Tempting passersby since Zak's Burgers mysteriously closed, the new Li'l Woody's (2040 NW Market St) is finally just about ready to let loose on Ballard, with an opening date set for next Monday, June 17.

Marcus Lalario, owner of Li'l Woody's and who has had a location in Capitol Hill for about 5 years, said he had been eyeing Ballard for a little while now. Curious about what Zak's was doing -- which had gone into noticeable decline after it was bought by the folks of neighboring Yozen -- Lalario asked them what was going on. They said it was about time for them to move on, they worked out a deal, and now the rest is (almost) history.

According to Lalario, Li'l Woody's delivers hamburgers in the style of a backyard barbeque -- only, well, probably fresher than your typical Costco frozen patty and with more ingredients.

"We make everything in house ... everything's fresh, natural, nothing's frozen. We try to keep everything (ingredients) from the Northwest," Lolario said.

Burger selections, made with Painted Hills Beef, include the classic signature Li'l Woody and Big Woody as well as build your own burger list and a Ballard-specific salmon burger, all made with Painted Hills Beef. In addition, they'll be offering Dr. Kombucha on tap and Molly Moon's Icecream, both offerings which are new to the Ballard location.

As for the Molly Moon's, Lalario said that he and Moon have been friends for years and that it just made sense. Until next week, Molly Moon's has not had a location in Ballard.

Li'l Woody's will also have a selection of beers, including Manny's, Pyramid Hefeweizen and Lucille's India Pale Ale. Hilliard's, Tecate and Rainier will also be available. For the teetotaler, Li'l Woody's will have Vita Coffee and rootbeer.

While the basic structure of Zak's was kept, the interior was redone to make it look like a Li'l Woody's, including whimsical graphics, red seats and lots of reclaimed wood.

We took some photos for you to gander at. To view them, click on the main picture above or the thumbnails below.

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