After a while in the sober world, there are certain things that tend to be pretty apparent. First, the weight loss that comes with drinking cessation is amazing. Second, you can’t always avoid restaurants because they serve beer. You have to find a way to enjoy them without drinking. So, what did I do? I grabbed my straightedge buddy and hit up Asbury Park’s Biergarten.
About The Venue
Asbury Park’s Biergarten is one of the hottest places to go “Down the Shore.” As a German-style beer hall, the entire venue is made to have a warehouse-chic feel. The interior is a sprawling, brick and concrete building that involves bench-style seating and large-scale communal seating.
I love the German-industrial aesthetic, as well as the fact that they have rooftop dining and a positively sprawling bar. If you are looking for a place that has a lot of acoustic power and a bar-heavy scenery, this is it.
Not sure whether or not my friend who took me was being truthful, but he told me that the Biergarten was also built by an all-female crew. If so, that’s pretty need and progressive.
The Menu
I’m not gonna lie. I’m a huge fan of German food, especially when it comes to some good ol’ fashioned wurst. But, this time around, I decided to stick to classic bar fare. More specifically, I decided to stick to wings. In terms of menu variety, you can expect this place to have a fairly decent span.
There’s stuff for vegetarians, vegans, as well as people who just want bar bites. With that said, you’re not going to see too much German food there. While they do have some, it’s not all bockwurst and knockwurst.
The wings were pretty good, and the sauce was one that would work well with many light beers. For a headier beer, you might want to try some of the other items on the menu…like a burger.
The Drinks
In terms of beer, well…Let’s just put it this way. If I still drank, I would probably find this to be a good rendition of Valhalla. The selection was amazing. Though most of their choices were alcoholic, they made sure to have stuff sober folks like myself would like too. Non-alcoholic beers (yum!) and Nitro Cold Brew on tap come to mind.
The Ambiance
One thing that I appreciated seeing was the entry to the Biergarten. Unlike most other drinking areas, I saw a bouncer checking IDs there. So, no people under 21 are allowed in this venue, even if they aren’t there to drink. (Or at the very least, that’s what happened when I went there.)
So, while it’s casual and loud, it’s not the kind of place where you bring kids. It’s meant to be a place for adults to hang out, chill, and have fun. Unsurprisingly, I saw a ton of young adults and parents who had a sitter for the day in the area. Oh, and since it’s near Monmouth University, you can also expect a garden variety of college kids, too.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a nice trip to a cool beer hall that made me smile. As one of Asbury Park’s more iconic restaurants, I’d always driven by wondering what was the deal. It was nice to finally get inside for once. After all, most of the time, this place becomes crazy busy at night!
 | 527 Lake Ave, Asbury Park, NJ 07712 |
 | https://asburybiergarten.com/ |
 | +17329978767 |
