This weekend I was in Tacoma for the Rodin exhibit and to make a pilgrimage to the greatest bar in the Northwest, Bob's "World-Famous" Java Jive. The Java Jive is built in the form of a two-story coffee-pot, was originally intended for use as a speakeasy, and is a masterpiece of folk art. It's on Tacoma Boulevard (or Street, or something). Ask around, people know it's there. Worth the trip. When we got to the bar, it was closed and wouldn't be open for a couple of hours, so we wandered around until we found Freighthouse Square, an old Milwaukee Road freight depot converted into a gifty-crafty mall. A surreal place. I was somehow reminded of the Circus Store, former home of Ivan the Gorilla. Ya know, I really think Tacoma must have more of the wierd in its blood than Seattle does. Whatever the deal is, I had a great time. So, by now you're wondering why this post is in this group. Well, in the bottom floor of freighthouse square is a wine and beer lovers' paradise: Freighthouse Cellars Neal Delargy, Prop. (206) 383-2622 Take the Tacoma Dome/26th street exit and get onto 26th. It is walking distance from the Dome. Neal is REAL friendly. Friendly enough that he scared away everybody I was with. If you don't like a bit of hard sell, you might not like it, but in fairness, he was really being more informative than getting in my face. He has a huge selection of wines, reallly knows his stuff, and his tasting rates are really great for a non-winery: $1.00 a pour, about an ounce of wine, enough to taste. He also has a great selection of European beers, most of which I haven't seen since I moved to the Northwest and kind of miss. You can buy the beer there (at regular store prices, better than a bar unless it's happy hour) and drink it on the premises. Ask about the German Hefeweizen. Enjoy!
Washington
Tacoma Wine Cellar Surprise
Hey! As long as we're talking about Tacoma, I'd like to recommend the Sunriser for breakfast. I live for breakfast food, and this place is the best for that sort of thing -- huge omelettes, tasty hashbrowns and plate-sized pancakes. Best of all, it's really cheap. I can eat myself into a food coma for $4. The Sunriser is off 6th Avenue, a few blocks down from S. Sprague St. If you're coming from Seattle, it's best to take I-5 to the Highway 16 exit. From there, take the Sprague exit and follow that to 6th Ave. Turn left on 6th, and you'll find it about 1/2 mile down the road, on the right-hand side. Anyone who wants more info about where to eat in Tacoma can email me. Martha