Tacoma, WA · Near JBLM · Budget-friendly
The Spar has been on North 30th since 1917 — during Prohibition it operated variously as a pool hall, a men's furnishing shop, and a "soft drink establishment" — and the bones of all of that are still visible in the worn wood floors and cluttered walls. It's best known in Tacoma for its broasted Henny Penny chicken and the Sunday night blues lineup (7–10pm, no cover), while the made-from-scratch bloody mary is one of the more reliable draws at brunch. The waterfront views of Puget Sound from the dining room are an unexpected bonus for what bills itself as a neighborhood tavern.