Cooks Tavern in Tacoma: biscuits and gravy to die for
Cooks Tavern (opens in a new tab) is one of our favorite breakfast spots in Tacoma. Euri and I are addicted to their biscuits and gravy. They might be the best I’ve had.
The rest of the menu is stellar too, but the biscuits and gravy make it hard to branch out. On this visit, we managed to order our usual and try something different.
The breakfast we keep coming back for
There’s something to be said for a breakfast spot where you know what you want before you open the menu.
For us, that’s Cooks. Even when there are other dishes we want to try, the biscuits and gravy win. If you’re looking for breakfast in Tacoma, this is where I’d start.
A rotating menu and a taste of Portugal
The other reason we keep coming back is that the menu changes. Cooks describes its approach as quarterly menus exploring different regions and cultures, alongside familiar American comfort food, so going back for a favorite can also mean trying something new. There's more on the concept on Cooks Tavern’s About page (opens in a new tab).
On our March 2026 visit, the featured cuisine was Portuguese. Along with our usual biscuits and gravy, we tried the francesinha and the rabanadas.
That's my favorite thing about Cooks: we can get the breakfast we already love and still find something on the menu we haven’t tried.
Planning a visit to Cooks Tavern
Cooks serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you don’t have to limit yourself to mornings.
You’ll find it at 3201 North 26th Street in Tacoma (opens in a new tab). The website currently lists hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, but check the official website (opens in a new tab) before heading over.
Since the featured cuisine rotates, the dishes we had may be gone by the time you go. The current Cooks Tavern menu (opens in a new tab) shows what’s being served.
Why we’ll be back
The biscuits and gravy alone would keep us coming back. The rotating menu just makes it worth reading the menu before we order them again anyway.
Exploring more of Washington? Read about our stop in Walla Walla for wine tasting, downtown wandering, and dinner with friends, or our seafood brunch buffet at Happy Crab in Ballard. For a walk near Tacoma, try Dash Point State Park.