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Mon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
"Summary: Cool Japanese restaurant serving a little bit of everything. They were tapas before tapas was tapas. Not a sushi place, try…" read more »
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Since there are 700+ reviews before mine, I'll just cut to the chase..
Serious love the curry ketchup with fries - I think the fries here are the best of what I've had, ever.
I usually like fancy wild games but I can happily settle with a regular bratwurst here.
Parking is totally dependent on your parking karma.
Let's be clear- if you don't like meat cooked in intestines aka sausage or wurst, then steer clear. Likewise if you don't like Belgian or German Beers. Me, I like meat and I am almost addicted to mustard. Perfect for Wurstkuche.
My boss kept talking about this place and finally, my brother (my usual accomplice in trying new restaurants in LA) and I decided to try it before a USC football game. We parked right in front, which was deceptive, because then we proceeded to wait in line for 45 minutes (at 4 PM on a Saturday). While they need to work on getting a better workflow everything else about the stripped down loft-like restaurant was great. The communal tables with several types of mustard set out was a nice beerhaus touch.
I ordered a Rattlesnake and Rabbit Wurst, with Sauerkraut and a "Austin" Wurst- smoked pork, with grilled onions and peppers. Both were excellent- but the Austin had a really excellent favor and was my favorite. My brother and I also split an order of the Belgian fries redolent with truffle oil, and presented with a couple of dipping sauces. Oh- and of course a nice Belgian beer for me, German for him.
While it is a little expensive, it really has some excellent wurst.
Visiting Wurstküche recently, I once again became a victim of overly inflated expectations. I had done my research, looked over the menu online and read all the hype about Wurstküche. And when the time came to finally go, I was, frankly, STOKED! Like, totally dude.
Well. Finding parking was a bit of a hassle, but I eventually found a spot 3 blocks away. And not far from that was where the line to get in began! (I exaggerate a bit) It took 30+ minutes to get in the door, and another 15 minutes to actually get to the cashier to place my order. It's okay, I thought to myself, because I was on the verge of having the sausage experience of my life!
My friends and I ordered the rattlesnake/jalapeno, alligator, and rabbit Würste, some beers and a some Belgian fries and headed to the back to grab a place to sit. Well, it was 8pm on a Friday and the place was STANDING ROOM ONLY... W. T. EFF. We snuck through to the outdoor "patio" which had a few spaces where a person could cram in on the bench along the wall. Eventually, a group got up and left and I was lucky enough to pounce upon their newly-vacated spot! The food was soon brought out to us, and I once again got super excited to eat such exotic food!
Well, here goes! Bite into the rattlesnake sausage, and.... it tasted... exactly like any regular old pork sausage! The texture wasn't anything new, and the flavor came almost entirely from the jalapeno. I'm clearly not a sausage connoisseur (heh heh), and what did I expect rattlesnake to taste like anyway? Oh well. The rabbit and the alligator were similar. They tasted far more just like sausage than like their respective animal.
The bright spot goes to the Belgian fries. "Belgian fries" means "double fried" and so extra crispy! Yum! (Of course it can't compare to actual fries in Belgium, but it's way better than the soggy mess they serve at In-N-Out or Wendy's. Not to mention all the interesting and delicious dipping sauces they offer with their fries! Hell, skip the Wurst part of the meal (pun intended - BOOYAH!) and just fill up on fries and sauces!
The only issue I have with Wurstküche is that it's marketing itself as such a chic upscale gourmet bar/grill when it's all just a glorified hot dog stand. This kind of food should be served from a small shack (Tommy's anyone?) or food cart or--gasp--food truck!, not in what looks like an art gallery.
Will I return to Wurstküche? Perhaps, but not anytime soon. The food was delicious, but the wait was excruciating and the atmosphere pervasively pretentious. I think my cheap ass and I will stick with Costco's $1.50 polish sausage and soda.
Apparently Wurstkuche does not have the " worst coochie"(as some of you have affectionately called this place!), cuz many yelper buddies rated 4-5 stars on this sausage galore!!!
4.5 stars for my weenie lunch (as Maggie C. called it!)
i planned my lunch for the day after thanksgiving, hoping it would be less crowded and it was a pretty short wait before more people started pouring in.
i was going to order the Kielbasa but i decided to be more adventurous and went with the Alligator. The other ones i wanted to try just sounded too spicy. the bf had the Rattlesnake and rabbit.
The alligator was a little tough--- the rattlesnake was def more soft and tasty-i had a bite. i tried to not think about the other ingredient in there. :( The bread was really soft and i loved the belgian fries with their skin still on it. The blue cheese walnut and bacon dipping sauce was awesome and the pesto mayo was good as well.
A little overpriced but the whole ambiance and experience makes it worth trying!!!
Been meaning to write this review. Here goes.
4.5 stars. Would rate it higher but for the line and the parking. Tough on both counts. Line to order seemed an eternity. Gave me time to decide what to order next time too. :-)
The place is known for its sausages, but it also has an Interesting beer selection. My choice for sausage was on the "exotics" list. Had a duck and bacon with jalapeno peppers. Gonna try the rattlesnake next. Heard it ..... (Tastes like chicken). The other choices are Classics and gourmet. All sounded great. The fries are decadent. Double dipped fries!!! Great dipping sauces.
If you are parched, there is a bar in back. Each beer has its own "special" glass, so pay attention to the beer sizes if you want a big goblet.
Oh, it also has a phenomenal choice of non alcoholic choices. A place that serves ginger beer?
You better visit...
FINALLY!
So, after all this time, I finally got a chance to try this place out... and it was worth the wait!
I had to attend a birthday here last night and it was still poppin for a Monday! I didn't drink the beers, but loaded up on some sausages (insert dirty joke here). I was able to try the following sausages:
alligator - tough, def not my favorite
duck and bacon - good, full of flavor
buffalo - good, but not as good as the duck
The fries and dipping sauces were good as well, especially the pesto mayo and curry ketchup!
I really wanted to try to rattlesnake, but they were out. I'll definitely try that and the rabbit/veal next time. My friend had the Louisiana hotlinks and said that was delicious...
This place is hidden. If I didn't know - it was straight out of a warehouse. I had the rabbit, veal and pork seasoned with white wine sausage under the 'exotics' section. not bad at all. Very light meat, and that's exactly how it was described in the menu. I also had reissdorf kolsch beer to go along with it. God, I love German beer.
Some KEY FAQs:
Should you expect this place to taste as good as Germany? No.
Does it feel LA? Absolutely.
Is the beer still fantastic? yes.
How's the service? Great
Cleanliness? Ambiance? Tables were kept clean. The vibe was good, very chill and easy-going.
I ate at Wurstkche yesterday for the first time. They have a very limited menu and basically what you get here is a glorified hot dog. But how glorious? You'll spend a couple bucks more than at Pink's but you'll get a savory sausage on a specially baked wiener roll that will deliver 10 times more gustatory satisfaction than Pink's. It's was that good! And the ambiance beats Pink's by a country mile. The place is housed in a very old building whose spacious interior has been rendered into a comfy mix of modern high design and retro industrial.
There are about 20 varieties of sausages in natural casings to choose from. They range from the familiar, such as bratwurst or Italian sausages to the ultra exotic with ingredients like rattlesnake or alligator. There are also 3 vegetarian varieties. You get to choose 2 toppings from either carmelized onions, sauerkraut, sauteed sweet peppers or spicy peppers. There are self serve squeeze bottles with ketchup and 4 varieties of mustard. The only side dish here is their "Belgian" fries which come in a large or small order and are served in a paper cone. With the fries you get a choice of 10 different dipping sauces.
Once you have placed your order at the front counter, you are given a number to place on your table. When ready your food is brought to you. I was in the ordering line about 5 minutes and in another 10 minutes or so my order arrived. This was a Sunday afternoon when it was not crowded and the large dining area was just over half full.
One caution: Don't plan on eating here if you can't or won't eat salty food. The fries came heavily salted and saltiness is a given with sausages.
I had the bockwurst topped with onions and peppers which was excellent along with a small order of fries with the bleu cheese-walnut-bacon dip. That came to about $9 + tax. The fries were very good but that dip was really the star. The only thing I missed was a good pickle spear to accompany the sandwich. I got a glass of tap water from their self-serve tank and noticed it had a faint but pleasant floral taste which I couldn't identify. I asked about it and was told that the water is infused with sliced cucumbers. Rather unusual but a nice touch.
Overall, a very good experience.
..because they have Chimay on tap..and their hot dogs are good too.
I live next to this place and usually go down for a beer or two. Best German/Belgium beer selection around town that's for sure. If you can handle the 6%+ ABV your bound to have a good drink and time.
I also go down and try out a different sausage (5 down so far).
Good times with friends sitting altogether on the bench and shooting the $hit. Service isn't too grand, but understandable when they have to be waiting on drunkards all night.
Bartenders could be more pleasant and look more lively... must be the German/Belgium/tough guy exterior (in flannel shirts) persona. But for the good beer and fun who cares about them.
Just go up to the bar order your beer and go sit down for drink and laugh.
Sausage fest at this place!!! You can get all kind of weenies here; even exotic weenies *wink* Italian, Mexican, even Filipino weenies. Finally I can say I had weenies for lunch.
The sausage was HUGE. I had bratwurst with spicy peppers and sauerkraut. I don't like sausage in general and this is the second sausage place I like besides Jody Maroni. The fries were good too. I would probably go back there again for other exotic sausage (buffalo, duck, rabbit, alligator but not rattlesnake).
Outdoor seating is kinda cool but you might come homeless people asking for $ or food. Just be cool and give them your fries and they will leave you alone.
Ah my first 5 star review!! What can I say about Wurstkuche? I've been pleased with my experiences at the place each time I've been there. The sausages are good, the imported beers are good, the sodas are good, the fries are good...heck even the cucumber flavored water is good! Are there any other restaurants you can find out there that serves rabbit or alligator meat sausages? Methinks not!
It helps that the restaurant is also run by some friendly people. The hip ambiance is also just right for groups of friends looking to enjoy sometime eating and chatting (and drinking). My only (minor) gripe is that the place can be a bit difficult to find for those not familiar with the area and that it can get pretty busy during the night (no surprise!). A true gem of LA.
Over-rated. The brats were good but nothing spectacular. Maybe I just had higher expectations. Good environments for beers, brats, and just chillin. PLS NOTE, though that you will NOT be able to tell the difference between the large fries and the medium. I ordered the large and my friend ordered the medium size fries... although delicious I feel I only got three more fries than she did!!! Compare the containers, they are just about the SAME SIZE! I felt taken by ordering the larger size.
The food was good but not for the price. Sausage teast good but I expected it to be bigger for being a sausage. There size of hot dog.
If you are a fan of top dog and hate pinks, this place can definitely be a replacement for your LA hot dog cravings! Some very unique sausages like rattlesnake and rabbit. The sausages I've had so far were very tasty.
The fries kind of disappointed me. It's just not as WOW as the hot dogs...
If you enjoy PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) they sell it at this joint for $2.00 a pint! That's pretty awesome! Especially after the fact you are paying arond $8.00 for a hot dog! They have a lot of selections on beer and the atmosphere of this place is fantastic!
The seating arrangement is just like a school cafeteria with a dj spinning. The lines can get a bit long but it's nothing compared to pinks.
Check it out!
This place is awesome. A friend recommended it after he found out that I am a fan of a good beer and tasty links. Bartenders are very cool and helpful when you are interested in beer that you may not have drank. Props for that!! Makes me want to drink more!! The food is tasty. Pairs well with all the great beers in the house. Be careful of parking in the street and thinking you may just stay there for a little bit. I tried that and many beers later ended up with a $55 dollar parking ticket! This place is a weekly stop for me.
i guess it's a trend to have cupcakes and hot dogs in every city alive... and here goes one for LA...
4.5
fabulous hot dogs ... quite a variety. you have THEE choice of picking 2 toppings, whether it be caramelized onions/sauerkraut AND sweet/spicy peppers....
hot dogs range from $6 (for a classic like a bratwurst) to a gourmet ($6.50) which is something like a filipino marharlika to something quite exotic which is roughly $8 and i mean ExOTIC! they have buffalo beef, duck, rabbit, ceal, rabbit, alligator and rattlesnake... hahaha. GROSS but NEAT....
dont forget to get a side order of some bomb diggity BELGIAN fries.... and now for you drinkers, you're ON for some belgian/german drafts and more! cheers!
It's a nice place to chill, but it's not all that it's cracked up to be.
Ambience is really nice. Venue is clean and modern. It's dark and moody inside, some nights a DJ's there playing low music in the background. Most of the tables are communal style with a first come basis.
The food leaves much to be desired. You wait in line to place your order and you take your number to your seat. During dinnertime you can wait for half an hour easy. I ordered the Louisiana hot link. It was oh, so spicey. Yum! But it was overcooked. Dry and tough on the outside, juicy in the inside. I would have preferred a little less tough. The truffle oil french fries made me really sad. They were also over cooked.
I give this place 2 stars instead of the intended 1 star for their exotic beer list. Cheers!
I'm proud to have this update of Wurstkuche be my 100th review! A great way to commemorate a wonderful night.
Found out last night that a big party can be had at Wurstkuche, as long as you're willing to endure the stinkeyes of those around you.
Basically, they take a 6pm and an 8pm reservation a night, and the vast majority of your party needs to be there or else they'll give your table away to the other ravenous weiner-eaters waiting for a seat.
I understand this logic: If I had just ordered my duck and bacon sausage and was wandering around for a seat, I would not appreciate a group of five sitting around a table for 30. So if you make a reservation, make sure to tell everyone to get there at least 30 minutes ahead of time.
Also, this was the first time I came here on a Saturday and it was insanely packed, the line to order snaking down the block. Luckily our group was patient and we all ended up getting our food eventually, but it took a while. Very different on weeknights!
That being said, huge props to Travis, the reservations guy - he was amazing and helpful and really helped us have a great time. He even gave the birthday boy in our party a free beer mug, although it got cleared by an unknowing busser and was lost forever.
Tonight I tasted the rattlesnake and rabbit (amazeballs) and ordered the duck and bacon (also delish). I still haven't hit my stride with the dipping sauces, but I liked the bleu cheese walnut.
30 friends, some Delirium, a weiner and some birthday cake - basically the best night i've had in a while. Here's to 100!
I've had some good sausage in my life (oh, grow up!). After eating Top Dog throughout college,… Read more »
I LOVE the Belgian fries with white truffle oil! They were scrumptious with my cold glass of beer. They really improved the fries since my first visit. Now, I can't imagine ordering them without the truffle oil. Positively DELICIOUS!
Also, after a few tries, my favorite is the rattlesnake and rabbit sausage followed by the duck and bacon! Yum!
SAUSAGES
...and plenty of it!
Check out the sausage selection at the counter. You can see all the…
Read more »
After all the crazy hype and amazing reviews I read about this place, I think I expected toooo much. Tastewise, it's good but not AMAAAAZING hence the 4 stars! But they definitely have a very unique and exotic flair.
I came here with about 30 other people and we had a little room reserved in the back with 3 tables. Dark, minimalist, cool ambience.
They have a very wide selection of German and Belgian beer as well as unique non-alcoholic bottled beverages. I had a German beer called the Reissdorf Kolsch. It was light and crisp, just the way I like it.
My friend and I shared 3 sausages and we put caramelized onions and sweet peppers as our choice of 2 toppings on all of them:
1. Mango Jalapeno - unique and yummy!
2. Duck & Bacon with Jalapeno Peppers - the best one!! I loved the flavors! Very exotic and juicy, and a little spicy too. Popular choice for sure.
3. Rattlesnake & Rabbit with Jalapeno Peppers - I was really disappointed by this one. I thought it'd taste really crazyfunkyweird but it tasted like... chicken. Pretty plain... nothing too memorable about it really.
The sausages were about $7-8 each so it's a little pricier than average. Portions are also pretty small (for a guy especially) so it may not be completely worth the money if you're not a big sausage fan but hey, the different sausages are so exotic and unique! Where else are you going to find a sausage like that in LA? Come here for an experience, but not if you want to just get full for cheap.
When I worked in Burbank, my friend Doug gave me a menu from some German place, with some wild ingredients in their sausages.
Ever since then I had been dreaming of trying this place, but I couldn't get Wifey and the kid to go with me.
Well yesterday, I finally had an excuse to visit this German dream of mine.
I met up with Nacho and some pals from school and also made some new friends after a Chimay and a Rattlesnake & Rabbit sausage with Jalapeño Peppers, Plus a side of double dipped Belgian Fries.
I actually thought the Rattlesnake was going to be gamey, but to my surprise it was well balanced with the flavors of the rabbit... thanks to the bunny flavor to enhance the snake. Yummy!
Their selections of beers are amazing.
Belgium beers are truly my favorite.. but you do need to pace yourself with these types of beers.
Their menu is pretty wacky here... But very tasty.
Well worth it... Now to convince The Wifey and my kid!
Or just travel alone! :O
Holy Fricken Sausage Party! These are the biggest weenies I have ever seen!
The Filipino Sausage was my favorite. I also had a spicy bratwurst. I have no idea what all the extras were but the guy working there who picked them did one heck of a job. Basically, you come in here, place an order, sit down somewhere in the back, and they bring you the food. You have a metal number you set on your table.
So the food here was fantastic. I have to say that I was surprised. Surprised at the quality and taste...AND surprised at the price. 35 Bucks for basically three dogs, small fries and two soft drinks.
This place has loads of beer. Definitely a bonus feature that I did not partake in.
When all is said and done, I have to say I am a fan. I have to take a star off because the price is extremely high. This is a great place to bring a friend and share a weenie.
I. Love. This. Place.
This is the perfect place for a big or small group get together if you're in the downtown area. Biggest drawback - it being in downtown (I live in Culver City). Largest plus's - amazing European beers on tap (cheap $6 Belgian white ales that tingle your tongue and marry with their exotic selection of sausages and fries).
You feel like you're stumbling into a secret exclusive clubhouse full of LA yuppie foodies that purely live to celebrate the joy of pairing weird to classic gourmet sausages with delectable beers.
The decor is dim, dark, communal, and unique. Price's aren't too bad, and not knowing too much about Belgian ales, I picked the cheapest one on the menu at $6 and it felt as if fireworks had hit my tongue when it met my taste buds.
With a menu like Mango Jalapeno sausages, Austin Blues - hot and spicy, tri-pepper & hardwood smoked pork, and Rabbit, Veal & Pork Seasoned with White Wine, this place makes you feel like you've discovered the next new frontier.
This must have been what Christopher Columbus felt like when he hit the West Indies. So set sail.
Also, this is technically a 4.5.
This is kind of a special review, as it has some significance for me. This was the very first place I bookmarked here on Yelp. My bookmarks were also getting out of control and at one time, I had over 200 bookmarks. You damn Yelpers have shared so many great places that I couldn't help but bookmark them and hope to try them out.
Wurstkuche is near Little Tokyo in the Art District of Downtown LA. I love this part of LA. It is so cool walking down this area, looking at all the artwork on the buildings. A friend and I came here at 6PM on a Saturday night. There was a line with about 25 people in front of us. You order your food and beer up front and then go to the back room for them to bring you your grub. We waited about 30 minutes before we got to the cashier. So you can say the line moved kind of slow. Since this place serves exotic sausages, I took advantage of this opportunity to order something exotic. I ordered a duck/bacon and a rattlesnake/rabbit sausage. My friend ordered a buffalo/beef/pork sausage. We also got a large order of Belgian fries and a couple of Spaten Optimators. The bill came to $42.74. Each sausage was $7.50, Belgian fries was $5.50 and each Spaten was $5.47.
After paying, we took our beers through the long hallway to the back room. There are communal tables, some high bar tables and a bar in this back room. There is also an outside patio with some tables for those that wish for some fresh polluted LA air. This place was packed and we were lucky to find a couple of seats at the bar.
Our Spaten Optimator was effin' good. 7.2% alcohol will creep up on you fast. Our food was soon in front of us. We started out with the fries. You get a choice of 2 sauces with the large order and we chose BBQ Sweet and Sassy and Chipotle Ketchup. The fries were quite good. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The Chipotle Ketchup had a kick and the BBQ Sweet and Sassy was very tasty.
Now it was sausage time. We chose sweet peppers and spicy peppers on all of our sausages. There was so much peppers that I had to push them to the side in order for me to get a good taste of the sausage. I thought the duck/bacon and rattlesnake/rabbit sausage were very good. Both very juicy. The rattlesnake /rabbit was my favorite though. Could I tell that there were duck, rattlesnake, rabbit in my sausages? No I could not. All I can say is that they were tasty. My friend also very much liked his buffalo/beef/pork sausage.
This was a wonderful meal and the best sausages I have ever eaten. I would love to come back here again.
4.5 Stars
My order: alligator and pork sausage in an artisan roll bread, Belgian fries laced with truffle oil, and Fentiman's Curiosity Cola.
My impression: the gator was tasty but not as succulent was I thought. Perhaps it was lean meat to make it pretty healthy. The truffled fries were magnificent. They have a variety of homemade dipping sauces but I liked the fries by themselves. Liked? Actually it's love. I washed it down with Fentiman's Curiosity Cola, a fermented botanical cola which tasted like a cross between regular cola and ginger ale. It was tasted great but I thought it was a bit too pricey for a soft drink (about $5).
Environment: distressed brick building with a modern twist in woodwork, cafeteria-style seating with some individual high tables, a bar area, and outdoor patio seating. It's hip, with DJ-spun music and great people.
I rate it 4.5.
Good sausages. Good beer. Good music. Good vibes.
No more no less.
Plus parking is NOT a bitch. Gotta love it.
I went the other day and ordered the mango/jalapeno sausage. When I received my plate, I noticed the sausage was burnt to a crisp and they garnished the hell out of it with too many sweet onions!!! I feel that if you have too put too many condiments on the main course, there must be something wrong with it obviously. Also it didnt have that kick that normal Jalapenos give food.... you can definitely taste the sweet mixture of the mango and onion but no spice!!! I say they take lessons from a local hot dog vendor in the hood on how to prepare some quality sausage.
However despite the charbroiled sausage, the french fries on the other hand were bomb!!! They were perfectly crispy and golden..almost like mcdonalds fries.. but far more superior. So lesson learned next time ill get fries and a chimay.
Just tried it for the first time today since I got out early from work and I gotta say... they have… Read more »
Wurstkuche calls themselves the purveyor of exotic grilled sausages...well, they are right! With 21 different kinds for you to eat, there is something here for everyone! From Vegetarian to Bockwurst to Rattlesnake/Rabbit with Jalapeno Peppers, they have whatever you are looking for. Their french fries are great and have just as many dipping sauces as they do sausages!
They have a pretty good selection of beers, mostly Belgian and German Styles.
The atmosphere here is awesome! I was there on a Wednesday night at 11:30 which still had a pretty good amount of people there, but the entire ambiance is a modern European style gastropub! Really cool place to try out and visit!
No better to celebrate 200 reviews than with some tasty sausages and beer! Heard a lot about this place and my friend said I should check it out. So here's the format:
- Line up in the front to order your sausages and beer in the front.
- Go down the long hallway and find yourself in the back bar and seating area with your number
- Hover and pounce on the first available spot on the communal or side tables, space can be scarce at peak times.
- Wait for your food, and devour!
- Repeat the drinks in the back bar
Food/drink roundup:
- Duck, bacon, and jalapeno sausage & buffalo, beef, pork, and chipotle: these were just plainly very tasty sausages. Could I tell there was duck, bacon or buffalo in these? No, but they tasted good and were juicy with a snap. These are a bit bigger than normal hotdog and 1 with fries filled me up, but some with bigger appetites (some guys) might want to get 2. These were off the exotic menu, so not sure how the other sausages are. Comes with 2 toppings of your choice of various peppers and onions.
- Frites: Thicker type of belgian frite and definitely double fried. We got the blue cheese sauce and chipotle aoili. These were a bit rich, ketchup and mustard are provided on the tables.
- Floris apple ale: Very fruity and nice for a non-beer drinker like me. Tasted pretty much like a good apple cider!
Lowdown: Great place to chill and grab some sausages, frites, and beer in a hip downtown with a hipster vibe. Some of the exotics sound wild like rattlesnake, but when they're all ground in sausages, you can't tell, but darn tasty! If you're hitting it up at night, the back room is a cool lounge but crowded. Have someone grab a spot while someone else orders. Nice addition to the area, I'll be back if I'm in the area!
The long and short of it...
LONG:
I've read about this place a year or so ago but never managed to check it out until recently. Don't know, there must have been a reason why, intuition I guess.
I read about it again a couple of months ago in some local magazine that it is supposed to be a good place to take your guy friends on a date. Well, it just so happened that a guy friend's visiting so it'll be cool to take him here.
Located in the Arts District, whatever that mean (it's just in Little Tokyo really), the space sits on a junction, has a great space and interior, I might add - exposed brick walls, concrete floor (just about any new restaurants or shops seems to have this motif going on, talk about new)
I don't know about you, but there is something unnerving seeing a bunch of guys sitting down on a communal table, chugging a pilsner of beer or two, and then taking a bite of something phallic - well, it is -all the while bantering about contact sports and their girlfriends.
But anyway, if not for the twice-fried Belgian fries and, okay, their select, artisanal and imported beers or brews, there is really no reason for you come here. Even then, you can get better fries somewhere.
Their so-called sausages are just plain bland and boring. I mean, did you actually taste the alligator meat? The rabbit ? Or the rattlesnake?
Yeah, my ass.
And for a measly 5 inches, do you actually think I'd be satisfied with your sausage?
Total tab for a sausage and soda meal? A whopping $13 plus tip.
SHORT:
It's the WORSTKUCHE.
I've heard much about this place and finally was able to check this place out after meeting up with an old friend. It's a relatively "hidden" spot just outside the Little Tokyo area. Inside, the place kind of reminded me of Father's Office...but for sausages.
I was told that the lines literally go out the door and fortunately for us, it wasn't too bad for a Sunday. The eclectic selection of sausage choices are abundant, ranging from your usual bratwurst to the daring rattlesnake & rabbit. I was told the rattlesnake/rabbit is their culinary favorite but the thought of eating one just never crossed my mind. Oh well, next time for sure.
I ended up going for the duck & bacon sausage with sweet peppers and caramelized onions. It came out juicy, delicious and full of flavor. I wasn't sure I could make out the duck but the taste of bacon is all there with a jalapeno kick to boot.
We ordered the fries to accompany our meal. The white truffle glaze option truly brings out the taste and texture of the fries so don't forget to add it in your order. You get your choice of 2 condiments to pick out of a baker's dozen of sauces. I liked the curry ketchup, a good tangy sauce that complements the fries well.
While not cheap when you factor in the booze, it's definitely a worthy spot for sausage enthusiasts around. There are plenty of exotic and gourmet meats to pick from and they range from $6-9 depending on your order. Next time, the rattlesnake for sure!
I can't count how many times I've come here with friends now after a night in downtown. The food has been consistently good and they have an excellent gourmet beer selection. It's getting a bit crowded on some nights, but if you just want drinks you can go straight to the back area and order from the bar there.
There's so many dipping sauces to try for the fries, and I highly recommend the blue cheese and bacon sauce and the sundried tomato aioli. I'm not sure if this is a new addition or if it's been there all along, but the last time I went, I saw truffle oil glaze as an option for the fries. My friend ordered it and that truffle aroma made his fries the best fries I've ever had.
The sausages are pretty good, albeit pricey in my opinion. There are a few novel meats to choose from too. I recall the duck and bacon sausage being my favorite of what I've tasted.
Worst-cooch??? I have to say this place is got some of the best-cooch and great sausages around!!
The decor is modeled after the beer halls in Germany, very authentic. Wooden stools and long wooden tables. Ordered the rabbit, snake, alligator sausages - got the whole food chain in my stomach. Rabbit alligator was my favorite. They also got some great beer on tap to wash it all down.
We came on a sat nite and we waited in line for about 40min, just a heads up!
been here twice. the first time wasn't impressed with the food, i got a regular brat. but the beer selection was fantastic. and the bartenders were very nice, attentive and knowledgeable.
the second time i went i check yelp for the most popular sausage and got the rattlesnake and rabbit. i was soooooo good. i loved it. and of course you have to get the fries with truffle oil.
i love love love the beer here, can't say it enough
What's up, Wurstküche? My old roommate told me that it's been voted the best place for a "man date" in L.A., and well ... yes, it was a bit of a sausage factory, in more ways than one.
Upon entry, a huge refrigerator case full of take-home sausages greeted us. Behind the case was a flirty young guy taking beverage orders. I originally was going to get the Duvel Green, but he recommended the Duvel Special, so I ordered that instead. Good reccie! While I lack the appropriate nomenclature to define exactly what was so appealing about the beer, it sure complemented the sausage very well. And speaking of the sausage ... not being a big fan of rabbit, I went with the duck/bacon/jalapeno sausage, which was juicy and flavorful and had a subtly warm spice to it. Topped with caramelized onions and brown mustard ..... YUM. I have say though that the bun could've held together a little better, but that's a minor complaint. Also the fries were fantastic. I don't know what they're cooked in, but they were thick and sturdy and just a bit crispy--a rare, tasty combination.
So I liked Wurstküche. Despite the loud, thumping music that could've been turned down a bit on a Monday night, it felt a little like Father's Office East to me, complete with communal tables and a nice, low-lit clubby vibe. The man-date assessment of this place is right on. Based on my observations last night, the ratio of dudes to women was pretty high, so ladies, head to Wurstküche if you want to scope some available guys and snarf down some tasty sausages while you're at it.
A good friend suggested this place. Totally hidden but well worthwhile. I tried the mango jalapeno grilled sausage topped with peppers and onions. Soooo good! The fries were perfect too, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, also came with yummy complimentary dipping sauces. Other friends also tried the filipino marharlika, austin blues, and rattlesnake/rabbit with jalapeno peppers. Two thumbs up for all!
As far as beers go, I'd have to say my faves of the night were Floris Apple Ale (sweet and light, super delicious!), Koestritzer Schwarzbier (dark and sweet), and Scheider Edel Weisse (light and tea-like).
Overall, awesome place, very chill and good service =)
*** I'm especially easy for LaChouffe ... ***
Wurstküche serves it and McChouffe too
on tap. [insert beer angels singing here]
Yes, these two Belgian brands are near
and very dear to my beer guzzling heart.
Then there are the sausages, lots of them.
I never thought that I would ever say it but
"this sausagefest rocks, I got some meat ...
some tender succulent veal meat in fact". ;)
I ordered Bockwurst w/ kraut and peppers.
It was yummy ... so, so good ... delish even.
Then I had some political convo about the
Afghan War w/ couple seated right of me.
And then I discussed Asian immigration
and unemployment trends w/ the fellas
seated to my left. And all this transpires
in just 1/2 hour while I sat and ate outside.
*** I dig the vibe, the beer and the brats! ***
Came here because a friend of a friend owns it, but this place was way too hipster for me. $7 hot dogs and $5 fries and ambiance that lacks in function. The self-serve stations were out of water cups and forks. The shared seating on the long benches are annoying because if one person has it pushed far back, you sit far back too. Also, the separation between the order room and the dining room is annoying. You have to go through a long corridor with plenty of people turning those sharp corners with mugs full of beer. Accident waiting to happen. Also, the red paint on the oddly shaped metal hot dog holders come off. So be careful not to eat some paint.
Ordered the $6.50 kielbasa with onions and sweet peppers and large fries. The pesto dipping sauce was yummy. And my sausage was good too, but nothing memorable or notable about the food. The apple ice cream sandwich was delicious as well, which is about the same as Cold Stone's apple pie a la mode flavor. They have some different beers on tap. Tried the Duchesse De Bourgogne which was... interesting. It's a red ale that tasted like cider to me.
In general, it's trying way too hard to look good without thinking of practicality. But if you can overlook that it's a cool place to hang out.
EDIT: Aww this was my 300th review and I didn't even realize! Should've saved a good one for my 300th, not tepid Wurstkuche.
This place is cool, but seriously, it's not worth the price for a sausage. I've eaten here three times, and it didn't seem amazingly fresh the last time I got it. I'd get the mango or the alligator. They serve beer and wine. This place is more worth going to for the beer than the sausages, in my opinion. But I'm not much of a beer connoisseur anyway, so I may just be full of b.s. In any case, they do have Pabst, so if you like to get drunk for cheap, you're not completely s.o.l.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Wine Bars
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Westchester / LAX
Category: German
Neighborhood: Mid Wilshire
Category: Bakeries
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