Celebrate Oktoberfest in Seattle with Fetes, Food and Brews
By Seattle Mag September 26, 2012
“Ein prosit! Ein prosit! Der gemuetlichkeit!”
That’s right, ladies and gents, time to don your lederhosen and slip into that dirndl! It’s Oktoberfest!
Even if you don’t have plans to make it to the Motherland in Munich, or even travel to the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth, there are plenty of German-style watering holes to celebrate the suds-iest holiday of ‘em all. Here’s the top five:
1. Shultzy’s is a year-round sausage central destination – though the U-District pub recently added a stellar-sounding grass-fed beef burger with Rogue Creamery’s Caveman Blue. (Insert Homer Simpson drooling sounds.) On Saturday, September 29, it’s throwing its annual Oktoberfest fete, featuring live music, a stein-hoisting competition and liters of Sam Adams for $8. The keg’s gonna be tapped at 7:30pm.
2. My pal, Mai Ling, who lived in the Old Country, swears going to The Berliner in Renton is just like being in the big tents in Germany, everybody sitting around communal tables and singing. Doesn’t matter if you don’t know the words, especially after your second pils. This weekend, The Berliner is joining forces with Renton’s Chamber of Commerce for a three-day Renton Oktoberfest extravaganza at the Renton Pavilion Event Center that will feature all sorts of entertainment, massive amounts of beer and wine and a David Hasselhoff look-a-like contest. Sounds like a hoot! (September 28-30; $15-$20)
3. Of course, you’ll probably want to get a little something to eat alongside those strong brewskis and there’s no better place to dive into a satisfying platter of Kaesespaetzle or Jaegerschnitzel than cozy Feierabend in South Lake Union. Ja!
4. Die Bierstube has also got it going on when it comes to that magical mix of food and beer. Make a pig of yourself and order the Kassler Rippchen mit Sauerkraut, smoked pork tenderloin on cured cabbage “just like Oma used to make!”
5. If you’d rather DIY, go see the nice ladies at Bavarian Meats in the Pike Place Market. They fix you up with some mighty fine Brats, outstanding potato salad and red cabbage. So good. And don’t forget to grab some of the best pretzels in Seattle.