Twelve years after bringing his brewpub dream to fruition, founder Ted Kim will close Steins Beer Garden in Mountain View on March 30.
Despite having “amazing patrons,” Kim said that rising costs and declining lunch and corporate business took their toll on the 12,000-square-foot downtown business.
“Like many other restaurants, our business took a significant hit during the pandemic and was never able to fully recover,” Kim wrote on the website. “With the decrease in traffic, coupled with increasing wages and surging expenses, the challenges have slowly made business unsustainable.”
He thanked his devoted customers and promised a rollicking time (and good promotions) till the taps run dry. “We plan on leaving the way we came, with much fanfare and good times,” he said.
His Steins chefs brought a chef-driven approach to brewpub food when the business opened in March 2013. Sausages and other meats are cured or ground onsite, pretzels baked inhouse. Menu offerings range from house-smoked Salmon Benedicts for brunch to dishes like Short Ribs with Basil Mash, Pork Schnitzel, House-made Ceviche and seasonal soups and salads for dinner. For dessert, there are Housemade Crullers and Tres Leches Tiramisu.
The closing, which was first reported by Palo Alto Online, leaves Mountain View without a host for the annual Oktoberfest, as Steins was the driving force behind that event. “We pass along the reins to the city and hope others can carry on the tradition in our stead,” Kim said.
This year would be the 10th annual Oktoberfest.
In closing his note, Kim said; “We loved bringing people together and being a place for celebrations, fond memories and a gathering spot for all occasions. It has been our greatest privilege in serving this community, our guests, and the numerous companies in the area.”
Details: Open daily, from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, till 10 p.m. Friday. On weekends, Steins opens at 10 a.m. for brunch and serves until 10 p.m. Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday. 895 Villa St., Mountain View; www.steinsbeergarden.com