Wirtshaus opened about a week ago in Los Angeles offering 35 different German beers (18 German beers on tap and 17 different bottles), and dishes like German sausages, fried potatoes and pretzels. We sat down with co-owner Bjoern Risse (pictured on the right, Wirtshaus’ other owner Bülent Yildirim is on the left) at his new beer garden (biergarten) and spoke to him about Germany, Oktoberfest and ping-pong.

From Munich to Los Angeles

Bjoern Risse has been a L.A. resident for the past four years. He tells us that the German perception of Los Angeles was very different from the reality, “When we think of California, we think of the Beach Boys, Hollywood and all the celebrities.” Bjoern tells us it wasn’t like that at all, “When I moved here, it wasn’t all about surfing or seeing actors left and right. But I definitely love living in L.A. I feel like home here.”

Social Lubricant

Oktoberfest is a German fair that has been held in Munich since the 1800′s where the fair goers would consume large quantities of beer and food. Bjoern recalls his experience, “We arrived at the festival with some friends around 7 AM to wait in line for the event to begin at 9 AM. Each giant tent fits about 10,000 people and there are about seven of them. You can’t even imagine how many tables there are.” What he enjoyed the most was the diversity of the crowd, “Our table had people from Sydney, Huntington Beach and Rome. It was really fun,” Bjoern added.

He wanted the same idea for Wirtshaus, for it to be a place where people can have a good time. “For me, the whole concept is social interaction– for people to talk about the beer, talk about the food. We have these communal tables,” Bjoern explains.

The Restaurant

The restaurant is divided into three parts: the patio, indoor bar, and a game room with a ping-pong table. You can find popular German beers, like Gaffel Koelsch, Paulaner, Hofbrau, Weihenstephaner, and Spaten along with a list of German and Austrian wine. The beers are served in pints, liters and Das Boots. The food menu includes traditional German food, vegetarian options, and even treats for your furry little friends.

Bjoern Risse and Bülent Yildirim plan to host ping-pong tournaments, Oktoberfest on the second week of September, and a happy hour menu next month.

And as for the ping-pong, Bjoern told us he’s a decent player. We have yet to put his claim to the test.





Where?
Wirtshaus
345 N. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Additional Information
http://www.wirtshausla.com