It’s official: Red Mill Burgers is coming to Ballard

Geeky Swedes Ballard

One of Seattle’s favorite burger joints is getting ready to open in Ballard. Owner John Shepherd confirms that Red Mill Burgers will soon open at the old Totem House location across from the Ballard Locks at 3058 NW 54th St.

We spoke with Shepherd who says, “Leases are signed and work has started.” Shepherd plans to gut the entire interior and expose cedar beams that have been covered for decades. “We really are excited by it,” he says of the new place. They signed a ten-year-lease which is unusual in the restaurant business. Shepherd says they generally sign leases five years at a time.

Shepherd says that along with the traditional Red Mill burgers and onion rings, they’ll have fish & chips and chowder. “We’ve never done fish before, but we’ll figure it out,” he says. The plan right now is to open in September with an expanded indoor seating area and a larger outdoor seating area, which Sherman says will be more like a permanent structure with heating lamps.

This will be the third location for Red Mill. Their Phinney Ridge location and Interbay location often have lines out the door.

Geeky Swedes

The founders of My Ballard

53 thoughts to “It’s official: Red Mill Burgers is coming to Ballard”

  3. Haven’t been to a Red Mill in years and forget how it was. What does anybody compare them to? Must give ’em another try.

  7. I don’t love Red Mill burgers the way most people seem to – I think they’re perfectly adequate – but certainly it’s good to see another independent local business set up shop in Ballard. Best of luck to them.

  14. This will be a huge success and a huge money-maker for Red Mill dude. I live right next door (Lock vista) and they are working daily at bringing down the old and bringing in the new. Quite a brilliant piece of work there, Red Mill guy. I am sorry for the lady that lost her lease though. I think that’s what happened. There is always something going on down here…restaurants closing after 63 years, dead guys lying on the sidewalk…Shilshole is no slouch for activity and I get to watch it all from my pool at the apt complex.

  15. Actually, that was insensitive of me to mention the deceased person. I co-mingle with these people and they are some of the friendliest, upbeat people I meet on a daily basis. I apologize for throwing that comment out so loosely. May he rest in peace. Jeeze, sorry for being a jerk.

  17. Ballard already has plenty of good, affordable burger joints that…take credit cards!
    I can’t see a mediocre, overrated burger joint surviving that long in this area, especially if they cash only.

  21. Ha! You must be joking. I’ll bet $50 that in one year’s time there will be a daily line out the door of this Red Mill location as well.

  23. Glad to hear that the intention is respect the original architectural integrity of the interior. Please do the same on the exterior as well! Ballard needs to maintain more of its historic built environment. Too much has been lost already!

  25. I don’t know about this – I feel like RedMill has gotten really corporate in recent years and it seems like this move represents an expansion plan. I’d much rather have a truly independent store or something that really benefits our community – we need something better than a growing corporation selling energy-intensive meat and grease.

  27. architectural integrity? you must be joking.
    this place was built to sell novelty native american trinkets–in other words, to EXPLOIT them.
    yeah, let’s pay homage to that!

  28. I agree.
    especially when they say they will “figure out fish”

    I would’ve preferred someone truly local that already knew how to cook it.

  31. So I guess that means we should white wash it clean and pretend like it never happened? Yeah that sounds good. We wouldn’t want anyone to remember anything bad that happened in the past.

  35. “really corporate” by operating as a cash only business. Damn them!!! And “How” hard do you “Truly” think it is to cook fish? It’s not rocket science and when you say local, are you saying they have to live on 32nd and Market? I believe they live in North Seattle-

  37. No, but you should assume that something within that bathroom makes human life much more livable, just like a Red Mill Double Bacon Deluxe with Tillamook Cheddar does. Wait… were you making a joke?

  39. Zak’s, Zesto’s, Seattle Burger Company, Scooters, King’s Hardware, heck, even Hamburger Harry’s I would gladly eat before Red Mill’s lackluster burgers.

  47. Seriously? There is now 3 Red Mills within a 15 mile radius. Did a fortune teller tell them not to branch out? I’m breaking up with them.

  50. Scooter’s and Hamburger Harry’s are good, but Red Mill still takes the cake…but saying Zesto’s is better than anything short of drinking cat urine is a crime against humanity. You’re probably a Zesto’s Kid,™ or worse yet, a Zesto’s Kid™ who’s already graduated who still hangs out in the parking lot smoking Middleton Black and Milds with freshman.

    Also, Zak’s has the most pathetically average burgers I’ve ever had. They’re not BAD, but not impressive in any way. You’re just wrong. There is no arguing that fact.

  51. Good type II burger – probably one of the better/best in Seattle, which means it’s a solid mid-pack compared to an average Midwest burger joint. (To Rod’s point, Seattle just doesn’t do fast food all that well. Not a strenght. But Red Mill keeps me from missing just about any corner joint in Minneapolis. The Indian food on the other hand is as good as I’ve had anywhere, including London or Cambridge, but never been within 8,000 miles of Hyderabad).

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