Ye Old Pequliar. Nothing peculiar about this, I thought, but I love the peculiar warm feel I got from here. This was our 2nd stop in out quick bar-hop tour of Ballard. My friend and I felt like we were at our old hometown drinking hole. Our first bartender was a bit rude, but our second bartender was aight. We didn't make on time for HH, but the beers were decently priced at 4.25. The place was pretty dead for a Thursday night, but maybe that's not one of their big nights. I did like that the second floor has arcade and billiards. There's also outdoor seating for your smoking delight. Meh, I'll give it another chance sometime soon. read more

Walked in and immediately felt at home with the crowd as we all cheered some random sportball game. The bartender was a handsome stallion of a man with a rebellious nature and calloused chest from his pen clicking. Andrew is a fox who will let you rip the buttons off his shirt if you're a cute blonde. The cook is an adorable young man no doubt making a lucky young lady very happy when he's not at work making his on point hot wings. Overall this place is aces and I highly recommend you tell the staff how handsome they are. They have amazing smiles. (As a side note: this review was written by a female drinking buddy. Though I still agree with every word of this review). read more

Maybe it's because we would frequent on Sunday afternoon/evenings...and really, if you are a bar tender/server and a group of five or six walk in and want food and drink...on Sunday's you can just ignore them right? The service we experienced over and over again was awful. The place was practically empty and whenever one from our party would approach the bar to order, they got attitude - we were interrupting their gossip time. We made our mistake again and again, hoping things would improve....but we are not going back. read more

Oh how I love you!!!! The Old P is one of my favs in Ballard. Everyone there is beyond friendly. The drinks are stiff and cheap...Just what us Ballardian's like. read more

Every time I drive past this delightful dive, I have a Homer-Simpson-esque reaction.... "mmm, Guinnessandfishandchips....." I really enjoy the Old Pequliar. The first time I came here was with my mom when we were worn out from making my brother's wedding invitations and were in sore need of Guinness and fish and chips (my entire family's go-to comfort foods... yes, Guinness can be considered a food. Meal in a cup, hello). Anyway, we consider ourselves connoisseurs of the fish and chip, and the Old Pequliar's meet with our enthusiastic approval! Their Guinness pints hit the spot so soundly that day (perfectly poured) that I have not ever ordered anything different there since. There were a good mix of people on that Sunday, and have continued to be on my return trips. I did once do something dumb here, and as promised, I shall disclose it. We came to see a band one Saturday night, and I (in my Guinness soaked exuberance) might or might not have said the word 'Freebird!' somewhat loudly in between songs. The band was not pleased and proceeded to tell the crowd that the only way to permanently end this audience reflex would be to actually play it every time it was mentioned. Luckily, they didn't, and it all turned out to be pretty funny. And I, to my credit, have not uttered that word since, whether in the presence of a band or not. read more

Not sure why the negativity lately. I am still a big fan of the Old P. Yes, there's been a lot of staff turnover recently, and yes, they are actually charging for the drinks (staff in the past had been known to COMP a LOT of drinks, and over-pour), but it's still a great local place for a pint. The owner is super cool, but he is also a business man who is trying to provide a great experience to patrons while making a living. We're here just about every weekend for a relaxing adult beverage and pleasant conversation with other locals and the bar staff. It's a very, very nice place. As close to "down the pub" in England as you get here in the U.S. of A. read more

COME HERE AND WALK INTO YOUR NEW FAVORITE PLACE! Not only do they have amazing bartenders and cheap pool tables-they also have deck seating available and plenty of selections on the juke box! This place is one of my favorites simply because you never know what type of folk are going to be present. Yet EVERYONE has a ball here :) read more

I have much love for this place. Been in a few times before, but only very briefly...and I never actually ordered anything. However...last night's visit involved good, solid fish & chips, WAFFLE FRIES (!), a super strong rum & coke, and some crazy neck-and-neck games of darts - real darts, thank you. Super fast service, an awesome waiter/bartender, and fairly decent food also helped make this visit pretty much a total success. I will note that food is a little bit pricey, but happy hour deals are awesome. Drinks are decently priced, in my opinion. I wish this place wasn't such a long walk from my apartment. If it were closer to the locks, I'd be here quite often! read more

What can I say about this place that hasn't already been said by plenty of other people? This is one my favorite pubs to head to after work. The drinks are plenty, the space is vast, there is decent happy hour food for a good price, as well as games and a jukebox that you can listen to some of your favorite songs from(for a price). There is a pool table, three dart boards, as well as a golf video game setup. All of the staff is very nice and friendly. I usually see some of them come into my place of work before they head over to the bar. They try to greet you by name if they remember who you are, which I think is great.. or maybe it just means that I go way too often....(Nah that can't be it..) On tap they have my favorite beers. Gotta love me some Redhook, Mac & Jack, and on occasion Guinness. They have a vast selection of liquor if thats what you enjoy. Food is always delivered rather fast even when the place is rather busy. The prices here are fair, even when its not happy hour. The whole atmosphere I believe is great. There is always good people with good drinks and good food. Some nights its good to sit by the gas fireplace and just take in all the heat. read more

Reading all the salty reviews from people is hilarious. If you're coming to the OP expecting a fine dining experience, you're in the wrong place and frankly you should be made fun or treated with disdain by the staff. The Old Peculiar is a no frills neighborhood bar with a crowd that varies from local long time Ballard natives, to yuppies, to random people just coming in to dodge the rain. Good beer list, good pub food and the service is actually pretty damn good. You just have to ask for what you want. Don't expect to be waited on. It's a flippin' bar and a good one at that. The only thing that gets me is the prices sometimes but that's Seattle. Happy Hour, however, is great for both drinks and food so I don't have too much to complain about. read more

This bar is a great Ballard option because it's far enough away from Ballard Ave to be clear from the chaos on a weekend night. You can actually find parking near the OP. I like how open this bar is for being on the small side. They have a big open space for the bar back and it feels less stressful trying to get a drink when the bartenders actually have room to groove back there, even when it's busy. The patio area is covered and has plenty of seating. Always have good beers on tap and they have multiple dart boards. Only 1 pool table, but it always seems to be open somehow. read more

I am re rating and re reviewing the Old Pequliar. They have obviously done some house cleaning. Some friends invited me to meet them there for football and cocktails and I decided to go. I was pleasantly greeted by a young woman behind the bar as I walked in and immediately served with a smile by the staff. I went in one more time recently with a friend and the male bartender not only served me with a smile but actually spoke to me and did a little bartender flirting with the both of us. I was very happy with my last 2 experiences and will be returning. I have a friend who says he liked the old staff and I told him my experiences with them and he actually agreed that they were a little snobby and cliquish. But he was in the 'in' crowd so he never really experienced what I had. I will be back and I will also refer people there now. read more

I have to say that one of the biggest reasons for moving into our current apartment was because it was within crawling distance to the OP. I love this place. Good atmosphere, cheap drinks, and a great happy hour that will make you wonder why the inventor of nachos didn't think to put crosscut French fries in nachos instead of chips (trust me, normal nachos will be dissappointing after OP's Irish Nachos). One thing I will say though, which I have noticed at many many bars during our current economic menstrual cycle, is that serving sizes and food quality are the first things to take a hit at bars, and the OP is no exception. But the food is still a great deal during happy hour ($4) so don't let that stop you. (UPDATE: Irish Nacho serving sizes may be on the rebound) Lastly, I'm sure their Tuesday night trivia is fantastic because you have to get there at least an hour early to find a seat. Great place, make it a regular stop, especially if you live in Ballard. Shout out to the old lady with HUGE glasses who is there absolutely every day. read more

Yeah, this is not a dive bar. A bar. Spacious, woody, badass lady bartenders. GREAT dirty martini (Angela's, not mine). Decent bar food. My Reuben was disappointing. Good beers on tap, nothing out of the ordinary. read more

This review is for the Trivia only. When I first moved to Seattle, even though I lived in the U district, I came to the trivia night at the Old Pequliar every week. It was a tradition and I didn't even try other bars for trivia. After two years of being a regular I decided to go try other places and never felt the need to come back until I tried it on a whim in late November. The Old P suffers from several problems. One of the big ones is that they rotate through hosts so you suffer from a lack of consistency in the questions and a lack of microphone charisma. Second, the winning team had about 60% - 65% of the questions right, that is pretty low if you are looking for general fun (we were in the top 1/3 of the scores so it isn't sour grapes) Third, you have 8 rounds of at least 10 questions! With a minimum of 80 questions, not including bonus questions, the time to correct rounds, etc... that is just too much to pack into a two hour period and still have time to actually have a social interaction with your teammates. Lastly, and this is probably the most subjective, the Old P trivia has always felt very clique-ish They gain a star because the wait staff is nice and they make good drinks and decent pub food (although I did see one of the bartenders taking a hit off of a vapor cigarette while working behind the bar, kind of gross) If you are the type of person that doesn't want to talk to your friends and only want to answer some pretty difficult trivia questions as quickly as possible, this is the place for you. If you want to have a social evening with your friends and want trivia to be the excuse, don't come here. read more

I've been a regular here for several years but I have to leave a one star review based on management's recent decision to take away the late night happy hour from 10-12. My friends and I tried many bars in Ballard before we settled on the Old Pequliar. Their happy hour was perfect. Reasonably priced drinks and a late night food menu kept us coming back week after week. All of a sudden it's gone. Why? We love the relaxed atmosphere and our friendly bartender but we will likely go somewhere else from now on. read more

I'm a fan because it's perfectly chill bar atmosphere whether to get a drink after work or for football games. Everyone hanging out is doing exactly that, hanging out. Whether it's busy or slow, the bartenders are efficient and don't keep you thirsty for long. I can't say I've tried the food. I've been plenty warned by neighbors that this establishment is for drinking....and that they don't really specialize in the eating part. Good to know, right? read more

Can't beat Old Pequliar for beers in the afternoon. My experiences are from sitting at the bar, so let me tell you what it looks like from that seat: the bartenders are on point, they keep the booze flowing, they handle prick customers okay with an occasional 86, and the jukebox works. Another reviewer already nailed it, "The peen to vag ratio here is quite skewed." Get past that part and it's a comfortable place. Unless they run out of dark beer or clowns show up, which are normal signs that you know you're going to die, then you should come by. read more

Close to my house, which always helps make a great review. Because I know you care about that type of thing, don't you?! I've been here a few times, and I love it here... usually. Sometimes some dumbass puts on death metal on the jukebox for a few songs and I want to scratch my eyes out. But not really the OP's fault. Tonight I was a bit hungry so I got the artichoke and spinach dip, with warm pita bread and carrots. Hubby got a half order of nachos (regular kind, apparently they also have nachos that use fries instead of chips, how delicious and greasy does that sound?). Mine was perfect, the only thing to gripe about is the dip was a bit on the runny side, i.e., I could not really "scoop" with the pita bread and have something stick. It was more of a consistancy of french onion soup, and thus, makes it hard to scoop. Hubby's half order of nachos were pretty good, I think they kinda skimped on the cheese, but there was lots of beef, jalepenos and sour cream to make up for it. Great happy hour available here, on Sundays the pool table is free all day. They also have a few dart boards in the back that rock. They have a heavy hand on the drinks, that are not too pricey. Now we just need to get rid of the death metal, and we'll be in bidness. read more

Fun Irish pub. I went on St. Patrick's day so it was obviously packed but it was fun. They had the typical array of Irish beers. They were in the pricey side around $7ish dollars. They had Irish music and dancers. It was a fun stop. read more

Tuesday nights they have trivia at 8pm. It was my first encounter with Pub Trivia, and it was a fairly good experience. Good food, good company, good trivia. My only negative remark is there was a specific waitress who was pretty nasty for no obvious reason. read more

College bar atmosphere... without all the youthful optimism and learning. I have lived less than three blocks from the OP for almost three years. I wanted it to be my pub around the corner. I really did. But the beer selection sucks, The staff is rude, and the atmosphere screams "come here if you don't care how your night ends!" You could throw a rock in this neighborhood and hit many other places more worthy of your nightlife dollar. read more

Upon walking in - I was a bit shocked that my friend Jay asked to meet me here. Eek - not the kind of bar you walk into alone (or so I thought). I felt somewhat out of place, I was expecting something much more up scale. I am always in search of a good Bloody Maria.. I asked the bartender - he did the best he could do with what they had, and it was good! What I liked most was his smile and sweet demure. Got the Hummus plate - good as well, pita bread was hot and yummy! Next time I go - I will be dressed down... and know what to expect. Its chill, 'good vibrations'... and as long as I get a smile from the bartender Chris again... I'm a happy girl! read more

It's called the Old Pequliar, but really it's not all that old and frankly, not all too peculiar. It's sort of an Irish pub with many flat screen televisions (good for sporting events) and an upstairs game room. Though the deceiving title of this establishment, it's worth a try for several reasons. It's just off the main vain of Ballard's bar scene so it can get pretty lively but rarely over crowded, meaning a table isn't too hard to come by, which I like. Though, in the rare case that a mass crowd of people decide to invade this space, it's large enough to handle an influx of drunken patrons. One thing I have to say though, the music playing on the night I was here was awful. Now, I appreciate the vast world of music and all it's genres, but when it comes to death metal, I can't seem to wrap my head around why people find this noise appealing. As if the low roar of a bar full of drunken people wasn't already making it hard enough to hear my fellow companions, the blaring death metal coming from the sound system sealed the deal. Fix your jukebox and this could easily be a 4-star establishment. read more

Joe , Jessie , Mike are the best! Great drinks solid conversation and normal people ! Wish more bars were like this ! 100 percent recommend

went looking for a fun place to take my mom for lunch and found Old Pequliar. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon so we sat outside at the patio. The service was great and the chef even came out to chat with us! We had the shepard pie and the black and blue burger, both were delicious! Can't wait to return with more family and friends! read more

I used to go here a lot more often. I've seen many changes happen along the way with this place. I have met many friends an new acquaintances in the years I've been going to the OP and upon my return I am often times met with the same old faces at the bar or on the patio. It's always good to come back, which I will. Although I'd love to see some more people discover this Ballard Gem for the first time. read more

Decent pub overall. Kinda surly service at times but the good food makes up for it. Wouldn't be my first place since Market St. Is lined with awesome bars... read more

Guys there's a new bartender! This place is awesome now and they have tons of fun things like karaoke night. Plus everyone is super nice. I'll be coming here a lot more now and would recommend. read more

We come here pretty regularly for trivia night on Tuesdays. Now, I would probably never come if it wasn't for the trivia, but they do have darts and there is never a wait to play on tuesdays! Need to know for trivia: GET THERE EARLY, like no later than 6pm. The tables fill up fast and it sucks without one. The french fries are good, but the entrees I've tried (veggie burger, mac and cheese, and grilled cheese) have really not been worth it. Just give me a basket of fries! read more

Went here on a random day because we were craving Irish food. Unfortunately, this Irish pub has no Irish-Irish food minus the shepherd's pie - which was moderate. The food was typical bar fare and the quality was subpar. Don't go here to eat, rather come here to mingle and drink because the pub itself was pretty accomodating. Bartenders were friendly and the place was big enough to cater to big groups. The best part was the big windows in the front of the bar so you're able to people watch and talk shit from your booth. read more

Ray: Last Thursday, Josh and I were tossing around a few ideas of where to eat our weekly dinner together. He had a few places in mind, so we headed off toward Ballard. As we were traveling, Josh noticed this place called The Old Pequliar, boasting to be an Irish pub. We went around the block and found a nice parking spot just down the street. Inside, it was seat-yourself. We picked out a nice table against one of the walls. The interior of The Old Peculair is quite comfortable, warmly decorated, playing background music that was the perfect volume to enjoy either the music or conversation. I did both... I ordered a Manny's Ale as I carefully looked over the menu. There was really only one entre that I wanted to go with and that was the Sheppard's Pie. Now, this pie had lamb and beef, so technically that would be a Sheppard's/Cottage Pie, but who's really being that technical? Not me... The Pie came with a salad in a very reasonable time. It was nicely plated in a ceramic bowl, fresh from the oven. The flavors were really great. The gaminess of the lamb was the perfect flavor along with the veggies, beef and potatoes. There was a nice crusty cheese layer as well. Being what I classify as comfort food, I really liked it. The pub was quite nice inside and out with very friendly, attentive service and wonderful food. I award The Old Pequliar four stars! Definitely on my list as a do-over down the road. Josh: Last Thursday we ventured back into Ballard, that land fertile with dining options. One could never truly exhaust all the Ballard food options. We found ourselves at The Old Pequliar, highly recognizable from the street with it's dark (black?) front. I think they used to have it painted red, but I don't properly remember... We walked in and found a seat. This place looks pretty cool inside, kinda like a place you might find in some back neighborhood in Ireland, though the comparison is made strictly out of ignorance having never been there myself. They have a cool curved bar, a neat cobble stone fireplace, I found the atmosphere to be pretty warm. After taking a look at the menu, I went with the Shepherds Pie. They didn't seem to have a very large selection if actual Irish fair, the shepherds pie and a reuben sandwich seemed to be the only authentic options. Luckily I am a huge shepherds pie fan, so I went with that. Just a note: When I look up the menu online I'm seeing a few other authentic Irish dishes, perhaps it was on a side of the menu I didn't check? The food arrived and looked pretty good. Not the best shepherds pie I've ever had, but probably in the top 5. I scarfed it down post haste and would happily order it again given another chance. It took a little bit longer then expected to get the empty plates removed, and to get the check. The service was actually kinda slow for the evening, especially considering the place wasn't super busy or anything. Because of this, I can't go with 5 stars, but everything else was pretty much on-point. 4 easy stars for the Old Pequliar. read more

It's a pub, and they serve beer. Beers good, pub is a great location for 15th. The pub clock is set 15mins fast so happy hour always starts early. Trivia nights are on Tuesdays and I *think* wednesday nights are free pool nights. There is a pool table out the back. They have an outdoor seating area where you can drink and smoke which is great for your buddies who smoke. read more

Great pub for Ballard locals with friendly staff. Pool table, TouchTunes jukebox, golf game, and darts. Kitchen stays open fairly late most nights and it's also a great space to watch a game if you're into that. Nice patio as well. read more

The bartenders are rude. They act like their doing you a favor by being there for you. Theres a woman who works there during the day and she is the worst. Rude, slow and just doesnt care but her guests. The guy at night probably hasn't smiled since he cant even remember. The only upside to the O.P is that most of the patrons are pretty friendly and fun to hang out with. read more

The most amazing Shepard's Pie I've had. Nice neighborhood joint, decent jukebox. I invite friends there for drinks all the time. read more

The Old Pequliar - Pubs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is a great neighborhood place with reasonable prices and good food (cheese quesadillas = yum!). Joe is the most delightful, humorous and deliciously sarcastic bartender, ha! read more

I don't do bars, but my friend had a hankering for an Irish pub this particular evening. We grabbed a couple of stools and were promptly serviced by the bartender. Nice selection of beers, but I can't help but think the bartender screwed me by giving me something other than the Mack and Jack's I ordered. Still, I didn't want to say anything because he was kind enough to indulge us in an opinion poll about whether or not a guy will consider seriously dating a girl who puts out on the first date. I love how bars inspire the most fantastic conversations. Nice atmosphere, interesting clientele, so-so playlist. Still, I like. read more

I'm giving this place 4 stars because Saturday night we hung out there are not sure if it was the juke box or pandora but they had the best music of the 90s Unpopular Pearl Jam, STP, Sound Garden, Nirvana. The list goes on. Typical pub, yes. I did have lamb sliders and they we're remarkable. He had burger & waffle fries to accompany his Guinness and enjoyed them all. He was quite impressed that the bartender knew how to make a red-headed slut. Always a plus for him. read more

Four stars, you ask? Yuppers. This place rocks. Any place that remodeled post smoking ban gets high marks from me, and though the food could be better, they have a rockin late night happy hour that fits my budget. I have a group that meets here once a week (in Nov anyway) and they've tolerated us and our occasional climbing up to plug in our power strip with good cheer. I did have to practically beg to be carded (but hey, I'm pathetic in my need to pretend I'm still young) but it was all done in fun. The friends seem to enjoy the brew, and I enjoy my girlie appletinis and there ya go. Steer clear of the irish nachos, which frighten me...the very idea... I do wish the smokers would move away from the door... read more