Babalu

I’m glad this place is closed. The owner is a very shady D head who was very very terrible to a friend of mine. He filthed up this neighborhood with his unsavory behavior. I’ll leave it at that. Hope he is not well.

Why does it say it’s closed on here? I was here on Thursday night. Two younger girls were working and they were awesome. The food is pricey but the beers weren’t too bad.
Lots of screens! TV everywhere. I’m thinking about going here for the Sounders game tonight.

I love this place! I am a regular and will continue to be for years to come :)

My husband and I were deciding to be spontaneous with our Friday night and purchased a NOW! Deal from Groupon for Babalu. It was for cover charge up to 6 people, table service, and a bottle of champagne. When we have done this in the past at other bars, this is quite a great experience! Not to mention we are guaranteed seats for the night!
We showed up at 9pm (we had to present the coupon early) and there was not a soul in the place. There wasn’t a cover, which immediately frustrated me, because what are we paying for when the groupon value includes it! First time I was ever frustrated about not having a cover LOL. We walk up to the bartender and tell him we have a deal and he asked to see it. He then said, where is the other 4 people? I said that the deal said up to 6 people in the fine print.
He began to make it difficult and went and talked to someone else about it. He came back and said that they do this for 4 – 6 people and they are happy to honor it if we got 2 more people. Super frusrating that he didnt seem to know about it and then was going to make a big deal about it WHEN THERE WAS NOONE IN THE BAR! We decided to order a drink since we came all this way and talk about what we wanted to do. I called a friend close by and invited them to come join us for some champagne ON US!
Our friends show up and we let the bartender know and he replied with «ah man we don’t even have any champagne here. I need to go get some.» He ran across the street to QFC.
We waited for another 15 minutes for a table (did I mention there was NOONE in this place).
He brought us 4 mismatched dirty glasses and a bucket with Cook’s in it.
It was so frustrating that I paid $ 40 for an $ 80 dollar value for a $ 7.50 bottle of Cooks. I think they meant this to be a $ 4 groupon for an $ 8 value. Our tip almost bought our champagne twice.

I went there to see a band that my friend was playing in, and although the band was amazing, Babalu was not…
–Overpriced, watered down drinks.
–Beer selection of one, Dos Equis Amber, while good was overpriced in the bottle.
–Extremely hot and very small.
I think this place is trying to be more upscale than it actually is. I don’t mind a place being small and this place was decorated nice but I think the owner is trying to create an upscale place with one that should be mid-​scale. Lower the price of your watery drinks and get a better beer selection that doesn’t break the bank. Maybe then I will come back.

I came back here a few weeks ago on a Friday, around 10 or 11ish. The place was dead. The drinks were weak. We left, disappointed and sober.

I came here for my husband’s birthday party. I was expecting an actual mambo room with mambo music and maybe a little cha cha music, but it was R&B night at Babalu that night. The live band was not bad at all. They were decent. The venue was tiny, cramped, small, and not much room for dancing. I would definitely come here again when it is mambo night since that was my expectation.
The lounge was equipped with two bars which is nice. They have a decent selection of scotch and whiskey.
There’s not many seats available as it is a tiny area. It’s a freaking lounge in Wallingford for pete’s sake. So don’t wear any high heels. Expect to stand most of the night.

Small space. Loud. Two bars. Excellent.

Swanky is the perfect word to describe Babalu. I reminds me of a swanky little Jazz lounge I’d find in Chicago or something – except it’s located in Wallingford – the reason why I only go here on special occasions (birthdays).
It attracts an older, «sophisticated» crowd on Saturdays. It may be the live band that plays there regularly (GREAT band, by the way) and the mellow ambiance – thanks to the décor and dim lighting. I hate the word classy, but it has a classy feel.
DO NOT go here expecting to dance. If it’s busy, there will be barely any room for you to stand – let alone dance. I recommend finding a place and posting yourself there all night – or else you’ll be standing in an uncomfortable position. Don’t be fooled, it gets busy late and when it does, the house will be packed – too much for me sometimes.
Good for Dates? Yeah, a relative yeah… the lighting makes it romantic and seem intimate.
Good for Girls’ Nights? Not so much. My older girlfriends like this place for their birthdays and my younger (mid-​20s) girlfriends don’t care too much for it.

TNT night… Ladies & gents

You know, it’s a little weird having a sexy Latin night club in Wallingford. I turned the corner from adorable Trophy cupcakes, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, and travel-lover’s paradise Wide World Books to stumble into Cuba! Woops! Without a passport.
After I shook off the confusion and settled into a cocktail made by the cute bartender I realized that I actually liked the place. OK, so it’s mega-​swanky style clashes with Wallingford more than wearing fuchsia and red, but hey, whatever brings in the dancers, right?! And I’m talking AMAZING dancers. I went there on a Wednesday night and the place was packed with beautiful, twirling, hip swaying rhythmic masters!
I have no idea where all of these people came from… sleepy Wallingford on a Wednesday night? But they found the perfect place to shake their model-​like figures. So, what the heck, try it!

I’ve been there once and I don’t think I would go back again. The mixed drinks I had tasted like water, but the price was just expensive as other bars and clubs.
That night the performer was former American Idol. It was nice, but I think I probably need to work on their audio equipment a little more to make the live music better.

Atmosphere is okay but crowded and pretentious. I met the owner once… I was somewhere he was shopping and when he didn’t get what he wanted to tossed his card out asking them if they knew who he was. Seriously?!?
Wouldn’t go back if it the drinks were on the house.
To many other great places in Seattle to waste your time with this place.

Where is my head? I forgot to review Babalu!
I lov ethe music. It is upscale, fun. A different group of people any given night. The owner is VERY approachable and does many behind the scenes things in the community.
I like Thursday and Wednesday nights best. Outdoor seating!

Back in NYC, we’d call the patrons of this sort of armpit «bridge-​and-​tunnel trash.» I suggest that we make «Babalu bimbos» the Seattle synonym and be done with it.
Overpriced drinks, d-​bag clientele (ask neighbors in Wallingford what it’s like to live in the vicinity of Babalu), and management that ought to be behind bars for physically threatening their staff. And google «site:thestranger.com babalu tv dinner» for an idea of how they fleece would-​be customers. How this racket hasn’t been shut down yet is an utter mystery, but if I were you I wouldn’t take a chance of being around when the inevitable police raid comes.

HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE!!! Whatever you do, DO NOT book a private party with Babalu!!!
I attended a birthday party last week and the service was less than stellar. The restaurant tried to appear like a venu that could provide bottle service, however they did not have the knowlege to pull off an event of this type.
The general manager did not meet the expectations he set for my group and were dissapointed with our experience.
Somehow, the drink prices increased throughout the night. Odd…

If Babalu goes, good riddance. Having firsthand experience with how they treat patrons right outside the door gives me good reason to hate ‘em.
Last year, on a Saturday after our coffee shop closed up at midnight, my partner and I were wandering up 45^th. Across the street there was a little commotion, as Babalu’s door kicked open, and one of the bar staff in black shirt and a bar apron walked an obviously-​drunk man out the door. The drunk was way beyond walking or standing on his own, and seemed to be on the verge of vomiting. The barkeep struggled alongside the drunk, with one arm wrapped around his back, and the other bracing his outstretched arm over his own shoulders like a pole. The barkeep walked him about 20 paces out the door and over to the public garbage cans by the 45^th St. crosswalk, made sure the drunk was holding onto the rim of the can, and RAN back inside as the drunk began to fall forward.
I don’t think it’s legal for bar staff to throw a passed-​out person onto the sidewalk, and if you’re going to keep serving an intoxicated person until they’re obviously suffering from alcohol poisoning, the bar has some minimum responsibility to the patron. I’m of the personal opinion I witnessed a crime. However, Babalu’s staff seems to think differently. The drunk’s legs crumpled the instant the barkeep let go, but because he fell over the garbage can first, Babalu’s guy was back inside before the ex-customer’s head actually hit pavement. Whew. Legal. What a relief for them.
Unfortunately for me, I have a conscience. The drunk rolled off the side of the can, stumbled on the curb, and hit his head on the asphalt. When he tried to sit up, he just rolled into the street in front of traffic. I did my best to scoop his 250lbs of sadness back over to the side. With his breathing labored, I called 911, and sat there holding him, trying to keep him awake until they came. Given that this guy was about my weight and had truly flammable breath, he must have been served nearly a dozen shots, maybe more. He was so drunk he couldn’t speak, but when I asked him his name, he pulled out his wallet and license… he seemed to recognize that he needed medical help, but was too far gone.
My partner went into Babalu to ask for some help, but they told her he’d left while walking so it wasn’t their problem. When the cops arrived, they were annoyed, but it’s easier to deal with a drunk than a more serious crime with Babalu’s staff. Obviously bankruptcy couldn’t happen to more deserving guys, but for me I’m glad just to have seen a picture of Prineas and Williams (respectively Babalu’s owner & friend of the owner/​permanent bar fixture) in the news recently. If I ever see them drunk and helpless near Babalu, I’ll know to leave them propped against the trash or face down in the gutter where they belong.

At first, I liked it. Good music. Nice staff. Fancy atmosphere. Small and cozy.
But then I found out that all the staff quit one day because of the way the owner and his friends treated people.

umm… so if you’re gonna bring some musical talent into your venue on a Sunday, yet you’re not open on Sundays and you don’t advertise the musical act… isn’t that kind of counterproductive? I mean, wouldn’t you WANT patrons in your bar to listen to music and maybe rack up a bar bill?
last nite we went to babalu to listen to a friend of mine play an acoustic set. there were 5 in our group.
and we were about it for the crowd.
the bartender was watching the big screen and not really paying attention to the fact that maybe we wanted to order drinks.
the kitchen, if it exists at all, was non-​existent.
the place itself is pretty, but 2 bars is not necessary considering the size of the space.
i’ve seen this space go thru 4 different owners, so maybe… maybe it’s just not meant to be. if they want more people to show up on a nite when there’s really good music playing, they’re gonna have to do some serious advertising.
and find people that care to work there.
the only reason why i’m not giving them 1 star is b/​c of the musician that was playing there last nite. otherwise… meh.

Tight fit and sometimes difficult to get a drink in hand quickly, but I don’t pass up invitations to meet here, ever.
Michael is a great host/​owner and someone you need to know.
Upon arrival your immediate inclination will be to try the front bar area. In fact, heading to the rear is better strategy for faster martini procurement. With a little recon, you’ll be twirling those olives in no time!