Terrible news to report this morning, but it’s our jobs, so all I can do is wipe the tears from my eyes and move on. A staple of Nashville for as long as I can remember (fact check: it’s actually been around for 60 years), The Gerst Haus is saying aloha to retirement, or death, however you want to look at it. My point is that the restaurant is no longer going to exist.
Nashville is losing one of its iconic restaurants this month when The Gerst Haus closes its doors after more than 60 years.
The last day of business will be Saturday, Feb. 10, the restaurant confirmed Friday morning.
Located a short walk from Nissan Stadium in East Nashville, The Gerst Haus was a popular spot to grab a bratwurst and beer before Titans football games. The restaurant had to relocate to make room for the stadium to be built and found its new home at 301 Woodland St.
Tough sleddin’ out there for a Nashville restaurant these days. We’re actually becoming a pretty good food city, but it’s driving out some of our cultural staples like The Gerst Haus and Mr. Gatti’s.
In this moment of sorrow, I will choose not to grieve. Instead, I’ll celebrate the life of the Gerst Haus by sharing my favorite memory of the place.
It was August of 2015 – my girlfriend and I were celebrating our fourth anniversary as a consenting couple, and we decided to have a meal at The Gerst Haus before a rousing game of putt-putt. We did not realize how massive the sausage sampler was, so we ordered it as an appetizer, in addition to our entrees (i always went with the stroganoff, sauerkraut, and german potato salad). I had a Yazoo Gerst, my girlfriend a nice glass of red wine.
But, there was sooooo much fucking sausage.
And, me being the considerate person that I am, I didn’t just want all of that sausage and stroganoff to go to waste. So, I did what any red-blooded sausage-loving American would do. I ate it. I ate every damn bit of that sausage, and went on to polish off the stroganoff with all the sides. Because, really – I was thinking about the starving kids in Africa. When faced with the decision, always choose to over indulge, because that’s what the starving kids would want us to do. It is completely disrespectful to waste food.
Anyway, I ate so much that my shoes were swelling. I was sweating, and had to focus intensely just to breath. One swing of the putter and I immediately felt my stomach try to force all that sausage back up my throat. I tooted so many times on that putt-putt course that I’m honestly surprised there are still living trees on the property.
It was the most miserable experience of my life and I would gladly replicate it on any day.
Anyway, that’s the legacy that The Gerst Haus will always have in my heart. Thanks for the memories.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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