Restaurants

The Happiest Hour

Ballard's Waterwheel Lounge

by Marti Jonjak

Kelly O

Description: A divey sports bar in Ballard.

Waterwheels, a brief summary: Originally designed to harness the energy of flowing rivers, today they are the focal element crucial to Bob Ross–style paintings and jigsaw puzzles collected by grandmothers everywhere.

Endearing Waterwheel Lounge traits: The folksy wilderness mural out front; the mini-library, caringly stocked with several forgotten favorites (including a Fantasy Football Digest from 1989); the warped sense of intimacy gained by exploring the medicine cabinet in the ladies' room (it contains actual drugstore sundries—including a used tube of toothpaste and a laxatives-package leaflet).

Happy hours: Daily 5–7 pm.

Happy-hour drink specials: $2 well drinks, $3 import/micro drafts (Stella, Imperial IPA), $2 domestic drafts (Bud Light), $5 calls.

Happy-hour food specials: None, but the beer dogs are always only $1 and are presumably delightful (add bacon and cheese for 75 cents).