The latest Bier International news is that they are starting to serve small plates as of yesterday. We received message on the new menu that has most of offerings at $8-$10 dollars and each one has a beer suggestion to pair it with. The full menu is not being served yet but we did receive a photo of the Bayerische Bratwurst which is a "locally-produced, preservative-free pork & veal sausage, grilled, served with house-made Sauerkraut" for $8. Kudos to this new business for bringing in the locally grown and produced trend uptown. Not yet available but ones to look out for include the Bier Steak Burger for $10, the catfish tacos for $8 and the yet-to-be-priced Truffle and Parmesan Fries.Bier International is located at 2099 FDB/8th Avenue and 113th Street. The closest subways are the B,C at 110th or 116th Street. www.BierInternational.com
Probably the most noted place that currently presents this same offering in town is Wechsler's Currywurst
ReplyDeletehttp://www.currywurstnyc.com/
4.5 stars on yelp coupled with a lone $ in expense.
Wechsler's is my standard on all matters "wurst". I don't expect them to be there overnight...but if they come close in time, should be a smash hit and great to not have to travel far for some authentic food fair.
Went this weekend for the beer - had a great time.
ReplyDeleteHow are the beer prices? They should have a happy hour.
ReplyDeleteUptownGirl, in my opinion, they are a little on the steep side. $7 for a London Pride. Agreed...a happy hour would be a great thing. Maybe when the new place on 116th gets up and running there will be an incentive. Still enjoyed it though and the menu looks great.
ReplyDeleteI think the beers could be/should be a dollar cheaper...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. Yeah I think $6 for a draft would be more appropriate, but then again I'm not an expert on premium beer prices.
ReplyDeletewhat other food do they have at the moment?
ReplyDeleteLove it! I plan to work my way through through the beer menu pint by pint. And food - how perfect.
ReplyDelete$7 for London Pride on draft, 20oz makes Bier International the most expensive place in NYC to order this.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.beermenus.com/beers/fullers-london-pride
Pound & Pence on Liberty in the Financial District, $6.50
Longbow Pub & Pantry on Third Ave in Brklyn, $6.
Here is BI's complete Beer Price list.
http://www.beermenus.com/bier-international
Think about it, a Wall Street guy or gal can go to a pub and order for $6.50, what in Harlem will cost you $7. That alone suggest BI would do well to re-examine their entire price list, be mindful of the market, and make it so Bier International's prices are not the highest in New York City. I don't mind paying what others pay, but I do mind paying the highest price in New York!
Reynolds, it seeems from your chart that actually this is one of the cheaper places to get London Pride except for the two places you mentioned and a couple of others. A lot of other places are charging 5-7 dollars for a 12 oz pint ... $7 dollars for 20 oz is like $4.20 for 12 oz.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm usually the first to criticize Harlem pricing. I don't mind at 5 & Diamond - where the food is actually outstanding - but at places like Chocolat I have an issue ...
That said, agree with the posters that they should have a happy hour with reduced prices. They should also offer small pours of beers (do they???) for lighter drinkers, and maybe a cheaper option.
Greengirl, you're comparing apples and oranges or fictional theoretical non existing product offerings to real life. It's not that complex. If a pub in the Financial District can sell the item for $6.50 and a pub in Brooklyn can sell that same item for $6, why does a pub in Harlem have to sell it for $7?
ReplyDeleteIt goes no further than that basic question. You want to cut and parse up the item and play a comparison game with a fictional item you can't order? to make a case for BI? Silly, the facts are the facts. Maybe this is good for BI to see to indeed as suggested, bring a 12 oz version to the pub. Perhaps BI will take a hard look at their prices and not let it be said they're the most expensive place in New York City for any item.
I'm not trying to start a fight here - I just don't understand where you're going with this.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying none of the places listed here (dba, fourth avenue pub, ginger man, amsterdam ale house, the fulton grand) actually have this beer, but the cheaper places do? Maybe ... I personally haven't checked. I'm just looking at the link you sent, and saying, baed on that, it looks like BI is one of the cheaper places, just not the cheapest. I'll take your word for it if you've actually checked every place on this list (why post a link to prove a point if the link itself is not accurate?). At any rate, when I extrapolate a $7.00 beer that is 20 oz, that's like buying a 12 oz beer for less than $5. Seems reasonable to me. I think they should offer the smaller size though too. Not everybody wants a 20 oz beer.
I guess my point let's be careful saying something is overpriced because one place in the city happens to be cheaper (maybe they can charge cheaper prices because of the deal with their distributor, volume, they locked in a lease 10 years ago). If every place is, then I have an issue ....
Okay, I see what you're saying - you're the amount of beer offered doesn't matter, only the actual price.
ReplyDeleteI guess I only partway agree ...
First, a lot of place in the city are still charging $7+.
Second, while I'd love to see a smaller size, I think for many people, the volume offered does matter. A lot of people order more than a single 12 oz beer when they go out, especially at a place called "Bier" in a neighorhood where it's hard to bar hop. The people ordering just one beer I think are not as sensitive to an extra $0.50 or $1.00.
So, I don't think it's entirely apples and oranges. It's a bit different than looking at say, a plate of spaghetti, and saying the pricier plate is a better deal than the cheaper plate because it has more pasta. I think a lot of people have more than one beer ...
The main reason I think a smaller size would be nice is not just for price, but for variety. It may not save money, but it enables somebody who wants to drink a light amount try a couple types of beers instead of a single type. And yes, it enables the very light drinker to have just one small drink. They may even make more money if they had a 6-8 oz portion for $3-4. But to me this isn't an issue of being expensive, it's an issue of making the menu accessible and interesting.
The glass I got for Pride in BI was 16oz (one pint). Right off the bat, the 20oz measure listed on that site is incorrect. Still reckon $7 is too expensive. Throw in a tip and you are paying five quid for a pint. Go anywhere in London and you'll pay 3 quid max.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, still love the place and I will certainly be back for more.
Went there a couple of weeks ago for the first time. Definitely will be returning. I go to a lot of beer bars, and thought that the prices were a little steep, but mainly because of the location. If they want to draw more locals they should lower the price a bit, at least on a few beers. Otherwise it will be mostly a younger wealthier crowd who goes there. Similar to the people who go to Harlem Vintage.
ReplyDeleteStill the open doors of the bar had many passing people stopping to look in and check it out.
Prices should be cheaper, especially since this place is just starting out and needs to build a clientele. Greater variety in pricing would be great; right now there are now cheap alternatives to the pricier beers. Even top restaurants with expensive wines on their list will throw in a few cheaper wines to give diners the option.
ReplyDeleteI had the guacamole and found it excellent--big portion, worth the money. I'll definitely go back.