Da Tiki Hut

The Best Restaurants in Tacoma

"It’s the Hawaiian restaurant of your dreams. Inside a former Taco Time on Sixth Avenue, this family restaurant-slash-tiki bar feels like it was preserved in amber in about 1961. (It actually opened in 2014.) The campy rattan hut-booths, all decorated with carved masks and potted palms, are fun for dinner, but the real party is in the secret bar in the back, where cocktails come loaded with tropical fruit, orchids, and tons of rum. Don’t miss the short rib combo, the various mocos and musubis — including a Spam katsu musubi — or anything that comes with mac salad (like the bacon cheeseburger, heh). Top it all off with a Dole whip because you gotta." - Meg van Huygen, Sue Kidd

The 13 Best Restaurants In Tacoma 2024

"Da Tiki Hut is our nomination for the most Tacoma place ever: this former food truck moved into an old Taco Time building and turned it into a full-scale tiki bar and grill. It looks like a takeout spot at first, but walk through the hard-to-find hallway behind the rattan screen and you’ll find a low-lit space of tropical-themed booths. The best part, though, is the mid-century cocktail bar in the back that’s straight out of Trader Vic’s. The food also rules—there's mochiko chicken, short rib, tuna poke, kalua pig, and a whole section of mocos. They also have some interesting musubi options like karaage chicken, as well as our favorite mac salad in the city. " - meg van huygen

Seattle Food Writers Pick Their Favorite Dining Neighborhoods of 2023 - Eater Seattle

"On-point Hawaiian lunch plates and musubis and Dole whips and Trade Vic’s–era cocktails at Da Tiki Hut." - Eater Staff

Da Tiki Hut Review - Tacoma - Seattle - The Infatuation

Jessica Reynolds

Google

Update: we placed an online order for pickup at the cashier tonight. The subtotal was $38. Once I clicked "order" I got a notification that my debit card had been charged $51!! My husband went down to pick up the food and was told that I had added this on as a tip! This was a lie. I checked the itemized receipt and discovered they had added fees AND a tip without my consent. The item was charged and my husband could not change it upon pickup. We ordered one small lunch plate, one child's burger and one pupu all to the tune of $51 due to this dishonest practice. This is unacceptable and we will not be ordering again. I do not recommend using the online order via their website as you will be hit with multiple fees, the amount of which you cannot select. This is a bad business practice that should be changed. Great experience! We will be back soon.

Shawn Norris

Google

Food was great. Really enjoyed the meats and the whip! The staff were very warm and welcoming. Cool vibe inside, kinda feel like you’re in the jungle.

Amanda Bratley

Google

Everything is amazing!! The food, the drinks, the staff, the decor! I love it!! Especially nice on a rainy day, it’s like a little piece of Hawaii 🤩💖!! I wish I lived closer , I would come here every week!! Thank you so much to the wait staff yall are awesome!

Crystal Logistics LLC

Google

I heard good things about this place but left disappointed. Below is what I got for what I paid for lol… I would be embarrassed. The chicken was extremely overcooked, hard and very dry. EXTREMELY hard and dry😫 mac salad had no seasoning. It was very bland. I had a bite of my husband’s mochiko chicken which was good

Angela

Google

Their food was so good!!! It's now my favorite Hawaiian restaurant! The owner was friendly and really made a good dining experience for us. Thank you!

Nathan Hatfield-Evans

Google

Amazing food, great staff, and super funny atmosphere, I was really impressed by Da Tiki Hut! Can't wait to go back!

Benz Sardi

Google

I've seen searching for good Hawaiian food here and so glad I found it! Our waitress was great and even gave us a sample of some of the meats. The decor in the restaurant is amazing and the food was the best Hawaiian we have had here!

Merielle Sophia Alicdan

Google

This place is such a gem here in Tacoma! The food was delicious and the service was fantastic. Definitely the best loco moco I’ve had in Washington! The vibes are good and the drinks are even better!

Isabelle B.

Yelp

Favorite dining experience in Tacoma!! The theme is so fun and so well done!! Getting seated feels like visiting a speak easy under the sea!! The food is excellent, and served on paper plates, reminiscent of Hawaiian food trucks. We tried the moco loco and tiki chicken and both were delicious!! Drinks are also wonderful, sweet and tropical!! Cannot recommend more!

Alden C.

Yelp

Ok, I'm going to have to bump this place up to five stars now. I was here years ago and there wasn't much of an atmosphere going on. But now there is just dollops of atmosphere now since Da Tiki Hut went through some remodels it is completely different and unrecognizable from before. The food is as good as I remember it as we tried several different kinds of meats which were delicious. I got Kahlua Pork which was wonderful but the Korean Chicken and the Tiki Chicken were fantastic also. I got a small plate of the Kahlua Pork with rice and macaroni salad. I got the pineapple upside down cake again and Steve got a great mochi cake. Cocktails are here and I got the Classic Mai Tai which was good but really strong! Steve got the Saturn cocktail which was good, not as strong as mine but I liked the garnish decoration looking like the planet. I'd love to come back here again and hopefully not so many years would pass before tge return trip. *Update* We got two kinds of Misubi and it was great! Definitely recommend!

Arielle Glenn F.

Yelp

A hidden gem in Tacoma!! I am so glad that I visited this place with my family. Found out about this place from a TikTok content creator. The interior of this restaurant is absolutely beautiful and unique with their decorations. The staff is extremely kind. We got a sampler of the different types of meats as first-time customers, and the chef also had us try a sample of something that he was testing out with his recipes! The Hawaiian food was delicious, alongside liked the Tiki Soda and Dole Whip. I would love to come back here next time when in the Tacoma area and I want to explore their drinks menu as the photos of it look refreshing and pretty. I also heard they sell Ube Mochi and other desserts so I definitely would like to try those as well when visiting next time, if available. :)

Lindsey B.

Yelp

Our first time visiting Da Tiki Hut and we absolutely loved it. You walk in and the vibe is immediately so fun, it feels like you're walking in to Trader Sam's at Disneyland. We ordered some mocktails and they tasted great, and looked really cool. The food is also top notch, came out quick and our server even gave us some samples so we could decide what we wanted to order. Would definitely recommend this spot!

Martine W.

Yelp

Seattlites, you are missing out on this hidden gem. Pretty much an all-ages speakeasy complete with hidden door and damn good food. Come for the waterfall and stay for the well crafted tiki drinks and musubi. Absolutely nothing not to love!

Candi R.

Yelp

I looked this place up and didn't see the picture. We went to check out the tiki bar and was a little confused when we walked in . There is a counter that you order food but didn't see anything else. Thought we were at the wrong place. I asked for the tiki bar and was then escorted through a door into a great little restaurant and led to the tiki bar in the back. Yay!!! It was dimly lit ... like you'd expect and had a great bar tender who made us delicious tiki drinks. They had several to choose from and he talked with us while we enjoyed our tiki drinks. They offer really good b-bque and we were offered samples of each choice when we sat down. I wished we had the time to eat but we were meeting family at another location. I would go back for that b/bque!!! It was a great find in an unexpected location. Can't wait to go back.

Tornadoroo K.

Yelp

Another great year of Da Tiki Hut! It's my escape to Hawaii for a moment or two place to go. Mostly as the food is so great. I especially am fond of the lunch plate special but I can't say I have had anything off the menu that wasn't great. Service here is wonderful and it's always clean. We enjoy the atmosphere in both the dining area and the tiki bar. And the pineapple upside down cake or dole whip are just an added bonus. Be sure and try one of the many cocktails (with or without alcohol) with your meal ir meet your friends for some true ohana at this wonderful bit of Hawaii in Tacoma.

Jamie I.

Yelp

This is a hidden gem. The food was absolutely incredible and everyone was so nice. We will be making this one of our go to places.

Tori L.

Yelp

I got Jessie's moco which was Kalua pig instead of hamburger patty so it was good. My husband got Ben's moco, hamburger patty & Kalua pig but he liked the Kalua pig better. My son said their chicken katsu was good. Disappointed with garlic furukaki fries & spam musubi. Hardly could taste the garlic in fries & rice inside spam musubi was bad. Maybe old rice? Spam slice was cut too thin, can't justify paying almost $4ea. We ordered 2 to-go for my daughter & she only ate 1 spam w/o the rice. Friendly staff. Good place for only Kalua pig loco moco.

Jamison G.

Yelp

Best Hawaiian food in town. The service is incredible too. Immaculate tiki vibes. Pay attention to their specials! I had a tri tip special that was incredible!

Sheila G.

Yelp

As much as I'd like to continue supporting this establishment, I probably will not return. Our last order, which was takeout, was such a disappointment . My mac salad had hair and one of our canned juices had mold or gunk on it. And let's not talk about the skinny spam musubi they sold us. If you're going to jack up the price, at least serve quality products.

Yan L.

Yelp

The best in town with affordable pricing! The food was tender and flavorful. My favorite was the combo a bit of everything; the Kalua pig was delicious very similar to pull pork. The mac salad was my kids favorite. Loco moco had the perfect amount of runny egg. The atmosphere was different and very unique. The service was good the waitress didn't keep asking how the food was. Royal cookies are a must if going. Sadly didn't get to try the ube mochi cake. Definitely coming back when possible

Cross S.

Yelp

Oom papachucka maka nanu singow Meling kapalana wani domo chingpow Heddy kapalua cuma jenising tea Oomama chucka pana one is now three Then the horns kicked in And my shoes started to squeak

Shannon W.

Yelp

I love Da Tiki Hut! It's my favorite Hawaiian restaurant in Tacoma. I usually order the tiki chicken meal with a side of gravy and my husband gets the mochiko chicken and it's sooo good. The mac is on point every time and the I love the decorations and ambiance! I usually pick up and my interactions with staff have always been pleasant. Highly recommend!

Tiffany N.

Yelp

GO TO L&L Hawaiian bbq! You will not be disappointed there!! We ordered a moco loco, 2 spam masubi and a Kalua pork plate. We are beyond disappointed with our dishes. Most places give a good amount of spam, but this place gave the thinnest slice of spam with old, hard rice. The moco loco tasted as if it were missing something.. because it was a frozen meat patty that was warmed up, no spices or anything was added in/ on the meat patty. There was nothing fresh about this place! I would not come back to this location. Go to L&L!!!

TC B.

Yelp

Finally stopped in. Been a while of driving by and wondering. We came in for lunch and ordered plate lunch with kalua pig, a combo plate lunch, and a loco moco. Of course, we all did a mac salad side. We also ordered two spam musubi (to see how they compare to our Samoan friend's homemade musubi). The inside has definite tiki bar vibes. Service was prompt and friendly. Our drinks arrived quickly and orders taken right away. Points for the paper plates! The mac salad had less mayo than expected and we liked it that way. Great flavor. All of the meats were tasty. Would have preferred a thicker slice of spam in the musubi but the flavors were all great. Da Tiki Hut provided a good slice of Hawaiian flavors in Tacoma. We also sampled the ube mochi cake, a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie, and a peanut butter cookie. Each of them were good. I should have come in sooner - Da Tiki Hut is worth a stop for a plate lunch and cookie!

Jennifer S.

Yelp

This place is all about the secret ambiance. It looks like a nothing store front and then Bam! You pass through wooden doors to a little tropical private space. Cozy enough to feel romantic. Fun enough my daughter loved it. Been to the Hangout at McMennamins? Similar vibe. The teriyaki type chickens were great. The musubi I'd pass on. The spam was thin and I preferred a roasted laver that being said, my daughter LOVED it and they have Dole whip! The server was friendly. The (I'm guessing female owner) less so but not so much that I'd skip a visit.

S P.

Yelp

Food was amazing. Super cute inside. Loved the musubi, the garlic fries, and the other different entrees.

Carol C.

Yelp

A wonderful team of people and great food and value. It reminds me of one of my favorite tiki bars on Oahu. It was like taking a trip to Hawaii in the middle of the afternoon. I appreciated the chance to taste the meat selection before I ordered, and the small plate lunch was perfect. Also finished with a cookie that was amazing and a taste of Dole whip. I'll be back.

Marina F.

Yelp

The ambiance was such a vibe!! The lighting was just right with the cutest decorations and they even had a small waterfall which also had LED lighting!! This is definitely a hidden gem! Besides the detailed decor, the service was AMAZINGGG! The guy who attended us was very attentive and asked if this was our first time. As soon as we told him it was, he came out with SAMPLES YALL! What restaurant does that?! Definitely a nice/thoughtful service. He gave recommendations and explained the sauces and even came with a powdered topping for the dole whip for us to try. He recommended walking back to look at the bar and it definitely caught our eye. We for sure will be back!!!! Food was SO SO DELICIOUS as well.

Sean A.

Yelp

Looks like a random strip mall restaurant but totally remodeled inside for a Tiki flare It's the old taco time off 6th Avenue for those been in Tacoma for at least ten years. Friendly staff, pleasant decor and Hawaiian music. Had the mochiko chicken lunch plate with salad and the kalua pork plate. Nice smoky flavors with the pork and a light breaded crispy chicken with slight sweet notes. Worth a try if you haven't given this small business a try. And has takeout order counter options as well

Bill A.

Yelp

This place used to be decent pre-pandemic. Portions and quality have been steadily declining over the past few years.

Jackie M.

Yelp

Absolutely amazing. We came here tonight craving Hawaiian, and I've been wanting to try this place for a long time. I ordered the chicken katsu plate with rice and macaroni salad, and my husband ordered the pulled pork sandwich. The chicken was cooked to perfection and had the BEST crunch on the outside! The macaroni salad also tasted extremely fresh & was so tasty. It also came with their homemade katsu sauce, which was to die for! My husband finished his sandwich so fast and even helped me finish my chicken, which he never does unless the food is that good. This was easily one of the tastiest things we've eaten since arriving to Tacoma, and they had very generous portion sizes. Our server was very friendly and attentive, and the restaurant has such a cool vibe--think Tiki Room at Disneyland! We are absolutely going to make this one of our regular spots!

Larry S.

Yelp

So we saw this place and decided to try it out. Well big mistake, let's see ....... Service - Inattentive, and rude As we were now to the restaurant we asked questions and based on a small sample of the proteins we ordered what we thought was the crispy coated protean. NOPE what we got was something different and when I finally y got my servers attention, he said NO that's what you ordered. Humm, no sorry but even when corrected he stuck with "This is what you asked for and this is what we brought out". The food - Meh to not good at all Not what we ordered, and over salted, nothing was piping hot but rather Luke warm to cool. Again not what we expected. Ambiance - very low lighting and honestly I question how clean this place actually was. Could barely see the food, not sure of anything and it was not conducive to eating. I do not recommend this place at all and would recommend looking across the parking lot for a better alternative.

Tone B.

Yelp

This place is great owners are great pre covid were twice a year feeding 100 people in need but my latest visit in tried the burger and pork loco moco the pork, gravy, and egg were exceptional burger itself kinda dry but still this place is amazing

MaryJo H.

Yelp

The food was amazing. Loved the Korean versions of some dishes. The pork belly and musubi, we couldn't get enough of those. The drinks were to die for. Strong enough to feel like you're getting your moneys worth, that's for sure. Cocktails are typical prices of other places and are just better. The people at the bar were sooooo nice. Social with us and explained some stuff to us about the different rums. Loved this place. Want to go back asap.

Chloe ..

Yelp

Best Hawaiian food in WA state. Service was immaculate, ambiance was 10/10, authentic yummy food!!! Only good vibes from this spot. :)

Jennie C.

Yelp

Da Goods! Drinks were top tiki quality and the food hit the spot while soaking up the potent potions. Rob the bartender in the real tiki deal. I ate a moco loco plate which was everything you need while sucking down a quality Mai Tai. It's not the most famous tiki spot in T Town but it needs and deserves your time, Mahalo

Rachel D.

Yelp

Ordered through door dash and was blown away. The food was SO FREAKIN GOOD. I ordered the pork and it was so delicious- didn't even need the sauce. I ate the whole plate so fast Only critique is that the portion of pork was pretty small. I'm excited to eat here again!

Vee S.

Yelp

The guy who took her order was great, and the guy who was cooking in the back was working his butt off. Got a few sweet treats; ube mochi was 5 starts! And my yougin loved the red velvet cookies! I ordered the basic mailander for my young and which was described as 1/3 of a Patty with greens and a house sauce alas, there was no greens and no house sauce. (I understand I don't have a picture and I can't prove it but that's because we had to go to the Mary Bridge that day and came in early knowing parking was crazy.) At least the burger and french fries were nice and hot and my youngin liked it! This is just a personal note in case I forget that I've eaten here before, but I didn't care for the musubi I chose. (Spam - the sauce was not my favorite) I might come back.

Denise S.

Yelp

This place has a great vibe and the food is amazing. A small family run business that originally started as a food truck and has evolved into a tiki bar that the owner has renovated himself. The food and the drinks were fantastic! Can't wait to go again!

C N.

Yelp

So cute inside! We are always greeted by friendly staff. The food is delicious. I love the Spam mo Jo! And we always share the Dole Whip for dessert! Yum!

Paco D.

Yelp

Walked in, got a glare and no greeting, first thing they said was take out or dine in, told them takeout, dude who greeted us immediately turned and walked away, pointed at the girl next to the counter and said something, then she took over and asked what we wanted. I paid $16 for a "large" plate with Korean chicken. Scared to imagine what the small would look like... Very overpriced when I can just go to L&L, get better chicken, far more chicken with less attitude and less expensive. Don't go here, go to L&L if you are hungry, you'll get the same or better service anyways.

Kawai5001963 ..

Yelp

Fun place, good prices, GREAT FOOD!!! The service was great, with a cozy ambience. Typical 1970's, 1980's Hawaiian decor. The food was served on paper plate, which felt a little tacky. Other than that, a great casual dining experience.

Hayleigh L.

Yelp

Hands down the best Hawaiian food I have had! Everything was so delicious. It was our first time here & they let us try samples of the meat before we ordered. This will definitely be added into our favorite restaurant rotations.

Michael G.

Yelp

The staff is super friendly, especially the bartender. Drinks were works of art. And the food! I've been back a few times now trying different things, and I can't decide what is their best. It's literally all delicious. The kalua pig and mochiko chicken are especially tasty.

Carl S.

Yelp

First time here and I am mad at myself for taking so long. I had the lumpia's and combo plate so I could try the three meats. Everything including the mac salad was off the charts good! Service was top shelf. I will be back Kahlua pork is amazing.

Jaida P.

Yelp

Everything was so tasty and delicious! The flavors all complemented each other! Must try the Ube it's out of this world!

Emily Y.

Yelp

D Tiki Hut not only has the best and freshest Hawaiian food but they provide exceptional customer service! We've been here a few times now but this is the first time I've waited long enough to take pictures of the food, instead of eating it right away. I ordered the combo plate lunch - which comes with Tiki Chicken, Korean Chicken and Kalua Pig, as well as two scoops of rice and macaroni salad. The meat is always fresh, tender and full of flavor. The rice is cooked perfectly and the macaroni salad is flavorful. The portions of this dish are enough for two people or two meals. I also ordered the spam Musubi - which is also perfectly made. The customer service is always above and beyond. I definitely will be back and recommend.

Aaron B.

Yelp

Hello Da Tiki Hut - where have you been? Or I should say - why haven't I found you earlier. My tastebuds are sad - but alas the goodness of island food will soon be making its way into my pie hole on a regular basis. Family run - environment is funky and a little cheesy but don't let that you distract from the food and drink. Chicken Katsu was legit. Meat was tender and flavorful and the outer shell had a nice and crisp crunch. Beef spare ribs were tender and had a nice glaze of sweetness. Only downside - mac salad was a bit bland. Prices are a bit high but worth the quality and and dining experience.

Stephanie S.

Yelp

This place was delicious! I loved the interior, it had a great tiki vibe. I had a Mai tai, it was really good. We shared the lumpia, I enjoyed it. I had the loco moco which was a hamburger patty with a fried egg over rice with gravy. It was really flavorful. We shared the pineapple upside down cake. Everything was yummy and I'd definitely go back again sometime!

Maki S.

Yelp

From the outside looking in, this is an unassuming Hawaiian restaurant. But, as soon as we went in, we realized that we were entering a completely different realm full of charm (and alcohol). They do take out but we opted to dine in. After we entered the dining area, they allowed us to do a brief walkthrough, likely due to our jaws being on the floor; You can tell how much love and effort they put into this space while looking at the decorations (and mini waterfall!). The owners were really warm, patient, friendly and referred to those who frequented as family. As they handed us their menus, they also gave us a meat sampler for us to familiarize ourselves with the menu through taste. This is the first time I've experienced this, and now that I have I'm not sure why this practice isn't commonplace. There is a reason why this has 4.5 stars (which is rare). The kahua of pork was juicy, the mac and cheese was creamy and good and the drinks were also delicious. If you're in the Tacoma area, check this place out!

David N.

Yelp

It's okay. L&L honestly tastes better. I feel like it was pretty over priced. Spam musubi was 90% rice 10% spam. Only thing decent was the Kaula pork.

Speedster O.

Yelp

Our group of about 20 of us popped in for lunch after our Miata drive. We were very hungry. The food and service were good. I ordered the chicken and kailua pork combo over rice will a side of macaroni salad. The portion was generous. Food was good and arrived fairly quick considering the size of our group. The staff is friendly. I love the ambiance. Every booth is decorated uniquely with Hawaiian decor. Tiki's can be found throughout this restaurant. The bar is also very cool. It's decorated like a grass hut. I recommend this place. I believe the Miata Club will be back.

Lost G.

Yelp

Love the name of this place. Rolls right off the tongue. The food was really good In my opinion. I'm not really a picky guy so it's easy for me to eat pretty much anything. The workers were great and very kind. The wait time wasn't that long to get like 3 things. The surrounding area was nice and it made me feel comfortable.

Sharon S.

Yelp

The person at the counter was patient (and there was no one behind us) as we figured out what we wanted to order. The order was ready when promised and the food was amazing! Portions were generous and delicious.

Anna B.

Yelp

The bar is amazing and the food is fantastic. Service is impeccable and always makes me feel like family. I always look forward being here and how it makes me feel like home. Go there now!

Michelle B.

Yelp

This review is for the food truck on JBLM. I was craving Hawaiian food & I wish I had read the reviews first. For $16 this plate was a big disappointment! The rice was dry and not even hot ( who messes up rice :( ) . The kalua pig was burnt and so much fat and because it was placed in the middle of the chicken it was drenched in the sauce. Both chicken tasted the same but it's supposed to be different and the chicken was so dry it was crunchy. Worst chicken drenched in sauce. I'm born and raised in Hawaii and I've never had Mac salad with greens in it. I honestly don't know what the greens were. I did not even finish this plate.

Ed H.

Yelp

We LOVE Da Tiki Hut. We've had takeout a few times and never realized they have a restaurant in the back--it's kind of hidden. Staff are very friendly and the food is wonderful. The hidden restaurant is very cool and you feel as if you're transported to a little tiki bar!

The Best Restaurants in Tacoma

The 13 Best Restaurants In Tacoma 2024

Seattle Food Writers Pick Their Favorite Dining Neighborhoods of 2023 - Eater Seattle

"On-point Hawaiian lunch plates and musubis and Dole whips and Trade Vic’s–era cocktails at Da Tiki Hut." - Eater Staff

Da Tiki Hut Review - Tacoma - Seattle - The Infatuation