Gourmet burgers at ‘affordable prices’

Geeky Swedes Ballard

A new burger joint is getting ready to open right next door to Malena’s Tacos at 2008 NW 56th St.

The owner of Seattle Burger Co., William Wen, says he will sell hand-crafted gourmet burgers in the price range of $4-$7. Although there are several newer burger places in Ballard, such as The Counter and Hamburger Harry’s, he says they’re not really affordable. Wen says he’s about four to five weeks from opening. If you’re interested in working there, you can email Wen at: wswen845@aol.com. (Thanks Mike and Darcy for the tip!)

Geeky Swedes

The founders of My Ballard

50 thoughts to “Gourmet burgers at ‘affordable prices’”

  1. If that's the same company that runs Hollywood Burger Co. downtown at 3rd and Marion, it's definitely not anywhere near the same quality as Zak's or the Counter. Add fries and a drink to that burger & you're looking at $8-10. Good luck to them if they find a niche, but if it's the same company they'll need it, plenty of better burger options in the 'hood.

  2. Well, I love Hamburger Harry's… seriously good burgers, and a good place to watch some sports while eating and drinking. But competition is always fun, and I'm looking forward to what's going on here.

    And they're all better than McDonald's and Burger King. Hamburger Harry's, The Counter, Lunchbox Laboratory, Zak's, now Seattle Burger, and even Red Mill up on the Ridge… from low-end to high-end Ballard is truly blessed in the burger department.

  3. Don't forget Ballard Brothers! Awesome burgers, especially the (wild) salmon. And they're giving the restaurant interior a facelift.

  5. How many more burger and pizza joints does Ballard need? I am not complaining? I am just saying!

    Good to see new businesses open shop in Ballard. I will definitely check it out. Although if would be nice to have something different.

  6. It'd be nice to have an affordable burger joint in the area. Folks in Seattle just don't know what a good burger is and I'm tired of paying over $10 for a supposedly gourmet burger that ends up being sub par.

  8. I can only laugh and shake my head at the proliferation of these $25-burger joints.
    Puh-lease.

    I like Scooters on 24th. Great quality, reasonable price, nice local folks, clean, fast, and best of all, no pretentiousness.

  9. I would like another Mexican place. While Milena's has ridiculously good steak tacos, and la Carta is pretty decent (regional) cuisine, overlooking Azteca (never crosses my mind when I want real Mexican food) and Matador…well…at least the tequila is good. I need to try Senor Moose, as I've walked by and it smells good and looks like it could be more what I'm thinking of. What I seek is a beautiful bowl of menudo and a good affordable mexican tequila with some tongue tacos. Now, taqueria tequila can do all of these (not bad menudo) but thats up in greenwood. I'm still in search of a killer menudo that has hominy in it. I haven't found a place in Seattle which prepares it in this style.

    My favorite burger around is the black angus / blue cheese burger from Hale's. But it can get messy, like all good things.

  10. i didnt like the counter at all….at all.. i like scooters ALOT….but looking forward to this place opening..lets see what 4$ gets ya…

  12. Yes. A deli would be killer (kosher or not). I can't think of one in the city. (the one in Fremont is not what I have in mind…Roxy's). The Other Coast is tasty, but that's also not really a “deli”. I love a good deli sandwich.

  13. Ain't that the truth. There are so few places in Seattle to get a *real* bagel. Noah's does not count, and while Roxy's is Jewish, their bagels are hard as rocks and they only serve light cream cheese. That's Fremont for you…

  15. I've never been impressed by Roxy's, and I've eaten there at least 4 or 5 times in since they opened. Mainly because it was the only place in Fremont to get a breakfast bagel sandwich. I think true delis are, unfortunately, just much more of an Eastern thing.

  17. Yakitori! Anyone wanting to open something that will take off and hasn't been done to death should just import a real yakitori stand from Japan. See Zakoshi in Vancouver for a reference.

  19. I laugh too name. Idiots will eat anything and enjoy it too…as long as it's trendy. Scooters I do like. I think whoever owns it used to work at Zestos before they tried to get too rich.

  20. Well, as long as we're creating a wish list, how about Polish food? I'm not sure I've ever seen a stuffed pepper or cabbage on a menu in Seattle, let alone pierogies or other Eastern European yummies. Or German food? People's Pub is ok as the only thing going, but their menu is kind of light on the variety.

    As for hamburgers? How many places do we need? My goodness!

  24. its really quite alarming how any announcement of a new business is met byinstant yammering about “what we really need”. jeez man, do it then.

    ok, maybe not alarming. weird. yeah.

  25. why must any new business posting be met with “what we really need is…”? how strange. all these business masterminds oughta put their money where their mouth is imo…

  27. I already have a business, and kids, and am tapped out in the money department, as well as the time department. I am all for supporting local businesses, hell I own one. But maybe someone who has the $ and the time will read this and do something good with someone's idea. I do think a real jewish style deli would do well. I think Korean food is seriously lacking in the north end, unless you head out to shoreline, and would also do quite well here in Ballard. Some South American, ie Peruvian, or Argentinan(sp?) would be good. Finally I think some ethiopian, or more middle eastern food, as the whole genre is really not available locally.

  28. Or, “I'm from ____ and you're not, so I know best. I ate at this little place in the alley in _____. A top secret place. You have to be a member. Someone has to nominate you. Then you're blindfolded and ostriches take you through secret caves. Anyway, they have the best ____. But, you'll never know, will you?”

  29. There is a place at the pike market that serves pierogies (russian, not polish) but darn good. I know they also have other things there as well, I only get the pierogies.

    I've been thinking about making myself a batch of pierogies for the “holiday” but thats an epic long process.

    On capitol hill, there is a pseudo restaurant for polish food. Polish Hall.

    Hope that helps.

  31. “It'd be nice to have an affordable burger joint in the area. Folks in Seattle just don't know what a good burger is and I'm tired of paying over $10 for a supposedly gourmet burger that ends up being sub par.”

    I absolutely LOVE comments like this.

    Pray tell, where are you from and what does a REAL burger taste like?

  32. No one mentioned my favorite burger place – sorry if it's supposed to be a secret: Sloop Tavern. Bacon Cheeseburger and fries $5.75. Add a Slooper mug (28 oz.) of Manny's for an additional $5. Sure, you're up over $10 but you've got a really good burger and giant beer, darts, TV, pool, and crusty old sailors at the bar. What more could you ask for?

    SPG: thanks for the tip on Yakitori in Vancouver – will check it out. Maybe what we need is a Yakitori Truck – mobile meat on a stick.

  38. Yakitori is one of those great social foods. Get some friends together, order a bunch of stuff, have a couple beers, order some more stuff. If we had a yakitori place equal to even a mediocre one from Japan you'd have a hard time getting me to leave. There's a couple of izakaya joints in Seattle, but they're too expensive and too far from Ballard to make a habit of.
    Zakkushi on Denman St (Near Robson) in Vancouver is awesome. Authentic from the “Irashai!” when you walk in, good food, and still very affordable. If we could take a crane and steal the whole thing to transplant here I would…but how do we explain dragging a restaurant at the border?

  39. “No respectable, authentic menudo would contain hominy. Are you sure you are not thinking of posole?”

    I'm 3rd gen Mexican American … I've never had menudo without hominy in it, grandparents made it that way, parents too.

    Are you sure you know what you're talking about? The same person who claims to be an authority on tripe soup who also hates offal?

    Congrats on clowning yourself there.

  42. Bagel Oasis in Ravenna has the BEST bagels. Worth the drive across the city. Get them hot out of the oven and they taste like a real New York bagel, for real!

  45. hmm…so, i'm not business savvy in the least, but my friends and I have been talking for ages (actually, just the two years since we've moved here) about how my boyfriend, who is here from Japan on a work visa and makes cho oishii Japanese dishes, could set up some kind of stand and um…not get deported?

    any ideas, send me an email at rohnhayden@gmail.com

    thanks!

  47. There's a pretty good Jewish deli in Portland up on 23rd (on the streetcar line!). I don't remember the name, but I think their motto is “Shut up and eat!” My kinda place.

  48. I think it's about time someone put a hault to the mondo money burgers. The only other reasonably priced burger joint I am aware of is Wibbley's in Bellevue. I agree that restauranteurs need to be profitable, but when it comes to a hamburger, I think anything pushing $10 is a bit much.

  49. Has the $25 Burger joint replaced the mythical $5 cup of joe from Starbucks? Please help, I've got 30 bucks burning a hole in my pocket & I can't find either one.

  50. I just tried Seattle Burger Company, and I really liked it. The BBQ chicken burger was probably the best chicken burger I've had at a fast-food place. A half chicken breast, cooked just right, with a nicely spiced bbq sauce. Also tried their onion rings, which I can definitely recommend (they're made with panko!). The chicken burgers cost a bit more than the beef burgers, but I still got out for under $10.

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