Tides Tavern
Gig Harbor’s gathering place since 1973.
Our Story
The building that now houses the Tides Tavern was built by Axel Uddenburg in 1910 and served the area as a general store. Located next to the “People’s Dock”, the town’s only public ferry landing, it was called the West Side Mercantile. The ferry dock provided a steady stream of customers through the first half-century. With the end of prohibition in the 1930s, a tavern was added, and a tradition of good times began. Beer was sold for 10 cents a glass, and 20 cents a bottle. The tavern never made much money, but no one cared.
Through the years, the building has seen a number of colorful owners, not the least of which was “Three Fingered Jack,” a Jerry Garcia look-alike whose tenor voice resonated across the dance floor on Friday and Saturday nights in the late 60s and early 70s.
The Tides is born
In 1973, Peter Stanley bought the run-down, but well-known tavern, and began a two-month re-construction project which culminated in the memorable opening of The Tides on the weekend of “Harbor Holidays.” Soon after, Stanley opened an enlarged kitchen, and a tradition of great tavern food had begun. Since then, the food has expanded to healthy portions of specially made pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, chili, clam chowder, great home-made soups, and the Tides’ famous fish and chips. Through several renovations, The Tides traditions remain intact… live music can still occasionally be heard on weekends… original signs, painted by Gig Harbor painter Toby Reid, add to the nostalgia of the tavern… and the walls remain covered with snapshots sent in by patrons who have donned their Tides T-shirts around the globe.
Since 1973, The Tides Tavern has been a place to celebrate the bond of friendship, a place for us to gather, a place for old friends to re-unite and even a place to fall in love. Today, vestiges of the building’s historic past, when groceries and fishing supplies were loaded onto horse-drawn carts, are still visible to those who know where to look. Perhaps the secret of The Tides lies in the comfort it affords people; a feeling that, while it may change with the passage of time, it will always be there.
Our Bar
Since we opened in 1973 beer and wine used to be the only beverages flowing at the Tides Tavern, but to keep up with the times, a full bar was added in 2008.
Our primary focus is to highlight Pacific Northwest breweries and craft beers, with a commitment to cutting edge seasonals. We also carry a great selection of bottled beer.
Although we focus on Northwest wines, we also enjoy finding and presenting wines from outside of the region which we think you will enjoy.
Our full bar boasts the usual names, plus we have a bunch of spirits made from some local distilleries. Our bartenders will be happy to make you any drink you’d like.
When Prohibition ended in the 1930s, a tavern was added, and a tradition of good times began. Beer was 10 cents a glass and 20 cents a bottle. The tavern never made much money, but nobody seemed to mind.
Proud Members of the Anthony's Family
Proud member of the Anthony’s Family of Restaurants. In 2026, the Tides joined Anthony’s, a fellow Northwest original with a love for fresh seafood, great hospitality, and bringing people together. Same Tides, same harbor, same good times, with a whole new family behind us.
Award-Winning Dining
- KING 5 Best of Western Washington: Best Restaurant, Kitsap & Olympic Peninsulas (2019), and Best Outdoor Dining five times
- South Sound Magazine: Best Outdoor Dining, 2016–2021, plus Best Bar and Best Lunch honors
- Coastal Living: #7 Best Seafood Shack of All Time, plus Best Fish & Chips
- Travel + Leisure: Best Waterfront Seafood Shacks
- National Restaurant Association: Best Restaurant Neighbor Award
