Ok I had been here before but it was during some other life where I always forgot shit. So now that it is fresh in my mind, I have to say that I love the small town atmosphere which is full of old & young people in the neighborhood. I went with a couple of friends for happy hour and although the wine wasn't the best, I didn't really expect it to be fab because it is a pub-ish place. The servers were very nice but my friend who ordered a chicken ceasar salad waited for like 45-60 minutes because another person served it to another table- but It was on the house because of that. The fried zucchini was tasty and I still had a blast because it seemed like everybody else was in high spirits....... I will go again and make sure that I get all beered up and eat some of those chips! oh, and it was VERY loud & crowded at like 5:30 read more

My primary observations: * A very slippery floor. My confident walking-in-heels strut came to a screeching halt as soon as I walked in the door. Perhaps that's why all the other ladies in the bar were wearing sensible shoes? * This seems to be a pick up joint for the over-50 crowd, which made for an awesome game of Who Would You Rather Do while our dates played pool. * The ladies were kinda bitchy, the men were very forward and all in all, I felt like we had giant, blinking "NOT FROM AROUND HERE" signs over our heads. So sorry ladies of The Spar -- next time we'll try to be less fabulous. read more

Two words: Spar. Chips. They make their GD-delicious 'tater chips and they are friggin' good. Pair that up with their "I really shouldn't be eating this, but I'm going to" onion-y mayo dipping Spar sauce and you're in heaven. Great view and a really cool staff to go along with it and you got yourself a nice lunch spot in T-Town. read more

The Spar has a really nice interior and is set up with three seperate areas where you can sit. We went all the way to the back where the bar wraps around and there are plenty of windows looking out over the waterfront. It was fairly empty since our visit was for a late lunch, and we ordered everything at the bar (not sure if that's per usual or if they normally do table service as well). Regardless, there are a bunch of beers on tap that I at the time had never heard of, and as a result, I asked the bartender to pick his favorite and I'd trust his judgment. Can't remember what it was, but his judgment was sound. The food was good and all delightfully deep-fried - fish n chips, chicken fingers, zucchini, etc. It was decently priced as well. I'll certainly go back at some point, and recommend it to anyone looking for a bar scene that's far more local than college aged. read more

I think I got the best thing on the menu the first time I went here and have never deviated. So, admittedly this is a one trick pony. Broasted Chicken. I seriously debated altering my belief systems and prostrating myself in worship of this crispy magical goodness. Combined with the garlic, mayo and paprika sauce. I am speechless, which is represented by the large space below this text. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . okay... I am back. Back in the late 80's I would buy this and drive it to my parents house and it would STILL be too hot to eat. The last time I was there we placed our order with the cook when we came in (who asked if he could get something started) and were reprimanded ....yes like little children, that we didn't follow procedure and order from the server guy. Awkward.... No biggie I think he has been there for decades so I guess he can be particular about the way things are to be done. So to sum up, they have two bar pool tables, some decent sticks and new hardwood floors, a nice sunny view (3 days a year) from the back side of Puget sound. But if it were me? If it were a nice day I would get my order to go and walk down and find a bench and table across the street at Rustin Way's Park. Take a butt load, or more napkins...messy. P.S. Not all ages, but you can order food to go or eat it in the cafe that is connected to the bar I am pretty sure they are owned by the same folks. Two $$ price represents with at least one adult beverage. read more

I come here for the variety of beers, Spar chips and Thursdays for free pool nights. They have a $3 pint special everyday, happy hour drinks/eats, and a rotating $2 pint special for Thursday free pool nights (they replenish their kegs on Fridays so they strategically use Thursdays to rid their 3/4 empty kegs until they're gone and then rotate to the next empty keg throughout the night). The food is somewhat lackluster, but their servings make up for it. Burgers are frozen, deli sandwiches use...deli meat of course, and their salads could use some sprucing. All in all, they have something for everyone. Just don't come here expecting a diverse palate of tastes. You have to try the Spar chis; delicious housemade, thinly sliced potato chips. And don't try it without trying it with the special Spar sauce (a sour cream based dip - a lot like sour cream & Johnny's to me). Thursdays are my go-to nights because they offer free pool, trivia, and a $2 rotating tap all night (I've lucked out and gotten Mac n Jack and even Manny's on special). If I'm craving Spar chips, I'll try to hold out for happy hour sometime during the week where you can get a basket for $1. Another happy hour item to try is their chicken fingers. My go-to menu item if I eat dinner is their French Dip. Order it with provolone and grilled onions, delish! Staff are always super friendly. I've been going here for a few years so I know some of the regulars and they've gotten to know that I'm always game for Spar chips and a Manny's. Give the Spar a shot on a nice sunny afternoon, the location can't be beat. Have a bite to eat, a cool beer and a brisk walk on the water front afterwards. HAPPY HOUR Mon-Fri 3-6pm read more

This is a great local establishment that has a super casual feel. That attitude is translated into super friendly service by the staff, always smiling and friendly here. I should point out that the Spar is split into 2 seperate areas. The smaller entrance on the left is primarily a family area for coffee or lunch fare whereas the area to the right goes farther back into the building and has more of the local friendly bar atmosphere with a pool table too. Great selection of fare here from Shrimp salad, Fish Tacos, burgers, sandwiches and awesome fish & chips. Their signature homemade potatoe chips are callers spar chips, a must have if you venture this way. Great prices and fantastic food. read more

I have been hounding my fiancé to come here for a while ... Outside looks like character . There is a lot of charm to it. Exposed brick hardwood floors ... Good atmosphere.... Little to be desired food wise through. Food was just typical basic bar food with no personal twist . Nothing really to make anything stand out. No personalized home made anything. The humus plate with veggies - consists of hummus with hamburger condiments . Sliced red onion - tomatoes-lettuce - a couple cucumbers. Super disappointing . The pita wasn't very fresh either. read more

Anywhere that doesn't bat an eye when you arrive around 10:30 in the morning, so sweaty from a race that your skin is dry but visibly dusted with white speckles of salt, and order an Elysian Avatar for breakfast while gazing out over the bright blue of Commencement Bay is a winner. Winner! Clearly The Spar is the kind of place you visit because you love it. And you probably love it because, like an old blanket that's been washed so many times it's faded but luxuriously pliant and soft, it's comfortable. A friendly greeting as you walk in the door, a very simple menu of bar food standards, and a decent beer selection featuring several local options make for a welcoming environment. I didn't get to try the famous chips (it was breakfast, so they weren't serving lunch - although they were serving beer!), but my breakfast sandwich was just fine. I'm sure that bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches are the perfect recovery food in some universe...and that's the one I want to live in! Would I come back for the food? No (it's the kind of place that reminds me my food standards are certainly elitist), but that's no knock on the The Spar. It's a great iteration of a straightforward and loved neighborhood bar, with a killer view and, for its brevity, a beer list that should have something to make everyone happy enough. read more

I have been here twice now and both visits have resulted in a full stomach and a good buzz. They have over 20 beers on tap and their food is a grade above your typical bar food. Only down fall I am a bar game junkie and Spar doesn't feature much more than a pool table, pull tabs and jazz on the weekends. Unfortunately I have missed their jazz nights but patrons I have talked to rant and rave about them. I will re-review when that time comes. Have kids? Like dessert? How about a latte?? They have a area near the front that accommodates families with kids next to the bakery & coffee shop. Oohh and the bakery is worth writing home about! read more

OK, this is for the breakfast only. I've visited the Spar a few times over the years, always for beer, and it's a decent little tavern. But recently I stopped in for breakfast early on a Sunday. Please don't make the same mistake. It was the worst meal I've had in 25 years (I still remember the last worst meal - I was in college and it, too, was a breakfast). How can you screw up eggs, hashbrowns and toast? Well, cook the eggs with literally no salt, pepper or any other spices. Then deep fry a potato patty until it is the color of aged madrona wood and little more than a grease-filled sponge. That'll do it. I will say the waitress was very friendly. No complaints there. But geez, they should hire a cook. read more

As far as I'm concerned, The Spar IS Old Town. I mean, is there anything else even going on down there after dark? Not to dis a nice little 'hood, but The Spar seems to be the spark of life on this otherwise pretty quiet block. It's a good bar with a nice view of the bay. Sure, there are other bar/restaurants further up Ruston Way that might actually be ON the water; but The Spar feels like the real deal where those other places feel more like run-of-the-mill waterfront kitsch. The staff here have always been super cool when I've been in. Great beers on tap. And one hell of a good cheeseburger, topped with melty American cheese...! read more

Welcome to Old Town, Tacoma--a wretched hive of scum and villainy. The Spar is a seductive little neighborhood bar with a history that precedes it, like lightning before thunder. Known in the early 20th Century for its raucous crowd, its generous whores, and sedative drinks, it has come a long way in the last hundred years to finally settle into maturity and shed its heathen skin. While the bar doesn't serve hard liquor, despite the fact that it once did during prohibition--those ballsy bastards, I remember the days--the beer selection in our modern age is really quite exquisite. If you aren't a connoisseur of beers, then just order the three dollar special and prepare yourself for a treat. The selection simply can't fail you, it's a flawless system. The Spar Chips are simply stunning. Occasionally they are oversalted, but we are get a little saltier inside and out than we would like sometimes so think of it as a reflection of the world that hosts such a delicacy. Always order the Spar Chips on happy hour, they're literally dirt cheap. You can't go wrong with the Chicken and Jos, which will stuff you full of meat and potato cooked just the right way and go straight to your thighs with a message--"eat me again next time". I'm pretty sure my thighs are actually stronger after a monthly devouring of this meal. The short shorts allow the thighs to speak for themselves. The Spar Gumbo is savory, to say the least. The kind of meal you buy when your ego is through the roof and you feel like you deserve to treat yourself. Best followed up with the ice cream and brownie dessert. If you're awesome, then "treat yo-self" with this. If not, better move on to something lesser. Their old menu was actually better, though it offered less variety. If you can get them to do it, order a salmon sandwich on rye bread. It's not on the menu, but sometimes life isn't just laid out for you to cruise on through without a little critical thinking. Do something different. Order a custom meal. I don't think the Spar will fail to please you (assuming we're talking about food and you didn't come looking for the 1915 version of the Spar with live piano music and $50 hookers. Sorry man.). My only issues are that the menu could use a little more modification to combine the classics with all the new foods. Overall, it's a hell of a place to feed your soul and drown yourself in brew. read more

We've been to The Spar a half-dozen times since we moved here 3 months ago and it's a decent spot to hide-out on a week-night. The beer selection is good, but our server's haven't been on top of what they've got a couple times... the breakfasts were quite good and the burgers/dinner food was decent every time. Not amazing, but not bad by any stretch. It really feels like this is a place that could be your neighborhood bar -- if old Tacoma is your neighborhood -- otherwise, it's not really worth traveling long distances for. Lucky for us, it kind of is our neighborhood bar. read more

came across this spot from my daily email deals via Living Social. Enjoyed a nice lunch with my mom while visiting her in WA. I indulged in the fish and chips for me and halibut for Mom. Our waiter was super helpful, went over the specials, even explained the many options of beer on tap and available. By recommendation he offered samples of different beers to ensure I found the one the hit the spot with my lunch. while we waited to order I jumped in and ordered their known POTATO CHIPS, what can i say-- FRESH,CRUNCHY,HOT, AND YUMMY CRISP IDAHO RUSSET POTATOES!! We had a nice window view in the back of the restaurant/dining area near the bar area, right above the water with views of Tacoma harbor. As you first enter it's the cafe/coffee shop area with various sweets and ample beverage options from smoothies-milkshakes-tea & coffee concoctions to soft drinks and juices. Negative--Mom's halibut was delish~, after all I never had it before, only downside was the 5-6 bones that jabbed my gum's as i tried to chew it, felt like i took a bite of a porcupine while spikes were out.`OUCH! Positive--Customer service, Potato Chips location, many options to compliment each person's food palette (soup,salad,meats,poultry,seafood,fish,etc) read more

What can I say, this place rocks! Love this place; spar love. The food was awesome, the homemade soup was great, the Tuesday specials are scratch made and always delicious! Get here! read more

The Spar - Always a great time with good drinks and food. Love this place! - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

This review is specifically for Breakfast served on the weekends at the Spar. Extremely disappointing. I had Eggs and Pancakes for $5.99......the 2 eggs were ok, but pancakes were 2 about the size of the top of a Campbells Soup can. My partner had scrambled eggs. She could not finish them. The omlettes our 2 guests had looked like airplane food....8 bucks a shot I think they were....one piece of toast. The 4 of us agreed it was the worst breakfast we have had in years. Spar is great for a beer, views of the water, diverse crowd and views of the water......but stay away from breakfast! read more

Fish & chips......Awesome Clam Strips.......Ok, not blown away Fish Tacos.........Delicious Spar Chips........hells yeah (be amazing if they offered a hot/spicy version) Very enjoyable visit....will vist often read more

Great food and great music, I highly recommend going to The Spar. Get there early on Sunday night if you want a prime seat for the band. read more

The Spar - Listening to Jim King and the Southsiders. - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Lets talk about the classic Old Town Tacoma vibe for a second. When driving through the quaint 300 yards of Old Town one can't help, but notice that..... whoops, drove past it. Hey, now look here: Old Town Bicycle, Cafe Divino, (although new)The Mountaineer's building, the park with its endless events, and all the little shops add so much charm and pay fair homage to the community and the unique style of Tacoma. But The Spar is the heart of these quickly passed five blocks. It's the vibe we're after, It's the bar, restaurant, cafe combo we all need before making that trip up 30th. Come here and get a beer, take the family, take a date, take your best friend's wife.... well maybe not the last one. You'll surely be caught by any of the steady regulars enjoying the good selection of food. This is my place for fish and chips, honestly. The halibut and chips (spar chips that is) hit the spot every time. Always served with perfect golden fried panko and a good side of tartar. The fish has always been fresh, firm, and loving, just like me after a hot shower. Or get the fried chicken. I absolutely love this beast of a meal. It has to be half a chicken, or maybe a turkey because there's so much. It's served with home made joe joes, and I mean the real American ones. Not those sorry excuses of joe joe's laser cut so thin and served so flaccid I find myself questioning my sexuality when I eat them.... No. These bad boys are the way a joe should be. They're thick as hell, perfectly coated in that chicken batter, and so god damn hot you'll finish the chicken before you even start on these guys. Yep. Like Blues music? Go on Sundays and get an earful. Play pool? They have that too, along with a couple TVs for the game and a killer view of the sound. Remember though, its only beer and wine! Not your deal? Well they always have an excellent selection of taps, and the serving staff is great, food is killer.... so sounds like you're the problem. Get down there and enjoy the Old Tacoma vibe. I'll see you there. read more

Oh the Spar, have I ever told you how much I love your fish and chips? Because I certainly do. I would say your fried zucchini is a close second. I also love your comfortable atmosphere and decor. Oh, and your convenient location to the waterfront (close but not too close to be spoiled by an overload of pretentious guests). But most of all, I love your customer service, namely Deron. I appreciate not only his great service, but also tremendous sense of humor. For that final star, how about creating an outdoor seating area off the back??? I know you hear it all the time and I don't even know if it's possible, but it would be a dream come true! read more

Spar chips Spar sauce (aka crack sauce) Bacon cheeseburger Pounder of hard cider Need I say more?? A perfect lunch in my book! read more

Solid Sunday hangout. Old school tavern, old school awesome. Good beer list with solid tavern food. I came down mid afternoon on a Sunday, the buddy I went with made begged and pleaded for a non hipster place and was pleasantly surprised, it's one of the first new places we could agree on. Also what kind of place admits to messing up by not bringing you enough food and brings you more of what you ordered. These guys did. read more

Had a great experience yesterday eating dinner with my family in the non-bar section. Got great service. The food is healthier than one would expect for bar/pub food. I answered that it's great for kids below because of yesterday's experience and one prior experience, but they only have about 5 tables where kids can sit. I come here for week-day lunch occasionally with coworkers and friends. It's usually quick and good. I wouldn't drive across town to go here, but it is a great neighborhood meet-up spot. They do breakfast on the weekends only and it's usually pretty busy then for obvious reasons... read more

I love the chill vibe of this place and their standard Spar burger is AMAZING. I felt like the quality of burger and fries I had there would've been 13-15$ easily somewhere else and it was 10$. Great place for pub food, beer and to hang out with friends. read more

I first started going to the Spar after hearing they had great hangover food. My friends were correct. Their breakfast sandwiches are AMAZING. I would go and drink 20 cups of coffee and eat a delicious kaiser roll with a fried egg, bacon and ham. I have always left with a smile on my face. Their dinner and lunch menu is generic but done well. The service is friendly and the atmosphere is bustling, yet comfortable. Their beer selection is extensive and they serve mimosas the way they should be: in a pint glass. I have a hard time eating at most places on Ruston Way, but I don't mind the Spar. It has a beautiful view and rustic charm. It's a place that everyone can feel comfortable in. read more

The Spar is hands down my favorite breakfast spot in tacoma! Right up from the waterfront with nice view in the back room and quick friendly service with a smile. I always get the regular eggs, toast and hash brown breakfast but I have brought a ton of friends that have loved the scrambles or the pancakes. We have also been for dinner and the burger was fantastic. We really love this spot in Old Town Tacoma. They also have a little coffee shop in front that has great coffee (way better than Starbucks across the street!) They have some fun live music with wine & beer option and a great staff. Would definitely recommend ! read more

Old school brick building, right by the water, recipe for success. Liked coming in here for a drink right after sunset at the Reston Waterfront. Cannot say the food was amazing though. The ingredients they use (bread, meats etc) weren't bad but it was very fast food-ish. We were hoping for more bar/pub food versus deli food. The clams were delicious though! Service was hit or miss. Our make bartender barely even looked at us and threw us menus. Our girl bartender who later took over was awesome! Cool spot to hang out on a week night or get a quick drink. read more

Ordered cheeseburger and chips. Cheeseburger came complete with toasted bun, American cheese and some toppings. It was delicious. I rcvd fries instead of chips but the server was quick to bring out a whole basket of chips. Service was a little off. But the Spar is a bar. It provides good drinks, great beer on and tap and darn good bar food. The spar sauce is great and the spicy sauce for the homemade chips is winners read more

This place was one of a few open bars and eaterys within the Tacoma Waterfront and Ruston area around 11:30pm. As I am 44 years of age, I felt young in this locale. The live music was enjoyable but was loud even from where we we were sitting which was a window seat by the front door. The Spar chips were great pub food, the drinks were strong and a little heavy for me. I would avoid the house whiskey. read more

Well prepared pub food with a few stars on the menu. Chicken and Jo's are the bomb! Broasted chicken is hard to beat. Spar sauce is cool and creamy. Burgers are filling and text book prepared. Great beer selection, spirits, and an espresso bar. They also have good ice cream from the cafe next door. Kid friendly, ours love it and can run wild. It's typically busy but service is petty good. Sometimes you have to wait and be patient, but that's ok as everyone is working hard. Located in one if the best neighborhoods too. read more

The reason I come to the Spar is for the Spar Chips. They are delicious homemade chips with a delicious house sauce. The rest of their food is good, but nothing outstanding to me. One complaint I have and I know it's a weird one, but their soda and lemons are gross. We got lemons and they literally smelled like sewage. The soda comes out of the bar hose so it mixes with the other flavors and has a nasty after taste. read more

WTF Spar? Can you get your GD broaster fixed already???!!! Seriously, it's your BEST dish there. I came from freakin' California and ran 3 miles everyday for a week so I could have chicken and Joe's only to be told that the Broaster was broken and had been for two months!! Somebody better hold me back!!!!! In fact, my aunt's in laws came from New York only to be equally disappointed! I love this place. I grew up eating food from here and hence the need to run 3 miles. But that is not the point. I went with some friends and we had the rudest little waitress ever. She first raised her voice at me and then acted totally aloof when I asked her about antoher dish. Then 10 minutes before we got the check she started to get all chatty cathy. Did ZI mention taht we went up the bar twice to ask where our waitress even was?! One girl (The rude one ) took our drinks while another one (Who was clearly on some kind of drug) took our food order. She is the one that delivered the bad news "Oh, yeah, the broaster is broken and we don't know when it's gonna get fixed." Great. She was nice enough. I love this place and would only recommend you go here if they fix that GD broaster. Call ahead to make sure that it;'s working. Who owns this place anyhow?! They need to get a serious ass whoopin' read more

Came here on a Saturday night with small group. The waiter was really doing his best to get to all the tables. Didn't see him stop loving the whole time. Food was really good and great location. read more

Great place, great food. The 60 plus year old woman attempting to sing was a real turn off. She looked like a hooker and acted like one. The lyrics to the songs she attempted to sing were vulgar. She kept flirting with the guitar player who was absolutely fabulous and obviously very uncomfortable by the female singers flirting with him. The "so called singer was also dressed sleazy, low cut shirt almost completely exposing her breasts. My father used to take be to The Spar when I was a little girl, we always had a great time. If ever that woman is so called "performing there, and what a performance she put on" I will not go. Would love to see the wonderful guitar player playing solo there or with a real band. read more

Great lunch spot and lots of local brews on tap for Happy Hour. I also appreciate their soft drink options - they have hot tea, lemonade, iced tea, and lots of sodas. I have tried the grilled turkey (half sandwich and soup is always good), the grilled chicken (my favorite for lunch these days), their fries, and the homemade chips. No matter what you get, make sure you dump plenty of their Special Spar Sauce on it. read more

It pains me to write this as my family and I have been loyal patrons of our neighborhood bar and restaurant for decades, but The Spar has really gone downhill since it's change in ownership. We stopped in yesterday for a quick lunch with out of town relatives and my two young nephews and it was a dismal, 2.5 hour experience. Our young server was very friendly but forgot half our drink order, brought us extra crispy Spar chips when we requested them undercooked (and she forgot the Spar sauce), our guest was served the wrong style burger which had tomatoes (she had asked be held), my dad's fries were cold and my sisters salad sat on the counter for 20 minutes while I ate mine. The worst part was biting into my grilled turkey sandwich to pull out a long, curly hair and notes the lone cook had a long beard and long hair with no hair net. When I complained to the owner she was defensive and rude and did not offer an apology. She did remove the sandwich with the hair in it from our bill. The service was painfully slow and inadequate, management was very rude, and the food was mediocre. We will not be back. read more

I finally got back to The Spar for dinner last week so here's the update: 1st, the bad: I ordered my burger plain (meat, cheese, bread) but it came with a full garden (which I could remove) and a generous amount of mustard (which I couldn't). So it was sent back. They replaced the bun, but merely "washed" off the mustard. Not only was it still visible on the burger but I could totally smell it and taste it. I ate it anyway because by that time my wife was almost finished with her meal: Chicken and Jo's. Which is a total winner and what I plan to get next time with make it to The Spar. What is "Chicken and Jo's" you ask? It's half a fried chicken and giant potato wedges. The chicken is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and just plain delicious. The potato wedges are pretty good (you can also get regular french fries if you want) even if they aren't well seasoned. I think the chicken and potatoes are all fried together in a pressure fryer (called a henny penny). I was really tempted to knock The Spar down a couple stars for the mustard incident, but everything else was just so good and the service was spot on. We'll see what happens. read more

Excellent coffee and a very filling breakfast - had roast beef, tomato, cheese, and egg scramble - very tasty! read more

The Spar - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

I am going to admit that this review has not journalistic integrity at all. To salvage what little integrity that is left, allow me to declare my biases. I have known the owners since I attended Bellermine Prep with the children of both of the owners, all these many decades ago. I was also a customer of the old Spar Tavern before Kathy and Susanne bought it. I still look back fondly on my time working at the Spar, and still have many friends from there. Yes, I am not there anywhere near as regularly since I moved to Seattle. So yeah, you do have to take this with a grain of salt. The Spar has the best Chicken and Jo-jos I've ever had, certainly better than I served when I was working at Terry's Office Tavern. read more