Buschenschank

I am bumping this up to five stars for one reason:

When I was here the other night (aside from the friendly service and great food...tried the smoked bratwurst with kraut, very good!) the music was just too damn good.

I challenge any Yelper out there to name me a place that will play a Smiths song back to back with a polka. It was perfect for the mood I was in....I could be morose with Morrissey, but then my outlook became sunnier with a rousing polka.

Rock on, Buschenshchank.

Almost a 3.
Nice space with open windows to relax with a huge glass (and they have the glass boot!) of beer. The huge soft pretzel is what made me go into this place. It looked great but turned out to be a let down - the outside was way too crispy, the inside not soft enough and it didn't have the flavor a truly good soft NY pretzel has. It was blah and too much salt (which you could just brush off, of course). Served with mustard.. Think I saw someone having it with cheese dip but we weren't given a choice by the bartender when ordering. Cheese would have helped the flavor.

On the downside, something I never complain about - the bartender was super cold/unfriendly and same with the hostess area. Brrr. You're going to be that cold to perfectly nice customers, I won't be back!

Please God turn off the damn dance music.

Decent beer and pizza. Let's work on the German ambience.

I met up with a few friends here after my Lift/Next Level Float appointment. Both the bar and seated dining area was packed. Luckily, a few groups were leaving just as when we came in. I ordered the burger from their brunch menu, which came with sautéed onions and thick strips of bacon. Also a side of salad. The salad was very delicious! It was different with its citric dressing and different shredded vegetables. The burger was also very delicious- tender with a soft bun and thick bacon. a little runny, even after cutting it in half, because of the sautéed onions. My boyfriend ordered the steak and eggs, which he said was good but nothing great.

The issue I had mostly about this place was the crowd. Shortly after we were seated, a giant group of "Idiot Labs" members came in... and the completely took up the entire place. Some were sitting on (yes, on) the room dividers, some were dancing all around the rooms. It was already very loud with the 50+ people who came into Buschenschank, but the restaurant had to also turn up the music 3x. I could barely hear my own thoughts.

So look. If you're going to host a large event like this... warn us? Or close the dining area off to them, or the whole restaurant off to everyone else? Or just have some consideration for your good ol' regular customers. We left early because of the noise level/strange peeps.

Came in on Saturday. Beautfiul day, windows open, etc, etc. Family was in town. We've been here once before and recommended it! Had a wonderful experience until the bill came. (I'll get to that later.)

My brother-in-law and I each had the Landbier. Very delicious. (The server was also friendly about letting me sample a couple other beers before making my decision.) My sister had (I believe) the house Pinot. Good serving size.

We shared a pretzel for the table, then two burgers, currywurst, and another sausage which I don't recall. Everything I had was fantastic. I was very full and very happy.

When the check came, I noticed we were charged $15 for the burger. I thought I recalled the menu stating $14, so I inquired. The server said she thought it was $15 so I asked to see the menu. I noticed her holding the menu and speaking to a gentleman, perhaps the manager. She came back and said that the menu is wrong, but the system is right. However, they did take $1 off the check for us.

The way it was explained really turned me off. Why would anyone expect to pay something different than the advertised price? No apology. It should have been explained as, "Sorry about that! The menu is incorrect. We fixed that for you and will update the menu for next time." Also, you may recall that two burgers were ordered at $15, but only $1 was taken off.

I deducted the other dollar from my tip, which I later felt bad about.

I considered making this a 2-3 star review based on how irritated I was when I left, but I did enjoy 99% of my experience. I know it's just $1, but customer service can make or break an experience. This would have been 5 stars for me.

DO NOT GO HERE! The manager is an incredibly mean person and clearly does not treat his staff well. I have been organizing staff happy hours here twice a year for 4 years. Not only was the service incredibly slow (30 minutes for a cocktail?) but he came over and YELLED at our group of about 15-20 paying customers that we were being disrespectful by taking up space. We are TEACHERS celebrating our last day of school by having low-key drinks at a local bar. We were just sitting, not being loud by any means. He was clearly understaffed, stressing out his servers and had terrible hospitality skills. I do all I can to support local business, but this business has no integrity or values. Do not give them your money.

Way to thank teachers for all they do.

Buschenschank is one of the best places to get a group of guys together. Why, you ask?

There are long communal tables at which manly men can gather.
There are many types of delicious, life-giving beer.
They have a knowledgeable staff to steer you in the right beer direction.
The pretzels are big, salty and when dipped in bier cheese, absolutely amazing.
They don't even allow women in the door.*
The STANDARD burger comes topped with pork belly. (Buschenschank, you crazy.)
The shortribs are juicy and flavorful, and the accompanying potato thing is even better.
There are all sorts of the best wursts to choose from. Brat, weiss, bock...
If you tire of the heavy German/Italian fare (you girly man), you can eat crisp South Brooklyn Pizza, also served here.

I used to be a regular at Zum Schneider over on Ave C, and I've longed for a place in my 'hood that compares. I've finally found you, Buschenschank, and I'm never letting you go.
___________

*OK, this isn't true. And chances are, your girlfriend will hit you if you try and convince her otherwise.

My first visit and I'm an immediate fan of this newly opened, dark and cozy German-esque tavern.

I say "German-esque" because I don't think pizza and fondue are typical German fare (and for this, I'm grateful as vegetarians don't generally do well in a German restaurant).

I will give you one piece of advice: if you are at all tempted by the idea of getting a fresh, hot pretzel with grainy mustard and a side of melted bier cheese DO IT. Seriously. Possibly the best pretzel I have ever had. Unlike a typical NY pretzel, this kind does not land like a rock in your stomach. The cheese is incredibly delicious as well and pairs well with the tangy mustard. My mouth is watering at the memory.

I had this plus a $5 hot toddy on a recent chilly December afternoon and it was oh-so-just right. Better than a hot bath (almost as good as a hot bath in a deep claw foot tub).

Ambiance: slightly elegant tavern-not cliché Bavarian as some German restaurants are prone to. I prefer sitting at the bar as I'm not a fan of picnic tables in a restaurant (I mean, they are nicer than actual picnic tables, but the long benches just don't seem all that conducive to lingering long over your meal here). The uniforms the waitresses all wear are a bit odd, too... I've gotta say it, reminds me of the German pavilion at Epcot Center or something. It's just not really in keeping with the otherwise slightly sophisticated environs. Just a little thing, really. For all I know, they are being ironic?

Nice space. Unique menu seems promising (bratwurst, german dumplings, etc). The cabbage salad is good.

But this place is just horribly run.

Do NOT order delivery - 2 hour waits. Then they don't answer the phone. Then they have no clue about your order. And they're not apologetic either.

Such a shame. I live nearby and would love a better manager to take this over.

Buschenschank: A wine tavern located near Northern Italy bordering Germany.

When I first walked into Buschenschank, I was immediately transported back to Rutgers College frat houses, the pungent smell of beer hits you. Fortunately, my experience at the "Busch" turned out to be much more then drunks at a frat party.

Visually, Buschenschank is beautiful. I would describe it as a cross between a beer hall meets ski lodge vibe. Lovely exposed brick walls. Lots of reclaimed wood decor and I loved the original tin ceilings. Dimly lit with wax candle sconces on the walls........kind of reminds you of bars of the 1800's before electricity.

Service was fabulous. Warm, friendly bartenders and waiters. I started with a glass of the house Reisling. When it was time for a refill, I asked for something a little less dry and the barmaid chose a perfect wine for me. They also have over 35 different beers from Germany and Italy---16 of which are on tap---varieties of pilsners, lagers, dopplebocks, dunkels, heferweizen and wheat beers.

Food offerings range from cheese boards, cured meats, burgers, dumplings and sausages with prices falling between $10 and $30. The guys at our table (communal) all ordered the burgers and raved about them. The three girls split two pizzas (Margarita and Goat Cheese are arugula---both good, nothing spectacular). The chocolate fondue was seriously lacking-avoid this. I guess the apple struedel was great because it was inhaled when I stepped away from the table for 5 minutes.

BEER CHEESE!!!! That was spectacular. Promise me you will try this when you go. Have a seat at the beautiful bar, order a glass of wine or a liter of beer and order a pretzel with beer cheese. The pretzel is baked to order, a huge hot soft twisted amazing treat.........dip it in some spicy mustard and then dunk it in the beer cheese (brie/chives/heavy cream/beer concotion). It is addicting.

Finally, I was so suprised to read some negative comments/reviews about the pretentious/rich/Yuppie crowd. I couldnt' disagree more. There was such a great mix of ethnicities, ages, etc. I can wholeheartedly say that anyone can walk into Buschenschank and feel welcomed and comfortable---and to me, that is the sign of a great bar.

*** And Court Street Pastry shop is only 1 block away: get a Lobster Tail!!!*****