Wurstküche (Venice)
Inside seating area with modern touches and warm wood accents.
If you’ve ever had fantasies of reliving your Oktoberfest days while eating exotic grilled meats in a quasi-modern beer hall interior, we’ve found the spot for you. Yeah I know, that was a mouthful to open with. Don’t hate me just yet.
Located just a few blocks away from The Penmar (check out our article about that here), Wurstküche’s Venice location is an ode to Bavarian beer halls, boasting novel beers and ales that are mostly found in Europe. The frontside of their menu lists an impressive repertoire of beers ranging from Belgian, German, and American selections. As an obvious beer expert (I am not), I opted for the beer with one of the longest names, Braufactum Progusta. But, as we all know, a good German beer is not complete without a good German sausage to accompany it. Now this is where things get really interesting.
Front ordering counter with various beer glasses behind.
Sausage offerings. Exotic meats towards the bottom.
Right next to the counter, you can see a huge selection of sausages lined up behind glass. And while the first few rows seem like normal sausage names one might recognize like bratwurst and bockwurst, things get a bit more unique upon further inspection. For example, in their “exotics” section of the menu, they offer buffalo, duck, rattlesnake, rabbit, lamb, and pheasant meat sausages. Having never eaten a pheasant before, and not really in the mood for rattlesnake that night, I thought that the “pheasant with herbs de provence” was the most enticing option. Once ordered, our group waited in the tiny front room with our numbered placards.
However, this place has even more surprises. Upon following a nondescript hallway behind the front counter, one is taken to a large indoor seating area where long wooden tables seat guests in a dimly-lit, modern atmosphere. Large groups- from friends to corporate teams- were sprawled all over, drinking and talking with each other. However, if you prefer to get away from the cacophony of the inside seating, Wurstküche also offers an outdoor patio as well, which is an equally attractive option. Do keep in mind that the tables outside are smaller, and due to their strange shapes, it would be difficult to combine them for a group larger than four.
In terms of the beer, here are my thoughts about the Braufactum Progusta. Listed as an India Pale Ale, it is surprisingly well-balanced for an IPA. One thing that I have a problem with when drinking IPA’s is its usual sour taste, which some love, but I am not a huge fan of. This beer’s “IPA-ness” is not overpowering, and it has some good depth to its flavor as well, making it an enjoyable drink to sip on while talking to my friends and waiting for our food to come out.
But I’m sure you all want to hear about the pheasant meat. Okay, fair enough. Now, without meaning to cause offense to anybody, I will be calling what came out a “hotdog”, since in the American mind, that is what most of you readers will recognize it as, despite any other name that might be out there. My hotdog came with the included two toppings of sauerkraut and grilled onions, and you are able to swap these for other toppings, or even include fries if you wish. While I personally did not get fries, one of my friends did, alongside his duck and bacon hotdog. The pheasant sausage itself has a bit of a grayish exterior and when eaten, has a bit of a gamey taste and consistency to it, but combined with that of chicken if that makes any sense. It definitely has a unique taste that I enjoyed and would eat again; for the simple experience of trying pheasant, I’d say it was well worth it. My friend described his duck hotdog as being not overly rich, but well-balanced and enjoyable to eat as well.
Pheasant sausage with herbs de Provence.
Duck and bacon sausage with Belgian fries.
The side of fries were thick-cut and Belgian style, similar to steak fries. Although it was good in taste and there were no issues with the actual quality, I would probably ask for less salt when ordering next time. Each table also has its own condiments with one bottle of ketchup, and about four different types of mustard. My favorites were the original American mustard and the wild mustard, both of which paired great with the sauerkraut and onions.
Overall, I found this place really interesting and something that you’d really only find in LA. From the modern-quirky interior charm to the unique menu offerings, you can’t go wrong if you want to try new foods or have an adventurous night out with your friends. As they are also open late, Wurstküche is a great late-night hangout spot and a true hidden gem of Venice.
Wurstküche Venice is located on 625 Lincoln Blvd., Los Angeles. Too far for you? They have another location at 800 East 3rd St. in Downtown Los Angeles as well.
