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

Food was okay for the party. I unfortunately ordered the gumbo and it was missing clams which they notified me about but it was also missing sausage and chicken. Very generous servings Service was good and attentive. read more

old bar, landmark. excuse for old grease and unkind staff. dirty, and on promise Tacoma real estate. shit on the ladies toilet, worn down pool tables and it and I'm pretty sure the pool six have not been replaced since 1979 step up or move out! read more

Went for the soup and salad but stayed for the meat! Apparently they have a total smokeshow named skylar who works there, the food was great I guess but I couldn't even focus on the flavor of the food cuz mouth was watering for skylars plump mooseknuckle that he was sheepishly trying to keep tucked away from the group of sluts I was with, lol jk not really,, aaaanyways place is awesome just wish they wouldn't keep a piece of man-meat like that up in the front, cuz after we left we were so hot and bothered they probably had to throw away the chairs we sat on cuz they WERE DRENCHED UGH fml I'm so over it read more

I have eaten at the Spar for the past 25 years. It is a great place with great chowder, BEER and the Spar chips are great. But, my trip today showed that the server did not do her job as 2 out of the four didn't get our meals without asking. Second, the kitchen did not do their job in the preparation and serving of the fish and chips. The fish was the worst ever. Big thick puffy and undercooked batter that was greasy and fish that was tough with poor flavor. I should have sent it back. My bad but they need to step up to past standards. read more

Overall good experience but out of the many times I've gone the Spar Chips were saturated with oil and limp. Kind of like a sponge soaked in oil. read more

I need to clarify that this was a to go order. I ordered fish and chips. I requested extra tartar through the clover site. It stated that it would be ready in 20 minutes. Since they can be very busy in person, I decided to get there in exactly 20 minutes. A huge mis read more

Our family had the best meal. Daughter chose the Spar for her 19th birthday celebration. Perfect choice. Great service. Amazing spar sauce and spar sauce. Loved the fish and chips and fish tacos. Daughter in heaven over her French dip. Our server made everyone feel special. Will be back again and again. read more

I have to say, the quality of the food at the Spar is pretty terrible compared to what it used to be. We've always gotten the chicken and joes, but tonight's meal was our last from the Spar. The pieces of chicken are tiny compared to what they once were and the chicken we got tonight was so incredibly overcooked that its texture was more like jerky. Also, it was clear that they hadn't changed the oil in some time. Both the joes and the chicken had really terrible flavor that I've only ever known from rancid oil that is used to fry food. KFC's chicken is much, much better. Our meal tonight was really gross. We won't be back. read more

My friend asked me and my husband if we wanted to go to "this bar" while we waited for a breakfast table somewhere else... or at least that's what o thought she kept saying. Turns out she was saying "the Spar" which she hadn't been to before. We walked in and a very friendly guy greeted us and once we said we wanted both a beer and a coffee, he said well just go find a seat cause we've got three rooms for you to choose between and one has water view. So we made our way to the water view... Pros? The reason it gets 4 stars instead of 3 is two-fold: the reasonable pricing and the view Coffee was legit some of the best I've had in a while... the white chocolate latte had nice art on top and the flavor was fantastic Quite a few beers on tap... and they were honest about a pitcher being cheaper than a pint Tasty hash browns and gravy The chef bringing food out to many tables did a little happy but wiggle when he delivered and that made us all smile Cons? Our breakfasts weren't anything to write home about Service took a little while jus because there weren't a lot of people worrying for how huge the location is read more

I was so excited to order from them last night and unfortunately it was awful. Tasteless chicken and seafood. Really sad you spend 50 to help out these restaurants and the send out shitty food!! Never ordering from them again!! One star is being extremely generous!! read more

So, yesterday evening I took my wife out on the boat and we decided lets get some dinner on the water. We really enjoy the food and service at The Spar until last night. There's a sigh wait here to be seated so we did and the waitress who was clearing a table in front of us, didn't even have it in her to say Hi I'll be with you in a minute and ran off. So after a bunch of time she walks up and tell us there is a 20-30 minute wait and we can wait outside and you can call in if you want. Then she stated she will call others on the list before we can get seated. Ok, I'm thinking do you need our number for the list and off she went to not return. So next time if our waitress that has a blond streak in her hair is working she will get no tip at all and I'll give our tip to the cooks cash. read more

Good place to come for live music. The food was above average and the prices weren't bad.

Tony makes the best BLT's ever! And when Tony is cooking the fries are cooked to perfection! Thank- you Tony! You make lunch an awesome experience at the Spar! read more

The Spar - Me and my Dad having lunch at the spar! - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

This place has character, it's low key and the food and service is great, every time. We have been here many times, but just tried the coffee cafe for the first time. We couldn't eat the croissant breakfast sandwich fast enough, it was so good, and my half sweet mocha hit the spot on this chilly NW day. read more

My husband & were in yesterday and we both ordered the french dip. HORRIBLE and there was literally 2 THIN gross tasting pieces of roast beef in each roll. The quantity & quality has really gone way down! read more

This is a cool spot! Great food, impressive beer and wine selection, competitive prices, and various entertainment, all offered in a desirable location. Food & Alcohol People speak highly of the food here, and I've personally had the opportunity to enjoy their fish and chips (specifically their Spar chips), which was very good. There are arguably better restaurants in the area, but if you're looking for low prices and casual atmosphere, this hits the spot! They also have a great selection of craft beer on draft, and a varied selection of wine as well. If you're looking for hard liquor or cocktails though, look elsewhere; this is a beer and wine spot only. The Spar offers happy hour M-F only, which is a bit of a drawback on weekends, but the aforementioned low prices make up for it. Entertainment & Atmosphere This place has quite a bit to offer, from a connected coffee and tea bar, to two pool tables, and live music. The layout is admittedly a bit strange, between an open kitchen to the right of the front door, and countertops a bit too close to one side of the pool tables, but it doesn't stop me from liking the place or from playing pool here. It's in a great location near the Ruston waterfront, and it's my go-to spot for playing pool. Despite the counter and space issues, it's $0.50 per game and finding an open table isn't difficult on most days I've been (including weekend nights). This place draws a particular clientele, mostly being middle-aged to older working-class people, which isn't really my vibe but it doesn't bother me, regardless. All-in-all, The Spar is a great casual hangout spot for appetizing food, draft beer and wine for various palates, coffee and tea, live music, and pool. read more

Came in on a Sunday morning at 11:00 am. First time here and we walked in the coffee shop side, somewhat confused as there was no employee to greet us. After finding the restaurant/bar side, we found out we can seat ourselves. We weren't very well greeted or given a warm reception once the waitress came to the table. We came only for lunch, but was told that they don't serve that until 12:00. Fair enough, we ordered breakfast. The service wasn't terrible, but not great by any means. Now the main issue was the insane long time it took to get our order after placing it. We ordered simple breakfast, eggs, bacon, biscuits etc. It took over 45 mins from the time we set our order to get food on the table. This place was not very busy at all, I cannot understand why it would take this long for our orders. I also think it would have been nice if the waitress told us about the special, as I would have got the western scramble, but again she did not offer anything helpful at all. All in all, I would not go back nor would I recommend this place for the food. The taste was average at best, nothing special. Service was average at best, but the long wait was torture. read more

Great staff! Our waiter was the best. Kept our group laughing and didn't blink an eye when we had two extra people show up later in our meal. The food, fantastic!! Their special sauce I could eat by the bottle. Whatever is in there...you will want to eat it on everything. Their house made chips with the sauce...to die for. Everyone in my group fell in love with the food. Couldn't have asked for a better lunch meal! Only downside is parking is a pain. But it's worth it. read more

The Spar - Halibut fish and chips - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Rounding this place up a star because they have been doin' it and doin' it and doin' it and doin' it for years now. It's a little piece of beer and billiards bedrock up in old town at this point. They have a great setting with a sweet view of the bay from the few windows on that side of the building. Inside, there's a coffee shop to the left, and a display kitchen to the right, and the trail of tables in the middle leads you through to more dining rooms, pool tables, and a big dogleg bar that goes around the corner. Everything is solid and purposeful. They're here to do the work. That extends to the front of house staff, too. They are friendly and cool without giving you the sense, ever, that they're just hustling tips. They seem like the kind of people who see regulars so often that they know they have to be genuine--but they're just genuine, anyway. It's a great setting. We came in for lunch, just sandwiches and iced tea. The french dips were awesome. Paula talked us into adding onions, cheese, and horseradish, which were all good calls. Fresh meat, solid jus that wasn't too salty, and great horseradish that actually tasted (and felt) like grated root, rather than slightly spicy mayo. Yum. They're always filling the iced tea, which is a nice touch. Speaking of beverages, it looks like they keep a nice keg lineup rolling. For a lot of my friends who still live in T-Town, The Spar is a place they hit so much that they can end up burning out on it for a while. There are alllll kinds of people in here, from corporate suits to genuine outlaw bikers--we saw each of those and everything in between in one visit yesterday. You can see how they keep getting regulars from all walks of life. It's a true watering hole, a genuine community gathering place. Definitely be back. read more

The Spar is located in the very small area of shops and businesses known as Oldtown Tacoma. Oldtown has a great view of the Pugent Sound as so does The Spar. I went in after doing a brief walk in the area as I become more familiar with my new town. The staff was very friendly. There was a young girl there and an older woman who took my order on the coffee shop portion of the place. I ordered the Spar chips which was their own potato chips made there as well as a Mushroom and Swiss Burger. The little place is cute in this very nice and expensive area of Tacoma. My wait for my burger took a while but it arrived. The chips and burger were ok. Good but not terribly memorable. It was enough to get through supper and was ok on being satisfied. As someone else said The Spar is good but there is not one thing where they are great on. read more

Sunday dinner service was slow...very slow... Two burgers were both hits. The halibut was great. The fish tacos were flavorless, lacking fish and loaded with cabbage incredible disappointing. They really should be removed from the menu. Top it off the tortillas were slim, single and delivered soggy. read more

The Spar - Pass on the tacos - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Love coming here to have a beer and shoot pool with a view. Old town neighborhood vibe and live music on occasion makes this a worthy try

Order: Bacon Cheeseburger w/ spar chips and spicy sauce Burger Layout: Bun, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle, Bacon, Cheese, Burger, Bun Cost: $9.75 Fries: Never mind fries, there are homemade chips to be had! As an Olympia resident, I must make something clear from the start. Tacoma's The Spar is not related to Olympia's McMenamin's The Spar. Olympia's Spar has begrudging mean spirited service in a smelly restaurant that serve's gross overplayed food. Tacoma's Spar has nice servers in a lively restaurant located in the heart of Old Town Tacoma... and the burgers are real good. I went for the Bacon Cheeseburger and received quite the tasty delight. The burger was griddled up nice and juicy, the bacon had that salty savory crisp you always hope for, the bun was nearly proportional to the meat (a little large), and the spar sauce and veggies were provided separately. I would have loved to receive twice the vegetables they gave, but the overall flavor was barely affected. Spar Sauce ended up being a nice addition to the meal. It comes out in a squeeze jar and hangs out on your table begging to make its way onto everything in sight. Chips, burgers, onion rings, and even our fingers, there is no place this sauce wasn't loved. They start with a sour cream base and add a bunch of onion and garlic to the mix and perhaps even a hint of dill. I'm sure there's more to it, but that's a good start to comprehending its taste. It's not your everyday condiment, but perhaps that's what is so alluring about it. Finally, make sure to order the spar chips. It's hard to make your own potato chips, but this place does it right. Crispy, well seasoned, and only a slight bit too greasy. 4/5 read more

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Mmmno. The building is cool if you can make it past the "Spar" sign that temporarily blinds you on your way in as it is so bright. Setup inside is strange with a coffee shop on one side and the bar on the other. There seemed to be someone working behind the bar immediately on the right side who did not help us? Then came the noise. OH, the noise! The sound in the back bar room is AWFUL. I could hardly hear myself chew, let alone the conversation I was trying to have. However, I could hear every clatter of silverware and conversation tidbit around me. I could not hear music, none was playing. It was all bad. Ordered two different types of french dip sandwiches, salads, and beers. They were all okay, but not exceptional. The server we had was actually very nice. read more

Great neighborhood bar! Excellent food and beers. Great wine list. Great and attentive service. Two pool tables. Fantastic views of the sound and entrance to Rustin way. Nestled in Old Town Tacoma. Cafe in the front for coffee and quick bite. I have always loved The Spar and I will be back! Also get the chicken on Wednesdays! Delicious:) read more

The Spar - Great view of The Sound - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Just found this super cool place today! I ordered the most yummy iced Americano! The service was fantastic, really cool vibe, family owned (unlike OTHER places who serve coffee..) and VERY good prices. I come from a barista/coffee/ family owned business background myself, and I highly recommend this place! read more

One of the reasons I am proud to be a local, is for places like this who know the importance of a cute old feel environment, great coffee, late hours for us local coffee or wantabe local coffee drinkers and of course good breakfast eats! Definintely worth a trek from Seattle to visit this spot! read more

I liked coming down to this quaint coffee shop for breakfast / brunch. It has your breakfast foods such as breakfast sandwiches, omelets, nothing out of the ordinary. What I liked most were their coffee drinks. They have this amazing Matcha Green Tea Latte that comes in a giant cup if its dine in. It has the right amount of sweetness with the smooth rich taste of Matcha. The place also has large selections of giant cookies in all different flavors and board games in case you get bored. The restaurant is also just a walk away from the water which has a beautiful relaxing view. I've never been here for lunch or dinner but in the morning it's pretty amazing. read more

This place is old and cool but service has never been good, at least in the bar section. Great location and cool setting. Have never had good service here and food is average. read more

An amazing spot along the water with rich history and an amazing staff! This is a bucket list of fun night life on weekends with rich music of blues and rock and delicious bar food and beverages! There are many amazing beers on tap. The staff is dedicated to serve your needs. My go to spot in Tacoma.... from a Spanaway girl!! Spar love! read more

The Spar - Delicious gumbo! - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

One of the best place in Washington if you like to enjoy live music by blues musician. I came here tonight to enjoy live music by boneyard preachers, and i really love it. The spar is a really comfortable place, everyone is so friendly, and the place is so cozy. The system here is a self-service bar. You can grab the coffee and tea yourself and order drink from the bar while enjoying the live music. This place is so fun! By the way , if you like to dance, this is a good place!! Even though the apace is kinda limited. read more

The Spar - Boneyard Preacher ! The blues band tonight! - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

We went here for breakfast and were really unimpressed. We chose The Spar because we have a fussy infant and didn't want to upset the ambiance of a fancier restaurant. The Spar is family friendly, but the food and service hasn't impressed me in a long time. It's a coffee shop, but at breakfast the drip coffee is self-serve. It was nothing special. I ordered the heart starter breakfast: a scramble with spinach, tomatoes, and hash browns. While there was nothing negative about my breakfast, it wasn't something I'd get again. It was just boring. My husband got the heart stopper breakfast sandwich. He didn't like that the sausage was one of those premade patties. Again, nothing special. I was disappointed that they don't serve their famous chips at breakfast. Seems like a no brainer to me. The service, while not unfriendly, was nothing amazing. The Spar seems like they've stopped trying. read more

20 Beers on tap, Home made Chips, View of Puget Sound, Amazing Burgers, Hippie Waiters, what more do you friggen want ?? The spar is an old school Tacoma favorite that has grown in the same slant as Tacoma has ... with proximity within a mile of 100+ 1 MM $USD houses the spar in in the affluent Old Town Tacoma district ... Good Burgers, Good Beer, Good Service, Nice View of the Water.... and of course ... Home Made Potatoe Chips... the spar gets an A++ I hear they have Breakfast on the weekends ! read more

The Spar - Map to Happy Places - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Some people go to church, I go to The Spar. It is a temple of the good life perched on a hill above Commencement Bay. You can see the bay from the windows as you while the hours away. There are also trains, photos, and maritime maps in the table tops. My old fogey nirvana. It is a tavern and they have a great selection of rotating beers, ciders, and some decent wine offerings. The place is homey with room for families out front and a pool table with music in the back. A true gem - don't ever change Spar! One of the best things in the world is their halibut and chips. This is a point of contention because other people say the cod is better. Either way they nail all of the right aspects, perfect fish preparation, solid fries, and real tartar sauce. Their burgers, salads, and other items are satisfying too. If it is busy enough the cooks will deliver it right to your table! Amazing. try the gumbo read more

The Spar - Maritime Imperial IPA - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Decent restaurant. I had the French dip which was pretty good. I could only eat half of it because there was too much bun to eat. I got mine with the spar chips which are really yummy! For an appetizer we had the fried zucchini. It was a large portion and it was delicious. Also at the table was the cod and chips which looked really good, also sampled the gumbo which came with a ton of seafood (fish, shrimp, clams, etc.) They have a good beer selection as well with a lot of local beers on tap. Overall, it was a pretty good meal. The service here can be kind of spotty though. I would stop by again sometime. read more

Good food & strong drinks but... This place is very loud, might be due to the open kitchen design or just the architecture of the building but it is loud, and it was not very busy. We ordered drinks and food. The food was very good but took about 40 minutes to get our food. For drinks we got a Bloody Mary and a Rum drink, both were extremely over poured almost to the point that it was undrinkable. Overall this place is definitely caters towards the bar side, not to the sit down side. If you want a bar with strong drinks and good food go here. If you want a good sit down restaurant drive up the road two minutes. read more

Okay, listen: Spar chicken & joes with a Guenis or two is where it's at. No other pub has the fine Puget Sound view and old, Old Town feel that the Spar serves up in copious amounts. They often have live jazz in one corner that just packs the place. Get a seat early on those nights. What's that you say? You don't all drink beer? (?!!) Then take the kids to the family side of the bar and set them up with some Spar Chips to get things going! read more

The Spar - Bars Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Come for the beer, view, and tunes but stay away from the food. We were excited to try this place out as it has a cool location in Old Town with picturesque views of the sound. When we arrived there was a live band setting up which was a nice surprise and made the place a little more lively! We also ordered dinner which was, unfortunately, a big let down. It was basically snack bar food you would find in a bowling alley. The man ordered the veggie burger with the green peppers, egg, and onions...we make better veggie burgers at home. The patty was of the store bought frozen variety (a lot places around town make their veggie patties from scratch) and the egg was cooked over hard when it should have been runny. I had the veggie pita which consisted of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber - could have had a little more to it as it was very plan and didn't come with a warm pita as described in the menu. We will probably give this place one more try for drinks after eating else-wear...they also have a little coffee shop so we might stop by to try a coffee drink and walk the water. read more

An average breakfast in a bar ... nothing special, perfectly adequate. We were waiting for a table at the popular breakfast joint across the street, and got tired of waiting. Average eggs and bacon, etc. Friendly staff, no wait. read more