Skål Beer Hall

Nice ambiance but I didn't think the food was that good or worth the price (ordered a beer cheese pretzel, mac n cheese, and an open faced sandwich - which was more like the size of two crackers). May have been a better experience had I been drinking heavily :-)It's counter service - get in line and order at the bar and someone will bring your order when it's ready.

9/2023: I started with the Mead flight: traditional (basic tasting unfortunately), Oppegaard Meadery Blueberry (my absolute fave), Viking's Blod (tasty but maybe too sweet). Next time I'd stick to blueberry Pretzel was okay, the beer cheese was okay but the lingonberry mustard was exceptional! Best mustard I've ever had!(unfinished)UPDATE (2024): Came here 9/2023 and had a great time. Sat outside. Played some board games. Ate. Other details I do not recall because I didn't finish my review but I need the world to know at least some of my initial thoughts. I'd definitely be back. Loved the vibes. I remember them running out of buns so at one point only 1 of the 2 people at our table could get a burger but then they somehow found a second bun and both could get a burger. It was ...interesting lol

Excellent service staff, drinks ok, appetizers ok as well. I suggested easing up on the salt on the otherwise delicious asparagus. We love salt but couldn't eat this small serving. As others have said the 1 lb pretzel was microwaved, we couldn't even take a bite as it was too tough. It came off the bill. Just hate that though, if something as simple as a pretzel is fumbled how can I go back and spend more on a meal? Great server!

This place is super cute! It has great theming from the decor to the seating. The seating was primarily bench/booth type tables. We made a reservation and I am so glad that we did because this place was slammed on a Saturday around 5pm with every table full. The service was a bit slow but the server was helpful. We got the salmon sandwich and a pretzel. The sandwich was so good! Toasted bread and the sauce were a great touch. The cucumber salad was light and fresh. The pretzel was good but a bit too on the bready side. Overall a great meal.

Skal Beer Hall is so fitting for the Ballard neighborhood, being little Scandinavia in Seattle. And this Skal Beer Hall is very much on theme to that, with its open faced toasts, pickled bites, dark wood interior and booze from northern Europe. We had a fun time here. My partner and I visited Skal Beer Hall because we were drawn by the live music playing out on the patio! We were walking around the neighborhood on a Saturday night and heard polka music in a covered patio, so knew we had to get some bites and libations here. We sat where the entertainment was and ordered a few drinks and shared a smorrebrod trio, which were three open-faced sandwiches.I had a mango raspberry cider from Sweden, which was fantastic. It tasted like a tropical juice with booze, which you can't go wrong with. The smorrebrod trio was a great way to try the food here between the two of us. Our trio consisted of the lox, the venison and the roast beef. Of the three, I liked the roast beef one the best. However, I thought the smorrebrod was A-OK. I would be inclined to try something else from here on another visit, such as the pickled herring or salmon. But the best part of Skal Beer Hall was the atmosphere. Although we sat outside on the patio and didn't experience the restaurant scene, we had a fun time, listening to the live music, especially with other patrons who got into the spirit and would clap along. Service was also good. I'd come back here again to explore more of this Scandinavian restaurant and bar.

Excellent Scandinavian-themed bar. Great beer selection. Awesome location. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. I didn't eat there so I cannot verify, but the food looked very tasty.

Since Ballard's origins are heavily steeped in Nordic countries, we walked by this restaurant while looking for a place to eat, stopped, and stared. Anyone who knows me would know I am unlikely to eat dinner at a place called a beer hall. And yet, I did. I was mildly intrigued at a Viking themed restaurant (and beer hall). I have had some good food during my travels to the Baltics, so hey, why not? It was 50-50, hits and so-close-but-not-quite. If you're a drinker, this place will earn added points. The interior is awesomely decorated with lots of things to stare at. The service is pleasantly attentive. The Food:Shrimp Skagen, $16 - 4 StarsThis is legit Scandinavian style shrimp salad that is heavy on the dill. Their version is lighter on the mayo than I have had overseas, and I like that. The salmon roe is a nice PNW added touch, though I have seen it served this way, too. I wasn't fond of the crostini - very crispy tough. Hubby liked them though. Dungeness Crab Croquettes, $18 - 3 StarsSometimes I order dishes knowing I won't be satisfied. It's only $18. How much crab can there possibly be? The answer is "not much". But the frying and the flavor is good, so yay for that.Pork Belly skewer, $5 - 2.5 Stars, Venison skewer, $6 - 5 Stars The menu called the skewers "Nordic tapas". Sure, why not? Hubby said the pork belly was too fatty and not much meat. On the flip side, the venison was divine. Very, very tender. Get this!Braised Lamb Sandwich, $17 - 3 StarsThe menu description sounded great. "Our homage to Fårikål - the national dish of Norway - reinvented as a sandwich of braised lamb leg, cabbage, & pickled carrots on a rustic potato roll." Braised, possibly without much seasoning, cuz hubby said there's not much flavor besides the meat itself. Grilled Sablefish, $20 - 3.5 StarsThis dish is quite close to my idea of favorite food - seafood on veggies. BUT... See the giant flakes of salt? They are indeed very salty. I saw them and removed all that I can see before eating. The fish was good, but the veggies were still salty. So close. So close... The food is more of a 3.5 rating. But I am rounding up to 4 stars because the place is charming.

Stumbled upon this Nordic themed bar and my husband who was born in Denmark just had to go in and see. Had a medley of the skewers... our favorite was the duck heart! We loved the Njord Bord... especially the smoked trout dip and the pickled herring. With the food, a pint of beer and some aquavit, my husband felt like he was back home. Everyone, from the bartenders to the chefs in the kitchen were so so friendly.

Skål Beer Hall is a modern Viking meadhall serving beer, mead, cocktails, and aquavit. Founded and owned by a Ballard resident of Norwegian and Swedish descent, this place combines Nordic history and tradition with a Seattle twist.Parking is a little tough in the area so you might have to park further away and walk. They offer indoor and outdoor covered seating; I recommend making reservations online.My first drink was the odin fashioned ($15) which was different from a typical old fashioned because of the aquavit base. My second drink was the lavender lady ($14) which was very tart and lavender forward. It was definitely a spring sipper as they advertise it. My third drink was the forage and frolic ($15) which was more gin-forward and tasted of a lot of botanicals. We also shared the large beer hall soft pretzel ($13) which came with a couple varieties of mustard and went well with the beer cheese ($4).They have happy hour most days of the week (weekdays until 5:30pm and 10pm-11pm Fridays and Saturdays). It was a chill place to hang out for a couple hours. The inside was more dimly lit but the outside was great on a nice day!

What a fantastic time! I hosted a friend's birthday gathering here, wanting to provide a totally unique experience, so we went with a couple of the 'feasts' for the table. It couldn't have been a better experience.Service: Despite a large group, we had the entire team, seemingly, stopping by regularly to make sure we had everything we needed. Appetizers and drinks came out almost immediately and from that point forward, it was a wonderful slow feast of a wide variety of flavors. I hate squash and even THAT was delicious!Ambiance: Despite it being fairly full, it never got all that loud, and we were sat in the front by the windows. It has an awesome Nordic feel to it with the wood everywhere, but they also paid attention to every detail such as the mug they provide the cutlery in, or the boards that the feasts come out on. They even plate the food in a way that makes it clear, its a FEASTFood: Everyone loved everything, what more can be said? At the end of the evening, we all agreed, we had to come back. And when we did, it wouldn't be soon enough!