Cincinnati’s oldest restaurant, Mecklenburg Gardens, is famous for its Beer Garden, which is now the place for FC Cincinnati’s largest fan club, Die Innenstadt, to hang out before soccer games. The members come hours before every game, enjoying beer and appetizers, and then march together as a group to Nippert Stadium and sit in their section in The Bailey. And that’s not the only club that drops by: fans of German soccer team Bayern Munchen also get their pre-game on at Mecklenburg Gardens. If you’re a soccer fan, this is the hottest place to be!
It’s not just soccer Mecklenberg Gardens likes to cheer on…they are big UC Bearcat fans too! For every football game (except Sunday games), Mecklenburg Gardens provides a free shuttle to and from the games. Start the fun off by grabbing a snack or some dinner and a refreshing beer and then hop on the shuttle and enjoy the game knowing you don’t have to fight the parking lot crowds.
The Beer Garden also features a trivia game night on Wednesdays and music on Friday and Saturday nights. It’s a cool and shady place to relax (on hot nights there are misters out to cool you down), have a drink, enjoy some food and just absorb the atmosphere. You can also hold special events for up to 120 people in the Beer Hall, which offers a big screen tv, and is right next to the Beer Garden – perfect for enjoying your event inside or out. They often host weddings, private parties, receptions and birthday parties in the Garden, and upstairs they offer a more intimate space for meetings and occasions with smaller crowds.
Oktoberfest is when Mecklenburg Gardens rules as the German place to be! For the whole week leading up to Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, they will be hosting a different event each night with drink and food specials to enjoy all week long. On Monday, September 12th, Sam Adams Brewers will be in, hosting the “stein hoist”. The winner at Mecklenburg Gardens will go downtown to compete with other local bar winners to win a trip to Boston to visit Sam Adams Brewery in person. On Tuesday, September 13th, Braxton Brewery will be in house; Wednesday, September 14th will feature Bell’s Brewery as well as a pig roast; and Thursday, September 15th Sierra Nevada will be featured. Each brewery will bring their own version of an Oktoberfest beer, to be offered alongside local craft beers. Friday is the start of Oktoberfest, and Mecklenburg Gardens will have a booth there all weekend, so stop by and visit.
Mecklenburg Gardens is more than just beer. They have always had the best in German cuisine on the menu, and it has just been redeveloped by Chef Brett Crow; Crow has worked for Jean-Robert and is now the chef at L in the Great American Tower. A long-time family friend of the owners, Crow consulted with them to create a brand-new menu that is sure to please any palate.
Locals and visitors alike rave about the Mecklenburg Gardens experience, so be a part of it and make plans to dine (and drink!) there soon.