Spank this burger

Eating big on 6th Avenue

By Jake and Jason de Paul on June 30, 2017

ANNOUNCER: You are going to need a nap after a full, calorie-laden meal at Spanky Burger and Brew on Tacoma's 6th Avenue, but when you need a grease-fix, the kind that hits the spot and drives your worries away, then Spanky is your man.

JASON: Go early, the lunch crowd usually means there aren't any available tables.  This used to be a Starbucks location a while back, but now has fast become a Tacoma favorite for those not counting calories.  The space is light, the service fast, and while it won't make you feel healthy or even awake when you are done, it does deliver what you want a fast food place to do.

JAKE:  I ordered the bacon cheeseburger, which is a solid burger with plenty of fresh toppings.  The lettuce was thick and crisp while the tomato was flavorful and juicy.  The rest of the burger consists of plenty of dripping cheese, bacon, a thick slice of onion, and their own tangy house sauce, which is essentially fry sauce with a kick.  Each burger comes with fries that are hot and crunchy.  Grab a side of house sauce for dipping.

JASON: I ordered the blue cheese burger with a nice, solid weight and drippy sauce.  The buns are a bit dark and crisp, which isn't bad, just different.  The best part is they put bacon on the burger - and everything is better with bacon.

JAKE:  On another visit, I wanted to branch out from the standard beef burger and selected the chicken bacon ranch.  Again, a grilled breast of chicken is loaded with fresh toppings, the cheese was oozing out from under the bun, with plenty of bacon and ranch to bring all the flavors together.  My only complaint is that the meat to bun ratio was too far off and I was left with a pile of bun on my plate.

JASON: I liked the onion rings.  They had a nice crunch, which is not often the case around town.  They are a bit of a gut-buster when you combine them with a burger and a milkshake.  I hope my doctor doesn't find out I ate all of that.  

JAKE:  Shakes and soft serve cones, including kids' sizes are available.  The shake offerings include the expected chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, but also include marshmallow, banana, blackberry and even cappuccino to name just a few.  And like most places, you can mix and match your flavors - can I recommend a marshmallow butterscotch?

JASON: The shakes are nice and thick.  But, don't overlook their name - they have domestic and microbrews, too.

JAKE:  There are still a few cobwebs to shake off here, like the upside down OPEN sign, but the service is not one of them.  You are sure to feel welcome and appreciated each time you visit.

Spanky Burger and Brew, 601 S. Pine St., Tacoma, 253.327.1111