I really enjoyed eating breakfast here. I ordered the Wild Mushroom Omelette, and I highly recommend. The bacon served at Cooks tavern is truly a cut above the rest. I wish I knew where to get the bacon they serve, it was the best part of the meal. read more

Loved my first visit to the Cooks Tavern! Last night I had the excellent vegetarian Shift Meal with spicy linguine. The best part of the visit was getting Sam as our waiter. Absolutely the best! I'll be coming back regularly. read more

The eggs and black bean cake were good. I didn't care for the potatoes (the seasoning and too many crusty bits) and the biscuit was hard; however, the rhubarb-grapefruit marmalade was superb. So good I will go back. One more thing, I was not even offered a dessert menu. I know I ordered breakfast for dinner . . . it was still dinner. read more

the food itself is super delicious, i'll give it that, but my complaint here is how expensive the plates are compared to what you're actually getting. again, the food is good, service was all right, a little slow considering there weren't too many people in the restaurant in the first place, but overall, not a bad place to go to if you want good food in small portions. definitely a nice restaurant overall, and i'd recommend it if you want a quiet dinner date, but i think the prices could be a little cheaper for what you're getting. read more

We were blown away at how amazing this place was! So authentic, our server Logan was incredible! We will be back for breakfast lunch and dinner! read more

Had a lovely light dinner on Saturday----steak salad and spaghetti carbonara--with Linda as our terrific wait-person. Returned with the rest of the family for Sunday brunch which was also excellent. I really like the food, the staff, and the non-pretentious atmosphere. read more

Positives: Great location, amazing atmosphere with fun, bold, art pieces, windows that open up in the summer for an outdoor feel, and great music choice to complete the ambience . The beer on tap was cold, fresh and crisp. The first time I came here it was summer and I met up with a friend for lunch. I ordered a salad and I think a berry tini and was pleased with my meal. The second time, I came in with my husband and we ordered beer and wanted to split a BLT and each have some tomato soup. This got a bit confusing. Our waiter said they have a special where we could split a sandwich and each have a cup of soup for an additional $3. "Splitting fee" . We agreed. Then he came back stating that was the dinner special and to do this for lunch, there would be a $6. Splitting Fee ( $3. For the sandwich and $3. For the soup.) Oye. "Okay." I said, "Just bring us one sandwich and two cups of soup, no split ." When our meal arrived, we cut our own sandwich in half, and both the soups and sandwich were cold. In addition, the creamy tomato soup tasted more like a spicy marinara sauce with some garlic and olive oil on top. In a nut shell, I have to say, I really want to like this place. It has a lot of great qualities. Maybe I'll try once more in the summer, but I don't see myself as a regular here. read more

Food was great! Beignets came out in white bag. Server opened at the table and steam was coming out! Pastries nice and fresh and amazing with chocolate sauce. Also Wild Mushroom Omelette with Biscuit was great. Will be back again! read more

Someone said breakfast portions "are a little small for the price." Whaaat?! I've rarely had such big portions, and I like me some breakfast. On another visit I had a really good hamburger fixed exactly like I like 'em. Gracious servers. Loved the feel of the eclectic interior (outside was cold, windy and rainy - yuck). Really enjoyable experiences read more

Cute neighborhood joint. We were anxiously awaiting the opening, and let me tell you it was worth the wait. I tried the Art of Glass cocktail, pork tacos (so good!), tavern salad and my boyfriend had the steak churasco salad with chimichurri vinaigrette. We even opted to finish off with the strawberry and rhubarb grunt for dessert. The food was delicious, ambiance inviting and I loved the big band tunes. We will definitely be back! read more

Came in around 2:30 on a Thursday when it was pretty slow - about 4 tables were being served. It took 20 minutes for waitress to take order, which was a little frustrating. Burger was mediocre, fries were a little limp, salad was overdressed and chicken on salad was dry. Coffee was good. We always give places a second try, but aren't super impressed after this initial visit. read more

Been there twice and enjoyed the Tavern Burger with fries both times, yummy! I also had a decaf mocha which was probably the best mocha I have had in a long time, not overly sweet like so many I have had at other locations. I will go back for appetizers and maybe a cocktail in the near future, it is close and just the right size and great/light atmosphere, the service was pretty good. For a Monday and Tuesday at lunch time, it was pretty full. Even though there was an error on my order, they made up for it with a cup of coffee and fries to munch on until it arrived, hence the 5 star rating. read more

Tacoma has needed a place like this for a long, long time. A neighborhood restaurant that would satisfy people in Wallingford or Ballard, and not stoop to the lower standard that too many Tacoma restaurants aim for. No coincidence that it's owned by a Seattle chain (Chow Foods). read more

Cook's Tavern has become one of our favorite places to eat. We have never had a bad meal, you can count on consistently great food, with a fun and delicious twist. Ask your server for a recommendation. I probably wouldn't have tried the pork chop but because of a spot-on recommendation, it has become one of my favorite dinner entrees. We love the casual, neighborhood atmosphere and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. You really can't go wrong here!! Breakfast is great too! read more

A side salad of greens from a package and nothing else for $7.00. Very small portions. Just feels stingy! Can not figure out why they are so busy. read more

This was a bad experience. The Catalan food was not Catalan. The service was terrible and our waitress was not nice. I will not be going back. I think they have taken on too much with the rotating international menu. Had to wait so long for our orders. Not worth it. read more

Cute place. Very open. Service was great. The food however was just okay. The portions were small and the prices were high. Probably won't return. read more

Went last night and despite the 35 minute wait for a table, the service was prompt and food was delicious! We started the meal with the tuna ceviche, and will definitely order it again! It was spicy and tangy, which paired nicely with the avocado and tostone. My husband had the pork chop and claimed it the most flavorful and moist he'd ever eaten. I had the lamb burger, which had a great spice. Definitely not bland! Yum! Our server was very busy, but had a great attitude and took the time to introduce us to the breakfast menu, which we are looking forward to trying! So glad to have a new neighborhood hang out, with interesting and delicious food. We will absolutely be returning! read more

Maybe it's just me but the place seems to be trying to hard to be cool and falls flat. I went for lunch and honestly had a hard time finding anything on the menu that looked appealing to me. Breakfast items, salads, sandwiches. That's it. I ended up getting the biscuits and gravy, which was a huge mistake. The gravy was way too thick (gluelike) and oddly on the sweet side. I'm not sure what kind of sausage was used but it was bland like hamburger. There was way too much of it, and it congealed on my plate before I could make it through the first biscuit. The biscuits were ok but nothing special. "Fruit cocktail" side consisted of a couple of chunks of unripe melon and a maraschino cherry. I definitely wouldn't order this again. My friend had the "torta" sandwich made of black beans and plantains. She liked it but I didn't. A tried a bite and it left a terrible aftertaste in my mouth, like rancid pork fat or something. Disturbing. The plantains were too sweet and overwhelmed the taste of the beans. The texture was also strange. The creamy tomato soup tasted like tomato paste, it seemed more like spaghetti sauce than creamy tomato soup. I can see that they're trying to create a new, fresh menu with "interesting" dishes but the things I tasted just didn't work well. Just because it's unusual doesn't mean it's good. The wait staff was attentive but mechanical. The atmosphere was ok. Lots of windows, nice open space, but the decor didn't impress me. Again, trying too hard to get the "New Orleans vibe" - not authentic New Orleans, more like what people who haven't been to New Orleans might imagine it to be. I agree with the reviewer who said eating here was like being in a play about a restaurant. Definitely something artificial about the whole experience. I might try the dinner menu sometime, but in terms of lunch, no thanks, I won't go back. read more

Excellent meal and atmosphere! Their Old Fashion's are best ever had. We will be back.

Their breakfast is 5 star! Their coffee is great, the service and the food is so flavorful and rich. This is the place on one of he last days of summer I told my husband on a Monday morning I just wanted to find a place that had open windows, good food that didn't make my gut hurt and close to home. It's like God was listening! Now why only a 4 star? Because I went their for dinner and wasn't that impressed. It was so busy that our drinks kept getting forgotten, my Mac and cheese was cold and our server distracted, hence probably the forgotten stuff. I will say the Brussels sprouts were fantastic! I'll go back for breakfast again and again and I can't wait for it to warm up so they open the windows but I'll steer clear of dinner. I didn't want to like these guys because they are part of a Seattle restaurant group and I generally like to keep Seattle out of Tacoma but they've made a nice little addition to the neighborhood as well as their place right next door. read more

Got the pan seared duck special with apple and sweet potato mash with red cabbage relish. The meal was amazing and staff was great. Only issue was that we got very small portions and left feeling hungry after a $100 bill for two read more

Loved the eggs Benedict, but some of the other food our group got wasn't as amazing. Staff was nice and helpful! Not really much I can say about this place that's negative. read more

I wish we could give this place 0 stars. My husband and I are an elderly couple who were looking for a good breakfast place. We read all the reviews and thought: wow, let's try it. At 9:30 am on Monday morning, we walked into an almost empty place except for a young couple finishing up their breakfast. From the moment we arrived, the "hostess" flipped us an attitude as if we were something on the bottom of her shoe. No smile, no nothing, just grabbed 2 menus and threw them on the table and scampered away from us as fast as possible. So we read the whole menu and waited. There were at least 3 wait people working all around us, pointedly with their backs to us. We talked, we read the menu again and 15 to 20 minutes after arriving and no one bringing us water or acknowledging us in any way, shape or form; I finally asked one of the wait people, who still never looked at us, who kept her back to us, if it was a self service place? No, John will help you she said. John never looked up, but adopted the standard back to us stance and never even acknowledged us. I said: well apparently not, I guess you don't want our money. So we left. Possibly the rudest people we have met. We can understand one person having a bad day or something but geez, all the wait staff? If having people behave rudely, sullenly and flipping attitudes for no apparent reason is your idea of a good time; this is definitely your place. Never got to try the food. Who knows? We will never set foot in this place again. read more

This restaurant is fantastic! They rotate through locales and so far I've eaten amazing food inspired by New Orleans, Argentina, and Cuba; I've heard rumors that France is next and I can't wait! I literally have never eaten a meal here without saying "Damn, that was good!". Their beignets are a great sweet treat after a meal, their beer and wine selection is good, and their mixed drinks are fantastic. Special shout out to Linda, the amazing bartender who always has a smile, a song to sing, and good recommendations on drinks and food. read more

Had 2 breakfasts and a lunch and they seem to be hitting on all cylinders. Great ambience, steady crowd; actually had to wait to be seated, which rarely happens in Tacoma. read more

Excellent food and service! I had their trout special and it was perfect! I highly suggest trying the Side Car cocktail if you like gin. Also, the bread pudding was delicious. Overall great experience! read more

Today was my first time at Cook's Tavern and I will back! Wait staff was friendly. Food was awesome!

Went for the first time Feb 2nd. Me and two friends one who had been there before and had been disappointed but thought she would give it one more try. It was awful. Tough steak bland food one dish so salty she could not eat it and when she told the hostess she was told it was supposed to be that way. We are not that hard to please. We go out often all around Tacoma and Puyallup and this is the first place we have eaten where we could not even finished half of our food and it was not due to large portions. No one came around to refill water or ask if we wanted a refill on coffee and when plates went back filled with food no one acted the least bit concerned. We will never go back nor will we recommend this place read more

Food was okay but portions were very small for the price and we were waiting for a good hour, hour and a half. However, heard the pancakes were amazing. Still, probably won't be returning. read more

Absolutly amazing!!!!! I would go back just for the scratch margaritas and dessert!!!! Apple cobbler something!!! Jude our waitress told us her favorites, was very attentive to our needs and also thanked us more than once for coming in!!!!! A new favorite place for date night!!! read more

Ate here with friends a few weeks back for an early-ish Saturday dinner. Our server was FABULOUS. Duck confit fried rice was amazing. Pass on the mac and cheese (or maybe it just paled in comparison to the dick confit fried rice.) The pork chop was likewise amazing, the special (flank steak with super-addicting fried potatoes) was solid, and the lamb burger super-flavorful. We split the grunt for dessert. Yum. Only "miss" was the coffee--I could not believe how weak it was. Expected better. Our server comped it though. We'll definitely be back. Nice to have a new place in the 'hood. read more

My Wife and I came for breakfast. The current theme of the restaurant changes. The current theme during our visit was Cuban food. I wasn't feeling very adventurous so I ordered the biscuits and gravy. The wife had the desayuno enchilada. I had stolen a few bites from her enchilada and was ashamed that I hadn't taken more of an edgy approach to my meal. It was fantastic. But the biscuits and gravy were some of the best Ive had. The seasoning of the gravy was unique and not just greasy spoon fare. I was pleased with the environment. We were seated within minutes of walking in, much to the chagrin of the families that had to wait. Thank goodness for morning bar seating!!! The paintings on the wall reflected all things Cuba. I loved the painting of the heavy set Momma with the huge cigar in her mouth. I couldn't stop looking at her, or she couldn't stop looking at me. Either way, we were in good company and in the presence of great food. I highly recommend this place!! Enjoy read more

I found Cooks Tavern generally underwhelming. The ambience reminds me of a restaurant you'd find near the mall. The food was okay. I had the Shift Meal which is the saltiest combination they could find of olives, capers, cheese and whatever else they have in the fridge with salt in it, and noodles. A little spicy, which was the best part. The noodles themselves were good. Just overwhelmingly salty. My husband had the Tavern Burger which he described as "just a burger". Not very exciting considering the high price. It was a good just a burger, and a nice relief from the salt lick on my plate. I'll say this, while its not for me, there's a good energy at the place, and people seem to like it. And, the service was great! Very nice people, and attentive. read more

Brought a friend from out of town for a late brunch. Loved that they serve breakfast until 2. I got eggs Benedict and she got a four stack of seasonal pear pancakes. Food was amazing!! Her pancakes were huge and very reasonably priced. Mine was a huge portion for great price too. Will definitely be back to try lunch! read more

Uh... I had higher expectations. Well to start we waited about 45 minutes on a Monday, so if you're on a time limit beware. The restaurant and decor were awesome, the music playing in the background great. Food on the menu sounded great and from what I saw looked good. Wait staff seemed extremely overwhelmed and too busy to handle the tables they had. My food came out about 5 minutes after the rest of the tables and I only received half of my food, to eventually get the rest about 15 minutes later. My eggs Benedict were okay, nothing special. My sister in law hated her tomato soup, my husband did like his waffle. It seems like this place has potential, but needs to work some things out. We may try it again, we'll see. read more

My original review was after eating a spicy cajun breakfast here, last year. Very good! In November of this year, my sis treated me to dinner here for my birthday, and again, attentive staff, wonderful food and convivial atmosphere. We had the (from the current Paris portion of the menu), Moules frites and the Cassoulet, ending with the cafe au lait brulee. The mussels were kissed by the sea, plump and juicy, and the cassoulet was perfect. We de skinned the duck leg, and then fork shredded the meat into the beans, pork, etc, and wow was that delicious. Cassoulet I've had before, pieces of duck mixed with the beans, but I prefer this presentation, separate, sumptious duck leg, to have it your way. And the brulee......satiny, rich yet light and tasty. Thank you for a lovely birthday dinner! And we shared all of this......Cooks servings are generous read more

Just tried this place last night. Nice atmosphere - casual bistro. I had carbonara and fresh asparagus. The house white was ok, but it is also a bargain. The spaghetti was very nice and a perfect portion [not huge-not tiny]. The asparagus was a very generous amount. Really good service without hovering. I would like to try breakfast sometime. The desserts looked good but alas there was no room. read more

Service ok, food is very good, but charged $8.00 for a glass of ice and vegetable juice which they called a Bloody Mary. Disappointed!

SUNDAY CHICKEN DINNER - all I have heard from friends, is how amazing the chicken dinner on Sunday evenings is, well yesterday was not so great! How disappointing, maybe the usual cook was off, had a cold or the kitchen ran out of salt, pepper and other seasonings. Each component of the meal was tasteless, BUT IT LOOKED GREAT! read more