After being dark for six months, Mike Finley is turning the lights back on at Bierhaus, his German-inspired beer hall and restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek.
Finley is preparing for a May 5 reopening of the bierhaus at 1360 Locust Avenue, which was known before the pandemic for its selection of European beers, oven-blistered bratwurst and expansive outdoor patio. There will be COVID-era changes: A smaller, simpler menu; a new service model with QR codes for ordering; and cocktails for the martini crowd.
Finley says he’s looking at reopening from a customer service perspective.
“I’ve had a lot of thoughtful time spent deciding what I want to do in the future,” he says. “Things have settled. And we’ve learned a lot.”
One of those lessons, he believes, is that people do not want to peruse a large menu with many options, so he’s limiting large plates to the bratwurst, roast chicken, schnitzel, steak frites and a yet-to-be-determined vegetarian dish. Not to worry — the spaetzle is staying on the menu.
“Simple, simple, simple,” he says. “That’s what we’re going for.”
Another reality, he says, is that people are not going to go out as much as they used to. Two people used to drop $70 on dinner without thinking twice, he says. That may not be the case anymore.
“If you and your friend are going to spend $70 it better be really good and memorable otherwise you won’t go back,” he says. “The picky are going to be a lot pickier.”
Also, by modifying the restaurant’s service model, he is hoping to free up about 30 percent of servers’ time to just talk with their customers. Those who want full table service will get it; those who know what they want can simply walk in and order using the QR code at the table.
Another reality of owning a restaurant in Walnut Creek: Drinkers come in asking for well drinks, so he’s working on obtaining a full liquor license in order to offer five classic cocktails with gin, bourbon, tequila, whiskey and vodka.
Before temporarily closing the doors in November, Finley tried most everything to survive and serve customers during the pandemic. Last spring, he offered groceries, toilet paper, gloves and other essentials and expanded Biergarten’s to-go and delivery platforms. In the fall, he and his culinary consultants revamped the menu, adding craze-driven fried chicken and other new dishes. During Oktoberfest, he created take-home kits of beer steins and bratwurst.
Bierhaus will have a soft opening on May 1 before opening to the public on May 5. For updates, check back or visit https://bierha.us.