I used to visit here every time I was in Ruston and had great service then. But it only seems to serve regulars now in the bar and the coffee shop is very busy. I started to order a drink, but the bartender said excuse me and handled a previous customer's order. But then she went into the kitchen area and conversed with the staff there and never came back. I ended up walking out, but will try Top of Tacoma to watch today's Mariners game. read more

1 waitress for 6 tables (13 people) couldn't keep water glass filled, talking on the phone constantly. chicken tenders and famous fish were TOO deep fried and salty. I observed two other tables Jo Jo's and chicken burnt too. 2 years ago m fish was burnt and 80% batter still burnt the same as today. waste of money and appetite! read more

I generally hear good reviews so thought I'd try it out. Prices were fair for what you get , fish and chips were decent. I'd give them 4 stars for food and price but had to deduct a star for service. Went during mid-week lunch and it was not busy , maybe 3-4 tables occupied. Our server was Rebecca and she basically acted Like she did not want to be there , not attentive, sat there with empty water glasses during entire meal, she was was very quick to take Order and had attitude. May go again if we we're guaranteed another server. read more

Called in a quick to-go order on this rainy night, and we're so glad we did. The onion rings were outstanding - perfectly fried. And oh, that sauce! Hubs loved his prawns, and we both thought the fries were delightful - crisp on the outside, soft inside. Taking one star off because the beer-battered fish was a little too greasy, greasy enough to leave a slick on your fingers. It won't stop us from trying again, though. Service was A+! read more

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We had high hopes. The cod boasts that it is the best around. If that is true, I'm afraid to taste the competition. It was over fried and tasteless. What a disappointment!! On top of that, our server was negligent. I do not recommend this to anyone! read more

Sunday eve before music .... order took awhile but for take-out Mediterranean Plate and Cobb Salad with grilled Chicken - Great Food! read more

The Spar - Friday Afternoon Feast! - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Service & food need a makeover. Unfortunate since there isn't much offered in Old Town for places to eat. Location is ideal. Last time I visited they served the wrong item and didn't even bother to correct it. Staff doesn't make you feel welcomed and service is always slow. read more

An old town staple. Solid food and beer selections. Reasonable prices for the view of the water. Lots of live music if that's your jam. Service is really dependent on the server. read more

I had dinner here last night. (Monday night). Service was fast and friendly. I ordered the fish and tots. Tots were good, hot and crispy. The fish was ... meh. It looked good, three pieces of fish and nice, appetizing brown. The breading was soggy though, like it had sat on the shelf for a while and steamed. I gobbled one piece down cause I was hungry but decided to pull the breading off the other two pieces. The first piece just hit my stomach like a lead weight. I finished the chunks of fish and most of the tots, but was unhappy with the fish. read more

I'm obsessed with the fish sandwich and fries! I've been craving it a lot lately and service has been good.

Was on time to pick up my order, Fish and chips were greasy, fries soggy, and one bite of coleslaw was $3.79 times 2 orders. Was kept waiting 15 minutes longer than what I was told on the phone, blood sugar crashed... won't be back anytime soon, disappointed. read more

They told me it would be 10 minutes to get my takeout order ready. After 45 I realized they had forgot about me. I would have let it go if anyone had even acted the least but sorry about it. Instead they just tried not to make eye contact. An hour for grilled cheese, is just not reasonable. But it is the being evasive and not just owning the mistake that is unforgivable to me. read more

Terrible service! Burnt my food not just once but twice. Left five years ago due to severe decline in quality pertaining to service and crappy food. Thought we'd see if it actually changed but they have not! Which leads me to realize its is likely these positive reviews must be fake. If I had only taken pictures of what they served me twice over in a sitting! Never ever again!!! Skip this establishment. Tacoma has so many other way better food service options than "The Sparr Tavern. Keep on running!!!! read more

love the local small town vibes. I came back here twice and second time to bring my in laws.. they have a great hh menu, friday clam chowder (more broth like and lots of clams which is my personal favorite type), the coconut prawns are my favs! (along with mahi mahi fish tacos and hummuss plate) have this on my list to go for brunch! read more

We stopped in, because we've been looking for a restaurant that still follows Covid protocols. They are not following the protocol on their website: "Surfaces are being wiped down constantly with a bleach solution. Employees are wearing masks, gloves when necessary and constantly washing hands in-between tasks. We have a limited amount of tables and have them 6 feet apart. Thank you for your support and we look forward to serving you!" The employee was very sweet and understanding, thus the 2 stars. If you're immunocompromised, be aware that the food is not prepared in the manner the website says. Everything was beautiful there with this one exception, unfortunately it could mean life or death for a physically weak person. read more

I've never been happier about writing a review. My family and I have been eating there for 20+ years and when they owner handed the business over to her grandkids, it went through a rough transition. And we stopped going there BUT I'm pleased to say the Spar is now back on our regular rotation! I had the Cobb salad today and my mom had the fishwich. Both so yummy! And the fries were crispier than ever. The only reason it's not 5 star is because the new chairs are uncomfortable and for some reason it is sooooo loud in the back room. But that won't stop us. We love the Spar and its history and its location (across the street from my mom's place) and we're happy the legend lives on. read more

Spar This is hard to write...but needs to be said....We have gone to the Spar for years and never has the food or service been awful...especially when the place was not especially busy...that is when it is totally understandable for things to be slow when wait staff is running to death. Once we got our food order in (after having waited through a pint of beer for her to come and check and finally having to stand up and go find her to flag her down.....) , we waited....(also had a terrible cab...didn't drink it....bur it is what it is.....)....Famous spar chips came....burnt....cold....greasy....and limp....(just a shame because these are usually so good)....side salad came....rusty lettuce, little cherry tomatoes well beyond the point when they should have found a serving plate (mushy and wrinkled)....fries were cold...joes were fine....and then the fried chicken....it was hot (- good thing) it was fried well... But the flavor and texture were off...it was an old and rubbery bird...not at all good or what was expected. Too bad all around. read more

Good food. Busy night so service was slightly delayed. Fun atmosphere! Fun place for friends or a date night. Pool games and music! read more

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Everything about this place rocks! Food, Staff, Atmosphere! I can't wait 2 come back especially when live music starts back up read more

The Spar - Mediterranean plate & BLT - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

The ambiance and the live music are great. I'm only commenting on the fish and chips. The batter was thick and sludge, almost like the dipped the cod in donut batter. Incredibly greasy, 2/3 oily batter 1/3 fish. The portion was large, but burned and inedible. After two bites, I kept the Spar chips (really good!) and requested the chicken fingers instead. Of course they were out of those so I had the chips and Cole slaw for dinner, but had to pay for them as sides. Great music though. Service was OK considering the place was packed. read more

Great Food!! Great Atmosphere!! Try their "World Famous Fish & Chips and Chicken & Jo's" you won't be disappointed!! A Locals Favorite with a lot of history. Live music Wed. Sat. Sun. Usually Blues Rock! I highly Recommend "The Spar" read more

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Great food and drinks options. :) it's a nice vibe. And the staff all seem very friendly.

Hell's bells, Trudy! The Spar has great food, service, wide selection of beers on tap, AND a cafe/bakery right next door! I love their happy hour selections and spar chips. Although - now nobody shoot - I think the spar chips are too salty. If I eat them, my tongue tastes like the landscape of Breaking Bad all night.** Love their chicken burger and deli sandwiches - delish. Besides the overload of salt on the crispy spar chips, I have a few gripes: one would be the CHAIRS. They're wooden, awkwardly built and kinda hurt my back after awhile. Not a place I'd relax and hang after a meal, for this reason alone. Lastly, for sodie pop they're usin' RC Cola. The Diet RC tastes like it's been in the basement for a few years. They need to get Coke or Pepsi. I will gladly amend this review if they upgrade some of the details. But overall, yes I enjoy it here and would be more than willing to stop in for a meal. **(That's a Mad Men AND a Breaking Bad reference in 1 review... worth it.) read more

The Spar - Hummus plate, chicken burger w/ fries, and spar chips. ALL FOR MEEEEE .. not all for me - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Sunday night with a Blues band playing,place is busy,pretty much always busy on a Sunday night for the Blues bands which have graced the wooden floors for more years than I can remember.Service is about as good as it can get when a band is playing...fewer seats,more people.For me,not enough servers,clean up on a table,buddy bar can take awhile as the focus is pouring and taking orders,so customers oblige by bringing their empties to the bar.Not everybody's cup of tea,but it turns into a team effort.Some folks don't get it but the ones who do return on a regular basis.When the food comes out you just look at some of the plates and go, holy smokes,look at the size of that salad,big honking buggers.Chicken and jo's,killer.Chowder.Old Town chowder,not New England or anything else..brilliant.Fish and chips?Go for the cod,hand battered,nice large pieces,none of that nugget nonsense.Established over a 100 years ago this business is the business,overlooking Commencement Bay,you can't go wrong... but at times,there will be a wait and a messy table..I think most people can tolerate that.Live music three times a week,no cover,two pool tables,free on a Tuesday,an early happy hour 3-5 with tasty bites.Full bar and lots of rotating handles of local breweries.Small family section which is a plus. read more

I've been coming here since 2004 when I bought a house in Tacoma. It's always the same, except a bit more spruced up now. Same great tavern food as always, and the beer glasses are stil icy cold. We stopped in as we were heading back to Seattle from Olympia. It's so goo to come back to an old favorite and find it just as you left it. The Spar is a good bet for hungry people with a taste for beer, read more

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I went here based on all the great reviews for the fish and chips. I was extremely disappointed. There was way too much batter on the fish and when I tried to eat it it would just fall off the fish. Service was terrible too. I was the only one sitting at the bar and when I finished a drink I would push it forward so they could see I wanted another but they just walked right by never acknowledged me. Ordered my food and brought it out. Not once did they asked how it was. They were too busy talking to each other and all the regulars. Guess they don't need new customers. read more

Great bar & grill food! Friendly attentive service by a young brunette lady back in mid June. Enjoyed the Spar Chips and my loved the Wisconsin cheese curds. Both of our sandwiches combos were great! Traditional typical bar scene with TV's and pool tables but much better than any chain bar & grill. Eat local and support independent small businesses in Old Town Tacoma Washington. read more

Ordered the gumbo and chicken wings. Chicken was undercooked. Came out a bit red and bloody. Told the server about it, they took the wings and threw it under a broiler for a few minutes. Gumbo wasn't half bad, until I found a stone in the gumbo! Just had to laugh at how ridiculous it was finding a damn stone sitting there in the gumbo. read more

Fair. Service could've been WAY better! Yes, we had a large group with 2 young kids. However, 2 meals, one being one of the kids was definitely forgotten about. They didn't get their nuggets until most adults were finished with their food. If anyone has a toddler, this is absolutely unacceptable. Another meal was forgotten as well, one of the adults meals. The kids nuggets were comped, but not the adult dish. Food was ok. Nothing to write home about. Happy with the company I was with, but the rest could've been better. read more

Enjoyed eating at the Spar last night while listening to our very favorite local band (Cory Wilds). Please have them often. Everyone else had the same idea and their local fans came out of the woodwork to see them. The place was slammed and kept their heads and delivered great service. Especially need to commend the bartender. He was hustling and the kudos to the cooks because the food was delicious. We enjoyed the bacon cheese burger and fried zucchini. Yum! read more

I loved working here 25 years ago. Huge part of my life. However, I ordered tonight and went to pick up and asked to pay after 10 minutes. After 15 minutes I asked a regular what was up. They shrugged. I figured my food was cold and soggy and looked longingly (memories of this yummy food) as I gave up and left. The whole place was about half full with four staff . I called to let them know and The Spar was not answering. Makes me so sad. I loved this place . read more

I have wanted to have lunch at the Spar since I started working in Old Town. Their menu is mouthwatering and it has a good reputation. However, on the day when I was finally able to put in an order for lunch, I also had only 30 minutes for lunch. So I waited until Grubhub said my order was ready and walked over to pick it up. Well, I'm sure they are short-staffed like everyone else post-COVID, because it took them 10 minutes to even notice me, the food wasn't ready, and then when it was--15 minutes after they said it was ready-- the waiter wouldn't give it to me because I gave her my last name rather than my first! Well, the sandwich was delicious, but I'll never order from them again because I don't get enough time for a lunch break to deal with their staffing issues. read more

That's atmosphere here was fun, they had live music and some people were even getting up to dance if they felt so inclined :). I got fish tacos which were just alright, but some of my friends got the halibut and thought it was really good. read more

I love The Spar. It's such a funky and fun atmosphere. My kids and I had the BEST server tonight, and I wish I had gotten her name. We enjoyed salads and the DELICIOUS truffle fries. read more

Waited over 20 minutes for my food then the cook comes and ask me what I'm waiting for and it wasn't even close to what I ordered. I ordered a kids hamburger and a tuna melt The waitress instead of apologizing said oh you don't want the grilled cheese and a side of fries. Not even nice about it. Had to walk out and go somewhere else. read more

Great local place. Really great live music like blues, jazz, funk and oldies. I really like for just a feeling of community It's kind of near the water. It's been a local hang out forever it seems. read more

Out of all the to-go I've gotten in the last months. This was the worst! Everything about my fish and chips was soggy AF! Batter all fallen off! One piece of fish was so rubbery a couldn't even rip it apart. I've had better pollock! Coating on zucchini chips.. bland AF. Some of the worst money I've ever spent. Total disappointment. I'm mean truly. read more

No clue why someone won't give this establishment a 5-star unless it was just their own particular preferences. This place is exactly what it advertises and it executes on that. Ordered the Mediterranean plate and asked if they could add rare salmon and a side of olive oil ~ sincere response "we can do anything you'd like!" Two pool tables. Long bar. Unobtrusive TVs of you want to watch a game. 6 IPAs on tap ~ the Jumbo Juicy is delicious. I'll be back. Just a note ~ back 1/2 with the pool tables is NOT kid friendly ~ 21+. Took my 19yr old there to get lunch and shoot pool...no go. read more

The bar staff is incredibly rude. We came in for simply a couple of drinks and one women said to wait so she could clear off the table for us. While we waited right next to the bar the other bartender cleared and table and let another couple sit there instead who came after us. When we said something she replied, "you snooze you loose" I have worked as a hostess waitress and bartender and in any circumstance this was disrespectful!!! We left and as locals will not be returning. read more

What happened, Spar? We used to like The Spar, and now it is horrible. Sunday afternoon, mildly busy in the bar but few people in the rest of the place. We sit at the bar, and 10 min later we're finally asked if we'd like drinks. A while after that we got drinks, had to request menus. Maybe 10 min after that we're asked if we want to order. We order, and a minute after that a GIANT SLIVER OF GLASS comes off the lip of the beer glass. We show the waitress who says she'll give is a free one to replace that one (um, yeah because it's not even half gone and a giant sliver of glass just came off the glass rim???) So then we wait. And wait. Omg and wait - 30+ min for our food. 40 min later it arrives AND IT IS WRONG. Really wrong. At which point we decide we're leaving. The waitress was very nice, but service was so slow and the incredible collection of errors and the wait time and the glass sliver mean we are done. Bye, Spar. You used to be great. read more