4. Restaurants

Bierstube German Tavern

206 Market St, Philadelphia, PA, 19106
  • (215) 922-2958
  • Store is closed

Bierstube German Tavern Menu

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  • Sarrah S.

    All for this place. The food is EXCELLENT. All of it. Is amazing. Beer list, also wonderful. This is in my top 5 favorite bars in the city. Super awesome staff, friendly and knowledgeable and all great characters. Cool space, for bar sitting, tables, groups, etc. and still very comfortable. Definitely recommend it. The spatzael... The perogies! Yay!!!!!

    (5)

  • Molly B.

    My significant other and I stopped in for a drink and food one Friday evening. I have a fair amount of patience and can forgive or be understanding of a lot of things (especially as someone who has worked in the industry before), however, this visit was just a little too much to overlook. We sat at the bar--the entire place was neither packed nor empty, just a healthy number of patrons. At the bar, there were still several stools open. If a bar is super packed and/or there are few bartenders, I am totally okay with waiting. This, however, was not the case. Like I said, they were far from packed, and there were multiple bartenders in the area we were sitting, plus a bar back. It took far too long before anyone even came over. Once we had a menu, our orders were not taken for another extended period of time (and that was just drinks...getting someone to take a food order took even longer). We ordered the pretzels and the pierogi, as they said they were homemade. The pretzels appeared to be microwaved, though the sauces were good. The pierogies were not just cold in the center but frozen. Then, trying to get anyone's attention to address this, of course, took forever. We did not have time to have them redone, but they did happily take them off our bill. With all the delays, we could not even order a second beer. Oh and the delays were not due to the bartenders being occupied with other things or patrons--they were standing around with their backs to the bar, talking to their coworkers, and in plain sight, doing shots. The beer list is great--there is no arguing that. Hopefully, the service and food was a fluke.

    (3)

  • Christine S.

    I've been to Bierstube a few times for a casual drink and appetizers, but had no strong feelings about it either way. That changed this summer. I came in with a bachelorette party of 13 on a rainy Saturday. One of the bridesmaids had called Bierstube earlier that day to make a reservation, as we were a large group, and they took her reservation over the phone. When we arrived, the host told us that the reservation was never logged it in the system and we should have used Opentable. Despite explaining that the person who took the phone call mentioned nothing about using Opentable, the host simply reiterated his statement. The wait was an hour, so we decided to park ourselves near the bar. After a few minutes, the bartender told us, "it'll be a while, guys" in an exasperated, condescending tone. We left after that. I think a Seinfeld quote would sum up my feelings on this experience: Jerry: I don't understand. Do you have my reservation? Rental Car Agent: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars. Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here. That's why you have the reservation. Rental Car Agent: I think I know why we have reservations. Jerry: I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them.

    (1)

  • Hayley K.

    It was fairly quiet for a Friday noon lunch when we walked in but was rapidly filling up with people by the time we left an hour later. The interior is dark with Germanic signs, mirrors, and a surprisingly comfortable booth all alongside one wall. They would be easily able to accommodate large parties and would have something to offer to everyone from the exhaustive beer list available. We had a mushroom spaetzle and pierogies. The spaetzle is reminiscent of a pasta dish with cream, butter, and cheese sprinkled on top but instead of noodles, it contains a lot of small chunks of soft dough. Plenty of mushrooms and delicious but also very buttery and oily. An entree of pierogies will yield eight, large pierogies that are a lot heartier than the ones you might be used to. The dough covering is significantly thicker and has more of a deep fried-texture. It's served on top of sour cream mixed with chives. The potatoes inside are creamy and dense but most of the flavoring comes from the sour cream. I felt like both dishes could have used a hearty dose of black pepper, they were good but somewhat underseasoned. They have a lot of fruit beer that wouldn't be found in other bars so I'll have to come back to try at least one later in the future.

    (3)

  • Jennifer S.

    Walking around the city my super German friend freaked when she saw this place so we had to go in. We sat at the bar, had a few beers (the selection is HUGE!), and some damn good food! It did take a while to come out and we had to ask the bartender if there was a hold up in the kitchen. He was super nice about it tho and went to check. But when we did get the food....YUMMMM! We had the red cabbage and it was seriously so delicious I couldn't believe it..like I annoyed myself with how many times I took a bite and said "Oh my GOD this is good!". We had the pierogis, fries,& the caramelized onion and blue cheese spaetzle which was to DIE FOR. I'll definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Michelle P.

    I was pleasantly surprised by the craft beer selection here. A keg of Pliny the Younger drew me in, but the Bell's Hopslam and Stone Enjoy by 4/20 kept me there way longer than I thought I'd stay. So those beers are pretty rare and limited seasonality, but I would have pegged Bierstube as a place strictly serving German beers. I can't speak to the food or much of the service, but I'd keep it on my radar if I'm in Old City and looking for a good beer.

    (3)

  • Gary K.

    Cool place, great menu, friendly staff and good overall atmosphere. My wings could have used another 30 seconds on the fryer but overall they were good- try the sweet heat sauce!

    (4)

  • Lilly E.

    Husband needed a German food fix so after work we headed here. Hot day and we couldn't finish our beers fast enough before they were warm. We ordered the schnitzel- I had chicken - he had veal. It came with German potato salad which I had never had and man it was spicy - but good and also some sautéed red cabbage. This was delicious all around! The bathroom is just gross. No one bothers to keep up with the amount of paper towels that are exploding out of garbage onto the floor. It's one bathroom for everyone's use. You'd think with the amount of beer served they'd have another bathroom since there's always a line.

    (3)

  • Angela H.

    Beginning from the start we had problems because my party of 10 reservation at 7 pm didn't get seated for an hour. Lateness for 5, 10, even 15 minutes is okay but an hour?! There are too many places in Philly to eat and try out to bother with this funk. The excuse was that there was a smaller party that had been there since 3 (that's 5 hours!) and weren't moving. Um, what were they demonstrating some sort of protest?! Were they renting the restaurant?! Grab a pair and let people know ahead of time that a reservation is coming in after you. Coordinate, kids. My guess is that they actually forgot about our reservation. Once we sat we ordered 3 pretzel bite apps but 2 came out. It wasn't a big deal because we all could just share but what bugs me is we had no plates, no silverware or even napkins. The food itself was American pub style more than German and in no way is any of it authentic. Burgers, grilled cheese, fries, sausages, salad, platters, spaetzle and perogies are the menu. The beer choices were nice and one of the pluses to coming here. The pretzel bites were served with two types of dips--- cheesy and a grainy mustard. Everyone at the table really liked the bites and they definitely cured the angry hungry person syndrome we were all coping with! Hooray for bar food. The platters seemed to look the best and came with a variety. The burger eaters all went for a pretzel bun, bacon burger, standard toppings and along with a side of thick cut French fries. I ordered a spaetzle with shortrib, tomato and caramelized onion. It was not my favorite and should have been more of a side dish. The dish itself reminded me of a hamburger helper mix. Grump face! The last problem was the bathroom. Whoa, buddy. It was one stall, coed and looked like a bomb went off. BOTH trash cans were full so trash was on the ground, soap was all over the sink and the floor was wet. I don't want to imagine the kitchen. I always try to end bad situations on a positive note but all I've got is: good beer and pretzel bites. Pass on this one for a meal.

    (1)

  • Dirk R.

    Belgian / German beer pub with a gazillion of bottled beers and some on tap. The menu is short, less German than the name of the place suggests but the food was good: the Bratwurst, Schnitzel, Pretzel bites and the kids Burger were all fine. The Hefeweizen was good too. Only warning: the Spaghetti "Spätzle" with some kind of a tomato sauce on the kids menu were so bad that my daughter couldn't eat them. Overall: nice, comfy place with great beer and decent hearty food.

    (4)

  • Alisha H.

    Cool little German Bar. Craft beers on tap and over 200 different bottles on the menu. If your into "fru fru" beer, you gotta try the Fruli Belgium strawberry beer... So good. Wings were great and the bar staff were very knowledgable and friendly.

    (4)

  • Brian E.

    Can I give zero stars? Came in today for a beer tap takeover. Read the description and sounded good. Was full of trepidation since I've been there twice prior but never wanted to stay for a second beer because of unlit conditions and unfriendly staff. This time, didn't make it ten seconds. My fiancé and I walked in at 3 in the afternoon (!) and it smelled like vomit and pee. Worse than a frat house basement. Instantly turned around and left. How does this happen to a place on market street in Old City? Just sad.

    (1)

  • Vidushi B.

    Came to this place after getting off the Market Frankford and thought it looked like a good place to chill and grab a beer and some quick food. Overall, had an average experience, but it is a nice place to explore some new beers. Beer: They have a great selection of beer with a number on tap, and also a number of bottles. Unfortunately, the don't have half the bottles they list on their menu, but it's still a long list. There's also a great check in to get a cheap beer. Food: Pretty average, on the whole. We got the pretzel bites (would skip next time), potato pancakes (pretty good/unique), and the wings (average). Eat here if you need a quick bite, but otherwise just stick to the beer. Service & Ambience: Has a German pub-esque ambience that's kind of fun and you don't have to be afraid of getting loud with groups. Unfortunately, the service was pretty slow, and our waitress made comments about "not making her go back and forth", which is pretty weird considering that's her job.

    (3)

  • Nando F.

    I have to say this, so this a rare occurance, I was clearly wrong in doubting this place. Yes I was wrong about Bierstube, this is a great establishment to just sit back and enjoy a brew. I have never been to a place where they have over 300 German beers waiting for you to dive into. Names of crafts I can't remember how to pronounce , but all I know they were simply delicious. No I did not have all 300 + , I've had 6 different ones and all 6 never let me down. Plus I got to drink one out of a "Das Boot" , which was a challange in its own. This is the the spot for you , if you're an enthusiast that will appreciate a great craft. The aficionado in you would most likely shed a tear once you take a look at their beer menu. This is a marvel that will have you go crazy, or salivate over, maybe both. I know the libation gods are pleased with what Bierstube has to offer. Ok so now lets get into the food part of this establishment , which I was skepticle about, seeing Italian dishes is what I mainly eat. I once again was wrong, these guys are a solid bet that you'll enjoy the food. I have never had Perogies before simply because I felt they were an immitation version of a "Ravioli". I know I was naive, childish I guess, I didn't want to accept the fact that it was pretty damn good. Homemade giant potato stuffed delights, with sour cream and scallions that surrounded these bad boys. This is where I have to admit , next to Italian sausages the Germans are on point with the Bratwurst and Knackwurst. I went with the "German Burger" which by the way is almost like you're kissing an angel thats how heavenly this is. A blend of short rib and beef is mixed together, cooked at a medium rare , to a medium is what I suggest. Bierstube also for your pleasure adds to this burger of all burgers knackwurst and sauerkraut. I am not a fan of sauerkraut, but when it is made with bacon I am all in. Plus it enhances the flavors like you wouldn't believe, with munster cheese making your taste buds go into full tilt. This mountain of deliciousness is held together on a pretzel bun . Instant winnner, with a side of homemade potato salad instead of the fries, my friends this is what you call DAS GOOD! Food coma like you wouldn't believe. I also had the pleasure of talking to Frank who is the chef at Bierstube after my feast of all feast with my healthy glasses of ale to wash things down. Frank , I must admit he takes pride in his work, I highly recommend you stop in and enjoy what they have to offer. A great bar, old school decor of what a German bar would look like with a crew to simply accommodate your every needs. -Nando approved

    (4)

  • Amanda S.

    Awful. The bartender ignored us--the only three customers at the bar--to chat with his friend. Then he held onto my Mom's soda for no fewer than five minutes while continuing to chat with his buddy after he had gotten around to serving my stepdad and myself our beers. A few more customers came in and he realized they were locals and started being super cool to them and whining about having to deal with tourists all day. I'll now point out that I live roughly six blocks from here. He continued to ignore us and took ages to bring our check when we asked for it. Clearly I will not be going back.

    (1)

  • Manfred S.

    Want to meet strange people. Just hang out at the Bierstube bar. I had a ball (or two). One guy was stressing that he actually was working here. Good sign (or sad sign) when people hang out at their work place during off time. The next one was advertising his drug habit (no signs that he actually did any drugs bedsides beer). Wow - What an entertaining evening. BTW - The Spätzle were fantastic, although one serving would have been enough for half a soccer team.

    (4)

  • Justin M.

    Cool beer hall but just a little pricey! The beer selection is great yes but Had some shots of Jameson and a couple beers and before you know it, $50 goes down the drain... I wish I could hangout here because I like the outdoor seating in the front.

    (2)

  • Francis O.

    You're not in a hurry, are you? Good. Then you might enjoy the experience of eating here. We arrived at 5:55 for a 6:00 reservation. It took a good twenty minutes for the waiter to come to our table. We ordered beers. They arrived fifteen minutes later. Okay, forty minutes to get beers. We immediately ordered a second round. In fairness, they were consistent. It was around another forty minutes, but I did have to get up, go to the bar, and make a nuisance of myself to get another round. It wasn't that staff was lazy. The waiters were running their asses off, and the bartenders were consistently busy, although they weren't hustling nearly as fast as the waiters. This location is just VERY popular with tourists. It's loud, and again, full of tourist trying to impress each other with how loud they can be. "WOOOO!" "HAZZUH!" What the hell does Huzzah even mean, anyway. Food arrived an hour and thirty minutes after we did, which gave us a half hour to finish the meal before the 8pm curtain at a local theater. It was a shame. The food was good. It deserved better than to be eaten in a hurry. I got the wurst. My wife and one friend got burgers, our other friend got spaetzl. It was all very good. So service was painfully slow, and the place was way too loud to enjoy conversation with friends. Why three stars? The staff though overwhelmed were very nice, and the food was really good. This place could easily be four stars on the way to five. Have you heard the Yogi Berra quote, "Nobody goes there anymore. It's always too crowded" This is the place. If you have four hours for dinner and communicating via charades, this is the place for you. Actually, I'd like to come back here on a cold rainy Tuesday afternoon. I bet you it would be a five star experience.

    (3)

  • Sara h.

    No German beers on tap, all in bottle. I ordered pierogis and the inside was ice cold, cheese unmelted, tasted like potato salad inside fried dough. Skip it.

    (1)

  • Ben M.

    Great location close to Subway. Dark and eerie atmosphere with some TVs scattered around. Long straight bar set up. Not much customer interaction.

    (3)

  • Kimberly K.

    Stopped in completely by chance while walking around Philly with friends (it happened to be happy hour also!) Not being a beer drinker myself poor Steve our waiter had his work cut out for him. He was awesome!! His first suggestion was that I mix two beers together, a lighter beer with a raspberry fruit beer. Unfortunately the bar was out of the raspberry but he found me a strawberry beer and it was FANTASTIC! Then he hooked up my husband and friend with 1 liter boots and even suggested beer based on their preferences. My husband was even able to find his favorite beer from when he lived in Germany, this is the only bar in the tri state area that carries it! We didn't eat much, just the pretzel app with beer cheese but that was really good too. Overall this was a great choice for an afternoon drink and we can't wait until our next trip the Philly so we can stop back in.

    (5)

  • E B.

    We called to make a reservation for my bachelorette party for 13 and they took the reservation over the phone. When we arrived, we were told they never logged it in the system and we should have used Opentable. Well we would have used it if that's what they told us on the phone! They said the wait was an hour and we tried to order a drink at the bar. The bartender snapped at us and we left. I've never been at a place so rude.

    (1)

  • Matthew H.

    Eulogy's German half-sister, and just as good. Many taps, hundreds of bottles. We had mussels in a creamy mustard sauce. On a recent Sat. Nite, it was empty at 6, but was filling up when we left. Nonetheless, it was possible to carry on a normal conversation. No loud music or loud TVs. A/C would have been nice, as it was sweltering.

    (5)

  • Sneha K.

    This place had a fun ambiance and a great selection of beer! It is conveniently located near the Septa station. FOOD We ordered the Pretzel Bites, Sweet Heat Wings and Potato Pancakes. The food took a while to arrive and wasn't impressive. I'm pretty sure they served us BBQ Wings instead of Sweet Heat Wings. DRINKS They have a great selection of beer on tap and bottled beer. Unfortunately, they were out of a lot of the bottled beers I wanted. However, I tried the Weihenstephaner Vitus, which was delicious. SERVICE The service wasn't great. The waitress took orders for three out of four of us and disappeared on us for a while. She also kept running to check whether they had a particular drink and would take a while to return each time. TL;DR: Overall, a fun bar with delicious beer that I would recommend only if you have time on your hands because the service is rather slow.

    (3)

  • Chris C.

    Great beer selection for the recreational beer connoisseur, nice outdoor seating. Stopped in for beers and pretzel bites, which everyone loved. Dirty bathroom, and there's only one for everyone to share if that is an issue for you. Staff was friendly and attentive.

    (4)

  • Chris J.

    Probably not fair to judge a bar just on the beer and pretzel bites, but that's exactly what I'm going to do. An extensive beer list both on draft and in bottle form. This Eulogy step-brother is in a much easier location to get to and offers a lot more seating, something Eulogy definitely lacks! More German beerhall than Belgian moules et frites, Bierstube doesn't disappoint. Cold brews, awesome pretzel bites with house mustard or beer-cheese dip. I can't wait to come back and get plenty of other food options here, including sausages and kraut! Pro tip: there's only one bathroom for the whole place, so if you're drinking all day, best to get in line early if they're crowded!

    (4)

  • Olivia R.

    This place had a really fun atmosphere and good beer, but the service was very slow and the food was nothing special. There German beer posters all over which made it feel very authentic and their beer selection both on tap and in bottles was very extensive. They were out of several bottles though and having to keep asking for different kinds was a bit tiresome, especially because our waitress took forever to come back just to tell us that she was out of something. The pretzel bites were decent but honestly the ones at Auntie Anne's are better.

    (3)

  • Aidan J.

    I had a great time. Awesome beer selection and exemplary service. Their tall host is so funny and nice haha

    (5)

  • Andy J.

    Excellent draft and bottle beer selection. The soft pretzels are a must to go along with the beer. Service was friendly, although the attentiveness fell off as it got busier.

    (4)

  • Rubio R.

    We came in here to meet my sister for a couple of drinks after we ate.The place looked really cool & had a 3 page plus menu selection of beers with the alcohol content,where it was from ,the sizes they sold it in and of course the price.Unfortunately we had just eaten so we didn't eat here but my sister did & it looked so delicious.( I wish we would have eaten here.)She had the"Bratwursts" plate which was a mix of three German style sausages with applewood smoked bacon sauerkraut & house mustard for glanced at the menu & was tempted to get the Grilled Cheese because the description sounded so good.It was Muenster,Gruyere & Boursin on Sourdough for $8.99 & you could add Bacon,fried knackwurst,mushrooms,or tomato jam for $1.49, just reading that made my mouth water.We just came in for a drink so I got Jack's Hard Cider, it was 5.5% alc.by volume, from Penn.& very tasty.It was a really nice place with good German food(according to my sister & brother in law),good music,cool atmosphere, and good beer.Hopefully we will be coming to Philly again next year & this is definitely one of the places that I want to eat at while enjoying another Jack's Hard Cider.

    (5)

  • Laurie B.

    The beer selection is extremely good here and they pay attention to the correct temperature for serving beer. That being said, the server during a Sunday afternoon was less than enthusiastic and put a damper on the visit. I dig the whole dive bar atmosphere, but when the day isn't busy and it takes 20 minutes to get your order in, then I'm done. Three stars for the beer selection.

    (3)

  • Sara M.

    Vinnie is the BEST bartender in Philly. He can work a full bar like no other. The beer selection is phenomenal, atmosphere chill and relaxed.

    (5)

  • Peg K.

    I must say that we were very pleasantly surprised about the quality of the food. My husband had the veal schnitzel, and he was very happy with it. I had the knockwurst sandwich, and it was excellent. It was served with sauerkraut and mustard on top of the braut plus very nicely done french fries as the side. The schnitzel came with a red cabbage and potato salad. Both entrees were very reasonably priced. The down sides were (1) it was dark (2) it was loud and (3) the service was very slow. I would have been OK if it was the food service that was slow, but it took an excessive amount of time to get our beer order. Check your bill. We were there at Happy Hour, yet we were not charged Happy Hour prices for our beers. It took several iterations of our check before they got it right.

    (4)

  • Sarang Y.

    Great selection of beers on tap. Definitely got great recs from the bartenders. Enjoyed the low key environment. Definitely encourages one to drink one too many. Definitely. *I wrote this blurb while I was having too much fun, I felt like it captured the moment I was in so I didn't edit it*

    (4)

  • Bob H.

    Pretty mediocre. Expected more from the spaetzle with cheese but got a mushy thing with monstrous levels of garlic. That's authentic German. Beer list was good, wine was a bit pricey for what you got. If you're visiting I would pick someplace else.

    (2)

  • Michelle S.

    Very much a No Frills old man bar. They have some picnic benches to sit down on in front and lots of seating. It's very dark and it seems like it could use a good scrub. The service was very good and they have a good German beer selection- recommended Spaten Optimator. I just wish my glass wasn't sticky :(

    (2)

  • Gretchen E.

    Bierstube has a food and drink menu similar to Eulogy and Monk's, with the advantage of more space for big groups. We held down a long corner table of 10 people, easily. So if you are craving an extensive beer list and booze broth mussels, but don't want to wait in line at a more popular place, Bierstube is the place for you. My palate was won over by their delicious sour beer. It starts with an 'L'. Obviously, I can't remember the name. It was the most sour beer I've ever tasted, over every sour I've tried at Monks. So that's impressive. Pleasantly not crowded and a friendly vibe. Plus, a check-in gets you a decent $3ish beer.

    (4)

  • Natalie B.

    The beer list is absolutely impressive. You can find the sorts of beer I've never seen anywhere else in the U.S. Now Belgian KWAK is among of my favorites! The atmosphere is very casual. We had a table outside and enjoyed the evening in the Old Good Philly.

    (5)

  • Kevin B.

    Ahh, what an awesome place! I came in here around Christmas with two great friends and I knew I would love this place when the first thing I saw was a cardboard cutout of David Hasselhoff with beer taps for nipples! The German beer selection is fantastic and very comprehensive (including great brews on tap) and the food was very, very good (bar food, but tasty bar food!). They even had a deal on the Yelp app for $10 for $20, which was a pretty great deal. The place is owned by the same people who own Eulogy and it feels like a German extension of that place, which is definitely a good thing. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who's in the area and enjoys good German beer!

    (5)

  • Ryan G.

    The best beer selection in the city, period. I also really love the vibe of the staff here too. I noticed some complaints about long waits for service, and I don't think that's a very fair statement. Bierstube is the kind of place you go with friends when you want to just chill and enjoy good beers and food over an afternoon or evening. Every time I've been here the staff has always been very engaging with customers. Has it taken longer than usual to get drinks and food delivered? Sure, absolutely it has. Simply put, If you're looking for a quick 1 hour dinner and beer go somewhere else. If you're looking to enjoy the company of friends over extremely hard to find beers, and very unique german fare, come here. Who cares if it takes an extra 30 minutes than usual. If you're complaining about spending a little bit longer around your friends when surrounded by rare beer, get new interesting friends, don't take it out on the restaurant and staff.

    (5)

  • Vanessa M.

    This was our least favorite stop on our pub crawl. They had a really great and large selection of beer but was little on the pricy side for us after a full day of cheap, but solid drinking. The menu looked authentic and full of great selections. If we come back it would be for some dinner, not to get sloshed.

    (3)

  • Queenie D.

    a really good selection of different beers. the prices are reasonable as well. we didn't have time to try the food though. one tiny bathroom, however. yikes!

    (4)

  • Fred T.

    Went on a not so busy night and had to wait 50 minutes for a pub burger and fries. Something inside told me that this was a plan to get me to buy a second beer. Anyway, food was good when it finally arrived. Just be prepared to sit and sip your beer for a while.

    (3)

  • Kristina C.

    I had high hopes, I mean what could ever be wrong about a German Beer Garden....wellll...... Upon walking in we were greeted by a large life size stand up of David Hasselhoff with beer taps for nipples...and that just screamed classy (note sarcasm here). Now I get it, he's a big star....but I'm not sure that having his nipple taps greet me first thing is really setting my first impression on the right track. Once we got past David, we sat down at a half booth/table. Nice and roomy and the bar tender came over and greeted us pretty quickly. Yelp has a check in offer for a boot glass beer for $3.50 which is totally awesome....except they were out of boot glasses. Not critical, but really how often do you get the chance to drink out of a boot glass, not that often so it was a bit of a bummer. We were just in for a quick drink and bite so we ordered a few German beers on tap and I got the gluten free Jack's cider on tap and we ordered the fries. When my cider arrived it was warm....gag! whew....that was a little shock, so I swapped it out for a Strongbow bottled cider which also wasn't that cold, but at least cold enough to drink. The fries came out delicious I have to say! They are the thick cut and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The sauce they came with was also delicious. +1 star for the fries. A couple things we kinda missed was that the music playing didn't match the decor and experience at all! I would like at least some German flair thrown in there to help bring all my senses to the same place...Manic Monday playing kinda messed with head I can't lie. We also missed the usual peanuts that you get in German places....I love sitting there, eating peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor - again how often do you get to throw shells on the floor? It would have been nice and would have gone along very nicely with the boot glasses. Can't say that I would go back, there are way too many awesome places within a block of here .

    (2)

  • Lindsay W.

    Delicious food. The brautwursts were fantastic. They are grilled, not boiled so they have a crispy skin. The flavor is wonderful and the large side of mustard is a great compliment. There is bacon in the sauerkraut and even though I love kraut as is, it did not take away from an enjoyable side dish. My friend was taken back by the red cabbage side. How do they make it?! My other two friends had more American food (wings and a burger). Both were pleased. They joined so two of us could eat some damn good German food. Our server was perplexingly slow. We thought he was the only one working, but that was not the case. Nothing that would stop me from going next time. All tables have access to an unsightly outlet and USB charging ports right behind the bench seating. But with the food tasting that good and the variety of fabulous beers, no one seems to care what it looks like. And what a bonus to the bartender who won't be bothered by the 'running low on battery' crew. Or forgetting your phone that's charging at the bar. Modern conveniences...

    (5)

  • Maria W.

    The beer list here is amazing! I've been here twice in the past month and have tried the mussels and the German burger. Both are delicious. I'm not even a fan of sauerkraut, but really enjoyed it in the burger. My husband and I will definitely be coming back time and time again!

    (5)

  • T Y.

    Don't judge by its grungy looks, great beer selection, and food was surprisingly very good. Clearly the kitchen does not play second fiddle to the bar. Mussels, Spaetzle, schnitzel dinners all highly recommended

    (4)

  • Mark Z.

    A buddy and I decided to give this place a shot. The place is big with a lot of seating, as well as outsidr seating. The bartender at the bar was helpful explaining certain beers if you had questions. The beer list is massive and you should be able to find something you'll like. I ordered the bacon and cheese spatzle and it wasn't bad, very gooey. The food did take awhile, about over a half hour, to come out. It is still a cool place to get a drink from a huge list of beers!

    (3)

  • Stan H.

    Nice place to grab a beer or two and enjoy nicely prepared German food.

    (4)

  • Anne K.

    Love the laid-back atmosphere. The food is decently priced for how much they give you. We had the pork loin schnitzel (it comes with a side of the buttered cabbage and potato salad), the German burger, and a side order of spaetzle. Everything is super hearty - the schnitzel dish was generously portioned and I couldn't eat even a full schnitzel. I had never tried spaetzle before so I was really excited to try this beloved comfort food - it was delicious but I probably couldn't eat too much of it in one sitting. It's so buttery! I was a big fan of the cabbage - the consistency reminded me of caramelized onions. They ran out of boot glasses but they did honor the Yelp deal for the beer.

    (4)

  • Aaron C.

    I was such a huge fan of this place, unfortunately my experience tonight was a complete joke! I have been to Bierstube a couple times before and I LOVE getting a boot to drink my beer out of. I brought my father and sister here to celebrate my dads birthday. First our waitress didn't even introduce herself to us. We asked to sample a beer before we committed to a boot of it and she said "it will take a while but I'll be back with it." Whatever, we kindly didn't like the beer we sampled and picked one we liked and she asked if we still wanted it as a boot and I said yes please! First she hands my sister her Hoegarden and says "here is your hoe hehehehe" laughing at her own joke. Then she comes back with a pitcher and 2 glasses and I kindly say that I asked if I could have it in a boot, she picks up the menu and says "let me explain our menu to you" and proceeds to talk down to me as if I am an idiot and tells me what I can and cannot get in a boot or pitcher. Needless to say I kindly said yep thanks and went to the bar after we finished our pitcher and they gladly gave me a boot of the beer I asked for with no issues. While I was at the bar she came back to the table and was angry and asked my father and sister why I was over there getting a beer when we had sit down service. So I am happy with my boot at the table, and she comes by asking me if we wanted to put in a food order. I said oh I am sorry we gave you our food order when you initially took our drink order. She said she put in a lot of orders at the time and forgot we put in our food order. Whatever. She brought us our food, and it didn't look like the burgers we ordered but they are all effing delicious to we started putting our ketchup on our fries and our burger, she came back and said oh I gave you guys the wrong food, let me take these back. It couldn't start to become any more of a joke. She then came back with our right order and proceeded to not check up on us or follow up with how our food was. Her service was absolutely horrible and a joke. I can't do anything but laugh about it now horrendous she was now that I am typing about it. I don't know if she was knew, being overextended, or just straight up dumb. The only saving grace is that the food here is still delicious and the beer was good. I will still come back, just making sure she wont be waiting on me hahaha. I hate to play this card, but I work in the food service industry as well and I know if I offered any sort of service that she offered us tonight, I would be fired on the spot All I care about is that I got my boot, even if I had to go over my waitress head. Acting all as if you cant pour a beer into a boot shaped glass instead of a pitcher hahaha. See ya next time Bierstube (hopefully with a much better service).

    (3)

  • Eliana G.

    Drinks are good, unfortunately food is not. But it's a bar...and greasy food might be ok after 3+ drinks. Nice atmosphere and the ATM did not work

    (2)

  • Nazee Z.

    This place is so much fun! The location is fantastic (it's on 2nd and market) so it has very easy access and it's easy to hop between bars. I'm a huge fan of the specials here ($3.49 Franziskaner in a boot? Yessss please!), and the food is amazing! My friends and I split the ribs appetizers which were ridiculously good, and also the cheese plate. The tomatoe jam seems off-putting and weird--I'm not a huge fan of tomatoes, but I absolutely loved it! It was super sweet and a great compliment to the cheeses. Go, go, go!!

    (5)

  • Christian B.

    Great spot for authentic German cuisine and a vast selection of Beers, Bierstube is definitely a spot I would recommend for a beer lover, a great night out with the fellas, or a nice spot as I used it for a Father's Day dinner! Atmosphere - Dark wood surfaces and German styled art deco pictures and painting adorn the walls of Bierstube. From the enormous beer list, a plethora of beer serving and tasting glasses can be found behind the bar for the beer lover you're going with. A few small TV's adorn the bar to show local sporting events or in our case, the World Cup, which had a few happy visitors there watching the game. Waitstaff - Our waiter was very good at recommending some great things to try (more on that soon), but the best idea he gave us was upgrading to the liter glasses of beer. Holy moly was I glad I was staying downtown for a while after dining here, definitely worth the price, but you will get a lot of beer so be prepared! Was very good about staggering appetizers vs. meals and catering to my dad's needs during our dining experience. Food - Right on point for what you would think for a German beer garden. We started carb loading with some German pretzels with a spicy brown mustard and cheese dip which was really good. Fresh, warm pretzels helped us enjoy our beers even better. We also got some french fries with a traditional beer deep sauce which were good, but I would have preferred another order of the pretzels. For dinner, my dad got the mushroom spaetzel, which was he said was really good, especially using the truffle oil in the fix made it really light and delicious. I went with a BBQ Pulled Pork flatbread. Much heartier then traditional flatbreads, came with thick chunks of pulled pork and a very savory BBQ sauce. Well worth the prices which were dramatically cheaper then I thought they would be for the quality you have down here. Intangibles - Right off of 2nd & Market, there's a lot of competition for your dining dollars down here. I didn't see any kind of dress code down here so be warned that some folks off the street coming in may not meet a 'dining' standard. Had to leave my seat at the bar before the meal as one gentleman spent a bit too much time out in the sun and smelled of it. Overall - Bierstube is a can't miss spot for dining if you enjoy German food. They menu is not as a big as the beer list, but if you're in the mood for an affordable great place to try, this would be one spot I would recommend highly in Olde City.

    (4)

  • Abdul M.

    I was there with my wife and my kids. We had great pasta for the kids, and 2 "not bad" testy chicken burgers for me and for my wife. My wife asked the waitress clearly that she don't want pork in her burger, and after we got the food we found that they add pork in it. We ask them nicely if they can remove it, and they did, but without an apology! I worked in many places, I believe mistakes are part of human nature, but the thing I found it non-professional in this place was making an error and not apologizing.

    (2)

  • Sean M.

    Overall good experience. Decent drink prices, and a great German food menu. Had the perogies which were excellent. Good, fast, and friendly service. Will definitely come back to try some different menu items.

    (3)

  • Steven V.

    Bierstube is a great bar in Philly. My wife and I tried it out on our anniversary and had a great time. The bar has a wonderful selection of different craft and import beers, including a few beers that I had been aching to try for a long time. The service was spectacular. I don't know how frequently Vinnie works the bar, but he was one of the friendliest bartenders I've ever met. He was extremely knowledgable about all of the beers they serve, and made a surprisingly good Ginger Old Fashioned. The other servers were all very kind as well. The atmosphere was relaxed and laid back. The food was great. Of particular note was the beer-cheese dip for the soft pretzels. If there's anything that might seem confusing about the place, it's that they have a great selection of Belgian beers. It seems odd for a German restaurant, but it works.

    (5)

  • Heidi M.

    Good service. Ordered two drinks and they were brought out almost immediately. Also ordered french fries which only took about 5 minutes, and they were delicious and thick cut. Absolutely amazing.

    (5)

  • Renea R.

    My good friend invited a group of 10 of us to Bierstube to celebrate her and her partner's engagement. My partner and I arrived first so we sat outside to enjoy the beautiful weather and keep an eye our for our friends. As people arrived we decided to just stay seated outside since it was such a nice night. The staff was accommodating and moved a couple outdoor tables together to fit us all and removed a clunky umbrella that was just in the way. The food menu isn't very extensive nor terribly vegetarian friendly so my partner and I split the appetizer-sized pierogies which were very tasty but very small. You only got 4 smaller-than-average pierogies for around $7. We were still hungry so we ordered an over-priced side of cheese fries. I tried a bite of my friend's grilled cheese with a tomato relish of some sort and it was very tasty. The beer menu is extensive and not terribly expensive and I was very happy that they had numerous types of cider. The service was okay for a large group, but he did repeatedly forget my hot sauce which lost him major points in my book. The location of the bar is convenient and it was nice to be able to sit outside even with a large group. I enjoyed my experience but I probably wouldn't be dying to head back. Just nothing terribly extraordinary about this place unfortunately. But not a bad place by any means either.

    (3)

  • Paul A.

    Seems like plenty of good reviews here for Bierstube so I will just add another to the mix. My girlfriend and I ate here on Saturday night. Our first time there and it was one of those "wow this place is great" moments. Bars in Philly are so hit or miss these days. Our server deserves extra praise as he recommended a great dark beer for me and steered my girlfriend away from a beer I knew she wouldn't like. I got the German burger which was on point. GF got the chicken schnitzel which came with awesome sauteed red cabbage. And it is was not crowded on a Saturday night which is nice for a bar right on Market in Old City.

    (5)

  • Gary M.

    Visited the place twice on two separate visits to Philly. Both times were great. Great beer selection and the food was good as well. The people working there are super cool and laid back. ( even with foggy head hangovers )

    (5)

  • Brennah M.

    We stopped in yesterday for a quick bite and some beers. There was no one to greet us so we weren't sure if it was self seating or not. A server walked by us going outside and told us to sit anywhere. There were quite a few dirty tables so our options were limited. We sat down and a few minutes later the same server dropped menus in a pile on the table for us and sad he'd be back shortly. It appeared he was the only server on and he looked flustered or confused of what was going on and there were only a handful of tables. He came back to take our beer order with dirty dishes in his hand. We got our beers about 10 minutes later. They tasted warm and flat, but after sitting for over 15 minutes and just getting our beers we kept them. Food wise it was pretty good, pricy, but good. We had wings, pretzel bites, mussels and frites. The ambiance was dark and dingy looking. The restaurant needs a good cleaning and a fresh coat of paint. The restroom was disgusting, it's a single toilet for the entire restaurant to use. There was toilet paper and paper towels thrown about, area around the toilet was wet, and it stunk like it hasn't been scrubbed in weeks. Won't be back-There are too many other places in Old City to go to that are not a dive.

    (1)

  • Sarah L.

    Bierstube needs to figure out how to market themselves better. They recently did a total interior overhaul and moved everything around (the bar went closer to the wall, the downstairs area was closed off) but it didn't change anything. Somehow going in here feels like a buzzkill. We come sometimes on the weekends late night for a drink and they always have a bouncer which seems so weird when there are only like 5 people inside. The bartenders and servers are usually pretty distracted with their own lives and don't act all that professional. It is really cool that they have so many German specialty drinks. They have tons of schnapps and other imported liqueurs which are really fun to try. And they usually have a solid list of draft beers and tons of bottles available. They should be packed to the gills with people enjoying German beers and food! I don't understand why they can't make that happen. The menu is pretty solid but I haven't tried much of it. I had a salad with grilled chicken one night and it was decent but pretty plain. And I remember thinking the chicken cost a lot to add to the salad though. Because they are always so empty when I go in, I often feel like they aren't turning a lot of food and I don't usually want to eat there. But maybe that is because I usually go later in the evening and the place is dead.

    (3)

  • Tony M.

    Come here for he appetizers. They have pretzel bites (keep the cheese sauce, I like the mustard). Pirogues and wings are good, but the best is their beer selection. I like the Dirty Ho, Hoegaarden and Framboise. That is a great drink.

    (4)

  • Shea P.

    The only thing exceeds the exceptional beer selection is the quality of the staff. They made sure my group had an awesome time. My ONLY complaint is that there is just one bathroom. We had dinner reservations at another location so I didn't have a chance to try the food, but I will be back.

    (5)

  • Paul A.

    Ok so here's my 1st review... and I'm writing reviews so people like me (who enjoy good food, good atmosphere, good times, and a good bargain- on occasion) can find reliable reviews for the hot and not so hot places around Philadelphia. All that said lets start the review... 3 stars and not 4 bc of the service. The food was good, the value was fair, but at several times I felt that I had to get up and check our waiters pulse because he disappeared and did not check back at my table. We waited for another round of beers or some ketchup for my fries (after eating a second fry I decided that it would be reckless of me to add condiment to what was simply one of the best fries I have ever eaten so the ketchup issue was null and void until my current critique of the waiter's service). The wings as appetizer were ordered "mild and crispy." What I got were perfectly cooked, perfectly mild wings! They were meaty, (I've had meatier) they had a mild sauce (I've had spicier), but they were some of the BEST wings I've ever had and friends agreed! Beer selection was phenomenal and there is a beer, make that several beers on their menu for everyone. If you don't know ask or be annoying and ask for samples. My rule on samples- 1. Go to the bar 2. Wait until bartender can give you time 3. Ask for a recommendation after telling him/her beers or styles you like 4. Sample one or two or at most three beers 5. Find your ass a pint and a seat and drink it 6. Tip the bartender big to show your appreciation! A must visit for someone who enjoys beer, great food, nice atmosphere, and a reasonable price! Service was eh- verage. I'll definitely go back!

    (3)

  • Cameron P.

    I have been here 3 times. The first time the bar was dead and we ended up chatting with the bartender who was nice and had a good sense of humor. I did notice the place is pretty dark and a little dingy. We had a couple beers and left (good beer selection). The 2nd visit was pretty on par with the first. The 3rd time is where it gets interesting. Olde city was very crowded on a late Saturday afternoon. Thought we would give them a try. No seats left at the bar but a nice host found us a 2 top quickly. Perfect. Sat there for 1/2 hour before a server came around to take a drink order. We just ordered beers. Another half hour a different server came around to take out order. Huh?? After being informed we had put in a drink order he offered to check in it for us. After another 20 minutes we walked out. As we were leaving our original server yelled after U.S. That she was getting our drinks. Ridiculous. I will not be returning.

    (2)

  • Erin M.

    Food was decent, but service was just okay. I'd go again, if only for the pretzels. Nice beer selection.

    (3)

  • Burgle K.

    I had a so so experience the first time i was here but after returning i must say i was much more impressed. they boast they have a better beer list than brauhaus which just isnt true. with that being said, i find that their prices are more reasonable. liters of paulaner pils, franziskaner hefe, kostritzer schwarzbier and hofbrau original are all like $10-11. These are normally $14+ or so at frankford hall/brauhaus. We had the pretzel bites which came out with two mustards which were both outstanding, one of which made me cry it was so spicy. All in all we had a great time and I'll be back for more $10 liters soon!

    (4)

  • Jemi J.

    3.5 for sure. The best thing in terms of convenience: they are literally a step off the MFL stop at 2nd street. We got here around 9pm, and the place was empty. I immediately smelled a sweet apple aroma in the restaurant .I have no idea what it was or where it came from but I was amazed that the restaurant was immediately pleasing to my clogged olfactory senses. We were promptly attended to by our waiter, and ordered 2 spaetzles with bacon and cheese, and one German burger. It was sort of mind numbing to see the extensive beer list right after the limited food fare. The food we got was not as great as I thought it would be. It was extremely salty, especially the sauerkraut on my friend's burger. The fries she had were delicious with the accompanying dipping sauce. Our spaetzles were huge, and definitely were comfort food/itis inducing. Great bang for the buck. If you check in on yelp, you get an offer for a 3.49 drink!

    (3)

  • Gary S.

    Wow! We came here yesterday and had to come back today just for the pretzels! The mustard with horseradish is my fav

    (4)

  • Casey R.

    I've been here a handful of times and really like their selection. However this past weekend we ordered beers from their bottle list which turned out to not have the correct information printed. Understandably this is not the bartender's fault but when brought to his attention he said he would take it off our bill. It wasn't taken off. Both the style and bottle size were printed incorrectly. We mentioned this to another nearby staff person who decided to argue with us that the beer we received was a very good beer and worth the price. Unfortunately that wasn't the point we were making and his actions were rude.

    (2)

  • Samantha A.

    Potato pancakes were delicious!!! My husband had the bratwurst dish and loved it and I had the mushroom spetzle- highly recommend it!

    (4)

  • Gabby M.

    Sitting outside was the best! Though it is a little loud on Market St, it was great. They have a good beer list on tap and the food was great! The burger was surprisingly flavorful and very moist. The service was okay but nothing to complain too much about. Nice place for a drink or just hang out.

    (4)

  • DanaJoy88 ..

    Amazing beer options and their burgers are great. Every time I go I try to order something different but I can't get past the burger list. The fact that pretzel rolls are standard and their fires are chunky cut just makes everything better.

    (5)

  • Rachel S.

    I will try it again. But for right now, my Sunday "lets grab a quick beer" was compromised by the under staffing of the joint and it took about ten minutes for the bartender/server/runner/busser to even take our order. Not her fault, she had about six tables, and eight people at the bar. They should at least get a runner/ busser in there. I like the decor, location is great, beer selection is outstanding. The one single bathroom was revolting, only because the smell was reminiscent of a fully loaded port-o-john.

    (3)

  • Lili B.

    I was a little disappointed in Bierstube. I generally really like German places for beers and food but I think. To start with, me and my friends were looking to use the yelp check-in deal for a beer in a boots for $3.49. The waitress told us they did not have that beer with no further suggestion that we could get the deal with another type of beer. As far as I know.. it's not my fault is a place run out of a specific type of beer on a Saturday night. I asked the waitress if we could get another type of beer for that and I felt she was reluctant but she ended up going to ask the manager and the manger gave the go-ahead. I expected a lot more sausages selection given it is a German place.. but nope.. not that many. We ordered 4 beers, a cheese platter and ribs. I like the concept of a beer in a boot (it's cute!) and the ribs were pretty good. However, the cheese platter was just not worth $14... seriously, that platter had three type of cheese with like 3 or 4 small slice of each cheese (if I pay 14 dollar I truly expect a little more than that...) and a tomato spread which was very good. We asked for some more of this tomato thing and they charged us a dollar for it.. First I like to be informed up front when I am being charged for something and second.. a dollar while they didn't give us enough to start with.. that got me a little mad but anyway it's just a buck.. there was some more issue when came the check because of some wording issues in the deals which got me upset but I didn't want to argue so I just paid and went away. I will try this place again because I do not like judging based on one not so good experience. But so far, I am not impressed.

    (2)

  • Zimberlyn B.

    Buffalo wings = awesome. My boyfriend and I got fireball shots and Jack & cokes. Great experience. I'd come back for sure. Nice atmosphere, which is also a plus.

    (4)

  • Barry N.

    My wife and I stumbled upon Bierstube on the way to the Arden Theater. We ordered perogies, potato pancakes, schnitzel, spaetzle, and red cabbage. The portions were not only large they were extremely tasty. When we walked into the restaurant U2 was playing although not to loud. All in all this is a good joint where the locals feel comfortable relaxing and grabbing a comfortable drink and meal.

    (4)

  • James H.

    The food was very good, though maybe little salty (maybe because the burger was on the salted pretzel roll). I definitely did not leave hungry as the portions were large and filling. I did try the beer that was a deal on Yelp and it was good. Glad there was a suggestion as there were more pages on the beer menu than the food menu :) This definitely is more a bar than a restaurant, but the food was very good and I would return. Parking was what I expected, and yes, there is one tiny water closet...

    (4)

  • Stephanie S.

    Better beers than Monks or Eulegy!! Well, only cause I'm bias and love German beer. But seriously , this place is totally awesome. Over 250 beers, and large selection on tap. Every different beer i tried came with its own special glass, i love that :) I went during an evening where the bar was really slow (not sure how crowded this place usually gets), but our bartender was badass. He helped explain all the beers on the menu, and I explained to him my favorite german beers, and also beers i didnt like, so he could get my taste in beers. He hit it spot on! Every beer he recommended to fit my taste i LOVED, and I tried so many different kinds of german hefeweizens that I was stumbling out of the bar. I will definately be back. I ordered munchies, pretzles and fries, they were really good. I can't comment on the real food since I didn't eat a dinner, but I will be back to update this review when I go again for dinner!! The beers and the bartender here is the best in Philly, if you're a German beer lover.

    (5)

  • Cathie M.

    Good beer selection, except when they run out. Awesome most amazing potato pancakes in the world, great frits, schnitzel, brats... basically great food. Unfortunately, the service almost always is slow and horrendous.... busy or not. Better service would find me there more often.

    (3)

  • Joseph D.

    More a bar than a German restaurant or a cultured German watering hole. Came for happy hour and the tender wasnt sure what it was or where the boot glasses were- so special hunters beware. Fun enough for a group, but if you want authentic German there's better in the area. My beers were served ok in nice glasses. The outdoor lighting seems nice but I came in cold weather so didnt use it. Summer may be different. The food was fine. Come to drink not to eat?

    (3)

  • Rich B.

    This review is for beer only. Went to check out this place because they had my favorite pumpkin beer on tap: Braaiiins by Spring House(Lancaster Co.) The beer had a strange sourness to it. I'm thinking the taps weren't clean or the keg was sitting too long. Either way the beer tasted nothing like I remembered . Had a pint elsewhere last night of Braaiiins, and it was great! Not planning on returning anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Jennifer R.

    We had a great cheese plate here with tomato jam that was fantastic. Service was ok, not fantastic. Great selection of beers of course!

    (4)

  • Nucky T.

    This place has an unbelievable german beer selection, pretty cool atmosphere and friendly waitstaff. This place loves Hasselhoff and all things German! On the down side, there is one small bathroom and their prices are on the high side.

    (4)

  • Dave H.

    We didn't eat here, so this is a review of beer selection, service and decor only. Selection? Extensive...20 taps, rotating, good German and Belgian choices mixed with local micros. Bottle list stretched over two huge pages...almost every Bavarian and Belgian you can think of. Our bartender, Katie, was very knowledgable, helpful and made us feel at home with friends. The place clearly sees big crowds at times and smelled a bit like a frat house on Sunday morning, though it wasn't unclean or offensive, but this is a beer joint, not a cozy corner. Taps and glasses are not quite as perfectly clean as they ought to be, but, again, nothing unsanitary. A good stop in Old City during German Bierfest!

    (3)

  • Weronika P.

    Outstanding beer selection. Food is phenomenal! Try their pierogies. As a polish chick totally recommend it.

    (5)

  • Gordon M.

    The bar itself was cool. Friday night and not that crowded. I was a party of one and had the choice of seating outside, at the high top or the bar, I was told low tables were for 2 or more. I am basing the food on what I remember from living in southern Bavaria near Augsburg Germany. Everything was bland and over cooked. The schinzal was most inside however the breading was burnt around the edges and hard. Cabbage was mush along with the spatzle.

    (3)

  • John F.

    Beer in a boot is fun, even though the boots have handles so it's hard to get splashed by holding your glass the wrong way. Great selection of beers. Good burgers and great fries from a limited menu. The spaetzle with bacon and cheese is ok, but hard to eat because of the stringy cheese.

    (3)

  • John Q.

    This bar has an intense, extensive beer list. I'm 90% sure if you name a good international beer, they serve it here. The bar area gets crowded though so arrive early if it's a Friday or Saturday. Their decent service and average bar food made my experience a "3". Although I do ask myself: Who is coming here for food though? It's all about the beer at Bierstube. If you are a beer connoisseur, you'll enjoy this place.

    (3)

  • Jay S.

    This is a great bar! It appears to have the entire Eulogy beer menu -- being that it's a sister bar to it -- without the crowd. We were here twice and it's very spacious, staff was very friendly, and the food was great! Bratwurst and pretzel bites were both good. With regard to some of the other reviews, I thought the bathroom was fine. We spent some time here twice on my visit up here, and I didn't notice anything wrong about it. I agree that this isn't five-star dining - it's an alehouse (that's what the name means!), and it has food there. T his is not where I would go just to eat, but if drinking is also on the menu, we're going to come back! (Well, I know we will -- Philly Beer Week 2014!)

    (5)

  • Marc P.

    sat outside on a beautiful evening, great German food and excellent choice of beers, good service, reasonable prices, would return when in Philly

    (4)

  • Bill M.

    Other than Brauhaus Schmitz and maybe 1/2 of Frankford Hall Philly has been really missing out on the whole traditional German beer house concept. So when I was introduced to Bierstube's satisfying kielbasa, kraut, and spicy mustard while they were sampling out their food at Drink Philly during First Friday I was intrigued. Especially when I noticed that all the servers were wearing Eulogy shirts and was able to find out that they're under the same ownership. And when a member of the German Society of Pennsylvania who attended its first annual Bierfest gave it a good recommendation at another gallery, I knew that I was destined to give it a shot by the end of the night. And along with the expected monster glass of Franziskaner, it lead to me trying what might just be the craziest burger that I ever tried. You know that a place is a certifiable beer haven if its operated by the people behind Eulogy. And with it being the German to Eulogy's Belgian; the Franziskaner, Spaten, and Weihenstephan is ever flowing. And along with the 19-20 beers on tap it has at least 100 bottles and cans to imbibe upon. the only real issue I had was that the prices on the menu in the restaurant reflected differently than the actual prices on the website by upwards of $1. The prices are reasonable for what you get despite this, but if a price that you read inside looks a little too good to be true make note, and hopefully they'll change that. When it came to food I had a hard time deciding between going traditional with knackwurst or schnitzel, or giving a burger a shot. But even though it read like an artery clogger of a different color, the German burger sounded like something that had to be experienced. and its medium rare patty topped with munster cheese, sauerkraut, and fried knackwurst delivered a satisfying stupor with each bite. even though it does come with fries I opted to switch them out for a side of spaetzle which led to another satisfying bite of tradition. Overall Bierstube definitely added up to another fine addition to the Old City proper that should likely get better with age.

    (4)

  • Nick L.

    Great beer selection. Plenty of foreign beers to choose from as well as Das Boot's. Haven't had the food but from a beer standpoint this place is great. My girlfriend also had the apple pie in a jar cocktail which was outstanding.

    (4)

  • Alli H.

    I have stopped in at Bierstube 2-3 times for a drink. It's decent. They have patio seating, which is nice if the weather is nice and you want to watch all the characters on Market St. The beer is huge. The large beer glass is as big as your head. A decent place for a beer or two.

    (3)

  • Courtney C.

    This place was ok. The bartender was very knowledgeable, quick and sweet tempered. My beer was fine, but my food was not. I ordered the mushroom spaetzle, after is was highly recommended and it was horrible, absolutely drowning in butter. Spaetzle, the delicious German dumpling is wonderful when done right, but it was not done right here. So much butter was used in our dish that the spaetzle themselves were limp and oily, the mushrooms were also limp and lifeless. I love butter, but this was an absolute overload... Wished we would have tried something else....

    (3)

  • Kevin R.

    Albeit the beer and fries are all right, I always wondered why I've never seen anyone in here...although the bartender behind the bar who finds it a terrible inconvenience to acknowledge you even though you are the only person here...or maybe it's because you have a half dozen better places to eat or drink within a hundred yards. I think that places like this rely heavily on the naïve tourist who wanders in now and then and could care less about repeat business from the locals. This place reminds me of Eulogy a few blocks away...I think that they utilize the same customer service training regiment for their bartenders.

    (2)

  • Christopher S.

    If you like Eulogy you will love this place. It's Eulogy sister pub. Both locations serve a lot of beers but have different selections. Only complaint is a trip hazard they need to fix. When you walk in the door to the right there is a step down that is hard to see and is dangerous. I watched 3 people trip in the 4 hours I was here. Easy fix so I'm not sure why the owner would not address the issue before get sued. Other then that great place and I will be back.

    (4)

  • Jeff H.

    Bierstube is certainly okay! It's on the chill side. it has some good beers, it's not too expensive in a neighborhood that can run pricey. It's a good place to know when you're meeting peeps in Old City. What's the down side? Well since the question was posed - the downside is that it's not exceptional. And I don't get the so-called Chinese fusion with the German cuisine. In the three dishes that we ordered that were to have had an oriental influence, I couldn't taste a thing Asian. Everything tasted German or maybe I should say Western to me. The food wasn't spectacular but it was more than tasty enough and everything was def eaten.

    (3)

  • Zack M.

    Went here with my girlfriend. The beer was great. Nice happy hour. Good if you want to try different kinds of beer. The food was good. I enjoyed their aioli sauce for the fries. The kraut is also outstanding. The staff was attentive. I was a little disappointed with the pierogies. Otherwise a real treat!

    (4)

  • Matt D.

    The beer list is incredible here, but the happy hour and atmosphere have a lot to be desired. The happy hour looks pretty good, and seven days a week is a great draw, but it's not really a great deal (go to the Irish Pol if you want a crazy happy hour). I enjoyed the food here, but I agree with another reviewer that the descriptions are better than the food itself.

    (3)

  • Victoria L.

    Came here a couple months ago to meet up with a couple of friends. Since it was new, I guess they hadn't really picked up a crowd yet. We were the only people in the bar. The beer list is very extensive. (One of those overwhelming ones where I blindly choose.) The bartender recommended a beer that apparently has one of the highest scores in the world. It was good but a little too fruity (banana) for my taste. But the food menu is concise and seems delicious. I got the perogie platter, which comes with sautéed garlicky spinach. It was amazing, but unfortunately the sour cream was melting from the heat of the perogies. It should be served separately.

    (3)

  • Collene D.

    Happy Birthday to me???? Okay, so a couple of months ago, I was searching for unique place to go for my birthday. We've been to some really great restaurants, but instead of going to them again, I really wanted to try something different that was out of my comfort zone. I searched and searched for different restaurants in the area that weren't your typical steak house, Italian food, American cuisine places and found Bierstube. When I read the menu it looked like fun German food- which I had never really had before. I decided I definitely wanted to come here; it would be so much fun! Hahaha. So we walk in, somehow. (I was just kind of confused by the whole set up. In the window there were chairs that were turned upside down on tables and the one door thing was locked and the sign said it wasn't open yet, and oh my gosh it shouldn't be this difficult to give you my money). Once we got in, I realized this wasn't so much of a restaurant as it was a bar. I mean I did look at the menu, and I know they had a huge beer list, but I still figured it would bear some resemblance to a restaurant. I also noticed we were the only ones there. So we sat down and ordered our drinks and some food. The food was awful. And I'm just being honest. Awful. We started off with the pretzels. They were still semi-cold and just ick. We also ordered the pulled pork sliders on steamed buns. Ew. Just ew. German-Chinese fusion? Okay. I ordered the short rib burger with fries, and my fiancee got the bratwurst platter. The burger was disgusting and the fries were piping hot, but tasted okay. I guess you can't really mess frozen fries up. The bratwurst platter was fine, nothing that you couldn't find at a grocery store. Just really forgettable all together. If you're looking to go somewhere just to drink and forget where you are, I 100% reccommend Bierstube. I wish I could forget.

    (1)

  • Michael F.

    Their German bier selection is vast. Augustiner Edelstoff is my measure of a good baseline German bar and they have it and much more. The atmosphere is comfortable with kind staff. The food is bar food -- don't mistake this for a high-end German restaurant. Have some more Bier, now it's better. Philadelphia, you don't know how lucky you are.

    (4)

  • N T.

    My wife and i were trying to find a place for dinner when we stumbled across this place. We initially tried Marmont. But service was long so we decided to bolt and find another place. Boy was that turned out to be a good call as we came across this place 2 doors away. The beer mussel was what drawn us in and that turned out to be an excellent dish. I also tried the german burger which was just ok. Beer was excellent though and we'll be sure to stop by here again.

    (4)

  • Scott S.

    Dropped in here after a flight from San Francisco. Many places closed on Sunday night but this was a real find. Really nice atmosphere. An excellent selection of beers on tap and in bottles. For food I had the bbq chicken sandwich on a pretzel bun. Came with fries and a pickle. All good. My friend had the soup of the day, tomato. The bartender said that it was her favorite soup there and she was right. She was also very friendly and attentive, keeping up a running conversation with everyone at the bar.

    (4)

  • Jamie D.

    Bottom Line: Bierstube is one of my favorite bars in Philadelphia. I have been to this bar several times since May and have never been disappointed. Beer Selection: Everyone agrees that this is solid. AND IT IS! They always have a great selection that has many different taste-options ( nothing personally pisses me off more than a draft list that has too many of the same kinds of beer....especially if it's all stouts or IPAs). If you don't see something new and fancy, they always have trusty ol' Franziskaner to fall back on. I tried a Dirty Deutsch, which is a Bierstube bartender creation, of half-Hefeweizen and half-Framboise. It was absolutely delicious and upon first sip I proclaimed "Oh god, I could happily get drunk on these forever." Can't find something on draft? It's cool, bro! They've got an awesome bottle list too. Food Selection: I ALWAYS start with the Winzig Pretzels, they're delicious pretzel with three awesome sauces...my personal favorite being the Asian soy/gingery one. So far, that's the extent of the Asian fusion that I've seen in any of the food. I've had the grilled cheese and schnitzel sandwiches in the past and found them both awesome and filling. I like that the schnitzel sandwiches come with 2 pieces of schnitzel each and really tasty french fries. I will say that the prices seem a bit steep, but the portions are fair. I've never witnessed any dry-humping by the bartenders, only friendly personalities. One time I was there and my boy and I were the only people in the bar and we had a really great conversation with the bartender. Went last Friday and it was super busy, but all of the bartenders stopped at least once to ask how our food was and checked up on beer refills with perfect timing.

    (5)

  • Jason P.

    Visited her on a Friday night at the end of their happy hour. Off the bat, I got a huge mug of one of their happy hours specials for $6. There was enough beer there for 3 beers. I had two of these and were set for the night. This was probably the best part of my first Bierstube experience. We were sat downstairs as we had a pretty large group. The service was pretty good. Never had to wait long on food or drink orders. Now onto why I knocked off 2 stars. We started with the pretzel bites. Not sure if they were previously frozen, because they certainly tasted like it. Visibly you could see where it was heated up and where the frost marks left the outside of it shriveled up. Wasn't fan of the dipping sauces as well. My girlfriend and I order a pulled pork sandich. Granted I should have tried something German from the german beer "hall", but my girlfriend isn't into Brats or schnitzel so we went with the pulled pork. I'm not sure what it was marinated in, but it wasn't tasty at all. I'm not sure why I finished it. The belgian fries however were delicious, so there is probably some hope for the food there. I'd definitely go back for another happy hour.

    (3)

  • Melissa N.

    I recently visited Philly for my first time and stayed next to Bierstube. This is such a great little bar! Wonderful food and selection of beer! The bar tenders are very friendly and welcoming. It was so good I went twice while I was in Philly

    (5)

  • Dani G.

    At first glance this place looked great. We walked in and were greeted by a blonde young man who was very friendly and seated us in a booth. We ordered two leffe beers and the potato pancakes, mussels and the knackworst sandwich. The food came in less than 20 minutes. We opened our silverware napkins and quickly realized the napkins were greasy and filthy( I guess they don't wash them between reusing them). My first bite of the potato pancake was unremarkable but on the second I realized they were still frozen. This is an item that should made fresh each time not frozen and fried.Our server apologized and took them back. We moved onto the beer mussels. About a third of them were not open and after trying one and almost breaking my tooth on the sand and gravel we decided to cut our losses and move onto the knackworst sandwich. This was served on a pretzel bun with kraut and was thoroughly delicious. Unfortunately that was the only delicious thing about this place. Our server brought out the refried potato pancakes after we were finished our beers and ready to go. We asked for the check and he hadn't bothered to comp anything. Biggest waste of money we've spent in a while.

    (1)

  • Phillip B.

    Unlike most of the reviewers, I wasn't disappointed with the food. Though I would have preferred homemade soft pretzels rather than the frozen kind, the dips in the app were delicious. I had the knackwurst and it was good. The beer selection was ample, but being lunch time, I didn't get to sample much of it.

    (3)

  • Foodimus M.

    I sat here with my partner for several hours one weekend evening and had an absolute blast. OK, yes, there was alcohol involved. Beer to be exact. Really, really good beer. If one beer is not to your liking, have no fear, the next beer will fix that. Even if you don't know what the next beer is. And how could you? You can't honestly know what everything will be like on such a vast menu as this. I'm not going to say it's written in a foreign language, but...technically I guess it is, since Germans, Dutch, etc. don't name their beers "Wicked Strong Brew" or "Drink This Now"...instead they're called "Die Suuner" and "Leif Happeer." Again, it doesn't matter what you can or can't read, either due to language restrictions or alcohol intoxication...the staff are knowledgeable and will translate everything for you, recommend your next drink, and cater their suggestions to your input and feedback. Your last beer was too dry? OK, customized next glass appears on the table and you love it. But maybe that beer was a little too sweet? OK, next glass is one that's more subtle. I'll be honest, I'm not a beer snob. I'm not knowledgeable about it myself. I don't pretend to be. I'm not even sure I want to be. But one thing I do know is that this place has amazing beer. If you want to sit and drink beer all night, I can think of no better place to do it.

    (5)

  • Y L.

    german and chinese fusion?!?? Food is gross. bartenders are rude and dry f--cking eachother (male/ female) behind the bar, uncomfortable. Food came out fast but it tasted like some real novice cooking. luckily they cant mess up beer. I wont be here ever again, even if they had a $100 for $10 coupon for food. yuck. honestly, I wont be surprised when this place closes down and neither should you.

    (1)

  • Kaitlin L.

    My goodness the beer selection here is solid. I actually became a bit panicky about making a choice, there were so many options! The general feel in here is a bit too dark for my liking, some additional lighting would go a long way in here. Food-wise, I'm not quite sure how I feel yet. I inexplicably had pierogies from here. At a German beerhall. Yeah, I don't know why either. They were tasty, but I don't think it's necessarily fair to judge just on my Polish food choice. So back to the beer. After my initial stressed reaction, the server was able to help me choose a beer and I was very happy with my choice. If you're in search of a difficult to find German beer, this is your place.

    (3)

  • Jennifer E.

    Definitely a bar environment but a great place for beer and burgers! They have fantastic pretzels and amazing Hefeweizen!

    (4)

  • Brittany S.

    Awesome beer selection!

    (5)

  • Steve I.

    Very happy that they are now open for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays. Not very busy on the day I visited, so we received excellent attention. The beer selection reflects the Eulogy ownership. Very heavy in German beers but a nice selection of other areas. The German hamburger was fantastic. Lots of good quality beef Havarti cheese topped off by sauerkraut and knackwurst on a pretzel bun. The fries like those at Eulogy are crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. A definite must visit in Old City.

    (5)

  • Kyle R.

    After visiting Brauhaus Schmitz I honestly could not get enough traditional German food. Bratwurst, Weißwurst, Currywurst, all the wursts! I love it! So, when I heard that there was another traditional German spot opening up in Olde City I had to give it a try. I guess due to the relative "new-ness" of the restaurant we showed up at 7pm on a Friday and there were only two other seated tables. I don't mind not having to wait so this sat well with me. The beer selection was great. A good selection of German imports and interesting domestics. I started out with a Schneider Edel Weisse, which was refreshing as always and later tried a Weihenstephaner White Hoplosion which was also really good. The food was also quite good. There is a good mix of traditional German food and modern takes on the style. My fiance and I shared the bratwurst plate, some Piroggen, and "the German Burger". The Bratwurst was flavorful and the piroggen were crispy and not overly smothered with sour cream. The German burger, while somewhat overwhelming in size, was delicious. In terms of comparison to the other "German joints" in the city I would say this is a great place to go with a significant other and have a sit down meal with good food and beer. The food is better than Frankford Hall, but Bierstube doesn't have the raucous atmosphere or Frat crowd (yet!) that tends to frequent there. I somewhat prefer the food at Brauhaus Schmitz, but this is a great alternative for folks in north Philly that don't want to make the trek to South Street or just want to eat some place "in the neighborhood".

    (4)

  • Christina S.

    Ok.. Well, Ive lived in Old City for about a year now and had never made my way to Bierstube. Craving a charcuterie and cheese platter, a friend from out of town and I made our way to BT on a Saturday afternoon. Upon entry, the restaurant was empty. We ordered the meat and the cheese platter. The meat platter was less than appealing. It included salami and two meats that tasted like liverwurst and ended with the word wurst. If you like your smoked/cured meats (that is what it says on the menu) to come in log form, sliced, and be gelatinous, then this is the meat plate for you. I know, I know.. its a German restaurant.. but geez. No mustard and a few pieces of bread came along with it.. blech. Never again. The cheese plate wasn't half bad. We then ordered the spaetzle and the potato leek soup. The side of spaetzle was swimming in oil and served in a small bowl (on top of a platter that had a big glob of burnt who knows what on it), and the potato leek soup had entirely too much salt in it. Yow. Zero for three. I excused myself to go to the bathroom and it was utterly disgusting. It looked like it hadn't been cleaned in days, complete with the seat up, vomit from the previous night, and no toilet paper. Gosh, if I could wipe this experience from my mind, I would. The server was attentive, and the ambiance wasn't all that bad, but never again.

    (2)

  • ED W.

    I can't give this place a bad review because its really nice inside and they have some awesome German beers on tap at fair prices. I can say that our bartender was pretty annoying, normally id let that slide but my wife says he went to the corner with his fellow beer snob hipsters and was making fun of my beer selection. If i was drinking light beer i would agree with him, but i decided to try a Yuengling bock since i like it and its rarely on tap. Reminds me of a few of the Bearded Beer snob Hipsters from Eulogy, which makes sense since its the same owner. Next time i go i I plan on growing my beard out, wearing a flannel and ordering the most obscure Belgian beer on the menu, or maybe some bacon beer, im sure to get some respect then. Im hoping my wife misheard him, if so i apologize.

    (4)

  • Tom W.

    Great beer selection and great food. We love the smoked salmon appetizer. The frites are great. The charcuterie plate is very nice. The pierogies are superb. The place is extremely loud. Christian was our server. We've had him before at Eulogy as well. He's a great server and very efficient. They should all be so good.

    (4)

  • Nicolas B.

    First time that I've got a pretzel bun with sauerkraut, Patty and sausage and I have to say: it was great ! Price was cheap and service very Nice.

    (4)

  • Robert C.

    Walking through Olde Town Philly we stumbled upon BierStube. With a hankering for good bier and some bratwurst we decided to give it a try. Beer menu fantastic! Hefeweisen outstanding! Perogies, sauerkraut, and bratwurst ( both pork and chicken) incredible. Potato pancakes terrific! Wait staff (Christian) attentive and friendly! Thoroughly enjoyed! Check it out.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth L.

    Really like this spot, great staff and the food has been on point every time I go. My only complaint is the greasiness of everything.

    (3)

  • David P.

    The beer is good, and priced reasonably. The food is ambitious, and ends up being disappointing - more a matter of the descriptions setting you up for something that sounds better than what comes out. Case in point: the wiener schnitzel described sides of truffled potato salad, braised purple cabbage, and sausage gravy. What came out were massive schnitzels - more breading than meat - with tiny shreds of braised cabbage as garnish. The potato salad (about 4 tablespoons) was there, but the potatoes were still crunchy. The gravy was present, but enough to go with 1/8 of the meat. The short rib burger was decent, as was the cheese plate - though the latter quite overpriced for the quantity. Points for including limburger! The good news is, if you're drinking the generously-poured beer, you're not likely to care about the food being so-so. After all, who doesn't like large quantities of great food when drinking? But if you want your food and drink in balance - and for both to be excellent - stick to Eulogy.

    (2)

  • Thea M.

    I can never turn down a Hefeweizen and my husband has a real soft spot for bratwurst, so I was pumped that we were meeting up with some friends at Bierstube after work. Our party got a table for five at around 6pm with no wait, but when I arrived around 6:45 people were already waiting for tables--however, there seemed to be plenty of bar space to relax in and have a beer while you're waiting for a table. I definitely enjoyed the beer selection. I love wheat beers, and there were a variety on tap. I tried a hefeweizen-framboise (a berry flavored cloudy wheat beer). Delicious, although a bit sweet and heavy. I wish I had saved it for my last beer, because the berry undertones would have made for a tasty dessert beer. My next was a classic crisp hefeweizen--clean yet mouthy, and carbonated but not bubbly. We paid between $5-$8 a beer, which given the selection wasn't too terrible. Everything was peachy until our food came out. I had the wiener schnitzel sandwich, and the actual schnitzel tasted like chick-fil-a. Two friends tried the soups--the goulash and the soup of the day. Both soups tasted like canned beef stew. I subbed my side of fries for a German potato salad, which was the one redeeming part of my meal. The potatoes tasted fresh and were seasoned with whole mustard seeds in a vinegar-based marinade. My friend who got the side of french fries commented "good call on the potato salad--these fries look like they came out of a bag in the freezer." Overall, I think that they are on the right track with the beer menu, but need a major overhaul in the food department. Rather than an extensive menu, it woud be nice to see them perfect a handful of classic German favorites. Since it is their first weekend, I'm willing to give them a shot in a month or two. With a prime location in a beer loving city, Bierstube has a lot of potential, but if they don't improve their food they'll never make it.

    (3)

  • Darius D.

    Two stars only because the beer is good. We used to love this place because of who was behind the bar. Andrew was the original manager and bartender who has worked at all three of the related bars including Eulogy and Benellux where we originally met him. He not only is the most knowledgeable of beers, but he can home in on your particular tastes to introduce you to new and interesting ones. Unfortunately, Andrew is only there on Fridays and Saturday nights now for some reason, but when he's there, he will make sure you are well taken care of and that your food is also served the way you like it, such as the pierogi plate with extra butter. (The pierogi is swimming in it with sauteed onions!) Without Andrew both the service and food is marginal at best. Go elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Bill P.

    Great beer selection, seriously great. Pretzels are amazing. But I really like sitting at a table with a friend and having a few beers and passing the time. The new set up with picnic tables is awkward and not really comfortable. Shame, I really like spending time here but if the few tables a full I will go some place else. Guys you had a nice niche but the new Bru has a serious heads up on you.

    (2)

  • W. Kirk L.

    My wife and I visited this place on our trip to Philly. Amazing beer selections. We had the pretzel appetizer(should have ordered two). Wife had the grilled cheese(had me a bite) which was amazing. I had the burger with gruyere and carmelized onions. A feast for my taste buds. Will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Susan L.

    I would rate this as 1.5 stars if I could but I guess I'll round up because 1 star is a bit harsh. However, I will never come back here again even if someone is paying because we probably won't even be greeted by a waitress until an hour passes by. It was a First Friday evening and we were sitting outside. We ordered two drinks and two entrees and it took over an hour for everything to come out. The patrons next to us shared our frustration. They left before us and another couple sat down; that couple ended up leaving because the waitress didn't show for half an hour (we were waiting for our check). The food didn't make up for the lack of service. Sorry, I know you were busy but its a Friday night and you're located in Old City, you should have known better. I overheard a hostess complain about how swamped they were that night but every other night they are begging for customers. That didn't surprise me.

    (2)

  • Katherine F.

    What a disappointment at this place. My boyfriend and I went to Eulogy and although we weren't crazy about the vibe in the place- we were satisfied with the service. When we sat down at BT tonight at the bar- it took about ten to fifteen minutes to order. When we were literally just about to get up to leave the bartender came over and asked what we needed. We decided to stay and order since they had some biers we wanted to try. When we got our frites we asked for an additional sauce since we finished the first one. Our bartender disappears and after ten minutes of waiting we ask the second bartender who then tells us it's extra for the sauce. He comes back and then says that they just ran out. All this after about fifteen minutes. Also did NOT like the vibe here either from either of the bartenders. Sucks because we did want to order more. We won't be going back!! Ever!

    (1)

  • Jane J.

    You can't go wrong with a good selection of beer, great german food and friendly service. Shared the Sausage platter, Cheese platter and Piroggen's with a side of Spaetzle and warm german potato salad. For the amount of cheese on the plate there wasn't enough bread. The Sausage platter and spaetzle combined was a perfect mix. The pieroges were amazing with the creme fraiche. We also had the chocolate hot pot which had dark chocolate, bananas, strawberries and pound cake. I would have preferred milk chocolate since I'm not much of a dark chocolate kind of person but it was still good. Their Draft list consists of about 10 taps. I'm not sure how many of them are consistent but I was happy with the list. Kasteel Rouge, Firestone Walker Double Jack, Good old Hefe Weisse, They ran out of the LoveBeer and Consecration and their bottle list had a page and back consisting of about 80 bottles. Having been open for about 2 weeks the bar was full, Half of the tables were taken and in the future this place is going to be well worth the wait. I'm definitely going to have to come back sometime soon to try out some different selections on the menu before this place becomes well known.

    (5)

  • francis d.

    I can only speak for the beer, they have a pretty vast selection. They also have a boot you can drink out of but its super pricey like forty bucks or something. But it's a lively environment and the people are festive. Check it out for yourself

    (4)

  • Jonny P.

    The food was good, the beer list is huge, and the atmosphere was cool. However, the service must have taken a nose dive since other people reviewed. We walked in to inquire about being seated outside and saw that it wasn't busy. It wasn't busy, but took 20 minutes both times we ordered beers to get them. It'd be one thing if it was food, you know, something that took a while to prepare. But this is just pouring beer into a glass and bringing it to us. Having to ask the manager where our beers were twice was fun. If they get their service together, it'd be a fund place to go. There are so many places to get German food that have decent service that I'll just skip this place.

    (3)

  • Megan Y.

    The dragon burger stuffed with Bleu cheese is amazing, the service is attentive and they serve the same frites as Eulogy (same owner)! The only fault I can find with Bierstube is how much I over-eat whenever I go there. I understand they're going to be adding some things to the menu, and can't wait to try them!

    (5)

  • Janet S.

    My friend and I were craving German food and she suggested this place. Upon arriving we were quickly greeted by someone and sat immediately. Then we just sat there and waited for our server to get our drinks. After sitting there for about 5-10 minutes and the server still didn't show, the hostess seemed to notice and came over to ask if our server had come to our table yet. It seemed like there was a lack of communication between the hostess and our server, so we let it go. After our server finally came by and got our drink orders, we asked for a little bit of time to look over the menu. Then we waited again. We sat there for about another 10-15 minutes and decided to leave and go elsewhere for dinner. Oh, and did I mention it wasn't even busy yet? As we left, the hostess smiled and told us to have a nice night. No one asked why we were leaving and no one apologized for the lack of service. I'm usually pretty laid-back when it comes to service, but they were slacking tonight. If they don't want my money, then I'll spend it elsewhere. I would've gotten better service from an actual german server in Germany than we got here (anyone who has actually gone to Germany would know that the service is terrible since they automatically get tips). Anyways, I don't think I'll ever be going back to Bierstube. Hopefully if you decide to go here, you get a chance to order your drinks and food within 15 minutes of being there.

    (1)

  • Kelly C.

    Beer list is great. A lot of options. Management seems disorganized. I've never had such an awkward waitress before. I had the pulled pork sandwich - it was good but had a bite too it. Overall, I may go back if I'm in the area, but it's not a necessity!

    (3)

  • Gouda F.

    These guys had 3 different octoberfests that were all on special for $3. All excellent. The pretzel nuggets w beer cheese sauce and mustard really took the cake tho - probably the best pretzels ive ever had. Large portions too!

    (5)

  • Frank C.

    One: I don't eat a bars, I drink at them. I might get some food there, after a few beers, but by and large, I drink at bars, I don't go there for Koo-Scene. This is a biergarten and no mistake. Even if you Speche wenig deutsch, but like German beer, then go. They have TWO scwartz biers on tap ( along with lager and weissbiers) and they serve them in Marchsteifel, Mass, pint glasses, and pilsener, so name a few. The bartenders are too ready to help you out with your choice, so if you're a novice, then fear not. The crowd seemed to be be on the younger, hipper side, with punk hair, those stupid fedoras that became popular in new york some time ago, and are infecting the rest of the country slowly (Hey, live and let live, but wearing a hat is NOT a hair style). But they were cool and lively, so it made for a mellow interesting night. They played some misfits on the bar stereo, so I did not have to resort to singing 'Bier her' or 'Trinke Kamarad!' They are flying the German flag inside the bar and in their hearts, which means Freizeit and bruderlichkeit, which I what philadelphia is all about, ja?

    (4)

  • Mateusz K.

    Awsome place, great selection of beer, Belgian beer- try it it's awsome

    (5)

  • Nina A.

    If you want authentic German food just go to Brauhaus Schmitz on south street. They also have a better and more authentic German beer selection on draft. I will hand it to them, the bottle list is very comprehensive. The service here was good although our waitress couldn't pronounce any of the beers or food names on the menu. Also I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich but got grilled cheese. When it came out it looked good so I just ignored the error and it was a pretty tasty (albeit standard) sandwich. The potato salad was so spicy I couldn't eat it... not authentic and I don't think the menu mentioned the spice so it was a big surprise. The mussels seemed a but undercooked but the flavor was great (we got the heffeweissen broth). The french fries with cheese and gravy were also tops and the cranberry mustard on the side was awesome! Again I'm still wondering why I never saw that dish when I was in Germany...oh well I love cheese! The food came out quickly... almost too quickly because not even 10 minutes into our apps the entrees came out. I wish the waitress had coursed the meal because I felt rushed and I don't think the meal was as hot and fresh as it could have been had we been able to finish the apps first. Overall I don't think I'll come back here but I'm glad I tried it. It helped reaffirmed that there is better German food right around the corner.

    (3)

  • Mike C.

    German food for the Disney, er, um, Old City crowd. Beer list is ok (hence the 2 stars), but food leaves MUCH to be desired (tasted like stadium bought knockwurst, and the schnitzel was dry and burnt). If you want decent German food head to Brahaus on South (the last great German food left with Ludwigs...). And for that matter, if you are going for the drinks, save yourself the trouble and hit the other great places owned by the same person: Eulogy and Benelux. Caveats: 1. Just opened, 2. Maybe given my love of Benelux I was expected too much?

    (2)

  • Jeff N.

    Decent place to drink, awful place to eat. Food is cheap and you get what you pay for. If you ever had German food before you'll wonder how they get off calling this a German Restaurant. I live locally but felt I'd wandered into a tourist trap, where they don't expect anyone to visit a second time. There are many better options in the area.

    (2)

  • Scott L.

    essentially 2 places. #1 great beer place. large beer menu, rotating specials, happy hour 7 days a week.....food is across the board an eh. uninspiring at best ok. sad really, this is so close to being a great restaurant.....ambience, the website implies that the staff is young caucasian aryan looking women wearing traditional garb. reality is 2 asian women wearing black t shirts and jeans and a grubby bearded white guy white guy behind the bar....they are not what they purport themsekves to be.........brauhaus schmitz has a great beer list excellent food staff dressed in traditional german garb oompah music. you get the real thing. .....so bottom line have your beer here but get your food somewhere else. there 2 many other excellent food places nearby to accept such poor execution on the food......schnitzel, mashed potatos, ghoulash are terrible, pretzels and potato pancakes are just ok, the knockwurst was pretty good...should be better

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Garage, Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Bierstube German Tavern

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