Tannins are polyphenolic compounds present in plants where they play an important role to prevent the attack of viruses, bacteria and fungi. Despite the fact that polyphenols inhibit the microbial growth, adaptation process has allowed developing mechanisms to transform them. One mechanism is the production of tannase, which has been obtained mostly from fungi. In recent years, some tannase producer bacteria have been isolated from different sources, mainly from animals and human intestine and feces as well as from fermented food and fruit wastes. Obtaining high titers of bacterial tannase depends mainly on the culture medium composition, the bacterial strain and the process optimization of culture conditions. This paper presents an overview of the recent investigations regarding the production, the physicochemical and molecular characteristics, the applications and the potential uses of bacterial tannases.