Bierbeisl Imbiss to Close in Downtown by April 16

Update: Looks like he's had a change of heart, and will keep the restaurant open after all.

Bernhard Mairinger was supposed to bring a casual, more approachable version of his likeable Bierbeisl to the heart of Downtown. And while he definitely succeeded in bringing the Austrian concept to the Spring Arcade in Historic Core, there just wasn't enough momentum to keep the place open for much longer.

As of April 16, Mairinger will shut down the retail location in Downtown in favor of off-site catering and baking operations, which have been very successful. It's a sad end to the vanguard establishment, which opened without really much else going inside the middle of the market, despite the likes of Gelateria Uli and Guisados anchoring the Spring Street side. Ultimately, Bierbeisl never got the kind of insane foot traffic that a place like Grand Central Market received, which didn't help in the way of volume.

Mairinger first opened a more fine dining restaurant called Bierbeisl a few years ago in Beverly Hills, to much acclaim. Thinking that most of the clientele was back toward that end of town, the chef plans to take his baking and catering operations back to the western part of town. When asked about the overall condition of the Spring Arcade, and the length of time it's taken for other concepts to fill the space, Mairinger was more or less generous with the operators, and seemed thankful for the opportunity.

If you crave those Austrian pastries or wursts, you have a few more days to hit up Bierbeisl Imbiss before the retail location goes away.