Good food, a little pricey, but quality ingredients and decent service make Shakabrah worth checking out. I appreciated being able to seat yourself and a quick turnaround time on our order. read more

Been coming here for years and this was the strangest day I ever experienced there. It was ghostly empty and the hollowed sounds of 90's Luther Vandross hoovered above my head. "What time warp is this?" I thunketh as I approached the counter to order. I basically always get the same thing here..the breakfast sandwich, always a good choice for the price. Added a side of biscuits and gravy but they were mehhh Be sure to check out the piles of poetry in the poetry corner. Funny stuff... read more

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Always one of the best spots to have breakfast in Tacoma. Between the atmosphere, quality food choices, and charm of the old building - there arent many better places to sit down. I even enjoying getting it to go because their food is that good. Highly recommend. read more

Wow, what bullshit. I honestly hate leaving shit reviews but I can't just let this one slide. Ordered to go at 12:36 and was told it'll be ready in 30 minutes. My husband politely waited there and noticed it was busy and didn't say anything until the wait got over 45 minutes and the server made some bullshit excuse saying we didn't put in the order until 12:56 and that it was going to be over a 30 minute wait. I understand being busy and that it's New Year's Day, but I don't understand treating customers like that. Be professional and be honest. I'm sure the food is great, but customer service needs improvement, regardless of how busy this place is. read more

Everything was great but they didn't give me syrup or whipped cream that I paid extra for so my French toast is a bit sad and dry ): this would've been great if it was warm as well but since it was a delivery I get why it wasn't but still, overall unsatisfying. read more

Best breakfast!! Bloody Mary is clutch.. highly reccomended.. breakfast for dinner! I ordered the corned beef hash.. super good. Great place to stop! read more

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If I could give 0 stars I would. I say this with a very heavy heart as I would have given 10 stars from all the years I have absolutley LOVED the food, the staff, and the atmosphere. The atmosphere can't be helped due to COVID. However, the food was nothing remotely as it was, and the staff, sadly, the same. I just looked at my receipt and the prices are higher than the menu posted on the window of the restaurant. Not cool. Bad food, bad service, over paid. read more

This place has amazing brunch! The mountain of crispy potatoes is insane. The Bloody Mary with a MEAT straw is epic. There's never (rarely) a wait, and the servers are super attentive and friendly. I really enjoy myself here! read more

Are you guys open during covid? Can I order and pick up? Having issues getting ahold of you guys :(

This place broke my heart today. I have been going to Shakabrah since we moved here to Tacoma about twelve years ago. We hadn't been there in about six months. But it had been a place where I could take my family about 7AM, and get a solid breakfast and out the door quickly. Today, we were in the full service section. Four tables were occupied at about 7:10 AM. There was one server, but the staff are one of my favorite parts of Shakabrah. We received water quickly, but our orders weren't taken for about fifteen minutes. And we waited. Waited. I saw the plates eventually, and the server continued to do other things. Finally, my wife went to inquire. The server insisted that the food hadn't been sitting there (I had been watching it), and snapped at my wife. This has NEVER happened to us at Shakabrah in all the years we have gone. My breakfast sandwich was, um, not warm. Because it had been sitting there. Anyway, we ate, paid, and left. We had been there almost an hour, and had to dash to make appointments for our sons. To be fair, the server apologized to my wife, saying that she hadn't been told the food was ready. That notation even appeared on our bill. Well, I had been watching the food sit here, and the server had walked past it at least once. So make of that what you will. I will go back to try again, to see if it had been a fluke. If it is super busy, I expect a wait. For four tables? Not so much. Your mileage may vary. But I would recommend not going there if you expect to be done in an hour. Even at 7AM. read more

Cozy breakfast joint in the heart of tacoma. Food was good, large portions. But fair warning, if it's your first time, you will have to expect to know that you have to seat yourself, grab your own menus and know that you are suppose to grab your own coffee. Great food...not do much great service. read more

it was my favorite place pre-covid. the hours are confusing now, and it feels hard for the food to come out hot to the outside. crossing my fingers it gets back to the good ole days read more

To begin with, this is a do it yourself breakfast place - You stand in line to order your food, get a card, and then pray to Dog you'll be able to snag a table before the freshmen who don't understand decency put all of their coats down prior to getting in line. This, however, will fade with time, as they grow older and wiser. Anyways, you can always get seated in the back area as well, if you are really looking for a waiter/waitress experience, although there tends to be one person waiting on 20 tables so it will slow down your meal considerably. Anyways, either I'm always lucky, or many of the reviewers were unfortunately unlucky, because the food here has been downright incredibly literally every time I've gone, which is somewhere in the middle double digits. I'll talk briefly about the food that keeps us coming back, but in the end... Just go and try it. French Toast - This is hard to concede, because I still feel that my french toast is some of the best there is, but these guys do it well to the point where a large portion of my friends are fiending the stuff at least 2-3 times a month. The bread is thick and cooked evenly all the way through, the syrup is yummy and certainly not Log Cabin or w/e, and the portions are giant. Plus at like 7-8 bucks, it's just a tremendous deal. Country Breakfast - My breakfast of choice when I'm ok with taking down 1200 calories in one sitting... The buscuit is homemade and delicious and their sausage gravy is really fantastic as well. Thick, creamy, and not runny at all. The eggs are also cooked well and in plenty of butter, the bacon is crispy and just on the right side of blackened, and the hashbrowns... Magic Hashbrowns - I'm not going to spoil it... if you like hashbrowns, this is your one stop shop, and they make them to go. Trust me. read more

My concern and rating is mostly with the coffee, because when you call yourself a Java House around here, you are aiming high. So here is my bottom line anecdote: A customer walks up to pour herself some water and says to the barista, "I LOVE your coffee!" And the barista says, without missing a beat, "Yeah it's better since we switched to (blank) brand but it's still not the best." If an employee - who seems quite content with their job, not jaded - says that casually to a customer she doesn't know, I don't think I need to talk about the coffee being a bit on the bitter side or much else. _________________________________________________________ RE: food. Good prices, decent options - especially for vegetarians and vegans, and inconsistency mark the Shakabrah dining experience. It had been 3 years since my last excursion - that's how dreadful my last visit was. I was pleased with my meal this time (blueberry pancakes, about $6 for 2. Dining partners had huevos rancheros $9 and breakfast sandwich $5 - rated B- overall) but I don't play culinary Russian roulette with regards to consistency. Maybe with unexplored cuisines, odd ingredients, or new businesses...but I don't spend a lots of money getting you to prove yourself to me. Interesting note to large parties: lots of space for your party to dine, but the menu states they add an 18% gratuity for 5 or more. I'm fine with that in a full service restaurant, but when you order at the counter, pour your water and bus your own table, I really must protest. read more

I have passed this place a few times when meandering 6th and its always packed, usually a good sign, so we finally decided to give it a try. I would give it a 4 for service and a 1 for food. As someone who isnt a very good cook I am always disappointed when I eat a meal I could have made myself, and better, at home. I ordered a breakfast sandwich and my other half got the hurvos rancheros (sorry for what I am sure is me misspelling that!). My husbands food was cold and my potatoes were mushy and just lacking flavor. They boast that their coffee comes from a quality roaster but it tasted like maxwell house :( Its definitely a younger crowed (high school and maybe early college) crowd...we will stick to our favorites Marrow and Art House. read more

I like eating here with friends and family. This place is where you MUST go for breakfast. The plates of food are huge. Sharing is a good way to go; unless you're starving. The highlight of their breakfast items are: the pancakes and the huevos rancheros. The size of the pancakes are massive! They spillover the plate. We always have leftovers (woo)! The huevos rancheros come with nice flour tortillas and eggs your way. It's very big and I never finish it when I get it. I believe you can get this vegetarian style as well. When my family first moved here, Shakabrah was a miss. One of the reasons it was a miss was that they charged gratuity, but it was completely self serve. A year or so ago, we tried it again and were happy to see it improved. The staff are usually friendly and are very helpful with suggestions. One thing that can vary is if they serve you your food or if you have to go get it. The main point I really appreciate about Shakabrah is that there are vegetarian options and they go out of their way to be 'green' and eco friendly while not bleeding you dry. REMEMBER: you must bus yourself, seat yourself, order at the register, and get your own water. read more

I think you'd have to be extremely uptight to have problems with the environment and service here - it's always straight forward, quick, and without pretense. If you're a conservative old fart, I guess maybe you'd be better off going to Denny's. For sane people, I can't recommend this restaurant highly enough. Hands down the best breakfast in Tacoma, and among the best I've ever had. Also, great coffee, and a very nice, relaxed environment. This place is one of the things that makes living in Tacoma more tolerable. Also, great burgers and sandwiches, and for those of us who prefer a relaxed, progressive-feeling, non-corporate, neighborhood place to eat, there aren't many better in this city. Only complaint: What's with all the crappy classic rock? At least play mainstream indie music; I don't need to hear any more Steve Miller Band in this lifetime. read more

The food is delicious. Pancakes So huge and light. Try the corn beef hash with their potatoes. Its the real deal. Make sure you get there early if you don't wanna wait in line. read more

Shakabrah Java - Pancakes Sooo BIG, fluffy and light. Bigger than the plate. Good breakfast eating at its best. - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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I've been here three times now on two separate trips, one year apart. I'd agree with some of the reviews that this place is hit or miss. I also take issue with the whole tip situation. If we pay at the counter, we shouldn't have to tip, yet there's a place for tip on the recipe. So which is it? Do you have to tip or not? I would like to know. Also, are you expected to bus your own dishes or not? I've seen some people bus their dishes and some not. Why do they have to make it so damn complicated? read more

I've been a long time fan of this place. For someone who likes food on the more vegetarian side of things, one cannot go wrong with this establishment. My favorite hands down is the huevos rancheros. It is the huevos rancheros I compare all others to when deciding if a breakfast joint is worth my patronage or not. Yes, it's that good. Their omelettes and scramblers are delish too. You can even build your own. Fruit or tomato slices are offered if you don't want bread, which is awesome. They have a full-service espresso bar, and their chai is really good. Coffee and water is via self-serve on the entrance side. Full wait service only caters to the other room. If you're on the entrance side, you must order and pay at the counter. Don't worry, your food will be brought out to you. Clean up your own dishes afterward. This option is nice when you don't feel like tipping extra for a waitress, or if you just want in and out relatively fast. I actually don't mind the waitstaff. A few of them have been there for several years and know what they're doing. The ones that take forever are usually new and don't have their routine down yet. It can be overwhelming.. YOU try serving that many people on a packed, out the door day! Chaos. I don't envy their job. This place gets busy for a reason. It's consistently REALLY GOOD, and a lot of people coming here. Try to beat the crowds or you may be standing around for a while. During the week days, it's usually not so crowded. Lastly, they do occasionally host gigs here too during the evenings, presenting local artists from around the community. If you get a chance to go one night, do it! You'll meet a whole new crowd of people dedicated to loving on Tacoma and supporting her peeps. read more

They use to be good before covid but their service has gone down since than. I went there on a Saturday and ordered a breakfast sandwich. I waited outside just like everyone else. However after 20 minutes I noticed that two folks that order after me got their to go order before me. I ask the cashier if mine was almost done and she said mine was next to be done. After waiting for another 10 minutes I noticed the other people (ordered after me again) got their order before me again. I went back to the cashier and she said "the cook is making mine now". At this point I was waiting for about 35-40 min for a damn breakfast sandwich and I just said canceled my order and requested for a refund. What really upset me is when I asked to talk to the manger the cashier said she is not in and the cashier seemed like she did not really care about my concern and my wasted time waiting. No apology at all. I used to love coming here but with they way this was handled, I will take my business elsewhere and support another local business that cares read more

Very hit or miss with the food here.....the service always seems to be a miss. Having been here quite a few times over the years the food has always been so inconsistent. And you definitely don't get "service with a smile". On our last breakfast outing we stopped in and left very disappointed. The potatoes were literally as hard as rocks and appeared to be from the day prior. My farmer's omelet had odd bits and pieces of other omelets in it. Not cool! Weekdays, the main room is only open and you go up and order at the counter. That means filling your own coffee as well. On the weekends they open the other larger room and that is when it is crazy busy in the place. It has always taken a long time to order and even get your food on the weekends. In my opinion, there are much better choices for breakfast in Tacoma. read more

The service here was awful... That is why i'm giving them 2 stars. My bf and I go here for bfast one morning as we hear the food is great.. Well, there's nothing wrong with the food.. but i've never had worse service. When we walked in we didn't know if we should just seat ourselves because no one greeted us at all. So I finally asked and they said to seat ourselves. So we did. We sat there.. with no menus.. No one told us we had to get our own menus and order from the counter. We finally figure it out and the girl at the counter was just plain rude. Maybe she was having a bad day but she was not nice one bit. I asked if I could add just one slice of French Toast to my meal and her response was "No!" So I said.. ok... well can you just add whatever kind of side HAS French Toast then. So she did.. reluctantly... She didn't smile once. Maybe she just didn't like me??? Oh! AND she asked if we wanted drinks and we both said water was fine. So we sit down and wait.. finally I had to ask for our waters.. that's when she said you serve yourself water.. OKKKKK it would have been nice if she TOLD us that... Obviously it was our first time there.. and no one was helpful. We were just super confused. Anyway, RUDE Server, at least the one girl we had that one time. But the food was good. I would give this place another chance because the food was decent. read more

It's a diner type of restaurant. You seat yourself, unless there's a line (which there often is on weekends, especially if it's raining). Look at the menu, put your order in, grab your coffee and water and sit down. Is that hard to do? Not sure what the whining is about. Some of the best breakfasts I've eaten in small towns in Vermont are the same way, and there, you might even be asked to make yourself a pot of coffee. Seemed like more than half the people at Shakabrah knew someone there, which made for a nice homey feel. I ordered the egg mess with spinach, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and of course the special potatoes. All very good. Diners with smaller appetites can easily split a portion. I live next to the east side of UPS and it took me 12 minutes to walk there. Or, a 2 minute bike ride (there's a rack in the front). read more

A simple basic breakfast joints with old mismatched chairs and tables and good food. There's two service area - self serve and full service. My favorite at Shakabrah is corned beef hash, two eggs sun side and extra crispy potatoes. Good portion, I usually need a to go box. Service is slow, but worth the wait. The self-serve side of the restaurant has a long wall, floor to ceiling bookshelf. The wait staff said people just leave books there, please help myself to the books and take as many as I want. I love to read so I definitely took advantage of this offer. (Bonus) read more

Bar is open again!!!!!! Love it so much. My server Ryan KILLED it. I will be back soon!!

LOVE IT! Can't say enough good things about their breakfast!!! I have never tried anything outside of their breakfast menu, but mother of god.... their potatoes are INCREDIBLE! Not only that, you can customize them with any kinds of meats, cheese, veggies, anything you like! Definitely a favorite breakfast spot. Do yourself a favor and check them out at least once! read more

This is a great breakfast joint the truely defines Tacoma and 6th Ave. I've been coming to this place for over 2 years and they consistently serve up delicious breakfast food. First off, I'd like to address the "self serve" portion of the cafe as some prior reviewers seem confused with this concept. If you want to eat in this area, you will need to place your order at the register. The benefits are: you will get your food quicker and you are not required to tip. Please note that you should bus your own dishes after you eat since this is the "self serve area. The coffee is mild and easy to drink. I usually order - The Big Country Breakfast - 3 eggs over medium, 3 sausage links, hashbrowns, 2 biscuits and gravy with a side of sourdough toast for 10 bucks. If you order toast, tell them to go light on the butter, otherwise you may get a tablespoon of butter slatherred on 2 pieces of toast. Enjoy! read more

Service: 5 Stars Food: 8 Stars Decor: 2 Stars This is, hands down, the best breakfast place we've found in Tacoma, since we moved here 6 months ago. The pancakes are GIGANTIC (we're talking dinner plate sized (how one flips these I have no clue)) -- try 'em with blueberries! The potatoes were stellar and the sun dried tomato scramble was quite memorable. On top of it all, the service was excellent as well. The place was unusually busy according to the waitress, but she always had a smile and seemed to genuinely care if we liked our meal -- actually seeing that in, well, anyone on the job, much less an over-worked waitress is rare and quite cool. All of this was god enough to make us overlook the fairly run-down interior that would have seemed sketchy if it weren't for the great staff and even better food. read more

Grabbed two menus and sat at our table. Girlfriend points to the shelf to the left of me...a cockroach making his (or her!) Way towards me. We left with haste. No thank you. read more

This has to be some of the worst service I have ever experienced. Also, the food was below average. Finally, on top of that, the servers accepted this and didn't say anything about the wait or about the terrible service. I pray for anyone that takes on this... read more

I can honestly say I drove by here for years, without ever noticing it. I bought a groupon, and ended up here. The place is vibrant, and is split in two. One side, is a low maintenance, go to the counter order yourself side. The other side is a full service side. The waitresses were young and friendly. The food is massive. The food, the important part. I ordered a bacon and avocado omelet. The bacon and avocado are plentiful. Something was a little lacking. Maybe some spinach, mushrooms, or cheese? My friend ordered the Christy scramble. It was tasty, but still left me wanting more. The pancake was massive, enough for 3-4 people. Nice neighborhood spot. read more

This is my favorite breakfast spot in Tacoma. They can pack them in and still provide quality service. The menu is diverse in terms of dishes offered and prices of dishes. There is something for everyone here! read more

One of the best breakfasts you will find in Tacoma. Their potatoes are excellent, and their corned beef hash is unmatched.

Having been twice, this place has never been terribly impressive, but it's never been very bad either. It essentially seems like the place you go to have someone make you breakfast, not because it's any better than the breakfast you can make yourself, but because it's Sunday morning and you want to sit on your ass sipping coffee without doing a damn thing. The home fries have been a hit and a miss: once crispy and delicious - once soggy and boring enough to not even bother eating. Huevos Rancheros was pretty solid. Chrissy tasted uninspired and seriously could have used an extra minute to melt the cheese. Good coffee and a great atmosphere for a breakfast place, just needs a little more consistency and a flavorful kick. read more

This place is always packed on weekends for some reason. Yelp reviews are mixed so decided to try for ourselves. Yes, their pancakes are huge however they serve ours burnt. The oatmeal took forever to arrive. Omelette tasted like egg beaters. Not impressed. Not sure what the fuss is about. read more

Shakabrah Java - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Huh. Things sure have changed since I ate here 4 years ago before living abroad. I used to swear by the breakfast sandwich- and while it's highly likely I'll return just because it's a staple- the service has gone down hill and so has the quality of the food. What used to be a cheesy, thick piping hot breakfast sandwich came out luke warm, cheese just ever so limp, and a little bit of depressing bacon. Ho-hum. read more

This is a fantastic place for breakfast. There are two separate areas depending on if you're looking for more of a coffee shop atmosphere or a sit down meal. We chose the sit down meal and there was plenty seating at 11 am on Saturday. I loved the no frills, no nonsense atmosphere. Our waitress was nice, quickly greeted us and took our orders when she saw we were ready (versus some other places where they take your drink order and disappear). The food was simple, classic breakfast staples and yummy! I had the basic scrambled eggs, potatoes and toast but boy did it hit the spot! They had a little bit of everything and it would satisfy a wide arrange of people and tastes. We sat by the window and were able to people watch on 6th while keeping dry. I would like to try the coffee shop side and enjoy the books and other perks of that side. read more

I'm a big lover of all things breakfast, and I decided to try this place after a 7 hour flight with two small children. It was 11:00AM, and I wanted breakfast, not lunch. I really wanted to like it. Really did. It had the diner-like atmosphere that I've been missing since I left Jersey forever ago. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed by some of the food, the time it took to make said food, and the price. The good: The pancakes were enormous. They were warm, tasty, and perfectly cooked. The famous Shaka Potatoes were delightful, especially the crispy bits. I ate my own and then stole the brownest pieces from my husband's plate when he wasn't looking. The bad: The wait was pretty long - it was at least 25 minutes from order to food, maybe a little longer. They weren't packed full, so I was surprised. The coffee was mediocre. I had a latte and husband had a mocha, and the mocha wasn't very mocha. The bacon was greasy, limp, and pretty much all fat. The prices seemed pretty steep to me. We do a lot of breakfast out, and $50 for 2 adults and 2 kids is definitely more than we usually spend. It was really hot, due to their lack of air conditioning. I wouldn't make a trip out of my way to visit again. read more

Bland. Sunny side up eggs still have raw whites. All the food we got (potatoes, biscuits, sausage) tastes like its reheated frozen food. Single serve butter and honey packets with biscuit. No fresh condiments. The scrambled eggs are homogenous yellow, like the eggs at cheap breakfast places. 2/10, will not return. read more