We Ranked The 10 Best German Restaurants In Wisconsin And These Came Out On Top

One German restaurant in Wisconsin has a replica of its original storefront on display inside a public museum.

Another opened in the 1920s and spent its early years posing as a soda pop parlor.

Those stories matter because they show how long these kitchens have been feeding people.

You’re looking at family recipes, hand-painted walls, and dining rooms that have outlasted several generations of hungry guests.

One supper club on this list even throws a monthly Bavarian smorgasbord with live polka music. Your stretchy pants were basically invented for this kind of research.

German food in this state is not a theme night or a passing trend.

It is a family tradition served on a plate, usually with a side of spaetzle and a very large pretzel.

1. Mader’s Restaurant

Few restaurants can say a museum keeps a copy of their first storefront, but this one can. A replica sits inside the Milwaukee Public Museum, which is a pretty fancy fan club.

The story began in 1902 under a different name entirely. It became Mader’s in 1912 and moved to this location a year later.

Inside, the room looks like a castle decided to open a dining hall. You’ll spot suits of armor, stained glass, vintage chandeliers, and hand-carved woodwork.

The art collection alone is valued in the millions. So you get dinner and a mini museum tour at the same table.

Now for the food, which is the real reason to show up. The Rheinischer sauerbraten comes with golden raisins and gingersnap sauce, a sweet and tangy combo worth trying at least once.

The pork shank is a house favorite, and Wiener schnitzel, rouladen, and beef goulash cover the classics. Can’t pick just one? The German Sampler and Tour of Germany let you taste several dishes in one go.

Start with potato pancakes, Reuben rolls, or the giant pretzel. Save space for Black Forest cake or apfelstrudel, because skipping dessert here feels a little rude.

Servers in traditional attire add to the Old World mood. The spot sits right in the Deer District next to Fiserv Forum, so a pregame dinner is an easy win for any Wisconsin sports fan.

Address: 1041 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53203

2. House Of Gerhard

Kiel, Germany, is where the founder started training as a chef at just 14 years old. He came to the United States in 1954, and Kenosha has been eating well ever since.

House of Gerhard opened in 1964 and remains a family-operated restaurant. Its combination of German cooking and American supper-club favorites goes back to the original kitchen, where scratch-made recipes became part of the experience.

Dark wood paneling and old photographs give the dining room a classic, Old World look. The traditional supper-club approach makes dinner feel like an occasion, especially when bread, soup, and familiar sides accompany a main course.

The menu has featured Schweinehaxe, sauerbraten, Kassler Rippchen, and beef rouladen. Schnitzel also receives serious attention, with versions such as Holsteiner and Oskar alongside other house preparations.

Many dishes draw on old family recipes, giving each plate a sense of history. The Oskar variation combines a breaded cutlet with crab, asparagus, and hollandaise.

Prime rib is another established specialty, giving steak lovers a reason to explore beyond the German classics. Spinach salad with hot bacon dressing and baked French onion soup contribute to the vintage dining atmosphere.

You’ll find the restaurant at 3927 75th St, Kenosha. With roots stretching back more than six decades, the dining room carries a genuine piece of Wisconsin’s German-American food history.

3. Essen Haus

Polka music is not background noise at this Madison favorite. Live polka is part of the whole deal, so your feet may start tapping before the pretzels land.

Essen Haus brings Bavarian-style cooking to a historic district near downtown Madison. The dining room’s long tables and festive surroundings create a setting that suits groups, while the menu makes a compelling case for a slower meal.

Start with pretzels and dips or a plate of Wisconsin cheese curds. Those are easy dishes to share before the German specialties arrive.

Jägerschnitzel comes with mushroom sauce, while other schnitzel preparations offer different toppings and accompaniments.

Rouladen brings thinly rolled beef and savory filling to the table. Pork haxen is a more substantial choice, and sauerbraten makes a good option when you’re craving tender, tangy beef.

Spaetzle and German fried potatoes help complete the experience.

The restaurant occupies 514 E Wilson St, Madison, within walking distance of the Capitol Square area. Its neighborhood has a long connection to German immigrants, something that gives the whole outing an extra historical dimension.

Live music is scheduled regularly, with polka performances on Friday and Saturday evenings. Current opening days are Thursday through Sunday, beginning at 3 p.m.

An outdoor patio provides another dining option when the weather cooperates. For an evening of traditional food and cheerful music, it’s a distinctive Wisconsin destination.

4. Dorf Haus Supper Club

Back in 1959, a family purchased a country gathering place near Sauk City. Over the following years it grew into the Dorf Haus, a supper club whose name means village inn.

The dining room is half-timbered and Alpine in style. Paintings of German castles and kings hang alongside stained glass and antiques, so you might feel slightly underdressed without a crown.

German dishes lead the menu, including Wiener schnitzel, Jägerschnitzel, rouladen, and pork shank.

Sauerbraten offers a tangy roast-beef option, especially satisfying with spaetzle and red cabbage. Smoked pork chops and a traditional sausage platter provide more ways to explore the kitchen’s specialties.

It’s still a Wisconsin supper club at heart, so prime rib, roast duck, and the family-style chicken share the spotlight. Friday fish fry is another longstanding tradition, often served with German potato salad and other familiar sides.

The most distinctive event is the Bavarian smorgasbord, a special meal long associated with the first Monday of the month and additional dates during warmer seasons.

Traditional dishes and live music make it a different experience from a regular dinner; check the event schedule before arranging your trip.

Head toward Roxbury at 8931 County Rd Y, Sauk City. The restaurant generally serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday. A garden and gazebo on the property also create an attractive setting for private celebrations.

5. Kegel’s Inn

A soda pop parlor in 1924 sounds innocent enough. This one was a cleverly disguised gathering place, and the family behind it had bigger plans.

The business began as Kegel’s Place in December 1924.

Following an extensive expansion, the present restaurant reopened under the Kegel’s Inn name on August 26, 1933. Four generations of the founding family have carried the tradition forward.

The Tudor-inspired exterior is only the beginning. Inside, hand-carved woodwork, stained glass, and murals painted by a German-born artist make the dining room a destination in itself.

The murals took years to complete, and the historic building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

Now for the food. Wiener schnitzel, rouladen, sauerbraten, and pork shank offer hearty choices. The kitchen also prepares Käsespätzle, a combination of German egg noodles and melted cheese, plus a sausage platter served over sauerkraut.

For something playful, order Currywurst with fries or potato-pancake-wrapped bratwurst bites. The pretzels are made for sharing, and Friday fish specials provide another route through the menu.

German potato salad, red cabbage, and homemade sauces round out the selection, allowing even the side dishes to carry the traditional flavors.

The restaurant is at 5901 W National Ave, West Allis. Between the historic murals and the long-running family recipes, Kegel’s feels like a small piece of Wisconsin restaurant history you can explore over dinner.

6. The Bavarian Bierhaus

Fourteen acres is a lot of room for one restaurant. This Glendale property spreads across a large cultural complex, with a German heritage story reaching back to the 1920s.

The German community developed the site over decades, and its clubhouse was completed in the late 1960s. Following major changes, the present restaurant opened in 2016, preserving the festive communal-hall atmosphere.

The main dining room offers long shared tables, tall ceilings, and traditional Bavarian styling. Beyond it, Old Heidelberg Park provides an outdoor setting for seasonal gatherings, music, and the community’s long-running Oktoberfest festivities.

A giant pretzel is a natural starting point, particularly with Obatzda, a creamy Bavarian cheese spread. The kitchen also makes potato pancakes seasoned with onion and nutmeg, paired with applesauce and sour cream.

For mains, Schweinshaxe is a substantial pork shank prepared over several days and finished with a crisp crust.

Sauerbraten, goulash over spaetzle, and Käsespätzle offer different levels of richness. Red cabbage, cucumber salad, and German potato salad make traditional accompaniments.

Dessert includes Black Forest cake, apple tart, and warm pretzel pudding. That’s a tempting ending after a meal built around savory classics.

You’ll find the complex at 700 W Lexington Blvd, Glendale. The kitchen currently opens Tuesday through Sunday, with longer weekend hours. It’s a lively place to experience Wisconsin’s enduring Bavarian cultural traditions.

7. Lorelei Inn

The Lorelei of German legend sings from a rock above the Rhine River. In Green Bay, the name belongs to a friendly neighborhood spot that sings mostly through its schnitzel.

The restaurant has offered German-American cooking for generations, with the family behind its modern era continuing the tradition.

Its dining room has murals, decorative details, and a neighborhood atmosphere rather than the scale of a festival hall.

A serious appetite? The Heisse Schlachte Plate brings sausages together with sauerkraut and traditional potato sides.

Wiener schnitzel is another centerpiece, served with a choice of German potato salad, potato pancakes, or dumplings, along with red cabbage or kraut.

Can’t decide between the two vegetable sides? A mixed portion lets you enjoy both. It’s a small but satisfying solution when every accompaniment sounds tempting.

The menu also gives groups familiar alternatives. Haddock, shrimp, burgers, and grilled salmon provide choices beyond the German staples. A Reuben sandwich brings corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut together on rye bread.

The address is 1412 S Webster Ave, Green Bay, a short journey from downtown. Dinner service runs Tuesday through Saturday, generally from 4:30 to 8 p.m., with Friday lunch available for a shorter window.

Reservations help with evening planning. For a Wisconsin supper with German roots, the Lorelei offers a distinctive change of pace.

8. Von Rothenburg Bier Stube

Germantown dates back to the nineteenth century and has strong German immigrant roots. A German stube on Main Street fits this town like a glove.

The restaurant occupies a historic-looking, two-level setting with wood details, stained glass, and a garden area used in warmer weather.

Its name recalls Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the German town known for timber-framed buildings and cobbled streets.

Start with a Bavarian pretzel or a serving of currywurst, the classic sausage paired with a curry-seasoned tomato sauce. For something more filling, the menu has included pork or chicken schnitzel, spaetzle, and potato dumplings.

A sausage platter offers another route into traditional cooking. Bratwurst, knackwurst, and other varieties can be paired with sauerkraut or German potato salad. Apple strudel gives the meal a fitting sweet finish.

You’ll find the restaurant at N116W15863 Main St, Germantown. The outdoor area can add a relaxed garden atmosphere when the season allows; the indoor rooms offer their own appeal during cooler months.

The kitchen currently serves dinner Monday through Thursday and begins earlier on weekends. Friday and Saturday food service runs from noon to 9 p.m., while Sunday closes earlier.

That range makes it practical for either a leisurely lunch or a weekday evening outing. Wisconsin’s German heritage is visible throughout Germantown, and this dining room gives it a particularly flavorful expression.

9. Mark’s East Side

Liver dumpling soup is not something you find on many menus anymore. At Mark’s East Side in Appleton, it’s one of the old-fashioned specialties that makes the restaurant stand apart.

The family-run dining room combines German-American food with familiar supper-club choices. There’s room for both a traditional schnitzel dinner and something lighter, so mixed groups can order according to their appetites.

A Bavarian Scotch egg makes an unusual starter: a boiled egg wrapped in seasoned sausage, coated, and cooked until crisp. Sauerkraut balls and Wisconsin cheese curds offer other ways to start a meal around the table.

For a substantial main course, try Black Forest schnitzel with mushroom gravy or a classic sauerbraten preparation.

Beef rouladen, smoked pork chops, and spaetzle have also featured among the German favorites. Steak lovers can explore the stuffed tenderloin or tenderloin Stroganoff.

Hot bacon dressing is an old-school touch for salads, and the kitchen also prepares French onion soup. A menu this broad allows you to build a different dinner on a return visit.

Mark’s East Side is at 1405 E Wisconsin Ave, Appleton. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday, with lunch service on weekdays and dinner starting later on Saturday.

Reservations are available on most evenings, but Friday dinner operates on a first-come basis. That detail is worth remembering if you’re planning a Wisconsin weekend meal with several friends.

10. Al & Al’s Steakhaus

Two short first names on the sign, and a whole lineup of German comfort food inside. Al & Al’s Steakhaus has made the neighborhood restaurant experience its specialty.

Al & Al’s Steakhaus combines German-inspired dinners with familiar supper-club cooking.

The interior has undergone renovations while keeping an informal neighborhood feel, and the kitchen continues to feature recipes associated with the restaurant’s history.

Sheboygan’s food traditions are part of the attraction. Meat comes from a local butcher, while seafood is sourced through a nearby fish supplier. That connection helps the menu reflect the city’s longstanding interest in hearty meals and Friday fish dinners.

German specialties include Bavarian sauerbraten, marinated for several days and finished with gingersnap sauce.

Rouladen combines rolled sirloin, sausage filling, and onions, while chicken schnitzel gives diners a lighter take on a breaded cutlet.

Then there’s The Brockman, a sandwich made with two grilled bratwursts on a Sheboygan roll. Pair it with a traditional potato side if you’re hungry after a day exploring the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The restaurant stands at 1502 S 12th St, Sheboygan. Its dining room has a limited schedule, with evening dinner service concentrated on Friday and some additional services depending on the day.