Finally Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh!!!

If the Hofbräuhaus can have delays in opening their doors I can have delays in getting the info out. I spent the last 5 days in Pittsburgh, caught the soft opening (grand opening is planned for April 29) of the Hofbrauhaus and then had a small computer glitch that prevented me from getting this post up. Now I am back in Philly, the problems are solved and the pictures and video are here.

Miami, Vegas and Newport have theirs now it's Pittsburgh's chance to show its dirndl and lederhosen. Hofbräuhaus has opened its doors to a huge facility on the South Side. The sounds of clinking liters, Bavarian songs and the whine of the German accordion all filled the grand hall as people celebrated with true German spirit. For a second you could almost believe you were in Munich. The amazing 400 plus capacity grand hall with its stage, three sided bar and heavy wooden tables and benches placed end to end is only part of the new facility. A smaller quieter main dining room is at the front of the building and in back is a still under construction 600 person beer garden. My seat for most of the afternoon was at the well serviced bar in the shadows of two huge gorgeous gleaming copper brewing kettles. To get the full flavor of Germany I ordered 3 of the 4 main beers on draft and the Hofbräuhaus Würstlteller.

The main house beers (liter $7.75, 1/2 liter $4.50) were all on: Premium Lager 5.2 %, Hef Weizen 5.4 %, Light 3.8% and Dunkel 5.5%. A bartender said that the first seasonal, a Maibock 7.2%, would be on in April. I skipped the Light, quickly tossed back a Lager and thoroughly enjoyed the Dunkel and Hef Weizen. The Dunkel was by far the stand out for me. The bready aroma, sweet malty taste with hints of chocolate and caramel all made for a seriously too easy to drink beer. If I didn't have to drive I would of man upped and gone for a full liter. The Würstlteller ($13.49), a sampling of grilled sausages, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut came out only minutes after ordering. The mettwurst, bierwurst, and bratwurst were perfectly cooked, snapped when pierced with a fork, were juicy and well spiced. The only downside was the sauerkraut lacked any cabbage crunch and was heavy on the salt. I certainly wont slam them on the first day for having a slightly off plate. My guess is the food will improve with time. I'll hold real judgement after they have been up and running for awhile.

The Hofbrau experience was a good one. There is a line between an authentic German restaurant and the Disney version. Never having been to Germany my guess is even though Hofbräuhaus has its roots in Munich it still knows how to market the right aspects of the German experience to an American audience. The atmosphere may seem a bit canned but it's all in good fun. With Max's Allegheny Tavern (537 Suismon St 412-231-1899), Penn Brewery (now that they have a lease) and the addition of the Hofbräuhaus, finding good German food and beer in Pittsburgh is easier than ever. Prost!!!