Chuck's Hop Shop - 85th St. Market
656 NW 85th St
Seattle, Washington, 98117-3143
United States
(206) 297-6212 | map
chucks85th.com
Notes:
Reviews: 23
| Ratings: 61
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Reviews by dirtylou:
dirtylou from New York
4.48/5 rDev -2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Chuck's has come a long way in the last year...
Location is pretty key for me - 85th and 8th, very easy uphill drive from Ballard. For tourists and those not residing in the area, fairly easy to access from I-5 (85th street exit).
It doesn't look like much from the street - theres only a few parking spots and they can be tricky to get in and out of, especially with traffic. Parking on the next street up (assume this is 86th) is usually very easy.
There are a few outside tables, some tables right on the window as you enter and then more in the back.
Everything outside of the beer area is a little questionable - some decent wines, but mostly low-budget gas station food and drink selections otherwise.
They have 30 freaking taps - all served in mason jars. They are the most aggressive establishment when it comes to sampling that you'll find. This is a good thing - you can probably grab a nice buzz just partaking in free samples if thats your thing. The taplist is always quality, with a heavy west coast focus.
The bottle selection is very solid - yes it tends to be more expensive than rival shops, but things also tend to hang around here a lot longer than at other places. For example, cascade releases that sold out at bottleworks in a day are STILL on the shelf here. They get just about everything that comes through town, though their allotments of some of the rarer stuff is often tough to figure out. You're almost always guaranteed to be surprised by something you find here.
A year ago, there were bottles of very questionable quality (really old IPA's, etc) - this seems to have improved significantly. They have lots of old beers, but less "expired" beers.
A great local business - don't judge by the exterior appearance
Jul 16, 2012
4.48/5 rDev -2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Chuck's has come a long way in the last year...
Location is pretty key for me - 85th and 8th, very easy uphill drive from Ballard. For tourists and those not residing in the area, fairly easy to access from I-5 (85th street exit).
It doesn't look like much from the street - theres only a few parking spots and they can be tricky to get in and out of, especially with traffic. Parking on the next street up (assume this is 86th) is usually very easy.
There are a few outside tables, some tables right on the window as you enter and then more in the back.
Everything outside of the beer area is a little questionable - some decent wines, but mostly low-budget gas station food and drink selections otherwise.
They have 30 freaking taps - all served in mason jars. They are the most aggressive establishment when it comes to sampling that you'll find. This is a good thing - you can probably grab a nice buzz just partaking in free samples if thats your thing. The taplist is always quality, with a heavy west coast focus.
The bottle selection is very solid - yes it tends to be more expensive than rival shops, but things also tend to hang around here a lot longer than at other places. For example, cascade releases that sold out at bottleworks in a day are STILL on the shelf here. They get just about everything that comes through town, though their allotments of some of the rarer stuff is often tough to figure out. You're almost always guaranteed to be surprised by something you find here.
A year ago, there were bottles of very questionable quality (really old IPA's, etc) - this seems to have improved significantly. They have lots of old beers, but less "expired" beers.
A great local business - don't judge by the exterior appearance
Jul 16, 2012
More User Reviews:
rab53 from Washington
4.4/5 rDev -3.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
Jul 22, 2019
4.4/5 rDev -3.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
Jul 22, 2019
Oh_Dark_Star from Washington
4.62/5 rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5
I enjoyed the taps here and the folks pouring were knowledgeable and great to chat with! They had a large bottle selection but lacking a lot of regularly carried top brews I would hope to see at a shop of this caliber.
May 05, 2019
4.62/5 rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5
I enjoyed the taps here and the folks pouring were knowledgeable and great to chat with! They had a large bottle selection but lacking a lot of regularly carried top brews I would hope to see at a shop of this caliber.
May 05, 2019
Phoodcritic from Michigan
4.33/5 rDev -5.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Sep 09, 2018
4.33/5 rDev -5.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Sep 09, 2018
smela3 from Texas
4.71/5 rDev +3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
Aug 16, 2018
4.71/5 rDev +3.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
Aug 16, 2018
Radcpa from Washington
4.26/5 rDev -6.8%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
What a great selection of beers that are well organized by type. The staff are very knowledgeable and eager to help. The seating areas are a little dingy and dark and small
Jun 20, 2017
4.26/5 rDev -6.8%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
What a great selection of beers that are well organized by type. The staff are very knowledgeable and eager to help. The seating areas are a little dingy and dark and small
Jun 20, 2017
winningthrough from Washington
4.82/5 rDev +5.5%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
Jul 11, 2016
4.82/5 rDev +5.5%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
Jul 11, 2016
dshansen1184 from Washington
4.3/5 rDev -5.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Feb 29, 2016
4.3/5 rDev -5.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Feb 29, 2016
HopBroker from Washington
4.54/5 rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5
Jan 12, 2016
4.54/5 rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5
Jan 12, 2016
Texasfan549 from Texas
4.4/5 rDev -3.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
Dec 09, 2015
4.4/5 rDev -3.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5
Dec 09, 2015
Mehinaman from Washington
4.75/5 rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75
I love both of the Chuck's locations in the Seattle area, but this one seems to have more bottles available then the Central District. That might just be an optical illusion due to the different layouts, but I'm pretty sure this one has more of a selection of beers to go overall. The guys who work here are all really friendly and they always have good stuff on draft. Top notch all the way
Nov 30, 2015
4.75/5 rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75
I love both of the Chuck's locations in the Seattle area, but this one seems to have more bottles available then the Central District. That might just be an optical illusion due to the different layouts, but I'm pretty sure this one has more of a selection of beers to go overall. The guys who work here are all really friendly and they always have good stuff on draft. Top notch all the way
Nov 30, 2015
Cloaked_Phantom from Washington
4.79/5 rDev +4.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5
Nov 20, 2015
4.79/5 rDev +4.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5
Nov 20, 2015
Beervana from Canada (BC)
4.81/5 rDev +5.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5
Nov 16, 2015
4.81/5 rDev +5.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5
Nov 16, 2015
JamLand from District of Columbia
5/5 rDev +9.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
V: It is a combination bottle shop/bar with a great neighborhood/local feel. Despite being busy with a large selection of bottles for everyone to look through, a bar and growler fills, Chuck's was laid back.
Ser: Bartender suffered through my wife's new interest in beers and repeated request for tasters. Granted the box of bottles I bought probably helped the cause.
Sel.: The best bottle selection I witnessed while in Seattle along with a tap list that offered several locals I could not find elsewhere.
Overall, I think this is my first 5 star place review. I cannot think of a single way to improve Chuck's in Greenwood. I love this shop so much, if I ever moved to Seattle, I'd try to live near Chuck's so I could walk to it.
Oct 02, 2015
5/5 rDev +9.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
V: It is a combination bottle shop/bar with a great neighborhood/local feel. Despite being busy with a large selection of bottles for everyone to look through, a bar and growler fills, Chuck's was laid back.
Ser: Bartender suffered through my wife's new interest in beers and repeated request for tasters. Granted the box of bottles I bought probably helped the cause.
Sel.: The best bottle selection I witnessed while in Seattle along with a tap list that offered several locals I could not find elsewhere.
Overall, I think this is my first 5 star place review. I cannot think of a single way to improve Chuck's in Greenwood. I love this shop so much, if I ever moved to Seattle, I'd try to live near Chuck's so I could walk to it.
Oct 02, 2015
Erik-P from Canada (BC)
4.42/5 rDev -3.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75
Sep 12, 2015
4.42/5 rDev -3.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75
Sep 12, 2015
EdwardAbbey from Washington
4.75/5 rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75
Although this shop has been outstripped by its sister store in the CD, it's still a gem, a true original, and one of the two or three best bottle shops in all of Seattle. Good people, great selection. Consistently. The layout and seating arrangements are awkward, but if you can overlook that you'll be, and go home, happy here.
Sep 11, 2015
4.75/5 rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75
Although this shop has been outstripped by its sister store in the CD, it's still a gem, a true original, and one of the two or three best bottle shops in all of Seattle. Good people, great selection. Consistently. The layout and seating arrangements are awkward, but if you can overlook that you'll be, and go home, happy here.
Sep 11, 2015
doughanson78 from Washington
4.64/5 rDev +1.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
I'm partial to central district Chuck's. This one is a bit more crowded but still has the same phenomenal selection and knowledgeable staff.
Jul 08, 2015
4.64/5 rDev +1.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
I'm partial to central district Chuck's. This one is a bit more crowded but still has the same phenomenal selection and knowledgeable staff.
Jul 08, 2015
cherche from Washington
4.07/5 rDev -10.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4
Jun 01, 2015
4.07/5 rDev -10.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4
Jun 01, 2015
Rutager from Canada (BC)
4.5/5 rDev -1.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
May 17, 2015
4.5/5 rDev -1.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
May 17, 2015
JISurfer from South Carolina
4.79/5 rDev +4.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
Feb 13, 2015
4.79/5 rDev +4.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75
Feb 13, 2015
semogolf1 from Washington
4.68/5 rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
This place is pretty top notch....A little pricy though.
Feb 01, 2015
4.68/5 rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
This place is pretty top notch....A little pricy though.
Feb 01, 2015
Nietzsches_Horse from Washington
4.57/5 rDev 0%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
It's an unpretentious convenience store with ~40 taps, an excellent bottle selection, ice cream (for the kids or weak-willed adults), and food trucks. The interior layout is poor when it's busy (dictionary definition of a "bottleneck"), it's a bit dingy (but in a cozy and charming way), and the draft/growler prices are often befuddling. But, ultimately, if you are new or old to an interest in craft beer, this place is a must-visit when in Seattle. You'll feel welcomed here, and will always find something (and probably many things) to drink.
Jan 14, 2015
4.57/5 rDev 0%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
It's an unpretentious convenience store with ~40 taps, an excellent bottle selection, ice cream (for the kids or weak-willed adults), and food trucks. The interior layout is poor when it's busy (dictionary definition of a "bottleneck"), it's a bit dingy (but in a cozy and charming way), and the draft/growler prices are often befuddling. But, ultimately, if you are new or old to an interest in craft beer, this place is a must-visit when in Seattle. You'll feel welcomed here, and will always find something (and probably many things) to drink.
Jan 14, 2015
italianstallion from Wisconsin
4.52/5 rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75
Dec 25, 2014
4.52/5 rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75
Dec 25, 2014
Chuck's Hop Shop - 85th St. Market in Seattle, WA
Place rating:
4.57 out of
5 with
61 ratings
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