Devil's Reef

Comments about Devil's Reef

Samuel the Cannibal

Samuel the Cannibal is a semi-regular at Devil's Reef.

March 26, 2021, 7:47 AM

Enjoyed my first dine in experience at Devil's Reef since the pandemic began last night (I've mostly been doing To-Go cocktails). I was delighted to see the precautions done to prevent the spread of COVID while still maintaining atmosphere and hospitality. My favorite part was the digital menu. At your table you have a QR code to scan with your phone which will bring up your menu on a google doc. (In addition to preventing the transfer of germs this also allows Jason to update the menu real time with special cocktails or remove ones he's run out of an ingredient for.) Then you order at the bar when ready. I think this part is mostly to save a bit on labor while capacity is limited, but what I thought was really special was how friendly and personable the bartender was when I ordered and picked up my drinks. You could see his smile right through his mask and that says something. Jason was also making frequent rounds checking on everyone to make sure the food and drinks were enjoyed. Ultimately, while I do miss the times where we could be in a crowded bar without health concerns, I think Devil's Reef has done a fantastic job of not only coping with the restrictions, but using them to revolutionize a few outdated practices that I hope will continue out of the pandemic. (Looking forward to NOT returning to physical menus that have to be wiped between every customer). I will look forward to when capacity allows more of the delightful waitstaff to return though!

Great job to Devil's Reef and owners Jason and Robyn. This continues to be the greatest gem in a pretty fantastic city.

KevinCrossman

KevinCrossman has visited Devil's Reef.

September 14, 2019, 12:31 PM

Now here’s a place where all the elements come together. Devil’s Reef has been open for a good while now and compared to my visit a year ago they’ve upped their game.

The cocktail menu is large and Jason Alexander’s cocktails are all on point. One thing I tried this time was the food menu, and I really enjoyed my pork bowl. Ray ordered a fruit and cheese platter that would be great for sharing. The food menu is larger and a bit more varied than my visit a year ago.

They also have the second floor room open during busy nights (lower floor was just about full on Friday when we departed around 10:30). The decor on the second floor looks great and is perhaps an even nicer space to enjoy the traditional Exotica music that plays constantly at the Devil’s Reef.

Photos, Mai Tai Planters Punch recipe and more:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvZscWbgBOv/

trader_dave

trader_dave has visited Devil's Reef.

September 7, 2019, 11:45 PM

Great service, great food, and better drinks

Knaar

June 2, 2019, 9:00 AM

Love this place 💓 Question? Can I send a tip to the bar through venmo? We really had such an amazing time and just wanted to check and see if I can send a tip to the staff? Great memories were had.

Tiki_Toad

Tiki_Toad has visited Devil's Reef.

October 6, 2018, 9:15 AM

Excellent

TikiScout

TikiScout has visited Devil's Reef.

September 28, 2018, 5:00 PM

The theme of the bar was very well done and I enjoyed exploring the vacant bar when I first arrived to check things out. Be sure to stroll back towards the restrooms to appreciate the Dogs Playing Poker Artwork. They had true tiki music going the whole time, and I enjoyed the sounds. It was late September and the Air Conditioning was on full blast, I kept feeling cold and not in a good way for a fall day in Tacoma.

The food was good, though half the menu seemed to lack any tiki vibe.  I had some chips and salsas to start off the evening, it came with a large helping of chips and good salsa, would give the more points had the salsa been something like a mango or jerk salsa that tied in with the theme. The Rum Fire Jerk Chicken Rice Bowl was wonderful, some great spice and other flavors going on that made me want to finish the whole thing.  

For drinks I had the Devi's Reef which was good, but it seemed a bit small. I also had the Gilman House Special which was a bit to sweet for my liking, but still a good combinations of flavors. Watching the bartenders I couldn’t help but feel uninspired by their mixology techniques, honestly they seemed to lack any passion for their drinks. One of the bartenders spent almost the whole time prepping garnish, not interacting with guests. Speaking of, in both my drinks the garnish was severely lacking, this goes back to the lack of passion that I saw.

I guess the biggest thing I'd ding them for is the young bartenders don't seem to engage with non-millennial age customers. If you read Monster A GoGo’s review from March 2018, I felt a similar vibe going on during my visit.  I've been to seven Tiki bars this year, and this had the least amount of interaction I’ve had with the bartenders or servers.  I don't think I'd rush back just because of that, but very happy I experienced the Devil's Reef though.

The other issue is the complete lack of website, phone number, and any social media engagement.

Trader Anne

Trader Anne has visited Devil's Reef.

July 28, 2018, 12:27 AM

This place is full tilt pirate! They need to work on their food options and drink theatrics, but the decor is PHENOM!

NeilSmith

NeilSmith has visited Devil's Reef.

July 25, 2018, 1:27 PM

Thanks to Jason & Robyn for opening their bar for Jonathan’s Horror in Clay Mug release party, it gave me a chance to see Devils Reef on a Monday night, this is a night they are normally closed, the Tiki Gods were looking down on me and smiling... what a fantastic space, amazing to think that Jason & Robyn built this bar themselves, it’s a big space too...
Jason’s drinks were fantastic, I opted for 3 x Deelers Choices !!! As long as he used Rum Fire in the last one !!!
Don’t remember too much about leaving, had to be dragged in for a pizza., that probably saved my life...

dmessent

dmessent has visited Devil's Reef.

July 3, 2018, 11:26 AM

The Atmosphere is a huge improvement over Tacoma Cabana, and the drinks are somehow even better, but the service and food are holdovers that are keeping this place from being top-tier IMO.

Monster A GoGo

Monster A GoGo has visited Devil's Reef.

March 20, 2018, 1:30 AM

I was really looking forward to visiting Devil's Reef. It has had great word-of-mouth and a stellar 9.1 rating here on Critiki. The photos I've seen of it look great. I was hoping for a marvelous experience.

I didn't have it.

I don't know if it was just an "off night", if the servers there are ageist/sexist (I'm a middle aged man...not some sweet young female), or if i suddenly turned invisible---but I had the worst time trying to get served. I was seated right in the middle of the bar--not tucked away in a corner. But I almost had to reach out and grab someone every time i needed something.

True, it was a Saturday evening...but it was early and the place was not that busy yet. Hello? I had walked right in and found a seat. No problem.

It took forever to get a menu. It took twice as long to get my order taken. And then, just getting my order was an eternity (was I forgotten?). I only had ONE drink (the namesake cocktail, a Devil's Reef). I would have ordered others (there were several that looked interesting. I had hoped to try a Voodoo Summoning next), but it took so dang long for anyone to pay attention to me again---when I am sitting there in the middle of the bar with an empty glass---that when I finally flagged someone down i just asked for my check and left.

The decor was amazing. The drink was just okay (I'm not fond of spiced drinks). But the service was HORRIBLE. It was so bad I almost skipped the owner's other bar, Tacoma Cabana just down the hill. I'm glad I didn't because, even though it was not nearly as nice inside, the drinks and service were wonderful there.

KevinCrossman

KevinCrossman has visited Devil's Reef.

March 13, 2018, 2:16 PM

Devil’s Reef is an amazing and high-quality cocktail experience. For sure it should be considered in the upper echelon of tiki bars in the United States and certainly is the best bar north of Portland. The extensive menu of original tropical drinks is a very high quality (you can still order standard tiki drinks like a Mai Tai).

The decor is “dark” nautical style tiki, and has a horror subtext. Which isn’t to say it isn’t fun/escapist or a bad place to hang out. The music is straight exotica including both classic and newer musical artists (Les Baxter to Ixtahuele). There is a very large bar with seating, as well as tables and a number of large and enclosed booths. The booth experience is like an escape inside an old pirate ship thanks to the nautical decor, mood lighting, and lounge pillows.

There’s an private room overlooking that bar that is coming soon and is definitely worth booking for private events once that’s available. The back part of the facility heading back to the restrooms features a different decor and honestly a little strange. Not that you’ll care after having a couple of the amazing and strong drinks here...

The food menu is a bit limited but seems like something that also will grow over time. I’d love to see are more elaborate and formally printed drink menu as well.

Slowhandtikiman

Slowhandtikiman is a regular at Devil's Reef, and is usually there Fridays about 10 pm.

March 11, 2018, 2:04 PM

Wonderful New Bar! Jason and Robin are really on track to Re-creating Tiki of the bygone Golden age.
From the moment you enter, they inspire a classic Tiki-vibe, with well designed and executed wall, ceiling and bar decor and lighting effects. Their 40 foot bar and generous table and booth seating offers both open and intimate spaces to mingle and there are more spacious lounge areas in the rear area.
The drink menu is broad, and True tiki with Quality Rums and mixers where each cocktail is individually created by experienced, personable, and caring bartenders.
Extra Points for quality Exotica background music AND for Omitting VIDEO/TV screens in this place! The owners obviously realize how much video detracts from the authentic Tiki vibe.
It is really great to hear that Devils Reef is succeeding in this town, this location, and at this early stage...only 8 weeks since opening.
Be sure to check business hours before going though! They presently only operate 4 to midnight W-Sat!

referencefox

referencefox is a semi-regular at Devil's Reef.

February 25, 2018, 9:22 PM

They thought it couldn't be done. TWO tiki bars in that "dusty old jewel in the south Puget Sound"?!? Well, Tacoma stepped up and Devil's Reef is an excellent addition to the cocktail scene. Love the decor, the private-ish seating areas and of course the drinks. Always a lovely time!

Sherri

Sherri has visited Devil's Reef.

February 10, 2018, 8:37 PM

We had a wonderful evening tonight! The atmosphere was awesome, the server was very thoughtful and wonderfully helpful in providing drink and appetizer suggestions. Devil’s Reef is a pleasantly surprising gem that we absolutely loved and not only are we planning to revisit, we well also recommend this gem to family and friends. Thank you to the owners in helping to make my birthday celebration even more enjoyable!!!

DebbieW

DebbieW has visited Devil's Reef.

February 3, 2018, 8:39 PM

The drinks are a tad on the pricey side. I believe the cheapest menu drink was $12 but the sizes are good and the mixology is top notch. These are crafted drinks and not slammed into a glass by a bored bartender

I didn't hold out much hope for the food. It was looking like it was higher end bar snacks. Man, was I wrong. The food was amazing! There are about a dozen items on the menu and we ordered at least half of them. The only two issues we had were that the Spring Rolls were fresh and not fried and mostly veggies. That was probably our fault in not asking. We assumed.
The only other thing was the tater tots. From order to table it took right around an hour. Even with a couple of orders ahead of us that was too long of a wait but they were delicious.

The general decor we, as a group, were split on. We went in thinking tiki bar but it was about 20% tiki and 80% pirate. The decorations were fantastic but they didn't mesh very well. My personal opinion is that they need to pick one theme and go with it.

Overall the place is fantastic for groups and conversation. The booths are roomy and enclosed enough we could talk in normal tones. The music, in the background, was low enough to allow conversation but enough to enjoy.

Jason and Robyn did an amazing job with this. I'm certain, one day, I'll see an Aloha shirt on a pirate standing at the bar.

tikiwithray

tikiwithray has visited Devil's Reef.

January 29, 2018, 9:19 AM

Perfection! The Devil's Reef is run by Jason Alexander and Robyn Murphy who both have Tiki and rum flowing through their veins and it shows. The Devil is in the details so to speak. Here's my write up....
http://www.tikiwithray.com/devils-reef-vip-opening-1192018-tacoma-wa/

Regulars and Visitors of Devil's Reef

Regulars

People who go to Devil's Reef at least a few times a month.

• Tiki Twin
  Thurs/Fri/Sat
• BetterCocktailsatHome
• Slowhandtikiman
  Fridays about 10 pm
• Trickydick71
• VisionsDancing
  Friday nights!
• dbikitiki
  Thursdays
• cocktailwonk
  Non-weekends
• Samtiki

Semi-Regulars

People who go to Devil's Reef at least a few times a year.

• 
  phynix
• 
  Shop99er
• 
  referencefox
• 
  Mainlander
• 
  MrLzrd
• 
  TikiMichelle
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  marisfresn
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  go_jake
• 
  tikitikidumke
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  margipan
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  Readster
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  Jimjamesjimbo
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  missmobtown
• 
  Hlryc
• 
  Timbucktuna
• 
  Kitkathayes
• 
  McLaughlin21
• 
  Vamanos25
• 
  Samuel the Cannibal

Visitors

People who have been to Devil's Reef at least once.

• 
  Tiare
• 
  monkeyskull
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  tikitabby
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  sputnikmoss
• 
  heylownine@gmail.com
• 
  TikiT
• 
  KeithH
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  coruscate
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  Aquatic Safarinaut
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  robynmurphy
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  KevinCrossman
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  ridric
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  Daggtiki
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  Tikikahuna
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  Dr. Ew
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  tattooeddrumguy
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  Cinnamon Girl
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  trader_dave
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  jackalacka
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  atomicginger
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  Rain and Cane
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  Tikichef
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  Bloody
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  Pelvis
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  IndyEdward
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  Tiki_Toad
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  Monster A GoGo
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  tikiwithray
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  Castaway Kevin
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  davidphantomatic
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  BrianRex
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  tikigeek
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  NeilSmith
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  SenorSwanky
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  sr113
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  Pepe le Tiki
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  tiki-kath
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  migsology
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  craigbestjr
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  Murray
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  SweetieSuz
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  Bungalow Robb
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  Uapu'uwai
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  StrangeLibations
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  dmessent
• 
  Tiki Grabowski
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  Tiki Carl
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  DebbieW
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  AWESOM-O
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  Missmaelaroux
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  TikiTim
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  Hoosier_Yankee
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  LushLemon
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  natecreed
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  The U-boat Captain
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  Kaiavatar
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  Eleguin
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  PapaTkik
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  tikiobsessed
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  mable31
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  Sherri
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  TikiDiki
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  Topher556
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  BarnztheTiki
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  TikiScout
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  KahunaCP
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  Trader Anne
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  Ro$ie
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  amnesiack
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  michigan_rummy
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  TikiPunisher
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  The Pineapple Princess
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  Tikitown
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  Beni Daikaijew
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  Samedi
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  Cap’n Chrissy
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  Tikisurf
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  edboogie
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  TraderSampson
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  Duke BossaNova
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  Muppetman
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  daveduffett
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  Mel_Ral
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  Skimmchi
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  Engwild
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  AceyTiki
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  Sailor Lin
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  Wade
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  mikej