Mader's German Restaurant Reviews

Just fantastic. I don't get here as often as I like but I would never miss a chance to eat here. Service is outstanding. Highly recommend.

Excellent foods and services ! Great ambiance too !

The bar has super cool finishing, old rustic German inspired, service was slow, booth seats are in desperate need of replacing , ripped and springs are gone!!!...2 weeks later walked by the bar and a news camera crew outside, reporting that the restaurant has cleanliness issues :/ such as rats in kitchen

I cannot recommend this place enough. My family and I loved everything we had. I had the rouladen, and it was incredible. I'm very particular about my rouladen, and this was even better than what I had at my wedding (Husband and I are German). Our server was so polite, passionate, and witty. If you are in the area, do yourself a favor and eat here. It may be a but pricier than other restaurants, but I guarantee it is worth the money.

Have been to this restaurant multiple times. There are unique foods and things to see at this one of a kind downtown restaurant. If you like Reuben sandwiches, I'd recommend the appetizer Reuben Rolls as the corned beef, sauerkrauet and More

Had the Friday fish fry, not much flavor to anything. Have had better.

Mader is my favorite German restaurant in the US. Their dishes are very traditional and they got a good variety of German dishes.
The dishes have not been fusion with American cuisine so some people find them lacking.
If you enjoy German food, this is the place to go.

Food was dry and sparce for the price. Service was extremely slow and staff was aloof. No one cracked a smile. Will not return

First time at Maders. My husband is a German cook and everything has to be just right. Me not so much. He had the pork shank and I had the wonderful portabella mushroom dish light fare. The both exceeded our expectations. We are from Mpls. and are here for a wedding. We can't wait to come back and try something else. Thank you for a wonderful Milwaukee experience.

A pleasant dining experience. Atmosphere and waitstaff was excellant. The food was delicious, authentic German fare. Highly recommend this restaurant.

We had a later reservation at 9:00pm (this was the only time available on Friday night when we booked). When we walked in we were met by a hostess and a short man wearing sweatpants. He seemed to be arguing with the host about where to seat us and proceeded to order us to follow him. Despite the restaurant being less than half capacity at this time, we were sat way in the back directly in front of the kitchen. When we expressed that we wanted to be away from the kitchen in the main dining room, this man rolled his eyes and explained he was a Mader, an owner of the restaurant, and he wanted us to sit there so that the main dining room could begin to get set up for the larger parties coming in the following day. He explained this in an extremely condescending manor as if we were children (I am 30 years old). So I was basically forced to explain back to him that we would be spending a considerable amount of money here so as long as the restaurant is open with many other open tables we would like to sit somewhere besides the kitchen. I have worked in the service industry and in hospitality, and it would seem he had absolutely no idea how to interact with patrons dining at his restaurant. Finally he scoffed and walked away in an immature fit and someone else sat us at a great table in the next room where many other people were dining. Based on this bizarre interaction to be honest we almost left, but Eric saved the day. He was our server and he was wonderful. He made recommendations, checked on us, and got us everything we needed. Very embarrassing that one of the owners apparently has no idea how to provide customer service, but thankfully this is not reflected in the staff. Kristen was also another server we interacted with and she was extremely pleasant and helpful as well. Our drinks and food were good, not the best German we had ever had but considering they were out of many of our first choices, the dishes we did end up ordering were decent. I do feel that the food is very overpriced. Although the portion size is generous, the flavors and quality just do not make it worth $30-$40 per plate. However, had we not gotten off to such a rough start I would probably rate 3-4 stars instead of 2.

Spent a whole month here!
Some of the best food I've ever had.
A definite "must go" with the family.

I loved this place! It was the coolest german style restaurant I've ever been to. It was beautiful, from the stained glass to the armor, we had a great time. The food was amazing, best cheese curds I had in Milwaukee, and the staff was great. Definitely going back, and would reccomend.

Food great.Fun historic Milwaukee German atmosphere. Service slow even though not busy at 2 on a Monday.

Fabulous. Old world recipes prepared with quality ingredients, attentive service

These place is amazing !!! I stop here every time i am in town yes it is pricey but extremely worth it. Have to go if your in town.

Maders is wonderful. There were 4 of us and we all give it 5 stars. The food is very authentic German food, absolutely delicious. The service is excellent. And parking is easy. They have their own lot. And a valet ! Its a must if you like German good!

Good beer, cant pronounce anything on menu so cant say much. Snitchelwich and Shankwich r good. Get ingredients on side and add as needed. I was surprised. Turned out good.

Just had appetizers, the beer cheese dish was awesome, a lot of good flavors in the cream cheese. Went well with the crisp bread and pico de gallo. The pretzel, sausage and fried pickle appetizer was really good as well.

Pricey but worth it to me, very good German food ,very well done with very good service within walking distance of my big hotel.

Sorry to be negative about this place. The atmosphere is great but we had a terrible experience. Food was 3 star. We did better in New Glarus ot their Swiss restaurant. The Maitre D was worse than the one from Ferris Bueller. After about 2 minutes of no greeting I finally walked up to ask for a table. There was only one other couple waiting. The only table was in the bar which was fine with us; until we got there. The party at the bar was loud, swearing and well on their way to being drunk. The especially loud nasally woman was especially annoying when she kept singing the opening line to Laverne & Shirley. Finally talked to the Maitre D about it, gut the shrug off and nothing was done. The waiter was unimpressive and slow to come around. Also spilled the fried pickles on the table. No mustard with the pretzel as the menu offered. The schnitzel would have been great if it was served hot. The glass of wine was good. I'm sorry to say all this as it seems like it has all the right workings. At least they offer free valet parking. The car hop was our favorite person for the night.

The very best of German Cuisine. World famous. The best Sauerbraten I've ever tasted. And I've tried many German restaurants, all across this country. The dessert selection presents hard choices. The Apple Strudel is authentic, with a delicate, flaky crust. The decor is elegant yet charming. The Knight Bar displays suits of armour, weapons, etc. Very interesting. Family owned and operated for over 100 years. Costumed, cheerful staff. Every time I'm in Milwaukee, I try hard not to miss my dinner at Maders.

What great authenticity down to the clothing. We had a great time and really enjoyed the food.

My husband and I had our wedding reception at Mader's in late August and we were so very pleased with everything. Because of Covid-19 and our party size, they allowed us to take over the main dining room which was totally awesome. We had a German buffet including all of our favorite Mader's dishes and the food was fabulous. The service was top notch! Our friends and family are still raving about how phenomenal the reception was. Thanks to everyone on the Mader's staff for making our wedding day enjoyable and very memorable.

If you're visiting the state for a Packers or Badgers game, Maders is a must. Stop by for an excellent German meal paired with the perfect beer and topped with excellent service. Don't be scared away by a crowded restaurant either, the service moves smoothly and efficiently even when they're slammed.

The combination plate includes 3 of my favorite dishes, all excellent. Love the decor. Great choice for conventioneers. Prices at lunch are a fraction of what you'd pay for the meals at supper, but the quality is the same, and the sizes of the entrees are larger than you'd expect for the price. If you can find room for it, try the ox-tail soup.

Authentic German food and decor. Collection of steins, swords, and stained glass was worth stopping to see.

Food was excellent. Visited from Teutonia M in Pittsburgh and beer selection was good too.

Wonderful German restaurant in downtown Milwaukee. I prefer to sit in the Knights Bar portion. There is a large bar with friendly bartenders and a huge beautiful stained glass window towards the back. Along with a great German beer selection they have a gigantic pretzel!

Service was bad, our server was 15 minutes late. Food was mediocre, some dishes were great and others we couldn't finish. One seems to have made people sick. Then we were charged like we were somewhere worth 10 stars...

Exquisite tastes, great food! Only downside was the waitress smelled like cigarettes big time. Friendly enough, but a tad stinky.

a beautiful German restaurant, built like an old world German tavern, they have great food, and cold beer.

Traditional German food and motif.. if you have a few dollars to spend I'll definitely recommend it!

I'm German and would like to share my opinion. I really like the atmosphere. But the only good food was the bread as free starter. The meat was undercooked and without any taste. No salt or pepper added... Plus we were waiting for food over an hour.

Mader's Thanksgiving Brunch is a family tradition for us. Great food, great service, great atmosphere.

Excellent food. Very good service. 117 years old today!

Great food, good service, don't go there if you are in a hurry

Our waiter Gage was amazing. So knowledgeable about the menu and took the time to explain things. The food was delicious. Will be back in July with out-of-town guest.

Ok, I realize this is an institution of Milwaukee, but the food I got really wasn't very good. I had the sauerbraten which was unlike any sauerbraten I've had before. The meat was dry, colorless and had no flavor. If it were not for the mediocre gravy it would have had no taste at all. I've had sauerbraten a number of times, both in Germany and in the U.S. and this was the most disappointing. The prices are inflated, much too high for the quality of the food. In their defense it wasn't all bad, they made a good drink, the atmosphere is neat, and the service was pleasant. It's too bad since I really was hoping for good, authentic German food.

Delicious spaetzel Mac n' cheese. Excellent Weiner schnitzel!

These people are amazing! Excellent customer service and they made changes for my food allergies!

We had an excellent nosh of potato pancakes served fresh off the griddle. What made our afternoon outing even better was our affable bartender, Will. Or eager to go back for dinner.

Thank heaven for Mader's, holding up the stein of traditional German comfort food, in fine style. A true Milwaukee gem.

Steady service for more than 50 years
Still some old favorites on menu, esp. Strawberry chamtorte.

Such a special and historical place. Well worth the visit. Not many restaurants have been around for 116 years! Great food. Classy service. Not many restaurants like this are around

Owned by a James Beard award recipient, Sanford delivers well plated, aesthetically appealing and delicious. By far one of the most pleasant experiences our taste buds have received. Ever. Each bite was something to savir and take time with. The wine selection was very adequate. The service; personable and attentive. Highly recommended.

Old traditional style, family oriented and very hospitable.

My family has been dining here for over 70 years and it never disappointed. Family has moved out of the area but we still drive 6 hours one way to indulge in this experience once a year! Wish we lived closer!

About as authentic as you can get outside of Germany.

This is THE epic German restaurant in Milwaukee. From the liver dumpling soup to the Apple strudel and everything in between. The atmosphere is also worth the visit. Make sure you have a German beer while you're there.

Authentic German food in a traditional German setting! The entire experience was phenomenal. The staff, the food, the beer, and desserts.

Rouladen is one of my favorite German meals and it s hard to find. Very well done Maders. I hope you can continue to keep your doors open during this challenging time!

This I'd truly the place for the best German food and atmosphere. I always enjoy bringing the family for a great meal. Simply the best.

We have been coming her for years and have loved it. Our dinner last night was a disaster. We ordered our four meals. It took 90 minutes for them to arrive. The waitress said that it was the lamb shank that took so long but only after my husband went to the bar in the barren restaurant. The meals arrive shortly thereafter. The two sample platters and side dishes were cold and medium rare filet mignon my daughter ordered was well done and half of it was inedible because of grizzle and fat. It was a hugely disappointing and expensive $300 birthday dinner. Note: This is during Covid which could be part of the reason however, since they are not busy, wouldn't they have extra time on their hands? Don't mean to sound like a "Karen" but this was a horrible evening.

Rouladen and a Weihenstephan Dunkelweiss; was great and let very full!

Some of the finest German Cuisine in southeast Wisconsin

First of all, killer food! When I was told nest German food in the U.S., they were not exaggerating. Great beer as well. The service was wonderful and the atmosphere is great.

The Sunday brunch is sadly very past it's prime. The food was mediocre and the service was slow and inattentive. I remember loving their brunch many years ago, but was extremely disappointed when I visited recently. It's clear that they just aren't trying very hard anymore... There are much better brunch restaurants in Milwaukee...

Great bartender and amazing traditional food. Love coming here.

Great German food. Everyone should visit at least once esp with the convenient downtown location and adjacent parking

Great place to have a German meal! Was a nice remembrance to eat things we loved while living in Germany! We shared the German sampler, and the beef strudel. The appetizer was very nice as well...good beer cheese with croustinis! Nice atmosphere too, really reminded me of German restaurant over there. This place has been there for a long time, and the last of three German restaurants in town. If you like German food -- stop in here for food and beer, even Rudesheimer coffee!! Make plans to stop in when you are in the downtown area!!

Pricey but delicious and authentic German food. Great menu and fabulous atmosphere - especially love the medieval vibe :)

Had the wienerschnitzel platter and it was very good!! Good spatzle, and great Saurkraut!! Will definitely be back!

I had the most delicious, authentic German food here, starting with the cheese dip appetizer and splitting the Belgian platter and a German sampler. The German fellow that was sitting at the table next to us said that it was a good assortment of things to try from all over the country.

The only thing that I didn't like was how long the service took, we spent almost 2.5 hours here while waiting for the next course to come after our appetizer. Aside from that it was great!

Simply a great restaurant.,. don't miss out. . even if only for a appetizer and a beer.. nice bar in addition to the restaurant