There are a LOT of great Ballard bars, but Esquire magazine picked Barnacle in its list of the top 24 “Best Bars in America” in 2017. Located in Old Ballard in the Kolstrand Building, Barnacle is often a staging area for the Walrus & The Carpenter, but it’s grown into its own destination.
(Photo from TheBarnacleBar.com)
Esquire called it a “jaunty secret clubhouse” with “uniformly delicious” cocktails and a “deep, smart wine list.”
Like Walrus, Barnacle is a Renee Erickson creation. Last year Erickson won the James Beard award for best Northwest chef, and a Bon Appétit magazine article exclaimed that “Renee Erickson makes us want to move to Seattle.” Get in line.
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