The Sunset

I will always encourage live music in Ballard. Since the remodel this place has hit on all cylinders. I actually love the front bar more than the music venue now, but the back area attracts great acts and is a solid environment for live music. They have been getting much better bands since he remodel. Plus the front bar is great now too.

Still a great spot for small rock shows in the heart of increasingly upscale, expensive, whitewashed downtown Ballard.
It had been a while since I’d been here prior to last weekend; extensive remodels have brightened it up a bit and separated the front bar room from the concert area. The front bar is great – check out the gorgeous bar and tables, decorated with faux explorers’ maps of fictitious lands. The back room has a small stage, quite good sound, great sight lines and plenty of room to get close to the stage if that’s yer thing.

Photo booth ate $ 10 ($ 5 each time, got screwed twice) When I told the bartenders I was told «not my problem.» Oh but it is. When you do business with an outside vendor and it rips off your customer, it’s your customer service job to help your customer out by maybe saying something simple like «I apologize for our crappy machine» and maybe comp one drink which is less money than I lost, and then address the issue of the money eating photo booth with the company you do business with. It’s not your customers job. As I stood waiting for some acknowledgment I was told «we’re done now.» Wow. So incredibly rude staff who doesn’t understand basic customer service and also, everyone in that bar is hipster as f*ck. Be prepared for bad smells.

I love this place but why are the bartenders all dudes who look like low-​level goon extras from the cast of The Sopranos? Once a year they’ll hire a woman but inevitably she ends up being dispatched to Hattie’s, just as our hope inches above the level of absolute despair. Oh, and I love the tiny little dog that’s apparently the emotional support animal for one of the PTSD bartenders after he witnessed one too many garrotings in the basement. That’s a nice touch. Still, nobody makes a better shot of Jim Beam with a PBR tallboy.

The sound will surprise you. I’m not sure when they renovated, but the Sunset split into two with the main front bar and a back concert room. It’s small, intimate, and the bass truly carries and sound is supergood. Not what you expect when you see it, but the Sunset delivers.

There’s something quaint about seeing one of your favorite bands perform at the The Sunset. On one hand there is absolutely nothing special about the actual venue itself. Luckily being situated in Ballard is the best quality about the actual location. The concert area is separated from the outward facing bar. Not a giant fan of the two-​room venue setup but whatever, I can dig it.
Like I said if you happen to catch one of your absolute favorite bands here it’s an awesome and intimate setting. I dislike coming here for shows when the place is absolutely packed though — It gets very warm and tightly packed. Not a fan of being a sardine! On the other hand, the room acoustics aren’t particularly great either compared to some other local venues.
If you’re seeing a favorite band here — 4.5 stars
If you’re seeing any other show here– 2.5 stars.

I like the bar. I have trouble calling it a dive bar as it has been cleaned up and looks brand new and a bit themed. I do enjoy the highly lacquered paneling and the fishing style.
Great place for a beer.

Not only is this tavern a great place to drink, but it is a great music venue also!
Newly remodeled, the front area is the bar which is pretty awesome in itself. The back area is the stage. I went to a show recently and it was great. The volume was just loud enough… but mixed well. Like I said, a great place to see a show!

The Sunset Tavern has a very laid back and hip environment for 20 – 30 something’s to get drinks and enjoy live music. There’s booths, tables and bar seating. Nice lighting and décor, the bathroom was surprisingly clean and well stocked (which is actually probably a Ballard thing, Capitol Hill on the other hand… !) The bartender was quick to mix drinks and very friendly. The music venue area was small, but cozy and reminded me of Tacoma’s house shows without the underage drinking and filthy furniture-​lounge type basements lol.
The lighting was great, and so was the sound. The cool thing I found about the Sunset was that the music stayed contained within the music venue. I. E the doors to the venue stayed closed and we even had to go check if the band had started playing (they had) Also there’s a small bar in the venue, though I didn’t find it that convenient to get to (crowded) or order drinks since the music was so loud.
I’ll be back for sure!

The old Sunset was rather dirty & gross with a lousy sound system. The remodel does wonders and I love the fact that you can go enjoy the front bar without having to pay a cover since the live bands are now in a separate area in the back. It’s a bit tight back there but the acoustics are many times better than they were before. AND removing that gross carpet is a godsend!
Had a couple of umbrella drinks at the front bar which were fantastically kitsch — that is Hawaiian Punch kitsch but potent. Not everyone’s taste but hey they can make a regular cocktail and it looked like they had decent beers on tap. The bar in the back room makes basic cocktails and has beer & wine. Conveniently in the corner so no need to go back out for a bevvie during a show. Good job!

I love the Sunset!!! It’s my favorite local spot to play and see live music! The remodel has done WONDERS for the space. And, I love going to Betty’s, (the new front room), to just kick it with the homies without the pressure of seeing a show. Also, love the new décor. It’s like my Grandpa’s basement up in there. Love love love!

Great intimate spot for a live show. My coworkers and I came here for a show, and I thought the venue was great. It didn’t get too crowded, and we were close enough to the stage to see everything. Beers here are cheap, too!

I thought I’d exhausted all the bars in Ballard, but my gal and happened to stop in just after the remodel, when they were just getting things rolling again. They weren’t completely set up yet, but I couldn’t count that against them as the beer kept rolling nicely, the bartender was incredibly courteous and accommodating of us, and the ambience is just super cozy and fun. Yes, the photo booth is plenty of fun; who can resist popping in with your honey and taking a few candids? We weren’t in there on a night when we could hear live music, but we’ve heard good things, and the music playing over the PA was impeccable. For quality of cocktails, it’s not the best thing going, but in terms of atmosphere and a truly great, friendly staff, it’s hard to beat in Ballard. A fave.

Disappointment! I was excited to see what they did with the place. Grant it, it was New Years, so the bartender was probably not in the best of spirits, but I’m no amateur… don’t charge me for an extra drink just because I complained that the photo booth conned us out of $ 5. I have been a regular patron… but I’m not so sure anymore, seems a bit too hipster these days.

The remodel is gorgeous. Love the new old school photo booth. Nice touch. Love the intimate small stage in back
Alex is the absolute bartender I’ve ever met in my entire life. Great customer service.

The Sunset now has a separate bar from the music showroom. This means you can set in the front half of the building and enjoy beer, wine or cocktails without having to pay a cover charge. If you want to hear some of the great local music that is played here, you’ll have to pass through a door into the music room in back. It’s very sound proof, so you don’t hear the music at all in the bar, even though you can see them through a round porthole window at the back of the bar. The sound system in the music room has been improved, but it’s pretty much laid out the same way it was back in the day. Even the restrooms are the same, which makes it a slightly less successful remodel. However, the Sunset has been a longtime supporter of local music, and it remains one of the best places to see up and coming local bands.

Great job on the re-​model!
I had been to the Sunset a couple times prior to their new layout and it wasn’t the best, really narrow, and awkward bar placement. This has all changed. I am happy to report that the new layout has a nice flow and somehow a lot more room for seating and for the performers.
The new and improved Sunset is much more accessible considering that you could just come for a drink if you weren’t interested in the show as there is now separate rooms. Still a bar in the back room though, so no need to panic! I like the new theme and the staff was ultra likable! This update makes me a lot more inclined to come back and considering the quality programming lately I think most people will agree.

nice atmosphere but unethical management. I try and avoid this place.
They asked my business for an equipment quote, we designed the system for them and next time I was there I found they purchased it from someone else. I guess they didn’t feel we should get paid for our design… Don’t trust them!

Often I think to myself when I see negative reviews on Unilocal: «If only the reviewer had given them another chance – perhaps it was an off-​night, perhaps the server was frazzled.» Tonight, I retract this sentiment in its entirety. When your experience is as miserable as what I experienced a the Sunset Tavern tonight, there is nothing so enticing that it could possibly convince you to try again.
Let’s start with the service. When I am one of three people sitting at the bar, I expect someone to take my drink order. If, furthermore, the bar is nearly empty on a Tuesday night, and there are two bartenders both of whom are chatting away, then my sympathy disappears entirely. Ten minutes should not elapse before you notice that I’ve been signaling you.
Secondly, I wasn’t expecting amazing pizza from a bar, but when your crust is more rigid than cardboard, I believe that’s reason enough to feel disappointed. I’ll let your imagination fill in the rest.
I didn’t leave the bar because of the food or service though, I left because of the music. Between bouts of wincing, the stranger sitting next to me at the bar commented that we were currently experiencing the worst sound check that he had ever heard. The music was both tortuous and intolerable. I left half-​way through my meal specifically because the music was among the most horrible sounds I have ever witnessed. (If you knew me and my affinity for pizza, you would understand that there are few things on this earth that can draw me away from a warm slice of pizza, good or not – but this was one of them.)
I fled from the Sunset Tavern.
I can say without reservation that this was one of the worst eating or drinking experiences of my life. When in addition to this, I realize that I paid an eight dollar cover to enter, I can only say that nothing will ever persuade me to return.

This used to be a gnarly dive with live music. Now it’s just a dive with live music. The smoking ban a few years ago sure did tidy things up in this town. The Sunset is downright civilized now.
This is a nice bustling strip of Ballard Avenue. Maybe the bustlin’est, actually. Virtually every storefront is a restaurant or bar that’s interesting and worth a visit – and if not, it’s probably popular and busy, anyway. The Sunset is the punkier option through here, supporting local bands, new bands, offbeat stuff in the realm of live music. They only hold about 100 people, though that doesn’t stop them from packing in what feels like more than that from time to time. They keep cover charges low, and as a result they have a nice simple straight-​ahead economic model for bringing in interesting bands that need a shot at live gigs.
There are a few tables and chairs, a long banquette. There are nice folks working the door and behind the bar. Most unrecognizably of all, compared to the Sunset of 15 years ago, the sound in here is really nice. Didn’t really even need earplugs to watch a pretty loud show in here.
They do tend to draw in a certain segment of crowd here who aren’t here to pay attention to the band. They just want to drink and chat. They probably paid the cover, though, and they’re money in the club’s pocket, so technically they’re kind of supporting the scene. If a band you like is playing here, or if you just want to check out a live band tonight, check out the Sunset. It’s doing the work.

I have to sadly admit, I hadn’t been here before going to my new friend Niffer’s party.
I loved the art, the space is just divey enough but with that too-​cool-​for-​school attitude I require in a venue. Drinks were good, strong and to the point.
What more can I say? I’d go back anytime to see a show, hang out or just be scene.