Bob's Java Jive — Restaurant in Tacoma

What can I say about this national treasure that hasn't been said? Yes, it's tacky. Yes, the pool table needed to be replaced thirty years ago. Yes, the food is greasy and they don't serve hard liquor. And yes, the wine is third rate. But what they do have is everything else:

Service: excellent, if a little strange at times. J.R. the owner's husband is a charmer. He will serve you relatively quickly, and he will take your food to your table with a smile and an odd joke that you may not understand.

Entertainment: karaoke seven nights a week that goes from utterly epic to completely deserted, with no rhyme or reason. You can come on a Friday and only get two songs the whole night. Or you could come on a Monday and sing so many songs you have to stop cause your throat hurts.

Ambience: how to describe it? Sort of like what a survivor of a plane crash might put together from random flotsam floating in from the sea. Strange black-light tiki figures, walls of band stickers, dirty graffiti, clever graffiti, odd drawings, a pool table in need of burning, tables - fairly sturdy, benches - torn to stuffingless, sit-down video games, a tiny stage with a giant tv (not working), dim lighting, strands of Christmas lights, fake plants, a defunct jukebox, and a smoking area worthy of the gods. Wooden bus stops to get out of the rain, cafeteria tables and plenty of chairs, a bench seat from a long-gone vehicle, and all the coffee can ashtrays you could need.

The People: some of the coolest people in Tacoma go there, to drink, to watch wrestling, rock out some Karaoke or just jam out to the music. Every rock show (mostly on Saturdays) seems to bring in a different crowd, all wanting the chance to see bands they like at the weirdest-lookin place in Tacoma. If you're a smoker, half the local geniuses spend more time outside bullshitting and smokin weed than singing or drinking inside. As you might expect, Bob's has its share of local weirdos, but they're the kind of weirdos that make you smile when you see em. Creepy or scary dudes know not to mess with Bob's Java Jive. Women are always comfortable there, and rarely do you leave thinking you wasted your time. Acquaintances become friends, friends become lovers, and shy people learn how to spread their wings and dance.

So here's the deal. If you've gotten this far in this interview, you're probably thinking about going. So do it already. Cheap beer, cheap food, and all the Tacoma flavor you could ever want.

We'll...

i don’t even take the time to leave reviews but how i was treated i do not appreciate what’s so ever the bartender was completely rude all i asked was why we was being charged different prices for the same drinks she got mad as if i couldn’t ask a question she turned it into i was intoxicated which was totally false all the while she snatched the drinks i ordered poured them out didn’t give me my money and snatched up the change all the while her boyfriend decides to get all loud so my friend approached him then som guy comes from the back speaking spanish making threats that my friend understood then they called the police which we was never irate in fact the bartenders boyfriend was the police was very friendly didn’t consider us drunk we was talking very clear not sluggish or drunk to cause that much kaos and conflict over me asking a question in the difference of the price when we ordered the same thing we never got the service discount when i was clear and we came in with a large group in u inform and everyone got this lil discount but us seemed a lil racial profiling we never got recipts or anything like i’m beyond livid and feel like there should be consequences for that behavior like u gone kick us out for questioning being charged different prices then accuse us of being drunk i’m really curious if the owner or management even cares as to how customers are being treated or even took the time to investigate as that’s how the business operate from paying customers and even others was saying things that witnessed it guess jus didn’t want no parts i will def be looking in to further consequences bbb cause i do not appreciate the way we was discriminated against all for asking a question and not returned our money for drinks that was never touched in fact poured out as fast as she made them and the guy that came owner or manger not sure but if he had any sense we talked calmly to him and the police u can tell if someone is drunk so because u asking price difference cause we getting the same drinks at different prices we are treated as drunk thrown out and treated like trash when if u are a bartender if we was drunk it’s ur responsibility to call a cab or something not throw some one out and let them leave drunk cause if something happens the bar could be help reliable if that was the case and even with people saying the bartenders act racism i still wanted to give them a chance but that messy boyfriend of that bartenders omg had a problem...

Do you love quirky dive bars? But what is a dive bar? For me the term comes from the sensation that one must "dive" into the physical space. Usually because the bar is close to the front near the door and most of the seating is beyond that. This allows the bartender more control. This often allows for fewer people on staff, which results in all the other things for which dive bars are known. Dive bars are typically kept dim, cleaned just enough to pass the inspections, have overworked fryers in under kept kitchens, and a wealth of local culture. Some insist that a dive bar be cheap, but that really depends on the area and how much staff they keep.

Bob's, famously a former coffee house in the shape of a tea pot, meets my definition perfectly. The front door (barely) opens into a round room that somehow manages to hold the main bar. It's impossible to avoid people's personal space, so just embrace it. The low ceiling is festooned with paper currency and scraps of paper. The walls are covered in old photos and bar standard posters. I promise, the bartender knows you're there. They're probably cute too, but no one has time for you to flirt. The round shape gives way to a narrow passage and sloping floors at the end of the bar that opens up into a karaoke stage, a dance floor for about four people, and a game room with the second most abused pool table I've ever felt (badum-tsh). The seating feels unlike any space I've ever seen. Groups of eight, two, six, and four are scattered about. Alcoves and tables are seemingly put... Wherever they fit. The two-top I sat at tonight pinned an dissused late-70s jukebox (probably the original source of the "jive") against a wall with some kind of (jungle themed?) mural, below a stuffed ram head covered in bras. Huge mirrors and ad-hoc lighting make the actual dimensions impossible to figure out.

The food is what you'd expect at dive bar. Lots of fried options, a couple sandwiches and burgers. The burger I had was a real demonstration by the kitchen, as if to make a statement that they have a grill. Stacked playfully tall with thick meat patties. Not bad. The wings were just spicy enough and this is the 243, so expect ranch for dipping.

They currently have karaoke every night at nine, so there was a big group of folks who clearly knew each other cheering each other on. The culture here goes deep, but it's welcoming and...