Kickin’ Boot Whiskey Kitchen to open soon in Old Ballard

Hold onto your hats, whiskey lovers, there’s a new bar in town: it’s called the Kickin’ Boot Whiskey Kitchen, and it’s going in the historic Henry Whyte Building at 5309 22nd Ave NW, on the corner of Shilshole Ave NW.

Photos courtesy Kickin’ Boot

The restaurant and bar will have Southern fare, offering wood-fired steaks, house-smoked BBQ and crispy fried chicken on their menu. Other favorites like fried catfish, shrimp and grits, and smoky baked beans are in the works for Kickin’ Boot, which is set to open mid-July.

Nathan Opper and Zak Melang of Matador Restaurants co-own the new venture, and Opper says they, “traveled the country, from Texas to Tennessee and over to the Carolinas, in search of the best BBQ and whiskey, and returned to Seattle full of inspiration for the Whiskey Kitchens.”

The restaurant and bar will be on the upper floor of the Henry Whyte Building and will seat 75 in the bar area, 50 in the dining room, and 50 more on their open-air patio, which will offer year-round outside dining. The interior of Kickin’ Boot offers glimpses of the historic building it occupies, with turn-of-the-century Redwood trusses, repurposed original fixtures and windows, and exposed brick and barnwood.

Kickin’ Boot hasn’t set a concrete opening date, but we’ll update with new info.