Red Elm Cafe - Cafe in Tacoma - 1114 M.L.K. Jr Way, USA

This place gives me chill vibes. It’s cute, it’s not too big, not too fancy. It’s a good place for a quick stop to meet for lunch. They serve soup, sandwiches, and some pastry. The menu is not overwhelming. They don’t have a private parking lot however, there’s tons of street parking available. The service is quick and the people are friendly. So you order at the counter and then they bring the food to you. I really like that concept because then you do t have to wait for them to come to your table to take your order and can have separate checks if you choose to. The price is very good I believe I spend less than $20 for myself.

The place is really cozy and all the workers are super chill! The waffle was super good, though personally? I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so I really shouldn't have gotten whipped cream AND chocolate chips on it. But I think it was still super good, just too rich for me (my own fault really). As soon as I sat on the couch, it pleasantly caught me off guard how comfortable it was and how I just sunk into it

Decided to give this place a try and overall it wasn't bad. They were pretty busy and had limited staff. The waffle was cooked perfectly and I enjoyed the fluff. However, the hashbrowns left a lot to be desired. The coffee was tasty although they forgot to make another cup I ordered. I would go back to see if things improved.

First time ever eating here, and I was very let down by the sandwich I ordered. It had no flavor at all. Just bland. 🤢

Walking along MLK in the ❤️of Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood, we accidentally stumbled upon this place! It's a lovely open space with local art for sale. A little play corner for the kids too (play kitchen & play sink). We had tea....epically hot and chamomile (u fix your own sweet at a side table) They have their own version of cake pops that's waffle based. Red velvet or chocolate and kid approved. You can have it drizzled with chocolate or raspberry sauce and whipped cream. The owner and staff are a dream !!! So sweet and super catering to my friends 3 kids i had with me today. They devoured their treats and played. We stayed longer cause the kids didn't want to leave. Please support local. And make this a stop.it was divine!!! A nice lady was here and she said the spinach mozz sandwich they made her was better than the chain...ahem, bucks, ahem she normally gets it from . A hidden gem you need to discover!

While the Red Elm may have a fondness with its regular clientele, it missed the mark with hubby and me. The cafe was self serve in that ordering was at a counter. The breakfast menu was quite limited with waffles being forefront on the menu. The waffles were not crispy at all as though they were reheated (microwaved?) and not freshly prepared. Eggs were only available scrambled, and they were presented as though they were prepared in a waffle iron, i.e. they were flat with grid lines on them and absolutely rubbery! The bacon was undercooked and appeared to be microwaved as well, especially since there was no aroma of freshly cooking bacon, waffles, or anything else at The Red Elm. Overall, the space could have been charming, but when one can hear staff bickering and then customers are asked bus their own tables, especially when the price was as much or more equal than what we would have paid at a full-service restaurant with much better, excellent quality, freshly prepared breakfast. It's a shame the owners are taking better advantage of the space and loyal clientele to offer a better experience overall. Simple improvements here would go a long way. Oh! On the bright side, the coffee was very good, but there was a charge for dine-in customers for even one refill of the modest ceramic cafe cups used.

What a great place in an up and coming neighborhood. This area was once known for its depressed economy but is now one of the areas on the rise. Let’s hope that it can maintain its diversity in a diverse community. That being said they offer a good selection of gluten free and vegan fair. I had the waffle and it kept me full up till dinner. Tastey and a generous portion. Definitely give them a try.

Worst food ever. Bacon is as thin as it gets, eggs are liquid and cooked in a waffle maker- was yucky. Tried getting a white moca and that was gross. Even the bluebery lemon muffin was yucky. Waste of time & money. You order food at register.