No need to travel across the ocean to enjoy a mug of German bier (beer) when The Biergarten, a German kitchen and bar is just across I-10. With traditional foods on the menu, owners Andre and Silke Linke want to show off their home country’s best. Look for schnitzels of several types (breaded and lightly fried pork chops), brats (they have a secret recipe), sauerbraten, house-made potato salad, house-made spaetzle and dessert such as true German Black Forest cake and apple strudel. Many of the recipes are from their own grandmothers.
The real stars, however, are the six German brews on tap.
“I was super surprised at how many German beers I can get here,” Andre said.
There will also be domestic and Mexican beers and German wines.
Biergarten’s grand opening is slated for 1 p.m. Friday, June 5, and from 5 to 7 p.m. there will be free Jägermeister and Aperol Spritz. The restaurant is located at 2320 N. Silverbell Road.
It’s been a journey to get here from Ulm, Bavaria, near the Austrian border but it’s also the fulfillment of a dream.
“I personally have been a U.S. fan my entire life,” Andre said. “As soon as I had my passport when I was 18, I jumped in a plane and flew here and I fell in love a little bit.”
But family pressure to stay put and then finding a wife and supporting a family put the dream of moving to the U.S. on hold. During that time the German economy fell and COVID-19 hit. Plus, there is that dreadful constantly overcast sky.
“We love the sun,” Andre said.
“Germany is all the time cloudy,” Silke said.
“At least eight months of the year,” Andre added.
Then Andre had a health scare and “it made it click in my head, ‘How do we want to spend the rest of our lives?’ We were living life paycheck to paycheck. We can do the same in the U.S. but then the sun is shining.”
It all added up to a decision to finally realize the dream of moving to the U.S. which they did in September 2025.
Silke had run high-end restaurants in the past and always dreamed of running her own place and Andre loved to cook. Then they looked around and realized there was a big hole in the Tucson marketplace: No biergartens.
Typically a biergarten is a casual place where patrons sit at a communal table, get a beer or local drink and some food and socialize. The Linkes’ Biergarten has communal tables but also tables for four or six. There is a patio out front.
Getting to opening day hasn’t exactly been a mug of beer and a picnic. At nearly every turn, some new problem popped up, which triggered more money spent on a repair and yet another inspection. Although they did a lot of the work themselves getting the place into shape, the law required some to be done by professionals.
For example, the Linkes thought they were ready in December but then the city of Tucson stepped in. They made a few changes to the former Famous Sam’s restaurant. That triggered an inspection.
“The city was getting back to me and said, ‘You can’t have a building permit, you can’t do it yourself,’ and I said, ‘The construction plans are here from the old Famous Sam’s,’” Andre said.
The city responded negatively; Andre had done minor changes. They learned a hard lesson.
“As soon as you make modifications you have to have new architectural plans,” he added.
What do those cost? As high as $25,000. They found Burton and Associates Architects, who took pity on them and gave them a significant discount.
Several months later, it’s time to open.
Grand opening of The Biergarten, a German Kitchen and Bar
WHEN: 1 p.m. Friday, June 5
Regular hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
WHERE: 2320 N. Silverbell Road
INFO: Though not required, reservations are requested. facebook.com/biergartentucson, biergarten-tucson.com
