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    The Sunset

    3.7 (114 reviews)
    InexpensiveDive Bars, Music Venues
    Closed 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    The Sunset Photos

    THE SUNSET ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Hipster
    Casual
    Loud

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    Recommended Reviews - The Sunset

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    Reviews With Photos

    Kinski
    Declan H.

    Been here for many concerts and always have a good time. Friendly bartenders, ample space, and great shows. A staple of Ballard!

    Lee A.

    Not a bad place for a drink, but like all places in Seattle these days, drinks are expensive. We came here for a concert. The concert was great. The area around the stage could use a bit more high tables and stools, places to set drinks down. However, they kept the room cool, and fresh (some places get pack and hot and smelly). The stage is in the back part after the bar. It's a much bigger place than I expected. We won't be back for just the bar, but will definitely attend a concert again. Great music experience.

    The Dears, 12/17/15
    Chris H.

    Still a great spot for small rock shows in the heart of increasingly upscale, expensive, whitewashed downtown Ballard. It had been a while since I'd been here prior to last weekend; extensive remodels have brightened it up a bit and separated the front bar room from the concert area. The front bar is great--check out the gorgeous bar and tables, decorated with faux explorers' maps of fictitious lands. The back room has a small stage, quite good sound, great sight lines and plenty of room to get close to the stage if that's yer thing.

    New sign.

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    7 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Great music in Ballard. Never had a bad time here, never tried the food - drinks are fine.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    The Sunset is wonderfully preserved, well-dimmed dive bar. Polite staff and cozy space.

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Great venue for small concerts & a nice little bar. Gets pretty crowded and loud but totally recommend if you like it like that!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - The Sunset

    Review Highlights - The Sunset

    On a Wednesday night when everywhere else in Ballard was lame and/or closing early, The Sunset Tavern hooked it up.

    Mentioned in 12 reviews

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    Thunderbird Tavern

    Thunderbird Tavern

    4.7
    (32 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $

    I just moved to Seattle from Austin last Friday, and my first order of business was finding a great…read moreneighborhood bar like I had in Austin. The bar should have Norm Peterson-like regulars, cheap drinks and a good jukebox. And, well, Thunderbird fits the bill. I've been here every day this week so far, and have already made a lot of new friends who are starting to feel like family. My standard well vodka soda drink only costs $3.50, just like it does at Hideout Pub in Austin, and I can manipulate the jukebox to fit my tastes with the TouchTunes app. The only flaw here is the lack of parking (only a few spots on the side), but I can always park in the nearby neighborhood and walk it, or just take Lyft. This is because the snooty strip club next door isn't willing to share its spots but is more than willing to encourage their patrons to take Thunderbird's spots. I have yet to try the food, but I have no doubt it will surpass expectations, turning the trifecta from my first paragraph into a quadfecta. To note, Hideout Pub in Austin also has great food, so this newfound quadfecta is a natural progression. The night crowd is a little different than the happy hour crowd, but not in a bad way. What I mean is, I have yet to be approached by a creeper at Thunderbird, unlike at a select few other Ballard area bars who shall remain nameless. But, there's always tomorrow night.

    First timer and will be back! Good lime. Come for the lime stay for the back patio vibes!read more

    Photos
    Blurry vod sod with lime
    Blurry vod sod with lime
    SLAWDOG - german bratwurst, w/Salvadoran slaw & Tim's cascade style chips
    SLAWDOG - german bratwurst, w/Salvadoran slaw & Tim's cascade style chips
    Pickled egg

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    Pickled egg
    LTD Bar & Grill

    LTD Bar & Grill

    3.8
    (173 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    Super stand up bar, and the bartenders take no crap. They're awesome. 1000/10 would go again. The…read moregentlemen behind the bar were kind, efficient, and intolerant of rude and racist behavior. I felt safe the entire time, even when an episode of explosive drunken racism happened. Again, cannot recommend enough.

    I came here hoping to celebrate the NBA championship with friends and left genuinely shocked by one…read moreof the most unprofessional bar experiences I've ever had. We ordered drinks from a blonde bartender who initially seemed upbeat and was clearly having a good time -- notably appearing to consume alcohol behind the bar while working. Our order was simple: two High Noons, an Amaretto Sour, and a whiskey ginger beer. Instead, she brought over three White Claws, apparently confusing our order with the group before us. My friend immediately and politely tried correcting the mistake before the cans were opened because we've both worked in the service industry and understand how frustrating wasted product can be. Instead of simply clarifying the order, the bartender's demeanor instantly changed. She rolled her eyes and aggressively snapped, "That's not what you f-ing said, what the f do you actually want?" My friend was completely blindsided. She calmly repeated the order while the bartender repeatedly diverted her attention to dancing, singing, and ignoring her. She interrupted again with more attitude and profanity, forcing my friend to repeat herself multiple times. When my friend got to the final drink order, the bartender looked at her boyfriend instead and asked him what he wanted, as if my friend wasn't even standing there. After my friend repeated the whiskey ginger beer yet again, the bartender yelled, "ARE YOU SURE?!" By that point, my friend was so embarrassed and upset that she began crying and ran out of the bar without even taking the drinks. I tried speaking to security to locate a manager and diffuse the situation, but the response I received made it sound like this behavior was routine and accepted. We were pointed toward a busser instead of anyone who could actually address the issue. Later, after a few words were exchanged during checkout, the bartender attempted to apologize and offered drinks on the house, but the damage had already been done. As someone who previously worked as a bartender, I understand stressful shifts, difficult customers, and chaotic environments. But there is absolutely no excuse for verbally attacking and humiliating a customer over a simple ordering mistake that wasn't even their fault. We left immediately and will not be returning. I'll also be sharing this experience with friends who regularly go here because people should know what kind of treatment appears to be tolerated at this establishment. The most disappointing part isn't just one bartender's behavior -- it's that the reaction from staff made it feel like this wasn't an isolated incident. Shame on LTD for allowing this to be considered acceptable customer service.

    Photos
    Bar area.
    Bar area.
    Fries
    Fries
    LTD bar and Grill hosting their parking lot for Fremont Fridays

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    LTD bar and Grill hosting their parking lot for Fremont Fridays
    Triangle Spirits

    Triangle Spirits

    4.4
    (156 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    I've only been here two times and they were both for Happy Hour…read more The Happy Hour prices for drinks are pretty darn good. My go-to HH cocktail here is the Vieux Carré, but I like herbal sweet & bitter, so it's right up my alley. Currently there are five HH cocktail options and they are $7... hard to find in Seattle! I've also had the rainier & rye for $9- the rye is great, forgot to ask what kind it is. I've had a few other HH drinks, which were alright, but these stand out the most. As for food, I've only tried the spicy Seattle dog, and I would get it again. The hot dog is cut up & shaped weird (see photo), but it tastes wonderful. I heard the fried chicken is great so I'll try that next time. Also, I was excited to see that they had buckeyes on the menu, but they didn't have any when we visited. Inside is spacious and woodsy, & outside there is an enjoyable patio. Servers are nice and seem happy to be there, which always elevates my experience anywhere. I definitely recommend coming to Triangle Spirits for Happy Hour (available daily 3-5pm, dine-in only).

    Cool vibe with fun and engaging staff. Unusual assortment of beers on tap and samples are…read morecheerfully provided. Sadly the food did not live up to the hype. Mac snd cheese. I cannot remember the last time i had elbow macaroni. Not bad, but a tad overcooked and the cheese sauce was average, with a neutral flavor. Not overly warm. Fries. Huge portion but sadly barely warm. A good variety of dipping sauces are available. Chicken sliders. This was where the disappointment really hit. We ordered 2 normal amd 2 spicy sandos. Chicken was crispy, but dry and lukewarm. A lone piece of iceberg lettuce was found under the chicken. The spicy version was not overly spicy but had a bit more flavor than the plain version. Buns were cold. Food is a 2, but the fun and engaging service brings rhe rating up to a 3.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Fried Chicken Sandwich
    Fried Chicken Sandwich
    Triangle Spirits

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    The Barrel Thief

    The Barrel Thief

    4.0
    (242 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    I really liked this place -- it had such a welcoming vibe, and the unique décor was amazing. From…read morethe moment we walked in, Luke the bartender immediately greeted us with a warm and sincere demeanor. We initially thought it was a fine dining restaurant and were a little disappointed to see a limited menu. However, it's actually a fantastic spot for drinks and light bites. We decided to stay since we had never been there before, and Luke was so gracious we almost felt bad leaving! We ordered the meat and cheese platter along with a couple of drinks, and everything was Grade A. I'm giving it an A+ though, because of Luke's outstanding service.

    Everything was great and the owner Jeff was there tending bar when my friend and I went in for…read morehappy hour. We were the only ones in there for a while and so had a chance to talk with Geoff, who made great recommendations for food and was very pleasant and friendly. Everything we tried was delicious. My friend initially ordered a drink that wasn't on happy hour as she had forgotten to ask about it, and at the end, Jeff had changed the price to a happy hour price since he didn't let her know about that in advance. Very class move and going the extra mile in a way that makes a huge difference and leaves along lasting impression on the customer! Happy hour food menu is small, but that seems to be for a reason, because what they do they do well!

    Photos
    Gnocchi
    Gnocchi
    The Barrel Thief
    The Barrel Thief

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    The Sunset - divebars - Updated July 2026

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