The Kraken Bar & Lounge

I showed my green card as my id and they didn’t served me even though I look past 30.

You want cheap beer and punk rock? Then you are in luck.
I haven’t ever had the food but on the weekends they host a bunch of touring bands and locals alike. Cover is usually 5 bucks.
They have a couple old school arcade games too which is pretty rad

This is honestly one of my favorite places ever! The staff is awesome, food is delicious, drinks are cheap, the shows are good, and it’s just got a very good vibe. I’m a huge fan of a good dive bar and this is the best!

seriously under rated bbq stuffs. i am a meat fucking snob and this shit really doesn’t suck. they don’t serve late which is not great for me but it is great for them. door guys are really sexy as are the bartenders… also the patrons. anyway, go here if you dont suck at life. i hear the bloody mary is tits too.

Absolutely love this place. It only took me 5 years to actually try the food, and now I’m just mad at myself for waiting so long. Super reasonable food and drink prices, brainy babes behind the bar, always some ridiculous movie playing on the TV, some arcade games in the back, awesome local punk and metal shows. It’s my 2^nd living room and for better or for worse, they’re stuck with me.

This past weekend was the dive bars weekend. The Kraken kicked off the tour Saturday night for a friends band. Small, sweaty smell, and everybody on top of each other.
That is normal right?
My only gripe about this place is the fact that the booths are made for toddlers. Im 6’1, my husband is 5’11 and neither of us could fit our legs under the table. My husband ended up perched on top of the table, while I found a part of the bench not squeezed beneath the table.
Otherwise, $ 2 PBR’s made my husbands night, and a great show was enjoyed.

Stopped in for a few after visiting U Dub and before a Mariners game. Old school, no frills place. Dive. Pinball. Old school gaming, including Joust! They have Magners in the bottle there, so I definitely would be hanging out if I was in town.
The highlight of my trip was the STD sign in the bathroom, which a patron noted was «from Rick James». I enjoyed it.

I think I just like saying «The Kraken» in my pirate voice… which I must’ve said to my friend about 10 times when we had a beer here a week ago and played some pinball (quite terribly, I might add).
This is my type of bar: divey, cool bartender, inexpensive beers. I’m glad we stumbled upon this place. If I went to the University, I think this would be my hangout. I’d like to come back and listen to some music some time. Ah, perhaps next time I’m in Seattle!
But hey, why listen to me and what do I know? I’m just a New Yorker who misses Mars Bar, CBGB’s, Coney Island High and other long-​gone dive bars.

Great people. Sometimes, if you don’t «look» part of a scene you might feel out of place which I did for all of 5 minutes. The regulars make you feel welcome and the bartenders are great. The bands could very easily be obnoxious as punk and metal walk that line but the bands here are consistently great. Strong drinks, good music, great people. Better than a dance club for ladies night ;).

The best spot in North Seattle to get a good beer on the cheap and hear great metal or punk rock. Have been there many times and will return.

Such a great little dive bar gem.
Stumbled in here while we were waiting for a comedy show. Cheap booze and strong drinks. People watching was on par with the best I’ve seen in a while. It was pretty small though, so I imagine if it’s bay it would get crowded pretty quick.

I was in town last weekend to check out my homies in PAYOFF (
) along with Junebugs and SUCCESS. I’ve heard the stories, the rumors, the legends… lemme tell ya, this is by far my favorite place. Instantly knocked off 7 years of my life. Brought me back to days with less responsibilities, tougher pancreases, and busted lips. Friendly people (I left my beer by the window to smoke, no one fucked with it! Win!), flowing brews, FOOD, amiable insta-​pit during SUCCESS, dual restroom attack. The sign just says BAR and does not fuck around. Stevie Rection was on the turnbuckle outside and no one got hurt. Pinball machine fucking worked. Best of all, a JOURNEY cover to end the night.
When I die, throw my ashes in the keg. KRAKEN for life.

Best dive bar food EVER. Happy hour is a great deal.
I had the brisket and also tried some pulled pork from a friends plate. Both were delicious. Sides include fries or apple coleslaw which are both excellent.
Everything under $ 20.

New Orleans has Snake and Jake’s — Seattle has the Kraken.
Cheap booze, loud bands, head banging, beer chugging, charmingly daft clientele, and all the destructiveness a tiny bar can possibly muster; the KRAKEN (formerly Galway Arms) is one of America’s best dive bars comparable to none. There is no way to miss this place. Its façade is covered in band stickers and the electric-​tape marquee simply reads «BAR»
Geaux here when you visit Seattle!

The Kraken is my awesome local dive bar. It’s really two bars in one. From 4−7pm there’s an interesting mix of local characters having a couple of beers. I usually stop after work for a beer and chat up guys who’ve been coming to this bar for over 50 years (including one colorful 102 yr. old fellow who sings opera). And a variety of younger punk/​metal/​thrash tatted up band fans who mix in quite well. The atmosphere is quite chill and, like Cheers, everyone knows your name. Newcomers are welcome.
On the weekends after 9pm, the punk/​metal bands and hordes of fans show up. The bar band is «The Cinco Gringo», the best punk mariachi bad ever (including Mariachi el Bronx). Cover is $ 5 and it will be crowded but orderly.
Drinks are strong and inexpensive. Microbrew are $ 3 for happy hour or $ 4 regular. Did I mention the food? Vastly superior to what you’d expect for burgers w/​coleslaw (home made and better than any high end restaurant) plus a side (fries, tots, salad or soup). The pulled pork sliders are to die for (smoked in house).
If you need work done on your house, ask for Swan.
PS. The lock on the bathroom door is fixed!

Grungy, pirate-​y, punk-​y. Strong drinks, a chill atmosphere (unless you happen to wander in during one of their many live shows, always punk or metal, and usually on weekends after 9). Then the place gets packed. You can go out front in the gated patio and sit along the Ave sipping your VERY strong drink and smoking all at once — which makes this place wonderful all on its own.
If you haven’t been here in a couple years, come back for the food (before 8pm). Best. Pulled pork. EVER. Mac & cheese is home-​made style and baked in a ramican full of ooey gooey cheesey deliciousness. Cole slaw is fresh and crispy and not drowned in too much mayo like you usually find — seriously, never thought I’d love an unremarkable side like cole slaw as much as I love it here. As far as bar food goes, this is as good as it gets — and a slider for $ 3 is big enough to be a meal in itself. THREE dollars!
Also, they have $ 1 PBR nights on Tuesdays. Awesome.
Small rotating selection of arcade games in the back (pinball, Pac-​Man, etc). The TV is always on but muted in favour of music, but it’s usually playing some awesome cult classic. There’s more intimate/​private seating in the back, but everyone always just crowds up to the bar instead. 90% of the clientèle are regulars, some who have been showing up for many, many years (myself included). If you fall in love with it, you will always love it.
This is an oasis in the U, where nary a jock or dumb bimbo college girl ever set foot; a no-​bullshit kind of place. Real people, lots of drinking and socializing, awesome food and fun shows. Perfect.

My roommates and I try to explore a new place every Monday, and we visited the Kraken this week. We ran in to the night DJ at 99.9 (a local rock station) outside, talked with him for a minute, then headed in. The walls are lime green with spray-​painted black skull and crossbones everywhere which sounds obnoxious but it somehow just fits the vibe. There are tons of posters all over the walls, all from bands who have played shows there in the past. I don’t know how their specials usually fare, but $ 7 PBR pitchers was the clear winner for us when we went.
Lots of punk rock coming through decent sounding speakers, black tables, tatted-​up bartenders… this place is the real McCoy. I may be back for an actual show sometime soon… we’ll see.

I think this might just be my favorite bar in seattle. It’s cozy, has video games and pinball, a seafaring/​piratey kinda theme… oh, and awesome bar tenders.
My bestie happens to live almost directly above this fine establishment and so I happen to find myself here whenever I go visit her. I like to cause trouble if I’ve had the right amount of whiskey and they are normally pretty forgiving.
Since they are in the neighborhood of some fine vegan establishments I can forgive them for having a limited vegan food selection on their menu.

I forgot to mention– this place is a dive bar. Looks like one, feels like one. The bathrooms, however, are as clean and awesome as a swanky bar. I really, really appreciate that in a bar. Good work, gentlemen!

Fun local bands.
Nice friendly staff.
Pinball machine and some video games that are weird and funky.
Bathroom was cleaner than I expected.