooms. Your needs have been met. You may doff your coat and stay a while. The beer lines were clean, and there were plenty of solid craft beers on offer--even a couple seasonal delights. The beer glasses were frosted, but they warmed up soon enough, so that's nothing against them. There were a handful of single malt whiskys. The prices were fair. Best of all, there's a fireplace. This is an all-around great little corner place to bend an elbow. read more

I was dragged here for St. Patty's Day. $10 cover to get in a crappy dive bar? $1 for a bottle of water, and nope - water from the gun/sink wasn't an option. Ridiculous. Someone was eating (WHY?!?!??!) the food there and it smelled absolutely terrible. The doorman was also terribly rude. Only two stalls in the bathrooms, had a huge line, and were incredibly dirty. No amount of liquor could have given me "beer goggles" for The Old Pequliar... read more

Since Billy has taken over and we have the Old Skool Paddys Crew representing, this is a proper place for a pint and the craíc... Haven't indulged in the food yet. Trivia is on point twice a week. A decent patio and just some amazing banter from the Belfast boy you can't understand behind the bar... read more

I met some friends here for drinks one weekday evening. They really like the place because it is one of the few establishments where you can sit on the back patio and smoke while enjoying your food and drinks. Not being a smoker myself, I didn't care one way or the other. We did eventually move inside once the sun went down and the temperature dropped. The bartender was the only one waiting on everyone whether you were inside or out. Fortunately, I asked before meeting my friends outside, so I knew to get my drink from the bar and bring it out with me. The bartender did check on us outside as well as inside. My friends ordered wings while we were outside and nachos later on while we were inside. The bartender was on top of both orders and the food was good. The place has televised games playing inside. There is also a jukebox. We were talking over the music and actually had a patron tell us we were too loud. He and his friend left without finishing their drinks or food. I felt badly for them, but this is a pub. If you can't get rowdy here, where can you? Later in the night we had a few drunk patrons come over to our table with a pitcher of beer. We declined as we were getting ready to leave. They then tried bringing a glass of water, which we also thanked them for, but declined. Based on my experience here, I probably would not come back. Although the food was good and the bartender was attentive, I wasn't too impressed with the other patrons we dealt with throughout the evening. read more

What a great relaxing bar and location! The outdoor area is a great place to stretch out and take in some light. Super friendly and upbeat place! Go there! read more

The Old Pequliar - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I have driven by the Old Peculiar for years and never stopped in for a pint. Then recently, a good friend was in the area and relentlessly texted for me to join her for some late night drinks. I left the warm confines of my home and joined her with a few other straggling patrons at the bar. As the night continued, she stuck with her pints and I went with whiskey. We sat tucked into the corner facing Market and tried to have a conversation. Key word there is tried... the music was simply too effing loud. So despite the chill, we moved outside to the patio seating where we could chat easily and enjoy our drinks. The bartender was quite friendly, checking on us a couple of times and his hand was heavy when he poured my drinks. There was a late night HH too and they have a weekly trivia night on Tuesdays. They have a parking lot, a rarity in Ballard. There's also street parking available if the lot is full. There's a LOT of places to drink in Ballard but I think I now have a soft spot for the "Old P" now. I'll keep it in mind if I'm in the mood for a pint with friends. read more

The Old Pequliar - Exterior. - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great Irish pub! The food is just as you would hope after a few pints of Guinness. Rustic pub grub! No frills no thrills interior. No douchebaggery, few hipsters, seemed like locals. Some TV screens that were playing MLB when I was there but I imagine plays a lot of soccer most of the time. Glad to have this neighborhood jaunt. I'll be back. [UPDATE] Andrew, you are sorely missed! (no, he didn't died) read more

We've walked by a million times and today was the first time we stopped in. A group of 6 of us were there today for the University of Maryland Game Watch and we had a lot of fun!! The food was delicious and the beverage list was A+. Our service was great, too! Thank you for being such a welcoming neighborhood bar! read more

The Old Pequliar - Go TERPS! - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

New owner- effective 1/1/2018, Billy!! Yeah! Cleaner: spec & span; positive-friendly, helpful, bartend person, reliable service, and more & more patron populated than in the last 3-yrs. Lots on TV's, good, decent music selection- including various Irish music (on occasion but not as main fare). Looking better & way more of an option than recent years, imho. Recommend, give it a try. :) read more

Came here for St. Patty's Day, so not sure if my experience is typical. Booze and a band. The menu that day was limited but enough for the occasion. Let's be honest we've chosen to celebrate this day by quenching our thirst. The pretzel was the perfect consistency of soft with a nice hit to the mustard. The process for food was quick and efficient. Bar staff was fun and on it as it got crazier and crazier into the evening. I appreciated the live music as well. And not just any live music, but straight up Irish folk fiddler and guitarist. A good let loose bar with the essentials. read more

Grabbed a beer here the other day. Service was good and the beer, though not a favourite, was a decent recommendation. Will come back!

I want to love you Pequliar, I really do... but It's time for a overhaul! Instead of moving toward "Seattle Institution" the Pequliar is lurching toward a lingering, hacking death! It's not too late though... all you have to do Mr. Pequliar, is care! Bang out some kick ass food! Fix that Jukebox and put your heart into it! People will notice! read more

I would like less Old, and more Peculiar. Service was slow. I've had (and did later in the night) much faster service in much busier bars. Overall not awful, and the fact that they have a little parking lot right there (and in the ensuing evening of crawling, nothing happened to my car) is cool. Still, I wanted more Pequliar. I'd have even settled for just "slightly left of normal". read more

Reading all the salty reviews from people is hilarious. If you're coming to the OP expecting a fine dining experience, you're in the wrong place and frankly you should be made fun or treated with disdain by the staff. The Old Peculiar is a no frills neighborhood bar with a crowd that varies from local long time Ballard natives, to yuppies, to random people just coming in to dodge the rain. Good beer list, good pub food and the service is actually pretty damn good. You just have to ask for what you want. Don't expect to be waited on. It's a flippin' bar and a good one at that. The only thing that gets me is the prices sometimes but that's Seattle. Happy Hour, however, is great for both drinks and food so I don't have too much to complain about. read more

Above average beer selections. The patio was okay the tables where dirty cheap patio furniture likely from wal mart... Service was below average at best, and the food was TERRIBLE. I ordered the pretzel with there "special mustard" that was nothing special, the frozen costco pretzel was so salty I could barley choke it down. A friend at my table orderd the Nachos, they where clearly overcooked in the microwave worst looking nachos I have seen in a restaurant. The Burger I ordered was so over cooked and dried out it complimented the sawdust bun nicely. The sweet potato fries where OK. My wife had the fish and chips and they where nothing special either. This was the first and last time I will go to this place. read more

I was so hungry (and a little hungover) driving through Ballard. I'm not from Seattle, and have only visited a couple times. All I wanted was some greasy food (preferably from the nacho family) and seventeen glasses of diet coke. The online menu said that there were nachos. So I made my husband stop. When we got in, we found out that there were no nachos - it was a brunch only menu, but the waitress promised that I was about to experience the best breakfast sandwich I'd ever eaten. She was very friendly & very attentive. The food took FOREVER to arrive, and I was about to pass out from lack of sustenance + hangover by the time it arrived (I guess we'd gotten in right after a large to go order). It looked so good. And it smelled so good. And it tasted NOT so good. It was actually bad. I nibbled on it (the accompanying potatoes were edible) and then asked for a to-go box, because I didn't want to hurt the (very nice) waitress's feelings. I immediately tossed the boxed sandwich at the next garbage can. It was such a promising place (great name!), but overall a disappointing experience. read more

The Old Pequliar is a place you'd visit for socializing or other such pub activities, but not for their kitchen. Thus the review is short because the burger didn't leave much to remember it by. The unoriginally named burger came out rather limp and soggy, assisted by extra oiliness from the thick melted cheese. The aioli lent a nice kick to the mix though; the roasted peppers added a complimentary sweetness and was piled on thick. The bun was alright enough: relatively fresh, very lightly toasted, didn't crumble apart or lose much of its innards. Overall though, it was a mediocre burger at best... an establishment worth skipping if a satisfying meal is your goal. Reposted in part from a review on seattleveggieburgers.com read more

Ye Old Pequliar. Nothing peculiar about this, I thought, but I love the peculiar warm feel I got from here. This was our 2nd stop in out quick bar-hop tour of Ballard. My friend and I felt like we were at our old hometown drinking hole. Our first bartender was a bit rude, but our second bartender was aight. We didn't make on time for HH, but the beers were decently priced at 4.25. The place was pretty dead for a Thursday night, but maybe that's not one of their big nights. I did like that the second floor has arcade and billiards. There's also outdoor seating for your smoking delight. Meh, I'll give it another chance sometime soon. read more