The Greatest German Beer Halls in America

It ’s that fourth dimension again , mein drinkers – Oktoberfest is well upon us ! And while dumb , pesky clobber like jobs and empty banking concern account might forbid you from decamp over to Munich this twelvemonth , rest assured you’re able to still celebrate stateside at any one of these 14lager - laden oasis of German cordial reception in the US .

Scholz Garten

Opened by a German immigrant and Civil War vet in 1866 , Austin ’s go - to biergarten is also the oldest operating business organisation in the great state of Texas – but do n’t occupy , this ai n’t just your papaw tree ’s saloon . There ’s plenteousness of cold German lagers and weizens – plus American workmanship selections from the likes of Live Oak and 512 – on tap to combat those muggy Night and thirsty juicer pick out from an über - Texas mix of poppycock like BBQ nachos and volaille - electrocute steak , as well as a smattering of Bavarian staples such as bratwurst , giant pretzels , and Wiener schnitzel . A levelheaded mix of student , locals , and former - timers roam around the sprawling , Christmas luminousness - strewn indoor - outdoor distance or take shelter in the warm , wood - empanel interior , every one of them ready to cast the pint and rupture out a mean two - footstep once that live euphony gets pumping .

Bavarian Inn

Is this monolithic , cube - prospicient German eatery and beer hall corny ? Well , yes … that should be expected from a mammoth Bavarian - style building plopped in the middle of a German - theme town where a 365 - days - a - twelvemonth Christmas store is the maven attraction . And while the all - you - can - rust fried chicken is only the second good in the city , it ’s still moderately great . The resort / beer hallis an picture , where curvaceous servers in traditional garb hoist armfuls of Stein and polka never stops . In the summer the outdoor action is like a never - ending Oktoberfest : you’re able to put down German beer to a soundtrack of live music , then take to the dance base to burn it all off . Or just talk beer everywhere . It ’s like being in Germany , but with Midwestern accent .

Biergarten

With its trendier - than - thou boutique shops and $ 15 mixologist - engineered cocktail , Hayes Valley might not seem like the idealistic vicinity for a cool - out , no - frills German biergarten , but somehow this charming little recession of the world manages to correspond right in . perhaps it ’s Biergarten ’s first-class 25 - draft - long pat list , dotted with West Coast darling like Green Flash and Stone as well as European classic like Spaten and Reissdorf , each available by the liter and sold out of an effortlessly nerveless refashioned shipping container . Or maybe it ’s the unpretending , cozy , open - air ambiance , quietly lit by crisscrossing lines of lightbulbs glowing overhead . Or maybe , just maybe , it ’s that disregarding of tax bracket , all anyone really wants is a red-hot pretzel , an ask for crowd , and a giant mug of frigid , frigid lager .

Der Biergarten

Authenticity is the name of the game at this O - ist - of - one thousand beer hall , owned by a German expat dedicated to convey the taste of Bavaria to the A. boot back and savour a risque wurstsplatte , a frosty German significance beer – served in a heavy - bottomed , wide - mouth stein , of course – and take in the kitschy , ode - to - Deutschland decor ( think : arcadian murals straight out of " Hansel and Gretel , " longsighted wooden tables , stone walls , a model train choo - chooing overhead ) . It might be 90 degrees outside , but inside it ’s as pleasant and cool as the Alps in April .

Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden

No list of great American beer Asaph Hall would ever be accomplished without a nod to New York ’s oldest , and arguably finest , laager - guzzle , sausage - scarfing institution . The water tap list function the gamut from Krombacher and Hofbrau to Blue Point and Lagunitas and the menu is dilute with all the Euro consolation dishes you know and love ( homemade pierogies , anyone ? ) . The genuine maven of the show , though , is the space itself – the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - draw garden is one of the city ’s largest outdoor drinking spots and for shoebox - dwell New Yorkers , it does n’t get much better than that . And though the century - old beer mecca is not actually German – it ’s owned and managed by a Czech and Slovak community group – it does throw a mean Oktoberfest party , complete with epic stein - hoisting contests ( in earnest , look it up ) , crazy - chintzy draft specials , and lots and portion of live polka .

Paulaner Brauhaus

This Bowery outstation sets itself apart by brewing all its draft brews tableside , piping it direct from the tankful to your Gertrude Stein . That stand for every pour is ultra - sweet , a crucial divisor when it comes to delicate , subtle German lagers . The bar is farseeing and inviting , the dining room is in full view of the gorgeous , state - of - the - art copper brauhaus , and the food try out as unspoilt as it smell ( get the bratwurst Warren Earl Burger , stack with briny sauerkraut and nestle in a pillowy pretzel bun ) . Paulaner is apparently a well - established international operation , but its first American emplacement bucks custom by incorporating mod - day hop and IPA - influenced brew into the ever - maturate repertory .

Resi’s Bierstube

Who ’s Resi ? Who worry ! All we care about are 12 + circumvolve German tap plus a massive bottleful selection focalise on strong suit Weiss beers , delicious and topnotch - fill easterly European standbys like rahmschnitzel and stomach - warm beef goulash , floor - to - ceiling vintage decor ( think : yellowing coaster , lederhosen - clad bobbleheads , Alps - inspired wood block , Gertrude Stein , steins , and more beer mug ) , and an endearing stay - all - day back terrace . If you ’re a beer - loving , sausage - craving Chicagoan ( i.e. , any Chicagoan ) , you ’ve probably already been there , done that , and are currently sporting the T - shirt to prove it .

Munchen Haus

Driving into the hamlet of Leavenworth feel like you ’ve somehow hit a wormhole and gone from the Pacific Northwest into the German countryside , and that ’s kind of the pointedness : Leavenworth pride itself on being an bona fide theatrical of Alpine livin ' slapped into the Pacific Northwest . And no German Greenwich Village is complete without a dandy bierhall , a mantle Munchen Haus has gamely taken up . This is a topographic point that get very literal with the concept of the beer garden : an tremendous display of vivacious flowers , fondly manicured by the owners ' parents , serve as the borderline for the raucous outdoor crapulence region , where steins swing freely year - round amid gorgeous mountain persuasion from the balcony . The articulatio also recently begin up its own brewery , Icicle , with the solid crosscut Pilsner holding its own with the German offer rotating on tap . It also makes a enceinte IPA , in suit you take reminding that you have n’t discovered Germany ’s reply to Brigadoon .

Urban Chestnut

Anheuser - Busch alum and real - spirit German mortal Florian Kuplent is the brewmaster behind this 7,000sqft , LEED - certified Forest Park production brewery and beer hall , and male child does he roll in the hay his Bavarian beer . House brewage reflect Urban Chestnut ’s core " unexampled world meets old existence " philosophy – an like an expert crafted mix of IPAs , Belgian - style farmhouse ale , and years - old German standard . The space , a former composition factory , has it all : streamlined , post - industrial vibes , an unobstructed brewhouse purview , and schnitzel fry so crispy , served so hot , and piled richly with so much tangy ' Krauthead you ’ll be break out the lederhosen in no time .

Stammtisch

Portland was recently bless with Zoiglhaus , a 7,500sqft , family - friendly German - theme brewery in the underserved Lents neighborhood that capped off a slight boom in German drinking culture . But Stammtisch – a babe bar to thealso - great biergarten Prost– is the whole shebang . The olfactory modality of currywurst hangs fatheaded in the line here , among other farm - refreshful occupy on German classic ( there ’s also a bloody fine burger ) . Then , of course , there ’s the beer , served as God intended : by the litre , with a huge option of German imports poured into right glasswork and good enjoyed as a substitute for doing biceps Robert Curl . On showery day ( aka " a solar day " in Portland ) , they ’re best enjoyed boisterously at the thick , authentic wooden tables . But do Oktoberfest , the party disgorge into the street . Also as God intended .

Frankford Hall

Philly has always plume itself on its lenient , greasy grub and laid - back drinking culture , so it ’s well-heeled to see how this carmine brick , garage - like year - circular out-of-door jawn serving up liters of thirst - quenching German drafts and six ( ! ) different types of sausages make a violent death in the city of bruder - ly love . icing - cold helles laager and Pils keep reveler chilling on sticky summer night while malty Oktoberfests and smoky schwarzbiers – not to mention a cluster of space smoke and a material - stack fire cavity – keep ‘em drop dead straight through the spring . Stake out a place under a shady Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , take hold of a seat at one of the many communal outing table , and farm a stein to Philly .

Estabrook Beer Garden

Perched on the far edge of Milwaukee ’s Estabrook Park , this unagitated lacrimation hole might be tough to find oneself , but it ’s definitely worth the hike . It ’s arguably the garden - iest of biergartens , littered with long table , bicycle , and picnicking families taking in beautiful river view , tipping back frothy steins of Hofbrau Munchen , and basking in the midday sun . It ’s the kind of place where an intact Sunday can pass in what feels like a matter of minutes , so verify to bundle that sunblock .

Red Lion Tavern

Back in 1959 , Silver Lake was nowhere near the hipster mecca it is today – intend it was the utter place to open one of Los Angeles ' most charmingly drippy biergartens . And through the year , Red Lion has die hard , hanging tight to its committedness to Disneyland - level European ingress . Of course , it ’s got all the usual suspects : German beer on tap ( Warsteiner , Spaten , Bitburger , and more ) and a Wiener schnitzel - and - wurst - dominated menu , plus a backyard garden so laden with flags and old - schooling flair you ’ll swear you ’ve slipped into some sudsy German fairytale . Be sure to chirp the rooftop – it ’s one of the most repose - back and least pretentious in the ' lens hood , by far ( and totally lack in skinny jeans and oversize sunglasses ) .

The Rathskeller

In the market for a dainty outside beer hall where you and about 100 of your close drink buddies can well kick back back for an good afternoon ? The Rathskeller is here for you . This palatial , castle - similar legal community has everything you need and more – a central Indianapolis location , a backyard and ornate corner degree fit for a euphony fete , and heating plant lamp a’plenty for optimum late - night fun . at bottom , you ’ll get a long , narrow restaurant distance , chock - full of taxidermy and eerily reminiscent ofHarry Potter ’s dining hall , as well as with enough distance for an intact wedding ( if you ’re feeling frisky ) . essay to get there early on the weekend , as this can invest fill up quicker than the Hoosiers can bollix up a 14 - stage lead .

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