About Elks Temple

Weekly specials:

Military Mondays – Get 10% off your order with military ID
Tiki Tuesdays in the Old Hangout – Discounts on signature tiki cocktails and pu pu platters

Roam, explore, embark on an adventure…discover Elks Temple!

The 1916 Elks Temple has been restored and reimagined into a vibrant gathering place for out-of-town guests and locals alike. From the Old Hangout, a bar reminiscent of world travels, to the Spanish Ballroom, a grand space hosting live music, you’ll find entertainment at every turn. Threads of art, history and elements of the local community are woven into the structure. Wherever you are in Elks Temple, you’ll find the comforts of your favorite neighborhood pub and a world of adventure.

We wanted to see how much fun we could pack into seven floors, so we started with a McMenamins Brewery, the Bottle Shop & Brewery Tasting Room, and The Old Hangout on the ground floor, and worked our way up. Take the scenic route up the Spanish Steps to the Spanish Bar and Ballroom on the second floor before wending your way to Doc’s, a third floor games bar overlooking the ballroom; pause on the nearby mezzanine overlooking Puget Sound. On the fourth floor stop for a celebratory meal (you’re halfway to the top!) in McMenamins Pub where expansive views of Puget Sound’s Commencement Bay and the marina at Foss Waterway dominate the east-facing windows.

Once you’ve refueled for the rest of your journey, continue to the diminutive fifth floor – if you can find it. From there it’s on up to the sixth floor guestrooms and a spectacular overhead array of lights, lamps and chandeliers. Travel your last flight to seven, where guestrooms overlook the lush indoor atrium and give you an eye-level view of the light display like no other.

Whether your port of call is the Old Hangout, the Spanish Bar, Doc’s or the Spanish Ballroom, you’ll find handcrafted cocktails, tales from home and afar, cozy hideaways and untold fun.
 
A Little History
The Elks Temple was built in the second Renaissance Revival style in 1915-16 when fraternal organizations were an important part of the community and had the money to build beautiful buildings such as this one. It was designed by É. Frère Champney, a graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 
The Spanish Steps
Climbing the hillside adjacent to the building is a stairway called the Spanish Steps. Modeled after the Scalinata di Spagna in Rome, Tacoma’s Spanish Steps were constructed in 1916 to connect a streetcar line on Broadway with City Hall on Commerce Street. The staircase fell into disrepair in the 1950s and continued to degrade until it was rehabilitated by the City of Tacoma in 2011.

Elks Temple allows pets on the side patios and in hotel rooms for a fee.

Lodging at Elks Temple

Check-in is at 3pm; checkout is at 11am

The Elks Temple includes 45 king guestrooms, each appointed with a private bathroom, wifi, television and usb ports. Threads of local history are woven throughout the rooms – and the entire structure – through art and written stories. For ADA rooms, please contact the hotel directly.

Pets are allowed in some rooms for an additional fee. Please keep in mind that pets are not allowed inside our restaurants and bars but are welcome at outdoor seating.

Going to a game or concert at the Tacoma Dome, T-Mobile Park or Lumen Field?
Elks Temple may surprise you as a place to stay for Seattle events, but you can catch the 594 bus a short walk from the hotel and be at the field in about an hour. And the Tacoma Dome is an easy 17 minutes by Link light rail. Save the hassle and the expense of finding parking!
 
Your smartphone’s map app is the best resource for the most up-to-date route information.

Elks Temple Lodging Package

Check-in is at 3pm; checkout is at 11am

Loyal Order of the Slumbering Bed Heads

Bed Head Login

New Name, Same Program
The Loyal Order of the Slumbering Bed Heads was once known as our Frequent Guest Program.

Stay at our historic hotels and earn free nights! 

Questions about your existing points? See our FAQs.

Please note: We are unable to issue points for reservations made through Expedia and Booking.com. For best results, book directly through mcmenamins.com. Limit one room per guest per night.

How does it work?

  • First, create or update your profile in our online reservations system and follow the prompts to join the Bed Head Program; you'll receive monthly email reminders about the program! Keep an eye out for upcoming events, seasonal promotions and even occasional specials just for Bed Heads.
  • Stay with us! Points are automatically rewarded 24 hours after check out - you'll receive 100 points per night in rooms with a common bath, 150 points per night in rooms with a private bath and 50 points per night in Edgefield’s hostel rooms. Your accrued points can be viewed at any time in your online profile. Please note: points accrued during your stay are not available for immediate redemption.
  • When you've accrued 900 points or more, search results on our online system will include a "900 point" rate for rooms (based on availability). Choose this rate to redeem your points. Add-ons, like our Romance Package, will still be available at regular prices.

Rules

  • This offer is for individual bookings only; the offer does not apply to contracted groups or conferences.
  • All of your qualifying nights must be booked under the same guest profile for points to accrue correctly.
  • Only 1 room per night is accruable.
  • You must be a member of the Loyal Order of the Slumbering Bed Heads to accrue points and redeem your complimentary stays.
  • Qualifying nights begin the day you sign up! Sorry, our program is not retroactive.
  • The Grand Suite at Grand Lodge, Family Suite and Parrish House at Old St. Francis, Family Rooms at Edgefield, Double Queen with Private Bath and Queen and King with Private Bath at Hotel Oregon are not available for redemption.
  • Based on availability; blackout dates may apply.
  • Reward nights and free or sponsored promotional stays are excluded from earning points in the program.
  • No credit for "no-shows” or cancellations within cancellation policy.
  • Redemption must be booked prior to arrival and points cannot be redeemed upon check out.
Any questions can be sent to loyalty@mcmenamins.com.
Please note: All rules are subject to change.

Important Information about Bed Head Points

In order to accumulate points, it is important that you use the same username and password every time you make a reservation. When guests create multiple profiles, points get scattered across them, making them difficult to use for free stays.
 
Need help aligning multiple user profiles or resetting your password? Contact us at loyalty@mcmenamins.com so we can merge your accounts into one or help with passwords.

Lodging Policies

Policies:

  • Room and package rates are the same for single or double occupancy. Add $25 per person after double occupancy. Children age six and under stay free
  • Children age six and under stay free.
  • A credit card for authorization purposes and ID are required at check-in.
  • Debit cards are accepted, however McMenamins is not responsible for overdrafts caused by holds on your account.
  • Add state, county  and/or city lodging tax to all room rates and overnight packages.
  • Cancellations made less than 48 hours before arrival time are subject to penalty.
  • All overnight packages are subject to availability.
  • For ADA rooms, please contact the hotel directly.
  • Additional pet fee per pet, per day. Please read our Pet Policy page.
  • Rates, including package rates, are subject to change and black out dates may apply.
  • Stay with us often? Join the Loyal Order of the Slumbering Bed Heads and earn a night on us.

Surrounding Attractions

Explore Tacoma! There are plenty of places to visit, rain or shine. Those listed that are in the downtown area include walking distances from Elks Temple, so tie your shoes, hop on the light rail, or grab a scooter and get going!

For a full list of activities and things to see and do, visit Travel Tacoma.
 
Arts & Culture
Tacoma Museum District
Tacoma Art Museum – 1.7 mi
The Grand Cinema – 0.2 mi
Washington State History Museum – 1.8 mi
Chihuly Bridge of Glass – 1.8 mi
Museum of Glass – 2.1 mi
America’s Car Museum – 2.5 mi
Fort Nisqually Living History Museum – 7.4 mi
 
Shopping
Antique Row – 0.1 mi
Pacific Avenue – 1 mi
6th Ave – part hipster haven, part happy-hour hangout, this North End commercial corridor is one quirky, cool drag.
Proctor – pure neighborhood charm, Proctor’s tree-lined streets are centered around a small retail core where shops offer locally made and handcrafted goods.
 
Get outside!
Point Defiance Park – 5.7 mi
Tacoma Waterfront – 6 mi
Commencement Bay Trail
Mt. Rainier – 60 mi
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium – 6.6 mi
 
Entertainment
Emerald Queen Casino – 4.7 mi
Tacoma Dome – 2.4 mi
Cheney Stadium – home of Minor League baseball team the Tacoma Rainiers. – 6.8 mi
Blue Mouse Theater – showing second-run, classic and indie films for $4. – 3 mi
 
Other points of interest
Tacoma Glassblowing Studio – family-owned business offering glass pumpkin patch, classes and group events. – 2.1 mi
University of Washington Tacoma campus – 0.8 mi
University of Puget Sound – 2.4 mi

Music & Events

Filter By Type

Art

  • Singer

    Singer

  • Things Doing and Stuff

    Things Doing and Stuff

  • Grafitti

    Grafitti

  • Bobbing Corks

    Bobbing Corks

  • Marinoff Beer

    Marinoff Beer

  • Ron Zimmerman

    Ron Zimmerman

  • Daffodil Parade

    Daffodil Parade

  • Hattie Lund

    Hattie Lund

  • Lea McMillan

    Lea McMillan

  • Thomas Emerson

    Thomas Emerson

  • Peggy Strong

    Peggy Strong

  • Walter Sutter

    Walter Sutter

  • Senator Larry Faulk

    Senator Larry Faulk

  • Calvin Heilig

    Calvin Heilig

  • Govnor Teats

    Govnor Teats

  • Édouard Frère Champney

    Édouard Frère Champney

  • Red Kelly

    Red Kelly

  • Mary Hofto

    Mary Hofto

  • Ron Parry

    Ron Parry

  • Alvah B. Howe

    Alvah B. Howe

  • Eisenhower Brothers

    Eisenhower Brothers

  • James Stack

    James Stack

  • The 3 Joes

    The 3 Joes

  • Dolly Crosta

    Dolly Crosta

  • Krist Novoselic

    Krist Novoselic

  • Robert Cray

    Robert Cray

  • Gloria Ellexson

    Gloria Ellexson

  • The Heffernans

    The Heffernans

  • Marvin Ness

    Marvin Ness

  • McLeods

    McLeods

  • Max Frolic

    Max Frolic

  • McCormack

    McCormack

  • Joe Cowan

    Joe Cowan

  • The Geehans

    The Geehans

  • Western Boat Co.

    Western Boat Co.

  • Thea Foss

    Thea Foss

  • The Morgans

    The Morgans

  • Lum May

    Lum May

  • Emmett T Anderson

    Emmett T Anderson

  • Bill Baarsma

    Bill Baarsma

  • Anton Huth

    Anton Huth

  • Elly Walkowiak

    Elly Walkowiak

  • Bill Knabel

    Bill Knabel

  • Alice Quinn

    Alice Quinn

  • Charles Vivian

    Charles Vivian

  • George Putnam Riley

    George Putnam Riley

  • Olsen

    Olsen

  • Nick Credgington

    Nick Credgington

  • Dorothy Mason Brown

    Dorothy Mason Brown

  • Jelly-Roll

    Jelly-Roll

  • Paul Robeson Soldier Serenade Ripley

    Paul Robeson Soldier Serenade Ripley

  • Salmon Derby

    Salmon Derby

  • From Dough boys to Cookie Dough

    From Dough boys to Cookie Dough

  • Jelly Roll Morton & Diane Schuur

    Jelly Roll Morton & Diane Schuur

  • Spanish Steps

    Spanish Steps

  • Miles Davis

    Miles Davis

  • Manifest Destiny Atop City

    Manifest Destiny Atop City

  • Elk Riding The Goat

    Elk Riding The Goat

  • Hendrix over the Spanish Steps

    Hendrix over the Spanish Steps

  • Goat Party on the Spanish Steps

    Goat Party on the Spanish Steps

  • Father Daughter/Father Son Night

    Father Daughter/Father Son Night

  • Salish Aquarium

    Salish Aquarium

  • Spanish Steps Jam

    Spanish Steps Jam

History

1890: The Tacoma Elks Lodge (#174) is established in 1890, 22 years after the formation of the national Elks organization in New York City.
 
In the years between their founding and the construction of the Elks Temple, the Tacoma Elks relocate a handful of times to larger facilities in the city.
 
1915-16: The Tacoma Elks build an opulent, grand new “temple,” together with the Spanish Steps, located between Broadway and Commerce streets, across from what then was City Hall and the Northern Pacific Railroad headquarters––a most prominent site known as the Point of Power. The Elks hold the grand opening of the new temple in February 1916.
 
1937 & 1940: Two additions are constructed on the west side of the original structure to house a new kitchen, handball courts and bowling alley.
 
1950s: Because of soaring membership, the Elks start looking and planning for a new location for a larger, more modern lodge. Having previously acquired the Allenmore Golf Course in the south end of the city, they decide to construct their new lodge on that property.
 
1965: The new lodge is completed near Allenmore Golf Course (present-day site of Walmart). The Elks move out of their old 565 Broadway location into the new lodge. At this point, the Tacoma Elks chapter #174 is said to have had the largest membership of any Elks in the nation.
 
1966-1971: Tacoma City Directories list the old Elks Temple as vacant. Wealthy Tacoman, George Russell (president & GM of the Tacoma New Tribune), purchases the old Elks Lodge in 1968 and makes plans for the building’s next life.
 
1971: George Russell re-opens the old Elks Temple as a catering space, featuring a new eatery called the 565 Restaurant (in the old Elks dining room on the Broadway level) and an entertainment venue (in the ballroom) that opens onto the Spanish Steps. Many high school graduation parties and company parties are held here.
 
1971 & 1972: The Red Rose Cotillion debutante ball is held in the ballroom. This is a special event for African American high school girls from the area.
 
November 1975: Tacoma’s gay community holds its first-ever event, the Barony Ball, in the ballroom. They continue to hold events there through 1986.
 
1975-76: The Tacoma-Pierce County Bicentennial Commission opens an office in the building.
 
1977-85: Tacoma Handball Association Club operates the handball courts. George Cobean and Michael O. Byrne each serve as president during this period.
 
1979: Toastmasters International hold meetings in the building.
 
1981-82: A movie theater opens under the management of Al Kephart and Seymour Johnson (J & J Productions), and Seymour Johnson, on his own, establishes the 565 Dinner Theatre in the building. (George Russell’s 565 Restaurant continues its operation.)
 
1981-1985: The Kiwanis Club and Lions Club meet here regularly.
 
1985: Local theater producer and actor Nick Credgington partners with George Russell to form the 565 Broadway Restaurant and Dinner Theatre.
 
1986: George Russell dies, the 565 Restaurant and Credginton’s dinner theater cease operations, and the old Elks Lodge goes dark.
 
1988-90: Scenes for the Nick Nolte-Martin Short movie, Three Fugitives, and Kevin Kline movie, I Love You to Death, were filmed in and around the old Elks Temple.
 
1989: Ron Zimmerman, a Bay-area real estate mogul and true character, acquires the old Elks Temple. Zimmerman, who was born in China and lived there has grand plans for the place, including a massive tower addition to be built on the lot next to the lodge. Bad luck, bad health, bad temper and bad press prevent anything from happening.
 
And for the better part of 30 years, the building sits empty…
 
…though not really empty. Graffiti artists do wondrous things throughout the building, and untold numbers of high school kids, homeless people and curious onlookers explore its vast spaces, and gradually the place is stripped of most of its fixtures and architectural flourishes. A centrally placed ceiling light fixture remains in the top floor lodge room – and it is now a prized piece.
 
2017: After a decade of negotiating, waiting and planning, McMenamins begins its renovation of the old Elks Temple.
 
April 24, 2019:  McMenamins Elks Temple throws open its doors with a grand opening celebration!

Parking & ADA

Parking

Elks Temple is located in downtown Tacoma, and parking options vary:
  • Metered street parking
  • Paid lots
  • Free parking at Tacoma Dome Station lots (plus a free 10-minute train ride)
    • If you park in the Tacoma Dome Station parking lots, Tacoma Link Light Rail is free downtown and runs from the Tacoma Dome Station to 9th & Commerce, about 2 blocks from Elks Temple.
    • Trains run until 10 pm, Monday through Saturday and until 6 pm on Sundays.
    • Be sure to check soundtransit.org for current schedules. Holiday schedules vary.
We encourage guests to remove all valuables from their vehicle.

Accessibility

There are ADA-accessible parking spots on Broadway, and an ADA ramp at the main entrance to Elks Temple.
Elevators are located in the corner of Elks Temple nearest Broadway and the Spanish Steps. Enter through the main entrance on Broadway.
Please call the front desk at (253) 300-8777 if you need additional assistance.

Surrounding Attractions

Explore Tacoma! There are plenty of places to visit, rain or shine. Those listed that are in the downtown area include walking distances from Elks Temple, so tie your shoes, hop on the light rail, or grab a scooter and get going!

For a full list of activities and things to see and do, visit Travel Tacoma.
 
Arts & Culture
Tacoma Museum District
Tacoma Art Museum – 1.7 mi
The Grand Cinema – 0.2 mi
Washington State History Museum – 1.8 mi
Chihuly Bridge of Glass – 1.8 mi
Museum of Glass – 2.1 mi
America’s Car Museum – 2.5 mi
Fort Nisqually Living History Museum – 7.4 mi
 
Shopping
Antique Row – 0.1 mi
Pacific Avenue – 1 mi
6th Ave – part hipster haven, part happy-hour hangout, this North End commercial corridor is one quirky, cool drag.
Proctor – pure neighborhood charm, Proctor’s tree-lined streets are centered around a small retail core where shops offer locally made and handcrafted goods.
 
Get outside!
Point Defiance Park – 5.7 mi
Tacoma Waterfront – 6 mi
Commencement Bay Trail
Mt. Rainier – 60 mi
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium – 6.6 mi
 
Entertainment
Emerald Queen Casino – 4.7 mi
Tacoma Dome – 2.4 mi
Cheney Stadium – home of Minor League baseball team the Tacoma Rainiers. – 6.8 mi
Blue Mouse Theater – showing second-run, classic and indie films for $4. – 3 mi
 
Other points of interest
Tacoma Glassblowing Studio – family-owned business offering glass pumpkin patch, classes and group events. – 2.1 mi
University of Washington Tacoma campus – 0.8 mi
University of Puget Sound – 2.4 mi
Anderson School
Adults
Children 6 & Under
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