McMenamins Elk Temple

Bar staff in the Public House was

Such a fun place to visit. Clean rooms, great food, and lots of cool art

Decided to stay for one night on a recent trip to a Tacoma, just for the fun of it. And it was fun! Great location for walking around, and of course they have all sorts of bars and restaurants on site. The front desk staff was fantastic, as were the bar staff. Can’t say that I would want to stay there more than one night. The room was dark and felt kind of like staying in a basement. Bed was super comfortable though! Overall a good experience

Loved the location! The neighborhood has very interesting restaurants and shops. Easy walk to convention center. Great breakfast and coffee! Parking was a little confusing especially overnight. Staff was great in assisting the parking game. No coffee in room so you have to navigate to the lobby or restaurant.

Such a weird experience, but absolutely fantastic. For travellers in the Pacific Northwest get a passport and go to all of the McMennamin’s in the area! I wish San Francisco had one.

Absolutely everything. A little hard to navigate at first, but that’s part of the beauty of it.

Staff was amazing…room was clean, cozy with whimsical decor. Bed was super comfy. Had an amazing breakfast in the lobby restaurant. Was in the perfect location to walk the glass bridge and visit the glass museum. Lemay car museum super close as well.

Unique eclectic environment. Great food and staff. Rooms basic, no counter in bathroom, no microwave or frig. Complimentary morning coffee in lobby.

Great variety of food and drink each of the 5 restaurants and bars are fun, distinctive and creatively designed. A big Adventure all in one building!

This property is huge. It would take more than ten days to see every detail and you’d still miss something. Four different themed eating establishments each on a different floor. My room was huge. Big heavy red velvet drapes over the large picture window with a partial view of the water. The king size bed was so dang comfy. I slept wonderfully. I got to the property too early so I lounged in the lobby lounge reading the current newspaper. The shower stall was just too claustrophobic. And there was no mini fridge.

Clean rooms, fantastic bars, great atmosphere

Stay was great, probably one of the better located hotels in Tacoma

Easy access to local sites. T-Link at the base of the Spanish steps. Decor is quirky and fun. The pub has delicious food. Eggs Benedict and chicken fried steak were so good. The bars were great, each having a few signature drinks. Staff was helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. Bought The Passport, so planning to visit all the other McMenamins! 0

Easy to get in and out and good location My room looked out to garbage cans

Everything you need is provided. A clean room, many yummy places to eat and drink. Entertainment available and just exploring is entertainment in itself.

The person at the front desk was amazing!

Need to go back asap

The decorations No parking

Winter getaway

Everything about this building is beautiful. The in-hotel restaurants were beautiful and convenient, everything I ordered tasted great. No dedicated parking lot. Street parking wasn't too hard to find though, so it worked out fine.

One big drawback of the location is a lack of designated parking. On weekends it is even difficult to stop in front and unload.

Yes, room spotless, staff very courteous

Staff very helpful, congenial, professional. Even dropped hints on finding the secret bar. Good coffee in morning.

McMenamins Elk Temple in Tacoma is a one-of-a-kind location -- bursting with vibrant art throughout.

Nothing

Everything was great, particularly the welcoming front desk receptionist! Room was comfortable and clean. Good location for the conference I was attending. Parking was easy, very walkable. There was no elevator to my room, which was a bit of a hassle with a suitcase. I don't think this is the case for all the rooms and I OK'd it since I was able to check in early.

Easy to check in, helpful staff, robust food on site, ample parking Nothing

Room was charming , 1930-40’s decor, very comfortable bed. No counters in the bathroom so shaving was difficult for my husband and for me doing my makeup. With several restaurants within the building, at least one should have room service. Too much walking for old people like us to get to the hotel desk. I’d recommend it for younger people not for seniors. The breakfast scones were exceedingly dry and came without either butter or jam. I called for the same and it was brought right away but the butter was too hard to cut with the plastic knife. The scones were $5.95 each….not worth it.

Great service and fun atmosphere with yummy drinks. Wish there was better parking options!

Most imaginative Elevator didn’t go to the first floor.

Would have given 5Stars but they put us in the same room as last year. The whole pleasure of staying there is to have a different atmosphere

Decor, bars, restaurants No outside window in atrium rooms.

Great room, great staff. The place is fun.

We enjoy staying at the McMinimens properties. They are so fun and creative. You can tell that the staff likes working there too. We look forward to visiting more properties in the future.

Such a fun place to stay!

Gal who checked us in was awesome. Rooms were very clean and unique. Highly recommend.

Clean room, quiet

Awesome hotel.

the room was clean and we loved the firm large bed. even though there were other guests it was very quiet on our floor. the layout was accessible for relaxing as well as getting some work done, if needed. looking forward to returning

Loved this hotel. Very quirky and fun to explore. Room was comfortable, best breakfast of our two week trip!!

Super nice and accommodating, clean, good food

Very unique All good

Historical spot , very interesting. Great staff as well

Stunning property with so many restaurants and experiences to explore! Love this McMenamins location! Really nothing

Pretty much everything. It was a very enjoyable visit. The artwork and the interesting write-ups about the various people were cool. The only issue was that it took me forever to get to my room because I had to stop and read everything and take pictures LOL - Oh! I did the Passport, completed the task, and picked a ball cap. The gal who checked me in never mentioned it. My brother-n-law told me about it and I asked the next day. That employee was very helpful and off I went. I don't remember either of their names... sorry, I generally ask, and they may have told me, but I don't recall. Name tags would help. Each of the employees who stamped my passport was happy to help. I liked having several bar options and was happy that the Tiki Bar was open until midnight. It took me a day to remember where each one was... found the Vault the first night! The gift shop had a wide variety of merchandise. My pictures wouldn't attach... probably user error. They have a McMenamins App, which is very useful and has a lot of information about all the hotels. Maybe some instructions about the thermostat, I froze the first night because I inadvertently had the AC on. I just wanted the fan. Oops -- Oh, and the sink was backing up, it was usable but needs fixing, I told the front desk, Room 610. I ordered a White Russian, which is Vodka, Kahlua and Cream. The Coffee Liquor wasn't brand-name Kahlua; it was the McMenamins brand, and frankly, I did not like it. I feel like they should mention that they aren't using Kahlua... Peeps that drink White Russians can tell when it's not Kahlua. My sister told me about the Spanish Ballroom, but I couldn't see it because the drapes were closed. There weren't any events, so I missed seeing that. Nothing horrible to report... but since you asked.

Fun environment close to great food options.

Parking

Wow! We stayed here out of convenience for a show happening at the Pantages Theater and we will be back. We knew nothing about McMenamins but are very interested in checking out their other properties. This is prime location, we had drinks and food at multiple places before and after the show, all within 1-3 blocks of the hotel. Inside the hotel is 3 bar / restaurants which are all awesome for food and drinks. The tiki bar at the bottom has some very fun and unique drinks. The hotel rooms are small and darker, but that is OK because you will be out doing and exploring this unique hotel. No question about it, stay here if you like fun and quirky and adult centric.

They overcharged us and wouldn’t honor our Expedia pricing. I love this hotel and have had many amazing stays.. this was the first time we were disappointed.

The only issue is the parking. You may have to park quite a ways from the hotel. Otherwise great experience. Beautiful hotel, lots of restaurants and every part of the hotel is unique.

Loved our stay! Definitely would like to stay again!

Excellent food and drinks from the restaurant for happy hour and breakfast. An abundance of view tables, space and fascinating decor and art. Great, welcoming wait staff. Loved the ambiance, the high ceilings, the history, the comfort and quiet of our room and the view from our room. Nothing. Historical hotels frequently have limited counter space in the bathroom. That’s the only thing that comes to mind but was anticipated.

My brother refers to this place as Gen x Disneyland. Don't disagree. Saw a great concert there, so much to explore, comfortable beds, very cool ambience all around. Not much. Maybe wish I was a little cheaper but you pay for what you get.

Decor is amazing! There are so many details everywhere you look. Hidden speak easy. Food and drinks are amazing. Friendly and helpful staff. I'm already looking forward to staying there again

We loved the Tiki bar in the basement. There’s lots and lots of stairs. No place to park. We parked in a lot below the hotel. Climbed lots of stairs to get to the hotel. It has beautiful decorations. Great food. Getting to your hotel room requires stairs. The hallways seem claustrophobic. If climbing stairs and enclosed spaces don’t bother you it’s a fun hotel. There was a secret bar on our floor. Opened the door it was a narrow room full of people with no windows. It would be really fun there to go there for Halloween. If narrow spaces with no windows bother you then this place is probably not it. Maybe go there for the good food and leave.

I would return to stay if I ever visit Tacoma again and would like to check out all the bars!

The old history..and all the fun bars!!...but the rooms are way too small

Great place - will stay here again!

Fun property! Easy to park out front. Super fun to root around for cute spaces. Tacoma was surprisingly beautiful!

What an amazing place! You can walk around and just look at things for hours! Great service, lots of different kinds of food options and amazing drinks! Very very cool place!!!

We had a great overnight stay. Just one night while I picked my truck up from the port. My wife met me there and since she was not on the reservation they would not let her check in without me. I was on a plane and unavailable so she had to wait for me. Little hands maid tale if you ask me. When I did get there the nice gentleman who checked me in had upgraded us to a balcony room and we had a great stay. Not our first mcminimums property stay and we had great food and drinks. Staff was great and room was fun. Comfy bed. I would highly recommend this property.

Quirky and historically rich. It’s such a fun and unique hotel. You won’t need to leave. So much to see and do here. Absolutely beautiful.

We enjoyed our stay loved exploring the different locations within McMenamins! Bright colorful amazing art to explore! Cutest little gift shop! Friendly staff! Close to some really cute shops! Just exploring the different floors and finding the hidden bar was an experience in itself! We will definitely be back!

The main reason that we did not bring in our cruise-luggage was that we were on a floor that did not have an elevator and we had to haul our overnight stuff up and down stairs. NEVER STAY HERE.

Each room and floor was unique. The fireplace area is a vibe. The bars on each floor are just amazing and the staff and security goes out of their way to make sure you're comfortable. The elevator was out when we checked in and was repaired by the following morning. You really need to stay and try a package or stay when there is a show. And wander in your bathrobe. That's my favorite part!

The area around it is ok. The stair gates are a real pain for dragging suitcases up and down. Room was small but comfortable. Building interior and exterior are lovely. Super nice to sit outside the Spanish bar. Nice to have food on site. Parking is a pain from 3-6.

Funky place in Tacoma with an amazing assortments of drinking establishments and food options. Definitely recommend a visit if you're in Tacoma!

Amazing property, really enjoyed our stay!

Really cool place

Had a great time exploring the building, reading the history and seeing all the cool decor, paintings/murals etc. Good food and drinks.

Beautifully restored property.

We were in Tacoma for our daughter's graduation. We spent one night at McMenamins Elk Temple and it was absolutely perfect. Found the speakeasy after a fun family hunt around the property. Would stay here again in a heartbeat. Way better than the Airbnb we checked out of that morning.

Having had my second stay here, I can state that my first excellent experience was not a fluke. It's a great place to stay. I attended a metal show at the Temple Theatre, and that was just a short walk away.

Staying here was an excellent experience. I saw Italian Gothic metal band Lacuna Coil perform at the Spanish Ballroom which is part of the hotel complex. The complex also houses a bottle shop and a number of bars/restaurants. The staff are courteous and helpful, and everything is very clean. I had a fine breakfast at one of the restaurants before leaving.

The originality that was maintained and all of the history that peppered throughout, the themes. So fun

Great stay!

Really great customer service

The place was really nice, very clean, very comfortable place. The style was very interesting.

Handy to eat in the hotel.

Staff very friendly. Staff accommodated late check out. Quirky, fun decor. Beautiful historic building. We enjoyed reading the history of the building that was provided.

So much fun all in one place!! We saw a concert, had dinner, very comfort accommodations, and adventure exploring the site. We will definately be back!!

They gave me a room then they put me out the room for no reason , and it was my 50 bday. Horrible experience. Customer services at the front desk so unprofessional, and unconcerning

Amazing experience. I hope to come back!

Great place, lots of personality. However, some of the rooms are only accessible via a stairwell. We are not disabled in anyway, but lugging three suitcases up and down stairs is not fun. Just a heads up to others, ask ahead if the room you are getting has elevator access.

What a gem. Nice and helpful front desk (thank you Ellie!). Funky yet classy decor throughout. Great quiet rooms. Multiple differing restaurants and pubs and fun atmosphere makes this a must visit for anyone going to the really cool city of Tacoma!

What an amazing hotel! Built in 1916 as an elks temple. Paintings and chandeliers and several gorgeous bars. Rooms small, but very clean and comfortable. Only complaint: rooms on 6th floor are interior and do not have windows to the outside.

Love the glass art, the light fixtures, and most of all the staff. Very helpful and friendly.

This place was amazing. If you ever wanted to stay at a quirky but absolutely fantastically fun place, this is it. From awesome restaurants, bars, scavenger hunting, ghost stories, and more to hidden passages between halls. I have never spent the night in a more unique place such as this before. And yes, the beds were extremely comfortable. I will definitely be back to this hotel sooner then later.

Uniquely beautiful

Love the eclectic atmosphere!

Enjoyed my stay.

The unique ambience is really fun. There is so much to see and explore.

Cool hangout, nice people & good food!

Great place!

McMenamins always provides a fun experience and this did not disappoint!

McMenamins is enchanting!! it's lovely and just a walks distance from a lovely downtown area with cool vintage shops. However, as with many downtowns there are some evidence of homelessness and a couple abandoned buildings that lack proper up keep.

My room was disgusting there’s stains on the carpets and curtains and the tv is basically one sneeze away from flying off the wall. Super expensive for the quality of a motel 6.

It was amazing! Great staff!

Great experience. Check out wooden city for dinner!

Elizabeth was awesome and bartender at tiki bar was the best!

Great

Everything about the room was wonderful, staff was so kind, they even got me ice from kitchen since no fridge in room. Very convenient location, free parking on street in front. Only drawback was rubbish on sidewalk left by unhoused, I was worried about my car being broken into, & steps out front are uneven, perhaps painting the edge white would help prevent tripping. Coffee in lobby, pet friendly, breakfast-in-bed were all nice touches. No room service, but easy enough to pick-up food from restaurant within building. I loved seeing the little garden out my window as well

As good as always

Beautiful hotel. Highly recommend.

This was a wonderful place to celebrate our first wedding anniversary! Between the amazing food and atmosphere, and the comfort and high level of care, I couldn’t have imagined us staying anywhere else. The history and mystique of the Elks Temple was interesting and it’s just a fun place to explore. I would absolutely recommend staying here if you’re ever in Tacoma.

Fun and nice place to stay. Staff were great!

We lived in Tacoma for many years, and watched this lovely old building slowly deteriorate. After 10 years away, we were delighted to see that the McMenamin Brothers have brought it back to life. It is simply beautiful with unique features. Our room was lovely. We did not eat there, so can’t comment on the food.

Ear plugs would be a nice, and inexpensive, addition to the rooms given noise level.

Really cool old building. Lots of restaurants in the building and within a few miles. Rooms are comfortable and clean. I’ll stay there against n for sure.

Beautiful hotel! The parking is tricky though, street parking only.

We were so hopeful for a great stay. The bed was very uncomfortable and the foot was way higher than the head of the bed. Small gnats in the room.

Great place in downtown Tacoma

Very cool design and quiet

Beautiful, unique property to stay at. Love all the bars and restaurant options within the hotel. Some place everyone should try at least once if you like decor and whimsy and not cookie cutter hotels!

Elks Temple like other McMenamin properties is a unique building with clever spaces even a secret bar we couldn’t find the first time. The lighting is dark and moody inside. The restaurants are staffed very well. Parking is street only and free parking is limited. The area around is urban and walkable for dining. The view of the bay is top notch.

All the staff were friendly and helpful. It's a fun place to visit and explore. Special shout out to the check in people and gift store manager.

After reading other reviews we were concerned about parking and riffraff. Neither were an issue. We would happily stay again.

The people were great and friendly. It was a great anniversary celebration for my wife and me.

Great

Nice area to explore in the day time.

Had a great stay we have stayed before and will stay again.

The issue we had this weekend had to do with the fact that there is no parking garage and you have to park on the street. Unfortunately, our vehicle was broken into just outside of the hotel and we had several thousand dollars worth of items stolen from the vehicle and the back passenger window broke out. They do apparently have a security guard who walks around and they did report the break in to the front desk sometime in the middle of the night but we weren’t notified and no one at the front desk could tell us anything more about those details when we checked out. Police responded quickly and we filed a report but obviously, won’t be much they can do beyond that. Not sure we’d stay again, for this reason alone. Just too risky in this area.

Good and friendly service. Clean and excellent food.

This is such a fun and unique place to stay!!! So interesting too!! I enjoyed reading about the history of the area! Beautiful and creative hand paintings everywhere!!! Coffee and beer mugs in your room!! Our bed was super comfy with soft sheets!! Our bathroom and room were spotless!!! Friendly staff too!! We highly recommend this awesome place!!!!

Such a unique and inviting property. I loved geeking out on the history and art.

Great stay

This is such a unique property. It was very quiet and clean and comfortable and so many fun bars to go to and different foods to eat. It is also walkable to many different restaurants downtown Tacoma. We really enjoyed this experience and front desk staff was exceptionally friendly and welcoming!

Expensive, definitely worth doing once in a lifetime or a special occasion.

Everything about this property is unique and amazing. There are multiple places to get food, dining on the patio, hidden nooks and gems on every floor. There is even a secret Speakeasy. They make everything from the beer to the booze, and even roast their own coffee. Do yourself a favor , and stay here

If you are attending a concert at this venue then I MIGHT recommend staying there - but even then I would caution. There is zero sound proofing so be prepared to hear your neighbors, people in the hallway and especially every note from any concert. There are no desks or coffee makers in the rooms. They provide coffee in the lobby but that does require putting on pants. I ate at one of the restaurants and while the ambience was very cool and the views outstanding, the food was just meh. The bar is stocked with their own beer/spirits - also meh. They also say they have parking. What that means is street parking in front of the hotel and a "promise from the city of Tacoma not to ticket you if you stay over the two hour posted limit". While I did not get a ticket in my three days there, I was not at all thrilled with leaving my car out in the open. On the up side, the building and the interiors are very cool, the beds are comfortable and they are pet friendly.

Absolutley great place to stay, on site bars and restaurants are awesome, area is good. Staff top notch

The dining options and entertainment were perfect. Staff was very welcoming and attentive

This is one of the most unique places I've ever stayed in my life. I really enjoyed spending time exploring the property, trying the different bars and food, and enjoying all of the art. I bought a passport and can't wait to try other options in this chain.

and super helpful and welcoming front desk employees.

It was clean, easy to book and a cute place to stay.

Great staff, great service, nice room. Good beds, clean. Fun whimsical property. Convenient and good eating options on the property

The Mc minimums at their finest.

1st time here....loved it!! We will be back

Located in downtown Tacoma, which is a magnet for the homeless seeking social services from the City and outreach entities. Vehicle broken glass seen on the street. I just hope my catalytic converter is attached in the morning….

Love how you can have fun without leaving the building. The staff, food, and drinks were amazing.

We love staying here. We live a mile away from Elks but sometimes we just want a stay over date night and this is where we go! This time we booked an annex room but won't again. We prefer the cozy Atrium room where it's more quiet. Either way we have a blast exploring and enjoying dinner, drinks and a show. What more could you ask for! Everyone is so friendly and helpful. Even the fireplace is a fav spot to relax. We just love it!!

McMenamins Elks Temple certainly lived up to its reputation for elegance and excellence. The front desk was friendly and professional and had us checked in quickly. The room was beautiful and the ambiance of the entire Atrium floor was a wonderful adventure. We were there for the musical performance in the Spanish Ballroom and were very impressed with that venue as well.

Love the property. Parking is a bit of a problem and from what I have seen would not walk this area at night.

Lot of things to do and the ambiance is great

Wonderful stay at Elks.

Parking sucks. Overly expensive. Quaint but isolated! Too much $ for all. No refrigerators in rooms. Dusty smells and very bad lighting! Dark everywhere. Staff nice. Will not go back! Scary area.

Happy visit!

The front desk staff went above and beyond to help me out when I needed anything.