If you want the experience of an authentic German beer hall without having to travel to Germany, there’s only one place to go in town: Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas. The food, the atmosphere–it’s all close to the real deal. And so are the people working there, especially Hofbräuhaus shot girl, Judy Jaffe.
Although she was the first from her family to be born in the U.S., Jaffe returned to Germany in her teens and didn’t come back to the states until 2006. She landed in Arizona first, but after a few visits to Vegas, she made the move about a year later. “My aunt and I had lunch here at Hofbräuhaus after I moved here, and I met some of the managers,” Jaffe said. “And, that was it, they hired me right away!”
Today, everyone that comes to Hofbräuhaus knows who Jaffe is; she’s kind of like a mascot for the beer hall. Not only does she disperse the shots, but she attends beer festivals and networking events around town representing the brand. She’s also worked as hostess, server and bartender. Everyone knows Judy and they love her, said one of her managers.
“My favorite part about working here—besides it being German and being able to speak German—is meeting people,” Jaffe said. “They become friends. I’ve never met a stranger.”
And you can easily meet Jaffe if you order a shot. She’ll bring you some Jägermeister, and then … spank you with her paddle! “It started like 10 years ago,” she said. “I brought shots out on this paddle to a group of bachelor party guys. One of the guys drinking asked, ‘So, are you going to spank me with that (paddle)?’ And that’s how the tradition got started.”
Apfel Fest
In honor of Oktoberfest, Hofbräuhaus celebrates all October with special events, stein-holding contests, celebrity keg-tappings, live music and much more. There’s also a specialty cocktail created in honor of Germany’s biggest beer festival. The Apfel Fest is a crisp and delicious blend of Schönauer Apfel Schnapps (German apple schnapps) and Oktoberfestbier, a beer that Hofbräuhaus imports special once a year from Germany, where they serve the same beer to guests during
Oktoberfest.
