Da Tiki Hut is a Hawaiian restaurant and tiki bar located in a quiet neighborhood in central Tacoma. I visited for lunch on a Saturday and enjoyed a very nice Korean chicken plate lunch with some Gyoza pot stickers and Dole Whip soft serve for desert. This was just the pick-me-up I was looking for after a night of heavy drinking at Devil’s Reef the night before.
The restaurant entrance is set up for to-go orders, but there are a few booths in the back and there’s even a sort-of speakeasy entrance to this portion of the venue. This room features Hawaiian and nautical decor, tikis, and even a nice picture window display. Music was a mellow mix of Jawaiian and other tropical tunes.
There’s also a tiki lounge all the way in the back of the venue with three booths and five stools at the bar. Cocktail service doesn’t open until 1 pm on Saturday so I missed sampling, but there’s a pretty reasonable selection of spirits on the back bar. Locals tell me the cocktails are just okay and that the venue has been working on improvements over time, though with mixed results depending on the bartender. The cocktail menu has most of your favorite tropical cocktails including a 1944 style Mai Tai, plus beer and mocktails.
If you’re doing the tiki tourist thing in Tacoma, Da Tiki Hut isn’t your highest priority but at the same time surely is a great option for locals.
