Meconi's Tacoma Pub & Eatery, Tacoma

Meconi’s Tacoma Pub & Eatery is a casual pub with a much older story behind it. The site is linked to the former Bodega Bar, opened in 1889 during the rough “Whiskey Row” period, when the area was known for saloons, gambling, sailors, lumber workers, and vice. Period references connect the Bodega with liquor, cigars, private rooms, and a disorderly reputation. Its run ended in 1912, when reform pressure led the city to refuse renewal of its liquor license.

The building’s history also carries traces of the area’s older urban legends and hidden layers. Before the brick Bodega-era building was built, the site was linked to a wood-framed structure owned by Doc “the satin barber” Levin, a colourful figure from early downtown life. Local stories also connect the property with underground tunnels tied to waterfront trade and the old saloon district. These details add a hidden layer of history to the pub’s relaxed modern setting.

Today, the atmosphere is far more welcoming. Owned by the Meconi family, known for East Coast-style Italian sub shops in the South Sound since 1986, the pub is built around sandwiches, burgers, wings, beer, and casual comfort food. Inside, visitors will find sports on television, a 1922 panoramic photograph, and a back game room with pool, darts, air hockey, and pinball. For tourists, it is an easy food-and-drink stop with a visible link to the area’s rougher early history.