Bar Sabine

Overall, I'm a fan of Bar Sabine! I have been a few times over the past year and a half or so, and have always enjoyed, particularly their cocktails. Also enjoy sitting in the "outdoor" sun-room type area on a nice day. Most recently, I dined in on a random Tuesday (Feb 2024) and noticed that their menu had been updated since the last time I visited so I was excited to try some new items. (too busy catching up and too dark for any decent photos) We had: - wild mushroom hummus - I love mushrooms and this was really tasty! Love their pita bread as well. It's so thick and hearty but still soft. - Za'atar fries - always tasty and a generous portion. - spanish octopus (comes w/ Za'atar potatoes) - Octopus was super tender and fairly generous portion! Loved the potatoes that came with. Our server mentioned these potatoes being super good and she was right! - penn cove mussels - mussels can be generic at times (like, with a generic garlic/clear broth) but this dish was unique and so good! The mussels were served w/ cous cous and fire roasted tomato so it had a nice kick and they were super flavorful. Loved the addition of the pearl cous cous to make this dish a little heartier. Super generous portion as well! - Above the Clouds (cocktail) - this was fine but not super memorable for me. Our server was super nice and very patient as we were indecisive w/ the menu. My only constructive criticism is that the music starts off at a reasonable volume but then gets louder later in the night. I guess this is normal but it would be more enjoyable if it weren't so loud. Also, maybe I selected the wrong cocktail, but I didn't think it was as tasty as some of the other cocktails that were previously on the menu. I think there have been some changes w/ bar staff - hopefully this was just a one off. I also had an issue one time w/ the octopus being WAY too salty. Happy that it was perfectly seasoned this time, so again, maybe just a one off. Overall, a great place and happy they are in the Ballard neighborhood!

This is probably my most frequented bar in the past year, so I've tried a lot of things on their menu and I've never been been disappointed!!One of the reasons why I keep on coming back to it is because they always have seasonal themes like previously they had an LOTR inspired menu, mezcal pairing dinner, Ghibli inspired drinks etc. This time they had crafted a zero proof cocktail menu for dry January. I tried the "in the sentimental mood" cocktail which had delicious floral notes.Their food is Mediterranean inspired. We tried the cauliflower and lamb meatballs, both were packed with delicious, middle eastern flavors.

Bar Sabine has a really nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. We sat in the outside area which had a very intimate and cozy ambiance. A little chilly but they had heat lamps to keep up warm. Food: I started my meal with a ginger ale - nice and refreshingThe dip we ordered for an appetizer was tasty and I got their skewer with rice which was very flavorful. I felt like their items were a tad bit pricey for the portion, but at least everything tasted good. Overall, a very cute little spot to check out, especially if you like a nice atmosphere.

The vibe was it. Great music going but way too loud. Sadly my drink was not good. Got the moment of clarity it was kinda just like spicy water. And so much ice that it diluted so quickly. Was so disappointed. But got a seat right away. Staff not too attentive but still had fun!

Bar Sabine was pretty packed on a Saturday night, and after having dinner at Asadero nearby, we decided to hit up Bar Sabine for some late-night cocktails. Even though we were the only ones waiting in line, we waited outside in the chilly Seattle night for 30 to 40 minutes. The wait made more sense once we stepped inside.The interior had tributes to Lord of the Rings everywhere from the decorations to the names of the drinks. They even had all three Lord of the Rings movies playing on different TVs at the same time. Although I do not know much about the franchise, I really appreciated the attention to detail and the tenacity to stick to the theme. The cool glassware matching the theme added to the vibe - like the White Hand of Saruman served in a black glass with a white handprint, or the Mirror of Galadriel with a mirror on a wooden box. I didn't check out the full menu, but I noticed other drinks coming in unique glasses, like barrels or mid-century mugs.I tried the Mirror of Galadriel, the White Hand of Saruman, and the Broken Sword of Narsil. The Broken Sword of Narsil was the standout, with fenugreek cream making it unique. It was so good that I had to ask the bartender for more cream. The White Hand of Saruman was on the sweet side, probably thanks to the condensed milk. The Mirror of Galadriel, with lavender gin and strawberry sake, packed more of a punch than I expected. All in all, the experience was worth the wait, and I'll definitely be back at Bar Sabine.

My husband, my friend and I went to Bar Sabine for dinner. We've been several times before and I have always had a good experience. I love the ambiance (high ceilings, large chandeliers, and bottles of liquor). They always have a rotating menu of specials and specialty cocktails. I generally enjoy their flavors and must praise them for their creativity (during Easter I once got a cocktail with a marshmallow peep). The service is always good as well: fast and friendly. Their servers are very attentive. During our most recent visit, we had a more mixed experience. My husband and I ordered Old Fashioned cocktails. The drinks were decent but not great. Each drink had huge bricks of ice (it felt like a molded skyscraper of ice). These cubes (bricks ) were nice to look at but they made it very hard to sip the drinks. The flavor balance was off as well. The drinks had a nice burn but lacked a little sweetness (the cherry was absent---I don't usually miss the cherry, but in this case, I missed the cherry). The food was generally good, but we also had some notes We ordered the Za'atar fries and mushroom humus as starters. Both were good. I ordered the eggplant special as my entree. The tomato sauce was a bit too acidic and lacked balance. My husband ordered the Sabine burger. It was dry and the bun was proportionately way too big (adding to the dryness). In summary, Bar Sabine is a generally positive experience. They could work to finesse their recipes a bit. It feels like there is a bit more attention on a esthetics versus flavor on some of the dishes.

Dark and classy bar with unique drinks and great service. Cocktails are themed and rotate every few months. We went for Lord of the Rings which is at its tail end. Between the four of us we tried a good number of them. Standouts were the White Hand of Saruman (ilegal mezcal, gin, cardamom, green apple, almond, coconut cream, lime, condensed milk) and Last March of the Ents (mezcal, sotol, pumpkin vodka, papaya, sumac, mastiha, firewater, lime). Each drink not only showcased original flavors but were embellished with accoutrements (like plastic trees, or tiny baskets of gummy candies, or a wax finger). Drinks are pricy (avg $18), but presentation was fun. They also have a nice wine selection. The orange wine was quite nice.Food is mostly small sharable plates with a good number of vegetarian items but not much vegan. We had the falafel, beet lebneh with chips, and fried halloumi in hot honey. All of it was delicious. The space was not that large but by no means feels cramped, and the covered outdoor patio adds a good amount of seating. We arrived around 6 on a Friday and got a table right away, but almost immediately afterwards there was a long line that lasted the duration of our stay. My only complaint is that the volume inside was so loud we basically had to scream our conversation. I was definitely hoarse the next day. The music also didn't really seem to fit the LOTR vibe. Oh, and parking. But it's Ballard, so that's to be expected. Regardless, I look forward to coming back for the next rotation of themed drinks!

Food & Drinks - They have LOTR themed drinks! I'm sold! Also the dip was fantastic! My only regret was that they didn't give a little more bread with it. The drinks were very unique and imaginative. I would absolutely go back for drinks and food! Service - excellent servers, who answered all our questions and kept water glasses full and checking in regularly despite how busy they were. Our server also did not make us feel rushed at all. Ambiance - we sat outside and it was very lively and fun. The music was good and not too loud and they turned on the heat lamps when it got chilly. Inside seemed a bit loud though.

Bar Sabine has a Lord of the Rings themed drink menu through August. I will fully admit when I travel I am a bar hopping fool finding the best bars one can drink at but much like a local who never goes to the tourist spots I am horrible at appreciating my own local bars. Not that Ballard is super local for me - it is a destination I must plan for and typically I don't drive more than a few minutes if the intention is to drink. But a LOTR themed drink menu is like hearing the Horn of the Mark - the call must be answered! I arrived at 4:30 PM on a Saturday. I thought no biggie. It is only thirty minutes after the bar opened. It was full. A line had formed. My partner and I agreed to sit at the bar where we were seated ten minutes later. We had the best seats in the house right by the well where we saw the bartender crafting drink after drink after drink. To say it was nonstop is an understatement. Bar Sabine went all out. The Fellowship played on two televisions above the bar. Flags from Rohan and Gondor hung from the banister. Each drink was not just carefully crafted but also thematic. The little touches were delightful. The white hand of Sauron on the White Shane of Sauron drink, the Mirror of Galadriel came in a sake box with a small plastic mirror on top. With our vantage point we saw each drink decorated appropriately. When their supplies dwindled bags were opened up to replenish the plastic dragons and the little fishing rods. Then there was the ambiance in general. The crowd was lively and endearing. When the fight with the Balrog came on the screen multiple people loudly said "You Shall Not Pass!" - I imagine this is frequent and I imagine the staff is going to get tired of that by August. Speaking of - Ok, so this is where Bar Sabine went from good to great. They were slammed. The hustle was real. Yet they found time to talk with us. They told us about the thematic menus they do in the summer. They noted info of the cocktails. They made sure our cups were full as was our bellies. They never missed a beat despite literally never stopping. I have been to busy bars. I anticipate drinks will be slower and the bartending staff to be laser focused. But they were able to do everything with grace and talent while providing fantastic service. I have company from out of town coming soon. I fully intend on bringing them to Bar Sabine for the drinks, the merriment, but especially the service.

Came here after going to Pax convention as they had some special menu items relating to the event perhaps as part of a partnership with. They went further with the the spirit of things by having video game speed runs on the TV's which was a nice touch during the visit.The specials this particular weekend included the "Pax friends forever" cocktail special - Cognac, rum - saffron - Apricot - Yuzu Curacao - espelette pepper and lemon. Some of those ingredients I definitely did not know what they were but overall, it sounded good and because unless you ask for this specifically it's a special. It was great, a lot of flavors going on and the bartender made it pretty much right there as we're seated at the counter this visit. For bites the "chip spiced chicken wings", another special was ordered. Very good, nice presentation and along with that was some hummus and chips. All these items were gluten free.The ambience here was nice and is behind the main Sabine front for a nice evening loungey atmosphere.