Digs: The lighting is surprisingly dim, with chandeliers overhead, wood paneling, faux-old portraits and photographs on the wall, and an outdoor façade that’s more Westphalia than Williamburg. Expect ample seating and standing room centered around a large wraparound bar and a casual outdoor grill area adjacent to the main room, which is outfitted with picnic tables and a retractable roof for warm-weather boozing. (Apparently, plans are in the works to eventually install infrared heating to combat the winter cold and make it comfortable all year.)
Beer: Radegast offers an impressive 42 varieties of bottled brews and 13 on tap, including hard-to-find Czech and German selections. We particularly liked the dark, sweet and malty BrouCzech and the lightly spiced Hofbrau Oktoberfest, yet found the Gosser Pilsner to be watery and bland. We were also stoked to see two Berliner Weisses on the bottled beer menu, including a nicely tart Fritz Briem Weihenstephaner 1809 Berliner Weisse (who cares if Berliner Weisses are best enjoyed in summer; it’s not like they taste different in December). For non-beer enthusiasts, a full bar is on hand, as are several wines by the glass. But really, if you’re planning on swilling Stoli and tonics, do you really need to go to a beer hall?
Service: Granted the bar is still in its formative days, but somehow we doubt it should take 15 minutes to get a beer, especially when seated at the bar. When we were finally able to get the attention of a server, he didn’t bring us the requisite syrup served with Berliner Weisse beers until we asked him to, and when it came time for round two of drinks, it took another 15 minutes to refill our glasses. Where’s that German efficiency, ja?
Food: Though beer is the name of the game at Radegast, the bar does serve a variety of European-influenced, hearty seasonal fare. We liked the grilled ribeye but found the veal schnitzel to be lacking in flavor (though we were impressed with portion sizes all around—no skimping here). While some of the dishes seemed a tad too complex for the locale (smoked-trout-and-arugula salad with watermelon radishes and fava beans, baked blintzes stuffed with spinach and shallots and topped with manchego cheese and tomato sauce), basic dishes like burgers, smoked Polish kielbasa, and weisswurst are done well and can be ordered from the grill.
Crowd: The joint was bustling with a youthful, fairly diverse, local clientele. Think of the crowd that frequents the Bohemian Beer Hall, then toss in a bunch of Williamsburg folk rejoicing that they now have their own beer garden in the ‘hood.
Sounds: Unclear was the bar’s choice of music, both in terms of selection (bizarre and non-cohesive) and volume (slightly too loud for comfort). It was as though someone put their iPod on shuffle for the entire night, as the tunes schizophrenically went from big band to Spanish reggaeton to gypsy polka. Hmmm.
Net results (what folks are saying online):
[Gothamist] Brooklyn’s first old-timey beer hall.
[Urban Daddy] Your central-European fantasies rolled into one.
[The Strong Buzz] The ‘garten’ (equipped with retractable canopy) offers 2000 square feet of drinking and eating space.
[Rare Daily] Lots of Czech comfort food.
Radegast Hall & Biergarten
113 N. 3rd Street at Berry St.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
718-963-3973
Hours: 3 p.m. - 4 a.m. (kitchen: 4 p.m.- 11:30 p.m., grill: 3 p.m. - 2 a.m.)
Entrees: $13-$26
Grill: $6-$12
Beer: $6-$10
