The Green Pup is like The TARDIS. It is bigger on the inside than on the outside, and has existed for a long time. Dr. Who fans, are you with me so far?
Walk through the doors and you are in a huge room with two pool tables, lots of seating, TVs so you can watch the Seahawks while you wait for the movie at Regal Theaters to start, and it is one of the few places left in the area where you can play a friendly game of darts. With the holiday movie season starting soon, it is good to know of a place where they will take your schedule into consideration when they take your order.
Christina is the bartender and waitress, and will take your order at the bar before you seat yourself. This is not ordinary pub food. The portions are very large, homemade pizza dough is hand-tossed and baked in a brick oven, and 16 different appetizers can please anybody.
We ordered Chicken Dinner Basket (three half-breasts and fries, $8.95), four pieces of garlic bread ($2.50), a pepperoni and black olive 12-inch pizza ($15.45), strawberry margarita( $6.75, yum), onion rings ($3.95), and a cheeseburger with everything ($6.75), with jo jos, tater tots or fries. I chose jo jos.
The food came right away. Chicken pieces were large and tender; fries were long thin and plentiful. Garlic bread was fresh-baked and loaded with garlicky butter. The medium-rare burger was perfect, just done enough for me, and the cheese, lettuce, pickles and tomato were plentiful and fresh. The pizza was covered with black olives and pepperoni and lots of cheese. I like a lot of sauce and there could have been more, but overall, very good. It is very tempting to take leftovers and smuggle them into the theater, but any neighbors would be jealous.
Give the Green Pup a chance if you’re looking for casual dining and enjoy a change from your usual fare.
IF YOU GO
The Green Pup Sports Bar
2510 84th St. S., suite 15, Tacoma (In the large shopping center at the corner of South 84th and Tacoma Mall Boulevard. Plenty of parking, but be aware that a blockbuster movie at the nearby theater may make parking difficult.)
253 584-5600
Hours: 12 noon to 1:30 a.m. daily
Carolyn Augustine is a freelance outdoors writer.