Find Food and Fun at Themed Restaurants Across Tacoma

By Margo Greenman

There are many excellent places to eat around Tacoma. Classy sit down restaurants, hole in the wall gems, on the go grub, and everyday eateries can all be found throughout the city. Among this eclectic selection of places to dine are a handful of themed restaurants where experiential eating awaits. Carefully curated menus, outlandish decor, and intricate details come together to create a dining experience that is fun, out of the ordinary and – most importantly – delicious.

Line dancing is a crowd favorite at Steel Creek. Photo courtesy of Brad Harper.
Line dancing is a crowd favorite at Steel Creek. Photo courtesy of Brad Harper.

Steel Creek
Downtown Tacoma gets a bit rowdy on Broadway between South 11th and 13th streets where Steel Creek American Whiskey Co. is located. This boisterous country-themed bar and restaurant serves more than 100 types of whiskey, offers a complete dinner and happy hour menu which includes a selection of items made from Certified Angus Beef, and provides a variety of entertainment options that promise a good time. After loading up on house favorites like the lobster mac and cheese, beer battered fish and chips, beef stew bread bowl and more, from 9:00 p.m. to close you can work off your dinner while taking part in fun activities like two-stepping, line dancing and mechanical bull riding. The dance floor is even made from whiskey barrels.

1114 Broadway
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-627-1229

Hours
Tuesday – Wednesday: 4:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Thursday – Saturday: 4:30 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.

Little Jerry’s
Fans of the 1990s hit sitcom Seinfeld will love grabbing a bite at the diner-style restaurant themed after the show. Little Jerry’s opened just more than two years ago and has been in the business of satisfying Seinfeld fans and sating hunger ever since. Menu items are named after classic moments from the show and the restaurant is decorated wall-to-wall in Seinfeld memorabilia. Fans of the show will love chowing down on iconically named breakfast and lunch items like the “Mimbo” and the “Big Stein,” while laughing over favorite quotes and enjoying great food.

8233 S Park Ave
Tacoma, WA 98408
253-474-2435

Hours
Tuesday – Saturday: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Old school ambiance makes Shake Shake Shake a blast from the past. Photo courtesy of Willow Eskrid.
Old school ambiance makes Shake Shake Shake a blast from the past. Photo courtesy of Willow Eskrid.

Shake Shake Shake
Patrons of this fifties style burger joint are in store for a blast from the past. A setting complete with vibrantly painted walls, vinyl seats, bright lights and classic malt machines, Shake Shake Shake-goers are transported from present day into the past. The menu is simple and includes three types of burgers (but you can mix it up with toppings and add-ons), three types of hot dogs (including their homage to the City of Destiny: the Tacoma Dog), and a selection of classic milkshakes, sodas and sundaes.

124 N Tacoma Ave
Tacoma, WA 98403
253-507-4060

Hours
Monday – Thursday: 11:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

The Rock Wood Fired Kitchen
Do you like to party like a rockstar? How about eating like one? The Rock Wood Fired Kitchen is a pizzeria specializing in rock music-themed food and fun. All of the pizzas on the menu are named after classic rock songs like “California Dreamin’” (a pie complete with chicken, pesto, pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, garlic and mozzarella), “Stairway to Heaven” (mozzarella, baby arugula, tomatoes, prosciutto, and parmesan), and other classic rock-inspired ‘za. There are other things on the menu too, like burgers, sandwiches, Rock pasta, salads and more, along with signature cocktails fit for a rockstar.

1920 Jefferson Ave
Tacoma, WA
253-272-1221

Hours
Monday – Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – midnight

Experience paradise anytime at Tacoma's tiki-themed bar the Tacoma Cabana.
Experience paradise anytime at Tacoma’s tiki-themed bar the Tacoma Cabana.

Tacoma Cabana
When you want to escape to a tropical paradise but don’t have the time or means to cross an ocean, you can getaway at Tacoma’s tiki themed bar, the Tacoma Cabana. The Cabana features an extensive list of handcrafted, tiki-inspired cocktails to sip on, along with a full menu of “vacation fusion” eats. In addition to the food and drink, you’ll feel the island spirit while enjoying the tiki-esque ambiance provided by the Cabana’s kitschy decor – think paper lanterns, palm trees and surfboards. There is even a television playing old episodes of Gilligan’s Island on repeat.

728 Pacific Ave
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-222-4184

Hours
Wednesday – Saturday: 5:00 p.m.-midnight

Southern Kitchen
Providing more than just your southern comfort food favorites, Southern Kitchen also offers its guests a fun and kitschy atmosphere to enjoy their food in, too. From colorful oilcloth tablecloths and Mason drinking jars, to the iconic decor that lines the walls, each decorative detail found throughout the restaurant brings the atmosphere of the south to 6th Ave. A few menu favorites include the catfish filet sandwich, fried green tomatoes, and strawberry lemonade. And, everything at Southern Kitchen is made from scratch to provide “southern cooking at its down-home best.”

1716 6th Ave
Tacoma, WA 98405
253-627-4282

Hours
Monday – Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

The Hub bike themeThe Hub
Tacoma is a very bike-friendly city, which is why The Hub – Tacoma’s bike themed restaurant – is such a perfect fit in the community. A pub-style restaurant that is also host to the Harmon Bike Club, The Hub offers a full menu of food items from burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, entrées and other delicious bites – all within a bike themed setting. This family-friendly restaurant also features a bar, complete with all your favorite Harmon Brewing Company beers.

203 Tacoma Ave S
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-683-4606

Hours
Monday – Thursday: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.