Chef Daniel Espinosa took over Berliner Beerhall on Pacific Avenue in July, buying the downtown Tacoma German restaurant from founders Lydia and Dennis Mascarinas.

The ownership change, first reported by The News Tribune, happened quietly. About 80% of the staff stayed through the transition, according to Espinosa, and the food menu has not changed. Espinosa, a chef with more than 25 years of experience, also bought Over the Moon Cafe in downtown Tacoma with his wife Jennifer Espinosa in 2024. Both restaurants now operate under his group, EGH Holdings Inc.

"It's big, it's got great lighting, it's a great space," Espinosa told The News Tribune in a Sept. 26 interview at the beerhall. "It was just fate."

Espinosa invested in a dedicated pretzel oven, noting that almost every table orders one. He tweaked a few dishes where the "flavors were just not vibing with the German theme," he said, but kept the core menu intact. He is also working with a local brewery to add house beers and cider alongside the existing German imports.

On the operations side, Espinosa added a working phone line, launched DoorDash delivery and set up a formal online reservation system. The exterior got a fresh coat of paint and a pressure-washed sidewalk.

The Mascarinas will keep the original Berliner Pub in Renton, which opened in 2011, and still own the Tacoma property at 2401 Pacific Ave. Lydia Mascarinas told The News Tribune in August that the couple plans to refurbish the building behind the beerhall.

Espinosa was introduced to the Mascarinas through a mutual friend while searching for another restaurant space. He took a similar behind-the-scenes approach at Over the Moon Cafe, working alongside founder and head chef Deanna Harris-Bender for about a year before formally announcing that transition.

The beerhall's Oktoberfest lineup is already set. The Happy Hans German Band will play Friday, Oct. 9, and Friday, Oct. 30, with 20 German beers on tap, happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. and live music from 6 to 9 p.m., according to The News Tribune's Oktoberfest guide. No cover charge. Weekly trivia nights continue as well.

Berliner Beerhall opened in 2020 but closed almost immediately because of the pandemic. It re-launched in 2023. This fall marks its fourth Oktoberfest.

Through EGH Holdings, Espinosa has teased two more restaurant concepts: a fast-casual spot in Tacoma and a full-service destination in Puyallup. Neither has been formally announced. Berliner Beerhall is open Tuesday through Thursday from 3 to 9 p.m., Friday from 3 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.