I stop in anytime I get a craving for a nice hearty cup of claw chowder. Never disappoints(:

I used to come here all the time until today. The bulldog at the register was so rude and insulting that after placing my order I asked if I could have some oyster crackers to go along with the Tanker of Clam Chowder. I was then told that nobody likes oyster cracker and I replied I Do. That's when the Bulldog behind the counter started to spout off that he wasn't going to argue with me. My reply was I was only asking and if you want to be disrespectful I would be leaving. I mentioned that I would most likely post a review about his insulting behavior. Surprisingly he said go ahead. He obviously isn't an owner and cares very little for the business establishment. I would be positive and make the sale after all it's all about customer service and the bottom line. I honestly can say that I am never going back there again. If it was my franchise I would be really upset. No body wants a employee to run off the customers. Times are tough and there no reason to run your customers out and encourage them to post a negative review. It's hard to find workers who care about the core business value. This was a location that I often went to but not anymore. The power of the purse is the only thing that matters. If you treat customers poorly, you're gonna lose business no matter how good the food is and the food is very good but not good enough to put up with a jerk. In the future what I want chowder. I'll buy it at Costco the heck with these clowns at this place. read more

got the cajun fish and shrimp tacos, which tasted good, but expensive as it was $11ish. not that filling, but eh. My friend got the award-winning clam chowder that they are known for, which I recommend that u get if u decide to eat here. Worth its price and actually tastes good. Reminds me of San Francisco. Staff serves you at your table even though you order at the front with the cashier. I like the hospitality here, but I wish that this place had more going on for their atmosphere because it felt sterile with the minimal decorations and quiet music. I wish that they did more talk about the clam chowder with the servers and cashiers, too. Got to take pride in your bestproduct! read more

Ivar's Seafood Bar - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Full boat Cod, chowder and sub onion rings! This place has had a full upgrade since my last visit! Clean and mega friendly! Staff are amazing and food is hot and fresh! Definitely go for the glam chowder but that panko fish sandwich hits the spot every time! Definitely on track again! I sea quality in every way! read more

First time here. Didn't look like much from the outside but the inside is clean and has a lot of nostalgia on the walls. Service was fast and the Cajun cod was flaky and perfectly seasoned. Wasn't too oily either like a lot of other places. Chowder was also good, definitely will be returning to try more things on the menu. read more

Ivar's Seafood Bar - 3pc Cajun with clam chowder - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Used to love this place. Went in and noticed that the meals i used to buy have gone up in price over 20%. Just like all the other places that completely ignore their customers affordability i will no longer be eating here anymore. Prices are now out of control. It was a good ten years. Everything good must destroy itself over time i guess. Sad. read more

Phenomenal experience! Every time I go to Ivar's, I'm impressed with the awesome customer service, the perfectly breaded fish, and the taste of the sourdough bread bowl with clam chowder. Everything about my visit was perfect! Great prices compared to the locations up north as well. read more

Ivar's Seafood Bar - Clam Chowder in Sourdough Bread Bowl - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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I grew up eating at Ivars in Seattle and having a blast feeding the seagulls French fries. the fish was much bigger, nicer and flakey, what we had tonight was a disgrace to be called Ivars fish and chips. Tiny fish stick size peices of fish that looked and tasted like it was frozen then dropped into a fryer. We had to return our cold fries (but we did get some hot fries). Really the only thing that was good was the chowder. Our excitement to finding an Ivars was evaporated when we got our food. Shelli J read more

Finally back in Washington and couldn't wait for a nice warm cup of white Ivar's clam chowder. Ordered from the drive-thru and the male employee worked quickly and had a pleasant, joking conversational demeanor. There are a couple outside tables and the inside had patrons looking to be enjoying their dinner. I could see an employee vacuuming inside as well. The food was tasty and at perfect temperatures. I like my hot food hot, and cold food cold. The fish & chips and chowder were hot. The coleslaw was crisp and cold. I thought it could take some more dressing as it was a bit bland. The two desserts were perfectly cold as well. We ordered carrot cake and strawberry champagne cheesecake. Both were tasty, but my favorite was the cheesecake. It was refreshingly delicious. And the lemonade was a wonderful compliment throughout the meal. read more

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On a Friday late afternoon in May, my family and I stopped by Ivar's. It was our first time there. The interior has bunch of photos the owner. The staff are nice and there are booths and tables. We ordered a tanker of clam chowder and 2 baskets of fish and chips. The clam chowder was really good and taste better than Ivar's at Costco. The fish are small pieces and not too greasy with the fries. Overall good late lunch meal. read more

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Love love the white clam chowder. Was disappointed in the Halibut and chips. I could have sworn it tasted like regular cod. I should have asked. I will definitely check next time. Halibut is thicker, and this was as flat as a pancake. read more

What a great experience! A very busy Veterans Day offer filled the place for lunch, but we found a table right away because staff was right out there, cleaning them as they saw even one that needed clearing! No worries there! And the vibe, the charm of regular customers and the staff that had been there for years, the consistent quality of our meal and the clean and charming dining area really added to the sunshiny day! Manager and District Mgr were in the dining area, helping to deliver orders and chatting with the guests when it slowed down... so neat to see in this day and age! The good things never change; Ivars in Lakewood has always been a place to get away from the rest of the world to a better time. Highly recommended for a swell time (and the prices can't be beat!) read more

Still one of the better seafood places you'll ever sea. I especially enjoy their fish and chips. Why is it that other places serve them with so much breading that it's more like "breading and chips"? It makes you crabby when you get food that poor, and ask them why all the breading, they just clam up. However, Ivar's is first rate. I'll continue to visit and maybe bring my gull friend. read more

Hard to say how many stars. So three it is. First off.... The service and the taste of the food was wonderful. I always get their signature clam chowder. My wife always gets the scallops. The problem is the portions. Each time we go here the size of the fish, shrimp, and everything gets smaller and smaller. Ivars's use yo be know for good sized fish. Unfortunately, that is no longer true read more

First time ever loved the clam strips and chowder. Staff was kind and prompt in opening.

You can't go wrong for some Ivars fish & chips alongside a sourdough bread bowl filled with hot delicious clam chowder. When it's chilly outside, this sure hits the spot. Haven't had this in years, and it taste just how I remember it. The cod fish were cooked perfectly! How to eat: Grab a piece of light battered fish, dunk in some malt vinegar then dip it in some tartar sauce..make sure you get a good scoop! WOW! The flavors are superb! The clam chowder bowl, just pour into your sourdough bread bowl and dig in! This was so warm and hearty, our dinner was wonderful! The lady up front was really nice and friendly. The inside is of a old school diner, I like that they kept that vibe going. The decor has a lot of vintage photos and pieces of the past. Stop in for some food but also a mini museum experience you'll find too! Thank you Ivars! Can't wait to try some salmon fish and chips and of course another bowl of clam chowder. read more

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The staff was friendly and helpful and the food came out hot, quick and delicious. The restaurant is very clean and there is a lot of parking available. read more

Ivar's Seafood Bar - 3 piece fish and Chips - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

We love the fresh fish with little breading mostly fish. Service is always good and helpful. Place is clean and pleasant with Ivars nostalgia. We always get the full boat and 2 of us share ! So good ! Fast food done good . read more

Been going to this Ivars since I moved here in 2004, it's always been consistently good, service is too.

Tried this place for the very first time. The halibut was absolutely delicious. The clam chowder was pretty good. The fries were completely tasteless. There was no seasoning whatsoever, not even salt. Maybe I just got a bad batch... Very glad that the fish was high-quality. read more

Not a fan, chowder was good, but the fish tastes like the stuff you get in the frozen food isle. Service is usually ok here, but this Ivar's is like in the heart of the ghetto and the store looks like it has seen better days. Really when you live in Washington there are so many better places then this, I really would just recommend pretty much anywhere else read more

Amazing!!! I got two soups to try since I was worried I wouldn't like one but they are both absolutely delicious! I recommend the smoked salmon soup if you want more flavor! read more

Ivar's Seafood Bar - Amazing!!! I got two soups to try in case I didn't like one but they are both delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

This is a must stop whenever I am in Tacoma or Lakewood area! The jumbo fried prawns are fresh and delicious. The staff are friendly and the food comes out hot. I love this place read more

Ivar's Seafood Bar - Jumbo Prawns 'N Chips - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Ivar's is an iconic NW seafood restaurant and they did not disappoint. The restaurant was clean and the servers were courteous and efficient. My girlfriend and I each ordered fish and chips with a cup of chowder. We both thought everything was outstanding. Our only complaint was that the pieces of fish were smaller than we expected. I recommend travelers stop here over any of the other fast food options. read more

Tacoma, WA a nearby port city taking pride in its' seafood fare would be ashamed to be associated w/ this irl version of Spongebob's Krabby Patty joynt called Ivar's. My seafood plate was sad. My sea life on a plate was mostly breading and the meat portion was very depressing. Fish & chips establishments in my grandmother's home Douglas, Isle of Man UK they would've taken this seafood plate and would've thrown this out no doubt! I really want a refund, but gonna do the West coast thing and take the passive aggressive route and not return on future dining visits and advise Yelp reader to do the same. read more

Ivar's Seafood Bar - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Not sure if this review will stick. Ordered via delivery app. Customer service got my order correct, along with giving me condiments. The Salomon and chips were okay, I sound have Ordered the grilled salmon and rice pilaf. I was expecting something different dancing on my taste buds. The clam chowder was pretty good though. read more

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Food was great service was fast and kind people We will definitely be returning back for more food!

There is no problem at all with the Ivar's but I feel Grub Hub could be considered a scam. My order was for three piece pollock and a cup of white clam chowder my order was over fifteen dollars for a cup of chowder delivered, Ivar's only got the order for the cup of chowder, Grub Hub tell me with taxes and delivery fee brought the ticket to the higher amount. I will never use Grub Hub not even with considerable watching,ever again. read more

Perfect everything. Suggestion: If we get two cornbread muffins, howsabout we also get two pats of butter? Ivar's Prices are going up, but that is the same everywhere. PS My parents took me to the original Ivar's in Seattle circa 1950's. I think I received a child-sized take-home menu that I cherished for years. read more

This is the second time I've visited for carry out orders in the last month. The employees are great, but the cod is very small, and the fries were over done. Not the quality I remember. Ivar's was founded in Washington, I was born and raised in Lakewood, I'm sad to say I won't be going back. read more

I've ordered online twice and for the most part the food is delivered and good, however their menu list corned bread which I paid $3.25 for but never received. A call to the restaurant manager and she informed me that they don't have corned bread and that I'd have to contact their corporate office. I've instead disputed the charge with my credit card company. read more

Met my crew for lunch, decided to try Ivars this time. Food was fresh and really good. The staff were very polite and friendly, plenty of parking too. Since the weather was nice, sat outside at one of the tables with a table umbrella. Definitely will visit again. read more

Been eating at ivars for over 50 years. Decided to try something different than my standard cod and chips. Ordered salmon dinner platter and side of fries. Salmon was overcooked and over-salted. Rice was... ok; overdone. Coleslaw was not bad, i like slaw with light mayonnaise. Frech fries used to be great here. They've changed them, i believe. Skinnier and don't taste fresh like they always used to. Awful, in my opinion. This order was exceptionally greasy and over cooked. Maybe they fried them 2 or 3 times while they waited for the salmon to finish being overcooked. Come'on Ivar. You're better than this. read more

Ivar's Seafood Bar - Very dry and salty Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon Dinner - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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I don't usually write reviews for chains, but the manager reads and responds to reviews. So here's another positive review! Service is ALWAYS friendly and fast. Price is a little high for the quality of food, but it's fast... And the chowder is amazing! If you don't have time for a sit down meal and want some decent fish and chips or chowder, stop by! read more

Ivar's Seafood Bar - Ordered a 3 piece and got 4! I think it was for beggin Boi! He loved the DT lady! - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Better than ever! Came in for lunch having been away for a while, and wow! The place was extraordinary clean, from door glass to tables to everything I could see during my short wait. Manager Rodney was the face of the business ringing up orders, and when he was busy fulfilling orders, the fry cook immediately took orders from her position, showing me a well trained staff that works together for their guests. Our lunch came quickly and was cooked to perfection with brand new oil and crispy fries. Chowder was steamy hot, and our coleslaw was fresh and tasty. We were charmed by this experience, and will tell everyone we know that "this is the place!" read more

I had a previously poor experience at the Ivar's seafood bar in Seattle so reluctantly came here expecting a similar experience. Boy was I wrong. The service was super friendly, fast, and the ladies even brought back out our meals to the table. I ordered a seafood combo that came with cod, clam strips, and baby shrimps and everything tasted super fresh! The cod literally flaked away and you could taste the texture of all the seafood, it did not taste frozen! In addition, I got a bowl of clam chowder that had chunks of clam in every spoonful. All of the vegetables all held their integrity and shape..so creamy and delicious. To add to this delicious feast, the restaurant had a malt and garlic vinegar that really enhanced the flavors. The decor was family friendly and punny. Glad I gave this chain another chance, I'll stick to this location from now on! read more

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Fast and casual seafood. I chose Ivar's almost completely for its clam chowder. I was having a craving. Online, It's hard to know the difference between "bowl" and "cup" so I ordered bowl. Bowl was pretty good serving for one person. The cup might be more of an appetizer size. I found ordering a bowl of chowder and sharing a regular entree to be the perfect amount of food. When I went to pick up the food, staff was kind and quick. The food was ready on time and there wasn't a wait. read more

Even though this place is considered a fast food joint, whenever you're craving that clam chowder, this place always hits the spot. This location is one of the cleaner locations and the service was great. Ivar's was always a childhood spot for me and having it just recently again did not disappoint read more

This is a chain in the area. I went with fish and chips. The fish had a light coating not like other places where you think you're eating batter and not fish. Very good. I liked it so much that I went the following day because they don't have a location in California. read more

Ahoy me mates and fishersmen. Your friends at the Ivar's offer greetings and FISH, (with a healthy helping of tartar). I love these people. They are the true definition of friendly, generous, and happy to be working in a little fish fry just off the highway. It is a unique place, and I enjoyed to drive thru. (Dining room is closed. Thanks alot Covid). I wanted to touch all the bases due to the excellent reviews. First offering is a grilled salmon/ bacon sandwich. It was not a great start unfortunately. It really did not live up to the Iva-hype. The salmon was thin, over cooked, and COLD!? Was it supposed to be cold? I'm not exactly sure, but it was disappointing. It didn't help that the bun was also dry and much taller and fatter than necessary. I think they can do better and had to dock them a point here. However, in a true redemption story, the rise always comes after the fall. The second offering is right in the sweet spot for Ivar's. This is probably what they do best, the fish n chips. This was a better effort, even though the portions are small. The fish is tender, moist, hot, and tasty. Dip in a bit of tar and your off to the races. The chips are average, see below for a better option. Get the onion rings! For the love of all thing holy, get the damn onion rings ! Just the little snacker bag is all you need. Ridiculous. Delish. Fabulous. And finally, the Chowder. Amazing. It's thick, its tasty, and it has lots of big chunks of chewy clam bits, onion and celery. It is a hint on the sweet side, which caught me by surprise at first. It took me a few scoops to get used to but it was worth it. Ivar's has been around since 1938, they have a good recipe and good people. Thanks for the fish, I hope you make it to 100 years old ! read more

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