Best known for its home-brewed lager beers and strict adherence to the 1516 German Purity Law (which mandates the use of only malt, hops, water, and yeast in the brewing process), Gordon Biersch is always buzzing with locals who cram into every bit of the restaurant's sprawling 10,800 square feet. The food, for a beer hall, is particularly good, but sometimes too exotic. There are the usual suspects--burgers and pizza--offset by heavier dishes such as chicken and andouille sausage gumbo and cashew chicken stir-fry. A popular lunch place for local businesspeople, Gordon Biersch is absolutely packed and oppressive on Friday nights, when happy hour turns into harassment hour.