Our correspondent vowed to have a drink at every single bar in Hoboken and did so successfully with Spirits in the Sixth Borough.” Every Friday morning, we’ll pick up where he left off, showing you distinctive bars in each New York City borough perhaps for the very first time, perhaps to refresh your memory of a fun place you’ve ducked into, or perhaps to suggest a new spot for you to check out as you gear up for the weekend. You can follow our sudsy travels every week with LocalBozo.com’s “Drink Here Now.”

The Standard Biergarten
848 Washington Street near 13th Street, Meatpacking District
212-645-4646
Getting There: A,C,E,1,2,3 to 14th Street; L to Eighth Avenue
http://www.standardhotels.com

Despite plummeting temperatures, flakes of snow, and downright dreariness that befalls the Northeast at the beginning of each year, we still yearn to be outside. Enjoy the benefits of an outdoor beer garden without the peril of freezing at The Standard Biergarten, our favorite haunt in the Meatpacking District.   Making use of the ground floor of The Standard Hotel, the space is absolutely prime for warmer months as the open air, despite the current glass enclosure, breathes new life into the long tired run of winter in the City one German style liter at a time.

There are weekend afternoons where the line to enter The Standard Biergarten runs around the corner of the building, with drinkers waiting with anticipation to grab a seat and a pint at one of the many communal picnic tables inside. Weeknights are likely a slightly easier entry point- but any visitor will tell you to immediately grab drink and food tickets upon arriving which will run you roughly $8 either way. Once inside, the interior is literally buzzing with activity and finding a seat can be a challenge. But you’d be best served to survey the surroundings- stand at each of the two long bars, take in a competitive ping pong match, even explore the sizable private area in the back. You’ll walk past The Standard Grill, on the ground floor of hotel, on your walk to the fancy rest rooms- with shared sinks for both sexes- and wish that you had made a reservation for a table once your imbibing is finished.

 

With some sausages and pretzels, the fare served pairs excellently with the tasty beers, although its not necessarily inventive. But at a German biergarten, we’d expect nothing less. That said, the pretzels are huge, soft, and salted, and the sausages pictured above are decidedly juicy and tender. Critics might scoff at the small selection of draught beers here (3), but with a range from light to dark, any casual drinker should be satisfied. And if they aren’t solely by the atmosphere that surrounds them, you might want to direct them elsewhere because at The Standard Biergarten, it’s hard NOT to have a great time. Be it a wild night out with your friends or an intimate date after a walk on the High Line which sits above, there’s nothing like this place in the Meatpacking District nor at any rival biergarten in Manhattan.

The Rundown

Bar Type - German inspired biergarten on the ground floor of a posh Meatpacking District hotel…where you could never afford to stay.

When to Visit – The setting is ideal for warmer months, but don’t wait for the crowds. Head over on a weekend afternoon and hang around until it gets dark. And then hang out there some more.

Value - Uh huh. Move along pal. Not here.

The Lowdown – If my recap wasn’t glowing enough, The Standard Biergarten has become my go to spot in New York City for big groups, out of town guests, or weekend carousing. It’s hard to argue with a place that packs in young people, offers up ping pong, and is relatively affordable and easy to access in one of the City’s most energetic neighborhoods and one that we hardly frequent otherwise. There’s a lot to like about The Standard Biergarten- a must visit bar for locals and out-of-towners alike.