Andrew W.
Yelp
Karl Strauss was probably the longest-shuttered restaurant during the pandemic that didn't actually close. Long after most places had opened, Karl Strauss was still shut tight as a drum, yet there was no sign that the place was gone for good. They've been open for some time, but their quasi-hidden location, combined with some rather inconvenient hours (closing as early as 8 P.M.), means I've missed visiting again until now.
The place is still just as big as always, but the emptiness makes it feel cavernous. The retail beer coolers behind are as empty as the tables. One person works the bars and tables; ordering is now counter service at the bar. The previously ambitious chophouse-style menu has been pared back to "bar food" ― salads, sandwiches, and a few appetizers. The happy hour items I tried were fine, but just that: Street tacos were buried under two kinds of thick mystery sauce, as was the quesadilla. The sliders had a barbecue sauce that competed with a strong dollop of horseradish; one or the other, please. As for beers, Karl Strauss is leaning heavily into IPAs, and most of the few non-IPA beers come from the "Friends of Karl" breweries. The beers are pleasant but not memorable, and I don't think they are currently brewing anything in-house at the moment.
Service can be slow but is friendly. As it got later and more customers seemed to come in, I noticed more staff on the floor, too. One major problem is the sound system: The televisions showing the Rams game were uncomfortably loud ― especially unnecessary in a nearly empty restaurant that was otherwise silent. Please, folks, turn it down.
I hope Karl Strauss can get to be a little more like it was before the pandemic closures in time, with a bigger offering of beers and a more tolerable volume on their sound system. Before COVID, Karl Strauss was one of the less interesting places to drink beer Downtown, but with many places now shuttered, I appreciate that they're still around more than ever.