Queen Anne Hall, a massive European-style beer hall in Lower Queen Anne, has announced plans for a mid-August opening.
New to the restaurant biz are local co-owners Jana and Lubo Katrusin, natives of Slovakia and eight-year residents of Seattle. They've partnered with Lubo's brother (and his associates), longtime operators of European-style beer halls on the east coast (Brooklyn, Hoboken) and local developer Scott Shapiro (Melrose Market) to renovate the old Cotton Caboodle on Lower Queen Anne.
The 7,000-square-foot space will seat over 300 inside, not to mention the outdoor Biergarten. Chef was supposed to be Robert Mullins, a CIA grad who cooked at 13 Coins and taught at the Cordon Bleu; his menu emphasized Austrian and eastern European fare "with a Northwest twist." But he quit without notice on Monday. (This is why it's always a good idea to have an experienced GM. In this case, the GM is veteran Sean Klos, late of Holland America Lines and the Schwartz Brothers organization.)
As you might expect from the beer halls (especially Rhein Haus) on Capitol Hill, seating will be at long communal tables (custom-built by Lubo, a carpenter by trade).
But of course it's all about the beer, right? Two dozen taps will feature beer from Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Staff training starts next week, with an opening expected no later than mid-August. Hours will be 4 PM to 2 AM seven days a week.
Queen Anne Beer Hall, 203 W. Thomas St., 206-659-4043.