Gestalt Haus is burning up! No really, it's like a bazzillion degrees in this mo'fo. Boys were taking off their clothes, people were sliding off their seats, and those little twinkle lights were starting look hazy through the steam. I can't tell you if these were a result of the heat or the $9 liters that were consumed en masse (the bar ran out of glasses, people please), but I can tell you that I'd do it again in a heartbeat. read more

This bar gives The Broken Record a run for it's money when talking about excellent sausage and beer knowledge. It's a fixed gear hangout - so be ready for that. As long as you can hang talking with very young men who act like they've been around since the stone ages and have the knowledge (google) to back it up, and women who's default expression is as snotty as Angela in American Beauty - this place will amaze every time. I love their steins and they have a wide selection of beer (not Toranados, but what is?) I do wish that the layout wasn't so cramped around the bar area though - as I've said over and over again throughout, I really dislike being cramped. I do understand though that I'm in San Francisco. SO for some reason, I like this bar a full three stars more than it's competitor across the street, Killowatt despite the crowd. Maybe I'm just getting easy in my old age..... read more

So I'm on this email list that announces a different bar to check out every Tuesday. For this week I suggested this place, and the announcement was sent out. What followed was a barrage of attacks on the owner for scrapping Cafe La Onda and putting up Gestalt in its place. And before I knew it, the group rendezvous was changed to another bar to appease the complainers! I hope I don't find people on Yelp trying to pull the same "don't go here" stunt in retaliation for the loss of their coffeeshop. (or am I too late?) My roommates and I came here regardless, and I instantly fell in love. To those who complain, let me ask you something: 1. How many coffeeshops are open the same hours as Cafe La Onda in the Mission? (answer: 500,000) 2. How many sausage places are open til 2AM in the mission? Better yet, how many eating/drinking spots have indoor bike racks? And it's getting better. Murphy's in the process of setting up a cold room in the back so he can get 8 more taps, all belgian beer. I'll see you there. read more

Obsessed with all things German, I could not pass this bar up on my way home from BART. The aroma of fresh brats and the merry clinking of steins first reeled me in. Then came the jukebox playing "Beat It" and cool cats hanging out dancing, laughing, and mingling. A minute later, I walked my bike in and parked her up on the rack. This beer house is one of the coolest bars in the city. Right on the edge of the 16th and Valencia scene, Gestalt draws in a fun and diverse crowd. Everyone is really friendly, even when there's some mad action at the pool table. I could hang here for hours, cuz it's got everything I'd want right at my fingertips! Beer by the stein Cool bartenders Hot tasty sausages and potato salad Killer 80's music Pool table Comfortable seating Indoor bike racks Clean bathrooms Easy access outside (to take a call or smoke) So if you're in the Mission looking to get rubbed by all sorts of body parts and dance in a sweaty, smoke-filled room, then head over to Delirium. But if you're in the mood for a chill, fun night with beers, brats, and pool, then Gestalt is the place to be. Your bike will thank you. read more

It's been my lifelong (read: 6-month-old) dream to stop in at Gestalt Haus on my way home from work, hang my bike on the wall, and get a quick pint and sausage. Now that's a commute I can believe in. But to my surprise there was not a single bike in the place. I was so baffled I ended up leaving mine outside. At any rate, most of these sausage-&-beer operations are epically sprawling biergartens (Broken Record or Zeitgeist), some even taking it so far as to be technically two separate entities (like Toranadosamunde's). Gestalt Haus, on the other hand, inverts the concept with a very compact feel. And while this would be genius in, say, West Portal, at 16th & Mission I'm not so sure there's enough bar to go around, at least on Saturday night (though admittedly, I'm not sure of any Mission bar that I really dig on Saturday). But a happy hour chowdown on Hawaiian-Portuguese(!) sausage washed down with unfamiliar beers from familiar brands (like Speakeasy's White Lightning Wheat or Moonlight's Twist of Fate Bitter)--what's not to like about that? read more

Friendly service. Large selection of food and drink. Even vegan dogs. Sports and classic cinema on the screens, sound down.

This used to be one of my favorite bars in the mission, but it's just another yuppie bad overpriced place now. I would avoid and try any other bar in the area. read more

Lately, it's been all about good conversations and finding the places to have them with friends. I came with a few friends to Gestalt Haus early after work one evening and we ordered the Hofbrau on the friendly bartender's recommendation. Price was right, and taste was better than Stella...so we grabbed the comfy armchairs by the window, thinking an hour or two of catching up. Before we knew it, we had whiled the evening from 5:30 to past 10. It happened in the blink of an eye; I swear there was a time warp. How did it happen: was it in the discussion of our favorite dreams, or the different ways we read books (a couple of us visually, me by sensation and emotions), the ways we remember our past, our left-right brain orientation, the ways in which men might be different than women...yes, there was plenty of bs...lots of the geeky exciting making up bs with some real knowledge which I remember making college days so heady...and maybe that's how there was a time warp. It's been a long while since those college days, but weren't they exciting? And isn't it nice to have even better conversations with more knowledge, more experience, and good friends? Most of the stars are for the conversation and for the friends...I appreciate them: who they are, their vivacity, wits and goodness. Well, the friends deserve 5 stars...or maybe they are beyond rating. Or as with all good moments, it doesn't need rating so much as remembering. Gestalt: well priced Hofbrau, friendly bartender. But they really need to do something about the bathroom. The crowd is the biking crowd in their assortment of disheveled clothes and bikes. At one point, one of my friends really was thinking of getting a bratwurst, but she got lost again in the conversation. Oh well, maybe we will get our heads out of the clouds long enough next time to order one. read more

Wandered by here while looking for another bar. We were already hungry and when we poked our heads in and saw sausages and beer we're like, "Who needs other bars when there's sausages and beer here?" I know that some people feel that Gestalt should offer more than sausages and beer and a couple pool tables, but c'mon you're in the Mission, there's another bar, like 20 feet away. I like places that don't overwhelm me with choice. You can have a sausage. You can have a beer. You can have both, or just one. I was trying to keep myself from getting shitty right away so I didn't have the liter o'beer, but MAN is that tempting. I want to come back here some lazy slightly sunny afternoon when I don't have anything else to do and sit down with a brat and a liter and just watch the world go by. read more

Finally came here a few weeks back when my buddy Roscoe was in town for the Outside Lands weekend. I guess I found myself a bit let down after all the great reviews I read. Sometimes, my inner interior decorator gets the better part of me and the little things that are a bit off start getting on my nerves. First, the stools are too short for the bar - you're just about drinking with your elbows at ear level. And then you got these animal skulls thrown haphazardly on a bare black wall which gives the impression that little thought was going on with the interior design. Finally, one bathroom to share with the girls and boys doesn't help the situation either. I know these are little things and I'm sounding a bit whiny, but like I said, it adds up. Plus, throw in some odious youngsters that talk too loud and dance like Ellen Degeneres and you got an uncomfortable situation on your hands. Unfortunately, I didn't try any sausages so perhaps the rating would go up after I finally try some. Having indoor bike parking doesn't necessarily make a bar cool either. But there wasn't anything that *really* turned me off so I'd definitely be down to give it another shot. read more

All you need to know about Gestalt Haus - 1. Good bartenders 2. Good music over the loudspeakers 3. Amazing beers - Allegash and Delirium Tremens on tap 4. Awesome pinball machines - Medieval Madness, Funhouse, Addams Family, and Star Wars! 5 balls for 75 cents! If I lived in SF, this would be my local bar. Hands down. No question. High five. Fuck yeah. read more

Cheap Stella and bratwurst, what else could you want in a bar? After maneuvering our way out of the overcrowded and annoying Double Dutch on Sat. night, H. led us to Gestalt, which was just what we needed. Friendly bartenders (who gave me a pint on the house for my bday!) and awesome cheap bratwursts cooked right behind the bar! A great place to hang out with friends: a pool table, a bicycle rack, and beer. Warning: don't finish the liter if you're already drunk when you get there (Hear that H?!) read more

Gestalt has good beer, nice sausage, perfect location, is totally relaxed about bringing in food from other joints, fun music, an indoor place to park my bike where crackheads are slightly less likely to pee on it, and is pretty comfortable and full of nice people. But it kind of sucks, and I can't figure out why. It's like they're kind of trying to be Toronado and kind of trying to be Zeitgeist and they succeeded with neither. read more

Pros: Great beer selection & a friendly bartender. They had such a huge selection of beer I had a hard time deciding. I ended up with a brown ale (Brett, possibly?) which was rich & yummy. I like that they serve beer in those large boots, if that's your thing. I stuck with a pint. They serve lots of local brews as well as a ton of Belgian, German, & Czech beers. Good happy hour where beers were between $4-5. Cons: Fruit fly invasion! For some reason this place has a major problem with fruit flies. We were sitting near the front window & they were all over the place. I'm not sure what that was all about but it sure didn't make me want to try one of their bratwursts. The bathrooms are in bad shape & yep, full of fruit flies. Ick. The music was a bit loud for my taste, but now I'm just sounding like an old fuddy duddy. Cash only. read more

It's hard for me to write accurately about a place I tend to only go to after I'm already half in the bag, but I can happily report Gestalt Haus helps me get completely in the bag. With a liter of beer I am a happy man. I am even happier that the selection of beers is hearty and, dare I say, manly. Though I don't frequent the Mission much simply because it is not the most convenient commute, I could see myself coming here often. I could also see myself waking up many a morning and asking "How did I get home? Why are my pants on backwards? Did I get jacked by Kris Kross?" read more

Do you like bratwurst piled high with sauerkraut? Do you like big ass mugs of beer (good beer)? Do you ever wish that bars devoted a whole wall to fancy bike racks? OK, the last part is not as important. But it is all part of the Gestalt haus experience. In the heart of the Mission, across from Killowatt, this bar has the right mix of grungy hipster with laid back sausage eatin and beer drinkin. I especially loved it when the Rage and Cult was interrupted by the chick who put on some footloose type song and literally did the dance from the movie. No one even batted an eye, so i think it's a chill place for anyone. Thumbs up. read more

I have ulterior motives for writing this review. I'm hoping someone can nicely tell me the name of the beer I had here recently, because I very much remember asking the bartender TWICE what it was, and obviously I have already forgotten. Here's what I know: (1) It was from a brewing company based in Michigan (Minnesota?). (2) It was in a bottle. (3) It was suggested to me because I like Drakes Brewing's Aroma Coma. (4) It was delicious. All that aside, I came here recently to catch up with a friend before heading to a date two doors down. We split a pretzel and a bockwurst and had drank a few (mystery) beers. The bar staff and patrons were friendly and engaging, and I'm too distracted trying to remember this beer to write a real review. read more

If you like cheap knock offs of quality bars that have existed in SF for over a decade, then by all means, have a drink at Gestalt. If you like feeling like the bastard child of Toronado, Rosamunde & Zeitgeist, then you'll get a kick out of Gestalt. But if you don't appreciate a rude New York owner treating the Mission and your hometown (and who said, I quote, "I'm glad I'm not from San Francisco!") like it's any old Cash Cow, then boycott this Disney-fake attempt at "indie." Although I don't need to tell you to boycott. Judging by the mere handful of people there about midnight on a Saturday, the sausages cooked on what looked like a George Foreman grill, and the lackluster beers - Trumer! And Fat Tire! It doesn't get more craft than that - this is looking more tired than I do after a hop-fueled bender. read more

I like to learn. Last night I did some real good learnin. I now know that when I have to use two hands to pick up my beverage that it is too large for me and I should not be drinking it. I also learned that when the man says it will take 20 minutes for my sausage to be ready, he means 1 hour and I should not ask him again. If my brain was not atrophied by the regular abuse of alcohol I would have absorbed lesson 1 in quick order so that when lesson 2 became apparent I would not have already consumed 1.5 liters of beer. Unfortunately the fact that I cannot learn lesson 1 fast enough leaves me doomed to repeat my improper actions in a vicious round robin of I drink too much so I am dumb, I am dumb so I drink too much. End of night tally: Approx 3 Liters of beer consumed. read more

Dear Gestalt Haus, Guten tag! I do believe I quite enjoyed my last visit to you. You opened your home to us Yelpers in a way that made us all feel relaxed and welcome. However, next time I come back and decide to have a liter or more of your beer (especially that 9% alcohol devil's brew), please remind me to eat more than a bowl of soup and a sausage the whole day (but you are so considerate to know of my love of sausage - I especially like the chicken-spinach-feta and chicken-turkey-roasted-red peppers. Though I do wish they were not so dry and that you'd have more condiments like at Rosamunde's http://www.yelp.com/biz/g9LSMqUK5dkUcmpgTnU-dQ?hrid=4qlbjMb0YrEQxZEYI-51vQ). Also, please discourage me from going to the gym beforehand and exacerbating my dehydration. I believe you will find these precautions to be mutually beneficial to us. I would love to come back to visit you, play a little pool, pick a few songs from the jukebox, chat with friends...but I would also prefer to remember these moments for posterity. Til we meet again under more auspicious circumstances. Best, Steph read more

This is an amazing place! AND THEY ALLOW (encourage) DOGS INSIDE! Super friendly and dog-loving bartender. Stop everything and go here! read more

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Hmm, they sell beer by the liter, and pair it with several varieties of hot juicy tube steak? God should have saved this place for heaven. read more

I've been hearing about Gestalt over the past months from my biker buddies. So while down in the Mission yesterday I decided to check it out with a few friends. I can now confirm why all my bike messenger friends have been crowing about Gestalt. The bar is built for bike messengers, with a bike rack in the bar, a pool table up front, plenty of beer on tap, sausages a plenty, and a great jukebox. You can get beer in three sizes pint, half liter and liter. Just like Germany, with a bike rack. read more

It hurts me to have to take off a star from my previous review, but it needed to be done. I was there with some friends last night and the staff made some serious no-nos that I had to Yelp about. Issue #1: My friend ordered a sausage around 10:20pm or so, and the bartender responded that they were out of sausage. A nearby staff member replied there they were not actually out of sausage, and the bartender told my friend that they were done serving food for the night. Within 15 minutes, we saw another group picking up 2 sausages. WTF, man? Not cool. Issue #2: This is my BIG grievance with Gestalt last night. The DJ SUUUUUUUCKED. She was some hipster girl who was playing such shitty bar music; slooow-ass, boring 80's music. Playing 80s is one thing, but she only played the slowest ones. After every song ended, my group and I would audibly heckle the DJ's terrible playlist and yell for something upbeat. She responded by turning the music up... that little bitch. If I owned a business where the patrons typically liked to come and drink at least 2 liters of beer, I would want them to enjoy themselves and play the music they want to hear, lest I'd have to deal with 2 to 3 liters worth of anger. She wasn't getting it. Every single song ended with me screaming, "Hey DJ Power Trip, play better music already!!!" and giving her disapproving expressions every time she looked in my direction. At one point, my friend and I mocked her by slow-dancing in front of the DJ booth at full-arm's length with nervous expressions, like the middle school dances this bitch is apparently used to working at. I eventually finished my beer, waited until the song was over so that the DJ could clearly hear me screaming that she completely sucked dick at entertaining us all night, and returned home as the proud owner of one of the massive glass steins that Gestalt serves liters of beer in. As far as beer and sausage, the place is still as good as it gets. Minus one star for the TERRIBLE DJ. read more

Let me start off by saying I am allergic to hops. This means no beer for Brian. Fuck my life, right? I manage. So for me to give a place that primarily serves beer a 5 star review is a big deal. The beginning: I would come here on psuedo-dates to play pool in the afternoon and have some vegan sausage. Spacious, not too busy, sunny, great snausage. I is happy. The finale: Ended up here on new years eve. Fuck me I had so much fun. The bouncer was nice as hell, telling me about the non-beer options for me to drink. The bartender even remembered my friend and I who used to come but hadn't been in months. I had a few of the SoJo drinks as they call them (I think that's right), which is a semi-liquor (I guess you don't need a liquor license for it) and was totally happy. And then free champagne at midnight! Ended up coming back two nights later to another packed house and more friendly staff. Now, I have mixed feelings about the mission. However, this place seems to either attract the radest people in the area, or mellows them out to awesomness by radiating it's own radness as a business (that was a fun sentence). Gestalt, you have my heart. read more

I recently spend a beautiful day in The Mission and ended the evening at Gestalt Haus. Ashley M. and I first walked by this place on our way to the end of the block or somewhere, but the sign in the window advertising "Vegan Tuna Melt" told me I suddenly had other plans. We went inside and took a seat at the bar. My phone was dead by this time so I couldn't check in, but more importantly, I was not aware that it was past 6:00 p.m. They stop serving sandwiches after six. Thankfully, they also had vegan sausages. The vegan sausage was delicious. I loved that the bun was toasted. The toasted bun really sealed the deal for me. I ordered the sausage with sauerkraut and onions and tried the two different mustards and even some ketchup. I still want to try the "tuna" melt, but I would return just for another sausage. Halfway through my sausage I ordered an Arrogant Bastard from their selection of bottled beers. It went nicely with the sausage. Ashley M. let me try her Downtown Brown. I liked the flavor and would recommend it if you haven't tried it before. There was a weird dude trying to pick up on me which took a little bit away from the nice evening we were having. Oh well. The bar staff was very nice and attentive. I'm looking forward to checking this place out again and trying the vegan tuna melt. "Sausage" count: 6 read more

If you like beer as much as I do, this is the only place you should come if you can't get into Zeitgeist or any other bars around the mission. You don't wanna go to Medjool, because it just sucks and they charge a cover. You don't want to go to Blondie's because of all the hoochies. You don't want to go Elbo Room, because it's way too pack and you can't talk with anyone because of the noise and the place smells like piss. Last resort. Gestalt. This place is for anyone who don't like large crowds and like to drink beer. They had THE LITTER for $9 dollars, 1/2 liters for 7 and pints for 5. They also got hot dogs if you are hungry. A nice pool table and bike racks for anyone riding their bikes. My only complaint would be the bathroom. read more

Sausages and potato salad were tasty, filling, borderline authentic and affordable, which is exactly what I needed when I stumbled in... I mean sauntered in last night. Definitely tops most bar food in this city in all categories but variety. The beer selection made up for any qualms I might have had about diversity in selection though. I got to order a couple of brews that I haven't seen since I lived in Austria, and I love that you can order beer by the mass. The bartender had a little hissy fit when i gingerly tossed my empty sausage tray on the bar, because he thought I threw it at him. Odd, since I was only two feet back from the bar, where it landed, and it stayed on the bar. It was a pretty good shot actually, but maybe this guy has a childhood lunchroom trauma that is still haunting him. I won't judge. read more

Gestalt rocks. Oddly enough, it's an aptly named venue. Take it apart and it's a shoebox-shaped room with a pool table, a long bar, small tables, and, of course, the industrial-sized bike rack that takes pride of place besides the entrance. It offers a good selection of German beers on tap and a small assortment of wursts, including a vegan option. Alas, when we were there, they were out of the potato salad, although I was warned it's meat-laden. Damn. Beer, bikes & brats---what's not to love? Put it all together, and it can add up to one of the best night's out in the city---ever. The unpretentious crowd, the friendly staff, the generous pitchers of beer, the chill atmosphere. We likes. If they threw in nightly screenings of major international (cycling) tours, I fear we'd never leave. read more

I can count on one hand the number of times that I have blacked out from drinking. Either I don't drink heavily enough or I just don't black out easily (although details sometimes get fuzzy, I rarely lose a whole evening). Of these few jewels in my alcoholic crown there has been only one that was caused by beer only and it happened at Gestalt. I fucking love this place. It's not usually crowded and they sell liters (yes, LITERS) of beer, which save you both money and time (although if you're out boozing it up in the city you probably have enough of both... it's a nice situation all the same). This makes for an amazing place to bring a few friends and shoot the shit. There's a pool table and a jukebox that has good music in it. They even sell sausages which easily dispatch any drunk-munchies you may have. Stellar. 5 stars, hands down. read more

After a long absence and a shocking return, I must drastically change my review here. Gestalt Haus is no longer the rustic, beer-lover's bicyclist destination it once was. It is now, in fact, a generic, boring, and inappropriately flashy bourgeois hangout. The young and stylish danced to loud hip-hop music, whereas before, scruffy (but still young and stylish) cyclists brooded over enormous liter-mugs of beer, playing Led Zeppelin on the juke-box. Now the indoor bicycle rack has vanished, and so, it seems, have the comely bicycle boys. They now serve ale in fancy tall glasses instead of comically oversized mugs, and, in my humble opinion, the worst transgression of all, they no longer serve my favorite ale, Fat Tire. Too plebian for them now, I imagine. They now only serve extremely crafty and foreign beers I've never heard of or do not care for. So sad, this pub had much promise. In a few years, it may have even become a proper dive. But alas, it's gone astray and will never be the same again. Needless to say, I shall not set foot in Gestalt Haus ever again. read more

I don't know if I will ever try to vegan kielbasa. But I do like knowing that it exists and that if I wanted to I could come here and get it. Not a bad place to start out the night. But before long the place is packed to the gills and doesn't stand out any more than any other Mission bar. read more

CASH ONLY. Now that I've sorted out people who will not come with people who will, let's get started. Chill vibes come from this place. It specializes in German beer and bar snacks such as soft pretzels. Came here with some friends on a Saturday night. The bouncer there recognizes faces. Even if you step out he will just let you back in, no need to re-check IDs every single time, especially if you are standing right in front of him outside the bar. One of my pet peeves is re-checking IDs when I'm literally right in front of you. Now most people want the DAS BOOT. I know I did. It will cost you $30 as a down payment in case you get any ideas about leaving with the sweet glass boot. It's also $30 to fill the beer. So you need at least $60 cash in your pocket if you're thinking of doing that. Beer selection is nice and I'm glad I could get what I was looking for. You would think the inside would remind you of Oktoberfest but it's more of a modern take. Music is hip hop instead of Bavarian folk tunes. Sports on the TVs. I really wanted someone in leiderhosen with an accordion walking around. It's a chill place to get the party started if you're thinking about bar hopping. read more

Great little beer & brat house filled with standard-issue Mission hipsters on bicycles. Lots of long wooden tables to crowd around and sing. Tasty sausages (vegan even!) grilled-to-order. I'd stay away from the liter beers and go with the half-liters instead. You'll appreciate being able to refresh more often with a nice cold beer! read more

mmm'kay, this is a beer bar, (no cocktails, got it?) with a fantastic selection of craft beers on tap, as well as a similarly fantastic selection of bottled craft beers. Further, you can get super cheap cans of Olympia or Tecate, if that's your jam. And yeah, there are bottles of Bud and a few other beers of that sort if you go there too. But that's not why I go here. I go for the sandwiches (and the beer). Ho. Ly. Sh*t. (Don't get me wrong, the sausages on a bun are great as well). But these sandwiches blow my mind, and I've been on a mission to explore every single one of them on the menu. As of this writing I've got 4 more to go out of about 20 (though a couple of those remainders don't excite me). My favorites (in no particular order): - The Bird - The Charlie Sheen - The Meatwad - The Haus Ruben It's possible that this place has had its ups and downs, but in the time I've been going there, mostly during the daytime when it's chill for food and a few beers, it's been awesome. The bartenders are super nice, and the people have always been very friendly. Evenings are probably a little noisy, and the food shuts down at 8pm, so keep that in mind. Also? PINBALL, and they're happy to give you as many quarters as you need to play pinball or pool. I love this place. read more

The bar with a name I can't remember cause I don't know what it means. I still like it a lot. They have liter size mugs for $8. The same one I got at SF's Octoberfest for $15 (not including the mug). The jukebox is a mix of classic rock, punk and new alt bands. The bartenders are super friendly, which should make this place real popular very soon. Haven't tried the weiners yet, but I plan on making this an early evening weekday hang out. read more

Sometimes a restaurant or bar is so intentionally lo-fi it's charming. Other times, it just seems lo-effort, or lo-concept. This place had the faint smell of desperation, pleading to be loved as hip and unique despite the fact that it looked like your stoned buddy redecorated your basement while you were out grocery shopping. Even the glazed eyes of the mounted ungulate heads on the wall had the same look of breathless anticipation: "Will they notice this room took fifteen minutes to plan and build? Ba-a-a-a!" That smell could also have been the brats, although to be frank (ha!) there was a dude *right outside* selling sausages out of a cart that smelled way better. Score one for the well-placed street vendor. A couple things I dug: One, Prohibition Ale. The Speakeasy Brewery rules, and they're local. Two, the jukebox. Did I just hear Mouthful of Cavities? So somebody else owns that album? Awesome. The bike rack up front was impressive, actually sort of a showcase inside the bar. The rest of it -- good music and beer, and a lot of seemingly happy people, but not much else to crow about. If you're a German hunter who rides a bike -- welcome home. read more

Place smelled like old sausages (which my friend thought smelled like dog food), beer was so so/kinda warm, jackass bike messenger dude who have their jeans perma-rolled were heckling us as we played pool, and to top it all off there was a roach chillin' next to me... burly.... not returning unless the last remaining keg of beer in all of the mission was there.... read more

Pretty much nirvana. Pool table. check. Cold beers. check. Tasty sausages. check. Comfy places to sit. check. Pinball machine. check. Juke box. check. read more

Was just chatting with one of the co-owners yesterday at the Pilarcitos 'cross race and realized I'd never done a review of Gestalt, despite having spent quite a few drunk'n nites there both sampling delicious Belgian style ales, german beers(of course) and munching on German potato salad and tasty Brats! Admittedly, although I am a cyclist (road, mountain and 'cross) I avoided going into Gestalt because I kinduv expected it to be a hipster\trendy bar for all the mission fixie riders ( not that there's anything wrong with that). So I never popped in there. Turns out it's way mellower than that. I guess all the "hardcore" hipsters go to Zeitgeist ;-) In any case, a friend of mine met Murphy at a mountain bike race about 1 year ago and said friend who lives in the mission (actually about 2 blocks away) took me there. I've been sold since! Where to begin....the bartenders are always interesting, friendly and social. They have full-on bike store bicycle racks to stash your bikes inside the bar! The beer selection is frick'n awesome! From bottled Belgians to Belgian style local micro-brews on tap, as well as a healthy selection of German brews(duh!). And they have various sausages(with german mustard and kraut of course) and excellent German potato salad (with bacon...yum) to munch on as well. I can't recall a nite when I didn't walk out of there completely blitzed! Those liter double IPAs(10%) will sneak up on you. If you don't remember anything else about this post just remember, you cannot drink a 10% beer, even a pint, like a regular beer without getting tossed purty quickly! There's also talk of a beer garden! So while it maybe a bit too late for this year as winter is coming....at least you got something to look forward to! read more