Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Tacoma

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Tacoma? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Primo Grill

4.8

4.8 (1745)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Tacoma

About the restaurant

Primo Grill is a chef driven Mediterranean by Northwest restaurant showcasing the best of local bounty. Local wild caught fish, meats from local farms and foraged produce feature from the grill and brick oven. Owners Chef Charlie McManus and Jacqueline Plattner offer a relaxed yet sophisticated experience with an emphasis on Washington wines and hand muddled artisanal cocktails.

Top review

Patti

Dined 3 days ago

The food was excellent! Everything was great . We will definitely be back.

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Popular dish

Hazelnut Brownie Sundae

Duke's Seafood - Tacoma

4.8

4.8 (3509)

$30 and under

Seafood

Tacoma

About the restaurant

Duke's Tacoma is an upscale casual Pacific Northwest seafood restaurant located on Ruston Way with spectacular waterfront dining and views. Duke's offers signature, flavorful, 100% sustainable wild seafood, Award Winning Chowder and grass fed burgers in a gathering place that is friendly, comfortable, unpretentious and filled with personality. We only source all natural, healthful ingredients. Duke's food is free of hormones, antibiotics and free of harmful chemicals. Guests sum up their favorable assessment of what Duke's has to offer with three words: It’s so good!

When making a reservation at Duke's Tacoma, should you have a preference for either indoor or outdoor seating please let us know. While we cannot guarantee outdoor seating we will do our very best to accommodate your preference.

Top review

Robyn

Dined 3 days ago

My favorite place to share a fabulous meal while catching up with a valued friend.

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Popular dish

"I Want You So Bad" Marionberry Pie

Popular dish

Incline Marionberry Cider

Experience

Happy Hour at Duke's Seafood - Tacoma

Toscanos Italian Grill

4.8

4.8 (490)

$30 and under

Italian

Puyallup

About the restaurant

Toscanos Italian Grill, located in Puyallup, Washington, is an Italian casual dining restaurant serving a wide variety of fresh seafood, fine wines and aged steaks. The soft lights in the dining room along with the warm wood create a cozy atmosphere to enjoy a glass of wine with a meal prepared with the finest and freshest ingredients available at Toscanos Italian Grill.

Start out your meal with one of the restaurant’s many appetizers such as our Signature Martini Clams. In addition to an extensive dinner menu featuring perfectly cooked aged steaks, Toscanos Italian Grill serves happy hour seven days a week from 3p to 5p. The restaurant also offers two private dining areas. To go regular menu, as well as family sized meals, and to go. Order our menu for take out at https://www.toasttab.com/toscanos-italian-grill

Top review

Jody

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

Came here for my birthday dinner as it is one of our favorite intimate restaurants to go to. Both my husband and I ordered a pasta dish as well as side caesar salads. When the salads came, I was somewhat underwhelmed as it didn't look anything like it did the last time we were there. There were just a few full-size romaine leaves on the plate mixed in with way too much dressing and way too many crushed croutons. I don't know if they changed the way they plate their food, but it was a little disappointing. I had to ask them to make me another salad and the put the dressing on the side with not so many croutons. Definitely not worth the $10 we paid for them. Our pasta dishes on the other hand (we both ordered linguine dishes), were delicious! Lots of ingredients with a nice creamy sauce. Overall, we had a great experience.

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Pimienta Bistro and Bar

4.8

4.8 (520)

$30 and under

Fusion / Eclectic

Federal Way

About the restaurant

Pimienta Bistro and Bar is an urban fusion of Latin American cuisine. Chef Blanca Rodriguez takes great care to create a delectable piece of art for every guest, appealing to every sense.

We strive to provide exemplary service each and every visit for our guests. We invite you to our restaurant, where you will find a combination of an eclectic, rustic atmosphere that captures the best of European cuisine with a Latin American flair.

Our mission is to create something memorable with every dish we present our guests. And with every delectable plate,

we will deliver a superior service making us a stand-alone restaurant in our neighborhood.

We love our friends and neighbors from NE Tacoma, Brown’s Point and Federal Way that frequently drop by for a delicious weekday meal or for leisurely weekend dining.

We also enjoy the regular visits from our friends in Oregon and others on their travels throughout the Seattle-Metro area.

Top review

Mary

Dined 7 days ago

You can always count on excellent food with Chef Blanca. We had the scallops, lamb and prawns and tried every dessert. Each one was a masterpiece. Her cocktails alone are worth the trip. This time we really enjoyed the music as well. This is an intimate place run by wonderful people. Our server was fantastic, personable, knowledgeable and observant. She was on top of every detail.

STEEL CREEK TACOMA

4.6

4.6 (226)

$30 and under

American

Tacoma

About the restaurant

Steel Creek American Whiskey Co. is Downtown Tacoma's Steakhouse & country bar. A full service restaurant during the week & the largest 21+ country party in the south sound after 9pm Thursday - Saturday.

Top review

DavidVIP

Dined on Nov 3, 2024

Had the NY strip steak. It was full of gristle :(

WildFin American Grill-Tacoma

4.6

4.6 (1736)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Tacoma

About the restaurant

"THE CATCH OF THE NORTHWEST” WildFin American Grill is your neighborhood restaurant, casual, affordable with a comfortable sense of style. WildFin is the place where friends and family gather to eat, drink and share life’s occasions. A safe adventure, a warm haven on a cool Northwest day. WildFin’s menu selections feature the finest the region has to offer, from Northwest meats, fresh fish, seafood, and produce. Our beverage selections include the best of the Northwest beers and wines, along with WildFin classic cocktails. At WildFin we are committed to delivering outstanding hand crafted food and beverage that will always exceed your expectations. WildFin’s service will accommodate your every need, whether it is a quick lunch, a casual dinner or a gathering with old friends.

Do not pre-pay for parking. Bring your license plate number when you check in and the Hosts will assist you with validating.

Please call the restaurant for reservations for parties of 5 or more.

Top review

Nancy

Dined 7 days ago

Shrimp and grits are the most wonderful meal that you can't find anywhere else!

McMenamins Elks Temple

4.6

4.6 (1757)

$30 and under

American

Tacoma

About the restaurant

McMenamins Elks Temple Pub serves classic Northwest fare in a room with a view. You can’t help but gaze through the soaring windows toward Foss Waterway, but be sure to look up, too, for a fantastic display of chandeliers. From early breakfasts to late night cocktails, the pub is open to all ages serving breakfast classics like benedicts and scrambles, and for dinner elevated burgers and pizzas with an ever changing seasonal menu inspired by the Pacific Northwest.
*Patio seating is first come first serve.

Top review

Samantha

Dined 7 days ago

This was fabulous for our large group. Excellent food and friendly service. A winner every time.

Tokyo Japanese Steak House

4.5

4.5 (426)

$31 to $50

Hibachi

Federal Way

About the restaurant

Experience the excitement of Teppanyaki table side grilling at Tokyo Steak House. This artistic and entertaining style of cooking is a favorite to the thousands of guests we have served since 1998 at our Federal Way restaurant. Fresh seafood, steaks, vegetables and rice are perfectly seasoned and grilled to order.

Tokyo Steak House guests dine grill side experiencing the authentic cooking skills of our talented chefs who juggle hot flames and sharp knives while artistically create a delicious meal for their guests. Our guests relish in the aroma of our special herbs and seasonings and enjoy a completed meal fresh off the grill.

At Tokyo Steak House we serve only the highest quality product and strive to give the best service possible.

Top review

Mauricio

Dined 7 days ago

Had a bday reservation here and was excellent. from service, food and the chef. Glad we got a good chef and did a whole table involved and great energy we had to tip him! great experience, portions and bday! we had to other sit with my group of 7 and they were lovely and wished us a happy birthday! is bit pricy but worth it for a nice experience. fyi MAKE A RESERVATION place is PACKED!

Indochine Asian Dining Lounge

4.2

4.2 (1445)

$31 to $50

Thai

Tacoma

About the restaurant

Indochine is a feast for your senses nestled in the heart of a great Northwest cultural center. Walking into this innovative space is like walking into a piece of artwork. Textures of cherry, iron, fine drapery, brick, and brushed sheet steel are all architecturally assembled in perfect harmony. As you dine, Indochine’s fine and creative cuisine will delight you. The flavors of Thailand, China, India, Japan, and Vietnam meld together to produce a wonderful culinary palette that is sure to impress your’s and your guests’ tastes. In complement to the meal, select from Indochine’s extensive wine list which features flavorsome and aroma rich wines from around the world. To finish your meal, select one of Indochine’s desserts, all of which are made in house, such as Gelato Italian Ice Cream flavors, or Crème Brûlée.

Top review

Tom

Dined 1 day ago

First time visiting and we liked it a lot! We were attracted by all the vegan possibilities and that turned out to be more choices than most because so many dishes allow you to choose meat or vegan (and clearly marked on the menu). The drink menu was interesting too, and the service was very good. Right at 5 pm we got parking at the door but given the location perhaps give yourself a few extra minutes just in case. Highly recommended!

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