The Biergarten (Beer Garden) in the U.S.
 

Ever since living in Germany, I've sought out beer gardens (Biergärten) in other places, esp. locally where I live in New York.

I even wrote a history of the Biergarten piece last month to tide me over.

A new Biergarten, Loreley, just opened up - 20 min. from me by car in Williamsburg. A colleague of mine reviewed it but the salient points are that the food is excellent and authentic - as is the Bier.

Loreley is an offshoot of a Manhattan Biergarten of the same name so that location may be more convenient for some.

I would love to hear about other Beer Gardens in the U.S. so perhaps we can make this thread a compendium of sorts.

The review of Loreley is on line here - for those who are interested.

http://www.executiveroadwarrior.com/...ey-300x225.jpg

I was here ( http://www.hofbrauhausnewport.com/ ) yesterday afternoon. Nice place. Good beer.

There are a growing number of biergartens around the U.S. I can think of three or four that have opened in the past year or less in the Washington, D.C. area where I reside. I worry a bit that it may become somewhat faddish.

One of the consumer magazines covering beer and brewing (I think it's Draft but I don't remember with 100% certainty who I heard was doing the research) has a reporter working on a piece about American biergartens for their September issue.

^ To Zeppelin Hall in Jersey City.

http://www.zeppelinhall.com/

Scholz's Garten in Austin, Texas. Since 1866, a hangout of politicians, reporters, and UT Austin students.

http://www.scholzgarten.net/

While I can't claim to have been a customer since 1866, my first visit must have been about 1948, and I've been steady since.

The back yard "garten" at Scholz has always been a grand place to listen to Liberal pols (and even some Conservatives), great historians, and local characters at their best and worst. The food ain't much to speak of, but the beer is timeless and flows and flows.

The Black Forest Inn in Minneapolis. Quite authentic. It comes close to a southern German restaurant without being some kind of bavarian disney land. So it is safe to go with Germans there. The homemade bratwurst can definitly stand up to German bratwurst.

http://www.blackforestinnmpls.com/

I had hoped to go last summer, just didn't work out:(

Why would you drive to a beergarden?

I've been to several of the Hofbrau franchises (Las Vegas, Chicago, Milwaukee, Cincinnati) and all have had nice biergartens. Need to make a pilgrimage to Pittsburgh to check out that one.

It has been awhile since I was last there, but I was not at all impressed with the food...this was at Cincy.

The beer however, which is of course the main reason to visit...was spot on.

I will try to visit again soon...just in the interests of seeing if things have changed much...:D

They serve food? :p Not sure if I ate in Cincy but the Chicago version (Uberstein near Wrigley) had good grub.

Rathskeller - Indianapolis, IN
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-rathskeller-indianapolis

I've been wanting to visit Bohemian Hall in Queens, NY but haven't had a chance. The problem is like someone else wrote- who wants to drive to a beer garden! One of these days I'll take the train there from Brooklyn and go before or after a Mets game!

Exactly what I was thinking.