The Office Bar & Grill

Where:  813 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.3222
Hours: 11 a.m.- midnight Sunday- Thursday, 11 a.m.-
2 a.m. Friday- Saturday
Cuisine: Classed-up American pub fare: Steak frites, ahi crostini, southwestern rolls, sandwiches, burgers, bruschetta, mushroom risotto, pasta
Scene: Relaxed casual lunchtime, dinner and bar crowd hangout
Drinkies: Full bar, microbrews, signature cocktails, wine list
Prices: $1.99-$18.99

ANNOUNCER: Mayor Marilyn Strickland cut the ribbon just a few short weeks ago at The Office Bar & Grill grand opening ceremony, but Tacoma's newest casual downtown destination has been turning out good eats since the summer. Co-owners Travis Scheff and Matt Henderson focus on customer service and satisfaction. Pleasant atmosphere, thoughtful amenities and a righteous happy hour are earning loyal fans.

JASON: Score one for the men in Tacoma and high-five Travis and Matt for creating a large, public, admission-free man cave. Flat-screen TVs, surround sound, games, trivia night, a digital jukebox, a hot blonde daytime bartender (ahem), killer happy hour prices, good food - they have it all at The Office. I'm sold.

JAKE: You sound like you want to make out with the bar. At first glance, The Office seems to be a typical bar - though the menu offerings are definitely a notch up. The interior is comfortable, has sports- and beer-related signs and posters, and varied seating. Over several visits we sampled items recommended by other Volcano writers and friends. Hot wings, ahi tuna crostini, award-wining Bloody Marys, mac and cheese bites, steak frites, Greek salad and fettuccini Alfredo - there's a nice variety. I was afraid the fried mac and cheese appetizer would be of the frozen variety, but these were six jumbo doughnut hole-looking puff balls of straight-up goodness.

JASON: You can say that again. Say hello to my little friends, my new comfort food faves. Homemade cheesy mac is rolled in medium-thick batter and lightly fried to a rich golden hue; surprisingly they weren't greasy. A Men's Room Original Red washed down the subtle burn of the hot sauce-spiked ketchup served with them. Why didn't I think of spiked ketchup? So simple and so freaking good. 

JAKE: Hot wings styles include original, BBQ, hot sauce and Asian. We tried hot sauce-style and, though it wasn't exciting, the crispy drumettes weren't bad. Cucumber wasabi sauce and pineapple salsa provided a nice flavor contrast to seared sesame tuna on crostini. The Greek salad was a disappointment: the dressing flavor was almost non-existent. I could see it on the lettuce but it hardly had any taste. The lettuce, cucumber slices, green pepper and other veggies were fresh and great, but a Greek salad is all about the dressing. Salty kalamata olives and strong feta cheese partly made up for the blah factor, but there just weren't enough of either to pull it off. Pass.

JASON: With the cold weather setting in, I had carbs and protein on the brain and really wanted a hearty meal. We'd heard the Angus steak frites are a big Office hit and were not disappointed. A peppered gravy-like demi-glace was drizzled over the top of a plump sirloin cut. A ramekin held extra sauce for fry dipping. I got down to business and poured it over my fries right off the bat. Herb aioli mentioned on the menu did not make it onto the plate. Though not super-tender, the steak did have exceptional flavor, was juicy and grilled precisely medium rare. I love it when the blood runs out and tinges my fries pink.

JAKE: I think you'd be the first one to suggest cannibalism if we shipwrecked on a faraway deserted island, Jason. But I agree, let blood and flavor flow. Fettuccine noodles were al dente and the grilled garlic toast tempted me to lick my fingers. Not impressive was the Alfredo sauce - seems like the cook is afraid of the salt shaker. The sauce lacked depth and richness. The spicy, layered flavors of Laura's signature Bloody Mary (highly recommended) perked up the whole dish.