Gottscheer Hall — Restaurant in New York

I went to Gottscheer Hall for the first time last Saturday night. It was a really great time! It has the feel of a German VFW Hall. They've got a couple beers on tap, we had the only German sounding one on tap (can't remember the name) it was $5 for a large mug. Good deal. They also had some hot toddies (It's crazy cold in NY right now) and something called Gluh-wein for $3 a glass. Gluh-wein ended up being this delicious spiked hot apple cider, awesome. My group ordered food, chicken strips, potato pancakes with applesauce, bratwurst with sauerkraut, all delicious. Around 10 pm, a woman came around with this bucket of tiny pieces of papers rolled up (think diplomas for mice). You could purchase 5 for $1, and if you unrolled them and found a number, you won a prize! I won a bottle of champagne!

It was unexpectedly a great night at a low-key German...

Ordered two beers and two pretzels. My party was splitting the tab with cash and card. Handed a $20 and my card to the bartender on a $28 dollar bill who motioned back to me and in returned I motioned him to put the whole $20 on the card. Got my credit card receipt back. Price was still the same. Asked him what happened. He tells me he thought I said the $20 was a tip. What? First of all, who tips before they have paid? Second, who leaves an 80% tip on a bill? Instead of apologizing for the misunderstanding, he blamed it on me, walked back to the tip jar and threw the $20 down in front me. Yup. Shady. Check your bills! Won't be returning. Also, the place smells like urine, and nothing inside looks or feels like...

As a nostalgic lower east sider, I love how Gottscheer Hall mixes up the old ethnic with the new neighborhood like the old Ukrainian National Home did on 2nd Ave, artists and poets and homeboys and the remnants of old locals all mixing it up over pierogis. My nostalgia prevents me from even seeing just how wonderful it is on its own, but thats probably for the best since I would see warts and all. It was so beautiful through beer goggles, and being German, they have an amazing selection of beer. The sausage and pretzels are excellent. The pierogis are deep fried which i always think is a crime. Is that the way they ate them in Gottschee? Did they even eat pierogis...