Ginger Knoxx, the hardcore dive bar girl that she is, had told me that Lucky Silver wasn’t as sleazy as one would think.  I had never been in and was curious as to what this South Tacoma Way establishment had to offer.  From the outside, Lucky Silver screams flagrant trash, bar fights, and wicked whorish stare-downs.  You know, like we’ve run into before, where the instant need to flee from ass-kicking had overcome us plenty of times.

Kathy the bartender was pleasant and welcoming as she poured me a damn strong Bloody Mary to stroke my taste buds.  I flopped myself down onto a padded tableside bench only to realize that there was in fact no padding.  It will be interesting to see the proportion of and size of bruise the unpadded wood is going to leave on my ass.  Thank you for that, Lucky Silver.

Inside the Lucky Silver walls, beer advertisements cater to Bud Light drinkers from the 1980’s era.  Top Gun throwbacks and big-haired blonde models hold longnecks that drip sweaty ice pieces down its glass sides.  A pool table, darts, pull tabs, and a big screen TV give South Tacoma’s finest barflies plenty to do while listening to the swoosh of eighteen-wheeler semis as they race by on South Tacoma Way.

Kathy swore to me that they had the best burgers in town, but I opted not to challenge her statement, and forgo the impromptu angioplasty.  A full menu revealed delicacies such as one-dollar tacos, fried chicken gizzards, and hot dog platters. 

As my crew and I chatted atop our chin-high table we noticed a significant amount of yellow cigarette burns marking tabletops and leather upholstery all around us.  Apparently some things Lucky Silver never had were effective bench padding and effective ashtrays.  But I guarantee they’ve always had effective Bud Light merchandising. Right, Goose? 

Lucky Silver Tavern

2605 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.472.0360

Food: Greasy
Service: Strong drinks
Beer: Four domestics on tap and two micros

Bar Exam Dive Bar Grade: B