Beer Me! 9 Cool Beer Gardens Around the U.S.A.

Modeled after a traditional balcony- and flower-bedecked German gasthaus, or inn, Weissgerber's is situated in what's known as the lake country in Waukesha, WI.

In keeping with his Black Forest heritage, original owner Hans Weissgerber, Sr., lent his family recipes to the biergarten's proprietary brew, Weissgerber Amber, and proprietary sausage, a smoked Nurnberger bratwurst. Weissgerber's Gasthaus boasts eight German beers on tap and 15+ bottled European beers.

Locals also frequent Weissgerber's for its Stein Club, which meets in the indoor Beer Stube to quaff their favorite brews from ornate ceramic steins. Some members even haul out their drinking boots for the weekly beerfest.

2720 N. Grandview Blvd.; (262) 544-4460; weissgerbers.com

If you're hankering for a hefty stein of Reissdorf Kolsch and bratwurst with a side of kimchee pancakes, Biergarten in LA's Koreatown will probably be your best (and only) bet.

The brainchild of Korean-born, Los Angeles-raised Neil Kwon, Biergarten offers patrons an unlikely but well-received mix of European beer culture and Korean-Mexican-German cuisine. During a post-college backpacking trip, Kwon became inspired by the beer houses he visited and opened Biergarten in March 2010.

According to Kwon's sister, Ann, who helps manage Biergarten, the most popular items on the menu are the sausage platter, the Drunken (beer-roasted) Chicken, and the burgers, which range from the familiar-sounding Americana cheeseburger to the Korean-inspired Chosun One burger topped with sautéed kimchee, pickled daikon, and grilled spam. But nothing says cross-cultural harmony like the bar's signature German fried rice, which contains sliced bratwurst or kielbasa and sauerkraut and is topped with gravy.

206 N. Western Ave.; (323) 466-4860; biergarten-la.com

The name Blob's Park may not evoke images of a traditional German beer garden, but third-generation owner Max Eggerl offers the ultimate corroboration: Max's Bavarian-born great-uncle, Max Blob, hosted the first Oktoberfest celebration in the United States in 1947, and Eggerl has a Smithsonian-issued plaque to prove it!

Known for its family-friendly atmosphere, menu of 90+ beer selections, and fully decked-out German Christmas and Summer Soltsice parties, Blob's Park is also quite the polka palace. Polka fans from near and far come to hear polka band performances and to participate in polka dance lessons in this 12,000 square-foot establishment.

To discourage drunk driving and to provide for out-of-towners, Eggerl arranged for a standing discounted rate with the local Comfort Inn.

8024 Max Blobs Park Rd.; (410) 799-7130; blobspark.net

Located in a busy Queens neighborhood just across the river from Manhattan, Bohemian Hall has been serving authentic Czech food and European beer since 1910.

According to the general manager, this year-round beer garden offers a come-one-come-all attitude, where everything connects to the Old Country, especially their trademark side dish: dumplings. Made from flour, eggs, baking powder, and salt, these fluffy orbs readily absorb the saucy meat dishes for which the establishment is known.

This place is legit Czech. Owned and operated by the Bohemian Citizens' Benevolent Society of Astoria, Bohemian Hall provides funding for the Czech and Slovak School, a tuition-free Czech language school for children ages 5 to 14.

29-19 24th Ave.; (718) 274-4925; bohemianhall.com

When Der Biergarten co-owner Wolfgang Hartert moved to Atlanta, he realized the southern city was in a grave need of authentic German food and drink, and thus on Oktoberfest 2010, the 7,000-square-foot restaurant and beer garden was born.

Hartert and the rest of the management team set out to create a totally-immersed German experience, including a food menu of German sausages, schnitzels, spatzles, strudels, pretzels, and mustards, and a beer menu that features more than a dozen German beers on draught and a bunch more in bottles.

To set the scene, the Mural Room, whose garage doors face the outdoor beer garden, features a hand-painted trompe l'oeil mural, depicting a bucolic Bavarian scene, plus a ceiling-mounted German model railroad that circles the entire restaurant.

300 Marietta St. NW; (404) 521-2728; derbiergarten.com

Situated on a hill 42 miles northeast of Anchorage and a mere 6 miles from Wasilla proper, this rustic Alaskan biergarten is best known for hosting live polka band performances on the weekends and a killer panoramic view of the surrounding mountains from its outdoor patio.

The modest menu includes Bavarian-style items like a grilled bratwurst sandwich, a smoked pork loin sandwich, and the German Picnic, a platter loaded with salami, liverwurst, Swiss cheese, bread, German potato salad, and sauerkraut salad.

Locals gravitate to this place for its large selection of beers on tap, including Alaskan brands like Kodiak Nut Brown and Skilak Scottish Ale and German brews like Hefeweissen, Spaten, and Warsteiner. Regardless of possible cold and snow situations, Schwabenhof's is open year-round every day until 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Saturdays.

Mile 6.5 Palmer-Wasilla Hwy.; (907) 357-2739; matsunightout.com

Kid-friendly soda shop by day, craft beer garden by night, this hybrid restaurant offers 12 craft beers on tap and almost 50 beers by the bottle, including eight "high-gravity" German brews like Aventinus Eisbock and Einbecker Urbock Dunkel.

Voted Best New Restaurant by Nashville Lifestyles, The Parlor is best known for its burgers (of which there are eight diverse choices all made with Tennessee-raised beef, turkey, or vegetables), but the restaurant and beer garden also specializes in German wurstchen. Served with house-made sauerkraut and horseradish and beer mustards, the house-made sausages range from familiar bratwurst and kielbasa to lesser-known Bauernwurst (pork and beef garlic wurst with marjoram and onion) and Jagerwurst (pork wurst with coriander, garlic, mustard seed, nutmeg, and a hint of ginger).

731 McFerrin Ave.; (615) 712-9517; thepharmacynashville.com

Love European soccer and beer? Wolff's Biergarten in upstate New York caters to both those needs, offering a full line-up of televised live games and a German-inspired brunch menu to accompany these oft-morningtime events. The brunch menu's "German breakfasts" include dishes like Wolff's Wurst Breakfast Plate (your choice of four German sausages plus scrambled eggs and potato pancakes), Bavarian Leberkase (a sandwich of baked, smoked pressed meat with a sunnyside-up egg), and Armer Ritter (sugar-and-spice-seasoned biscuits prepared French toast-style).

In keeping with the European theme, Wolff's exclusively offers German, Czech, and Belgian beers on its 14-strong draught menu, as well as 20-plus bottled European beers. To complete the German beer hall experience, Wolff's also hosts live German music every Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

895 Broadway; (518) 427-2461; wolffsbiergarten.com

Located at the NC Music Factory, VBGB stands for "Very Big German Beer," which patrons can enjoy at this biergarten's communal picnic tables on "Charlotte's largest patio" or inside at the 74-foot, U-shaped bar equipped with Frost Rails to keep your brew cool.

VBGB offers 30 beers, draught only, which come from both European and North Carolinian breweries. The owners even installed special cold-block beer taps that ensure beers always exit the kegs at 32 degrees or colder. To accompany the beverages, VBGB offers a three-part menu that consists of a brat- and pretzel-style German section, a bbq-oriented section that features Dinosaur barbecue sauce (imported from New York), and finally a selection of healthy salads and sides.

920 Hamilton St.; (704) 333-4111; vbgbuptown.com