Expensive food, but really classy space! Pool table and jukebox also. Almost has a retro feel to it. A great place for a date night or just for a drink, as they have a great selection of beer and mixed drinks read more

Its Saturday morning and this was our first time in this area. We decided to pass by every store/food place and just try a lil' something so we could experience each and every one. My autistic son was very hungry and service was taking long. So we decided to just have our food to go. Then our server Hannah gave us attitude. We just wanted 1 meal and 1 coffee so we can move on to the fish and chips place across the street. I think it was rude for her to even ask why we just ordered 1 meal when there were 3 of us. (Maybe because we're minority and everybody around us were caucasian). I did not know her reason but it was so upsetting in our part. The way she acted around us made us uncomfortable. We didn't care about the food anymore, we just wanted to get out of the place. My family remained quite at the table as my wife and my son exited the place after I paid for our order that we have not received yet. I alone stayed at the table waiting for the food that I paid. Its been 30mins... No food yet. Again we only ordered 1 meal. Maybe i would just leave with out it.. So its been an hour.. I asked Hannah J where was our order. She was so surprised that we have not gotten our order. Maybe if she stoped giving us attitude and do a good job on customer service it would been a different story. I used to be a server when I was in high school and I know that you should at least check your table every 10 mins if your customer need something. Which Hannah J did not do at all for the whole hour. So going back to the story. She went to the back to check our order. She came out with our food and apologized to me and said there was a mistake in their part. Someone took the bag and placed it somewhere she could not see it. She then asked me for my card so she could refund my order. So i gave her my card and I told her that I want the refund but I would not get my food anymore. I stayed quite because I am trying to hold back my anger. I was about to blow out. Good thing I did not, I maintained my professionalism. I hope she would understand that I did not care about the food anymore, or the $10.91 because clearly they fail one important thing that ruined our first experience in OLD TOWN. "CUSTOMER SERVICE"... I will let the owner know about this... read more

I'd never spent much more than a passing moment in Tacoma ("Why would you?" I can hear you say from here, but pish-tosh, no need to be petty) before heading down to The Spar in order to spend some quality time with fellow Yelpers prior to attending Scott's Monster Jam Sendoff. Given all the ribbing Tacoma gets, I was really surprised to drive past some lovely homes in what appeared to be nice neighborhoods as we approached The Spar. Granted, it is the Tacoma waterfront, so I suppose it's the nicest part of the city, but it was a pleasant surprise. As was The Spar, housed in a charming brick building with a view of the water in old town Tacoma. We arrived well after everyone else in our party, but this didn't hinder our accommodation at all. Almost immediately, the waitress that was helping our group approached and asked if we would like her to annex another table onto the makeshift banquet table that'd already been constructed out of an array of smaller tables. As soon as this had been accomplished, we were offered drinks, and I was delighted to see that they had Jolly Roger Christmas Ale still on tap, even in the middle of January. I don't know how common this is elsewhere around the area, but finding a Christmas Ale--Jolly Roger, specifically--after Christmas struck the right chord in me. I ordered the veggie burger, which was a little uninspired, since the bun greatly eclipsed the patty itself. This is hardly a cardinal sin, though, since their patties are procured from a third party: they really have no control over the patty size, unlike they may with a beef patty. I ordered a salad as my side, as part of an ongoing attempt to eat a little better, or at least avoid needless indulgence when I can. It was nothing too extraordinary, but the ingredients were of sufficient quality so as to render it a satisfying side. I did have some fries from a dining companion's plate, and they were reasonably good. I do wish the menu were a little more extensive. Vegetarian options are limited, and seeing how The Spar bills itself a "saloon," not a "steakhouse," this seems a reasonable critique. The only sandwich that fit my requirements was the garden burger. A grilled portobello sandwich is a nice option; or an avocado and tomato sandwich, for example. I probably could have gotten them to make a grilled cheese, but it's not on the menu. The outstanding element of The Spar, in my opinion, was the service. I can't say whether it's truly representative of the establishment, since I've only been once, but our waitress was the most on-point server we'd had in some time, and this while she was tending to a table of around 20. The restaurant wasn't slam packed, but her demeanor and enthusiasm led me to believe that even if it had been, we'd still have received very good service. When my pint glass was approaching empty, she magically appeared and asked if I'd like another. When Prema inquired about what was on the Mediterranean Plate in order to determine whether it would be suitable as her lunch, and subsequently ordered it, our server informed us--upon delivering it to the table--that since her representation of what was included led to it being ordered, she'd personally prepared the plate to ensure its approval. I do not know our server's name, but I offer her kudos and thanks for her handling of our large group with aplomb and a smile. Even with its limited menu (especially for my needs), I wouldn't hesitate to return to The Spar if I found myself around old town Tacoma, simply because I felt so welcome there, which is a nice oasis in an area reputed for its aloofness. read more

I am a fan of The Spar. What happened last night needs to be addressed by the management, and , if not, I will find another place to spend good money. I was driving from Olympia to Tacoma and really wanted some steamed clams. I called The Spar and spoke with a female employee. I asked,"Do you have steamed clams tonight?" She stated,"Yes"...and hung up the phone. We arrive at The Spar and order our steamed clams and beers. The bartender comes back after a moment and states,"I'm sorry, the chef stated we don't have the steamed clams." I passed no less than 3 quality restaurants featuring steamed clams to have them at The Spar. We checked ahead to ensure they had steamed clams. We arrived and they didn't have steamed clams. I have ZERO time for an establishment like this...after informing them of this story they offered nothing. Really disappointed in this business and their respect for their clients in this instance. read more

I love going here after a bike ride around Town, they have amazing Calamari. We love bringing our friends here.

Over the hill crowd. Rude bartender, she threw my license on the bar top with my hand out. I'd never go back.

Pet Peeve: Restaurants who dabble in using social media but don't train their staff on what to do if someone actually redeems an offer...Went to The Spar today...the Yelp check in offer was a free *$1 basket of Spar Chips*...the waiter acted like we were trying to lie and steal from them or something...it's $1 dude...we gave up after failing to explain the concept of Yelp to him...he kept asking if we could print out the coupon...yes...sure...my Iphone can print out a coupon for you...so Yelp offer not honored...Service not surprisingly from this waiter was terrible, no napkins or utensils...no refills without asking/tackling then begging...It didn't help that the food quality seems to have slipped...burger seemed pre-cooked and dry...Spar Chips were not hot...soda was flatter than usual...very disappointing visit to what has been a favorite in the past. read more

Went here over the weekend with some friends. 3 out of 4 of us had never been. We were all very disappointed. Started out by waiting 10 mins and us going up to the bar to get beers, then took a little time to actually have them served to our table. After that, our server took 20 mins to take our lunch order. We were a little annoyed with the time frame already. But thought it would get better since they weren't busy. After waiting over an hour for our food, we asked to pay for our beers and leave, wasn't worth it at that point. I will not go back, nor will I recommend any of my friends there. Very disappointed read more

You have to be a fan of The Spar. It's part of Tacoma history. As far as food, I've only tried the homemade potato chips, which are legit. I don't know what kind of robot DJ rocks the tunes but they are really diverse and random. If you are late twenties, early thirties, they're takin' you back and you'll be tempted to sing along. Beer and wine only -- solid selection. I typically grab a glass of whatever wine's the Happy Hour special and I've never been disappointed. read more

Went there to celebrate a few birthdays. We had a total of 5 people at our table. Place wasn't even busy at all. It took an hour and fifteen minutes to get our food. Yes an hour and 15 min. Waitress was the worst, had to catch her to get refills for beer/soda. She came about 45 min after our order was taken to say oh sorry they had 4 chicken orders ahead of 1 chicken order in our group. Then the food came out another 30 min later. Food was horrible, 3 of us had the beer battered fish and fries. The fish was soaking in grease (had to ask for extra napkins to soak some of the grease up). Place reeked of a deep fryer/fast food joint. The floor was super slippery (probably from the grease lingering). The bathroom was unisex and it was so nasty, it reminded me of a gas station restroom in the middle of nowhere. Extremely disappointed, huge waste of time for some crappy food and a waitress who was horrible! Shes lucky she even managed to get a tip. DONT GO! If I was there just my husband and I, we would have walked out with a severe delay in getting your food with the little amount of people who were there. They had jazz music playing which was so overly loud, we were screaming at each other. Only one mention that was good was because of the delay in food served - we were not charged for one beer, but on the other hand were charged $1.50 for extra tartar sauce and we were not informed before hand. Waste of time, waste of money. If I could give it a ZERO star rating I would! Will not go back. Oh and the fish was supposed to be the best in town on the menu. Far from best =/ read more

So, I had to stew over this post overnight. It is a tough one to write, but it has to be done ... I have had a love affair with the Spar for over 20 years. The atmosphere, the employees, the beer, and the food have all been fantastic. Now, the atmosphere, employees, and the beer are still good, but the food is inconsistent. Actually, the last three visits the food has been horrid. What is happening to this place? Spar chips that were once crispy are now soggy and dripping with grease. The broasted chicken was dry ... How does that happen? The kids meals looked like they had sat under a warmer for twenty minutes. This last visit was bad. They weren't even that busy. Sorry Spar, but your food is failing. read more

Best fish and chips in Tacoma. Never have I been disappointed. Good Black and Tans . Their breakfasts are pretty good as well.

The problem with the Spar is that they just don't do anything great, good maybe but not great. I have had good food and lousy food, good service and piss poor service. It's kinda like a mystery prize, you never know what you are going to get. The last time I was there was the worst, bad food and bad service. read more

We stopped in to get a coffee and decided to grab some lunch. It was amazing! I love everything about this place. The staff was super friendly, service was quick, food was delicious, and the over all atmosphere is very welcoming. read more

A three at best. Contrary to how The Spar is marketed in print and their website, we found it not quite that "friendly". Our first waitress asked us if we were ready to order approximately 3 mins after we sat down and looked at our menus. We obviously were not and told her so - she never did ask again. Ten minutes later another waitress saw our frustration and stepped in and promptly took our order - she sort of treated us in a courteous, yet unsure and peculiar way. My salmon pita wasn't very good. The salmon did not seem fresh at all, the coleslaw layered in the pita was not very fresh and actually seemed like it had been there a while. A bland dish to say the least. My wife's pita and hummus was also ho-hum, nothing special. My sons breaded halibut was tasty but very oily. The fries weren't too bad. In conclusion, we didn't really feel like valued customers, maybe because we weren't regulars or were obviously from out of town. The food wasn't very good overall. My family and I wont be back. read more

I needed to get a quick sandwich to take back to my hotel room prior to a webcast. I ordered a BLT, a favorite of mine. This one was done quickly, was warm when I picked it up and was fine. I have had many better. Thus, while i will not seriously complain about it, i will also not rave about it. I am sure I will come back here, because i usually stay at the Silver Cloud when I stay in Tacoma. I got what I needed, but will continue to search for that great BLT in Tacoma. read more

Yeah I have to agree with the other Yelpers that are more critical of this place. It has a very laid back but neat vibe. Great views of the water if you can score a table by the windows. Beer selection looked good. However the service is definitely lacking especially when they are busy. You could tell some patrons were getting frustrated with the responsiveness of some of the servers. Food was mediocre at best. Had the BLT sandwich and Turkey sandwich. Both were lack luster in flavor and meat. Completely uninspiring. The side salad was a joke, don't get it. Listen to the tip of others...just go here for the beer and drinks. Get food somewhere else. read more

This place is great. This was the 3rd time I've been in. I live a good 20 miles away so not first place I pass when I want a cold one. Would be a solid 4+ spot but they need to work on a few things. 1st- The chicken and Jo's are GREAT but this time I also tried the Cod and fries. And fish was dumped on fries staight out of fryer. Need to take 40 or 50 sec to shack and drain oil off . They were way to greasy. . Bummer They also forgot my wife's drink another waitress other then ours actually saw her with out a drink and stopped to ask if she wanted something. Service needs a little work and kitchen too but those are small things I can live with. I'll be back and and deal with the small little things they could work on because all in all this place has great food at a fair price with a view of the bay.. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a decent place to get a cold beer and some chicken and Jo's. ... All Day Long. . read more

Ate breakfast here several Saturday mornings in a row. Always eggs, hashbrowns, and bacon. The last time I went, instead of the typical frozen hashbrowns they serve my friend and I were served a pile of fried fries. It was disgusting looking and neither of us could stomach eating it imagining it was last nights leftover fries. Gross. Previous trip for lunch was average. Certainly better options available. read more

I'm a big fan of The Spar. The food is decent and fairly priced, and the atmosphere is very casual and comfortable. I love how you can play pool, watch live music, or study in a coffee shop all at one place. The Spar chips are delicious! read more

I used to be a regular customer here, I loved the service in the bar! I came in with my laptop and connected to the free wifi and studied with my delicious red wine and without even ordering I was brought out my usual, the steamer clams with a side of bread to soak up the buttery juices after I finished! I surely miss this place and will probably head there after work one night this week to give myself a nice treat! If I still lived in Tacoma I'd be there every day like I used to be!!!!! read more

The halibut is devine, Spar chips with spar sauce is awesome, and the clams in the chowder are huge and delicious! Can't wait to come back again read more

Good food that came out lightning fast, nice servers, nice view. I like!

Beware! The bacon cheese burger is super juicy, so eat over your basket. When I want a good burger in Tacoma I prefer the Spar. The wait staff are on it and friendly. Great selection of beers on tap. I like the brick walls, hardwood floors and there's a nice view of the Sound in the back where the bar is. There are two entrances in the front of the building, one is for the coffee bar and treats. Two thumbs up for this place. read more

The staff is perfect. The food fantastic. We ordered the turkey burger and the special tacos. A silver haired man made or food with care and the want to be great. That is what happened. The manager made sure we were happy. We were. If you like great beers and food made with top of the line ingredients and built with love, then try this place. read more

Solid bar food, excellent staff, top rate beer selection, moderately good water views. My Santa Fe burger this visit was good..not great. Onion rings were the charmer though. Always a highlite when in Old Town. read more

The spar is the best place in Tacoma to coffee, beer and food. Spar chips and spar sauce are a must. Paula is amazing, and Lexi kicks total buttox. Go here, it's absolutely hands down, unequivocally stupendous. read more

Delicious food, casual atmosphere, friendly and efficient service, good selection of beer and wine. I love coming here to relax a little. Definitely recommend it! read more

First time there. Beer batterd fish was very greasy and prawns both had too much batter. Oil was just dripping all over. Helped quickly but died after that. Will not return. read more

I go here a couple times a month. Burgers are yum, daily soups are delish & top it all off with a mac n jacks. espresso bar too. Live music sometimes, excellent location with views of Ruston Way waterfront from the 21+ bar area. Pool tables & sports on TV. read more

Been several times since my wife and some of her friends like to meet there for a quick bite and a drink.. It's loud, the tables are sticky, the food is typical bar fare and the service is a little tired. Thank goodness for self service lukewarm coffee! The signature broasted chicken was good once but over broasted and dry the other three times I tried it.... The Spar chips are pretty good though and the beer is usually cold... The prime Old Town location has potential beyond the present experience...... The nearby Ram or Katie Downs would be better alternatives for your hard earned money. read more

Decent food. Good beer selection. Unpretentious atmosphere. The Spar is in a very old building and therefore has an odd floor plan that doesn't really take advantage of the waterfront location. The "broasted" chicken is great - the rest of the menu is just good. Unfortunately the service can be unpredictable - I have waited almost an hour for my food on more than one occasion. Overall the Spar is worth a visit but remains complacent in the food desert we call Tacoma. read more

I really wish Yelp would allow 3.5 stars...I had to round up. The fish sandwich, which when done well is a favorite of mine, is really great here. Their ingredients are fresh and they do a good job all the way around, though service can be spotty. I consider it a fantastic lunch spot, not so much for dinner. I don't really drink, so I can't speak to the bar. A nice historic, down-home type of place. read more

No place does what they do or embraces what they are better than The Spar. The service is always top-shelf and friendly, and it's exactly the kind of easy place to hang out and have a good bar meal. Heartily approve and visit at least weekly. read more

Looking for a place to eat, we decided to try some place different. Found this place while driving around & decided to give it a try. When you walk in the atmosphere is very laid back & chill. The waitress was very nice & gave us all the options for beer on tap & wines. I got the Seattle cider which was very good. We then decided to move tables to the bar area with the view which was any trouble at all. It did take a bit longer to get our new waitress to take our order but it was pretty busy. I got the bacon cheeseburger with fries, the burger was big & juicy. They also had this sour cream with garlic sauce along to use on your fries, best sauce every. Got me away from ordering ranch as always, but the food was delicious. I will come back & try different menu items, the only reason I took one star away was due to the wait on our food & our check after to pay. read more

Had a great meal at the Spar - the service was excellent too. I would recommend it to others who are not looking for a white linen tablecloth experience; the atmosphere is casual, and I had fried shrimp - the beer batter was the best I've ever had. One in our party had a fish taco that had a delicious sauce and plenty of slaw. So very good. read more

What can you say about the Spar that hasn't been said in the past 90 years or so? The food is pretty good. Nothing outstanding, although the Spar Chips with Spar Sauce are a delicious substitute for mortal french fries. The beer selection is usually good, with some interesting micros usually on tap. The service is always consistently good. They seem to have some weird system where you don't have one waitress or waiter, it kind of seems that anyone who is available takes your order and brings your beers and food. I don't know how they organize it, but it seems to work. Lots of brick walls and hardwood floors, so be cautioned that after a certain point in the evening when everyone is a little tipsy, the place gets LOUD. read more

After many raved reviews about The Spar and its famous "roasted" chicken (i'll explain why i titled it that way later) i finally gave in and decided to sacrifice my usual dinner of CI Shenanigans for the Spar. I assumed the "roasted" chicken was going to be your special in house oven roasted chicken with special herbs and seasonings to give its own unique famous spar taste. But minutes before getting there I was told that its more of a fried chicken type. With it being fried and called "roasted" i was a little worried if maybe they were gonna using more of pressurized cooking method to give it a deep fried but moist chicken. And to no surprise upon arrival i was correct. Using the pressurized fried cooking method for chicken allows for a fast flash fry while not having the chicken lose any of its moisture or juices giving you a more delicious fried chicken. But if this is done incorrectly you can be stuck with a over cooked outer layer and a undercooked inner layer meaning an overall disaster. The chicken arrived more of a dark brown out layer looking a bit overfried but actually had a great crunch and no over burn taste. But the seasoning and batter itself was in Gordon Ramseys words "bland" and extremely salty. Upon further inspection of the chicken is seemed to be undercooked inside. Overall like i said it was a disaster, no special taste to be called famous. It seems as though a risk is taken by them for every order they attempt to perfect this dish which they are well known for. Now maybe those who believe this is great chicken have never really tried great chicken or believe great chicken is just by how juicy and moist it is that lacks flavor and taste. If you want great chicken every time save yourself the trip to the spar and head to KFC. Because kfc actually makes it with pressurized cookers as well and it at least has good flavor and taste. I have made fried chicken before with rosemary and thyme and buttermilk which taste a million times better than this... The service: 3 out of 5 Drink selection: 5 out of 5 Menu selection: 3 out of 5 Environment: 3 out of 5 Food: 2 out of 5 Overall: 3 out of 5 read more

I love the Spar! Besides having an awesome staff (their beertender Deron is just best), they have a great beer & tasty food! In the heart of old town- so you know the view & scenery are hard to beat. Best place to go if you've had a nice walk on the waterfront. Chill atmosphere & good people! What more could a gal want!?! read more

Food is definitely sub par. But the atmosphere in the cafe is pretty nice. Restaurant seating is a bit cold during the winter months and the service isn't the best either. The location is great and the view is pretty. Okay selection of beer. My most recent visit was pathetic to say the least. I asked if they had any soup, they did so I ordered a cup to go (It was chicken tortilla). When I opened it up it was half full and only broth with some celery floating around in it. I'm not exagerating. Before I threw it away I thought I should at least taste it. It tasted like greasy water. Until this place gets back on its feet I don't think I'll be returning unless for some coffee. Too bad, this place used to be good. read more