The ultimate guide to Tacoma’s cocktail bars, grouped by neighborhood
As the days get longer and temperatures rise, many of us are emerging from our winter hibernation and may be more tempted to socialize or say, get drinks with friends.
Thus, it’s a good time to round up Tacoma’s cocktail bars, grouped by neighborhood.
While most businesses with a liquor license sell at least a few cocktails, for this list we’re zeroing in on bars that focus their menu around cocktails, and bars and restaurants that have extensive and inventive cocktail lists.
Plus, each spot on this list also serves several mocktails, and lots also offer low ABV options.
Vote for your favorite of the bunch in the poll at the bottom of this article, or tell us places that we missed.
North End
Cooks Tavern
- 3201 N 26th St, Tacoma
- 253-327-1777
- cookstavern.com
This restaurant in Proctor advertises cocktails on its storefront, and it’s got quite a unique drink menu to back that up. The tavern serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner with a Portuguese flair, and the same goes for the cocktails. There are quite a few brunch cocktails, like the South Sound Spritz with Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro, orange, lemon, hibiscus and soda, and quite a few “Portugal Punches” like The Bittersweet Goodbye with tequila, mezcal, Campari, passionfruit, ginger, lime, Scrappy’s Firewater Tincture bitters, IPA and cucumber.
Proof
- 2312 N 30th St, Tacoma
- prooftacoma.com
Anthem Coffee in Old Town Tacoma turns into Proof five nights a week. The new cocktail bar after dark is just over a year old, and has a rotating menu of especially unique cocktails. The Boulevardier comes with chocolate milk-washed bourbon, watermelon co-fermented coffee, infused bitter red and Punt e Mes vermouth, while the Gimlet mixes together coconut washed gin, lime, lime leaf, vanilla, coconut and amontillado sherry.
Bordeaux Wine Bar
- 2208 N 30th St Suite #101, Tacoma
- 253-212-1327
- bordeauxwinebar.com
Just a block away from Proof is Bordeaux Wine Bar, which, despite having “wine bar” in the name, has quite a long craft cocktail list. The Pink Pony Club has Empress Elderflower Gin, lemon, simple syrup and an egg white, while the Oaxacan Old Fashioned has Peloton Mezcal, Corazon Reposado Tequila, agave and bitters. There’s also quite a few variations of spritzes, sangria and hot drinks.
Corbeau
- 3819 N 26th St, Tacoma
- 253-533-4833
- corbeautacoma.com
This French bistro in Proctor has lots of experimental cocktails to sip on alongside dishes like mushroom toast and steak frites. The Scratch Your Head + Wonder has dill aquavit, silver cachaça, carrot juice, habanero and pickle brine, while the It’s Corn! has Graciosa Cachaça, Vietnamese corn milk, coconut cream, lime, vanilla, nutmeg and baby corn. Other cocktail ingredients on the drink menu include spicy fish and pickled magnolia petals.
Cactus
- 2506 N Proctor St, Tacoma
- 253-458-9900
- cactusrestaurants.com
This regional Mexican chain makes quite a few cocktails in both classic and creative varieties. The Hot Spanish Carajillo comes with Licor 43, Gran Centenario Reposado, Cafe Vita Luna blend coffee, orange bitters, whipped cream and orange, while the Hibiscus Chi Chi comes with Tito’s Vodka, coconut, pineapple, cranberry and a hibiscus tea float. Of course, there are also margaritas — over a dozen different types that come in hand shaken or frozen slushy form.
Sixth Ave
The Boom Boom Room
- 3016 6th Ave, Tacoma
- 253-468-3623
- tacomasboomboomroom.com
This craft cocktail lounge boasts a dozen regular cocktails, plus seasonal selections. Some more inventive mixes include the London’s Invasion cocktail with house-infused Earl Grey gin, elderflower, lemon and egg, and The Misty Mountains with marionberry vodka, coconut cream, lemon and guava.
Field Bar and Bottle Shop
- 2614 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA
- 253-273-1427
- fieldtacoma.com
This cozy, upscale bar and restaurant has a rotating menu, and comes up with new cocktails often. Some recent offerings include the Black Roses cocktail with Singani 63, Aguaviva Cachaca rum, rhubarb syrup, ginger, fresh lime, wonderfoam and black lime spice, and the Open Rhythms cocktail with L’Abrunet white wine, Cap Corse rouge, Combier L’orange liqueur, fresh lemon, cucumber bitters and marinated olives (the latter ingredient makes another appearance on the menu as a bar snack).
Busy Body
- 2717 6th Ave, Tacoma
- https://www.busybodytacoma.com/
This colorful, rock n’ roll-themed bar on Sixth Ave has nearly a dozen fun cocktails. The E’s Knees combines matcha, coconut washed Jamaican rum, overproof Jamaican rum, mango, lemon and allspice dram, while the Shrub Daddy has mezcal, pineapple clove shrub, Ancho Reyes chili liqueur, Scrappy’s Fire Tincture bitters and lime.
Holy Moly Bar
- 3013 6th Ave C, Tacoma
- 253-302-3047
- holymolybar.com
This moody, retro style bar has quite a few cocktails, with twists on familiar drinks and some creations of its own. The Proper Mischief Old Fashioned has milk-washed bourbon, Earl Grey, vanilla demerara syrup, Bergamot Ango bitters and smoked sea salt, while the Milk Tea Alexander has Japanese whiskey, toasted rice green tea, amaro, cacao, heavy cream and black walnut bitters.
Side Pony Lounge
- 2914 6th Ave STE A, Tacoma
- 253-442-0221
- sideponytacoma.com
This bar’s craft cocktails get an upgrade from its homemade ginger beer, which is featured in eight variations of a Moscow Mule (you can also order the ginger beer by itself, or have added it to any drink on the menu). Other cocktails include the Pink Pony with Rainier Gin, pineapple moonshine, Peychaud’s Bitters, fresh lemon and a cherry, and the Sweater Weather with 1800 Añejo Tequila, Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth, Amaro liqueur, bitters and cinnamon.
Downtown
Red Star Taco Bar
- 454 St Helens Ave, Tacoma
- 253-545-9795
- redstartacobar.com/tacoma
Red Star Taco Bar offers quite a few cocktails along with its margarita selections. The Lemon Poppy Seed Old Fashioned comes with poppy seed infused Doc Swinson’s Bourbon, Giffard Vanille de Madagascar liqueur, simple syrup and a lemon twist, while the Port of Tacoma comes with Granja Mezcal, pineapple tequila, pineapple infused Angostura bitters, orgeat syrup and lime. Margaritas come in variations like mango habanero, roasted pineapple and passion fruit mezcal.
McMenamins Elks Temple
- 565 Broadway, Tacoma
- 253-300-8754
- https://www.mcmenamins.com/elks-temple
You’ll find cocktails at nearly every bar in McMenamins, including the Pub, Doc’s Bar, the Spanish Bar, The Old Hangout and The Vault. Each bar also has different cocktails. At the Spanish Bar, the Pepino Refresco comes with muddled cucumber, lemon and ginger beer, and Mcmenamins’ own Spar Lemon Vodka, while the Spicy Pink Margarita comes with blanco tequila, McMenamins’ own Cheshire Orange Liqueur, simple syrup, Scrappy’s Fire Tincture bitters and grapefruit.
Doyle’s Public House
- 208 St Helens Ave, Tacoma
- 253-272-7468
- doylespublichouse.com
You might not immediately think of cocktails when you think of Doyle’s, but the pub actually has a nice selection alongside its brews. Seasonal cocktails include the Golden Hour, which pairs muddled fresh serrano pepper and ginger with tequila, mango, lime and agave, and the Sunny Side, which comes with house made banana syrup, lime and Hornitos Reposado tequila.
Devil’s Reef
- 706 Court C, Tacoma
- instagram.com/devils_reef
This speakeasy style tiki bar may be a bit hard to find, but inside you’ll be directed to an almost overwhelmingly large cocktail list, split up into categories like Punches, Groggs, Forbidden Seas and Barbarous Coasts, The Oaths of Dagon and Eldritch Lore, Astro Exotica and Classics Revised. The Fiji Rum Punch includes bitters, absinthe, lime, pimento, grenadine, Fiji and Old Fashioned Traditional Dark rums, while the Astro Orbiter has lime, passion, vanilla, falernum, apricot brandy, dark and overproof proof rums.
Bar Rosa
- 1202 S 11th St, Tacoma
- https://www.barrosatacoma.com/
This cozy, moody bar in Hilltop serves up quite a few cocktails alongside its wood-fired pizzas. The Lavender Haze has peaflower gin, vanilla lavender syrup and lemon, while the Pancho & Tommy has yerba mate infused tequila, tamarind pepper syrup, pineapple and lime.
The Huckleberry Club
- 1014 M.L.K. Jr Way, Tacoma
- 253-300-8340
- https://thehuckleberryclub.com/
Alongside 10 different types of baked potatoes, this Hilltop bar creates lots of cocktails, many of which have notes of huckleberry. The Huckleberry Kiss comes with Wild Roots Huckleberry Vodka, blue curaçao, lemon, lime and cranberry, while The Problem Child Margarita comes with tequila, lemon, lime, triple sec, huckleberry syrup and a salt rim.
Bar 960
- 1320 Broadway, Tacoma
- 253-238-8000
- hotelmuranotacoma.com/dining/bar960
This bar inside the lobby of Hotel Murano offers a good selection of signature cocktails. The French 77 has St-Germain, New Amsterdam gin, cava and a splash of lemon juice, and the Chocolate Martini has Tito’s vodka, Baileys, chocolate and Disaronno amaretto.
Matador
- 721 Pacific Ave, Tacoma
- 253-627-7100
- matadorrestaurants.com/locations/tacoma
Along with an impressive tequila list, this Mexican bar chain offers different margaritas, sangrias and other drinks (which you can also take to-go). The Berry Springtime seasonal cocktail comes with Condesa Prickly Pear and Orange Blossom gin, Grand Marnier liqueur, house-made berry preserves, lemon and raspberry, while the Strawberry Mangonada comes with Corralejo Silver tequila, triple sec, mango, strawberry, lime, chamoy and Tajín.
En Rama
- 1102 A St #220, Tacoma
- 253-327-1509
- enramatacoma.com
This restaurant with Italian-inspired eats also has 10 thoughtfully-created cocktails. The Can’t Catch Me includes vodka, Giffard Vanille de Madagascar liqueur, lemon, Amargo de Chile and gingerbread bitters, while the Motorcycle Diaries includes Novo Fogo Cachaça, Giffard Elderflower liqueur, Faccia Brutto Centerbe liqueur, lime and sage.
Wooden City Tacoma
- 714 Pacific Ave, Tacoma
- 253-503-0762
- woodencitytacoma.com
This popular downtown restaurant has a mix of classic cocktails and house specialties. The Spritz comes with lychee, ginger, aperol, lime, cardamom and sparkling rose, while the Chaiwalla comes with clarified milk punch, coconut rum, cognac, chai tea, lemon and curaçao.
Eastside
Bar Bistro
- 1718 99th St E, Tacoma
- 253-537-3655
- barbistrotacoma.com
This New American restaurant in Eastside Tacoma has quite a variety of cocktails to go alongside bites like elk sliders and birria flatbread. The Watermelon Heatwave has reposado tequila, house-made watermelon mango purée, house Thai chili agave, coconut cream, fresh lime juice and a Tajín-salt rim, while the Campfire has vodka, Giffard Creme de Cacao, Giffard Framboise, fresh vanilla cream and Ghirardelli chocolate with a graham cracker rim and toasted marshmallow garnish.
South Tacoma
Juniper Botanical Bar
- 5226 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma
- 253-212-2358
- juniperbotanicalbar.com
This relatively new queer-friendly bar has a cocktail for each color of the rainbow, and the drinks all have some unique ingredients. The Green Flag comes with Outfitters Gin, lemon juice, lemongrass simple syrup and wasabi paste, while the Bear Necessities comes with blanco tequila, Cazcabel Coffee Liqueur, Manifesto cold brew and pandan coconut cream, topped with a chocolate-covered gummy bear.
The Mule Tavern
- 5227 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma
- 253-247-6314
- themuletavern.com
As the sister bar to Side Pony Lounge, The Mule Tavern uses the same homemade ginger beer in its cocktails. While there are some drinks that overlap between the two bars, The Mule Tavern has lots of craft cocktails of its own. The Purple People Eater has vodka, blueberry shrub, strawberry pucker liqueur, lemon and cherry bitters, while the Man In The Yellow Hat has Rainier Gin, banana purée and lemon.
Lucky Silver Tavern
- 2605 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma,
- 253-472-0360
- theluckysilver.com
This neighborhood dive bar puts together a solid list of cocktails, grouped by liquor. In the gin category, the Club Milo has aviation gin, lavender extract, orange bitters, Gran Marnier and lime juice. In the vodka column, the Wolf Blood has Alphabet Vodka, Midori liqueur, lime juice, watermelon purée and a Jolly Rancher rim.
