Address: 710 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
Website: alexandriabiergarden.com
Phone: (703) 888-1951

Price: $$ – Paid $80 for a Bretzel (See below) and four beers
Food: 5/10 – Bland German cuising
Drink: 6/10 – Lots of German options from Paulaner to Hofbrauhaus
Service: 5/10 – Service was slow, but good when received.
Ambience: 7/10 – Would be a great time with a crowd and plenty of wonderful Instagram photo ops.
Parking: Street parking or garage for a fee
Overall: 5/10

The Bier Garten is a very Instagram friendly spot with lots of unique decorations and beautiful signs that make for a fun time. The vibe itself is ready for a party at any time, much like Oktoberfest; however, it’s not always Oktoberfest, so the vibe doesn’t transition quite perfectly outside of September, which is when I visited. They still had Oktoberfest items on their menu including both Marzens and Fest biers; however, in both instances at least 2/6 beers outlined were no longer available. I appreciated when a server/manager takes the time to cross those items off. Our group settled with some beers in suitable mugs and ordered a bretzel, which included a large soft pretzel with mustard, cheese sauce, and two sausages of selection and sauerkraut. We selected the Hungarian Spicy and weisswurst. Unfortunately, the flavor of the sausages was disappointing. While the Hungarian did have some spice, it was general spice and not what you’d expect from Hungarian spice and the weisswurst was bland, so unlike traditional German sausages. The pretzel was tasty; however, the cheese sauce was not wonderful and became a bit grainy as it cooled. Our server was delayed in getting to us and didn’t check up while we were there to make sure we were satisfied. I’d definitely come back for beers with a large group, but would pass on the snacks and individual beers at the bar!