First time here. We came for Easter Brunch. No wait because we chose not to eat at the formal dining area but rather where you order yourself. There were tables available. I ordered the Classic with bacon and my husband ordered the Corned Beef Hash and we shared one pancake. The food was delicious. Pancake was fluffy, the corned beef hash is sautéed with red onions. Both dishes were served with the house Shaka potatoes which had just the right flavor. Be warned the servings are huge! The picture shows before we dug into our plate and what it looked afterwards. I highly recommend this place! read more

Shakabrah Java - We were stuffed. As you can see, we have plenty of leftovers! - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Food was good, service not so much. Once seated, we were basically on our own. Like another review, they turned the screen around for us to add a tip when paying but I was left wondering the reason for the tip since we pretty much did everything ourselves. Had to order our own food, bus our own table and grab our own to go containers for left overs. The food was brought out to us but no one stopped back around to ask how the food was or if we needed anything else. The condiment bottles at the table were sticky. Also, the cash register person was not friendly at all...again...you want a tip, you should at least be friendly and greet the customers. Not impressed with this place. read more

If you like breakfast potatoes this is the spot for you! The Shakapotatoes come with almost every meal and are delicious. I had the California Veggie Scramble. The veggies were fresh and the sheer amount of food was a little overwhelming. The service was incredible. Our waitress helped my wife order exactly what she was looking for when she couldn't find it on the menu. Will return for brunch!!! read more

Shakabrah Java - California Veggie Scramble w/ Sourdough Toast l - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Omg the best breakfast spot in Tacoma. Food came out fast and the service super attentive! I've heard it gets pretty busy on the weekends, luckily we went on a Tuesday early morning. Bottomless hot coffee and great pancakes! read more

Shakabrah Java - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Really good menu - I'm not a traditional breakfast person, and they had tons of options for me. Great drinks, and really fun atmosphere - upbeat servers and team. read more

I ordered loco moco for breakfast, and it was so salty it was nearly inedible. It took a bit to get the waiter to take me seriously. I suggested he talk to the chef. He came back and said the kitchen manager tasted the brown gravy and I was right. The waiter was very nice, and offered us a big discount, but that's a pretty bad mistake. Restrooms were filthy, and while it was jumping on a Sunday morning and the vibe was good, there's other breakfast spots in Tacoma that sample what they are putting out on the table. Dirty restrooms always make me wonder what is going on in the kitchen, and I had the growling gut this morning to prove my theory. read more

Update- unfortunately we had a less than fantastic visit today. We arrived to find a few open tables in the self-service space, but the previous customers didn't bus their table so it was sticky and piled with plates, cups, food.... and flies. So many flies today as we sat in the front booth after we'd bussed it and washed down the table, lots of spilled syrup to mop up. I killed more than 10 flies as I waited for my food. We also waited nearly 30 minutes for our food to arrive today, which was unexpected and made us late getting to an afternoon appointment. It was loud, super crowded, very slow service, and smelled of weed as the front door is propped open and guests step out to smoke in the doorway. The food was good though, so I'll keep it at 2 stars. read more

Shakabrah Java - Bathroom graffiti. - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

While visiting the Tacoma area we met some friends for breakfast here. If you are in the mood for a casual diner-style atmosphere with a delicious and huge portioned breakfast, this is your place! This restaurant is divided into two sections. The section you enter into is their casual order-from-the-counter area. The left side of the restaurant is the side with waitress service. That is the side we sat on. Everything we ate as a group that morning was awesome. A Denver omelet, scrambled eggs and salami, fresh biscuits with butter and honey, and a combo breakfast. We did not try the pancakes because we were warned that they are bigger than a giant plate. But they looked good! The only reason I am not giving five stars is because it was very difficult to catch our busy waitresse's attention to get coffee refills. Our food came out very quickly and all orders were correct. Our mugs sat empty however. An easy solution might be to provide small carafes of hot coffee for each table. read more

Shakabrah Java - Coffee bar on "full service" side - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

It's been a while since I've been in Tacoma to visit this location, but I'm making a review now because they made an impact. I had a salami, egg, cream cheese breakfast that I STILL talk about to my husband. Living in Las Vegas, I feel like I'm in one of the top cities for good food in the world and I can't find anything like that here! It's so unique and delicious. You wouldn't expect it, but it surprised me in the best way! I used to be in town a lot more because my sister lived there, but I'll be back eventually for other things and I'll certainly do breakfast here again. I remember the staff being perfectly cordial despite being in a rush, and that there was a decent line on the day I went. Get the Salami Eggs if you like salami !! read more

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Came here for breakfast on Monday the 31st of January and man what a place! The atmosphere is quaint with a bit of hipster flair. You order at the counter fyi, the pancakes are amazing and gigantic, we ordered one for three of us. The chili quiles was one point and so was avocado omelette! Super quick service and the food is great! read more

This is a Tacoma gem and I love it. It has a chill, laid back atmosphere. Yes, it took a few minutes to get our first coffee but after that our cups were never empty. Service is friendly and warm. If you choose the self serve side you wait in line, order and grab a table. If you choose the table service side, seat yourself and a server will be around with menus. My friend and I had brunch yesterday, and we both eat keto/low carb. The server was really helpful suggesting alternatives to their famous potatoes. I had a veggie scramble with a side of avocado. My friend had a bacon avocado omelet with a side of grilled veggies on spinach. All fresh cooked and yummy. Their menu has sooooo much flexibility. Look, I'm giving them 5 stars for being excellent at what they aim to be--a laid back local breakfast diner. Thanks Shakabrah for keeping Tacoma cool. read more

The food and service was very average. I feel like I'm being pretty generous with a 3 star review. I don't understand the 5 star reviews at all. I feel like they're giving them extra stars cause of the pride and blm flags lol read more

A 6th Avenue gem! Shakabrah is one of those old-fashioned diners that has classic breakfast/lunch dishes as well as modernized but creative dishes. From the time the place is open till they close, you can always walk in and expect a good handful of people there enjoying a cup of coffee or some good ole fashioned pancakes. "The Big Country Breakfast" was a bit smaller than I expected but was still pretty filling to say the least. Maybe cause I'm a tall guy that the dish looked a bit smaller, but I still destroyed it in one sitting with no regrets. Scrambled eggs were perfection (you can choose how they prepare your eggs), biscuits and gravy were pretty nice and light, hash browns were golden and crispy but not overcooked, and the sausages had such a great smoky flavor to it. But the one dish you must ask about is their Loco Moco. The gravy they make for it is top secret, that's probably why it's so yummy. This is what I mean when they take a classic dish and put their own little spin on it and boy did it work out great. The menu size is perfect and not overwhelming at all. You can't really go wrong with any of the iconic and traditional menu items. A plus with the menu is that it's fairly priced and won't break the bank too bad. This spot is great for a family breakfast or a weekend brunch spot if you're looking for satisfying homestyle food that fills your belly with happiness and joy. You might sit back in your seat after to re-adjust your belt but hey you won't regret it. read more

Shakabrah Java - The Big Country Breakfast - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

My sister recently moved to the Tacoma area and our friend took us out to breakfast here. The restaurant is in a great location. Residential parking only here. We had no issues finding parking though. Now this place is unique. The place could use a coat of fresh paint and new tables and chairs however I beg you look past that. That won't matter once you start eating and you enjoy every bite. My oh my!!! These pancakes are HUGE! You could easily share it with two other people! I would give this place 5 stars but the service was not that great. The girl that greeted us to the table had zero energy and was like "blah!". Our waitress(she must be an owner or something) was like having a friend serve you breakfast. She was great!. As I observed the other young man that was waiting tables i noticed he was very low energy too. Now it is my first time visiting this area of Tacoma...so I don't know if this is just the normal energy level here. I would urge you to go here and bring your family and friends. Supporting local business is so important! I will go back here again. I will happily overlook the low energy staff and sit, shut up and eat my yummy food! read more

Shakabrah Java - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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The service was terrible and the food boring, bland and merely warmed-up. The employees at this establishment are obviously too cool to give a damn about whether you enjoyed your meal or not. Also, be careful, they'll try to serve you your cocktail or drink without adding any alcohol to it -- guess its a little game they play with patrons. It happened to me and someone else I know. read more

Came in here for the first time today. Place is clean. Both my wife and I ordered espresso drinks which had good flavor. We both also ordered the breakfast special of a Triple Bacon Burrito. Very flovorful and the price was not bad. We will definately be back next time we are in the area read more

The food was really good and normally I'll get something not knowing what it is but Shakabrah said what was in it instead of just saying the name read more

Food was ok, service was horrible. Every worker was rude and made us feel like an inconvenience. I was excited to check this place out after several people recommended it; clearly it isn't what it used to be. read more

Looking for a great breakfast spot in Tacoma? Head over to Shakabrah cafe in the Central District, located at the corner of 6th & Oakes. It's a great spot to meet up with friends. Recommendations: 1) The pancakes are awesome. Add macadamia nuts for a tasty island flair. 2) The omelettes are cooked to perfection. Try the Bacon Avocado omelette. 3) Definitely get the shakabrah potatoes. Nice and crispy on the outside. read more

Great All Day Breakfast place. Friendly staff and great food. The drinks for that brunch are perfect.

It was my first time here but, I will definitely go back. On arrival we were told a one hour wait for a party of 7. Wait time was more like 25 min and worth the wait. Great food and atmosphere read more

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I don't know who Connor is but his vegan burrito is amazing! Tofu, black beans, rice, and peppers nicely grilled flour tortilla (I got mine without jalapeños). It came with salsa and guacamole... I ate the whole thing. Other people in the brunch party ordered pancakes the size of a huge plate, scrambles, mimosas and the Bloody Mary. My coffee was consistently filled and all my questions were answered. The folks were incredibly warm and welcoming! The whole menu looked fantastic and I will be back when I visit my bestie. They also have comedy nights and other neat coffee shop/bar entertainment. read more

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I wish I could give 4.5 stars to this place, because it doesn't deserve a full five stars, but is better than a four. The atmosphere has a slightly grungy, hipster vibe, which fits with your modern greasy spoon diner menu array. The food was very good, enormous portions for the price. Their pancake was probably the best pancake I've ever had dining out - crispy outside with soft and fluffy inside. The farm omelet was stuffed like a sausage with vegetables and sausage - many places you go these days skimp on the omelet fillings. Overall my wife and I left fat and happy. It is absolutely the place to go for a cheap and delicious diner breakfast! read more

Shakabrah Java - Giant pancake! - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

I came here with a few friends for a boozy brunch. It was "highly" suggested by my boyfriend who is a local. It was good, and I would go back, but I would order something different. I ordered the moco loco. It was a rash decision. Usually I look up the menu and have what I am going to order planned out, but I did not do that this time. You have to go to the counter to order and the menu is on the wall. I was standing there holding up the line trying to figure out what I wanted, so I just picked the first thing I saw. The loco moco was not terrible, it's just not something that I necessarily enjoyed eating for breakfast. It's rice, gravy, eggs, and a hamburger patty. The patty was very over cooked and not my favorite thing in the world. The mimosa was very good though, and they gave you a huge glass of it. Like I said, I will return, order something else, and update my review! read more

Shakabrah Java - Mimosas - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

It was my 2nd time coming here for breakfast and I was not disappointed. First time I came (many months ago), I ordered the corned beef n hash plate...it was filling and tasty. I always like to try different things when I go to the same restaurants but I also stick with the same old same old coz if it ain't broke, don't fix it! So this time I tried their Loco Moco. And being from Hawaii, this is a popular plate. I gotta say that their Loco Moco was different but a good different in that the gravy was sweet and spicy. The beef patties were a bit tough but it's good it wasn't fatty either. I'd probably come back and have this one again but they've got some late night bites I'd like to try in the future. Oh, and I had a quick taste of my friend's pancake and it was fluffy and yummy! The only downside was that it was kinda loud so if you're looking for a quiet breakfast joint, come early. read more

Shakabrah Java - Corned beef hash - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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We went for Sunday brunch and had the Hawaiian mimosa, pancake, egg, sourdough toast, their special potatoes, the Chrissy, and the SMF omelette. They have huge servings so splitting would be totally doable! Will definitely be back. read more

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During our first visit here, I enjoyed a really good omelette, but my husband ordered bacon, and 1 of the slices of bacon was practically raw. We sent it back, but the server said, "extra crispy bacon" when she delivered the replacement serving of 4 burnt slices of bacon. The following weekend, I succeeded in convincing my husband to give this restaurant another try. But when we got there at NOON, a server intercepted us before we could try the door and informed us "we closed early". We won't be trying this place ever again. read more

Came here for breakfast on the recommendation of a friend. Read the prior reviews (and the sign right inside the door) so I wasn't thrown by the two room format. I actually appreciated being able to grab a table and order at the counter. The service on the side was good too though as both the woman who took my order and server who brought our plates out we're friendly and helpful. I believe this is one of those situations where I ordered badly. My husband and I got the vegan scramble and a pancake with plans to share them both. The vegan scramble came with their Shaka potatoes. The best thing I can say is that the pancake was excellent. It was as large as I was led to believe and delicious. The tofu scramble left MUCH to be desired. There was a pool of water under what were barely cooked cubes of tofu and vegetables. It said the tofu was marinated but I think it was too wet to take on any flavor from whatever it was marinated in. I can recommend they start pressing their tofu and maybe use dry seasonings in the pan instead of trying to marinate it. Curry powder, nutritional yeast and black salt is a good place to start. Or just buy baked tofu. The undercooked and underwhelmed continued with the potatoes. I was excited because it's hard to mess up breakfast potatoes. I mean, they are potatoes, so that's a win right there. Then you fry them, double win. Except these seemed like they were steamed and not fully done instead of pan fried. There was no crisp and it wasn't just because they were on the same plate as Lake Tofu. If I return, I would adjust my order to a dressed up order of Shaka, special request: well done and a pancake with toppings. My friend got a bunch of fun stuff for her pancake and I could deal with peanut butter as my breakfast protein. I only say if because I don't live in Tacoma. If I lived in Tacoma, I would probably try them again because the atmosphere is fun, friendly and funky and the service was good. read more

food was okay... nothing great. we had to walk up to the counter & order ourselves as well as grab water & take our plates when we were done. nothing extra special about this place read more

The food was so delicious and the service was great. Even had some leftovers & boy did it hit the spot hours later. Had a cool setup too.

We had a party of 6. When we got there they told my friend that the whole party had to be with us before they could sit us down. Then when we sat they gave us our menus and we thought they were going to host us like any other restaurant does and the person working said if you guys want to order you have to go to the counter to order. I ordered first and and was about to pay until the lady told me the whole party has to order then once we are done they will split it up. Then 15 mins later someone came to our table and said you guys didn't pay, you have to go to the counter before getting your food, so we all did that then the food came. You also have to get your own water and buss your own tables. Absolutely the worst restaurant and will never be coming back. read more

My daughter and I love Sakura Java on a Sunday brunch! The whole vibe is on point we love the 90s, and my California veggie hash is so fresh and delicious every single time! Perfectly ripe and avocados so hard to find French toast five stars 10 out of 10 highly recommend you stop by if you're Perusing sixth Avenue! read more

Best breakfast spot I've ever been to! Potato's are insanely good!! Would come here and day! read more

Shakabrah Java - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

What a cool spot! I stopped by for breakfast which was served super quick and was amazingly yummy. It's got a very cool vibe, nice staff and a funky look. I'd come again if I'm in the area, the menu looked like you could eat here often without repeating yourself and enjoying it all the same. And tons of vegetarian options, which is hard to find! read more

Love this place, its old timey and the food is comforting. Good coffee too. We live in the neighborhood but rarely go due to the prices (its kind of expensive e.g., a latte is $4.75). If they prices were a tab bit lower I'd go at least twice a week. read more

I wish I could say that I'll be back here, but I will not. The food was wonderful and the potatoes great, however does it really take 15 minutes to get a coffee order out? Especially when your breakfast already has been served? I inquired about a 4 shot latte and they said, "It takes awhile to make 4 shots." I just didnt feel like the customer service was very genuine. read more

You've got two options coming here... sit on one side and do counter service or sit on the other side and get full service. Silly me. The first time I came here I got counter service and was so confused about their system. Friends who ordered mimosas got food before drinks and nothing came out in any way that made sense. Fast forward to my last experience and I can see why people love this place. First off... in a town that has lots of great dining options, but limited options for kids, this place is a winner in my book. My kiddo LOVED her pancakes. Chocolate chip pancakes for the win. I love your 16oz mimosas. Thank you for that jolt of boozy goodness so early in the morning. My omelette was delicious. I appreciate the perfectly ripe avocado that came with it. We both had boxes full of foods to nibble on later in the day. And the service... impeccable. We'll be back! read more

Shakabrah Java - BIG boozy mimosa! - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Anything less than a 5 star review would be a jerk move! My second time having breakfast here. Love food, vibe and people. The bacon is sooo good! read more

Food is great; Service is terrible. I get we're all having a tough time with COVID but we thought this place would be a good choice based on plenty of 4+ star reviews. Ordered and sat down. In the process of ordering I mentioned we were hungry travelers and that this was our first time. Drinks came out and we waited. And waited. And waited. After what I'd consider enough time (I'm an extremely patient person), I approached the counter saying "I hate to appear impatient but other people who've ordered their food after us have received their orders and I was wondering if our food was ready or close to ready" to which I immediately received the reply of "yeah, well we called your name." The employee delivering orders seemed to have no problem getting other orders to the table of the customer so I'm not sure what we did in error here. Treating other people with kindness is apparently not their thing. There are tons of other options on 6th. Don't waste your money here unless you like terrible service and terrible attitudes along with a side of eggs & coffee. read more

Excellent service! The signs direct you whether you want service from the table or you can do self service. The portions were very decent for the price. Overall everyone was very friendly to us. Just be careful where you park because there is limited street parking when trying to come to this place. read more