Ox Burger, the Lao-inspired smash burger spinoff from Taurus Ox, has settled into a new residency inside Fair Isle Brewing's Ballard taproom, bringing its signature Lao Burger back to the neighborhood on Sundays and Mondays. The Lao Burger stacks house-cured pork belly, jaew bong mayo, pickled red onion and taro stem on top of double smash patties built to stand up to a pint, creating a bold, Southeast Asian leaning alternative to the usual taproom fare. The move turns Fair Isle into a late-week stop where serious local beer meets equally serious burgers.
Taproom schedule and menu
As reported by The Seattle Times, Ox Burger now serves at Fair Isle on Sundays from 1 to 7 p.m. and Mondays from 4 to 8 p.m., offering the Lao Burger alongside a standard cheeseburger and a deluxe double patty option. The Times also noted that after a trial run at the end of May, the Ballard service is using frozen fries instead of the hand-cut fries served at the Madison location. Those hours are part of an ongoing residency, not a one-off pop up.
Where it's happening
The burgers are coming out of Fair Isle Brewing's taproom kitchen at 936 NW 49th St, and the brewery notes that La Marea will continue feeding the space Tuesday through Saturday, according to Fair Isle Brewing. Local site My Ballard reported that the arrangement began in late May and that Ox Burger will operate the taproom kitchen on Sundays and Mondays. Fair Isle has worked with rotating food partners before, so the Ox Burger residency adds a second regular kitchen partner to the brewery's weekly lineup.
From Madison to Ballard
The Lao Burger started at Taurus Ox and proved popular enough that it became the foundation for Ox Burger's dedicated counter on E. Madison, according to Seattle Met. Ox Burger's own site highlights the Lao Burger and the Madison location's hand-cut fries, while the Ballard taproom leans on frozen fries for its service. That trade off, a slightly streamlined kitchen setup to fit a brewery space, is a familiar move when restaurants adapt a full menu to a taproom.
Why Ballard cares
Ballard's busy taproom scene tends to perk up when breweries bring in name-checkable kitchens, since rotating partners can draw crowds on slower nights and let brewers offer a full meal without running a standalone restaurant. My Ballard pointed to Fair Isle's past collaboration with Beast & Cleaver as one example of that model, and Ox Burger's arrival fills a noticeable late-week gap for heartier, beer-friendly food. For neighbors, that likely means a busier taproom on Sundays and Mondays when Ox Burger is in the kitchen.
Ox Burger's Ballard residency appears set to continue, but hours and offerings can shift, so regulars should check Fair Isle and Ox Burger's sites or social channels for the latest details. Whether you are already loyal to the Lao Burger or just looking for a new burger and beer pairing, Ballard now has a standing option that does not require a trip to Madison.
