There’s never a bad time to raise a stein—even in the dead of winter, we’re all for a heavy schwarzbier—but in spring and summer, it’s hard to beat a crisp German kolsch on a patio. The team behind Rasselbock and Wirsthaus know this, so just in time for the season, Long Beach’s Rasselbock Kitchen and Beer Garden expanded with a second location. Now, it’s Mar Vista’s turn to yell “PROST” in between mouthfuls of bratwurst and imported beer.
Rasselbock Mar Vista, ringing in at 2,000 square feet of patio, bar and restaurant, soft-opened in late March and is now fully up and running for all of your indoor-outdoor German-drinking needs. This location boasts 12 German and Belgian beers on tap, plus 18 more in bottle, and multiple ciders—in keeping with Long Beach’s roughly 35 beer options available. But Mar Vista’s beer garden has something up its sleeve: a full bar.
Sidle up to the new 13-seat bar and find a cocktail menu, one that incorporates German liqueurs and cheeky names. There’s the Don’t Hassel the Hoff, made with vodka, lime, rhubarb syrup, ginger liquor and cranberry bitters; the Der Vogel Und Die Biene (“the bird and the bee”) made with Wild Turkey bourbon, Bärenjäger honey liqueur, Aperol, fresh lemon and cinnamon bitters; and the Bramble, with Kroatzbeere blackberry liqueur, gin, lemon juice, basil and muddled blackberries, to name a few. There’s even a selection of imported brandies and liqueurs for sipping, should you prefer a more straightforward tipple.
Photograph: Courtesy Rasselbock
All of these drinks are sure to work up an appetite, which is where the sausages come in: Many of the house-made links on offer are crafted using family recipes and come in recognizable forms such as bratwurst and käsetrainer, as well as unique varieties, like the elk sausage made with madeira. There are of course pretzels and other traditional bites (hello, goulash and potato salad), but there are also more modern takes on German cuisine: pork schnitzel doused in a cream-based whiskey sauce; Brussels sprouts with pecorino cheese and Creole remoulade; pretzel bread pudding.
This spot’s also home to all-day happy hour on Mondays and other weekly specials—we’re talking half-off wine bottles on Wednesday, Tuesday trivia and more—and it’s even got a stein club, should you find yourself here regularly. And with that 35-seat, dog-friendly patio, who could blame you?
Take a peek at the ins and outs of Rasselbock Mar Vista, below, then stop by for a stein yourself.
Photograph: Courtesy Rasselbock/West District Digital
Photograph: Courtesy Rasselbock/West District Digital
Photograph: Courtesy Rasselbock
Photograph: Courtesy Rasselbock/West District Digital
Photograph: Courtesy Rasselbock/West District Digital
Photograph: Courtesy Rasselbock/West District Digital
Photograph: Courtesy Rasselbock/West District Digital
Rasselbock Mar Vista is now open at 3817 Grand View Boulevard, with hours of 5pm to midnight Monday to Thursday, 11am to 2am Friday and Saturday, and 11am to midnight Sunday.