Beer spots not super crowded?

When did Stoup become the big hangout spot in Ballard? Lately every time I go there on a Saturday the place is packed and the line is out the door. This was even before they opened their beer garden.

 

Kid friendly, good beer, word of mouth. I remember it not being crazy at Fremont back in the day, but then one day... BAM.

 

I was wondering why you left. We actually had really good service surprisingly. But if I go somewhere and wait for 10 minutes without being acknowledged I'm out the door too, just like you.

I'm with you. I detest crowded places and will avoid visits if it looks to be crowded. Naked City wasn't too bad on Barrel Aged WA night and for Battle of the Gorge. My guess is places with no events going on will hopefully be more low key.

Sometimes I miss the days when good beer was still something of a secret.

 

This why 12oz cans are your friend. They're very stealthy.

 

The backyard of my Maple Leaf home. There will be sun, lounge chairs, and ample bottles and cans of pilsners, pale ales, IPAs (and DIPAs), sours, and stouts but very few if any other people. It's kid and dog friendly and you don't even have to wear pants (or shorts). Plus, it's very possible there will be smoked ribs, potato salad, and cole slaw on the menu.

Screw Beer Week.

 

Last weekend I just wanted to swing by Fremont and pick up a bottle each of Endurance and Back to the Future, as part of my quest to tick every Fremont beer except Dark Star. We happened to be (sort of) on our way through Fremont on our way to Discovery Park for a little Mother's Day weekend family time, so I managed to divert our route to the brewery. The line was too long and I didn't want to make my wife and daughter sit in the car for 10 minutes, so I just said forget it. On our way back home we tried again and the line was even longer. I ended up picking up some food in Fremont on Sunday evening (solo this time) so I was able to stand in the line and get my bottles, which did take about 10 minutes. But I admit it was kind of frustrating and I selfishly kind of wished there was a separate line for bottle purchases. Two out of the three times I stopped by, the west side was completely closed, forcing everyone to line up on the east side (making lines twice as long as they'd be otherwise). Didn't make a lot of sense to me given that it was SBW and all.

So yeah, I'm with @BuckeyeOne on this one. I doubt I'll make any of the events this year and generally avoid beer-centric places this week. I did enjoy an RPM @ Wedgwood Alehouse last night before science night at my daughter's school, the place was completely empty when we walked in.

 

As an avid park drinker in Oregon, park drinking is great. As long as you're not posted up next to a playground or are "that" annoying drunk person/group, nobody seems to care.

 

kinda like this.........

 

Although, folks may wonder why you have to tip your burrito back so far.

 

I adore Fremont, but I really almost never go on weekends because the crowds are just too much for me. I really don't understand how people can enjoy their beers in throngs of people like that.

 

Don't feel bad, I also feel uncomfortable hanging around a bunch of guys in thongs.

 

See now for me that's a draw. My wife thinks I'm weird but whatever.

 

I have always found Science Night completely empty too. Feel bad for the kids/nerds.

 

Egg drop was fun though. Gave the firefighters something to do.

 

Go drink at Last Drop. They recently added an outdoor beer garden. They're never super busy.

 

If some of you started to wear thongs at the Urban Beer Garden, I promise you the crowds will thin out very soon and likely never come back to the Perv Palace....just a thought...unless its Solstice and then no one will notice.

 

The Yard? The Dray? Naked City? Beveridge Place Pub?