Takeout Tacoma: Your best bets for to-go food in the West End

When takeout suddenly became a necessity for restaurants to survive COVID-19 earlier this year, we thought it would last a couple of months.

We created an extensive — though by no means exhaustive — list of South Sound restaurants offering takeout when that was their only option. As they began welcoming guests back into their dining rooms and patios in June, we kept that resource going. It remains a great place to search for takeout by cuisine.

But where to eat in specific parts of town? If you’re west of Orchard Street and north of 19th, here’s where to stop for takeout, starting in the north and working south toward the city border with Fircrest and University Place.

Two important notes: 1) no corporate chains, and 2) no links to third-party platforms like Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats.

Why no delivery? These giants charge the restaurant up to a 30 percent commission fee for their services, which eats into opportunity for profit.

We recommend calling the restaurant directly (or using their website) to order pickup. That’s the only way to guarantee that your favorite spot receives each dollar you give, minus the credit card fees.

One notable exception from this current list is Cole’s Bar and Grill, which remains closed — temporarily, we hope.

*Reporter’s Note: listed geographically from north to south, east to west

Antique Sandwich Co.

▪ 5102 N. Pearl St., Tacoma, 253-752-4069, antiquesandwich.com

▪ Daily, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (7:30 p.m. Saturday); call to order

▪ Best for: breakfast, healthy lunch

Adorned with antiques from the family collection, this endearing little shop serves cafe staples, house pastries ($2.95-$4.95) and espresso that draw lines on weekend mornings. Order ahead to skip the crowds and sit in the pleasant garden patio facing Pearl Street. Breakfast sandwiches start at $6.50 and lunch options, including house-roasted turkey and ham, at $6.75 for a half or $8.95 for a whole. They also make for a nice light weeknight dinner. The daily quiche ($8.95 with a side salad) and Turkish breakfast ($8.50) — a platter of pita, hardboiled eggs and hummus with cucumber, tomatoes and olives — will travel best. Buy a bag of homemade granola ($5.75) to enjoy tomorrow.

Macaluso’s

▪ 5101 N. Pearl St., Ruston, 253-267-1340, macalusositalianrestaurant.com

▪ Tuesday-Sunday, 4:30-8 p.m.; call to order

▪ Best for: date-night at home

The in-house experience at Macaluso’s is so hospitable that recommending takeout is no simple ask, but the family-owned restaurant developed a family-style program early on in the pandemic. Favorites including papperdelle bolognese ($47 with salad and bread) and the tagliatelle with an addictive pesto cream sauce ($42) made the cut, as did lasagna ($58) and spaghetti polpette (a.k.a meatballs in marinara, $42). It says they serve two people, but we bet there’d be leftovers. Add a pizza or two for the kids, or yourself. A quick reheat at home oven makes this an easy choice for a snazzy meal without the cleanup.

Tatanka Take-Out

▪ 4915 N. Pearl St., Ruston, 253-752-8778, tatankatakeout.com

▪ Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 7 p.m.

▪ Best for: lean lunch, meat for home-cooking

Lean, grass-fed bison sourced from Montana takes center-stage at this petite pit stop on North Pearl. On the handheld side, try it in burger form ($14.35), in a sloppy joe of sorts ($11.95), or in a burrito ($11.95). Owner Nathan Thomas also uses this “cleaner meat” in homemade chili ($9.55). For veg-heads, the menu provides salads and worthy vegetable-laden sandwiches on sourdough. While you’re here, stock up on a pound or two of bison — ground, ribs, steak, stew meat, sausage and jerky. Ask Thomas how to cook it, and he will graciously explain the best way.

Indochine on Pearl

▪ 4612 N. Pearl St., Tacoma, 253-761-2727, indochinepearl.com

▪ Monday-Saturday, 4-9 p.m.; call or order online through the restaurant website

▪ Best for: everyday Asian food

Not to be confused with the downtown Indochine, this restaurant has been open since 2007. A giant menu travels around Southeast Asia, from coconut prawns and shrimp wontons ($11.95) to spring rolls ($10.95), tom kha ($13.95) and larb na ($13.95). Mains include Cantonese mainstays like cashew chicken but focus on Thai dishes such as lemongrass chicken ($16.95) and green curry with seafood ($19.95). For a tour-de-noodle, there’s everything from pad Thai and kee mao to the house chow mein ($14.95). Prices are a touch higher than similar restaurants in town, but if you live near here, at least it will still be hot when you get home.

Red Wagon Burgers

▪ 2315 N. Pearl St., Tacoma, 253-212-3705, redwagonburgers.com

▪ Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; call to order

▪ Best for: cheap-ish burgers

It’s some kind of torture that Red Wagon neighbors a Planet Fitness. The second of two locations — the other in Tukwila — centers around ⅓-pound beef burgers with LTO and a house sauce ($7.70). If you’re feeling fancy, the menu also offers creations with avocado, bacon, grilled pineapple, bleu cheese and pulled pork ($11.85+). Cheesesteaks ($12.50+) include the classic Philly-style and combos of chicken and steak, and the fish and chips are battered in house. Add a side of fried zucchini and mushrooms ($5.95) for an alternative to fries. At lunch, a burger or cheesesteak, fries and a drink goes for $7.99. Oh, and there are milkshakes in many flavors ($6.95).

Flying Fish

▪ 5719 N. 26th St., Tacoma, 253-212-1432, flyingfishtacoma.com

▪ Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 8:45 p.m.; call to order

▪ Best for: decent teriyaki and sushi

Let the chef build you a sashimi box ($20.99 for three pieces each of four kinds of fish) and don’t forget a spicy tuna and unagi hand roll ($5.99-$6.99). Crazy rolls abound, too. It’s also a solid choice to satisfy teriyaki cravings ($8.99 for chicken to $14.99 for beef short ribs). Skip the meat for a change and give the salmon teriyaki a whirl ($13.99). Portions are more than fair with reasonable prices to match, including satisfying orders of yakisoba ($8.99 for veggie-only to $11.99 for shrimp). The sushi bar tends to close before the teriyaki side of the kitchen, so order at least an hour before closing time.

Sake Sushi + Grill

▪ 5738 N. 26th St., Tacoma, 253-759-2558, sakesushigrilltacoma.com

▪ Daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; call to order

▪ Best for: crazy sushi rolls and everyday Asian food

Across the street from Flying Fish, this sushi and stir-fry spot offers a similar menu but with more Japanese appetizers, including tempura ($7.99) and seaweed salad ($5.99). Teriyaki combos here run nine deep, with chicken katsu an option in three ($11.99). You also can get a bowl of nabeyaki udon here ($9.99) and ramen for under $10. Look to the wok section for Chinese-American classics like kung pao, General Tso’s and orange chicken ($10.99 to $11.99) with two scoops of rice. Sushi options include the usual suspects, a dizzying number of rolls and a sizable sashimi platter for $55.99 that’s sure to feed a family.

El Toro

▪ 5716 N. 26th St., Tacoma, 253-759-7889, eltorofamily.com

▪ Daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (10 p.m. Friday-Saturday); call to order

▪ Best for: family friendly Mexican and margaritas to-go

This regional chain makes a great takeout meal for a crowd, with everything from quesadillas and burritos ($13.99 to $14.99) to flautas, enchiladas and fajitas ($14.25 to $17.99). At lunch, flavorful salads fill you up with grilled chicken, avocado and corn ($12.99), and tacos come with rice and beans ($9.75 for two or $12.99 for four). Perhaps the best part of ordering Mexican takeout from a full-service restaurant is margaritas to-go. El Toro bottles their house favorite in 12-ounce bottles, which makes two drinks poured over ice. Note that happy hour deals are not available to-go.

Taqueria Hermanos Cardona

▪ 610 N. Mildred St. (in the Chevron parking lot), Tacoma, 206-850-4649, facebook.com

▪ Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; easiest to order in-person

▪ Best for: tacos, sopes and Mexican breakfast

The amount of Mexican food that churns out of this little food truck in a Chevron parking lot is nothing short of admirable. Tacos start at $3.99, but you can get five with a drink or three with rice and beans for $12.99. You’ll also find homemade sopes ($5.75), tostadas ($4.65), taco salad ($14.99) and platters of carnitas ($15.99). If Mexican breakfast is calling your 2020-hellscape hangover, order that breakfast burrito ($9.50) or machaca to build your own breakfast tacos with carnitas, scrambled eggs, peppers and onion ($15.99).

Gyro Bites

▪ 6409 6th Ave., 253-212-2447, facebook.com

▪ Daily, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.

▪ Best for: Mediterranean favorites

We would be so lucky as to have a Gyro Bites in every neighborhood. Start with hummus or baba ganoush ($7.99), falafel and kibbeh ($3.99-$4.99). From there, it’s the Mediterranean getaway of your dreams. Try the musakhan, roasted chicken spiced with sumac, allspice and saffron ($8.99). Pita wraps include a classic lamb and beef gyro ($8.89), chicken shawarma ($9.49) and beef kebab ($9.99). Meatless options abound, from a falafel sandwich to ones stuffed with baba ganoush or fried cauliflower ($7.99). Platters of meat make a great family-style dinner ($13.99-$14.99). With baklava in three varieties, it’s sensible to add a dessert ($2.99 to $4.69).

Cloverleaf

▪ 6430 6th Ave., Tacoma, 253-565-1111, cloverleafpizza.com

▪ Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; order online or call for takeout or delivery

▪ Best for: pizza

A restaurant since 1950, Cloverleaf needs no Tacoma introduction. The “hand-squashed” pizzas made from dough resting a day can take upwards of a half-hour to cook, but as they say, it’s worth the wait. You can tell that the sausage is made fresh and the pie is hot. Have you ever seen so many mushrooms on a pizza? That would be the Funk ($12.70 regular, $20.65 “huge”). Pub classics include a patty melt, Italian sub and club sandwich ($9.75-$10.25), plus starters like fried zucchini and cheese curds ($5.75), Cobb or Caesar salad ($8.75-$9.75).

The Fuzion Cafe

▪ 6820 6th Ave., Tacoma, 253-267-1566, thefuzioncafe.com

▪ Tuesday-Saturday, 4-8 p.m.; call to order

▪ Best for: Asian noodles and fried rice

Sister to Indochine on Pearl, The Fuzion Cafe offers a similar menu of Southeast Asian dishes. Order from here if you live closer to this edge of the neighborhood. Mango fried rice spices up the normal stir-fry ($13.75) or choose among five styles of curry ($15.95) with your choice of protein. In addition to a dozen or so platters, the noodle section runs 14 deep, including cashew udon, pad see ew and caramelized crispy noodles with veggies and pineapple ($14.95 to $15.95).

Tacoma Pie

▪ 7104 6th Ave. (at The Gourmet Niche), Tacoma, 253-320-8734, tacomapie253@gmail.com, tacomapie.com

▪ Thursday to Saturday, 5-9 p.m.; call or text (preferred) to order, wait for confirmation

▪ Best for: Detroit-style pizza

Longtime bartender Dean Shivers has been quietly serving some of Tacoma’s best new pizza from inside the commissary kitchen of The Gourmet Niche. His Detroit-style pies, sometimes referred to as grandma or Sicilian, boast an enviable crispy crust, enhanced by frico: burnt cheese that lines the edges of the pan as it bakes. Go for a house pie like La Casa with fennel sausage, olives and mushrooms or the Vito with pancetta, cherry peppers, roasted garlic and scallions. You won’t find pizza like this anywhere else in the area, and it’s carryout only ($19 to $23). Warm in a 400-degree oven to achieve the perfect crust at home.

Taqueria El Sabor

▪ 1636 S. Mildred St., Tacoma, 253-565-0501, taqueriaelsabor.net

▪ Daily, 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; call to order

▪ Best for: cheap but memorable Mexican food

Beyond tacos (starting at $1.64 each), Taqueria El Sabor provides West Tacoma with huarache, the elongated tortilla served open-faced with meat, beans and the requisite onion and cilantro ($7.99). There are also gorditas, mulitas and sopitos ($6.19+), and you can choose tripe or lengua instead of the typical asada, pollo or chorizo. Mojarra platters ($10.99) and five shrimp dishes bring seafood into the mix at the third location of this regional mini-chain.

Sushido

▪ 1620 S. Mildred St., Tacoma, 253-565-7119, facebook.com/sushidotacoma

▪ Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; call to order

▪ Best for: sushi

The Tacoma outpost of this Auburn sushi restaurant features plenty of Japanese favorites, including karaage ($11.99) and gyoza ($7.99), and modern creations like the Monkey Brain, a kind of crab wonton with a fried mushroom shell ($10.99). Rolls run from $8.99 to $15.99, or let the chef do the work: sushi boats start at $20.99. At lunch, single rolls are $8.99, or get double for $15.99.

Royal Thai Bistro

▪ 2045 Mildred St. W, Fircrest, 253-564-9409, royalthaibistro.com

▪ Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday-Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. (closes at 9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday); call to order

▪ Best for: lesser-seen Thai dishes

This Thai restaurant across from Tacoma Community College has prices that might seem a touch high but for big portions (most everything is $15.95 to $16.95). House names for classic dishes include Ginger Garden, Princess Snow Pea and Prikkhing Prince. In addition to lesser-seen noodle dishes like rad na and Singapore (vermicelli), you can also dig into papaya or glass noodle salad and six kinds of curry. Try the toasted sesame wraps and a chef’s special such as Thai catfish or the house duck curry.

Ale House Pub

▪ 2122 Mildred St. W, Tacoma, 253-565-9637, alehouseup.com

▪ Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-midnight; call to order

▪ Best for: pub food from an independent business

Craving pub food but want to support local in the West End? Ale House Pub is the one. From nachos to wings, “totchos” to calamari, appetizers ($8.99 to $11.99) hit the fried-food spot. The menu says the jalapeno poppers will surprise you, and they will — in a very good way ($7.99). A range of burgers and sandwiches ($9.99-$13.49), including a BLT, prime rib dip and pulled pork, round out the offerings. We recommend ordering in-person so you can enjoy a beer from their excellent regional selections while you wait.

Pint Defiance

▪ 2049 Mildred St. W, Tacoma, 253-302-4240, pintdefiance.com

▪ Wednesday-Sunday 1-7 p.m.; order in-person

▪ Best for: craft beer and cider

All neighborhoods without a Pint Defiance should be jealous of the West End. The bottle shop stocks oodles of awesome beer in its coolers, in cans and bottles, and on draft. Fill a clean growler and pack your fridge with the best of Pacific Northwest brews and beyond. Usually you can have a pint here, too, but for now the shop is operating as to-go retail only. Follow along on Instagram for regular updates of new and limited releases.

Thirsty Hound Drinkery

▪ 1905 Bridgeport Way, University Place, 253-302-5606, thirstyhounddrinkery.com

▪ Wednesday-Monday, 3-8 p.m. for takeout; call to order

▪ Best for: Asian-inspired bar food

This cozy neighborhood bar opened earlier this year, run by husband and wife Rick Filion and Malaty Lim, and her Thai heritage adds intrigue to the menu. Thai chicken and lemon butter shrimp are served with rice and a refreshing cucumber salad ($11-$13.50). The restaurant posts drink and food specials on Instagram daily, such as larb gai, house fried rice and ginger salmon cakes ($8.50-$12). Bonus: homemade beer cheese and key lime pie, cocktails and local beer to-go.

LAON Burger and Teriyaki

▪ 1905 Bridgeport Way, University Place, 253-433-7870, facebook.com

▪ Daily, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sunday, 11 a.m.); call to order

▪ Best for: Korean street food

Next to Thirsty Hound, LAON specializes in Korean dishes like bibimbap and jap-chae ($15.99), bulgogi ($15.99 for pork, $17.99 for beef) and fried chicken. In fact, you would be remiss to not order the latter ($16.99), glazed in a sweet and spicy sauce. Teriyaki options range from spicy chicken to chicken katsu, in addition to the usual choices ($10.99 to $15.99). Anywhere there’s kimchi fried rice ($12.99) is a good place to be. The burger part of the name relies on a single entity: the Hawaiian, with Swiss cheese, grilled pineapple, mayo and teriyaki sauce ($10.99).

Steamers Seafood Cafe

▪ 8802 6th Ave., Tacoma, 253-565-4532, steamersseafoodcafe.com

▪ Daily, noon to 8 p.m.; call to order

▪ Best for: fried seafood

Steamers is closing at the end of this year, so get there fast if you want to try one last bite of clam chowder ($3.95-$8.95) and panko-breaded cod, clams and coconut prawns ($10.95-$13.95). Where else can feed the whole family seafood for a fair price and catch some of the best views in Tacoma? The restaurant has set up a few tables in the parking lot, but no alcohol allowed. Buy a beer or two to-go and snag a picnic table in the park seating across the street. Shh, we won’t tell.

Boathouse 19

▪ 9001 S 19th St. (at Narrows Marina), Tacoma, 253-565-1919, boathouse19restaurant.com

▪ Sunday-Thursday 12-8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 12-9 p.m.; call to order

▪ Best for: pub-style seafood

Takeout at The Lobster Shop’s sister means you’ll miss the main attraction, but sometimes you need clam chowder and a crispy fish sandwich. The menu will please families, with everything from mac and cheese and “backyard” burgers, to mahi mahi tacos and steamers in a garlic, wine and butter sauce. ($15.99-$17.99). Indulge in a dessert that won’t melt, like the peanut butter pie or the lemon cheesecake ($6.99-$8.99).

Narrows Brewing

▪ 9007 S 19th St. (at Narrows Marina), Tacoma, 253-327-1400, narrowsbrewing.com

▪ Monday-Thursday 4-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 12-10 p.m.; Sunday 12-6 p.m.; order in-person

▪ Best for: local beer

For beer brewed on-site in the West End, look no further than Narrows Brewing at the marina. Their IPAs are delightful, including the flagship Octo, but they are always rolling out new brews and often have collaborations on draft. Take a chance on the Peanut Butter Cookie Blonde Ale. Fill a growler, grab a couple four-packs, and maybe enjoy a pint to yourself while searching for Galloping Gertie.

This story was originally published October 3, 2020 at 10:00 AM.