Brewery Profile

McMenamins Elks Temple

Tacoma’s brewery map includes neighborhood taprooms, waterfront-adjacent stops, and historic buildings reused for food and drink. This entry stands out because the beer is only one part of a larger civic landmark. The restored seven-story structure was built in 1915-16 for the Elks fraternal organization in the Second Renaissance Revival style, and it is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A visitor walking in finds a full-scale brewery and tasting room on the ground floor, set within a building that encourages movement rather than a single-room stop. The scale and layout make it feel less like a conventional taproom and more like a vertical public house, with different uses stacked through the old lodge building.

Travelers coming through western Washington often look for fresh draft beer, adaptable indoor plans for changing weather, live music, and views tied to the region’s water and hills. This stop fits that pattern without relying only on the beer list. The Spanish Ballroom hosts live music events, giving the building an evening draw beyond the bar. Doc’s, on the third floor, adds a games-bar setting, while the main McMenamins Pub on the fourth floor has wide views toward Commencement Bay and the Foss Waterway marina. Since the specific beer lineup is not fixed in the available details, the tasting room is the place to confirm the day’s pours and decide whether to stay for a sample, a meal, a show, or a longer look around the building.

For practical planning, think of the Elks Temple as a multi-part visit. The ground-floor brewery and tasting room are the most direct stop for beer, but dining is also available upstairs at the main pub. Guests who want to combine a brewery visit with an overnight stay can use the guestrooms on the upper floors, keeping the experience within the same restored structure. The adjacent Spanish Steps, a 1916 staircase that has been rehabilitated, connect the building with the lower commercial district and make it easier to fold the stop into a walk through central Tacoma. Event timing matters if the Spanish Ballroom is part of the plan, and the taproom or pub staff are the best source for current pours, food service details, and any building access questions on the day of arrival.

The McMenamins Elks Temple occupies a restored seven-story structure originally built in 1915-16 in the Second Renaissance Revival style for the Elks fraternal organization. This historic building, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, houses a full-scale brewery and tasting room on the ground floor. The facility integrates multiple distinct public spaces across its vertical layout, including the Spanish Ballroom, which hosts live music events, and Doc's, a third-floor games bar. Dining options include the main McMenamins Pub on the fourth floor, which features expansive views of Commencement Bay and the Foss Waterway marina. The complex also incorporates guestrooms on the upper floors and sits adjacent to the rehabilitated Spanish Steps, a 1916 staircase connecting the building to the lower commercial district.

Website available

565 Broadway, Tacoma, Washington, 98402

Phone: (253) 300-8777

Website: https://www.mcmenamins.com/elks-temple