The Market Arms Pub

2401 NW Market St

(206) 789-0470

http://themarketarms.com/



Weekdays 11am - 2am

Saturday & Sunday 10am - 2am



Opened in June 2010 in the beautiful space formerly occupied by Mandrake Antiques, the Market Arms brings food, drink and ambience similar to the George & Dragon Pub in Fremont (and is run by the same owners).


It’s really all about the vibe at both of these places, and the Market Arms is a most comfortable place to have a pint, partake in some British-style comfort food, and watch a little soccer. For it’s soccer that rules the roost at Market Arms, although followers of American football, baseball and non-soccer events can catch the action here as well. But not surprisingly, soccer is number one.


Warm and prompt service is also the norm, with a well-practiced team of servers getting the food and drink out quickly and with a smile. Clearly reflective of a philosophy that drives similar service at the sister George and Dragon, the service if free of nonsense, and the staff act like they’ve done it before.


The big room is airy, open and surprisingly quiet due to carpet, padding, asymmetrical shapes and surfaces, and lots of furniture. Our visit put us in the company of a big crowd who had come to see a game, but the noise levels stayed comfortable, except for the unavoidable and annoying spike in volume of commercials, leaving us feeling a little bit yelled at when we left.


While serviceable and hot, the food was not particularly memorable. British food gets a bum rap, and when we returned from a trip to the UK, we were inevitably asked if the food is as bad over there as usually alleged. In fact, we found the food in UK to be consistently creative, focused on fresh and local ingredients, and usually including generous portions of greens and vegetables. We visited pubs in Great Britain with an extremely diverse and wide variety of choices, as well as traditional favorites, such as bangers and mash, done well.


Conversely, the menu at Market Arms was notably light on greens and vegetables, focused mostly on meat, cheese, and starch, with the predictable chicken Caesar and the like thrown in. We sometimes wish that the chicken Caesar had never been invented, as it seems to provide the default “lighter fare” selection on so many restaurants, taking them off the hook and preventing a more creative process of item selection.


The Shepherd's Pie ($10), served so hot that it almost melted our metal forks, was a case in point. While Shepherd’s Pie is certainly not the most vegetable-heavy dish around; the peas, carrots, and potatoes in this version where completely overshadowed by a thick layer of almost boiling cheese. Once we waited about a half hour to let the broiler-scalded serving approach an eatable temp, it was flavorful and, well, cheesy.


The Homemade Cheeseburger and Fries ($9) was served hot and juicy, and we were most pleased with this straightforward version.


As one would expect, the beer selection is noteworthy for its diverse mix of British, Scottish, and Irish favorites, mixed in with a smattering of US craft beers and session-style, lighter beers. Servers are careful to serve these at the appropriate temperature, and you’ll never get a too-cold Guinness here.


The presence of a newcomer like Market Arms is a very positive development for Ballard, with their friendly ambiance and inviting atmosphere. The corner of Market and 24th has become one of the most varied intersections around, with Ocho (Tapas), La Isla (Puerto Rican), and the Market Arms all within shouting distance. Just a few yards away is Snoose Junction (pizza) and Hazlewood (drinks without parallel), making this busy intersection worth the increasingly difficult challenge of finding parking.
Market Arms feels like it’s been there for years, and is likely to provide food, beverage and shelter for soccer fans and lovers of good beer for years to come.

The Ballard Food Police visit all establishments anonymously and pay for all food and drink in full. Know anything we should know? Tell the Ballard Food Police at ballardfoodpolice@gmail.com.