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    The Counter At Old Ballard Catering

    4.9 (78 reviews)
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    Rachel Y.

    A perfect place for takeout lunch! We tried the gyro and fried chicken and both were absolutely delicious. They have a rotating menu with different weekly specials! A nice casual pick up store front with easy parking.

    Interior 1of2 (9/22/20)
    Marie B.

    I used to live in Ravenna and this site was a long time Pizza Hut, then transformed into another indie pizza site, and now currently The Counter at Old Ballard Catering located at 15th and 65th. I ordered takeout back on 9/22/20. I recall how kind and welcoming one of the catering owners was going through their menu with me. I ended up ordering the Carnitas Street Tacos with chips and salsa ($10) and the Chicken Strips with dipping sauces and Lemon Pepper Chips ($10). For the amazing quality and generous servings, these are a steal versus other restaurants serving similar entrees. Definitely a useful pro tip, go through their menu, complete and pay for an online order. They are pretty popular and their tiny parking lot fills up fast at this busy intersection. Quality food and a solid business model, no surprise they continue to thrive and receive praise during the pandemic.

    Beef/Lamb Gyro and Fries
    Jaki Y.

    Cute take-out only spot with a Greek American menu. Came here on a Friday afternoon and it was only a 10 min wait for my order. Tried the Beef Lamb Gyro and fries ($4.50 extra) - delicious, smothered in tzatziki, and the portion size was huge! Will definitely be coming back to try out the daily specials!

    Tracy A.

    .The Counter has been a go to for me during the pandemic, but it will be a go to for me regardless. The owners seem to be such nice people, and maybe that's why they do food so well. I like how they operate. They have some options you can get everyday, and they have some specials only on certain days or at certain times. It's a good way to change up the menu. Their fried chicken is some of the best around. I love the Mama Lil's in their potato salad. Had a very good gyro with Greek fries. I don't think you can go wrong as long as you go with things you like. If you order online it's so easy to just swing by, pick up, and get to where you're going so you can eat. A couple of notes: their parking lot is small with only a few spaces, and they sell out of things quickly. Check their site every week to see what new specials come up.

    Spanakopita
    Caitlin H.

    I was really looking forward to the capers in the salsa on the beef and lamb gyro, but there weren't any. Maybe they were out of capers. Most of the meat didn't have much flavor, and the squishy texture was unpleasant. There were some crispy bits that were good, though. The pita bread was super soft and fluffy. I don't like tomatoes or tzatziki sauce, but the gyro was kind of lacking without them. I didn't like the spanakopita at all, mainly due to the flavor, but the texture of the pastry wasn't great, either. It was kind of hard and crunchy on the outside, and dense and tacky on the inside. It wasn't the worst gyro I've ever had, but hopefully I can find better.

    Crispy Chicken Wings
    Michael P.

    Initially I was looking to try something else food wise here, but When I was looking over the menu and saw they had wings, I just so happened to be in the mood. I've been looking for a wing place for some time now and so far everything has been ok. I was really just taking a chance. And let me tell you. Worth it. Chicken: cooked evenly, good size, good quantity, no extra breading Flavor: Buffalo is generally not my personal go to, but it's the standard to try. Really good flavor, more of a spicy kick than I was anticipating (but I'm not mad about it) Sides: couple celery sticks Price: slightly more expensive than at a dive bar or typical wing spot, but I think it's worth the quality I'll definitely come back for wings when I'm craving it, but should probably look into the rest of their menu too!

    menu
    Allie H.

    YUM! Looking for quick takeout? This is the place! Got the beef and lamb gyro for $10.75, what a deal! The meat was juicy and flavorful, and the gyro was a good size. They do not have any seating, just a pickup counter. If driving they do have a few parking spots. Can't wait to go back and try more items!

    Street tacos
    Nao V.

    Great lunch and dinner spot! The food is delicious and at a fair price especially given how generous the servings are. The fried chicken was so nicely seasoned and crispy and nice and juicy. It tasted like it was brined with Italian seasonings like oregano. The tacos were also nice and tender with the right balance of fat and flavor. We also got their house made chips which were perfect and their ultra cheesy mac and cheese. Totally worth the money. Things sell out quickly so it's best to order ahead

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    5 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Excellent fried chicken! Service is amazing too! Will definitely be back. Also ordered the gyro and heard it was really tasty as well.

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    Fantastic food!!!!!! The lobster roll is ahmazing! Everything here is delicious actually! Even the kids chicken nuggets are way above par.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - The Counter At Old Ballard Catering

    If one just shows up, without placing an order beforehand, is there much of a line or long wait? Thanks!

    Not much of a line but food can take a bit longer between 6 and 7pm or on a Friday night. Earlier is always better if you don't order online or pre-order :)

    Does one have to place an order beforehand or can one just show up in front of the storefront (and wait in line)?…

    Hi Les, you can definitely come in and order in person! There are a few parks in the area (Ravenna and Cowen parks are right down the street) and Greenlake that are a good options for places to take your food and eat! Hope to see you soon!

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    Fire Tacos

    Fire Tacos

    4.0
    (226 reviews)
    8.1 mi
    $$

    Get there ASAP!…read more Every sip of my mango margarita with tajin and chamoy (fresh and made on-site) was a flavor explosion...literally the best margarita of my life...no joke and I am 51 years old which means I have had many a margarita! The food was right there with the flavors. Every bite was amazing and hot! My friend and I couldn't stop with our amazement. To top it off, we had the best service from Erika and her staff. She and her husband own the restaurant and started the restaurant from a food cart and then opened on Alki. Another is opening on Capitol Hill soon too. They are killing it with their food. Everyone was in great spirits and we just had the best experience eating, having a beverage, and watching a World Cup game. Fire Tacos is right on Alki beach and in the summer, they pull up the garage door side walls and have an open air restaurant! Get there! You will be happy you did! Say hi to Erika!

    Food was amazing. We really enjoyed our tacos and nachos...the best tacos we ever had. We…read morefinished the nacho like in seconds LOL maybe we were hungry. It's so fresh and the flavoring and garnish is on point. Service was friendly and efficiency. As soon as the waiter turned away after he took our orders, the nachos showed up. The vibe is fun and loud like a usual Mexican bar/restaurant. It was a nice and warm day in Alki, an area always so crowded and can be overwhelming, on any nice warm sunny day. My daughter asked if we can try Fire Tacos because her bff said it was good. We showed up asking for a table of 4 and were told the wait is about 20 mins. We walked to Ben & Jerry next door and had a small ice cream, sat down and finished it, then got notification our table was ready. It earns a spot on my list to return, especially we live 5 mins away.

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    Fire Tacos
    Quesadillas
    Quesadillas
    Entrance hall to the bathroom. Probably trippy at night after a few drinks!

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    Entrance hall to the bathroom. Probably trippy at night after a few drinks!
    Carmelo's Tacos

    Carmelo's Tacos

    4.3
    (226 reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$

    Went to Carmelo's Tacos on a hungry whim and ended up being so pleasantly surprised. The tortillas…read moreare freshly made and absolutely delicious and you can immediately taste the difference. They accidentally messed up part of our taco order, but the staff was incredibly kind about it. Not only did they quickly fix it, they also gave us an extra taco for free as an apology Totally unnecessary but very appreciated and such a nice gesture. Everything we ordered was delicious. The pollo burrito was flavorful and satisfying, the carne asada tacos were tender and packed with flavor, and the quesadilla had the perfect meat-to-cheese ratio. Yum!! I wish I lived in Seattle for many reasons but late night Carmelo runs is on that list.

    Ordering through ubereats here was the worst experience ever. We were given an ETA for pick up and…read moreshowed up on time. There was no clear line for online orders or ordering in person and the environment was chaotic and unorganized. I told the gentleman my name for the order and he said we're still working on it while walking away from me. I was told to step aside and waited over 30 minutes as I watched other folks order and grab their food in a timely manner. After some time, my food that was sitting on a shelf was given to me. Upon coming home and opening my food, I found that it was lukewarm and nearly cold. In addition to that, my order was wrong. Their phone number does not work so I had to come back in person to communicate their errors. They remade my food and gave me free chips and guacamole, but that doesn't change the fact that I wasted over 60 minutes of waiting and driving back and forth for a simple order of tacos. An incredibly frustrating experience for food that I actually like and enjoy eating.

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    Carmelo's Tacos
    Crispy shrimp tacos special w all beans
    Crispy shrimp tacos special w all beans
    Asada Taco - IG: @nelson_eats

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    Asada Taco - IG: @nelson_eats
    Situ Tacos

    Situ Tacos

    3.8
    (107 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    Lupe's, imo, makes the best food in Ballard, and some of the best in the city. Its fresh, its…read moreflavorful, and you can taste the care that was put into it. We have eaten there a few dozen times, bringing pals visiting the city, going literally every time we play a show on the strip-- everyone loves them. The tacos are my favorite, but the queso is dank as helllll making the nachos another fab dish. My partner loves the burritos and quesadillas, though I-- a lover of the crunch --cannot speak for them myself. Are there toothpicks in the tacos? Yes! Not only are these two, structural-support toothpicks clearly visible, there are signs all over the shop about not eating them, and whoever runs your food out mentions them to the table every time. Even the merch / tee shirts tell you to watch out for the toothpicks. Its like the toothpick in a club sandwich, or the stick in a corn dog: you kinda have to want to eat it to end up with it in your mouth, ya know? Are the tacos greasy? Also yes! They're deep fried! That is what happens when you put any pouch-style food in a deep fryer: if it is not perfectly sealed, as it will not be with a toothpick, it'll get some oil inside. If you're not into oily food, maybe deep-fried tacos just aren't for you? As for the folks bashing the service: its standard counter service. If you want table service-- someone to wait on you, come to your table for more than just a drop off, etc --this place isn't for you. I worked in kitchens for two decades. Nothing about Lupe's Situ Tacos is poorly made or lacking flavor-- all three options are unique and flavorful in their own right, but the hushwe is an aaaabsolute dream, and the cauliflower is such a fantastic meat-free choice. Prices are on par with a lot of taco-selling restaurants, so idk what folks are talking about on that front. Mayhaps worth remembering who usually writes reviews on these sites (people who go once and like to bitch vs those of us who actually eat here and don't like yelp conceptually)~

    Guy Fieri visited Lupe's Situ Tacos 08.04.2026. His classic convertible was spotted out front by…read morenumerous witness and the press covered it. Big fan of Diners, Drive-in, and Dives. Had to stop in. Enjoyed their signature Hushwe tacos, beans and rice. Meal was amazing and love the dip that goes with the tacos. Though the staff could not confirm his visit just the thought was worth the stop. Glad I did and regardless if Guy was not here it is worth enjoying for yourself. Service was great and love the atmosphere. Thank you Lupe's Situ Tacos.

    Photos
    Busy kitchen? Not enough staff? We waited a while for our food.
    Busy kitchen? Not enough staff? We waited a while for our food.
    Taquitos, nachos, tacos
    Taquitos, nachos, tacos
    Hallway

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    Hallway
    El Camion

    El Camion

    4.0
    (214 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Guys. It is 3:38 PM. We ate both the beef tacos and the fish…read moretacos. Good flavor five star Customer Service as usual. But maybe we came after the lunch crowd and both the fish and the Carne Asada was overcooked. I might Maybe was it just leftover after the lunch crowd. I've never had a less than five star food experience here. Maybe we should just give it another go. I really want to love our experience. This one needed a little bit more salt, but definitely needed to pay attention to not being overcooked. I'm sad.

    let's just say that this filled me up with so much food i didn't eat for the next 22 hours…read more for the price (only 12 dollars) that's a ridiculous portion size where to even start these seemed to be soft tacos, but with a full melted cheese covering on both sides of the shell i would say that's my only slight disappointment - that these weren't really crispy at all - there was no real crunch when i would bite into one of them - rather it was just slightly harder than a soft taco the cheese did add a great flavoring to the outside though - making this more than a normal taco shell each taco was absolutely overflowing with stuffing - it got to the point where the plate became another full meal by itself from everything that fell out of the taco the two main components of each taco were the cheese and the chicken the cheese was so perfectly melted - may have been the best cheese in a taco i've ever had it created such a satisfying cheese pull every time you took a bite - and it was one consistency throughout, meaning every time you took a bite you had to pull the cheese away from the rest of the taco - which was just fantstic as for the chicken - i was slightly disappointed that it wasn't spicy in the slightest. However, it still tasted like it had a really nice flavor, and had a soft interior. It being actually spicy would've moved this dish up a lot, though each taco was primarily made out of this chicken - and there was so much of it it was practically insane - but I loved this amount shoutout to the onions as well - they were great I asked for the habanero sauce - which i thought was ok - wasn't spicy at all and didn't add much flavor. will go with another sauce next time tried mixing in some taco bell fire sauce which was interesting i love that these came wrapped in aluminium foil to preserve heat. a great touch overall, as far as taste, these were pretty good, but when you consider the amount of meat you're getting, along with overall portion size - it's simply a fantastic meal.

    Photos
    Wet Burrito & Mexican Sandwich
    Wet Burrito & Mexican Sandwich
    El Camion
    Tacos! Fish, Carnitas, Adobada

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    Tacos! Fish, Carnitas, Adobada
    Taco City Taqueria

    Taco City Taqueria

    3.9
    (259 reviews)
    8.4 mi
    $$

    Tonight we stumbled onto our new favorite Mexican spot…read more I was craving birria, and since one of our favorite hobbies is trying new restaurants, I asked in a local Facebook group who had the best birria near us. After lots of great suggestions, we decided to detour and head to Taco City. The moment we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the friendly staff -- always a great start. We kicked things off with the Dip Trio: chips, salsa, guacamole, and queso. It was fantastic. The guac and chips were on par with my longtime favorite spot, the queso was rich and delicious, and the salsa had a unique flavor that really stood out. It easily could have fed four or more people. I ordered the birria tacos. They were generously filled with flavorful beef and served with equally delicious consommé. For my personal preference, I would have loved them just a little crispier -- but otherwise, they absolutely hit the spot. My favorite dining partner ordered the Taco Trio -- two carnitas and one chicken. He's an "authentic taco" guy, and he said they were fabulous. As we were checking out, our server suggested we try the nachos next time. Don't worry -- we will definitely be back. This one just jumped to the top of our favorites list.

    Best advertising Taco Time has ever received. I get better nachos for $7 from their drive thru than…read morethis place. They were wet yet burned. The cheese seemed too creamy to be appropriate for the dish. The guac was turning gray. I didn't order my food late. This was like 6pm. How can you manage to screw up the easiest dish and do it so thoroughly? For nachos and two beers I paid over $30. Never going back.

    Photos
    NFL Sunday Funday...starts at Taco City
    NFL Sunday Funday...starts at Taco City
    Brunch 
Birria-Bao Bun benedict
    Brunch Birria-Bao Bun benedict
    Birria-Bao Buns

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    Birria-Bao Buns

    The Counter At Old Ballard Catering - newamerican - Updated August 2026

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