To most Ballardites, King’s Hardware isn’t typically described as a dive bar, but it made the list of the country’s best dive bars from the MSN Lifestyle website.
MSN compiled a list of each state’s best dive bar, and King’s came out on top for Washington. The author writes:
As long as you’re good with taxidermy, chances are you’ll love this bar. With a fantastic selection of beer, craft cocktails and a stick-to-your ribs menu, it’s a great place to while away a foggy, rainy Pacific Northwest day.
Some of the criteria they used to define a dive bar include a jukebox, “beer in bottles, but preferably in cans”, a stale beer smell, friendly bartenders, “a spate of regulars, many of whom are old-timers and know each other well”, and no hipsters or tourists.
Thanks Ralph Hammersborg for the tip in the My Ballard Group!