Latest Reviews
-
Walter's (The Scoop). Have met some of my best friends here. Great espresso and donuts. Snoqualmie ice cream.…
Kathleen.teeple
Walter’s Cafe
-
A neighborhood staple.. Love this place. Great people, great staff, great service. it is the perfect place to go to be around real people. So many caf…
TrueBallardite
Walter’s Cafe
-
What A Show!. The Coffee is so-so. Service bordering on mean spirited and I'll readily agree cranky. (Think Soup Nazi from Seinfeld)As to ambience...w…
Allan
Walter’s Cafe
About
Walter's Cafe is open for Dessert Parlor. Walter's Cafe serves Ice Cream dishes. Incorrect or missing information? Make a report, or claim the restaurant if you own it!Details
Feature List
takeaway availableoutdoor seatingwifiindoor seatingReviews
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to post a comment.
8 Reviews on “Walter’s Cafe”
A neighborhood staple.. Love this place. Great people, great staff, great service. it is the perfect place to go to be around real people. So many cafes these days are filled with fake smiles, fake laughs, anything to get an extra buck’s tip. Walters is real, and has been for 20 years. Anyone saying it’s unfriendly or unpleasant will have no problem finding another coffee shop that will suck up to them with insincere banter, but you will be hard pressed to find anywhere else that feels like an honest community. Think Cheers. Come in on a Saturday morning and see for yourself.
What A Show!. The Coffee is so-so. Service bordering on mean spirited and I’ll readily agree cranky. (Think Soup Nazi from Seinfeld)As to ambience…well dark and cave like in the morning, hot as an oven in the afternoon. Corrigated tin on the front counter like something a designer from a poor mexican village might find attractive. Bathroom…don’t go there. I’d rather pee in the alley. A fusty mop lies abandoned in the corner. Yikes. Ice cream excellent, but high priced for the surrounds. Doughnuts and pastry ho-hum and likewise priced to the extreme given the dive’s decorum.Patrons amusing….old hippies in the morning….school children in the afternoon. What a mix. It’s worth a cup of joe…if you could get one there, expresso drinks only, just so see the side show.
Walter’s IS Sunset Hill. If you want to feel smug and blather on with the owner about the acidity of Sumatran vs. Ethiopian coffee beans, go check out Aster on 24th. If you want an inviting, friendly atmosphere to meet friends and neighbors who arrive mostly on foot, then Walter’s is for you. Sure, the coffee is only adequate, but it has *great* ice cream and donuts. The service is always cheerful. Very kid and animal friendly. Supports local artists with regular exhibits on the walls. Walter’s represents the best parts of Ballard that are being swept aside by monstrosities like Piccolinos across the street that are completely out of place in the neighborhood.
If it wasn’t within walking distance I probably wouldn’t go. The ice cream is great … but considering I have to deal with crappy service every, single time I go in there, I’m not sure it’s worth it. The coffee is just ok, but now that Piccolino’s has a coffee shop across the street, I’d rather go over there for a much better cup. The other bright spot of Walter’s is that they do have Top Pot donuts …
Terrible Espresso. Great ice cream, great neighborhood place- but: the coffee is substandard, the baristas untrained, and the owner just doesn’t care. As for being under assault by the place across the street, Walter would do better if he actually cared about the product he delivers. This neighborhood has supported him for years, and it’s time he stepped up his offering- the quality of the coffee and the pastry over there is better.
Walt needs to step it up a notch. Take credit/debit cards like all businesses in this day and age.
This place defines the neighborhood and provides a place where everybody knows your name. Now it us under assault by some CPA who opened an espresso store across the street in this small area, apparently out of spite. If you want to preserve this homey gathering place you need to support Walter’s.