Camp Bar: Tacoma Avenue's Home Away from Home

A relaxed dive bar situated in the bones of what used to be the storied Acme Grub Cage, on S. 13th St. and Tacoma Ave., Camp Bar naturally advertises itself as a place “where drinkers go to camp.” Owner Patrick Haight took over the space and transitioned the Acme Grub Cage into Camp Bar last year, landing on an outdoorsy motif, with the wide open layout populated by camping chairs, thick wooden tables adorned with rustic candles, and walls festooned with wilderness kitsch.

“I didn't expect so many of the regulars to be so open to change,” says Haight. “Acme had a long history in Tacoma, since 1932. Some of that history, I think, also kept it from being successful. We've had customers visiting the bar for over 15-20 years, and those from the Acme days have expressed to me how they love the Camp Bar and that it's great to see it alive and filled with people all having a great time.”

TVs are scattered throughout, playing sports or old reruns from TV Land, and a projection screen in the back plays oddities handpicked by the staff. On the day of this writing, as we sip a refreshing Mango IPA, Sid and Marty Krofft's Land of the Lost is being projected, and someone's playing bluegrass on the jukebox; later, “Message in a Bottle” plays while Deliverance is onscreen. On Fridays and Saturdays, the bar is packed with revelers singing karaoke.

“I'm always trying to find something unique that our guests can experience,” says Haight. “I know this is going to sound corny and cheesy, but what I love the most about the bar are the customers that make it their second home. I've opened night clubs, fine dining restaurants, sushi restaurants, fast casual, a tiki bar and a martini bar, but my heart is always with the neighborhood bar that when you walk in, the bartender knows exactly what you drink, and has it ready before you even take a seat. There's something personal about that, and something you can't always achieve in today's trends of chain restaurants and bars.”

In speaking about this cultivated community, Haight describes a day, around two months into Camp Bar's existence, where they hosted a memorial for a beloved Tacoma resident, followed by a boisterous birthday party, and capped off by a man proposing to his fiance at karaoke. “That,” Haight says, “was the best day for me at the bar. It was truly 'life in one day.'”

When it comes to refreshments, Camp Bar carries a solid beer selection, your standard liquor offerings, and some generous cocktails. Food-wise, they aim for a notch above your standard bar fare, including a mouth-watering collection of hamburgers (with a vegetarian option), street tacos, a feta cheese-spiked chicken pita sandwich, and the Tacoma dog – a hot dog dressed with cream cheese, caramelized onions, and bacon. Camping wouldn't be complete without gooey s'mores, though, and Camp Bar has you covered. For dessert, they will set you up with a table-side hibachi to toast your marshmallows and smush them together with chocolate and graham crackers.

If that doesn't scream “roughing it,” we don't know what does. City folk, keep Camp Bar in mind for your home away from home.