Ferabend Inc

I gave Feierabend two stars instead of one because the beer selection is good and makes for a reasonable happy hour option. However, my fiancee and I went to Feierabend last night for drinks and dinner and received some of the worst service we've ever gotten in Seattle. We were seated at a table with friends, waited for over 20 minutes for a server, and eventually had to take the menu up to the bar to order food. After waiting another 5 minutes at the bar, I gave the order to our server (who had finally appeared), and instead of apologizing for ignoring us, she huffed and rolled her eyes, etc., apparently annoyed that I wasn't willing to wait another 20 minutes for her to make another round. A few minutes later, this same server (short haired blonde woman, in case you decide to make a visit) was taking orders from an adjacent table, and suddenly reached between the friends at our table to grab the drink menu--while we were actively looking at it. I held on to the menu as it started to slide away, and she kept pulling at it. When I asked her if we could hold on to the menu (since we were about to actually order more drinks), she squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth as if it were everything she could do not to punch me. This is our server. No ""sure, no problem, I'll be right back to take your order""--no, just a tug-of-war and a scowl that would curdle milk. It was unbelievable. Needless to say, we watched her closely when she picked up our food and drinks from the bar and brought them to us. She was actually pretty nice, in a schizophrenic sort of way, at that point, as if her other personality had realized that her tip from our large table of patrons (about 12) might actually depend on her treatment of us. So that's the service. As for the food, my fiancee ordered a chicken salad that she couldn't start, much less finish. I tried a bite of the chicken and had to put it in a napkin. Horrible (not spoiled, mind you, just horrible). I ordered a burger, and it was fine. We also had the pretzel with three mustards, and it was good. But overall, this food is not ""good,"" in a way that makes you want to come back. If you're really craving a schnitzel sandwich, then I suppose Feierabend is one of the few Seattle options, but those occasions for me are limited. As I said, a good beer selection makes this an option for happy hour, but I'd steer clear for any other occasion. Pros: Good beer selection. Cons: Mediocre food, worse service. more

I've been here twice and both times, the service was really good and both times, the beer was off the hook! I ordered a bowl of tomato basil soup the first time - OMG!!!! The BEST tomato soup I've ever had. It was a hearty bowl with croutons and Parmesan cheese. The second time, I ordered a pretzel with the spiciest wasabi mustard I've ever had. The food selection didn't have too many healthy options, but that's what I'd expect from a German pub. I'm sure I'll go back! Pros: great beer, great service, good food Cons: A little loud, heavy food selection more

I have been twice. The first time a lunch took 1 hr and 45 mins. I complained in writing and was given a $25 gift card by Chris Navarra. We went to use it tonight and sat for 20 minutes unnoticed by staff. We went to complain and they were rude, so we just asked for the money from the card. Their food is good and so is the beer, but the service is terrible and is mostly the result of being understaffed, but they are rude also. Chris - it's not that hard to run a restaurant right. You've got a cute place that could be successful, but it won't last long or make money this way. Too terrible for me to return. Pros: Food is good Cons: You can never get it. more

I have given this place a try a few times and after last weekend I will never be going back! The entire staff (less the cooks) are rude!! The place is standing room only pretty much all the time, this could be why the wait staff feels it is ok to be rude. Guess what..its not! You people need to learn to smile or at least be nice when someone comes in to spend a buck! Never again... Pros: Outside Seating Cons: The bartenders! more

Of course it's superbusy! It's the best. If you are a wuss, come in mid-afternoon. If you can handle a crowd and know what you want then go anytime. It's way better than Peoples Pub more

We tried to have a coworker going away party at the restaurant (she is moving to Germany), called to try and reserve a table and were told ""No, we don't take reservations. We are always crowded too, so good luck getting a table."" We went anyway in hope of finding a table and were truly given such a brush off that I felt like I was not in Seattle. Another waiter told me that they were too busy and did not need the 30 people that were bringing into the place. Cons: Staff and Management more

i understand the place was crowded. but that doesnt make up for the horrible wait staff. rude is an understatement. stood by the door for ten minutes as countless waitstaff walked past giving us rude looks. not a single one said a thing to us. finally a waitress came up and said the only way you can get a table is if we sat across from another couple. said no thanks we'll wait. she says thats how we do it here its open seating thats how they do it in germany. YES I KNOW THAT. I lived there. last time i checked we're in america. and as for german bier selection, not too great. didnt have some of the most popular biers from germany that i've found at tiny restaurants in leavenworth...my recommendation? dont bother. go down the street to Paddy Coynes Irish pub. and if you really want german...it's worth it to go to leavenworth. Pros: ...... Cons: horrible service, rude staff, tacky interior more

I lived in Germany so once in awhile get a craving for some real German food. Feierabend is pretty close to what I remember. Great place for a group to get together and learn sign language so they can converse because it's pretty dang loud. Servers weren't exactly friendly, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they're going for the Northern German chilly attitude I remember fondly. The whole no-smile thing is super German, I will say. You crazy Americans and your silly smiles. Pros: decent food and yummy biers Cons: loud more

This is a great placed to come and have some drinks with friends. I have been going to this Pub since it opened and make it a point to take any of my friends who really love good beer to Feierbend. At night this place can get crowed but it has great atmosphere. By the way the curry ketchup is awesome and so is the burger. They also got the boot which a fun novelty to do in a group. Pros: Drinking out of the Boot, Great Beer Cons: Crowed at night. more

I live above Feierabend in the Cairns Apartment, and I will never go there again. I keep going as it is so convenient, but I am so over the terrible service, rude staff, and ok food. For instance when I asked for a wine list the snotty blonde waitress looked at me and said ""this is a German bar"" ... I was like sooo you don't have wine... The entire staff needs to learn how to smile. more

My co-workers and I go out of our way to cab it over to this fantastic little pub for fried pickles and the best beer sampler around(large glasses!!). We've been about four times now and have yet to have anything less than a great experience. more

Ok, I'm finally able to write this without my heartrate going up because this is how the awful waitress made us feel the day we came here. It was last summer and it was a nice day outside. We had our dog with us and saw there was outdoor seating at Feierabend. I made sure my husband went inside to make sure it was ok for us to eat outside with our dog. The person working at the bar said it was fine, so we sat down. Well, apparently the bartender did not communicate this news to the waitress. She came up to us with this disgusted look on her face and my husband asked her if we could have menus. She said to him ""you should have gotten them when you were inside."" I was like ""did you just hear what I thought I just heard?"" My husband told me he was able to ignore it, and pretend like she didn't say it. She then returned with ONE menu for both of us. And our dog was on a leash and went up to her in a very friendly manner (vizsla's are like this, they THINK everyone loves them.) Well, this wasn't the case with her. She then lashes out and says can you keep him away from me, he keeps sniffing me!"" And I said, ""this is what dogs do, why are you giving us all this attitude?"" And she said, ""you never even asked if it was ok to have him here!"" This is when I about lost it and told her the person inside said it was ok to have him here. By this time we had already placed our order and I stood up and told her to cancel and we will not be eating here. I walked away and let my husband pay for our drinks because I thought I was going to have some more choice words with her, and it wasn't worth it. I never did get her name, but she was skinny with thin brown shoulder length hair and had an extremely ugly attitude. I was so angry I haven't returned. more

I finally found a place that has the feel of home i was born and raised in germany I and I can tell u from my experience it was right on the money very inviting place the wait staff was awesome and friendly the beer selection was amazing the food looked good had the pretzel spot on also loved that they hard to find liquor from germany i will be back and give it a big thumbs up i will be back also my date had a blast and watch out for the 2 liter boot .... Cons: can get crowded more

My husband and I had an out of town guest and figured that we would go out for some German cuisine. So we drove into Seattle to try the Feierabend out. The place was really hopping, standing room only. After waiting for about 20 minutes we managed to snag a spot at a table. The waitress was friendly and eager to take our order. After placing our order we tried to have some conversation. This ended up being a shouting match because that was the only way you could hear each other. And as the place was so crowded my husband kept bumping the guy that was sitting next to him. Guess the guy thought that he was being fondled because he promptly took a place at the bar! Sorry!! The food finally arrived. We were all famished. Ended up thefod was quite a disappointment. The gravey on the schnitzel had what appeared to be baccon in it. The schnitzel was over cooked and small. The spaetzle was overcooked as well. Since my husband is German and I spent years in Germany as a teenager, we were expecting more! So now we've tried it, didn't like it and will keep on in our quest to find a good German restaurant. Oh wait I forgot to mention the beer..... that was excellent!! more

I had the most delicious weiner schnitzel that took me straight to Germany! The Rotkohl was like Oma slaved over the stove all day, and even the ketchup was curry ketchup! The Kassler was huge, a size impossible to find in the grocery store and the sauerkraut was just like Oma's too. Feierabend brought my dad back home and myself to Oma's kitchen. If you want true german food, this is the place. Forget about going anywhere else! Pros: Real German food, great flavor, lots of imported beer selection Cons: hard to reach by bus more

This place has got it all if you like substantial, well-brewed beer and delicious food. And ESPECIALLY if you like German varieties of both. The chef, Ryan, who seems to like it when you sit up at the ledge that overlooks the kitchen (you may even get a free sample of something like we did!), has figured out how to make German food with just the right amount of American influence to appeal to most anyone. Be sure to ask what the soup is--we had some kind of squash concoction that was absolutely delicious. The servers are funny and accomodating without being pushy and the place feels like something that's been there for a long time--especially with the beautiful brick and wood backbar that greets you. I DEFINITELY recommend this place, for lunch or dinner, or drinks and snacks. Pros: Beer Selection, Food Quality, Friendly Crowd more

Great atmosphere, the beer selection is phenomenol, and best of all - the food. A great presentation of German food and there's something on the menu to suit any mood. Perfect place to come hang out! Pros: Great Food, Reasonable Prices, Great Atmopshpere more