I have to say that after frequenting the Tin Hat for their HH lately as well as some late nights, I've become a major fan. .69$ tacos on Tuesdays! Yes, they are hard shell and you can get beef or bean. Cheap beer. So much decor that you could be distracted for months. On the downside: No fan in the ladies bathroom. Any day of the week, the house is packed by 7p and it's hard to get a seat. Service can be shotty and slackin. Expect to wait at least 30 min's for the tacos on Tues (although it's sorta worth it). Come here for HH definitely but don't go out of your way on the weekend...it'll be hard to get a seat in the house and the service will be slow based on capacity. Don't go in the ladies room if someone has been in there for a while....trust me from many a personal experience! read more

Came here with the group in between bands at the Josephine to grab a beer and some food. What a wonderful dive bar!!! Pretty small inside, but definitely worth going to!!! Walls are so covered with tons of stuff that you can keep yourself occupied with trying to read it all. Service was decent. Prices were good. Heard that Sloppy Joe Thursdays are good. I didn't have one, but one of people in the group did and man did it look good. Another had a cheeseburger and that looked good as well. I'll be sure to stop by and try some of their food. read more

What's not to like about a bar that has every spare inch of the bathroom wall covered with iconoclastic images from every decade but this one? (Unless I missed those - peeing only takes me a few seconds; I may have to return so I can have a closer look). Real people, drinks priced so that you don't have to mortgage the house for the second round, and mirrors strategically placed so you can monitor your own drunken foolishness - I will be back, Tin Hat! read more

The Tin Hat is one of those places that doesn't do a lot *great*, but does enough things well enough that it comes out ahead. The drinks are ok, the food is ok, but offers enough bar grub variety to be enjoyable. A big plus are cheap, filling options like mashed potatoes and gravy. at 4$, can't go wrong there. Their tater tots, well... I've had them two or three times and felt sick afterwards. Unsure why that may be. Until that point, they were delicious. The ambiance is great (Tremors on the TV, a Bedazzler mounted on the wall behind you, mid-80s memorabilia everywhere.) Proximity to Slave to the Needle next door is a plus, because I don't think I'd really find my way out here very often otherwise. But when I'm in the area, I always end up stopping by. read more

Once upon a time, I got a wild hair up my ass and decided to become a vegan for a month just to see if I could do it, even though I can and will eat a steak like nobody's business. Anyway, two days after I made my stupid vow, I went to the Tin Hat, got hammered as fuck on God knows what, and had tater tots and either a Sloppy Joe or that heart-attacky concoction with fries -- accounts differ. All I know is, it tasted fantastic on the way down and seared off most of my esophagus on the way back up. Still, the Tin Hat is just about my favorite place in Ballard. It's clean, the staff has that great don't-fuck-with-me-well-okay-you-can-hang kind of attitude, and you don't get the random douchebaggery that's fucking up Ballard for the rest of us. read more

They had Fraggle Rock playing on one of the televisions. This place doesn't take their squat punk rock image too seriously with their carved on booths and 80s kitsch castoffs. I liked it. It's not pretending. A death metal band sat in the booth behind us and I felt like it was a live action portrayal of Dethlock. It brought to mind when me and a friend of mine went out for coffee and dessert at an upscale restaurant. I was dressed as a business stooge and he was dressed in a Cradle of Filth shirt with a tasteful depiction of a large breasted girl nursing an undead baby.. or something like that. He had a delightful coffee and everyone was eyeballing me and not looking at him at all. I, the instigator, thought that it was an interesting social exercise while hanging out and having a treat. I was not disappointed. This place made me think of this little tale for a variety of reasons. Drop in and you'll see. I could also see myself revising this review to be a five star later on, assuming I don't order another PBR. That stuff is horrible, and I keep forgetting. read more

Best, cheapest greyhounds in town. Best bar in Ballard. Awesome service. The burgers are also top notch dive bar fabulous.

I love this place very very much. They don't particularly give a fuck about you or me or anything, they're just out there being a basic awesome, solid neighborhood fuckin' BAR. It's weirdly refreshing. I'm majorly gluten intollerant, and I've already embraced that by choosing to eat here, I'm choosing to get incredibly sick every single time. The menu even calls me names for it, and I'm totally fine with it. That said, the tots (which are very, very glutinous) are to die for (literally, in this case, ha.), and the lamb burger (sans bun) is WAY better than it has any business being at a place like this. Get the nachos, but pass on the meat options; it's delicious but way too sweet to be on nachos; it's likely the same thing that's on their pulled pork sandwiches. Oh well, c'est la Tin Hat. We nearly always sit under the velvet painting of Bruce Lee. It's just perfect. read more

I've been here 3 times now and the first one I was with friends on a busy Friday night. That night made a great first impression. The second two visits I was alone (I'm a single almost middle age woman) and I went when it was clearly off hours and quiet. Long story short, if you're not in the sausage club clique of regulars forget getting prompt service from the bartender. Also, the sausage club members will do their best to ignore your existence. I go for the amazing cheap tacos and leave. read more

I love this place for so many reasons. Mainly the tots rule and they seriously have best nachos in Seattle. Not kidding here. They put the beans, salsa & sour cream on the side so they don't sog up the chips. Smahhhht. The service is bar none some of the best no-nonsense you can get, but occasionally there may be a rotten apple in the bunch. Those are the ones that don't stick around long. I've been going there for 2 years now and it's some of the best service in town..as long as you're not a d-bag. If you are, then please just go to King's Hardware. You'll be sized up at the Hat if you treat servers like crap, so just don't. And I'm with Harry H. Please stay from this place so I can enjoy myself. read more

Tin Hat, my favorite bar on 65th. Taco Tuesday is an amazing night of fun with bartender special for the drink, $0.69 tacos in beef and black bean, and a good time with friends. If you like a sweet and hearty burger, try the whiskey burger. the sweet bourbon sauce is truly unique. Tater tots are amazing as well. The ceiling is littered with show posters, and they have female arm wrestling tournaments. They play 80's/90's movies on the tv's like highlander, labyrinth, and total recall. Did I mention free pinball on Sundays? Wait what am I doing? Stay away from the tin hat, don't crowd this secret spot of awesomness. read more

Just a few Taco Tuesday tips for the strategic among ye: - Arrive early, say 5:30ish. Tables are open and you can put a couple pitchers away before 6pm taco time. - Ask to share tables if you have a big group and you're friendly. I know Seattle code prohibits such things, but sometimes it's fun to talk to strangers in bars. - Six tacos is the minimum, and you probably want some tots with that. read more

Was only there for an hour but in that time we got a $12 pitcher of Manny's and service with a smile. Friends had been playing some Connect Four and Trivial Pursuit before I arrived. I like dive bars with bright clean bathrooms and friendly service and this is definitely one of them. The parking is easy too, even at 10pm on a Friday night. Only issue is that it gets really loud in there because the sound seems to carry so it's rather easy to lose your voice just having a conversation with the person next to you. I'll definitely come back next time I'm in the area. The food looked tasty but I wasn't there long enough to order any. Next time... read more

I don't know why my brain told me to only give this bar four stars the first time around. This is THE bar for me. Beyond just being super close to my house, the bar is awesome. I would drive out of the way to hang out here, because the ambience of this bar is perfect. While it's not healthy, the food here is delicious. But if you're coming here for health food to begin with, you should probably reprioritize. As I said before, drinks are cheap, especially during happy hour. $4.50 pitchers of PBR? Yes please! Finally, the entire staff is friendly. Specifically, Amy is among the best waitresses in town. She is super attentive, even when she has 15 tables; she's speedy; I think she might be a psychic; and she is super rad to talk to. Sometimes you may catch them on a busy night where they don't have time to stop at your table and talk at length, but as their motto says "Shut the f*ck up, and drink." read more

To call the Tin Hat a dive bar would be an insult to the burgers and the specialty cocktails they serve here. They have simply cultivated an alternative environment to the pervasive gastropub/cocktail bar/beer halls that are so popular now. And they serve one of the best burgers in Seattle. They also do Taco Tuesdays and $10 Micro Pitcher Thursdays. read more

I love the Hat. It's defiantly one of my happy places. As cheesy as it sounds, it's my Cheers. Every time I walk in I'm warmly greeted ("Hey Michelle!") by whoever's working and sometimes my fellow lushes sitting at the bar. Although it took a few visits for the staff to warm up to me (they like to act tough to newbies), after a lot of hard drinking work, I was finally able to join the group of patrons with "regular" status. I'm now there about 4 times a week; enjoy strong drinks and decent company on my favorite strip in Ballard. Some Hat highlights to consider: Their cocktails are strong and cheap! $3 happy hour wells (4-6 Mon-Sat, all day Sun) $4 standard wells and tons of cheap beer. Also, if you order something more mid-top shelf the pricing is still very affordable because all of their bartenders pour everything with a heavy hand ;) Fresh juice! Not many bars in Seattle actually make a Greyhound with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. This is one does, along with offering fresh orange, lemon and lime all year round. Tater tots. Now admittedly, I don't snack at the Hat as much as I used to because I like to focus my energy on drinking. But if you're hungry, they offer a variety of decent bar food like sandwiches, burgers and my favorite the Flatliner. It's a pile of tater tots with cheese, onions, bacon and tomatoes on top warmed to perfection. Possibly a heart attack waiting to happen, but still worth it. read more

First off: frou frou drinkers, relocate yourself to the Matador. Serious cocktail drinkers, Hazelwood's a mile away. Come here for beer, although they serve stiff drinks if you aren't a wanker. This is not a fancy themed bar. It can be hard to hear the people you're with over the not-so-dull roar of conversations, but that's what smoke breaks are for. You'll always see a crowd of smokers outside the door, and I usually have short-but-cool conversations with strangers when I'm out there. I love coming here because they serve Manny's, Chopper's and I think Roger's from the Georgetown Brewery, along with Boundary Bay's Amber Ale and a few other beers on tap. It's beautiful, being able to drink a fresh pint of red ale instead of bottled stuff. The nachos are what you want to get if you're with a group--the ingredients are fresh, and the sour cream/salsa/black beans come in a bowl on the side. I've never managed to eat a plate by myself, but it's perfect for 2 hungry people or 3-4 snacksters. I prefer the nachos sans meat, adding pulled pork makes them a bit sweet instead of deliciously salty. Taco Tuesday is the only nightly dinner special I've tried: the tacos are tiny but tasty and I've gone back several times for them. This is what I remember of the dinner specials, nothing is over $5: Monday: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich w/slaw, $4.95 Tuesday: 69 cent Tacos Wednesdays: Spaghetti for $3.95 Thursdays: Sloppy Joes, $3.95 Entertainment: they have two pinball machines, and indie or b-movies are usually playing on the tvs. Drinkers are usually friendly or talkative, sometimes both. Also, there's a banner that says "I heart Hot Ass" stuck to the ceiling that I somehow haven't seen until now. Cleanliness: As far as dive bars go, this one's pretty clean--they've got automatic soap & paper towel dispensers in the bathroom. Tables are wiped off pretty well & fast because they're in demand. The floor can get a little messy because there's not a lot of room to move when the bar is packed, so watch out for drink sloshing & when french fries escape to become freedom fries. read more

I absolutely love this dive bar. Drinks are on point and the food is good for a good price especially considering that it is bar food! Taco Tuesdays are extremely popular and Spaghetti night on Wednesdays are my personal fave. They have drink specials everyday from 4 to 7pm ($2 PBR, $3.50 micro brews, $4 wells) and all day on Sunday. read more

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New to Seattle and thought to try out some of the neighborhood spots. I tried The Dray first and had a horrible experience with the bartender there. My friend born/raised in Seattle said, "that's just how Seattle people are". Screw that! Closed out and went to the Tin Hat. Second Seattle "dive-bar" experience was to walk to the Tin Hat and the bartender actually, you know, greeted me and asked me if I'd like a drink. Go figure! I guess this is considered excellent customer service for Seattle because I sure as hell didn't notice it at The Dray. So, about The Tin Hat. This is a true grungy dive bar. It's excellent. The Dray is a dive bar that looks like some hip spot you want to show cutesy instagram photos of the place. It's for those people who are playing tourist and wanting to fake how down to Earth they can be. The Tin Hat is the real deal. It really feels like you're slumming it up, punk-rock style. There's box sets of vintage toys and collector sets from the 50s-60s. The whole place has this somewhat creepy and unsettling decor that lets you know you're getting the true dive-bar vibe. Also they have a really, really cool Adam's Family pinball machine. I'm not a pinball expert, but I know enough that whoever bought the pinball machine knows something about getting good stuff. read more

This place makes me quiver with delight. Surly waitresses with apple tattoos, nimble retorts, and soft touches of vulgarity. The drinks are stiff, the beer is cold, and the food is just good enough to help you forget that your liver is being eroded. Sadly, I've missed any X-rated activity, but Telly Savalas stared lovingly at my goose eggs while I wished away the fresh squeezed greyhounds that were exiting my meat whistle. And with special nights like fucked jukebox, sixty-nine cent tacos, and/or free pinball, what could be better? read more

Maybe the best bar in Seattle. Nice people, a full bar, pinball, and a better than average chance of seeing the original Dawn of the Dead on the television. Plus, I once heard a bartender rebuff someone asking for the baseball score by saying "we just had a staff meeting and decided that we're a cartoon bar, not a sports bar" Finally, they have an annual women's arm wrestling tournament. I've changed my mind. The Tin Hat is the best bar in Seattle. read more

I love them TOTS!! Great bartenders and props to the kitchen. I think their bacon burger is tasty. Manny's? Yes Please! Thanks. Ooh and 69 cent Taco Tuesday. Beef or Bean choices. Thanks Benny. read more

Having looked at the other reviews, I am having the same issue as all the rest... Bad wait staff?! Having been a 13 year patron of the Tin Hat I have always had fun there, apparently there has been a bit of "turnover" in a bad way. ****HORRIBLE wait staff.**** read more

One of my favorites! Great food, good music and very nice staff. The place is dark and littered with old 70s black light posters, board games and random trinkets. Lots of Archie Bunker and Burt Reynolds stuff -- fantastic! read more

The Tin Hat - Men's Bathroom - Dive Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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65th Street in Ballard has a lot going for it - true grit and charm outside of the main drag of the neighborhood. The Tin Hat has a super jukebox, awesome assemblage of cool stuff to look at plastered on the walls, and the bathrooms are covered in pin-up art. Nice vibe and delightfully dive-ish. We grabbed cocktails and a box of Trivial Pursuit cards for a fun round of drinking & quizzing. I love nights where you can be in an unassuming environment and just drink, talk and relax. Cool. Verrrry cool. read more

***** jukebox ***** Jesus playing basketball behind the bar The best bar in the Seattle suburbs I've found so far, would make me happy to live in the neighborhood in order to have this as a local. read more

If i want spectacularly bitchy service, I'll stay home and ask my boyfriend to grab me a beer. If I want a delicious grilled cheese sandwich made with something that tastes suspiciously like garlic bread from my grocer's freezer and Velveeta, I'll go to the Tin Hat. read more

I used to have more time to hang out in bars. This was one of those bars that I would go to frequently. A great jukebox and friendly regulars if you are like me only add up to essential return visits. DJ nights on thursdays also add up to fun because you never knew who's musical tastes you would run up against. I guess I like that kind of challenge. Don't be an asshole and everything will be alright. You might just get drunk and have a good time. read more

I hate waking up on Wednesday morning after going to the Tin Hat. Not because I regret the food/drinks/whathaveyou that was consumed there, but because I have to wait until the following Tuesday to engorge on their tacos. Well, I might feel bad had I made the drunken choice to eat not only tacos but also tater tots covered in tapatio. The staff are amazing. Sometimes they're overwhelmed by the overflow of the cha cha weekend hipsters. C'est la vie. Regardless, this is my home on tuesday nights. Plus it's near a great few blocks of amazing pubs/bars/shoes stores. read more

This was a mid week rain soaked adventure into Ballard-land for me a few weeks back. I opted to take a friend out to celebrate as he just received a raise at work, and this? this was his choice. For me? It was a brand new bus adventure, one that led me into Ballard, and to The Tin Hat. I arrived and the first thing I did? hijacked a booth. That's right, there was one open. The waitress was super sweet (I was expecting a huge "F*CK YOU" explosion due to another review on here, which I would have merrily taken either way, I don't care as long as the beer is col and the food is tasty) and put up with my mumbling and ooh-ing over them having 9 pound porter on tap and the SHINY AWESOME MENU. So I ordered one pint of heaven and perused the menu. I was waiting, after all, for my friend to arrive. When his ass finally freakin showed up, it was all about pitchers of 9 pound porter, pulled pork nachos and the Zeus of all freakin tots: the Flatliner. I was in fat girl HEAVEN. I shoveled food by what I drunkenly recall; by the fistfull into my mouth. I didn't care who was watching me devour my delicious food like an animal, I was happy that it was scrumptious, covered in cheese and pork products, and my partner in crime was jamming them into his head as fast as he could as well. We looked like a pair of Albino Snack Raptors. We continued to drink and a couple more friends showed up and picked at our leftover carnage and drank, BSed and had a good time. Met some pretty cool people while there too. Overall, this is my kind of dive bar. it was the perfect first time experience and by god, I will conquer those tots again!! read more

Every time I come in here I end up asking myself why I don't visit more often. There are several cool places all along this street -- that probably has much to do with it. They serve food later than anywhere else within an easy walk, but do them a favor and don't order after 11:45pm. That's just lame. That said, I came in starving one night at about 11:50pm and they accommodated me. (So sorry Mikey. I really, really tried to get there earlier. Thanks again!) The menu isn't as good as it used to be (how's that for unhelpful info?), but it's still decent. If what you want isn't there, sometimes they'll try to make it for you if they can (within reason). Surprisingly good selection on tap for a place that probably sells a helluva lot of PBR. Enough out of me. Time to Shut the Fuck Up and Drink! read more

What a wonderful place to bring a first date, then break-up in the same evening. This place is an institution! The posters on the ceiling help you gaze into Seattle's rich music history, most of which bare the name of their sister watering-hole in Georgetown, Jules Maes Saloon. If half-drunken political discussion is your fancy, you'll surely find it here. It seems there's always someone sitting at the bar open to discuss whatever may be on your mind. Just don't try that with the staff--the place is almost always packed, yet service is diligent. Keep it to small talk folks. The pin-ball offered is a great way to pass time, but don't get mad if a bunch of enthusiasts hog the machine. They take their pin-ball seriously. You can even pick up a copy of the local pin-ball rag. Overall, the Tin-Hat is a great place for a drink and conversation. Local musicians dwell hide in the shadows. Go ahead and try the joint out after work--you'll love it. read more

Love the place. Good food. Games. Always something interesting on TV, if you want to blankly stare at it when you're bored. read more

The Tin Hat - Dive Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Grungy dive filled with pirates, cheap beer and fried foods. Loud, cozy, wonderful. Thank you Tin Hat. read more

Third time reviewing this dump (other two were deleted). I'm almost positive the owners of the Tin Hat pay the yelp people to delete negative reviews and write good ones. Only a retarded person would have something nice to say about this place. The bartender was rude and acted like a diva. The place was a dump. The tater-tots were garbage and tasted like wood. They have Monster Bash and Dr. Who but there are better places in Ballard to play either one of those machines. If you like shitty service and rude bartenders then this is the place for you. read more

Tater tots. Tater tots. Yelp won't let me post just tater tots, but that's all you need to know. read more

The Tin Hat is an oddball neighborhood bar with a great sense of humor, and every time I'm there it makes me wish I lived closer to it. Great comfort bar grub -- sloppy joes, meatball sandwiches, tater tots. Keep an eye out for their nightly drink and food specials. Plus, pinball is free on Sundays. It can get kinda loud in there for my taste, but the real kicker is that the servers and bartenders have been downright rude to us more than once (dropping a whole star for me). But just as often, they've been nice, so...take your chances, I guess. Overall, it's worth it. Get there early if you plan to eat -- can be kinda tough to get a table when it's busy. read more

So far my favorite dive bar in Ballard. The lamb burger with goat cheese and pickled onions was fantastic! Piles of tots, cool retro board games and b movies plying on VHS on old school tube tv's. read more

The Tin Hat - The ceiling - Dive Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We came in and tried to sit down but were yelled at. There was no sign indicating as much but apparently I needed to wait for seating, it was a little weird. Unfortunately that same person ended up being our waitress. Clearly a local hang-out, the place was popping on a Tuesday for $.69 tacos and low priced brew. The atmosphere is fun, and the food is pretty good. This is a fun divey place and reasonably priced spot to come in to meet friends for food and drinks. read more

My kind of dive bar! They serve their cocktails with fresh oranges (and other citrus I believe). They have a good rock and roll jukebox. Taco Tuesday's. Sloppy Joe Thursday's. Need I say more? read more