It's 10:35pm and even THE KATIE has left the house... but do they still serve the best grilled cheese in Tacoma? YES! Is it the best grilled cheese in the Greater Seattle Area?... YES. Why? Because you have the option of a PICKLE on the side, as opposed to no option to leave off any over-priced pretentiousness. Do you hear me? GET THE PICKLE. read more

The Mule Tavern - How YOU do'in? - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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They make their own ginger beer and it's delicious! The cocktails are reasonably priced and they have all kinds of fun food. Some cool vegetarian options that I will have to try. Plant based meat nachos?! Yes, please. The cucumber slices with ranch appetizer is tasty and it's so refreshing that you can have a little snack with your drink without it being greasy and unhealthy. The owner is such a cool guy and I really enjoyed our chat. Super fun, unique spot. Definitely 5 stars. read more

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I've been here twice now. Definitely a locals hang. Very clean dive bar with no fried food. Gender inclusive restrooms with fun decorations. Bartenders are always friendly and welcoming. My only complaint was the grilled cheese with "tomato soup". That was not tomato soup and that was not a ramekin. Drag bingo was a blast! I will definitely be back for that! read more

I've been wanting to go to The Mule Tavern foreverrrr because my boyfriend never stops talking about how it's one of his favorite dives. I've been to Sidepony, the Mule's sister bar, which I absolutely love, so I've been dying to get in here! We finally got the chance before a Rainiers game recently and had a great experience. It's definitely bigger than I expected but the vibe is awesome. Like Sidepony, the decor is super eclectic and fun. There's a photobooth as well which is a fun touch. The back patio space is also really cool - it's also dark as it's covered, so I imagine it gets pretty warm back there in the hotter summer days. They don't have a giant food menu but they have a few sandwiches to choose from. We both got their grilled cheese which you can never go wrong with. Another notable part of our visit was the bartender - he was so nice! Extremely personable and handled holding down the entire bar by himself, including the cooking. Definitely will be added into our dive rotation. Can't wait to come back! read more

The Mule Tavern - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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If you like ginger beer-based drinks, this place is a must. I had a dark and stormy (they call it a Black Flag here) and the ginger beer is SPICY and the rum tasty. They sell growlers of their house-made ginger beer and I regret not getting one. The vibes are fantastic, the barkeeps are friendly and attentive, and the clientele (at least on the Saturday night I went) skewed older compared to much of STW. I felt comfortable visiting alone and just vibing and people watching for an hour before my event started, and I'd come back again in a heartbeat. read more

The Mule Tavern - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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The bartender was not very friendly. Not sure how you run a business with that type of disposition. Asked about the infused vodka. Answer was I really don't understand your question. Drinks were good. read more

Love this bar. Best waitstaff, delicious food, tasty adult beverages and always something interesting happening. You will be happy you checked it out. read more

Nice old school tavern. Good cocktails. Only annoying thing was the cigarette smoke that kept blowing in from the back patio. But I'll be back! read more

Great hole in the wall feel for me. They claim to have Tacomas best grilled cheese and after having it I think that's the case!

I've been wanting to go to the Mule Tavern for a while and this past Friday it finally happened. When we went in we were welcomed with a light quirk and kitschy decor which was fun. I wanted to make my visit here to be somewhat themed and wanted to get a Moscow Mule to drink. We ordered at the bar for our drinks. When we looked at The Mule's menu online they had a fair amount of menu options for food but actually being there the options have significantly diminished. But we made it work. I got some of their soft pretzls with hot mustard which was awesome. We also got an order of the cheee and potato rollup which we dipped in sour cream. That was something that we liked the best out of the two food dishes. My Moscow Mule wasn't bad. My sister in law is all about these mixed drinks and always orders them when we go out to eat. She has a real knack for ordering good ones at the right time. The Mule's version was okay but just didn't quite have that vivacity that my in law is so good at having an instinct and pallet for with crisp freshness and briskness she has taught me to look for. The Mule has plenty of beer options too but most of those are in bottles and cans which is fine. The Mule just from my casual people watching seems to have a loyal customer following which is good to see. It is a pretty cool place to kick back and relax time and time again. I'd love to return and explore more of their mixed drinks! read more

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Fun bar. Fairly diverse crowd. Good events, like Drag Bingo and brunches. Okay beer selection. Nice place to relax. Haven't tried the food since sandwiches started. read more

No white wine...friend got a Pino Grigio, and I asked for a Chardonnay. Nope. OK, Pinot Grigio? Nope. Any white wine? Nope. Ordered a gin and tonic. (regular or with scratch-made tonic?). Whoa. No white wine. Can we order nachos? Nope. Chips and salsa. The photos show they have a menu, but no....no cooked food on site. The bartender was attentive and such, but..... read more

I'll recommend any place that has Angela Lansbury workout videos on the televisions Good drinks and a chill place to hang out, too read more

The vibe and drinks are so good! The people who work here are so nice/fun. Also their Moscow mules are tasty!

Great craft drinks. Good feel and the staff is welcoming!! House made ginger beer and tonic. We will be back!!

I've been here a few times now and am in love with their ginger beer. Most recently I came in with a friend who'd never had a Moscow Mule... now is that possible. Well, we fixed that with quite a few Mules! She loved them so much I took a growler to her for a dinner party the next day. It's super dark in there so don't be surprised if you walk out on a sunny day and a blinded by the light! There is some crazy, funky decor going on. Lots of random art on the walls and some super creepy clowns in the corner. The bar staff was the same person the last few times I was in. She was super friendly, appropriately attentive, and makes a bomb Mule. The food is pretty random and quirky... White Castle Burgers! This may just become my most frequented neighborhood bar ;-) read more

The Mule Tavern - Classic Mule with house made ginger beer... delish! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Dive-y atmosphere, good drinks, nice bartenders. Looks fun for the groups that were there. read more

The Mule Tavern - Moscow mule - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Great house made ginger beer. Great house made tonic water. Great owner/bartender. Yes, great nachos too. All of the above. Had a vodka mule. A gin mule. A Pimm's cup (aka summer in a glass). A Tito's, tonic and lime. These drinks were all excellent.....my fave was the vodka mule. One of the best I've had for sure. We brought home a growler each of ginger beer and tonic bc they were so good. This area of South Tacoma Way (STW) has been revitalized but not homogenized by owner/operators like Sam who have a good business plan (IMHO) and are here for the long haul. Craft cocktails without the craft price. We love supporting local breweries, but he has expanded our horizons to support local establishments with something unique or special to offer - which is exactly how I would classify The Mule; uniquely familiar. Bonus coverage: TouchTunes. DD water station. Nobody with stupid hats. read more

The Mule Tavern - Nachos. Ginormous. Delicious. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Really cool/cute/homey vibes. When I was there, the bartender working had like, punk rock mom energy to them and I love that!!! They made me some perfect delish cocktails. There's a whole menu full of yummy and interesting cocktails. Not cheap of course, but if u are in the mood to treat yourself, they are There is also a nice little back patio. read more

Lovely staff, delicious drinks. Great selections of whiskey and a friendly non-judgmental atmosphere.

By far, the best ginger beer I have ever had! I get growler fills of it and use it to treat uninitiated friends. Cocktails are consistently on point. Staff is kind, quick, and diligent. Food is pretty dang decent too. I love this place! read more

One thing... Grilled cheese with Chinese BBQ pork -- amazing! Their ginger beer is made in house and super tasty, made with fresh ginger and a little spicy. You can even buy it by the growler. Great variety of cocktails, unfortunately not many gluten free options for food (the nachos are liquid cheese) but for those that can eat it, the food's amazing. The last cocktail I had there had Hennessy and tequila in it, who knew it would be new fav. read more

Chill place, great drinks and nachos. We had the Pimms and El Rey mules. So delicious! The place was very low key on a Monday night, but not in a weird way. Will def be back now that we have moved into the nearby area! read more

The Mule Tavern - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Why does Sam make such good grilled cheese? Why can't I make it at home? Why???!!! I come here so much, but am beginning to think I don't have an alcohol problem, I have a cheese problem. Seriously though- great atmosphere, great people. Sam is wonderful, all his bartenders are wonderful. Great, quiet, mellow place to hang. read more

Fabulous drinks, kick ass nachos & good people. Hands down the best margarita I've ever had. & what's not to love about fresh from scratch Ginger Beer?! read more

In Tacoma from Portland, found this place, it was great. Some house made mixers and a solid cocktail bartender. Had pretzel sticks that were soooo hot and fresh, and a pretty decent Reuben. Totally comfy for two women alone, friendly, fun no hassles. We loved it. read more

I love mules and dive bars. Their ginger beer is good but we will never be back. There's a difference between a dive bar and a place where you can't flush toilet paper and have to instead throw it in a trash can in the bathroom. Incredibly gross and I assume unsanitary. The tap water smells like lake water when you wash your hands. Fixing the plumbing issues would make it tolerable. read more

I'm excited to go back! Tacoma friends took me here on a Thursday afternoon since they had reopened. I normally just get beer when I'm out, but I ended up drinking 3 moscow mules instead cause I got sunburned earlier and they hit the spot. Staff were top notch, very inviting and service was fast. Bar and bathrooms clean, great patio out back. Oooh and the nachos were so pretty (and yummy)! I forgot to get pictures...next time :) So happy my friends showed me this gem. It was the perfect place to reconnect after quarantine. Thank you! read more

Visited the Mule for the first time this weekend. I was impressed. It's got a cool vibe and it's very clean. Great service. It's very apparent the owner cares about his business and his patrons. read more

While it's a very cool atmosphere the service is iffy. As you can see the bar is less than busy and there is no time for the busy bartender to accommodate a thirsty patron with a glass of water. What happened to good old fashioned service? This place makes a mean old fashioned and is happy to get you drunk but to keep a dd legal has much to offer. read more

The Mule Tavern - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Took the bartender's recommendation, and was very pleased to be introduced to a Moscow Mule made with their house made ginger beer with Elderberry. Not served in the usual copper mug... because the owner figured out that the copper coming in contact with the acidic ingredients fights with the finished taste. The long drink glass it was served in was garnished with a cherry and a vintage paper. The place itself is a well-worn, comfortable bar with a knowledgable, attentive, welcoming bartender that knows her stuff. We'll be back! read more

Bartender's Chantell & Mike were awesome the the last time my friend and I did a happy hour at the Mule Tavern. Great hires and excellent customer service to me and other's. Keep up the good work and we plus other's will be come back soon. I appreciate you Your drinks and prices are great. Peace Farmer J read more

I loved this dive bar. Quiet gloomy with odd decor. This isn't your hip modern style bar. Rather a cool unique old style bar. With a wide selection of board games. Which is quirky in at self. There was not many people there the night we stopped in which I liked being that most places are packed and loud. The bartender was very personal with attentive. The Moscow mule didn't come in it's classic copper mug but was strong and good anyways. read more

Super friendly bartender. Only had 1 beer but will definitely come back. Good atmosphere.

This place is my favorite bar in Tacoma. It's a really nice place to chill and during the summer months the back patio is open which is a mood setter. The owner, Sam, is really awesome! I HIGHLY recommend the guacamole. That wasn't a pun about being high when I ate it, although that sounds like a good idea. Also, try everything they have that is home brewed. Soooo good. I can't write enough good about this place. See ya tonight! read more

Tasty drinks, good food and an awesome staff. Spirits and beer selection is too notch. If you're not sure what you'd like they will craft a cocktail for you. Sam and Megan greet every one with a smile and respect. The other patrons are friendly and entertaining. Tonight I was asked to solve a distance and velocity problem for an object thrown from height using quadratic equations. My brain exploded. read more

The Mule Tavern - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

I really like this place! I am a relatively new transplant to Tacoma, and this is a really, really great bar. The ambience is great, there aren't 20 tvs blaring sports, and there are always lots of different things going on here, like dance parties or trivia nights. It's a fun yet laidback space. I can't speak for the food, but I have had the cocktails, and they are all incredible. Special shout out to the old fashion cocktail - it is incredible! Sam the owner is friendly and approachable, and I went to their trivia on Wednesday night and thought it was loads of fun. I am a short drive from here but really wish it was my neighborhood bar! read more

Fantastic craft cocktails! Friendly service, cool atmosphere, nice patio. Try the ginger beer!

The ginger beer is nice and spicy (sometimes) but definitely not worth coming back. I used to really like this bar until hearing the Owner's anti-immigration rant (which I've learned he does this every St.Patricks Day) and use of militant homophobic slurs. As an Irish immigrant, this was extremely uncomfortable to me. My friends, who frequent here, and I won't be returning. I'd advise the owner to do some research before stereotyping an entire group of people. For anybody who's still interested in going here: The food is expensive and nothing special or tasty and the bar is a lil smelly. If you scroll through the reviews, the owner has left a snarky unfunny comment on any post he doesn't agree with showing us all that he has zero class. read more

Great mellow location with excellent service and a great selection of beer and cocktails. Friendly staff made it that more enjoyable !