Images courtesy of Rasselbock.
The pair behind the Los Angeles-based German restaurant and beer garden, Wirtshaus, and the newer Hermosa Beach eatery, Brat & Bräu, German-born Bjoern Risse and Bülent Yildirim, are set to open the doors to their third German Restaurant and Biergarten, Rasselbock in Bixby Knolls.
With the grand opening date yet to be decided, Rasselbock is projected to open at the end of the month where The Factory Gastropub used to be, boasting an approximately 2,000-square-foot location able to host 110 guests, as well as canines in a dog-friendly outdoor patio. The name, which means “jackalope” in old German, describes what will be a European beer garden-inspired watering hole in Long Beach for residents of all ages.
Expect a Monday all-day happy hour, a separate menu section for dogs, Wiener Wednesdays and a sweet and savory weekend brunch menu.
“[…]Long Beach is a very interesting market, at the moment,” said Yildirim in a statement. “We’re seeing a trend of restaurant expansions from L.A. to [Long Beach], and people are moving here from L.A., as well. We especially like the neighborhood feel and sense of community that Bixby Knolls offers, and we felt that a new, family- and dog-friendly [restaurant] concept would benefit the area.”
Rasselbock under construction in early August.
Rasselbock’s menu items will range from traditional to inventive, from the Bavarian Pretzel, Potato Pancakes and Bratwurst to Duck Bacon Sausage and Rasselbock Schnitzel, a breaded, sautéed pork loin topped with garlic cream sauce and a fried egg. Describing the offerings at their second location, Brat & Bräu, Risse says the all-natural, locally-made sausages have no preservatives, are never frozen and are made with hormone-free meat, and Rasselbock’s fare will be made with no exception.
One menu item that certainly stands out is A Dude’s Salad, made of German fries topped with feta, cucumber, tomato, red onion, pepperoncini, bell pepper, black olives and garlic aioli, because only women eat salads with actual greens since our dainty stomachs can’t handle such a gluttonous option. But perhaps we can place our gender generalizations aside, because not only is it 2016, but Rasselbock will also offer a Viva Alemania, a fried pretzel coated in churro sugar, served with Nutella and fruit compote, because who doesn’t love something sweet?!
The owners are just as picky about the brews they select, which aren’t limited to high-quality exclusive German finds. Rasselbock will offer a drink menu focused on German and Belgian beers, with over 18 on tap and 15 bottled to choose from, and also offer homemade Sangrias and a carefully selected California wine list. Wirtshaus also has quite a following with its 35-option German beer list as a draw to thirsty patrons and also introduced German-inspired beverages sans alcohol, like the Spezi (half Coke, half Fanta), “Apfelsaftschorle” (mineral water, apple juice), and “Karamalz” (German kid’s malt beer) to area, according to their August announcement.
“Our original restaurant concept was partially, to create a modern mix of German standbys – in terms of both food items and décor – and Californian elements,” stated Risse. “With that, we achieved something that didn’t previously exist in LA.”
Rasselbock will feature regularly rotating seasonal specials, and, as both owners are both sports-lovers, will also host specials surrounding sporting events, and, of course, Oktoberfest festivities.
Rasselbock’s initial opening hours, subject to change, will be Monday through Thursday, 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM; Friday, 11:00AM to midnight; Saturday, 9:00AM to midnight; Sunday, 9:00AM to 10:00PM.
For more information and updates, visit the website here and Facebook page here.
Rasselbock will be located at 4020 Atlantic Avenue.
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