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    Kiss Cafe

    4.2 (345 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Kiss Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    KISS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Kiss Cafe

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    Hot & spicy (veggie) pressed sandwich!
    Pooja K.

    Love this place - very laid back and chill vibe. Its theme is around the Kiss band, if I understood it correctly. People working there seemed pretty chill. I ordered the hot&spicy (veggie) pressed sandwich- it was perfect!! I, also, overhead someone sitting at yh bar saying that they have the best food! So, go check them out!!

    Austin W.

    If you ever find yourself on the far side of Ballard and craving a sandwich and a beverage you'll be hard pressed to find a better spot than the Kiss Cafe. They offer lots of great options that accommodate the various needs and desires of the sandwich going connoisseur. They have everything from PB&J to pastrami and beyond each with their own hilariously kitschy name. They offer great side options as well so you can customize your meal to your preference. Inside is where the party seems to be but they offer great outdoor seating where you can take in the sights and sounds of Ballard. Service is very friendly but a little slow, especially if you're outside. While my sandwich wasn't the best in the world it satisfied, ingredients were fresh and was a good experience all around.

    High top seating on the patio
    Diana C.

    Super cute little bar with a dog friendly atmosphere. The service was very friendly and they checked in to make sure I had what I needed. The patio was lovely and sunny without being too windy or hot as it's partly shaded and covered. The food was good and fresh! Would definitely stop here again especially if I had my pup with me.

    Easy walk on Market Street to Kiss
    Efrain L.

    Let's talk about that dessert. A hot brownie topped with whiskey ice cream--boozy, melty, and hands-down my favorite ice cream in the city. I grew up on rum raisin, so this one brings me right back. Every now and then the batch is extra spiked and melts faster, but I'm not complaining. Our server Mickey was a gem--turns out he's the mastermind behind the Ballard Drinking Team. It's a lowkey beer challenge: 99 beers in a year (about 2 a week), and your hundredth is free. You get a custom trophy mug with your name and story on it, discounts on fridge beers, and by then, Mickey will have your taste dialed in. You even get to sample special releases to pair well with one of their famous crack pretzels. Honestly, it's genius. Kiss Café has that local, laid-back energy. I always catch dates here--maybe for the Monte Cristo, maybe for the brownie, maybe just for the name. Either way, you're guaranteed a kiss... even if it's just a chocolate one on your plate.

    Bowl of jambalaya
    Buzzy B.

    We found this place after a visit to the Nordic museum. It's very small and crowded but they are so welcoming! Service is friendly and pretty quick. Very patient with questions. I had sandwich combo of veg head and mushroom barley soup. Soup was full of mushrooms, carrots, celery and barley. Very flavorful. Veg head sandwich had to be pressed down to fit in my mouth! He had the jambalaya. It was full of chicken breast and sausages. Just spicy enough. Only problem was we got a brownie to go and it was super dry and tasteless. Maybe I didn't notice it was gluten free or vegan? Will definitely come back next time we are in town.

    Porky's revenge and tomato basil soup
    Julie R.

    A great little lunch spot in Ballard. We were just looking for a sandwich and a beer close to the Locks and this was a great find. The service was quick and food was tasty. We enjoyed Porky's revenge with tomato soup and Johnny's tighty whitey. Both sandwiches were delicious. They also have a lot of local canned beers. The waitress helped me pick one out, but $6 for a canned beer was kind of steep. Overall a nice little lunch spot.

    Beer fridges
    Max B.

    Are you in the mood for a sandwich? Like just a good old fashioned sandwich, without remoulades or aiolis or infused oils or rare aged cheeses or any of that fancy pants nonsense? Then go to Kiss. Kiss Cafe is a Ballard gem and long-time favorite of mine and I don't understand how I've neglected to review them for so long. As I mentioned, they make classic, no-frills sandwiches and they do it goddamn well. My favorites are the Dagwood (plus onions and brown mustard) and the Turkey Pesto. Their sourdough is great, and perfectly toasted. The sandwiches are large, and filled with generous portions of always-fresh meats and veggies. It's not a complicated formula, but it's freaking delicious. Sandwiches come with Tim's chips (they make the best jalapeño chip around, in case you didn't know), or you can sub soup or salad for an upcharge. They're also served with a side of pickles. They used to give you a whole jar of big homemade ones to snack on at the table, but alas, no more (a covid-era change). Those things were amazing and I miss them, but the current dill chips ain't too bad. They also have an epic cooler of ever-changing beers on hand. Always a good selection and a wide range of varieties - whoever does the curating here has spectacular taste. If one of your goals this year is to try more beers, joining Kiss' "Ballard Drinking Team" is your ticket to excellence my friend. Last note: they have a nice little outdoor seating area out front. It's unfortunately on the perpetually shady side of the building, but that may not be such a bad thing if you need a break from the heat on a sunny day, and it provides good people watching on the sidewalk. Enjoy!

    Crack pretzel
    Sarah G.

    So badly wanted this place to be great, but fell short in all departments. The food was mediocre- the "hot pressed sandwiches" were far from hot or pressed. Everything inside was still cold, cheese was barely melted, just doesn't make for a particularly good sandwich. Service was fine- not the best vibe, but also not the worst. The best thing was the pretzel, so if you go definitely get that. Good potential, but mannnnn not quite there.

    Josh K.

    First, this place was amazing. I just wanted to get that out there. Second, a funny thing is that on the menu there's something called "Veruca Salt" that expedites your order, and it's the best thing I've seen. It's 100% and the fact that they added "Daddy, I want it now" is the best thing I think. ANYWAYS! This is one of the better places I've ever been. The service is almost perfect. Not long enough to make me feel ignored, but enough to not over-ask. The Thanksgiving sandwich was really good and warm. With the chips, it's a pretty filling meal all together. They have a really nice outdoor seating as well as seating inside.

    Thanksgiving Hangover

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    2 years ago

    Lucy was so sweet and the veggie sandwich was yummy!! Great lil lunch spot in ballard

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    Un Bien - Fire Roasted Corn

    Un Bien

    4.7(268 reviews)
    0.7 miSunset Hill, Ballard
    $$

    Amazing sandwiches. Impeccable flavor. Would 100% come back if I'm in the area…read more The only downside is that it's a little messy with how juicy the sandwiches are, so it was hard to picnic with them, but honestly not even much of a downside since it's how I prefer my sandwiches!

    I've been to Un Bien 15th Ave NW location (OG location) but this time I went to another location…read more I've gotten the #1 (their best seller) which is always delicious, so this time I decided to venture toward their seafood options. The pricing is pretty good for rice bowls (probably an underrated order, though slightly smaller portions to the sandwich). I got the seafood in red sauce and got the scallops, which was priced at $10.75 for a satisfying meal - not too big but not too small. Hard to find seafood dishes at this price point so I appreciate it being fairly accessible in price. The red sauce is like a Cajun like sauce but not spicy - it is very flavorful. The pickled cabbage adds a bit of tang to the dish to accentuate the flavors of the other ingredients. I tried a bite of my friend's fish of the day (Mahi mahi) sandwich which has similar fixings to the Caribbean pork sandwich - always love their garlic aioli and caramelized onions. As typical, their sandwiches are very juicy so definitely get your hands messy or try your best eating it with utensils. As someone that enjoys to not get my hands dirty, I'd still recommend using your hands to savor all the flavors evenly in the sandwich! For first timers I'd recommend the #1 but you can't go wrong with other options for sure!

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    Un Bien
    Un Bien - Feeling corney

    Feeling corney

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    Un Bien - Seared Scallops sando

    Un Bien

    4.7(1.6k reviews)
    1.2 miLoyal Heights, Ballard, Phinney Ridge
    $$

    tl;dr the juicy Caribbean pork sandwiches at this revived Seattle mini-chain live up to the…read morelegendary hype Un Bien is arguably Seattle's most popular sandwich joint, and its dramatic history begins with Cuban chef Lorenzo Lorenzo and his initial shop, Paseo. Lorenzo opened Paseo in 1994, where his popular Cuban roast pork sandwiches were regarded as among the best in the country. After years of local expansion, Paseo abruptly filed for bankruptcy in 2014. The brand was subsequently bought out by a local entrepreneur, but the sale did not include Paseo's secret recipes (the reboot attempted to reverse engineer the sandwiches with varying success). So, in 2015, Lorenzo's sons revived Paseo under a new name, Un Bien, armed with their father's original recipes. Nowadays, Un Bien is generally regarded as superior to Paseo, and you can grab their Caribbean sandos at one of the three locations across Seattle. You can't miss the pastel pink-and-teal palette of the original shack on an otherwise drab block of Ballard. As you approach the wooden window, you are greeted by the aroma of sauteed meats and veggies. Communal laquered wood benches are lined up underneath a covered pergola. Fifties hits ring respectfully around the kitchen. My partner and I visited for late weekday lunch, and we ordered immediately. We opted to focus on the signature pork shoulder, so we split the #1 Caribbean Roast and #2 The Press. Across both sandwiches, we were impressed by the tender pork, rich onions, lemon-forward aioli, and marinade-soaked baguette. The standard roast pork sandwich added on pickled jalapenos and crisp romaine, culminating in a dynamic flavor that accentuated the meat. Meanwhile, The Press featured tart banana peppers, smoked ham, and melty Swiss, amping up the sweet and savory flavors alike; we agreed that this extra-messy sandwich just edged out the standard version. Our order took just minutes to be prepared, and the bill just topped $30. Despite the fanfare, I still found myself surprised by just how satisfying Un Bien's sandwiches turned out to be. Across all the food I ate in Seattle, only these pork sandwiches would be worth a return visit, even if I had to venture out of my way.

    3.8/5 You…read moredefinitely cannot miss Un Bien. Its pink building immediately caught our eye. The outdoor seating is a quite small with picnic benches crammed next to each other. However, people seem to eat pretty quickly. Priding themselves as the best sandwich, the restaurant serves Caribbean pulled pork, fish, roasted chicken, steak, and various seafood in sandwiches, entrees, and small bites. The staff manning the register and handing out the food had amazing energy, recommending the palmomilla steak and fish of the day-mahi mahi. We ordered the fish with a level 3/5 spice and also got a small container of their habanero sauce. The flavors and meat, both steak and fish, were magical. On the other hand, I definitely found the bread to be quite hard and scratchy. My friends, though, did not find this to be an issue. I'd love to visit again, maybe subbing the baguette with the tortilla.

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    Un Bien - Seating area

    Seating area

    Un Bien - #1 Caribbean Roast

    #1 Caribbean Roast

    Un Bien - Spicy scallop - so yummy

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    Mean Sandwich - The Mean sandwich

    Mean Sandwich

    4.3(415 reviews)
    0.8 miBallard
    $$

    We ordered a couple of sandwiches for pickup online. Everything was ready more quickly than the…read moreestimates and the guys behind the counter were super friendly. OMG, these were some of the best sandwiches we've had. I had the mean sandwich and my partner had the steak tartare. Their homemade mustard on the mean made the sandwich. The sandwiches are substantial on their own but the bag of fried potatoes make this a filling meal. First time here and we'll definitely be back. Thanks!

    Mean Sandwich has about 8-10 sandwiches on their menu and the vibes are casual, but the food is…read morebanging. Your order at the counter before grabbing a number and seating yourself. There's actually a hidden backyard seating area that's dog friendly. Owner was super friendly and went around asking about everyone's experiences. The Mean: Corned beef was not the most tender (I'm still partial to Dingfelder's), but it's well seasoned. Mint with mustard is a combination I never would have guessed would work, but the sharpness complemented each other nicely. Red cabbage had a nice tang and the soft bun for the contrast of texture. The Steak Tartare Club: Steak tartare surprisingly mild, almost feels more like a BLT with a background of slight beefy squishy texture (but in a good way!). The yuzu kosho was not too spicy and the rye bread toasted to a crisp added a good bit of crunch and almost nutty flavor. Will be back for the Hama Hama Oyster Po'Boy.

    Photos
    Mean Sandwich - Cute table numbers.

    Cute table numbers.

    Mean Sandwich - Hama Hama Oyster Po'Boy

    Hama Hama Oyster Po'Boy

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    Interior

    Pink Bee - Basil Pork Belly

    Pink Bee

    4.5(348 reviews)
    0.5 miBallard
    $$

    Every time I go to Pink Bee I get one of their sandwiches. Every time I think "maybe I should get…read moresomething else," and then, inevitably, I do not. The sandwiches are just so good...yes, I have confidence the rest of the menu is as well, but I can't help myself. Big, flavorful, packed sandwiches. I want one just thinking about them. Be aware they can get messy, but whoever thought 'what if we put curry in a sandwich' was a genius. They're all great, though. Friendly staff, great food, and pretty quick takeout -- can't ask for anything else.

    Another banger in Ballard, Pink Bee is low key one of the better Thai establishments I've had in…read moreSeattle. A small, cutesy establishment with plenty of pink decor, it is a quintessential neighborhood spot where both the food and customer service shine bright. The ordering process starts with a LCD screen in which folks can place their orders without the needles of consulting with anyone. Once an order is placed, find a seat, grab your own utensils, and serve your own drinks. The pink cups are a nice touch, as is the floral decor, the clean bathrooms, and the casual atmosphere. Seating is limited and there are also outdoor seating options as well. My group and I ordered chicken wings, pad see you, garlic noodles, green curry with purple multi grain rice, gyoza, a basil pork belly, and a bamee moo toon. I would have ordered sandwiches since that's part of their specialty but we needed dishes that were shareable and feastworthy. The green curry was rich and fragrant, which paired perfectly with the multigrain rice. There was an addictive quality about the garlic noodles, and the pork belly was as succulent as it was flavorful. The pad see you was excellent as expected, and the ba mee toon was the favorite of the table. Everything was roughly $90 before tip, and service was excellent the whole time. I appreciate the fact that they served everything on local dishware and the natural lighting from the windows made the food look incredible. Since there wasn't any dish was executed poorly, I was more than satisfied with my experience along with my dining mates. Seeing as I'm in Seattle every year, this will be another place that I will add to my existing rotation. Highly recommended.

    Photos
    Pink Bee - Inside

    Inside

    Pink Bee - Basil Pork Belly

    Basil Pork Belly

    Pink Bee - Basil Pork Belly

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    Basil Pork Belly

    Freya - my friend's short rib hash

    Freya

    4.5(42 reviews)
    0.1 miBallard

    Everything you'd want in a museum cafe. Definitely had Scandinavian flair. We opted for the Pork…read moreTenderloin smørrebrød and the Salmom Gravlax. I was thinking I would prefer the salmon but hubs and I shared both. The Salmon Gravlax had creamy dill as a base, topped with pickled red onion & dill. Very tasty, very satisfying. Hubs was enjoying the pork, and once I tried it, I could see why. The horseradish aioli was the exact combination with the pork tenderloin. I think it was our favorite of the two. This was a great option after visiting the museum. Very enjoyable morning!!

    An amazing cafe right inside the entrance to the Nordic museum (no admission necessary)! They serve…read moreunique Scandinavian food like smørrebrød and pickled herring alongside staples like avocado toast and drip coffee. I LOVED my Stockholm steam (black tea with cardamom syrup, nutmeg, and steamed milk). Comfort in a cup. The star of the show was the Rømmegrøt, a Norwegian sour cream porridge. It tasted very rich, creamy, sweet and just slightly tangy with a velvety smooth texture. The generous toppings balanced it out perfectly and it was served in a beautiful Fortessa bowl. The presentation elevated the deliciousness. The staff also cleaned up a broken plate knocked down by a little girl and handled the situation with kindness and grace. Freya reminds me of the cafe Off the Rez at the Burke museum: a beautiful tribute to the museum's heritage and a way for visitors to experience its culture.

    Photos
    Freya
    Freya - Lava chocolate chip cookie

    Lava chocolate chip cookie

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    Autumn Salad

    Kiss Cafe - cafes - Updated July 2026

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