Photos: Eric W. PohlNorthcutt knew it would be a challenge
to appease longtime patrons. “People fear
change—that’s just psychological fact,” he
says. “Folks get a little skittish when you’re
going to change something.”
But he’s not the first Scholz operator
to confront hand-wringing over change.
According to Scholz Garten lore, former
owner Bob Bales was almost run out of
town for adding air-conditioning in 1962.
It’s just an occupational hazard when
it comes to running Scholz’s. It has a
certain importance in the community—
especially to local descendants of German
immigrants. Around the time the beer
garden opened, Austin’s population
doubled, with German-born residents
making up more than 7 percent of the
population by 1875. The bar became a
popular gathering place for Germans and
the exclusive meeting place of the Austin
Saengerrunde, or “singing group.” The
oldest ethnic organization in Austin still
features men’s and women’s choirs, andit operates an events hall and members-
only bowling alley next door.
Northcutt says the restaurant
experienced a drop in customers when
he took over, and he had to work to gain
the trust of loyal customers. “This place
is near and dear to so many hearts, and
rightfully so. As a matter of fact, we’ve
played host to at least half a dozen wakes
in the last two years,” Northcutt recalls.
“It chokes me up because that’s how
powerful this place is.”
In some ways, Scholz’s hasn’t changed
very much. In the beer garden, there’s
still a wood stage with an idyllic Bavarian
scene painted on the backdrop. An old
tree stretches out its branches to provide
shade for dozens of long, communal
tables. Steins line the top of a mirrored bar
in the main dining room. “Scholz Garden”
(its original spelling) is painted on the
brick exterior above the portico. Some of
the small cosmetic updates recently made
include replacing carpet with concrete in
the banquet room and moving taps to the
back of the bar.
More significant changes have been
made with food and drink. After a
“methodical, hard decision,” Northcutt
added liquor to the bar menu—featuring
made-to-order and draft cocktails—to
complement the ubiquitous beer. And
while the menu still prominently proffers
traditional German fare like pretzels
and schnitzel, Scholz’s has expanded
its sausage offerings to include
adventurous options. For example,
the Schweinewurst—a pork, bacon,
jalapeño, and sage sausage topped with
mac and cheese and barbecue sauce—
and the jalapeño-and-cheese venison
sausage served with cactus sauerkraut
and a prickly-pear sauce are new.
“One of the things we’re most proud
of is that we overhauled the barbecue
program,” Northcutt says. “I think wePREVIOUS PAGE: Scholz
Garten’s giant pretzel
is served with mustard,
garlic butter, and beer
cheese. FROM LEFT: char-
cuterie board; the famed
beer garden.“This place is near and
dear to so many hearts,
and rightfully so.”78 texashighways.com