All my dad wanted was a shakabrah pancake for Father's Day. Unfortunately, this sweet spot is not the same as it was. Going to school in Tacoma, this was my family's favorite spot to grab one of their famous pancakes. However, the terrible experience started as soon as we got out of the car. We parked in the lot in back where there is a 2 hour parking sign and no other signage about parking. A woman who was arriving for work got out of her car and said our car would be towed if we left our car there as the lot is reserved for employees only. With as many times as we've been there, we have never had a problem parking in the back lot. I asked about the signage of the lot and where it was posted we would get towed and she said "the crackheads are responsible for taking the signs down." That comment seems a little intense for an employee to make, but it was Father's Day so we just let it go and moved the car. Then, we walk around to the front and are greeted with a host that asks "how many? full service or on your own?" we asked if there was a table in full service or if there was a wait and she said curtly "well i need to know which side you want first". At this point, everyone seemed annoyed at our presence there and we said full service and then decided just to do bus your own. She comes back with menus and puts them down at a table. At this point, we waited for the other 2 people in our party and decided that we were not welcome there and decided to leave. Oh and their food rating is "okay". Which to me, is another red flag. We ended up walking down to DOA and had a great time with friendly staff, great food and drinks. It is a disappointment Shakabrah is not what it used to be. read more

Shakabrah Java - Food rating = okay - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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First time at Shakabrah and will definitely return! Portions are generous. Enjoyed corned beef hash with nicely seasoned Shaka potatoes. Blueberry pancake was chewy but so delicious smothered in melted butter and dusted with powdered sugar. Their vanilla latte was perfectly blended. Great breakfast place in Tacoma! read more

Shakabrah Java - Corned beef hash with Shaka potatoes, blueberry pancakes - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

This is such a cute breakfast and brunch spot! I was told the weekend atmosphere is really chill, as well as the evening but I can only speak to brunch as that's what I experienced: which was also great! The service was fabulous, servers were attentive and helpful with ordering as we were newbie's. Food was awesome! I got their pizza bagel with sun dried tomato spread which was filling and delicious. We got the champagne bucket to share amongst 3 adults and it was perfect! My daughters are the rice and veggies and were both filled up by those dishes. I would definitely go back! They also have local artwork they sell on the wall that I must say I was really tempted to walk away with a piece and might have to next time... read more

Shakabrah Java - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Finally tried this place because it always looked hyped and the food looked good. However, it was disappointing and the food was disgusting.

So good I forgot to take a pic before we started eating!! Definitely a great breakfast/brunch option!! read more

Shakabrah Java - Cowboy Hash, Farmer's Omelette - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Super casual vibe. They offer full service or counter style which is great when you're not trying to wait. The spot is often packed with a bit of a wait. I love their espresso especially for dine in. They've got plenty of dairy alternatives and honey if you're like me. My favorite is the cowboy hash their brisket is sooooo good. The service is consistent and so is the food. I've only ever had one issue and the manager rectified the situation immediately. I definitely recommend. read more

Cute place, but looking for parking can be a must. The service was quick and everyone was friendly. I ordered the moco loco but instead of meat Pattie's, I replaced it with spam. Wished the spam was a little more crispier. The atmosphere and the vibe. read more

Shakabrah Java - Loco moco with spam instead of two meat patties - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Best pancakes. The service has good pancakes. Every time I go it has a good atmosphere. I love the pancakes.

Started with dirty fork. Mocha was decent but not the best. Bacon was cooked and reheated. Not so good- avoid side of bacon. Omelette and brisket was good. One egg on brisket as ordered, the other overcooked. Potatoes are very good read more

Dropped in on a Wednesday, late morning. Loved the local vibe. Cool artwork outside of the building. Cute neighborhood to grab a bite and take a walk. The food was pretty good. If you order a hash, the serving size is satisfying. The potatoes are like grilled potatoes you would get at a diner. The menu definitely offered some unique items and ingredients that you don't find at a typical chain restaurant. There is a bar and they also have special menu features. This day was a bananas foster French toast. We did not try but it sounded good! read more

Shakabrah Java - California hash - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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First time eating here. It seems to be a local favorite, which is nice. Restaurant is loud. After being seated, we were given menu's and told to order at the counter. We ordered at the counter and were directed to pour our own water and coffee. I paid with a credit card and they turned the screen around to choose how much tip I would like to add. I know, I know it's a new world and we are expected to tip for everything. I asked - why am I tipping. Seems like I'm doing half of the work. Food was good, not great. Prices were similar to other places. I had a spinach, mushroom, and feta scramble and coffee. My guest had French toast, which looked good and scrambled eggs. $30 before tip. I always try to support local businesses. I wish them well, but I prefer to be served if I'm paying for it. read more

Yeah open for seating indoors & they have a grill now!! Really great food for breaky. Bf had the Lovo Moco. He said it's a bit different than normal. This gravy is spicy.. not just brown gravy like usual. It was good. But I think he like mine better. I was at Tapco and they told me the Cowboy Hash is fabulous! Yes it is. It's sort of vinegary like Vina Dosh tart! Yummmmmy. I had to take half home...brrrp. Coming back. They have stepped up here. Remodel in kitchen and bathrooms as well! read more

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This restaurant isn't for everyone - just ask about the jerk yelling about the worst service of his life. (BTW half of the restaurant you order at the counter and clean up after yourself and half is full-service so don't be that jerk.) I was just so excited for a fried spam breakfast (IYKYK) so I was pumped they let me sub spam on the loco moco. I don't know how they make that gravy but I want to bathe in it. The french toast let me down especially after all the planet sized pancakes walking past me. Longing looks and future plans... read more

Shakabrah Java - Loco moco - (but subbed spam for the beef patties) Spam, gravy and a fried egg on rice aka HEAVEN. - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Food took about 45 minutes and it was cold when we got it. The place is NOT busy and we got here at 9:15 on New Years Day. read more

Shakabrah Java - Big country Breakfast. - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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The wall color is atrocious, horrible decor, had the brattiest person I've ever met as a server who yelled at my child for having food from down the street as a type one diabetic who wouldn't eat anything on the menu, we sat outside to eat it while our family ate inside and the server stressed her out so much she was too nauseous to keep eating. When we had got back I had bacon that was so undercooked it felt like I was eating straight off a pig, also the espresso was bitter. read more

I really love the chill, homemade vibe of this place. I was lucky to go on a nice day so the garage door was wide open. A real nice way to spend a Sunday morning. Very casual, artsy, laid back. Really good bacon. There's two dining areas. One with counter service and the other side of the restaurant has table service. read more

Shakabrah Java - Pancakes as big as the plate. - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

One of my go-to breakfast places. But weekends can be really busy and the service can be kind of poor on the weekend. It just feels like they need one more person on the floor every time I'm there on a Saturday. read more

Loud, busy coffee/breakfast/lunch joint in the middle of 6th Ave Tacoma. Street parking. Two gender shared bathrooms behind the order counter in back. Came in after the breakfast rush on a Saturday around noon. Was able to get a table as soon as we walked in. Cool vibes, employees helpful. Wasn't super hungry so ordered the Shaka potatoes with corn hash. Wife ordered avocado toast and our son had the pancakes. Our mistake as we're on a time crunch to see a afternoon movie..but took quite a bit of time to get our food..like almost 30 min. Wasn't busy and our order was pretty simple. Ended up taking to go. Wasn't really good as cold leftovers. Not sure I would seek this place out unless were in the area. Would say it's a cool neighborhood local joint only. read more

Shakabrah Java - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

The food is good. The service is quick and ambiance is simple. Nice little breakfast spot

A friend of mine and I went here for breakfast this morning. We were both set to order pancakes when he found out from our waitperson that a corn syrup product is used instead of real maple syrup. I guess what broke the camel's back was not only do they also use margarine to top the pancakes with but also use a pancake mix. Unfortunately that did it for me as well. So, since I'm a sucker for biscuits and gravy ordered that, but only before learning that the biscuits aren't made by them either. That said, my friend's breakfast looked pretty good because he ended up ordering the barbecued brisket with eggs. My whole take on this is, yes, I know many restaurants don't serve real maple syrup and butter can be had sometimes if you ask. But why not make your pancake batter from scratch when you can make a huge batch of it as well as great biscuits that only take two ingredients? I will say that our wait person was amazing! read more

It's a popular spot and the food is good. I just personally don't care for their food but it might be because I like my food cooked differently. Specifically my breakfast. Like for my breakfast potatoes I like them thick cut and not tiny with lots of veggies. Their side of breakfast potatoes reminds me of the frozen bag you can buy pre cut from the store. My husband and a lot of friends like to come here though to eat breakfast I'm just not a fan. Great customer service and business though! I love how they offered breakfast and water to a homeless man. read more

This food is so good and the prices are great! I recommend this all day everyday. I took photos so you can taste it with your eyes read more

Shakabrah Java - Denver omelette and potatoes. Marmosa - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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great service but i waited 30 minutes after the worker told me it would only be 15. got my food and my potatoes were wrong, asked for green onions they gave me just normal and they were burnt. (you have to pay for the add ons) which i have no problem doing if it's what i want. i only live 8 minutes away when i got home my food was cold after waiting 30 minutes. very disappointed read more

Shakabrah Java - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

The loco moco was salty (but Hawaiians eat salty foods lol) and authentic loco moco is typically served with brown gravy. The omelette was great but we waited about 1/2 an hr for our food to come out. I also really liked the vibe, music taste and decor read more

Shakabrah Java - Loco moco & bacon, avo, cheese omelette - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

They never disappoint! This is a friend's group favorite in Tacoma. Food is always really good. A couple changes have happened with the food but good nonetheless. read more

Had the Chrissy and bacon avocado omelet- so good! Love the spiced house potatoes. Nice hostess and servers

Finally found our Tacoma breakfast spot! What a gem this place is. They have one side of full service and one side of counter service, which is such a brilliant concept. Great service, great coffee, great food. Big portions, could certainly split. Don't pass on the pancake though- so good!! read more

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Today was the last straw for me. The Loco Moco was gross. Not only was it cold, but they served it with scrambled eggs instead of a fried egg. And the biscuit for my biscuits and gravy was burnt so badly that I couldn't eat it, but I sure had to pay for it. read more

Loved the food and vibe at Shakabrah! It was a fun hipster / surf breakfast spot that reminded me a bit of some of the quirky places we visited on the North Shore of Kauai many years ago. This place is bustling so it you don't like waits - show up early! You will not leave hungry. I got the Big Country Breakfast with Veggies added to my potatoes. It was perfect! read more

Shakabrah Java - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

First of all the reason for even a 3 was the great service I received. The staff made me feel welcomed and did a great job of getting food out and making sure I was good on coffee. As far as the food I'd never recommend biscuits and gravy at this place. The Shaka potatoes I had great expectations for granted the reviews on them but were a bit underwhelming. The eggs I ordered over medium and they came out well prepared. The bacon was solid. All in all it was a good experience and I'd likely try it again just not the biscuits and gravy. read more

I love the atmosphere every time I eat here. Great food and drinks too. Parking is really the only issue I have when I go to eat here but I always find a spot in the end. Also I really appreciate for the most part is you'll be able to be seated immediately. Of course they have their busy times but it's a lot less crowded than other breakfast spots and in my opinion it tastes the best. read more

I love all the vegetarian options! I don't eat pork so it's wonderful to have turkey options and a lot of choices for just veggies. I love the side of veggies on a bed of spinach and some magical Shakraba potatoes read more

Not a great experience. They missed my whole order and blamed it on a printer glitch. Crazy part is cashier told us to order together so our items are all on the same ticket. I don't know what went wrong!! She offered me a refund plus to still make my food. However when I got my food the French toast was burnt and my pork belly was burnt. At this point I didn't even eat my food. Everyone who was with me already finished eating. Very disappointed in service and food. Once we saw the restaurant rated "GOOD" when we walked out, then we knew why!! Thanks but no Thanks! I'll go to the Original Pancake house around the corner or Dirty Oscars. read more

Wife and I came here on a Saturday mid morning, place was super busy, got a table right away, wait for the food was a little long 20-30 min, I ordered the biscuits and gravy with bacon and eggs, very bland, and I think a bit over priced ($18) wife had a veggie omelet. She said that was good.. Would I come back? Probably not.. best thing was that it's not a chain restaurant, staff friendly, and non stop busy... read more

Been coming here for years and have seen a change...for the worse. Im constantly suprised by the cleanliness. The place was never really clean but its like they gave up. The food is DECENT and the most saving grace, just don't expect anything above average. They started charging to substitute a small pancake when they never did that...which I felt is petty since bread substitution is free and im sure costs more. Staff are always friendly and have never made me feel unwelcome, even though I typically sit in self seating. read more

I dropped in today for the first time and had the Classic. The sausage links were about what you'd expect for a diner, but I thought the scrambled eggs were done well--not too runny, not overcooked. I loved the potatoes. They had a vinegar-y taste. A few pieces were not cooked all the way through, but still good. The French toast was simple but delicious. The espresso was unexpectedly tasty for a diner. I think my total was around $20-$25. which seems expensive for a diner, but I had a lot of leftovers: 5 pieces of French toast and a lot of eggs, sausage, and potatoes. I also made a couple substitutions (French toast instead of pancakes and soy milk for the mocha). And like I said, my mocha was great. So it might have been pricier than, say, Denny's, but the quality of food, atmosphere, and deliciousness made it worth it. I would love to come again. read more

I dropped in on a whim to grab a quick bite when I saw the blm, LGBTQ+, and advertisements for best breakfast. Very mediocre food with extremely fussy service. Won't be visiting again. read more

Food was good and portions were big. Prices are reasonable. Loud atmosphere and service was a little slow but friendly. read more

Shakabrah Java - Egg white omelette with cheddar, ham and mushrooms - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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The food, service and ambiance are amazing here. I love it. It would be a great place to work. read more

Shakabrah Java - Chai Eraser drink and sos Benny. Yummy. - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Omg I just found this place Thru a friend. So perfect. Awesome, eclectic vibe, outstanding service and genuinely cool staff. The food was out of this world yummy.... definitely can be returning regularly! read more

Shakabrah Java - American Near Me - Tacoma, Washington