Russell's

Friendly service, decent chicken pot pie, but the hummus plate was sad. $16 got me a board with about 2 tablespoons of hummus, a few carrot sticks, celery sticks, 3 slices artichoke heart, cucumber slices, marinated olives, and pita. I had to order more hummus coz the amount given was insanely small. So add $3.50. $19.50 total for the saddest hummus plate in Seattle :(

Russell's is a Seattle gem! They're selection of Mezcal is probably the most extensive in Seattle and beyond! I lost count after a hundred. Mezcal Monday is a great way to try Mezcals you've never tried. They're cocktails are top notch and they rotate their menu periodically to keep their selections unique and tasty! They have a limited menu that is made with love from the meatballs to the tacos to their House-made mixed nuts! Everything they make is with the highest standards! Many people aren't familiar with this place and some of us regulars are okay with that since it's not a large place, haha!

Stopped by on a fall weeknight for a couple drinks and I'm glad I did, I love a great cocktail!The smallish bar was pretty full given that it wasn't a weekend, although I was able to get two spots on the bar top facing out the window. I'm a big fan of gin so choosing the Lucille Ball seemed like a no brainer. The refreshing, citrusy drink is comprised of gin, Campari, Giffard elderflower, grapefruit, and cucumber ($12). Naturally I got a second.I guess they use quite a bit of Mezcal here but personally I'm not a fan of its overpowering smoky nature. But hey, there are other selections! Needless to say I'd come back for another cocktail, although it would be nice if there were comfier seating options.

Small lively neighborhood spot! Was popping on a Tuesday night. Liked the vibe, was almost fully seated when we got there. Snagged the last two spots. Would def come again

This is the kind of place where one could easily become a regular. I've only been here 2 or 3 times but when I walk in I half expect the entire bar to shout "Norm!" like in the t.v show Cheers. ...which would be weird because my name's not Norm......but what I'm saying is that Russell's has all the friendliness of a dive bar-- people at the bar chatting it up with strangers, a few tv's to watch "the game", and genuine waitstaff that really seem to like where they work. (Which is why I'm so confused by all the negative reviews about service? Every time I've been here it's been nothing but smiles and 10/10 service.)...except, it's not a dive. It's kind of trendy. There were fresh flowers tucked into old mezcal bottles, and at around 5pm on a Sunday our server went around putting tea lights on all the tables. The strength & weakness of this place is its size. It's small, or in realtor-speak "cozy". There's only a 2 booths, a small narrow 4 top table, and the rest is bar seating or counter seating. This is why all the dive bar friendliness comes into play naturally, but this isn't the place for a large group. And sometimes I've been here and have taken the last available seat. MENU-- Just enough options to cover all the bases. Gold stars & bonus points for all the house made items! They have small bites (nuts, olives, pickled things), medium bites (hummus, charcuterie, soft pretzel), and large bites (sandwich of the week, meatballs, sliders)...so, all the bites. & A few salads. Not a great place if you're gluten free, or vegan though. HAPPY HOUR-- But I don't come here for dinner. I come because they are in my neighborhood, AND their happy hour is damn good. $6 Old Fashioneds?! $5 wells?! ...IN SEATTLE?! What the what! They also knock a few dollars off draft beers and wine pours too. And for HH food--they have a select number of food items from their menu which are about $1-$2 off of the reg. food prices. Two of us came here during HH and each ordered 2 drinks, and shared the meatballs (which come with 2 hunks of bread, so yeah...in other words, make yourself a lil' meatball sub) and our bill was about $30 +tip. They have about 3 beers on draft, 6 wine options, and about 11 house cocktails. So they have something for everyone but their cocktail/sprits game is strong. I mean, they celebrate "Whiskey Wednesdays" and "Mezcal Mondays" each week, with correlating drink specials. I'm not a succinct writer. But if I were I could've just said "Russell's is a watering hole jackpot. I love this place."

Neighborhood bar energy is so strong here. I lived above Russell's when they first opened and hadn't been back for probably 7 years. The attention to detail with everything from the decor and appliances to the food menu and beers on tap is just as thoughtful as when they first opened. I was in Ballard and wanted to watch the Kraken game and thought I'd go back to the place where I had multiple existential crises in my mid-20s, and I was not disappointed. How can one go from talking shit about Malort to having two shots with the regulars? Only Joe might know the answer to this one. The food is life changing. I ordered the crab roll and it was everything I could have asked for and somehow more. I found God in that crab.This may just be my favorite bar in Seattle.

I've been here a handful of times now. The Breakfast sandwich during brunch on weekends might be the best in the city! Cocktail specials rotate periodically and I feel like I have a new favorite drink every time they update.

Food was sub par and very limited. Overpriced Cozy bar but don't plan on eating there. No bargain on the drinks either

I had a cocktail and a glass of whisky. Amazingly nice , competent and knowledgeable bar staff. Highly recommended!

Really good comfort food and drinks! And love the window seating! It's also a small sports bar.