Restaurant in Tacoma, United States
Commencement Bay Seafood Table
Anthony's At Point Defiance is the right booking for a waterfront anniversary dinner or a family seafood celebration with Puget Sound views. The service is practiced and reliable, the setting inside Point Defiance Park is the strongest argument for choosing this location, and booking is straightforward. For a food-first crowd chasing culinary ambition, look elsewhere in Tacoma.
If you want a waterfront dinner in Tacoma with a view of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains framing your meal, Anthony's At Point Defiance is the booking for you. This is the restaurant for a milestone anniversary, a family seafood celebration, or a visitor wanting to understand what Pacific Northwest dining actually looks like from a table on the water. It is not the place for a quiet date-night experiment or a food-first crowd chasing technical ambition. The setting is the draw, and for the right occasion, that is exactly enough.
Anthony's At Point Defiance sits at 5910 N Waterfront Drive in Tacoma, directly inside Point Defiance Park, one of the Pacific Northwest's larger urban parks. The waterfront position means the room faces the Sound, and the visual experience, a wide stretch of water with the mountains behind it, is the strongest argument for booking this specific Anthony's location over others in the regional chain. Anthony's operates multiple Pacific Northwest locations, which means the kitchen runs a proven seafood-forward format with the consistency that comes from a long-established operation. That reliability is a reasonable trust signal: you are not gambling on an independent whose quality swings by service. What you are paying for here is place as much as plate.
The service model at a regional chain of this type tends toward the professional-but-formulaic. For a milestone dinner, that can be an asset: you get attentive, practiced floor staff without the unpredictability of a newer independent. The question for an explorer or a guest who cares about service depth is whether the format delivers enough personal attention to justify the occasion. At a waterfront location with a strong local draw, the pacing is generally comfortable and the staff know the menu. That is the ceiling you should expect, not the floor. If genuinely personalised service and sommelier-level wine guidance matter to you, set your expectations accordingly.
Because specific pricing, hours, and menu details are not confirmed in our data, we recommend checking the Anthony's website directly before booking. What the record does confirm is the address and the location's position within a celebrated park setting, which is enough to plan an itinerary around.
| Detail | Anthony's At Point Defiance | Lobster Shop | Stanley & Seafort's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting | Waterfront, Point Defiance Park | Waterfront, Ruston Way | Hilltop, panoramic city view |
| Cuisine focus | Pacific Northwest seafood (chain) | Seafood | Seafood & steak |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Easy–Moderate |
| Leading for | Anniversary, family occasion | Date night, special occasion | Groups, city views |
| Price tier | Mid-range (verify direct) | Mid-to-upper (verify direct) | Mid-range (verify direct) |
Booking is direct. Anthony's At Point Defiance does not carry the waitlist pressure of Tacoma's more demand-heavy independents. For a weekend anniversary dinner in summer, book at least one to two weeks ahead to secure a window table with the full Sound view. The park setting means the approach and parking are easier than downtown Tacoma alternatives, which is worth factoring in for a group or a formal occasion.
See the comparison section below for how Anthony's At Point Defiance stacks up against the strongest alternatives in Tacoma.
For waterfront seafood, Lobster Shop on Ruston Way is the strongest direct competitor and tends to draw a slightly more food-focused crowd. If you want panoramic views without being on the water, Stanley & Seafort's delivers city and Sound sightlines from its hilltop perch and handles larger groups well. For a steak-forward alternative, El Gaucho Tacoma is the high-end option. For something more neighbourhood-driven and independent, check TibbittsFernHill.
It works for solo dining, particularly if you sit at the bar or request a smaller table with the water view. The chain format means you will not feel conspicuous dining alone, and the service is practiced enough that solo guests are handled without fuss. That said, the venue skews toward groups and couples, so a solo visit is more comfortable at lunch or an early weeknight dinner than on a busy Saturday evening.
Yes, with one caveat: the occasion has to fit the format. An anniversary dinner where the view and a reliable seafood meal are the priority is well-served here. If you want a genuinely chef-driven tasting experience or sommelier-led wine service to mark a milestone, you will get more from El Gaucho Tacoma or, for a broader frame of reference, restaurants at the level of Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg. Anthony's earns its place for a birthday or anniversary where setting and accessibility matter as much as culinary ambition.
Bar seating is standard at Anthony's locations and is typically a good option for solo diners or couples who want a shorter visit. Confirm bar food availability when you call or book, since bar menus at chain waterfront restaurants sometimes differ from the full dining room menu. If a full-service dinner is the goal, request a dining room table at the time of booking and specify a water-view preference.
Book a window or deck table when you reserve. The location inside Point Defiance Park means the drive in is scenic but can be slow on summer weekends, so allow extra time. The kitchen runs Pacific Northwest seafood in a reliable, accessible format: this is not a destination for technical ambition, but it is a consistent and easy-to-enjoy meal with one of Tacoma's leading water views. Arriving before sunset gives you the full visual payoff. For a broader picture of Tacoma's dining options before you decide, see our full Tacoma restaurants guide.
Specific menu items and current dishes are not confirmed in our data, so we cannot responsibly recommend a single plate. What is consistent across Anthony's Pacific Northwest locations is a seafood-forward menu built around regional fish and shellfish. Ask your server what is freshest on the day you visit. At a waterfront chain with this kind of regional supply chain, the daily specials are usually the safest and most representative choice.
The Point Defiance location can handle groups, though specific private dining or room-hire details are not confirmed in our data. For larger parties, call ahead and ask about reserved sections or event options. If group dining with guaranteed private space is the priority, Stanley & Seafort's and El Gaucho Tacoma are both better documented for event hosting in Tacoma.
Smart casual is the safe read for this type of waterfront venue. No formal dress code is confirmed in our data, but a regional chain at a park waterfront location skews relaxed rather than black-tie. For a milestone dinner, err toward neat rather than formal. If you are coming from a hike in Point Defiance Park, plan a clothing change before dinner.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony's At Point Defiance | Easy | ||
| Cuerno Bravo Steakhouse | Unknown | ||
| El Gaucho Tacoma | Unknown | ||
| Lobster Shop | Unknown | ||
| Stanley & Seafort's | Unknown | ||
| TibbittsFernHill | Unknown |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
