Bierhaus

Details:
Bierhaus
712 Third Avenue (at 45th Street)
New York, NY 10017
(212) 867-2337
http://bierhausnyc.com/

Headline: A little taste of Oktoberfest in midtown Manhattan
Rating: **
Recommended: Yes, for after work drinks. No at any other time









A Little Bit of Munchen in Manhattan with a Full-On Murray Hill Crowd


I had a friend in town from Boston last Thursday and we made plans to meet for drinks around my office which is located on Park Avenue in the 50s. Truth be told, when it comes to having drinks midtown I never know where to go and more often than not I just end up giving up and suggesting Monkey Bar. This time, however, I was motivated to diversify my repertoire of after-work drinking venues. After a bit of internet research, I came across this new Bavarian-style restaurant/bar and decided to venture outside my comfort zone.

Bierhaus is located on the second floor of 712 Third Avenue, close to 45th Street and Grand Central Station. After making my way up the stairs, I entered a room filled with large wooden tables and waitresses sporting both traditional Bavarian outfits and pigtails. My initial impression was slightly negative, thinking the whole concept was a bit kitsch and overdone.

After spotting my friend, we settled in at the bar which offered a safe haven from the crowd (I'll get back to that shortly) as well as a perfect view over the entire room. Bierhaus boasts 24 draft lines which currently only serve 5 different kinds of Hofbräu beer. In short order, we both decided upon the Hefe Weizen, a fairly sweet old-style wheat beer that also happens to be their specialty, and ordered the one liter beer shoe. My friend who had just been to Oktoberfest earlier this year was quick to dispatch my illusions regarding the decor, telling me it was actually quite faithful to what he had experienced in Germany. I guess my initial impression was just my usual jaded New Yorker reaction and it turns out I did not know what I was talking (thinking) about.

Over the course of the next hour, we talked about everything and nothing but most of all drank one liter of fantastic beer. The amazing beer notwithstanding, when the time came to double down, we both opted to seek greener pastures in order to escape the crowd of 20 somethings that had made their way up from Murray Hill. I guess I should have seen that one coming given the beer focused theme and the location but we all make mistakes...

Overall, I thought Bierhaus served its purpose: a somewhat conveniently located after work bar. I really enjoyed the beer (I highly recommend the Weizen to anybody who decides to visit Bierhaus, it is by far my favorite beer on offer) and got a kick of the traditional costumes and live music, each of which I give a star for. I also give a star for the balcony (yes, you can take your beverage outside to watch Third Avenue traffic) but I take it right back for the crowd. Bierhaus is probably not worth a detour but if you are in the area and in the mood for a good bier, it is worth a look.

POC

What I drank:
1 liter of Hofbräu Hefe Weizen