Beer Halls in New York

Few New Yorkers ever utter the phrase, “Let’s have German tonight,” but NYC beer halls remain some of the city’s most fun night spots. These vast indoor watering holes bring enough bier and brats to satisfy even the most homesick of Fritzes.

While beer gardens can be found throughout the city, beer halls in New York exist more as hidden gems. The standard is Williamsburg’s Radegast, a massive indoor bierhaus whose wood-walled central hall has all the amenities – retractable skylights, endless picnic tables, wrought-iron chandeliers, and a massive grill in the back covered with smoking sausages and fries. Meanwhile, close by Greenpoint, Spritzenhaus approaches the beer hall with a more modern bent, its open fireplaces, wrap-around bars, and grey industrial insides reminiscent of a nineties nightclub as much as a classic German tavern.

One thing to note about both of these places is the crowds – because of their rarity throughout the city, New York beer halls get full fast, and the seats at the long communal tables within are fought-for real estate. However, those that beat the masses will find themselves charmed into liters of pilsner and piles of mustard-covered meat, their stomachs satisfied in the homey way perfected by Deutschlanders for generations.