The much-anticipated Black Forest Biergarten, wedged between The Slip Inn and Mid-Century furniture store Form at the corner of Henderson and McMillan, opened for business on Wednesday. The space was in shambles Tuesday evening as construction workers scurried around the spacious patio, assembling large beer garden-style tables. The smell of sawdust overpowered that of Chef Scott Colby's cooking as he prepped meals for the staff.
Owners Blake and Di Ann Bogus remained confident and insisted they'd be ready to open their doors to the public the following day. The Boguses embarked on their German-themed business adventure after selling Knox Street Pub, which they ran together for seven years, last July. "We like this part of Henderson. It's a different crowd. It's more laid back," Di Ann said. "We thought the [beer garden] style would fit in here."
The interior is small. Dark accent paneling climbs halfway up the red brick walls, which are adorned by a handful of flat-screen TVs. A copper-top bar spans the entire space, and two clear garage-style doors divide the interior from the half-covered patio, where most of the seating is.
The menu, like everything else, is German-themed. Items include potato latkes, bratwursts, German potato salad, sauerkraut and a "giant Bavarian soft pretzel," which is a whopping 16 ounces and comes served with melted butter and Dusseldorf mustard. There are 10 beers on tap and while most are, of course, German, local favorite Franconia Maibock made the cut. There are also canned and bottled beer options, select wines and cocktails.
Black Forest Biergarten's kitchen is open until 1 a.m., seven days a week, and their bar is open until 2 a.m. They'll serve brunch on Sundays, have a weekly "beer and brat" night (they haven't selected a day yet), and plan on having occasional live music, but "nothing too loud," according to Di Ann.
