Sure, L.A. may not have grilled fish on sticks as they famously do in Munich, but the spirit of Oktoberfest is in effect year-round at these rowdy beer gardens and beer bars. Stop in for some suds, some pretzels and maybe a wurst or two to embrace the German way of life. From a beer hall in Pasadena to a lively bar in Santa Monica, we’re raising our glasses to the best beer gardens in the city. Raise a stein and get your fill of wurst and schnitzel at the best beer gardens in Los Angeles. Prost!
Ashland Hill – Santa Monica
Generous pours, unabashed comfort food, and a block from the beach: That’s Ashland Hill, a Santa Monica Cheers in the making. Anchoring the old Wildflour Pizza space on Main Street is a sprawling, pet-friendly back patio. At picnic tables blanketed in twinkling lights, patrons graze on pork belly tacos and crispy truffled cheese curds between sips of international vino and serious high-alcohol brews. The 20-tap lineup at this beer garden-wine bar hybrid includes 9-percent Belgian tripels, Mexican lager and Central Coast wines—plus another 14 bottles of red, white and bubbly. Ample space, friendly servers and plenty of heat lamps to go around make Ashland Hill no-fuss, al fresco boozing at its finest.
Biergarten – Ktown
L.A.-raised Neil Kwon took a cue from the biergartens of Berlin and Munich in bringing craft beer to Koreatown in 2010. His beer hall, Biergarten, views Germany through a Korean prism. Platters of brats are dished up alongside Korean fried chicken, kimchi short rib fried rice and burgers both American and international—try the spicy Chosun with kimchi and pickled daikon or a fried chicken sandwich with grilled pineapple and salsa verde. The beer list combines Old World ales like malty Spaten Optimator with West Coast IPAs like Bear Republic Racer 5, none of which appear in yard-long glasses served at kitschier neighbors. The space also touts flat screens that draw UFC and sports fans.
Red Lion Tavern – Silver Lake
A beer stein-shaped sign greets visitors to the divey street-side bar, but it’s all about the back patio at this Silver Lake institution, a fixture since 1959. Current owner Aidas Mattis and his family still maintain the Bavarian connection with imagery of the Berlin bear and a 3-D mural of old-school, beer-toasting Germans and wall-mounted promotional tins from classic German breweries like Warsteiner and Bitburger, also served on tap. Schnitzel and sausage are series regulars at Red Lion, as are Oktoberfest celebrations that occur throughout the month.
Wurstküche – DTLA
Cousins Tyler Wilson and Joseph Pitruzzelli have the uncanny ability to transform a triangular space into a Wurstküche, contemporary “sausage kitchen,” each one outfitted in industrial, geometric furniture—crafted by Pitruzzelli himself—and a DJ booth. The cousins’ crew will gladly grill sausages like Polish-style Kielbasa or more adventurous Rattlesnake & Rabbit to pair with a “groot” worth of skin-on frites. In case you didn’t know, that amounts to a lot of fries. Wurstküche primarily pours Belgian and German beers from (surprisingly) brand-free tap handles. Try the notoriously tart Duchesse de Bourgogne or sweet Aventinus Eisbock that packs a punch.
Standard Biergarten – Downtown LA
The weekend pool parties are legendary, but the Standard Downtown has managed to carve out a corner of their rooftop for Bavaria’s sake. Pretzels, wursts and strudels are availabe from a wagon that resides at the other end of the Astroturf, and a small bar pours traditional German beers. Fichus trees frame yellow patio furniture but don’t block the prized views of surrounding Downtown. Between bites and sips, try your hand at a couple of the games within the beer garden, like ping pong or foosball.
Wirtshaus – Mid City / Wilshire
Wear your lederhosen to this Mid-City beer garden, where an extensive selection of German brews are served up alongside traditional German fare like schnitzel, sausages and homemade pretzels. Grab a seat at the bar or at a communal table on the dog-friendly patio and sample over 35 beers—if beer isn’t your thing, there’s wine on hand, as well as a ping-pong table and flat screen TV. And, of course, Oktoberfest festivities are an annual occurrence, and include live music, food and drink specials, and a ceremonial first tap.
Dog Haus Biergarten – Pasadena
Though the Dog Haus menu reads like a drunken cookbook of street dogs and Denny’s breakfasts, the plump, flavorful hot dogs show more tact and restraint than their sloppy inspirations, thanks in part to the sweet, soft Hawaiian bread buns. Among the long list of dependably delectable dogs, burgers and brats, the Sooo Cali is the hot dog of choice, with its thick slices of avocado, crispy onions and spicy basil aioli. Out front, the beer garden boasts picnic benches and a communal vibe—a charming alternative to the sports bar-like interior; in either case the delightfully cheesy ’80s touches are inescapable, from the loud soundtrack (think Toto) to the menu (the Abe Froman, Scott Baioli).
Verdugo – Glassel Park
Ryan Sweeney, Brandon Bradford, Cherith Spicer and Kyle Bilowitz set Los Angeles abuzz when they opened Verdugo Bar in the Eastside’s Glassell Park, featuring only a sign that reads “Cocktails” to signal their presence. Their craft beer roster turned Verdugo Bar into a destination. Here, people seek their booths and curved wooden bar. Over the years, they’ve added a back patio that features communal seating and a wall of craft brewery tins. Food trucks often take up residence in the parking lot and game nights and weekend board games are in the weekly lineup. Verdugo holds an annual Oktoberfest party, complete with boot races, stein-holding competitions and prizes.
Rock and Brews – El Segundo
There are more than 10 locations of Rock and Brews around the country, but it all started in El Segundo with the very first rock-centric gastropub opening there in 2012. Diners and drinkers can choose to sit inside or outside—though if you’re here strictly for the beer, embrace the beer garden ambience on the patio (it’s dog-friendly!). The beer menu is a who’s-who of local breweries—Smog City, Ohana, King Harbor and Golden Road all made the cut—along with stellar nationwide brews. Dishes range from burgers to pizza to creamy mac and cheese. You know, comfort food at its finest.
Alpine Village – Torrance
The Alpine Village is home to Torrance’s annual Oktoberfest celebration, but for the rest of the year the Bavarian attraction hosts a restaurant (Alpine Steinhaus), bar and German market. Inside the restaurant, feast on sauerkraut, sausages and more traditional German food while listening to polka music and watching diners take a break from stuffing their bellies with food and beer to break a sweat polka dancing.
Der Wolfskopf – Pasadena
The name of this Pasadena beer hall doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but conversational German is not required for entry here. Brought to you by the same folks as The Surly Goat, Little Bear and the neighboring Blind Donkey, Der Wolfskopf has 15 German beers on tap bearing enough syllables and umlauts to twist your tongue well into the night. There are German-style beers from Oregon and California, as well Pasadena-based Craftsman Brewery. Overwhelmed? The friendly bar staff actually knows its stuff and will guide you in the right direction. Add a food menu with sausages, pretzels and schnitzel and a soon-to-be-opened outdoor beer garden, and this place ticks all the necessary boxes.
