Feature – Brat Haus - The Scottsdale Living

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Brat Haus

“Imagine you’re going over to your buddy’s place, and you’re hanging out in the backyard, grilling up brats, drinking some beer, playing ping pong, playing Jenga, just relaxing.”

That’s the description I got when I visited the Brat Haus in Old Town Scottsdale by the Operating Partner, Drew Hartz. And it’s a pretty apt way to talk about the huge space that greets you. Walking in from Scottsdale Road, your first impression might just be that Brat Haus is just one giant patio. But the cozy restaurant also boasts two separate spaces for indoor dining, both with wildly different vibes. On one side of the patio is the sports bar for that classic Americano feel, and the other side offers a traditional German pub vibe appropriately called the Bru Haus.

With such an inviting atmosphere, excellent food, and exotic drinks on offer, it’s no wonder that Brat Haus has become one of the go to places to visit in Old Town Scottsdale. In fact, the European inspired beer garden nestled in the heart of the district rated in the top 11% of all restaurant options in Scottsdale, according to reviews on Trip Adviser. There’s little doubt that this is one place to put at the top of the list when planning Bachelorette party activities in Scottsdale. Or any other get together for that matter.

The German inspired Brat Haus started in Scottsdale 12 years ago. They opened their doors on Scottsdale Road just south of 2nd Street. According to Drew, Brat Haus’s owner Dave Andrea already had plenty of experience with restaurants before taking on this one.
“Dave has owned and operated restaurants and nightclubs in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area for 30, 40 years,” Drew said. “He’s well known, and he’s been around for a while.”

That experience certainly paid off. The previous owners of the space where Brat Haus now stands was the original site of Oregano’s, with a large parking lot in the middle. Andrea turned it into a sprawling patio with comfortable furniture, plenty of lawn games, and a beautiful mural. In essence, a perfect place to relax with a brat and beer.

And the care that they put into their food is just as high quality.

Their sausage selection spans a wide range of options from classic Polish to Hot Italian and just about anything you can think of in between. Drew even told me that they cut all their fries in-house to ensure the best quality possible. If you’re still hungry after the main course, they offer delicious giant pretzels, made in the real Bavarian method using a live bath before salting and baking. But perhaps the most impressive part of the menu is the sauerkraut. Brat Haus is one of only four restaurants in the entire state of Arizona that’s allowed to make their own sauerkraut thanks to the very specific pH balance and fermenting process that requires very close monitoring.

Then there’s the beer. This is a beer garden after all, inspired by places from halfway around the world and brought here to the West’s Most Western Town. Drew informed me that when they started, and even 12 years later, there’s no one in Scottsdale doing things quite like they do over at Brat Haus. And part of that is the staggering amount of international and domestic drinks.

“We have 28 beers on tap, all craft. We don’t do anything in a bottle. It’s all Belgium, German, French-Canadian. We [also] got a bunch of domestics from craft beer houses. We support a lot of the local breweries in Arizona, because that’s big for us. But we have one of the more eclectic beer choices in the city.”

All of that alone explains why Brat Haus continues to be found on lists of great restaurants in Scottsdale. But for anyone wondering about the best bachelorette party venues in Scottsdale, they have you covered there too.

Bachelorette groups have the option of setting up a package deal for the party. The rate is $50 per person, but for that price the bachelorette and her girls get a giant pretzel, fried pickles, and a choice of brat or salad.

They also get a special “make your own mimosa” as part of the package. A bottle of prosecco, some orange juice, and a shot of tequila on top of it all. And while they themselves don’t do anything special in terms of decorations, they do let you provide your own ahead of time that they’ll make sure is set up by time the group arrives. The patio is also large enough to host any size group. Want to bring the entire bridal party including the bachelor party? Brat Haus can accommodate.

““Whether it’s walk-up reservations or private dining events, we do anywhere from 30 people to 250 people,” says Drew.

Indeed, you could even hold the entire wedding at the venue if you so choose. According to Drew, ten weddings have been held at Brat Haus at the time of this article. Everything from the rehearsal dinner, the ceremony itself, the whole nine yards is available upon request.

Whatever you’re looking for in terms of a place to host a Bachelorette party weekend in Scottsdale, a wedding, or even just a night on the town with your friends, they will accommodate if it’s within their abilities.

That dedication to customer service, on top of everything detailed so far, is what brings guests back again and again. “I always feel like even if they’re first timers,” Drew admitted, “once we get them in here, I feel confident that they’ll come back.” He told me that he always makes a point to visit as many tables as possible during any given night. For Drew, OK is not good enough, and he wants to make sure that everyone he talks to leaves having the best night imaginable. Order a beer you don’t enjoy as much as you thought? He’ll find out your usual flavor profile and make a suggestion of something he’s sure you’ll love.

“I fix it before they walk out the door and they’ve been disappointed,” he explained. “If I make somebody happy, then they’re gonna tell somebody or they’re gonna come back another time.”

One final thought that makes Brat Haus great when you’re doing your Scottsdale party planning – the patio is pet friendly. On just about every night, dogs abound all over the enormous, backyard style patio.

They also offer doggie parties, where you can treat your furry best friend to dog brats and dog biscuits made in-house. Drew even brings in his own black lab, Cash. During the cooler months, this loveable pup can be found working the host stand and helping to greet people as they arrive.

“He’s up at the host stand pretty much all season long. Everybody knows Cash. Everybody falls in love with him. I’ve literally had bachelorette parties before with 10 or 12 girls, and they’ll all sit on the ground in a circle around him and just give him all the attention in the world.”

If you’re on the lookout for Scottsdale nightlife for bachelorette parties, bachelor parties, or any other kind of group event, look no further than the atmospheric, European style beer garden, Brat Haus. And be sure to give Cash a long scritch behind the ears when you get there.