We Drink (and Eat) in Ballard: Waterwheel Lounge
DO NOT PARK IN THE PARKING LOT AT THE WATERWHEEL LOUNGE!! There, we warned you. If only someone had passed that same information along to us, our evening at the Waterwheel would have been more nearly perfect. The slope which leads from 15th Avenue to the parking lot nearly took out our transmission.
The sign has been taunting us for some time. It features both a martini glass and a hamburger, both things we enjoy. What kind of place advertises martinis and burgers, we wondered. Last night, we found out.
The bar is essentially a double-wide with a kitchen tacked on to the back. As we entered, "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" was playing. There were a few customers sitting around the centralized bar. Two of them were arguing about the value of the British Pound versus the American Dollar. Their math skills were sub-par and using the Business/Tech section of a nearby paper only furthered their confusion. The thickset bartendress exposed just enough cleavage and had an easy gap-toothed smile that made us feel at home.
What was intended merely as a beer run, became a quest for food. We were hungry, and we should, we decided, at least try a burger. We started off with a $9.00 pitcher of BudLight and quickly moved to a $6.00 pitcher of Busch.
The special had been wiped off of the dry erase boards. "Sold out," they read. Our interest was piqued, and our bartendress informed us that the special had been meat loaf. Bummer! At least their food selection was pretty extensive. We got Super Nachos to start us off, and super they almost were. With ground beef, white onions, and fresh tomato, they resembled the nachos our mom would make in the microwave. Two bacon cheeseburgers and two chicken fried steaks with mashed potatoes and corn. The prices are more than affordable but don't expect high quality either. We didn't and we weren't let down.
The jukebox continued to play. A little mariachi music, a little country. The music fit perfectly with the bar's ambiance. We felt like we were near a truckstop outside of Jackpot, NV. The only thing missing was slot machines. They do have pull tabs, but as a sign in the establishment reads, "All bills must be settled before buying pull tabs." Guess that means we can't go in with just a few bucks and lucky feeling and expect to pay for dinner and drinks.
Another sign reads, "Free Bingo Tuesdays 5-7". This is a concept that befuddles us. If we don't have to pay to play Bingo, then where do the cash prizes come from? The Waterwheel poses many questions that, in our foggy state of mind, we could not answer. (Like why is there a selection of romance novels by the door? Why are there shower curtains for doors on the stalls in the men's and women's bathrooms?) Because there was no way to answer so many questions in one night, we headed home. We bottomed out the car again upon our departure.
The Waterwheel Lounge
7034 15th Ave. NW
206-784-5701
