Bierkeller Brewing Company

Tucked along the scenic banks of the Congaree River in Columbia, SC, Bierkeller Brewing Company is an absolute gem if you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing brewery experience with great beer, food, and service. The brewery sits right by the Three Rivers Greenway, offering stunning riverside views and a huge, well-designed outdoor biergarten that feels peaceful and open, even on busy days. It’s dog-friendly, family-friendly, and has plenty of shade and seating—perfect for everything from a solo afternoon beer to a group gathering. The beer is excellent—crisp, clean German-style lagers brewed with serious attention to tradition. Every pour tastes fresh and balanced, and the variety is enough to keep both casual drinkers and beer lovers happy. The food pairs beautifully with the beer: soft pretzels, bratwurst, schnitzel sandwiches, and rotating specials that keep the menu interesting without being overwhelming. Service is friendly, fast, and laid-back. The bartenders and servers are knowledgeable and happy to talk through the beer selection or offer samples. Best of all, the vibe here is calm. Even with live music or trivia nights, the volume stays manageable, and you never feel rushed or crowded. Bierkeller has become a go-to spot for relaxing by the river with a great pint in hand. Highly recommend!

My wife and I came here a few weeks ago; the food and staff were amazing! We liked that we had the option to have chicken schnitzel instead of pork. The view was great as well, can’t wait to come back!!

Beautiful riverside views and polite service. However, the food did have solid room for improvement. The spätzle wasn’t cooked properly / well and the schnitzel was not a very thin slice( almost chicken nugget thickness). The pretzel was drenched in salt. The bratwurst was pretty good! I would come here for a beer and the view, not for the food.

These folks have really got it together! Great beer, good food in a very nice setting. Today's band was fantastic too. Everyone was quite courteous, all the doggies were well-behaved. We had a wonderful time! 4/19/24 update: another fun band, two new beers, and great food. The Jaegerschnitzel with spaetzle was nicely prepared and delicious, quite authentic. The menu is good and getting bigger. Update 3/15/2025: Still great beer, the menu is supplemented by daily specials.

A very come-as-you-are, good vibes kind of place. Of course the beers are great. That’s what we come for, then stay for everything else: - The authentic-tasting German-inspired food. Whenever a new special is posted, the kitchen always nails it. - The friendly, familiar staff running things efficiently. - The new beer releases, food specials, live jazz, live bands, festivals. The place is always evolving. Their Tuesday all-day happy hour/token night is a great deal and very chill. Thursday trivia night is a fun vibe too. Great place to watch the sunset, bring out-of-towners, cool off in the summer since it’s by the canal and shady. Outdoor fire pits and indoor bier hall make it cozy in the winter. It’s great seeing all kinds - families, friends, kids, dogs, students, couples, networking groups, biking/walking/running groups, religious groups, people I haven’t seen in weeks or years - all hanging around having a good time. The origin story of this place is pretty cool too. Hubs and I jumped in at their first Oktoberfest pop-up in 2016 and have been following ever since. Been coming about once or twice a week since they opened this location. Columbia needed this. So glad it’s here.

What a great addition to Columbia. I followed the progress as this place was coming together and am glad I finally got to try it today. Atmosphere — 5 stars. Definitely a gathering place. It’s loud if you eat inside though, FYI. Food — 4 stars. The schnitzel special was overcooked and dry. The bratwurst, Brussels sprouts and spaetzle were perfect. Beer — 5 stars. Staff — 5 stars for friendliness. But service is slow. Not a problem if you’re enjoying the gathering space atmosphere. Just something to know about service. I really am glad this place is here!

I'm guessing this might be good for the college scene? I was not impressed. I had to order at a window (which is technically fine, just setting the scene for you). I had to clean my table before and after (like take up my plates and garbage). The dining area is like a plain cafeteria, nothing special. The food was alright, small portions. I was still hungry after my Jäger Schnitzel. Not the worst, but I wouldn't want to go back.

First time here, WOW! What a great authentic German experience. My mother was from Australia, family in Germany, from our own visits and experiences, this place hits the mark. Sophia was super helpful, friendly and pleasant. Jen came by and checked on us and told us their story. Everyone was super. Everything was so good, schnitzel, potato salad, cucumber salad, and they brew their own beer. Joe and Sophia were was awesome, we left with a good bag of merch. Justin (Brewer) and I spoke of a Monastery brewery in Salzburg, Austria, where monks brew the beer, this place reminds me of that beer garden, Justin said he went there as well and created a similar atmosphere at Bierkeller. Definitely a new place that touches my heart, we will surely be back. You need to check them out!