JASON RANTZ

Six reasons Tacoma is better than Seattle

Dec 1, 2017, 6:15 AM | Updated: 7:17 am

tacoma, Cruise...

Could the Tacoma Dome play host to a fight between Justin Bieber and Tom Cruise? (File photo)

(File photo)

Until recently, I lived my whole life in or just outside of Tacoma. About six months ago I moved to Seattle for work.

The move was really good for me, and even with all its flaws, I feel like Seattle is a nice fit.

RELATED: SDOT parking signs strike a weird tone

That doesn’t mean there aren’t several things I miss about my old stomping grounds. Here are the big six.

Growth is … different in Seattle: This isn’t breaking news, but the whole region is filling with more and more people. Seattle is driving the growth, obviously, but places like Tacoma aren’t immune.

Both cities are growing, but the quality of the expansion feels different. In Seattle, the growth feels exponential and overwhelming. In Tacoma, it’s still a lot but it feels less … blazing.

The pace of change in Tacoma felt more manageable and it was still at least kind of a big deal when a new restaurant opened. Meanwhile, Seattle is a city that feels harder and harder to know when individual neighborhoods keep reinventing themselves.

The best bar in the region: My friend and I discovered Tacoma’s North End Social Club one Saturday night while we were searching Sixth Avenue for a bar with a shuffleboard table. I wouldn’t say it was love at first sight, but I liked it enough to start following the bar’s Instagram account.

That’s how I learned the bar gave out free pizza for every Seahawks game. I know, I know — it’s a marketing ploy. Every time I went to watch a game I would spend more money on drinks than I would have if I watched the game at home and ordered a pizza.

Don’t care. I loved it. I started to get to know the bartenders and I started to feel like a regular. It was so fun.

North End isn’t a brewery where you’re limited just to the beer they brew in the back. All the taps rotate and they feature a ton of unique local brews. I highly recommend visiting some time they have Belching Beaver’s Peanut Butter Milk Stout on nitro.

Frisko Freeze: Dick’s is great. Very reasonable price given the quality, and they’re pretty quick, too. Unless it’s past 9 p.m. on a weekend, in which case the wait will be at least 30 minutes and you’ll be surrounded by drunks (but it’s OK because let’s face it, you’re drunk too).

Frisko Freeze in Tacoma is so much better. They are a little more expensive, but it’s worth it. I recommend going at night. It gets too busy during the lunch hour, but anytime after 8 p.m. is good. Plus the big, neon sign out front is cooler after dark.

If you’re going to go to Frisko Freeze you do need to go all out, though. Get a burger and fries and a shake. Frisko is really a place that’s leaning into the nostalgic factor, but not in an annoying, insincere way, and that’s what makes it great.

Not paying rent: Before moving to Seattle, I lived with my parents and they very graciously allowed me to live rent-free. Obviously, moving out required signing a lease.

RELATED: Would you pay a $17 toll to drive from Seattle to Tacoma?

I actually think my rent is pretty reasonable compared to a lot of my friends here in Seattle. I live in a small two bedroom that I split with a roommate. That’s never stopped my parents from reminding me I’m paying more in rent than they’ve ever paid in their lives.

Tacoma Comedy Club’s Open Mic: Comedy open mics are a real mixed bag, and when I say mixed-bag, I mean they’re so close to unilaterally terrible.

You just have to go into it with the right mindset, pretend like you’re panning for gold. Chances are slim you’ll end up with anything, but at the same time, you could stumble upon something really lovely. If you’re not mentally prepared for what to expect, you might end up like this fool.

That being said, as open mics go, Tacoma Comedy Club’s Wednesday night show is one of the best. To sign up, comics have to email in advance, sometimes a month before they’ll perform. This means you aren’t just getting people off the street. One time at an open mic I witnessed a guy put the microphone down his pants. They had to kick him out and get a new mic.

The ceilings are a little high for a comedy club, but the shows move quickly and they attract a reasonably-sized audience most weeks which is probably the biggest factor in an open mic’s success.

Thrift stores: Tacoma has its hipsters, but they’re still a spectacle. In Seattle, they’re commonplace.

That’s why the thrift stores are better in Tacoma. You’re competing against fewer other weirdos for that silly old dad-shirt.

If you’re a real fan of vintage clothing, Scorpio Rising (also on Sixth Avenue) is my favorite. Don’t go in expecting Goodwill prices, but you’ll find some really neat stuff. In particular, they do a great job of curating local vintage items.

Just one final thought: If you’re a recent college grad, like I was, considering a move from the small city to the bigger one, I recommend waiting as long as reasonably possible. Seattle, with all of its big, expensive problems, will still be here when you’re ready.

Jason Rantz on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to jason rantzTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 3-7pm toThe Jason Rantz Show.

Jason Rantz Show

Jason Rantz

Burien lawsuit...

Jason Rantz

Exclusive: City of Burien sues King County for breaking contract in homeless camping ban

The City of Burien filed a lawsuit against King County for its refusal to enforce a homeless camping ban that was lawfully adopted.

13 hours ago

Image: The Stevens County Sheriff's Office says it recently received an odd call from a Sasquatch h...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Sheriff’s office asked legality of hunting Sasquatch in Stevens County

A Sasquatch hunter had an interesting question for the Stevens County sheriff. Is it legal to hunt Sasquatch?

1 day ago

Image: Children bike past Wilson Elementary in Spokane....

Jason Rantz

Rantz: ‘Racist’ Spokane elementary school’s ‘slaves and hobos’ ignites controversy

After a teacher told students they could dress as "slaves and hobos" for an event, the Spokane NAACP cried foul.

2 days ago

Images: At left, Bellevue Police Department Officer Kevin Bereta is seen in his uniform. At right, ...

Julia Dallas

Bellevue officer injured in VP Harris motorcade recalls road to reclaiming benefits

Bellevue Police Officer Kevin Bereta's life changed while he was on VP Kamala Harris' service detail during her visit to Washington.

2 days ago

permanent supportive housing...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: You’re being lied to about permanent supportive housing in Redmond

Redmond residents rightly push back against permanent supportive housing as a solution for the homeless, as Seattle media get in the way.

3 days ago

WA State Attorney General Bob Ferguson campaigning.  (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: On crime, Bob Ferguson campaign made its first massive blunder

The Bob Ferguson campaign wants you thinking his top priority is crime. His entire political history says otherwise.

4 days ago

Six reasons Tacoma is better than Seattle