The Market Arms

Really chill bar with good drinks and good food. I came here on NYE around 10 and while the place was hopping, it wasn’t a nightmare like some places are on NYE. Our server was really chipper and so accommodating with our big staggered group, and we overall had a really pleasant experience here. There was a period of time where some people were singing karaōke (varying from decently to terribly), but that didn’t really dominate as there was a nice hum of conversation going. I also have to say that their onion rings are probably the best I’ve had ever. Not sure why, as I don’t think onion rings are their specialty or anything, but they were pretty bomb.

A great little British pub. I started my NYE 2015 here around 9:30pm. As one of the few bars that wasn’t too crowded, it was our meeting spot of choice for our eventual party of 10. There was some 80’s karaōke going on which was sort of weird, but no one really participated because I think everyone was out for some NYE dranks and not karaōke.
¹⁰⁄₁₀ would recommend the fruity and delicious Market Cosmo and the onion rings, which for some reason seemed me like the best onion rings I’ve ever had.
Overall enjoyed my time here. We got free NYE hats and headbands. I definitely want to come back to try the onion rings again, and see if they are indeed as good as I thought.

What a bunch of arses. They over serve someone midday who screams like a crazy person and refuse to do anything to cut him off or shut him up. Every week. Worst neighbors and neighborhood bar ever.

My gf and I went to the Market Arms yesterday in hopes of watching the Sounders game. We usually go elsewhere but wanted to try something new. Immediately upon entering, I asked the curly haired bartender if they were showing the Sounders game as all TVs were showing a commercial. True to the service industry attitude of «I’m doing you a favor by working here,» our reply was «it’s on!» (insert ‘you dumb a@@’ tone here). Uh, okay. We literally walked in seconds ago. Despite the snarky reply, we decided to stay and got great service from the male bartender. Our only other complaint is that the place is DARK. Turn on a little lighting. People like to see each other, ya know?

Britsh style food brought to us by people that don’t know British food. Beyond Fish & Chips, British Breakfast, Bangers and Mash (not proper British bangers), Shepard’s Pie (which is a cottage pie so don’t get me started) and Chicken Tikka Masala (you know traditional pub food), you will find a sea of American food. The food they have is actually good. They try to not skimp on the main part of a dish but they cheap out on the sides. Even if you order Fish and Chip, you get a good portion of fish but not so much on the chips. The fries are good so I want a really amount.
Their beer selection is pretty good and the price is reasonable. I wouldn’t go for a cocktail. I haven’t tried a cocktail here but from the ones the list, I wouldn’t put faith in the bartenders.
The staff is nice when you can find them. Even when it’s barely is over 10 people in the place, watch your server as he manages to disappear and not come back for 10 minutes to take your order.
The décor is stereotypical americanized British pub not special unless you want Soccer or Rugby which you can expect to find. Just hope the TVs don’t crash and hope the credit card machine isn’t acting up because I’ve seen both take forever to fix.

There is something about a sausage roll (even an English one) and a pint of beer that warms a couple of Aussie’s living in Seattle hearts.
My wife and I decided to head down to The Market Arms for a cozy Wednesday night pint and bite to eat. This was our first time at The Market Arms, and with fingers crossed as we walked up the hill to the entrance. I turned to my wife and said, if it’s shit — we’ll bail and find something else to eat.
But as soon, as we walked in and saw a sign in the distance that said ‘Toilets’ instead of ‘Restrooms’, we knew we were in the right place. This place is bigger than I expected, and there is plenty of places to sit, including up at the bar. The table service was great (but, there was just a little bit inside of me that misses heading up to the bar to buy a round), we weren’t left with an empty beer or dirty dish the time we’ll there.
The menu, it what you’d expect from an English pub in Seattle — and when you see two sausage rolls for 7 bucks you jump on it fast, really fast — you don’t even wait to decide on what you are going to eat next. Funny how something as simple as a sausage roll and pint just feels like home.
For our mains, we got the beef and cheese pie, and the shepherds pie. The beef and cheese pie came on a bed of mash and gravy, and really, watching the football (soccer) eating a pie and drinking a pint is what it’s about. My wife with couldn’t finish the shepherds pie, which I was eyeing off — but a had to wonder over the choice of cheese, like everywhere in America. Since when did cheese become so orange? Or maybe it’s the lights.
We had a ball, and are considering taking some of our American friends over to get a pint and sausage roll. So, if you’re looking for an upper class gastropub place to dine — then you should probably jog on, but if you’re looking for a down-​to-​earth place to watch some sport, hang with friends, drink a few pints and scoff down a pie or two, then The Market Arms is for you.

This is one of our favorite go-​to spots. The service is so friendly, we chat with the bartenders every time we make it over here. It is a great place to watch sports, but I have even come here for girls night out and had a fantastic time. It is great for the locals, but tourists should visit too. You are close to all of the shopping Ballard has to offer, so it is great for a midday break to grab a quick steak sandwich and pint.
By the way, I dont know why, but they have the BEST gyros in Ballard. Try one!

The Best place in Ballard, Seattle
Been here multiple times
$ price wise
Also shows EPL live

I hit this place up on Fri night doing a pub crawl. The beer was cold the bartender was great and the back deck was nice. I will be back again for another pint!

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the food here. We really just stopped in to have a few drinks but got hungry didn’t want to find another place in the area. Our server was very helpful and made a few suggestions. I have never had a shepard’s pie before but this one has definitely set the bar for me. It was cheesy and delicious! My friends had the fish and chips, which of course is their signature dish and they were great as well. If you are visiting the area this is worth a stop in.

Stopped in here for a few beers on Friday night. Ordered a couple black and tans, which were alright, and a couple of other beers. People here were very nice and friendly and it wasn’t very crowded, unlike some other spots on the street. Didn’t blow my socks off, but its a solid spot to have a beer.

As soon as you walk in the door, you are greeted y the real feel of a hometown pub you could spend serious time at with your amigos or amigas. Dark hard woods and the scent of freshly pour pints give this place it’s charm.
The service we received was really good. We chatted it up with the bartender during the «Cuatro De Burro» pub-​crawl, and found all the staff to be extremely friendly. Sometimes you go to a place and they pass you off without any kind of interaction. Staff and patrons alike are just good natured.
I have yet to catch a game here, but from what I have seen while driving past, you better get there early and as close to the bar as possible.
Pretty cool place, if I do say so myself.

Ray: I am really enjoying Josh and my new approach to finding our Thursday evening epicurean enhancements. As of late we have been doing the Ballard Shuffle. By that I mean we head to Market Street, park the car, and go walking until we see an interesting establishment, which doesn’t take very long in downtown Ballard!
That was true for last night. We were driving down Market Street when I noticed these large letters on the side of a building «The Market Arms». At first I thought it was a gun shop until I saw the beer signs in the window. I was hoping to get guns AND alcohol, but that was not to be… The place is actually a British pub that has a very nice atmosphere and menu. Parking was ample, so we decided to check it out.
As we walked in the door, we were greeted by the bartender. We weren’t the first folks in the door, as we usually are. We walked up to the bar and engaged the bartender in conversation. After a short minute we decided to sit at the bar rather than a table in the large and expansive restaurant. I couldn’t help but notice that the bartender was quite skilled. He was multitasking left and right and displayed a very good product knowledge. I was impressed.
We looked over the attractive menus that had quite a selection of bar fare and meals. I started with a Manny’s Pale Ale and we decided to try an order of the Butterfly Shrimp. For dinner I ordered the Sheppard’s Pie. The shrimp arrived first, only they weren’t butterflied. Josh thought the menu might have read «butter-​fried» but I checked. It said butterfly. That said, the shrimp were delicious! And the cocktail sauce they came with was flat out amazing! Just the right amount of sweet/​bitter contrast highlighted by horseradish. Did I say it was amazing? Ok!
The Sheppard’s Pie was next up in a timely manner. Here’s where I was a little disappointed. The presentation just had no thought put into it. No heart. I mean, if it was me, every plate that went out of my kitchen could also be photographed for my website. This was not the case. It was just, well, plain looking. The taste however, was anything but plain. The meal was an explosion of flavor that was great from first bite to last. I really liked it!
Would I go back again? You bet! Anytime! I would normally throw five stars at The Market Arms, but the boring meal presentation (and less importantly, at least to me, — missing the butterfly part of the butterfly shrimp) will only allow me to go four stars. Well worth the money, great atmosphere, give ‘em a try folks!
Josh: This Thursday landed us at The Market Arms in Ballard. We found a parking spot down on Shilshole, not sure where we were going to end up, saw The Market Arms straight away and headed right for it. Nice exterior, very recognizable and large. Good sized dining room with plenty of seating and good natural light. Lots of wood, very much looking the part of the English pub that it is.
We sat at the bar, two stools from the end, and I ordered a Kronenberg. The menu looked pretty good, plenty of traditional English fare. I was just about to decide on the Shepherds’ pie when a couple came in, obviously the type of regulars who always ALWAYS sit in the same seats, no matter what, and they sat right next to me in the two barstools at the end of the bar. There was other seats at the bar, but they were regulars, and they wanted to sit in their regular spots. I knew they were regulars because the bartender had their drinks ready to go before they even sat down. Now, I don’t have a problem sitting next to a stranger, but don’t we all sort of ascribe to an unspoken social contract about leaving a buffer? Do you sit right next to a stranger in the movie theater? He said he is going to be switching to a vodka-​soda as his new regular drink instead of the IPA that has been his current regular drink (with a shot of whiskey that might have been a double). This, he said, is because the lifestyle he has with his new girlfriend is making him fat. Take a look at that pile of onion rings in front of you if you’re looking for the true culprit, pal.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the shepherd’s pie. The wait was relatively short and the plate was presented. Very delicious looking for certain, with bread and softened butter on the side. I dug in and found it more delicious then it looked. The meat had some kind of seasoning to it, I don’t quite know what it was, kind of lemony and tangy. It went so well, I think this is my new favorite shepherd’s pie.
Well done, Market Arms, well done indeed. I can’t exactly fault you for an awkward dining experience due to personal space encroachment, so I’m going with a full 5 stars. I’m likely to return.

Some of the food is OK… especially the Tikka Masala. I am British and hadn’t had anything quite like that in a while. The ‘Full English Breakfast” however comes with American bacon and toast… which is just a small gripe… but if you’re going to do it why not do it right?
The service is really terrible.
We were there a few days ago and, without telling us, our server put in half of the order instead of waiting for me to decide, so my husband’s food arrived about 30 mins before mine did. When mine did arrive, they brought the wrong food. (Fish and Chips instead of Tikka Masala) I would have eaten the food but they threw it out and I had to wait another 20 mins for my food. The server seemed extremely disinterested… didn’t apologise or even check if we wanted any more drinks or anything.
We probably won’t go back.

I go here for the outside seating and for the beer. There is outside seating in the front and in the back. The back deck faces the south getting sun all throughout the day. On a sunny Seattle day the deck is popular at the Arms. I suggest just saying hello to people and sharing a space.
On a warm day the front outdoor seating area is a great place to sit in the shade and people watch while enjoying a basket of their fires and a cool beer.
During a sporting event the Market Arms gets crowded. Be prepared for pushy rowdy people and slower service.

We watched the Seahawks game at Market Arms this past weekend.
First we were told by one employee we had to have chairs to watch the game in a certain area of the bar, then a different employee yelled at us and said we couldn’t have chairs there, only to change their tune after we explained that we were told to get chairs. Then the guys in our group kept being hassled by the staff and other patrons for being in their way. Their layout and TV placement sucks. Either customers can watch the game there or not, if there shouldn’t be people there because they would be in the way, don’t have them there!
The food I had was terrible and not quite hot (though not quite room temperature).
To top it all off, when I went to close out my husband’s tab, the bartender told me he couldn’t unless he saw my ID and that it was the law. This has never happened to me in my entire life (literally… not an exaggeration) of closing out tabs — my own, my (ex-)boyfriends’, or my husband’s. He forced me to trek all the way back across a crowded bar to fetch him my ID for a tab that was less than $ 50.
It was very dissatisfactory and we will never come back again!

Come in for the fries and the beer. The fish and chips are on my list for next time. The fries still have the skin on them and they are perfect.
I had the southwest chicken sandwich today and it was flavorless. I would not recommend it and the value was terrible.
The place is large enough for your good sized group and not a bad spot to catch a game.

The rudest and most abrasive service I have encountered to date since living in Seattle.
After wandering over to watch some college football, we sit down to order a beer and ask for a food menu. To set up the imagery, there were two drunk fisherman and my friend and myself at the bar (1:30 on a Saturday)
We asked if we could have ONE of their 15 TVs turned to a high ranked NCAA game. The female bartender said the owner won’t change the TVs because the UW game is coming in (in 90 minutes?)
We asked if she could go ask him to allow us to watch the remaining seconds of our game, and she said she would go ask.
She never went to ask, she just sat behind the bar on her phone and chatted with the other bartender. We then asked him if he could go ask the owner.
He never asked, he sat behind the bar on his phone and chatted with the other bartender. They told us the owner was doing paperwork and was too busy to come and talk to us.
I highly recommend never spending a dollar at this poor establishment… There are a dozen bars with a rocks throw of this place you should venture to instead.

English pub vibe, good food, great staff.
Came here on a whim with a group of friends and was pleasantly surprised. What you would think of as a normal somewhat divey-​ish bar to grab a quick drink and maybe watch some sports, I was happy that the food was decent too. Jalapeño poppers weren’t greasy and cooked well. My steak sandwich was enough for two people and seriously tasty. A touch soggy as all the juices quickly demolished the hoagie but it was good overall. I replaced fries with a side salad and had a very filling meal that I couldn’t even finish.
I do wish there were a few more beers on tap but they did have a nice selection! Plenty of both indoor and outdoor seating; the place is quite large.
Shuffleboard, darts, and pool too!

This is a rad spot to get your futbol on.
My Seattle friend brought me here a couple days in a row for World Cup viewing festivities. The vibe here was hoppin’. Happily rambunctious even. We arrived a tad late for the Brasil v. Columbia game on Friday to find the place was packed and there was nary a table to be found, but no worries, two fine lads invited us to share their table. That’s how cool people were here.
The servers were awesome also. As soon as we arrived a sweet gal was right there ready to take our order. Even though she was super busy, she offered to bring me a taste of a beer to make sure I ordered something I liked. The gal waiting on us the next day when we were there for the Costa Rica v. Netherlands game, she was just as awesome.
The big screen TV’s were placed around the bar so there was no such thing as a bad seat in the house.
The only thing that I didn’t care for was they allow smokers on the patio out front. That disgusting smell travels right through the open windows, comes inside and is unpleasant. I have a rather sensitive sniffer, however the cigarette smell didn’t bother my companion.
So, what’s the deal with fucking up a sweet patio with nasty cigarette smoke?
2014 — Review # 60