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| - As I walked the streets of downtown Glendale, the Oom-Pah music wafting down the alleyways let me know what I was in for: GOOD TIMES.
You really could come here just to drink.There's a full-fledged beer garden outdoors on the side of the restaurant where a band was set up, playing traditional polka which goes great with beers. Even though we're in the desert it was pretty chilly out there so we opted to stay indoors. Bring a sweater just in case.
Vegetarians beware! You're not gonna find much to eat here. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms (stuffed with meat, of course) as an appetizer, the bauernplatte combo, a GIANT BEER (a one liter mug of their darkest, the Optimator), and for dessert, a slice of black forest cake. oh, and some GOOD TIMES.
We came real hungry and the portions did not disappoint. The stuffed mushrooms were not only pretty to look at, they were also huge and very delicious. I could see someone ordering this appetizer and making it a meal just by itself. Not having been here before, or properly indoctrinated into German cuisine, my wife and I decided that the combo for two would be a good start: spicy bratwurst (my fave), German bratwurst (also good!), weisswurst (least fave), a kassler kotelett (fried and flavorful) and some pork schnitzel, with (THE BEST) sauerkraut, red cabbage (so good!), fried potatoes (yes!) and some German potato salad (YES!) on the side. Like I said, we were hungry, and managed to put a dent into little over half that platter. Our server initially brought me out the wrong beer, which was sorta funny because I had asked him for a recommendation, and it had to have passed through his head as he was lugging this huge mug to my table. I did taste it before I sent it back, and it was good, but when the Optimator showed up, all was right with the world (I kind of get excited when I walk into a place and there's beers on tap that I haven't tried, and even more so when they turn out to be amazing)! To finish the meal off we thought, "Ah, what the hell," and split a piece of the black forest cake, which was pretty good, but next time I wanna try the strudel.
Haus Murphy's is an institution, and we will definitely be back with a full crew to put this place to the test. I don't think there's anywhere else quite like it in Arizona as far as the menu, the ambiance, the fantastic beers, and the aforementioned GOOD TIMES.
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