A typical Monday doesn't have the sparkle of the weekend, but if you want to get out of the house and into the city, there are special happenings only occurring on this oft-maligned first day of the traditional workweek. If your favorite Monday-only gathering, event, menu, activity, or destination isn't on this list, let us know and we'll get community suggestions added to the mix. For starters, here's our list of 10 things to do on a Monday in Tacoma:
For Music Lovers
1. Vinyl Night at The Red Hot - 2914 6th Ave, 6 pm - 11 pm
The Red Hot opens up their crates of vinyl and customers choose an album side to play. "Hoppy Hour" coincides with Vinyl night for the first hour, so 6 pm - 7 pm is the sweet spot (50 cents off all IPAs on draft, lots of other drinks, and some snacks too, from 3 pm - 7 pm).
238 Likes, 8 Comments - jazzbones (@jazzbonestacoma) on Instagram: "Every Monday is ROCKARAOKE - Karaoke with a live band! No cover $2 Tallboys 9pm"
2. Rockaraoke at Jazzbones - 2803 6th Ave, 9:30 pm - 1 am (photo by @jazzbonestacoma)
Rockaraoke! Karaoke with a live band every single Monday offers the chance to get on stage at Jazzbones with real live musicians backing you up through your favorite karaoke ballad. Doors open at 7 o'clock, but Rockaraoke starts-up closer to 9:30 pm. There's no cover, so you might as well give it a try.
3. Open Mic & Kids Eat Free at The Swiss - 1904 S Jefferson
Kids Eat Free: 11 am - 8:30 pm
Open Mic Hosted by Chuck Gay: 7 pm - 10 pm
The Swiss is open to all ages until 8:30 pm, so the whole family can come out for the early half of Open Mic night. This Open Mic is for singers and musicians; bring your voice, your instrument, or your applause and support. Kids under 12 eat free with the purchase of 1 adult meal.
4. Live Music Mondays at Odd Otter Brewing Co. - 716 Pacific Ave, 7 pm
Friendly craft brewer Odd Otter brings live musicians out every Monday to serenade customers enjoying a pint of local beer. Live music just adds to the other great things offered up at Odd Otter: board games, all day Monday Otter Hour (15% off), and all day Monday Industry Night discount (25% off for customers with a current food handler's card or MAST).
Mural by Alexis St. John next to The Blue Mouse Theatre in Proctor.
For Movie Lovers
5. Discounted Movie Night at The Blue Mouse Theatre - 2611 N Proctor, 7 pm
Enter through the original mahogany doors of this historic theatre and see a movie for just $4.00. A Proctor fixture since 1923, The Blue Mouse is still going strong. And one of the best parts is they only play 1 movie at a time, so you don't have to make any decisions; it's Monday after all, and you've probably made plenty of those already. If you're having a really hard time choosing between the movie and one of the other 9 destinations on the list, just come back to the theatre tomorrow. They run this special price on Tuesdays at 7 pm too.
For Bowlers
6. All You Can Bowl at Chalet Bowl - 3806 N 26th, 9 pm - 11 pm
All you can bowl for 2 hours every Monday night at Chalet Bowl in Proctor for $7 including the shoe rental!
Since we're on the topic of Chalet Bowl, they also offer a Monday-Friday "After School Activity" special for kids 18 and under from 3 pm - 5 pm. This one's $6.50 per bowler for the first game, including shoes. Additional games are $1.50 per bowler.
22 Likes, 2 Comments - Black Kettle Bites And Brew (@blackkettlebitesandbrew) on Instagram: "Creative Colloquy: Crime stories. CC meets here every 3rd Monday of the month. Stayed tuned for..."
For Literary Enthusiasts
7. Third Monday Readings with Creative Colloquy at Black Kettle Bites & Brews, 744 Market St, 7 pm (photo by @blackkettlebitesandbrews)
Creative Colloquy, a group of writers dedicated to supporting and engaging the literary community in the South Sound, invites all to join them every 3rd Monday at Black Kettle to hear 5 readers share original pieces of writing. This time is followed by an open mic opportunity allowing 5 minutes per person. If you'd like the chance to share your poem, story, essay, or excerpt, make sure to come early and sign-up for the open mic. Otherwise, just come and listen!
There's no gathering in October 2017 due to the special Creative Colloquy Crawl earlier this month, so look forward to November.
65 Likes, 5 Comments - Rhein Haus Tacoma (@rheinhaustacoma) on Instagram: "Tonight is the launch of #meatrafflemonday Tacoma! Come get your meat!!!!"
For Meat Lovers
8. Meat Raffle Monday at Rhein Haus - 649 Division Ave, 7 pm - 9 pm (photo by @rheinhaustacoma)
What? That's what I thought. Here's what: Rhein Haus selects cuts of meat (such as house-made sausage, steaks, or whole chickens) from some of their favorite farms and suppliers then offers customers raffle tickets for $1 each to win the meat. Rhein Haus pulls 2 tickets every 30 minutes from 7 - 9 pm and the last winner also gets a $20 gift card to the restaurant. If you win, you take your cut of meat home to cook that week, so don't think of it as something they're serving up that night. Be prepared to barbecue, roast, bake, or fry your meat raffle prize in your own kitchen.
68 Likes, 10 Comments - The Mule Tavern (@themuletavern) on Instagram: "We now have NBA Jam and two pinball machines. Wooooah...kaboom!"
9. All Day Happy Hour at The Mule Tavern - 5227 South Tacoma Way, 4 pm - 12 am (photo by @themuletavern)
If you haven't tried it yet, stop over at The Mule on a Monday for $2 off sandwiches like the reuben and grilled French dip, or the grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup for non-meat eaters. Plus there's pinball! All day happy hour is going on too, so it's $1 off cans, bottles, and calls. If Monday's not really a tavern kind of night for you, keep in mind the Mule makes their own fresh ginger beer. It goes in their signature cocktail as well as other drinks, but you can just order it straight for a refreshing, nonalcoholic beverage that's bright, tangy, and not too sweet.
For Wine Lovers & Those Who Want a Quiet Chat
10. Monday at Rosewood Cafe, 3323 N 26th St, 11:30 am - 9 pm
For a quiet evening at a classic Tacoma cafe, visit the Rosewood and pair a glass of wine (or a bottle) with their specialty sandwiches, soups, and salads. This is a nice neighborhood spot to enjoy with a friend or two. On Mondays the Rosewood offers $5 glasses of wine and ½ off select bottles.
