Sauf Haus Bier Hall & Garten

Hands down the best bartender in town! I'm at Sauf Haus every weekend, and Janine always makes me feel like family. Her knowledge of craft beers is impressive, and her recommendations are spot on. But what really sets her apart is her warm smile, infectious enthusiasm, and top-notch service. Janine truly goes above and beyond to make every visit unforgettable. If you're lucky enough to have her tend to you, you're in for a treat. Five stars isn't enough – I'd give her ten stars if I could! 😊🍻🥃

I had a great experience at Sauf Haus thanks to our amazing waitress, Marlyn. She was friendly, attentive, and made sure our drinks were always full without being overbearing. She handled a busy night with grace and made us feel welcome the entire time. Her recommendations were spot-on, especially the Green tea shots. You can tell she genuinely cares about giving great service. We’ll definitely be back—and hope to sit in her section again!

I highly recommend Marlyn, an outstanding bartender! Her warm welcome and attentive service make every visit special. She has an incredible knowledge of cocktails and always suggests the perfect drink. Marlyn’s attention to detail and ability to connect with customers truly elevate the bar experience. Thank you, Marlyn, for making every drink memorable!

Marlyn is the best bar tender I’ve ever had in my life. She is incredibly attentive and kind. Her costumer service skills are incredible and she truly made me feel at home. I will come back here for Marlyn.

The beer was cold, service great, food was good. My girlfriend liked the bratwurst. She is picky about sausages. Not many food options available. The climb to the top was good exercise for working up a thirst 😛

Came to sauf haus with friends and Janine was our bartender. Her energy and personality made the experience so memorable. I didn’t know what to order. She asked me what I like and she came to actually what I wanted. She may my experience so comfortable and easy. Throughout the night, she kept making sure that our drinks were full. Highly recommended this place and Janine :)

It was my birthday but Tatiana (I think that was her name, pretty with hair) she didn’t know it was my birthday but she made my night. She was so sweet and fast service. We love her and the atmosphere was great 🩷🩷come check it out and ask for Tatiana!!

Sauf haus has been my go to spot for years now! Janine is the only bartender I go to! She is the best bartender there! Always has a great energy and makes me and my friends feel welcome there. Asked for here when you’re there!

NOTES: -Located up two+-ish flights of steep stairs. There are railings and grippy flooring. The bathrooms are located on the same floor once you're already in Sauf's. I'm unsure if they have an elevator to get up there, but the default is definitely the stairs. -Almost all seating is picnic-table style. The benches are mostly unattached from the tables and free-moving. Unfortunately, all of it is pretty wiggly, and it looks like it's had years of use. These are not seats I'd consider particularly "sturdy" if you're worried about breakage. PROS: -Beer flights! For $10, you can try out four of their beers - which can be really helpful if you're not familiar with German beers or flavors. (Most are pretty approachable, though!) -Really good happy hour. We came for happy hour on a Thursday, and it was dead. $3 off everything made the beers cheaper and really encouraged us to try some of their offerings. -The pretzel here is fantastic! It was served with a gooey, creamy cheese and a cup of chocolate. (More of a melted, syrup frosting than a Hershey's Syrup). If you love generous dipping, I highly recommend getting an extra cup of your desired sauce (it's an upcharge). We barely broke even on the 1/2 pound pretzel, and we definitely would have been out on all of the bigger sizes. -The "outdoor" beer garden has a really cool vibe to it. It looks like they can open the ceiling if need be, but on a rainy day, it was simply really awesome to have all of the natural light of a rooftop pouring into the area. It felt really open and welcoming. CONS: -Pretzel here is fried with a very hard, crispy outer shell. They help combat this by cutting slats in the dough to make it easier to tear and eat. It's also served with a plastic knife and fork; the plastic knife didn't really cut at all, but the fork was useful for poking and dipping. -I know some things are lost in translation, but the beer menu occasionally didn't provide enough info or name of the beer to figure out what a beer was on Untappd. We made some good guesses, but with the language barrier, we're assuming it's the equivalent of "Budweiser Lager" on an American menu - where that could be a large number of different variants. (Light? 95? Full? etc.) -Seating was relatively uncomfortable for both of us. The super flat, hard wood was uncomfortable on his smaller butt, and I was always worried it might break. We both weren't too fond of all of the wiggling it did either. It was okay for staying an hour, but it didn't encourage any marathon visits.

I love the vibes of saufhaus and I come all the time, especially for the live music and the bubble gun, it's crazy fun! The service here is very average, not bad but not outstanding. Haven't had a memorable interaction with any employee. Its standard overpriced drinks, I work in a neighboring establishment and am all about upselling as a bartender myself. However, when I order a vodka cran and am charged with a Titos cran when I wanted rail- but wasn't asked and assumed I was getting rail, is annoying. You should always ask the guest what they want and not just automatically charge someone for a higher shelf bottle. Gratuity is included which I also do not love. I tend to tip 20% anyways as a service industry member however, it seems aggressive to auto - grat and charge for a premium drink on top of that. $15 vodka cran, $15 lemon drop shot. Feels crazy overpriced to me. My advice, show up not needing to purchase more drinks and enjoy the ambiance. The live bands are super fun, and it feels like a concert!

I went to this place two nights in a row. It has a strong happy hour and tends to clear out after dinner. I was one of the few people at the rooftop area at one point. There are multiple floors here but they aren't always open. Be sure and go all the way up to the top to get to the rooftop. They have live music sometimes and they have a good beer selection. Different beers at different bars there.

I was initially expecting a traditional German pub, but actually this place was quite the day party on a Saturday. DJs, people dancing, and beer and drinks flowing non-stop. It's a fun vibe and actually something I wanted. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. It wasn't too pretentious. If I was just basing the review on just beer and food, I'd say I expected some more food options and the beer menu could be more extensive. Still - I am happy to have some German beer available even when partying. Recommend if you want to party and don't mind a younger crowd.

A man followed my friend into the women's bathroom and he was allowed to stay while she was kicked out. She did not invite him, he just followed her. He was friends with the DJ so he had "privileges." They do not believe women at Sauf Haus. They felt strongly that the Owners interests needed to be protected. Been coming here for years but saw it in a whole new light with the security behaving the way they did.

Tucked away upstairs in a building near DuPont Circle, this placed looked like a promising spot to enjoy a German beer or two. That can still be done, but it seemed like more of a spot for early twenty-somethings. The beer, while German, was the normal selection of commonly available German and Austrian US staples, with nothing particularly unique or interesting. Service seems a bit apathetic but the place was mostly empty so that may have contributed to that.

I've been a few times and it's always been super fun, but the drinks are so overpriced. I got 3 shots of tequila and they gave like 1/2 a shot each and charged $50. The music is good and they have a few different rooms with different music and sometimes they have live music which is fun.

A really great spot for happy hour with lots of beer selection and you can order (very good) pretzels by the pound not too much other food, but I definitely recommend as a spot to meet up with friends after work.

Great place to enjoy a quality German beer or two, but get ready for the big change at 3:00, when the DJ sets up and the tables get pulled. This place suddenly turns into a full-on daytime nightclub! Service is great, food OK - Bier Hall offers probably the best day party in DC.

DO NOT GO HERE. I got pick pocketed on Saturday night (my phone was in my pants waistband - literally taken from my pants). Believe the reviews about phones and wallets being stolen, this is a nightmare. When I told people who lived in the area what happened, multiple said this exact same thing happened to them as well. BEWARE

One of the highlights of the week is our company happy hour on Thursdays after work at Sauf Haus. It's a fun vibe, with great beer varieties and a killer soft pretzel with dipping sauces that can't be beat.

Nani is fantastic!!!! Bar tending genius :-) Follow her recommendations, she knows every beer on tap.

Honestly one of the most disappointing beerhall orders I've had in DC. Pretzel ordered and paid for was completely forgotten. Kielbasa was a desicated slim jim that didn't even fill the bun.

Very weird bar, the bar staff would run around with a mop and randomly mop up any spill that happened constantly annoying everyone around the area. The the DJ wasn't that great he had a bunch of random songs playing with bad transitions. The bartenders also weren't great and made pretty mediocre drinks. The workers were also extremely rude the entire time. Avoid this bar.

(April 2021) Great chill place They are very mindful of COVID and have areas to direct traffic one way to get to the tables and for guests to go to the restroom Very clean Great staff that helped with suggesting beers

Beware of pickpockets! Read the reviews! This place is crawling with them - phone was stolen out of purse over the weekend. Staff was nonplussed. AVOID!

Great place for beers and live music events. Always recommend the 1 Liter beers. Great place for day drinking as well.

After what I considered to be a strike out at the last place visited, I diverted from my friends and came across the street. Not to worry, my friends soon joined me after. The thing I like most about the spots I have visited throughout DC is the doorman/bouncer. Sometimes they are the funniest person you will meet. Which was the case here. He kept us entertained while we were outside. Once inside, we made out way to what I would consider to be the front bar. Small, cramped, what you would expect from a German styled beer hall. Made my way to the bar and was about to order a drink. I know what you are expecting, I got a beer. Nope, I asked for a margarita. I have to say, one of the best margaritas I have ever had. Once we got out drinks in hand we decided to explore a bit. We wondered toward the back of the place and it was a good thing we did. More open and less cramped feeling. The back is so much bigger than the front. Bartender there was very accommodating. My friends asked for a change of music and he was all with it. Great service the whole time I was here. I just need to know, are all the good places in DC upstairs? If so, I need to get on a stair master before I head back.

This is a great spot for a night out with friends! Great beer, music and food. All around a good time. Pros: Great beer: the German beer selection here is great! To be honest, I'm usually not a fan of beer, but have enjoyed every one that I've tried here. My friends who are more knowledgeable about beer and drink more regularly always say how much they love the beer here as well. The beer is served in there thick large glasses that kind of made me feel like a Viking lol. Pretzels: Do yourself a favor and grab a pretzel here. You won't be let down. The pretzels are soft, large, and come with multiple dips ! Delicious to pair with a beer and a great snack to share with friends. Prices: the prices are super reasonable here! You can grab a half pint and a pretzel here for under $20. Layout: there are multiple floors, which play different music, and which have different rooms. Some rooms are better suited for dancing, some for talking or sitting. They also have large TVs in one room which usually play sports. A vibe for all! Music: the music here is fun and danceable! It caters to middle school and high school throwbacks for younger millennials, I'd say. So expect fun stuff like Usher and Kesha. Cons: None, really. Sometimes it can be a little loud but I enjoy that. It might be hard to have a detailed conversation in here, but I feel like most people are usually not looking for that anyway.

Sorry. Not sorry. But if your DJ can't pull a crowd after a few hours but he has his girl next to him eating/drinking then what is this bar doing? Totally unacceptable. Biggest turn off is having the highest tipping amount a 7% at the bottom of the check? Treat your staff better.

From Spain to DC to fond the best margarita in town!!! thank you Nani for an amazing service. Great music as well, highly recommended!!!

Found this cool German beer garten in DC. Easy to miss if you're not careful. It starts on the second floor and goes up to the rooftop third floor. Don't panic when you arrive to the second floor (dark and relatively lifeless) just keep going up to the rooftop bar...much cooler. They have a good variety of German beers and was a big fan of. Limited food selection. Essentially pretzels or brats. We had the pretzel and it was pretty good and it was huge. Could easily feed 3 people. Beware it's expensive and you won't know it until you close out. For 2; one liter beers and a pretzel ran us $64. Kind of shocked us tbh. But still pretty cool.

Stopped by here because we were riding the Oktoberfest wave & we can't ever say no to a German Biergarten. We sat at the bar and were served by Omar, who gave us his expert opinion on his favorite beers. The stein of the Kronenberg is not one to pass up!! On a Thursday night this place didn't feel too crowded which felt right. Def add this place to your weekday post-work beer itinerary before it gets too crowded on the weekends. Ask for Omar!

the worst bar that you can go to. rude staff, bad drinks, no atmosphere... avoid it at all cost.

Relaxed environment, Nani was a vibrant and attentive bartender. Snacks throwback Pop punk music.

Nani is fabulous! Excellent service. Nani is sweet and a great bar tender. She is the best!!!!!! Amazing night!

Pretty neat spot for beer. They serve German style beer as well as other favorites. The atmosphere was easy going and a place where you can have fun. The beer was good and I ordered the dark one. I'd like to try this place again to give a more in-depth review.

Antonio was amazing! very cordial and always attentive. Great customer service skills and amazing drinks!

Nani, Janine and Marlyn are an amazing bartender to enjoy and fun parting. They make incredible drinks, nice service and the music is so good.

I came here for a zouk dance class upstairs. It has a great little dance floor and the instructor, Stephanie Lopez, was fantastic. So much fun, and such a cool thing for a bar to offer.

I never plan on going here but somehow end up here. This place is like a time warp and time just flies. The environment is pretty crusty and crazy. Everything kind of feels like it's falling apart. The drinks are cheap ish for DC. The pretzel isn't bad for bar food. The variety of dips is great. Definitely DO NOT come here if you're scared of COVID.

After a delightful day in the district with my best friend, we made our way to Sauf Haus. My husband ordered a rather undesirable bratwurst and cheese pizza. The bartenders could not have cared any less about our drink or food orders, when we asked for the check, a 20% tip was already included, without any notice. We were sitting at the bar, had my friend not pointed it out we would have tipped an additional 22%. Bit of a sad joint.

I am from out of town and make sure to visit Sauf Haus every time I visit DC (about 3-4 times a month). It has a wide variety of beers and provides that German spirit in a city with few German bars. The staff is very friendly and attentive, especially Tatiana. Their happy hour is unmatched and is a must visit for anyone near Dupont Circle. They have a couple TVs that are always showing live sports, and have live music and DJs as the night progresses. This place is a must visit if you are in the area.

it's a fun bar ONLY if the live band is good, which about half the time they really is! if the band is eh then the vibes are kind of boring. the drinks are fun since you can get the massive beer steins (for like $20+, though). the people who go can be boring and not super fun, if that makes sense. also, it is physically impossible to use the bathroom. the like is insane every time. the best thing about sauf is that it's above a shake shack

Nani, she is the best server and make our birthday a dream. Thank you to let us enjoy a great time!

Great service and the best bartenders in the city. Great place to find German lovers, kolsh, Octoberfest, raiders, and pilsners.

Came here for the first time on Friday night. Not a soul waiting in line outside, so I walked straight to the bouncer with my ID in hand (versus walking through roped queue, which was the other direction from where i was coming). Bouncer (meanly) forced me to walk through the empty queue, I suspect to intentionally get me to pass by the homeless man they let sit in the queue. I do not have any problem with the homeless, and this man was not bothering anyone, but it felt like a very inappropriate place for a business to let someone beg for money. Never encountered anything like this before at any other establishment.

Went here on a Friday night, and I had a great night out. I bought one drink for $13. Two days later my bank notifies me I am being charged $17 with a 31% tip. I tipped $2 on $13 from what I remember, and my bank says I tipped $4 according to the receipt. I am always happy to tip my bartenders, what I am not happy about is the tip amount changing after the fact. I contacted the business to look more into this issue to make sure no errors were made, and I got no response. I emphasized that I don't care about the extra money but it is the principle of bartenders changing tips. Wish this issue could have been looked into more so I would have some clarity. Maybe I made a mistake but I will never know because no one ever responded. Weeks have gone by now so no point. Won't be returning.

The German beer selection is pleasant. Someone has curated a thoughtful list of quality brews. The food menu is limited, but smartly executed. The sausage platter is noteworthy. For $14, you get 2 sausage sammies (choice of bratwurst, kielbasa or chicken) on a killer pretzel bun topped with delicate sauerkraut, plus a side of tasty German potato salad. I make a trip here just to order that platter. It's what I wish would be for sale at the various sports stadiums in the DMV. The spirit of this place is inviting. It can get tight when it's crowded, but that's part of the fun too. Ownership has succeeded in creating a space that transports customers to a beer hall in Bavaria without having to fly there. I'm not alone in this feeling because it's obvious that loyal patrons flock here; they respect what is offered for competitive prices and behave themselves--which I appreciate. "Gut gemacht", Sauf Haus.

Rushed here after dinner because My niece booked a table reservation with a $10 hold on her credit card and if no show..they will charge $10/head of total of 5 person party. But very disappointed at arrival after ID checks and taken to top of rooftop then told to go back down and shuffled from all different floors of facilities which displayed the lack of coordination and logistics of the staff. We finally were seated at 5 barstools facing a windowed table after the staff moved another party in our designated "table." The location is between a Shake Shack and Chick-fil-A which i think would generate foot traffic here .. no cider drafts and settled for Austin's cider and my cousins ordered well drinks. My comparison was to Bier Garden in Hoboken and very different and did not meet expectations.

Wanted to see a football game so I dropped in after reading up on pubs within walking distance of my hotel. Received great service from the bartender who made a couple recommendations and even gave me some samples. As it got later the music got louder and the crowd grew. Definitely a fun time place for a younger crowd to gather, drink, dance and people watch from the balcony or windows. Would visit again at an earlier time to check out the food options.

Warning: People steal your iPhones there for business. Be careful. I had my IPhone 12 stolen right out of my purse that was on my shoulder over the weekend. Tracked it to the apartment complex on Massachusetts's avenue near by. Police are still searching

I went here for a work event to hang out during Happy Hour. If you're looking for a place right in the center of Dupont for a faux-Beer garden, then this is the place! It's rooftop-y without being right under the sun (indoors). I like how there are bench tables making it nice for large parties. They also aren't too wide which can make it a bit intimate. The pretzels are great to share- super big, and plenty of sauce options for dipping! My favorites were the slushies - pomegranate and pineapple flavors. It tastes as sweet as juice but still gives you a good buzz :D I also tried the ciders (can you tell I'm not at huge beer fan :P) - the original cider isn't anything to write home about but it was still pretty good and refreshing. Those who got beers really liked them though - and it was a fun experience overall and I'd come back again.

Randomly came here on a Saturday evening. In the area, this place had the best music coming from their rooftop area. On this night, there was a live DJ playing all of the current hits. After the DJ stopped, the music went to some late 90s (which was fun!!!! Torn by Natalie Imbruglia, return of the mack and more!!) The "small" beer is pretty large in itself. We didn't try and foods , but we'll def. come back for the sausage and kraut! TVs were playing college football games. Everyone had a blast!

If I could I would leave a negative-10 stars when it comes to the service; I only left 3 stars so that this review doesn't get deleted. We were standing in line as usual with any bar in DC, but this bouncer claimed he was the owner and continuously postponed our time to entry. He told us that his initials were G.H. Whenever we asked for a time update to enter, he continued to extend the time of entry. He told us to pay $10 if we wanted to "cut the line" despite being the first group in line that waited for 15+ min after seeing 20+ people leave the club. If we asked for an update in time, he continued to increase the wait time. After consulting with people who left the club saying that it was simply too hot in the club, my group left. It is simply frustrating.

I have swung by the Bier Hall and Garden several times. I am always lured in by my German roots and stay for the good vibes and good drinks. The hall is very large and located upstairs in DuPont. It gives you a cool vantage point in a very fun and lively part of the city. They have plenty of places to sit, stand, lean, etc. so bring a large group and you'll be just fine. They have a very large selection of beers and ciders to choose from. I have tried a lot of the different ciders and I have had one I didn't like yet. They are all very well priced as well. There is a small stage that offers live music as well. It becomes a lot of fun the later you stay when the music starts up!

Eek. I came here a year or so ago for the first time and I was not thrilled. It's extremely bro-y and overwhelming. The beer is okay and the food is not even trying to be authentic. IF you're going to get food you might as well get the pretzel BC it's huge and easy to share. The way you order food is actually a little odd. You order your drinks and food at the bar. You can only get your drinks there but for the food you get a little number and you're supposed to then head to this other area where one person is trying to fill all the orders. You have to wait "5 minutes" but if he's done early you're food just gets cold because no one calls you or if it isn't done yet you're just waiting. Then you're wading through ppl to get back to your seat. None of this seems appealing to me. The beer isn't that special and the space isn't that unique that it's worth the trouble and mediocre food. I also might be biased because my fiancé was born and raised in Germany and we go back regularly plus his mom and bro (who live in VA) make us the real deal... I went again recently because it was a good meeting point and some friends planned it but I will try to sway them somewhere else in the future. However, if this is your jam then more power to you! Get that beer and hang with those bros - there is enough of both to go around!

I've been here twice. Once at night and once during the day. It's always insanely crowded. Definitely beyond their capacity and what is safe upstairs. You literally are packed in like sardines. I'm not sure how there's always a line outside. The drinks are not worth their prices. Too watered down. Shots are $10 and are smaller than normal shot glasses. Even the mixed drink glasses are small. The beer comes in large mugs so that's the one option I would recommend. It's not a place I enjoy going. The only saving grace is the occasional live music.

Great bar if you are looking for different beer. Bartenders had good recommendations and were helpful. Decent dancing on the top level.

Don't judge a bar by it's exterior! You'd never know looking from the outside that Sauf Haus Bier Hall & Garden is a great place to catch a game on TV while enjoying an ice cold European beer. Of course, please please please get yourself the MASSIVE 2-lbs pretzel found here! The bier cheese is my favorite dip for the nicely buttery soft pretzels. If there's a big game/match, get here early to get a spot to sit because this place gets packed! As noted by others, you'll have to go up several stairs to get into the place. Definitely not otherwise accessible. :(