The Bar Bro brings you his take on District watering holes.
Biergarten Haus
Where? 1355 H St., NE
Cover? No
Carded? Yes
Happy Hour? Monday to Friday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; $5 Franziskaner Hefe-Weizen, Spaten Lager, Warsteiner Dunkel, $5 house wine
My quest for the ultimate outdoor summer bar began with a torrential downpour.
I chose to visit Biergarten Haus, known for its open patio bar area, and was disheartened when my trip to H St. was literally dampened. And after finally arriving despite bus delays, my second wind appeared to be in vain: We had already missed happy hour, and all I could see through the rain soaked windows was a harshly lit, completely vacant bar.
A poor start, but I had come too far to turn back.
I tried the door, wiped my shoes off at the entrance and peered around – no bartenders, no servers, no customers. There was not much at all, actually, save for a disparate liquor selection behind the bar, a few animals who’d met their fate with taxidermy and a healthy collection of authentic-looking beer steins.
But hope was not lost: After my brief inspection, I could hear boisterous conversations and clinking dishwater coming from the back.
Out the back door, I walked into the perfect rainy-day hangout. Half the outdoor patio was covered, housing a bar, massive projection screens and grand, wooden tables and chairs. I made my way through the mixed crowd – a large group of young professionals, a party of middle aged couples and a handful of smaller groups eating and drinking.
The menu is perfect for any beer-lover or Germanophile: full of “weizens,” “dunkers” and “schwarzbiers,” all on draft. Each entry details the finer points of the brew, describing the head, body and finish.
The woman next to me inquired about tequila shots for her friends. “We don’t have much liquor,” the bartender admitted. “We have the house tequila, but it’s not very good.” Decide for yourself if that’s a pro or a con, but I was too busy scanning the exhaustive beer menu to mind.
The woman walked away disappointed and liquor-less, and I settled on a half-liter of the Franziskaner Hefe-Weizen. But for those looking to have a really good night, all the draft beers are available in liters, as well. I later opted for a Warsteiner Dunkel, a dark beer with a strong coffee smell, but a surprisingly mild taste.
The vibe was energetic and enjoyable. It was quiet enough to have a conversation, but far from silent. The soft lighting and constant polka music seemed to keep everything upbeat and jovial, but civil, conducive to a date night or meeting friends for game-watching.
If you want to pound back tequila, dance the night away and meet potential hookups, the Biergarten Haus is not your place. But good beer, good vibes and a beautiful, secluded outdoor setting makes it a great stop for both casual drinkers and beer enthusiasts.
