Yakima’s new watering hole

As a commuting student driving from Yakima and back again each day, I rarely have time to stop for a drink in Ellensburg. Recognizing that many of my fellow students share my commute and that others trek to the “big city” on the weekends, I feel a Yakima restaurant review is in order. This week’s choice is not exactly a sit-down-cloth-napkin-three-kinds-of-forks kind of restaurant, but I dare assume that CWU students are not the fillet-mignon-soup-du-jour-dressing-on-the-side kind of patrons. We want tasty. We want cheap. And we want beer. That is where Brats ‘N Brews comes in, Yakima’s new west side watering hole.

Located on the 51st block of Tieton Drive, Brats ‘N Brews is in the south end of the Glenwood Square mall, a converted turn-of-the-century fruit warehouse. They blend sports bar with Bavaria and pull it off, and with beers on tap ranging from $5 microbrews to $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon, it may just unite beer snobs and “utility” drinkers together at one table. Aptly named, Brats ‘N Brews has a wide variety of bratwurst and German sausage, (which are not the same thing I discovered) and of course an even wider selection of beer.

Several German beers are always on tap in keeping with the Bavarian menu, along with an ever-rotating selection of microbrews. The beer fridge is another crowd pleaser, with a broad range bottled beers like the 22oz Elysian Dragons Tooth Stout (a personal favorite) and of course the requisite domestics as well.

I ordered a 9lb Porter and a mild German brat, which with the addition of their homemade sweet-hot German mustard elicited memories of my last trip to Leavenworth. My server Sandee Holland couldn’t divulge the recipe of the mustard but laughingly told me, “I’m pretty sure there’s crack in it because I crave it all the time.”

Holland, who makes it a point to memorize her customers by name, told me, “I just love this place. There’s no stress, and everyone is always in a good mood.” Several other patrons sitting across from me, Doug Parrish, Tony Wellner and Bill Paulson certainly represented Holland’s assessment. When I asked them what they thought of Brats ‘N Brews, Paulson responded, “They have brats and $1 PBR during happy hour. What else do you want?” His friends were quick to respond, “For you to get the tab.” Good man Paulson.

Whether you’re looking for lunch on the cheap, or a place to share beer and conversation with a friend, Brats ‘N Brews is definitely worth checking out.