I love this place, because this is *precisely* the kind of German food my German grandmother made. I almost thought she may have been head chef. Luckily, BFI isn't one of those German restaurants that throws bratwurst on American junk food and calls it a day like Hessen Haus in Des Moines. This is authentic and unsullied by American tastes. The warm potato salad was dreamy. I thought the decor was charming, and the gated patio in back was nice and oasis-y. I can barely stand Uptown anymore, so this is a nice break from faux hipsters and their gentrifying ways.
(5)
Sarah M.
I really wish I could say I love this place but I feel it's more out of nostalgia than any actually experience there. My spaetzle was so filling and just how it should be... You don't need a huge bowl of this to make it a more than adequate portion. The other food was decent, but nothing memorable. Any kitschy "vintage" charm this place had, is now just kind of sad. I kind of hope it gets nominated for a makeover on some reality show :)
I can't wait to take my parents here because it's the first time I've eaten at a German restaurant in America that isn't a complete disgrace to German food. The rouladen was superb, though pricey, and I can imagine my mom will have a happy cry when she eats something in a restaurant that she doesn't immediately send back. This is the real freaking deal, y'all. Also, no one in my family likes sauerbraten but my girlfriend got it and they kept it mild enough to be enjoyable, even desirable. So try that if you're into that sort of thing. Edit: I've found even better since, check out the Winzer Stube in Hudson if you want your socks knocked off.
(4)
Clementine R.
Where did my original review go? I've been going here since 1983 and it's been consistently, well, consistent! Good German food. Fabulous brats and kraut and german potato salad made on site. The best I've had. The brat plate was my go-to meal for 2 1/2 decades, since I didn't really come that often so it was always sort of nostalgic for me. But last month I decided to venture to other areas of the menu and settled on a delicious dish of spaetzle, pork and a delicious paprika, bacon, sourcream, onion sauce and oh myyy gourde was it tasty. How tasty? I went back the next day and had it again! Pork Paprika Schnitzel. The pretzels and mustard are perfect when you really just want a good beer. Yum.
(5)
Jonathan H.
I've been here a few times for their meals. I think the place has a pretty good Germanic feel to it. The menus and the walls have a lot of German words in them. The names of the meals are in German, mostly. Some of the titles can be hard to understand, but a few waiters there are more than happy to help out on clarifying anything. My favorite plate there is the steak. I've always had good quality meals here. The waiters do a pretty good job at what they do. Their wine selection is excellent. The only thing I'd complain about is the wait time. It can get a little long at times. Besides that, the overall quality of the place is consistent. I will continue to come back here for their delicious meals. Sometimes, it's nice eating a good meal just to sit in the middle of their nice ambiance.
(4)
Kaitlyn F.
My grandma is very proud of her Polish heritage. So, for her birthday we deemed it appropriate to go some place that specializes in sausages, sauerkraut, and good beer. After a surprise at the airport and special guest in tow, we ventured to Black Forest Inn at the tail end of the Friday dinner rush. It was still warm out and they led us to an amazing patio. This is the type of patio dreams are made of. Fountains. Trees. Rope lights. The perfect ambiance for an 80 year old birthday. Our waiter was a bit slow at first but he made up for it in friendliness. I got the Reuben sandwich, which they boast to be the best in town. It was great! I have had better but I am definitely not complaining! Grandma and my Aunt had the Deutschburger Casserole (although Gma's pronunciation sounded more like douche-burger) It was basically meat and mushrooms over spaetzel (noodles) covered in cheese. Yummy! After dinner he asked if we needed dessert and we declined. He then went to get the birthday girl her "surprise." Instead of a free dessert as the birthday special, they give out awesome little beer steins. That was so cool! I'm so excited that she has a keepsake from her night!
(5)
Felix H.
Prior to last Saturday, I had not been to the BFI in years. The good: Great selection of German beer, the Meh: the food. There were several of us at the table, our food came out lukewarm and all of us said "Woah, that food is SALTY!" Not sure what happened to this place but I won't come back for the food but would come back for a beer.
(2)
Willian T.
Okay, having been here on multiple occasions, I've finally figured out their system. Go here when it's less busy, so Monday to Wednesday night for dinner and almost anytime for lunch. If you go when it's busy, you're pretty much guaranteed bad service and subpar food. Sad how that works for a business, but it is what it is. The last time we came, we came for lunch. I got the sauerbraten, which came with pickled red cabbage and spaetzle (which I love!!!) and my other half got the brat dinner.... That came with two brats, German potato salad and sauerkraut. This batch of German potato salad was amazing. Perfect combination of bacon, vinegar, and potato. Oh, before I forget, I ordered the small pitcher of apple wine for my drink.... Thinking it would be like mead..... sadly twas not. For some reason, I thought it was going to sweet, but was actually very dry. So, if you've never gotten it before and want to try it, I recommend the glass. If you're gutsy, go ahead and get the little pitcher. It's actually huge, Esp for 7$. I was able to get five full glasses of wine from that little pitcher. :P
(3)
Shekinah S.
We ate dinner at Black Forest Inn last night to commemorate the year anniversary of my boyfriend's mother's passing. She was German and it was one of her favorite restaurants. Some of the reviews made me nervous about both the service and the food. At first, the reviews seemed to ring true. We stood at the hostess station for a couple minutes before being acknowledged. That always bothers me. Then after being seated, a perusal of the menu revealed that German fare may not be my thing. I don't like onions, mushrooms, or cooked cabbage, and I rarely eat sausage. My choices were extremely limited. Fortunately, both the service and the food proved to be better than I was expecting. I wish I could recall our server's name, as she was great! She was friendly, attentive, and significantly -- had knowledge and opinions about the menu. Including pork dishes -- even though she doesn't eat pork, and the Friday Night Special -- even though she doesn't work on Fridays! It irritates me when servers don't know about the food, and everyone appreciated that she could answer all of our questions and make recommendations. I didn't eat the appetizers but the table started with some enormous (and highly recommended) onion rings and some sort of fried balls filled with ham and sauerkraut. I eventually took a chance and decided on an entree that sounded odd: a lentil and spaetzel salad. The rest of the table went with more traditional German dishes: beef stroganoff, goulash, and jager schnitzel (all served with spaetzel). My salad, served over greens and with a vinaigrette, was shockingly good. It was a large serving, and I had the rest for lunch today. I also had a side of potato salad. I found it odd, being served warm and liquidy, but my boyfriend finished it and said it was the traditional German preparation. No one else had leftovers so I'd say everyone else enjoyed their meals. Many of the poor reviews also mention the dingy and outdated decor. Since we ate on the patio, I didn't see much of the interior. I guess it did seem a bit shabby inside, but the patio was lovely. Overall, unless I develop a fondness for onions, mushrooms, cabbage, and sausage, I can't really see myself coming back. But based on my experience I would recommend Black Forest Inn for the Germanophiles among us.
(4)
Casey N.
What a fun little place. We came here to try a few Oktoberfest beers and to get out of the house. They had a really nice selection of Oktoberfest beers, and they were doing a deal where if you ordered a Summit, you could get a pint glass for $1. Sweet. We also got an order of the hand-cut fries, which were very tasty. Service was quick despite being packed. We'll go back.
(4)
Simon W.
The pork schnitzel and the beers are very good. The waitress is attentive and the service is up to the lar. I would certainly come visit again if I am in Minneapolis. Sat at the patio garden and it is very nicely decorated and there is a water fountain that makes water noise so it creates a feeling of tranquility.
(5)
Sarah M.
Why is this place so wonderful? Is it the massive, affordable German beers on tap? Is it the warm pretzels with homemade mustard? Is it the bullet holes in the wall? This place makes me happy. Sitting at the bar, as I always do, I am surrounded by every type of person. The grungy hippies, the hipsters, the nerdy guy drawing comics in the corner, the business men, the old men sharing a pitcher, a couple on a date... This place is wonderful because it welcomes everyone. Yes, the beers are wonderful, the appetizers and pretzels (yes, this is all I've tried) are super tasty, the patio is great- but its the feeling I get, sitting at the bar that I love the most. Snuggle up to the bar for a couple hours- you'll walk away with some new friends.
(5)
Chris L.
Admittedly, this is a restaurant that absolutely screams for a significant facelift. I certainly understand from where the negative reviews come about ambiance and, being a shameless fan of heavy German food of almost any quality, where those who aren't would view the food negatively -- this is food definitely running against current dining trends. But I'll have to admit I've never had a bad meal here for myself (but others I've been with have disliked the heavy nature of the food). And the beer selection is awesome for a person who isn't obsessed with hops. The Franziskaner Dunkel Hefe-Weisse is out of this world and you just can't find it on tap anywhere else. Best bet is to go on a nice day, sit in the garden outside and give it a shot. If they'd only spend the money, lighten up the place and try to cater a bit to current tastes, I think they'd have something.
(4)
Terri M.
Haven't been to this restaurant in many years. Went tonight and sat on the patio which was lovely. The food was wonderful German food. I had a salad and the stroganoff. It was delicious. Only problem was that the service was EXTREMELY slow.
(3)
Paul D.
My family and I went there on a Thursday after a Guthrie show. We showed up at 11:30 PM and the waitress' first words were "we close at midnight, the kitchen is closed, you need to order now". Terrible welcome and with two tables only occupied, the bartender brings water but doesn't offer to take drink orders even though the waitress was busy sulking over how much she hates her job. We asked for a root-beer float for my 17 year old and she said the kitchen is CLOSED - how hard is a scoop of ice cream. All in all in pathetic service.
(1)
Annie M.
This was by far the craziest experience I have ever had in a restaurant. This is Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares type stuff. So first walking into the restaurant was a huge disappointment. I expected some old school class and charm, but was greeted by a dark mess. My boyfriend and I stood at the doorway with waitresses to their backs to us for a couple minutes when we just decided to seat ourselves. It took nearly 10 minutes to receive our drinks and the cocktail I ordered ended up being a shot. On top of that I found a dead fruit fly in my drink. I ended up asking for a replacement drink which took another 10 minutes to get out. Then my boyfriend went to the bathrooms and said they were disgusting and smelled like 'everyone had peed on the floor'. We specifically came for the Beef Wellingtons and Sweetbreads, but they had been taken off of the menu even though it was still online. So eventually I ordered the rabbit and 10 minutes after we had ordered they informed me that it wasn't on the menu either. So on my fourth choice I ended up with Goulash. My boyfriend ordered the veal cutlets. Weirdest thing that happened that night...the waitress brought us bread and butter packets. When we went to open the butter packets they had already been opened and eaten out of! There was bread chunks still in the butter! How does that even happen?!? Finally, when we got our meal my goulash was bland and tasteless. Goulash is a thick Hungarian stew full of vegetables and chunks of meat. Literally, I had two chunks of meat and a couple chunks of peppers. I loaded it with salt and pepper and it still sucked. Now my boyfriend ordered $22 veal medallions with asparagus. When he started on the veal it was tough, fatty, and turns out not even veal. They served him a pork chop and tried to pass it off as veal. This was the last straw for us. I asked to speak to the manager. I told her about the bug in my drink, eaten butter packets, and the pork chops posing as veal. She said thats not possible because they would have no reason to serve pork chops, it doesn't benefit them at all. Well, ya it does, when you see a restaurant operating like that one wonders how they are cutting costs to remain open. I told her that I wanted the meal compt. She stood there for a minute before responding "Uhhhh....well whats wrong with yours?!?" Rude. I told her that I would pay for the two beers but that was as far as I would meet her. She eventually agreed. When the waitress came to the table to give us our bill she said "Thanks for all of that, now Im probably going to be fired. Thanks. Im going to be fired". Well, that was awkward and not appropriate. Looking at the bill I noticed that they also made me pay for the $6.5 drink that had a side of fruit fly. I ended up paying the bill and leaving as fast as possible. We had just talked a week before as to what our worst restaurant experience was and now I actually have my answer. Gross, gross, gross. They only way I would ever come back is if I saw it on Kitchen Nightmares.
(1)
Jack H.
Would not come here for weekday lunch. Slow service and preparation, big crowd, only 2 waiter servicing 30-40 people. Food was alright.
(2)
Fish D.
Only stopped for drinks. Haven't been to BF for many years. It has really gone downhill. Took 20 min to get our four drinks. We spotted five mice running around the trellis at the back of the patio. We pointed them out to the waitress who was uninterested. I don't recommend using the restroom either. Wow was that gross. A sad situation for such a local institution.
(1)
Paula E.
My husband never passes up the opportunity to try a German Restaurant, being of German heritage. I go along with this as it is something we can experience together. For starters we shared the lentil soup with sausage. It was very tasty. For my entree I went with the deutschburger casserole. The Deutschburger is made with ground beef, onions and mushroom sauce served over spaetzel, rice or mashed potatoes and topped with mozzarella cheese. Served with a Brötchen. I of course had it the best way which is over spaetzel for $12.25 The portion was large and I enjoyed it. Hubby went with the Braised Pork Shank This large shank is served with mashed potatoes and a brown gravy. Meat and potato lover's food for $14.00. Sadly this was tough and chewy and my husband didn't enjoy it at all and wished he had gone with a different entree. For dessert I went with the Black forest torte: Our version of Schwartzwalder Kirschtorte is four layers of chocolate cake with cream cheese filling & kirsch-flavored cherries between the layers, topped with fresh whipped cream. $6.95 Hubby went with the strudel: Apple Strudel Our best-selling dessert! Sugared & spiced fresh apples, raisins, & sliced almonds are rolled in a crisp, handmade flaky strudel dough. Served with fresh Pride of Main Street whipped cream. A Black Forest Inn tradition. $6.95 The desserts were good but hubby definitely felt they were not made in house, and he felt also they tasted store bought. We asked our waiter and he states they are made in house, but hubby didn't feel he was being truthful. All in all parts decent, parts not so good. If we are ever in the area again we might try something else there, but then again maybe not.
(3)
Scott E.
Years ago this was a tough table to get on most nights. The place was always busy, atmosphere was fun and the food was great. Fast forward twenty years, the place looks old, the staff looks old and the food tastes old. On my last visit we sat outside, it was a fall day. The homemade sausage were way over cooked and lacked taste other than the mustard I dipped them in. The prices have creeped up for the same food. The place looked dirty. Like other places, they have taken for granted what they once had and invested little money into keeping the place looking great. Parking can be a pain as it is on the street in a sketchy but improving area. For the quality, we paid way too much. There is a much better German restaurant on the NE side of the city.
(1)
John C.
Eaten here many times, only had one thing that was off (a very strangely shaped burger). The food is always good, the beers are good. The staff is like any neighborhood place, they know their stuff but don't expect ingratiating service or to be always right. I especially enjoy the all-you-can-eat bratwurst night and drain-the-kegs night during Octoberfest. Sitting in the bar area is enjoyable, and of course the beer garden is fun. On a street where almost all the other restaurants are of third world origin, it's fun to go German sometimes (it is the largest ethnicity in Mpls).
(4)
Robert B.
I really want to like this place... But after having eaten there twice, I realize, this place doesn't like me... First off, I should have known better than to try fish and chips at a German place. So, granted, I made a bad decision. But, I figured I was on "Eat Street" in a place that has been around for decades. I actually asked myself, "Can 'Germans" really screw up fried fish?" I highly doubt real Germans could, but these "Germans" sure did. Both the fish and the chips were absolutely fried to fuck. No amount of beer could save them. Please, trust your instincts folks, don't eat the fish and chips at this place. Earlier this evening I found myself back in the Black for their little "Beer and Chocolate" Mardi Gras thing. As The Black Forest Inn has no hand in crafting beer, the suds were fine. My vegetable pot pie however, was quite the hilarious prank. I nearly took a photo of it, just for the purpose of writing this review, but the whole thing just made me sad. While it was purported to be a part of their "Specials" menu, and even proudly proclaimed on the chalk board at the entrance, it was truly dreadful. The bottom crust of this pot pie was clearly a pre-made, frozen crust into which was dumped a slurry of lifeless, gray, vegetable goo. This delite was topped with yet another factory made, frozen crust topping. The top crust neither matched the bottom crust in color, consistency or even outer contours. It was literally a second frozen crust from a completely different supplier. If they can't be bothered to make one crust, why even consider trying to make two?! The spatzle was painfully bland. The pepper shaker had a cheerfully large black booger crusted to it's dented silver top. My fork was blessed with a yellow hunk of shit on the tongs as well. The table wobbled so badly, we almost lost our beers and "dinner" on the floor when I hilariously tried to rest my massive elbow. Oh, and our server was distracted, curt and just plain bad. At this point I wandered to the bathroom to take a piss and reconsider my German heritage. There I found a bathroom that would make a truck stop outside of Amarillo proud. Good lord, this place is filthy and sad. I shall never return to this forest again.
(1)
Amy R.
Honestly, I was a little skeptical after reading the reviews and seeing the star rating, but was quite satisfied. All of us were in our party. I'm glad there was parking. After sitting in traffic for a ridiculous amount of time, we were in no mood to find parking. So their lot came in handy. A little lost as to where the front entrance for Black Forest was. We ended up going through the back door of Glam Doll Donuts. Felt bad for cutting through, but we got to catch a glimpse of their donuts. Well played Glam Doll. Our server was adorable, excellent and made sure we all had what we needed. Food Orders: - Reuben -Fish and Chips -Spaetzel & Cheese Casserole -Sausage Sampler -Curry Chicken Sausage -Stroganoff - (2) Pork Paprika Schnitzels w/ red cabbage and spaetzel. Everyone liked their meals and all the food looked pretty good. I ordered the Reuben. I'm always on the search for a really good Reuben. This one was pretty good. However, I didn't fall in love with their sauerkraut. It was a sweeter one, but still good. Their fries are the best. Hand cut fries with light seasoning. I can never appreciate the sysco-esque fries after having hand cut ones. All in all, it was a nice family dinner out. Good food. Good service Good company. Cute outdoor packed patio on our first warm day in a LONG time.
(4)
Kurt M.
I've been frequenting the Black Forest since the early 1970's. When the weather cooperates it's hard to beat the patio. During inclement weather, the interior has just the right hearty, cozy, funky vibe. I've always enjoyed prompt, pleasant service whether dining alone, as a couple or with larger groups. The other day I met a friend and we sat outside. I ordered the Stroganoff. It was a very generous portion of the traditional dish, nicely seasoned sour cream/brown gravy over chunks of beef and onions accompanied by spaetzel and red cabbage. Admittedly comfort food but of a high level. My friend had the Königsberger Klops (meatballs in a caper cream sauce) which he found very much to his liking. The Bratwurst dinner is reliably satisfying. The Spaetzel & Cheese casserole is perfect on a cold winter night. The Kasseler Rippchen (smoked pork chop) is savory. The red cabbage is a favorite of mine (try stirring in a bit of Dijon mustard). The potato pancakes are top notch. I'm afraid that the onion rings are not as good as I remember them. They are still huge but are disappointingly lacking in flavor and texture. I don't know if the oil wasn't the right temp or if the batter was too heavy. They just didn't have the same appeal as when I first discovered them. In my experience the Weiner Schnitzel has always been a bit of a roll of the dice. Sometimes it's extraordinary. Tender, perfectly breaded and seasoned. Other times it's flat, overly dry and chewy. As the price has climbed ($24.25 for two, ala carte), I find that I'm less and less willing to take the risk of what I might get and stick to what I've found to be more consistent offerings. The apple strudel is outstanding. Flaky dough filled to the bursting point with crisp apples, raisins and sliced almonds. The Tortes (Black Forest, Sacher and Hazelnut) are all excellent. Free parking just south of the restaurant off of Nicollet.
(4)
C S.
What a waste of my time and money. The schnitzel was greasy, and overcooked. The service sucked. The waitress was trying to be nice, but it just came off as creepy. She messed up the order and brought the pork schnitzel instead of the veal. She tried to make it right, by offering a free piece of struedel, and free is exactly the right price. We left that on the plate too. The place smells like a greasy grill, and it carries over to the food. The ONLY redeeming quality was the spaetzel, which was, at best, mediocher. Never again. This makes two places Guy Fieri has featured on his show we have gone to that have been horrible. Beginning to think having him visit is a death sentence for restaurants!!
(1)
Bob B.
This place is way over priced. $24 for a jagerschnitzel? Really? This is like the most common easiest German dish to make at home. I lived in Germany for 8 years and it's pretty rare finding a german restaurant with reasonable prices in the US. Just because you throw sauerkraut on something that doesn't make it German. And for all the comments about how the place needs some fixing up. Trust me, if the dining room is outdated. So is the kitchen.
(1)
Shawn W.
Had dinner out on the patio with dear friends. The patio was full and definitely the place to be. Perfect setting for a nice dinner and drinks. The lighting is romantic and the sound of the waterfall in the background is nice!
(4)
Gael R.
I really don't like when people wrongfully assume that German food is bland. Sure, it doesn't have the complexity of Thai food, but really good German food has depth, richness, and earthyness to it. Is earthyness a real word? No1curr. I do find the food at BFI to be a little bland, though. Spaetzl is a warm memory for me, but I find their version here to be a little underwhelming. Where's the butter at?? I wouldn't call this place cheap, either. German food is also about generous portions which they seem to have also lost in translation. Overall, I wouldn't dissuade anyone from coming here, just realise that you're pretty much going to eat boiled potatoes and subpar schnitzel...which with our weather, sometimes is called for. ETA: Great waitstaff, they really try to be warm and welcoming but not annoying - a slippery slope.
(3)
Bill H.
We headed to the Inn last night for a get-together with coworkers and their spouses. It was the first night of the Black Forest Inn Octoberfest celebration and it was an absolute blast. It was my first visit to this establishment and I'm not even sure where to begin... The building and beer garden set the stage for a real Bavarian treat. My wife and I arrived a bit early and sat in the bar. We ordered ourselves a few glasses of Ayinger Oktober Fest brews, fresh from the homeland. The bartender told us that the kegs came straight from Germany. The beer was so good, I want to follow those kegs back home. As the rest of our party arrived, we headed outside. The garden is cozy and beautiful. The Ayinger continued to flow while we feasted on a wide range of dishes: liver pate, ham and sauerkraut balls, sausages, stroganoff, spaetzle, schnitzel, smoked pork chops and numerous sausages. It was all accompanied by various cabbage dishes, pickles, potato salads (starch!) and veggies. Deserts didn't fail either - carrot cake, devils food, apple strudel, black forrest torte - by the time we finished, we all looked like the kegs were were drinking from. Oh so full. The festivities included live music, bavarian beer girls (serving free samples of Hacker Pschorr), and local news man Sven Sungard to tap the ceremonial keg. During our four hour visit, service was always quick and friendly - they took excellent care of our party. We will definitely be coming back!
(4)
Jay E.
Paging Gordon Ramsey! We've got a kitchen nightmare on our hands. The food we had here was abysmal. Which is a shame, because this place has all the makings of being a prime hangout spot: beer garden out back; cool little bar inside; giant picture of the Queen on the wall with two bullet holes through the plastic frame. But we sampled a bunch of dishes and they were all so painfully bland. It was like chewing on construction paper. Unacceptable. It really hurts me to see such a nice space squandered. For what you're served, it's terribly overpriced. Thumbs down, middle fingers up.
(2)
Marie C.
I generally lean more towards meaty hearty food, and so I do enjoy german. All that starch, breading and meat - um, pretty amazing. Black Forest is good. It's not fan-freakin-tastic, but a good German representation. We tried the sausage plate and pate for an appetizer and it was fresh and tasty. I ordered the cordon blue, the bf got weiner schnitzel, mom and dad had some shank. My parents have been to Germany and they said it compared but obvs wasn't the real deal. They wished the shank had a crispy skin and a little less chewy. I enjoyed the veal, and the spaetzel is so good! Buttery. The schnitzel was delicious, and the potato salad is really good as well. Dessert does taste like its been in a fridge for awhile, and someone else's fridge. Definitely not done in house. Good place to try, especially if you have never had german.
(4)
Michael P.
This was my first time here. What a selection of beers and the food is good. Not a huge menu, but what they have is good.
(4)
Kathleen R.
Will try it again but walked in, asking for a table for 3 got a table for 6 seated next to a huge, loud party. Had to yell to talk to the other person waaay across the table. Tried multiple times to flag down our waitress for a drink, some water and hopefully a new table. Never happened. We left. Will try it again when I can get a patio seat but damn I wanted to try the spaetzle. Boo, hostess and crappy waitress, BOO.
(1)
Michael F.
I must do the BFI at least once per year. Sometimes it's a summer thing, where waiting for one of the best patios in the Twin Cities is worth the sometimes agonizing wait. But, showing up on a cold March night proves one is there for the food and not just a pleasant patio. The interior has not really been updated for as long as I've been going, which is a couple of decades. (And, would you really want them to change? It's like the Fair! Be sure to look for the bullet holes in the bar.) A Twin Cities classic. A moderate, yet tasty, beer list. I must, if at all possible, have some spaetzle and some red cabbage, and of course some brown gravy to sop it all up in. This last trip, it was some beef roulade for the main course. But it could be many things, including the rabbit (hasenfeffer of course). Not for the night you're dieting, and the service can be a bit spotty at times. But, one I must do from time to time.
(4)
Rik O.
I visited the Black Forest about a week ago and was pretty pleased with the experience for the most part. The Good: The food was great and came out quick. We ordered the liver pate, which is admittedly hard to mess up, but the full order is the perfect size to split with someone if you're ordering something else in addition. My boyfriend ordered the goulash that was served over spatziel which was phenomenal. I can't remember what the name of the other dish we ordered was but it was cuts of beef in gravy over spatziel and served with red cabbage. The meat was tender and flavorful and went well with the red cabbage. The beer was also great, they have a great selection of German beers as well as Belgians and domestics. The Bad: We saw our server frequently, usually a good thing, but he was so crass and un-professional that it would have been better to see less of him. The Ugly: The bathrooms are pretty worse for wear and maintained poorly. Also, the portrait with the bullet holes is pretty sketchy.
(3)
Terry Scott N.
The Black Forest Inn is to me what The Winchester is to Shaun of the Dead: My go to bar in any and all situations. This is a classic German bar: you get the ambiance, you get the exclusive German beer selection, and you get very traditional service. Classic bar, if you haven't been here you must check it out. The first time I went to the Black Forest Inn I was blown away; I had mistaken it for some other type of bar; I thought we were in Seward, so I expected it to be like the Blue Nile, or whatever that bar is, I was wrong. I was moderately drunk at the time and we had come from a crappier bar which exists across the street (The Icehouse). I walked in and the immediately noticed the decor. On the ceilings were frescos, I was surrounded by what seemed to be a German Ski lodge. I was impressed. I pulled up the bar and became more impressed. Their beer selection is incredible, they have an excellent, and exclusive, German Beer selection on tap. I knew I would be back. Been there a few times, had a few too many beers. Got wrecked. Been there a few more times, had some good conversations, and a few more beers. Got back. I love the beers here. I frequent this place every other week. I have eaten here a few times. The pretzels are great, and inexpensive. Their Entrees, I believe I had a sausage one with German potato salad, are extremely traditional and well done; however, I tend to not eat too much here, aside from the pretzel, because the price on entrees is a bit steep. The food quality is spot on, so I understand the pricing. To sum it up, the beer is where it is at ($5 for a half liter), and the pretzels are bomb. The style is relaxing, traditional, and interesting. I feel safe to say this is my default bar at this point in my life.
(4)
Mark L.
One of the nicest treats on Niccollet Avenue. First, Black Forest has one of the best outdoor patio areas in all of Minneapolis. It is spacious with a fountain, statues and ease to move about. Very very inviting. Also, it is closed off by fence and ivy so it has a secluded feel as well. The wine selection is global. Though the menu is focused heavily on German Cuisine, they offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The restaurant is family owned for two generations and they have maintained a community feel with excellent food and an at home feel. PS - Their homemade chocolates....wow!
(4)
Stace G.
If Black Forest were nudged into a neighborhood outside of Whittier, its own...German-ness would probably overpower it into stuffiness. Thanks to Whittier's vibrant weirdness and a spitting distance from an arts college, Black Forest is one-of-a-kind. There's a photo by Richard Avedon gifted to the restaurant retaining several bullet holes from where a patron in the 80s opened fire, saying the photo "always bugged the hell out of [him]." The entree list is decent, but sitting in the restaurant area isn't worth giving up on the strong personalities and gorgeous wood of the bar area. I loved coming here, ordering a few appetizers (such as... liver pate, sauerbraten and OMG the $1 pretzel with home mustard) and grabbing a bar table.
(5)
Chris F.
My parents a friend and I sat outside. We shared one order of the sausage saukraut deep fried balls and had the beer sampler. Everything was so good! The grainy mustard that you dipped the food into was amazing! They make it right at the restaurant so we bought a small one to take home. Our waiter was very attentive and great at explaining all of the different beers. We had a great time!
(5)
Kim R.
This is the second year in a row we have attended the Oktoberfest festivities at Black Forest. This year we went on socks and sandals night, and they were doing free pedal pub rides! Such a fun time, I've always wanted to ride on the pedal pub. I love the patio at Black Forest, it is so quaint and charming. Luckily we went on a warm night and were able to sit outside. I really enjoyed the big pretzel appetizer. This pretzel was big enough for 6 people to share. It came with really great cheese and mustard dipping sauces. As for the entrees, last year I had the hample pie and I think it was better than the cabbage roll I had this year. But, I really liked our desserts. We tried the sacher torte which is a dense flourless chocolate cake with tangy apricot glaze and chocolate ganache. The apple strudel is always a winner. They make all of their desserts in-house and get their apples from local orchards! I've heard the bratwurst dinner is the most popular entree. And they make their own sausage, if you like that sort of thing.
(4)
Jeffery J.
Good German food, Good service! I will repeat
(4)
Craig D.
Had a group meal here a few days ago, celebrating a graduation. This was our first experience here. We loved the patio seating on a perfect June day, though the service was pretty slow for the number of tables that were actually occupied. The beer selection was good, but I was expecting a bigger selection based on some of the reviews - I wonder if there are options that are only available at the bar... But we'll be back - for the food. Everything we tried was amazing, and brought back many memories of German food from my childhood. My grandmother immigrated from Germany, and the spaetzel reminded me of her noodles, and I can see her standing over the pot of boiling water cutting the dough and letting it fall in. The noodles were not uniform, so I'm pretty sure they're made just like my grandmother's, and were light and fluffy, absorbing all the flavors of the gravies and sauces. The German potato salad was another hit - warm and vinegary, with "just enough" bacon, served warm. That reminded me of my mother's potato salad, who learned it from my grandmother. The group had nieren (kidneys), fish and chips, pork paprika schnitzel, veal geschnitzeltes, and the liver-and-onions. All of the gravies/sauces were rich and flavorful, and the meats were cooked well. And for the non-meat lovers (a foreign concept to me), there are a few options on the menu. One in our group got the vegetable spaetzel and cheese, which was baked, served bubbling hot, and amazingly flavorful. And unlike a lot of "mac & cheese" type entrees, it didn't turn to lead as it cooled off on the table. If you love German food, or want to try something that you're not going to find in most Twin Cities restaurants, give the Black Forest Inn a try.
(4)
Scott B.
The epitome of a once fine restaurant resting on it's laurels. An unforgettable meal to be sure, but not in a nice way. Uninspired Germanic cooking at its finest. Void of spices, meats either over cooked (schnitzels of every stripe) or tough (non braised pork shank totally devoid of flavor) . How can spaetzle be so poorly executed? Flavorless dough balls. Sloppy,bordering on slovenly service. Fire the pastry chef or find a different supplier.
(1)
David S.
Love the food here, the beer selection is good and the service is great.
(4)
Dede F.
One of the worst restaurant experiences of my life! We arrived and waited for at least 10 minutes before we were acknowledged. Once the waitress came by, we ordered drinks. The drinks came quickly and we immediately placed our food order. We watched as multiple tables that arrived much after us were not only seated, but received their food. We asked the waitress to check on our food, and she proceeded to go help other tables and not even head to the back. We started to ask someone else for a manager and was told "there is nobody here that fits that bill". We decided to just leave...... As we get up to leave, the waitress walks out with our food. We decide to go anyway and they proceed to charge us for our drinks. We were approached by a manager who told us that our drink order was only placed 47 minutes ago (mind you we ordered food within 5 minutes of that) and that is how long the food takes to prepare. If that is the case, it would have been nice for the waitress to maybe explain that when we were questioning what was taking so long. They were not terribly busy. This manager never said "I'm sorry you feel that way" or anything of the sort. He was accusatory only. My boyfriend told him that we were going to rate the restaurant so "fing" low (okay, he shouldn't have sworn) but the manager started yelling "get those people out of here" like we were criminals. It was shocking. We were then approached by a lovely waiter who explained to us that unfortunately since the children have taken over running the place and this "manager" is in charge, this is how people are treated. I believe this is why we were told there was nobody that fits that bill. He totally apologized to us and at least someone treated us kindly.
(1)
Elizabeth X.
German food isn't usually my thing, but the husband likes it. The atmosphere here seems pretty authentic, and the food was surprisingly good. I don't think I'll go back often, but I will go back!
(3)
Nate W.
Pretty tasty German food in a quaint, but lively, atmosphere. If you're looking for tasty German food and a casual place to have a meal with friends or family, this is your place. If you're looking to get rowdy, pound some schnapps, and watch some drunk guy in lederhosen stumble around, this is not the place. They have really tasty food and a good beer selection. The sauer kraut is amazing. A little on the sweeter side. I wouldn't eat there every chance I got, but I will be back.
(3)
Andrew S.
Walking into the Black Forest Inn, I was not surprised by the decor or lighting. The old fashioned atmosphere and feeling was pleasing for a comfortable lunch. I sat at the bar and was thrilled to have a talkative bartender who listened as well as he spoke....not that I was full of hot air. I decided on the bratwurst dinner; the bartender confirmed I wouldn't be leaving hungry. My Lord, was he correct!! It was presented on a large oval plate, consisting of two house made brat's, German potato salad, sauerkraut and bread. I'm 100% German and felt like a I was eating at the grandparents house. The flavors meshed together perfectly. The only reason I didn't rate it higher with five stars is because I thought the prices were a tad too high, but I'm old-fashioned like that.
(4)
Adam W.
Prior to last night, my last visit to this establishment was over a year ago. Had I written a review then, I'd have awarded a solid 4 star rating based upon food and overall dining experience. Sadly, my most recent visit has confirmed the rumors: The Black Forest has slipped. From my previous hypothetical four star rating, I am subtracting one star for the confused and rather lackluster service. Our server fluttered by on a number of occasions but could/would not stop at the table unless flagged down with a shout and an arm wave. The lone exception was when the check was suddenly and without request on our part plopped down on the table. Apparently we were done. Who knew? I'm also pulling one star for the decline in food quality. Both the Reuben and the onion rings--previously known as solid choices--were lackluster. One star remains for the very nice patio, one of the best in town. One star remains for the sauerkraut balls. I like them even if no one else does. I am thinking that The Glockenspiel in St. Paul is the better alternative at this point.
(2)
Elisabeth A.
Didn't expect anything special but anyway it was quite disappointing. Service is slow and somewhat disorganized still not too much. Unfortunately main thing, the food is something truly below my standards. Cold and greasy food and that is basically it. It's a shame because in general place has some potential.
(2)
Robert W.
My buddy was so excited to show me one of his favorite spots from when he lived here 20 years ago. What a disappointment and serious waste of money. The place was mostly empty, with no line waiting, but it still took forever for someone to acknowledge us and bother to find us a table. We sat unattended for another twenty minutes while servers who didn't want to be seated worked out who was stuck with us. When we were finally asked if we wanted to put in an order, the sauerbraten they call "one of our specialties" -- unavailable. All of which I would easily forgive, (yes, even the grubby silverware and plates) if when the food came, it was tasty. But it just wasn't. Bland, greazy, and mediocre at best. We had both planned our day to be hungry and ready to eat, so we were really let down. I'd have been better off at Taco John's (and at least 50 bucks richer.)
(1)
Rob R.
Great German food! We went there to sample food prior to hosting an Oktoberfest party. The server (Wendy?) was awesome, steering us to delicious main courses, sides and deserts. We ended up getting most of our food here (they have a great "to go" menu). The brats have veal and are nothing like the void-filled Johnsonville variety. The sauerbraten (sp?) was our favorite as was the spatzel w/cheese. Don't forget the apple strudel...to die for. Of course, the beer selection is top notch if you like German beer. Highly recommend!
(5)
Marilee A.
"Not German, not Swiss" Like Olive Garden & restaurants like it that are an Americanized version of Italian, this is not real German food.My deceased husband was from Zurich Switzerland and found the food offensively bad, & not authentic in representation, not a place you'd take our German Swiss relations by any means
(2)
Steph L.
Mouse. Mouse running across the floor. Yes, I know there are mice out there, but seeing one in the restaurant you're eating at is another story. Odd thing was, no one cared. Not the staff, just a few of the tables. Yes, they noticed it. No, they didn't care. Some table even went on to say 'it's just a baby.' Is this some microcosm in the restaurant world where it's acceptable to dine with mice? Am I odd that I don't want to eat when I see a mouse running across the restaurant floor? Am I the only one whose mind who starts going into overtime wondering where else in the restaurant the mouse has explored? I envisioned the mouse running up and down the sausage links, tossing the flour used in my dish up in the air, and it just kept getting worse and worse but I'll spare you. We had already ordered when we first saw it. I tried to stick it out because no one else seemed alarmed (peer pressure at it's finest). But he came back again... and that was just too much for me, I couldn't eat. The server said sorry and seemed truly apologetic but no offer to refund our barely touched meals. She said it probably came in through the back door which they open and close a lot. News Flash: All restaurants have doors, not all restaurants have mice. We asked to have my meal taken off because I just took a bite, and they did, but you'd think they'd comp everyone's entire meal in this case. The mice issue is concerning, equally concerning was the staff's lackadaisical attitude about it and poor customer service. And, hardly important at this point, but it smelled really, really nasty. Needless to say, won't ever be going back there.
(1)
S W.
I've had some mediocre food here all right. I know how sublime good German food can be - this sadly is not. I've also had some of the only service that ever caused me to complain. I am the hardest person to piss off in the world, possibly, but they managed to do it, where few have. Why do I like this place enough to return often? 1. The room. It's snow white's cottage plus an Avedon with a bullet hole. 'nuff said, the kitchmeister in me is sold. 2. The garden in summer. A little paradise. 3. Beer. Flights. My introduction to Kostritzer. THIS is what hops should be like. Yeah, um, sorry Surly, but no. 4. the Matjes Herring. Get the small plate unless you are a large sea bird. It's fresh and gooood. 5. The Lentil Soup. It's crazy how good this is, especially with the Polish sausage in it. (Which is better than the Bratwurst, believe it or not.) Seriously my favorite "soup of the western world" in Mpls unless you are talking $$$ big food places. I pretty much have given up on all the entrees save for the occasional weird special, and I just get these things. These add up to a very pleasing soft spot for a flawed restaurant.
(3)
Marsha W.
I'm a vegetarian so my options here are limited. With that said, I love the spatzel casserole with veggies. I'm also a fan of the German beer and the Rumpelstiltskin drink. I also love the black forest torte for dessert. Decor is cute and I like to sit outside in the summer.
(4)
Mollee F.
This is a pretty authentic German food experience. The menu reflects some real German specialties that you won't find at other restaurants which I appreciate. Almost everything comes with the spaetzle that's made in house and it's good. I ordered the polish sausage dinner that comes with sauerkraut and potato salad (and boy was I glad it wasn't a mayo-based potato salad). Super tasty and big sausages enhanced by the sauerkraut. I also ordered the potato pancake which I found to be a bit cold and bland. It came with sour cream and applesauce but I guess I prefer a latke with higher concentrations of onion in it. I was pretty excited to try a glass of Rheingau wine. I was too young when I visited the area to have wine before but I never forgot all the vineyards dotting the hillsides of the Rhine and finally got my chance to try it. Very good. Wait staff was pleasant and attentive, prices are reasonable and our party of seven seemed to enjoy their visit.
(3)
Josh M.
I went here for lunch with a co worker today, and all in all it was a good experience. Until today it had been years since I'd eaten here, but I still remembered how awesome their patio seating is. It's still one of the nicest outdoor dining spots I've ever been, its a plaza type space, and the rain today made it even more wonderful since the weather was temperate and there were many spots on the patio that were protected from the rain. With the exception of potato recipes I'm more into americanized German food like what's served at Gluek's. I had the Potato Pancakes and my co worker the Spaetzel & Cheese. Food tasted good, and the prices for lunch are very affordable.The lunch menu lacked variety a bit though, and there was practically no other meat but pork. Out of the meat options the only things that appealed to me was their homemade bratwurst, and the fish, but since those can be found elsewhere I ended up ordering something unique to a German restaraunt. I think next time I'll give thier bratwurst a shot since it's homemade. The service was good, and at least when we were here there wasn't any sauerkraut smell. I'd definetely come here again for thier Potato Pancakes.
(4)
Dan S.
I'll second Hillary's comment that the place has a funny smell. I stopped in for a beer, so I can't comment on much. They have a wide selection of predominantly German beers. They had several versions of Spaten on tap. They have a good outdoor patio. Most of the beers were $5 for a 1/2 litre. It sounded bigger than it really was, probably close to 20 oz.
(3)
Meghann F.
Its a decent place although I can't say the prices and what you get for it are in vibe. I got the pot pie - that was good and worth it. This also comes with a nice side salad. The buns are excellent!! My brother got the rabbit, and it tasted pretty decent, but all that was served with it was Spaetzel and a little bit of gravy - the spaetzel on its own wasn't all that great. Others got the sauerkraut hotdish and then a veal with spaetzel - for $20+ for the veal and the rabbit - eh - not really worth it. The pretzels are served with a delcious mustard - definitely recommend that. I also got the hot spiced apple wine - it tasted like rotten apples to me, so I ended up with the gluhwein - the hot spiced red wine - that was much better. Its an okay place, not super impressed
(2)
Ericka A.
Judging from the outside you would expect this to be the most delicious and magical restaurant in all of the Twin Cities area, but it falls flat and leaves you simply feeling indifferent to it. I want to like this place and I've come back a couple of times. Never again. Anyone who even knows a smidgen about Germany food can see that they have a long way to go. I've brought exchange students from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Croatia to this restaurant and they all said the same thing, "It's OK, but real German food is much better." At the very least you would expect to be able to get some decent dessert, but I found the Black Forest cake to be very dry. Don't see any reason to come back here unless someone else expects me to show for a special occasion.
(2)
El Hombre G.
I had the pork Wiener schnitzel with paprika sauce and it was excellent, and the spaetzel was great as usual. Wife had the stroganoff and the meat was grey and bland and tough. Need to cook that beef low and slow! WWGB? Yes but no stroganoff.
(2)
Brian J.
Having had the opportunity to spend some time in Germany for three years while I was stationed with the Army, I found this restaurant to be authentic as it can be - right here in the States, complete with the Bavarian blue checkered table cloths. On their menu, they indicate that they make all of their brats / sausages from scratch. I found their food to be very good, hot and very fast and also very filling. Their selection of beer is quite phenomenal. I loved the hot German potato salad and the authentic sauerkraut. Delicious!! The atmosphere is great, with an outdoor patio for the summer / spring and fall. Would return to this great establishment if I ever make it back to Minneapolis.
(4)
Jackie G.
I made a reservation a few weeks ago for my office holiday party. I made the reservation for a Wednesday night in Dec on Open Table. The reservation was for 16 and I put a couple notes on it in addition. The night before our reservation I called to confirm the reservation and spoke to a woman who indeed confirmed our reservation and then just kept saying "yep" over and over. The reservation was for 6:30pm. When we arrived at 6:15pm we were told by the hostess that they didn't have our reservation. I checked my email and low-and-behold Black Forest cancelled our reservation at 6:04pm (24 minutes before it was set to happen). WTF?!? The hostess was not helpful - she and their whole communication/reservation system get one star from me or even zero stars if that was an option. When I make a reservation and confirm said reservation, I am not used to having it cancelled for no good reason right before it's set to happen. Nor am I used to having to pull my own tables and chairs together. Black Forest, get your act together. On the upside, our servers were fantastic and the food and drinks were great. Thank you to them for saving the evening.
(2)
Tori M.
Once upon a time, Hansel and his Gretel decided they were hungry for some old Deutschland fare. As they wound their way through the city on a quest for sauerkraut, they happened to see a lovely German Cottage, promising the culinary delights of the Black Forest. Gretel had her misgivings, as this cottage happened to be near other places of ill repute, but Hansel was firm; they just had to try this place. Upon entering the rather charming establisment, they were greeted by a wicked witch. She seemed nice at first, but she brought the two back into the coldest part of the cottage where they sat shivering while they waited for their wine. They were concerned about the lack of other German children in the cottage, for it seemed like a big place and surely other people would want to eat there too. However, there were no other children at all! Shivering both from the cold and the abandoned-house feeling, Gretel had to put her coat back on to stave off a chill; when the wicked witch came back to ask what they wanted to eat, Hansel chivalrously asked if they could sit somewhere warmer. The witch made a big stink about having to switch their table number, but finally moved them nearer the radiator, where Gretel huddled close to it like a prisoner in a fairy tale. When the wicked witch finally brought their food, Hansel and Gretel were perplexed. What the heck was this stuff? They had never seen anything like it before. Gretel's rostbrauten, her favorite, was tougher than shoe leather. Her spaetzle was also gloppy and looked like sheep brains. Hansel's "special" schnitzel looked like it had been cooked in a lawn mower and tasted about as good. And unlike traditional German meals of grand size, there was hardly enough to cover the huge plate (nothing like the potatoes making the meat look small). After their initial horror abated, Gretel asked for some sauerkraut to liven things up. The witch angrily stomped off to get some and returned quickly. She then ignored Hansel and Gretel for the rest of the meal, even though both of them had run out of water. Hansel tasted the kraut and made a face; Gretel tasted it and could not even swallow. It tasted like fruit punch. Convinced that the witch was trying to poison them, they pushed the kraut away. They ate what they could from their plates and asked for the check. When the witch finally brought it, she glared angrily at their half-full plates and the untouched kraut, then seized it back to the kitchen. They could hear her talking loudly, probably to her goblin cook. When she returned, she slapped down the check and disappeared. Hansel was freaked out and just paid with some cash. They then escaped out the door, too glad to have made it out alive to ask to speak with a manager.
(1)
Jessica S.
Tried this restaurant for the first time - the good was good, a little slow (ok, really slow). Wait staff was super confused about our reservation and still had to wait. While the food was good, (and I don't know a ton about German food) there were only one or two things on the menu I was even a little bit interested in - some more combos would have been nice. the little beer garden out back was enjoyable, very quiet considering it is in a busy area. The parking lot was a major bonus.
(3)
Tim R.
Expensive food. Forgettable food quality.
(2)
Ralph M.
I've always had rather mixed opinions of Black Forest Inn. I like the idea that I have a German restaurant within walking distance of me. I like that the place has been there for decades, even surviving the neighborhood's first transition to a destination for asian groceries and dining, and so far surviving the current transition to a trendy, hipsterish neighborhood. I like some effort they've been making (lately?) with some nice ideas: seasonal events/menus (a christmas craft fair, a special asparagus menu in spring, octoberfest, etc). So I wish actually going to Black Forest Inn could actually be an enjoyable experience. German food is not often noted for its quality. I have been to Germany, but I wouldn't describe myself as an expert on the cuisine. But I can say that I can't remember ever particularly enjoying a meal at Black Forest Inn. On my last visit, I went sacrilegious and ordered a burger. It wasn't that I gave up on their German food, but a couple years ago local food reviewing legend Dara listed their burger as among the best in the state. Best burger down the street from me? Well, what's taken me so long? Was it all that? Not in my book. Just a garden variety burger. Perhaps even sub-average. You let me down, Dara. But hey, it was a nice day. I was sitting on the patio drinking a nice German lager. The waitress was nice, for a change. Like other reviewers I've often had bad service. But on this visit, all was well. So I didn't find a great burger, but I had a better visit than I probably ever had, so I can't complain this time. But seriously, some good service shouldn't be a notable exception. Especially when you don't have much else going for you. Work on that, BFI.
(3)
Rae Jo K.
Very good German food and a great selection. Service was great, bartender and waitstaff were very friendly. I definitely want to come back and try other menu selections.
(4)
Mark S.
Can't compare to the other German restaurants in town, but Black Forest inn is terrific. Great food and service. The outdoor beer garden is a pretty good outdoor spot.
(4)
Mike H.
What a treat! Fast and friendly service coupled with great food. The patio was perfect for a romantic evening.
(5)
matt c.
Like my favorite places, dark and shadowy in the heat of day, empty as graveyard and delicious. Graveyard and delicious in the same sentence, weird.... I sat by the stained glass windows and enjoyed the wonderful sauerbraten and side of sptzle in gravy. Great selection of beers. This review lets you know about the feeling of daytime there!
(4)
Sarah B.
Where do I begin? Arrived at 6:30 with a reservation to eat on the patio. The host told us it would be a few minutes, like five. Then he seated two large parties ahead of us. Then he told us it would be longer, maybe 15-20 minutes, even though we called ahead. We got seated, placed an order in about 15 minutes and then proceeded to wait a very long time for our food to come. We watched at least two other tables get their food before us even though they arrived after us. The server stopped by, apologized for the wait and then told us the food would be there very soon. Another 15 minutes went by and still no food. Then she stopped by and told us that was a "terrible mix-up" in the kitchen and the food would out ASAP. Another 10 minutes at least went by until the food arrived. Then only 3 of the 4 meals arrived. They asked me what I ordered and honestly it had been so long, I forgot! The server offered a free appetizer of ham balls (didn't ask us if we wanted something specific.) They arrived when the food arrived, so that didn't really make a difference. When we were walking out the door, we noticed other diners had red cabbage on their plates. We were supposed to have that too, but forgot because we waited so long! Long wait, lost reservation, orders screwed up big time. What a huge disappointment. I won't be back. What would have meant more to us is if they had offered to comp my meal since it arrived a good 10 minutes later than the rest of the dishes, which we had waited an hour for anyway. Our check for four people was $87. That's a lot of money for a very disappointing evening. Plenty of other good restaurants in the area.
(1)
Geoffrey R.
I've been here twice over the past 6 months and I think it's a solid, if not sensational pick for good, hearty German and Central European food. The decor is a bit disney-fied but I kind of like the kitchsiness of a place like this (it doesn't feel like a Bavarian beer hall - it feels like the German pavilion at EPCOT Center but, then again, that doesn't really bug me). The service here has generally been congenial. I had a German beer that was quite good and reminiscent of a Guinness. My boyfriend particularly likes the sauerbraten and both of us enjoyed the spaetzle. My beef stroganoff was quite good. Again, nothing sensational, but it was decent and portions are large and filling (we brought plenty of leftovers home with us). The prices - given the portions and the relative quality - are a little high but not outrageously so. We also shared a Black Cherry torte for dessert that was just the right balance between chocolate, cream and fruit. My only quibble: our waitress was friendly and generally attentive...but since the restaurant was quiet, several of the waitstaff gathered at a nearby table where they read magazines. I'm not a fascist but I think this looks terrible and puts the customer in an awkward position ("I'm sure the recent edition of Vanity Fair is interesting but we really would like the check"). But, overall, it's a solid place to eat.
(3)
Kelsey K.
My dad loves this place. So when he is in town we often hit it up. We went a few Sunday's ago and I was quite amused how the only people there were oldish couples who were probably German. Maybe we just hit a blue plate special time or something. I had the pot pie and gosh it was exactly what I wanted it to be. Perfect crust (buttery), lots of amazingly cooked chunky veggies (big chunks), all in creamy goodness. Plus it had a side salad that was dressed perfectly. They were rocking it. The spaetzle is good, so is the wienerschnitzel. Quality German food.
(4)
Joseph W.
This restaurant is like a charicature of a German experience. It is more like the 12 Dwarfs interior than the Hofbrauhaus. I find that really charming, and I love the painted wood and dark stained glass windows. The beer was correct. They had the Franziskaner Dunkelweisse that I wanted. That was delicious and awesome! I tried the jager schnitzel. It was good, but no knock out. The bread dumplings were very tasty, but the gravy was kinda meh and the veal wasn't great by any stretch and wasn't tender. I hardly ever eat veal... but isn't it supposed to be tender? They played modern American music that a young person like me could appreciate, and that and beer goes a long way with me. This is a special little restaurant for Minneapolis. For one thing, it was started before the whole ethnic restaurants became so popular, and it has stood the test of time.
(4)
Tara J.
This is one of my favorite drinking spots, especially in the summer. Their patio is lush and beautiful, and from time-to-time they have an accordion player to serenade the patrons. On one beer-filled evening last summer, he was playing the usual requests from the Sound of Music soundtrack, and when he found out that my boyfriend also plays accordion, he regaled us with a hilarious rendition of Del Shannon's "Runaway". The entire patio started singing along, and it was one of those priceless summer moments that you always remember. Being of the veggie persuasion, I don't tend to eat here, but their German beer selection, beautiful space and lively atmosphere are enough to keep me coming back.
(4)
Nadine Y.
I had such high hopes for you, Black Forest Inn; I should have read these darn reviews first. Such disappointment... such disappointment. I ventured out of my comforts zone with mushroom soup with a half side of liver pate. Such disappointment... such disappointment. The only highlight came in a form of alcohol - a delicious $4 mug of strongbow. Other than that... wha wha wha.
(2)
JC C.
I ate there with a party of 5 two weeks ago. No host/hostess to greet us. Reservation had been made for 7:00 PM. Table wasn't ready till 7:15PM, which is OK, cos we requested the patio. Waited over an hour for our entrees, to be fair the place was busy. Asked the waitress for an aditional bread basket and we were charged extra for that ($2.50), which I thought sucked. We finally got our food around 8:30PM. The appetizers we ordered were OK, the worst was the sauerkraut balls...a mushy mess you'd expect at a county fair. Onion rings were unseasoned..hey guys..there's a new ingredient out there called ..salt..please include in your batter.
(2)
Mike H.
Having grown up with German grandparents who were first second-gen Americans and spoke German when they didn't want me to know what they were saying, needless to say I've eaten my share of German food. We found this place by chance and it was warm inside so we sat down. Not terribly wonderful food, and certainly not authentic German in the way that I know it (although my grandmother said her German was "low" whatever that meant) but the service was attentive and since the food wasn't great we didn't eat too much. Bonus? There's a German place out on the plains of Stillwater I think which is full on 'kraut the way I know it. If you're looking for a German restaurant and don't mind the drive ...
(2)
Lena M.
I had heard good things about the Black Forest Inn and was eager to try it, but found that the food and service were both lacking. I love some good German food and sadly, did not find it here. The family and I hit it up for lunch on a Saturday. There were people in the dining room, but nobody to seat us. When we eventually did sit, it was in a lonely corner. It wasn't clear who our server was and took about 10 minutes just to get some water. I'm not sure who eventually took our order, but the guy who was supposed to be our server showed up about 5 minutes after our order was taken. I would like to say that he did have a large group, but it literally took him about 20 minutes just to get to us. As for the food, my dining partner ordered the viener schitzle, which was actually pork (we didn't feel like paying the extra for veal at lunch) and I had the saurbraten. We also split an order of saurkraut ham balls, which were actually very good. I loved the horseradish mustard they came with. Sadly, the rest of our food was only okay. The portions were pretty small, even for lunch portions. The schnitzle was a lonely piece of meat and small green salad. It was well cooked, but not very flavorful. It really did need the squeeze of lemon. My saurbraten was a bit bigger, served with spatzel. Everything was dying for salt, as well as being served a bit on the cool side. Frankly, I make better saurbraten. We didn't have any beer, as it was still early in the day and we had the kiddos with us. With our food, a Coke and my daughter's order of fries, the tab came to $38, which seemed steep, considering it was lunchtime. Maybe it's better at dinner, but I can't see us going back anytime soon.
(2)
Lacey P.
Seriously terrible. We went here for my friend's birthday. When we came in we weren't greeted and finally the waitress said: Oh, do you want a table? Yeah. Without going over every detail that was horrific, I'll say this. It smelled like bleach in here, the service was horrendous-I think our waitress was on drugs. They served my quiche cold along with our scones, leaving us to realize they just popped things out of the cooler and microwaved them. There was ham in my friend's vegetarian quiche and we didn't get half the things we ordered. Not only did the clueless waitress look bad, but the restaurant did too. Who lets things go out of the kitchen ice cold? Who has such a problem being a waitress? Now I can see why no one I know goes here. I won't ever again.
(1)
Megan K.
Honestly, I've never been really impressed by this restaurant. Most of the waitstaff is absent-minded or too busy to honestly assess the happiness and satisfaction of their diners. The last time I went, the waitress came by, asked how everything was and walked away from the table before we even had a chance to answer her. I ordered the Kaese Spaetzele, which is basically like mac 'n' cheese made with homemade noodles and fresh cheese, along with mixed veggies and caramelized onions. What I got was a plate that looked like a personal-sized pizza from pizza hut: 1" layer of cheese covering a meek serving of spaetzele. In my opinion, there should be at least even amounts of each. After eating this catastrophe as much as I could, I felt myself going into a cheese-induced coma. Don't get me wrong: I LOVE cheese. Always have. But this was a disgrace, because the cheese didn't taste any better than shredded Kraft mozzarella on top of some noodles. Not to mention, there were no veggies or onions. Never getting that dish again--I'll go to Glockenspiel instead (this is usually a better choice in any case, even if I have to drive an extra 10-15 minutes). In addition to this, the first time I ever went to BF was shortly after turning 21. I wanted a good, solid cocktail, one that I could blissfully (and legally) enjoy. When I asked the waitress for suggestions, she stared at me blankly and didn't seem to have much to say. So I asked her again. After asking about one of the drinks, she interpreted that as me asking for the drink, took my menu and walked away. This same waitress took 20 minutes to greet me at the table when I first walked in and an additional 20 minutes to come take my food order after taking my drink order. I guess Black Forest gets the additional star because the potato pancakes are probably the only thing I've enjoyed eating from this restaurant, and those were only OK.
(2)
Kit K.
This place failed miserably for a weekend breakfast. Very limited menu, Food was poor (quiche was heavy, overcooked and the egg on the Benedict's was hard boiled!) We ate on the lovely patio but by the time our 9:30 AM food order arrived at 11:00(!) it was hot & humid). waited over an hour for food to arrive. The checks came at least a half hour after requesting. They put a 10% gratuity on our checks and stated we were a 'large group' .....we were a table of 6! The only reason I'd go back is for a cold beer on the patio in the evening. One wouldn't think they could flub that up....or could they?
(2)
Maria J.
Ten days ago, I wrote this letter to the Black Forest, assuming I'd get a concerned response from some manager, or even an owner. As nobody's replied, I'm posting it here. We were there on a Tuesday. ========================================== Greetings-- I've been a fan of the Black Forest Inn since my own waitress days back in the early 80's, when we often came over after our shifts in other Minneapolis restaurants. I love the look of the place, and its longevity, which I've always attributed to a combination of great atmosphere, consistent food, and reliably good service. Tonight, I was performing a concert nearby, and made (very) tentative plans to meet some folks after the show... thought about not going, as I hadn't seen them there, but went with my husband, just in case. It ended up being just the two of us. As I didn't see a hostess, I guessed that it was self-seating (it was probably 9:15 when we arrived). The patio crowd was pretty thin, so we took the 6 top in the street-side corner, in case anyone else showed up. Then we watched two servers (one with orange & black hair, the other a blonde) pass our table... the first one four times, the other two, although she stood chatting pleasantly with the next table, actually facing us, and managing to imply we were invisible. The other one must have been really exerting special effort not to make eye contact with me, as she went to and fro! My husband was wondering if we'd actually been killed in an accident on the way there, and hadn't yet realized we were ghosts. After the 4th time, I actually called out (in my singerly voice), "Hell-OOOOOOOOOO!!!!" and waved my hand high above my head. There's no way she could have not heard that, yet she maintained that rigid discipline of ignoring us-- YOUR CUSTOMERS-- completely. Not a wink or a nod. Not an "I'll get someone right over to you," or "I'm sorry, we're closed at 9pm," or "You have to be seated by a hostess," or even "We hate you, and your money, so why not just leave?" Finally, the next time she walked past us while leaving another table, I called out, "Excuse me!!!" and she came over and said (in a sarcastic tone), "Did you want something?" "Yes," I replied. "We would like food and drink!" (I did not add,"Isn't this a restaurant?" but perhaps I should have.) Her reply wasn't, "Gosh, I'm sorry! I thought you were just sitting there enjoying the night air!," or, "We're terribly short-staffed-- I'll get someone right over," or "You are invisible, because I'm trying to get out of here," or "We don't serve your kind here, suburbanite scum," or whatever was on her mind. However, she did appear to be filled with rage. I do give her credit for not rolling her eyes while I could still see her, though. We again waited for some time... observing several servers passing our table, and not one meeting my eye. That's just WEIRD... and if I ran a restaurant, and my staff acted that way, I'd want to know about it. Finally a tall young guy came out and brought us menus and water-- probably close to 20 minutes after we''d sat down. He was very nice, and our food was excellent, as always in the 25+ years I've patronized the BFI. The bartender was charming on our exit. I'll return to the BFI, but I'd definitely suggest that some of the waitstaff could use some remedial work on basic hospitality-- not to mention common human courtesy. The goofball Republican gubernatorial candidate, Tom Emmer, was in the paper today, griping about the supposedly enormous amount of money servers make (he says there are waiters at the Eagle Grille in St. Paul who make $100K!!!), and how that amounts to stealing from consumers. I'm not an ignorant fool like he is... I was a waitress myself for 8 years of my life, and a baker, and a cook! I have put in hundreds of hours in the restaurant business, and I would never have IGNORED a couple sitting at a table with no menus or water (not to mention COCKTAILS!!!!) for 15 minutes, bringing them to the point of having to sing out, "Hell-OOOOOO!" and wave their arms in the air. Someone with that attitude should not be working in the front of the house, where a large part of a server's job is to imply that it's their pleasure to be there, even when it's not. It's a hard job, and I know the compensation is not enormous. Still, it's the job that woman (and the blonde woman, who, by the way, was utterly clueless in her pronunciation of several German beers-- I overheard that as she was ignoring us) was hired to do, and please believe me when I tell you that she certainly wasn't doing it for us tonight. She seemed fine with her other table. Still, that means she was a jerk to us, and nice to them-- a poor percentage, from the owner's or manager's perspective. This is just the kind of story people post on Yelp, of course. I have such a long history of enjoying the BFI that I don't want to tattle on you there. However, if it happened to me last night, it's undoubtedly happening to others.
(2)
Traci A.
I really wanted to love this place. I really did. But we were not impressed. The food was decent (at best). I had the Sauerbraten and my husband had the Weiner Schnitzel. We also had the spaetzel. Nothing horrible (although there a few grizzly pieces of my Sauerbraten), but nothing great. No real reason to go back. The service was fine. Our waiter seemed a bit clueless but was pleasant. We went on a week night about 7 and we were the only folks in the except for one other party. Not a good sign. The place itself, the decor and ambiance, needs some help. It's dark, dank, and seems dirty. The sort of dirty where--had I seen the inside with some bright light--I don't know that I'd have wanted to eat there. I tried to imagine I was back in one of the century-or-two old Central European restaurants I've been in. It didn't work. The website says it's been open since 1965. It looks like it's not been redecorated since and perhaps not cleaned since then either. I'll go again and give it another try. Perhaps during the warmer months so we can sit outdoors. But, all in all, this just isn't the great place some folks had told me it used to be.
(2)
Meggie G.
I read a lot of the reviews before I came here... There is another German restaurant in town that was featured on Man vs Food that I would have gone to, but I travel for business and would rather wait until my boyfriend can join me. Many people stated disappointing service and overall atmosphere, but I have to disagree. The patio is adorable, decent beer selection and fairly authentic menu. The brats are homemade and juicy. The kraut is creamy... Yeah, creamy and tangy. Different but really good. German potato salad is right on the money. I liked it, what can I say?
(4)
rb l.
Came here twice in one week and had drastically different levels of wait service. The first time, the waiter didn't show, then kept forgetting our order even after reminding him, brought the wrong drinks, then disappeared again. Didn't get one of the side orders even though it was he who recommended it to us. Took us what seemed like forever to get our of there even though it wasn't busy that evening. Decided to give it one more try and this time our food appeared in a flash, got bread without having to ask for it, and our new waiter actually seemed to be paying attention even though the place was busier with a private party going on. I would give 4 stars for the food and patio, but had to drop it for the service.
(3)
Peter G.
I only went here for some drinks with a large group, but I was happy with the good selection of beers (including some good sampling selections). Being able to order some really tasty appetizers made this a great place to just hang out and drink even though most people would probably just come here for a good sit-down meal.
(4)
Thomas R.
German food at its best! From the fabulous patio to the European decor throughout the dining room, this is a unique restaurant. All of the food here is done in house including the butchery of the meats! They have an in house bakery that prepares everything from the brochen dinner rolls as well as all of the desserts! This is what dining should be :) Hand cut fries, fresh breads, fabulous beer and spirits this place really does have it all. in a world of US Foods and Sysco fodder that litters the American dining experience this is real food for real people! It truly is a one of a kind dining experience and is appropriate for all people no matter what time of day. I will be back and would recommend it to a stranger. It is that good!
(5)
David S.
The atmosphere is excellent. Quaint, and what I would think rather authentic German decoration. I have not had much for German food, but what I had here was great. A Hacker-Pschorr Hefe-weizen is a must.
(4)
Doug B.
A German Perkins!
(1)
Michael W.
A word of warning: I haven't been to the Black Forest for a while, so this is based on my memory (which has been known to be unreliable!) In a nutshell, the Black Forest is a great place for German food. I've never sat inside, only in the enclosed beer garden, which is comfortable when the weather's warm. The bar inside is nice and dimly lit, full of dark wood - a place you'd want to be, in other words, when the weather turns chilly. Food-wise, I've had nothing but good dishes, although I agree with the previous post that they're probably a bit overpriced. But when you combine delicious German food with great atmosphere, you can't beat it with a stick.
(4)
Barbara J.
I have been here about 3 or 4 times. I usually get the ruben, which is super good grubbin'!!
(4)
Unemployed A.
I've spent a lot of time in Germany and this is close to real German food you can get in the Twin Cities. The breads are great. There are a few things on the menu that are not german but than you find that in all restaurants.
(4)
Julie R.
I like the Black Forest. It's food is fine (nothing spectacular, but it's good), and their beer garden is really nice! Unfortunately, the wait staff totally varies.
(4)
Dawn C.
I was so excited to finally go here, as I'm a huge fan of German food and I'd heard this place was great. My food was mediocre at best; the sauerbraten (which I am an expert on) tasted as if it had been reheated from the night before and lacked flavor, the spaetzle was ok, and the red cabbage (the best part) was also ok. The service was verrry poor...I actually think there was only one server for the entire restaurant (Sunday at 3 or 4). She brought us our food and then we didn't see her again for 30-45 minutes. Overall, the experience was very disappointing.
(1)
Todd K.
We eat at The Black Forest Inn roughly 3-4 times per year. I'm not exactly an 'expert' on good German cuisine, but I know what I like, and I like what Black Forest has to offer: Good solid German comfort food. We're talking meats, sausages, noodles & dumplings, potatoes and the ubiquitous sauerkraut, in a variety of traditional sauces and preparation styles. In season they've even got an outdoor patio and a beer garden, and there is always a good selection of traditional german brews to go with your meal. Like the other reviews mention, they're a landmark. They'be been at their current location since 1965. That's over 40 years of popularity! Although the service can be slow, the staff is pleasant and the food is excellent! Just plan to go when you've got some time to properly enjoy your meal.:D Here's some dishes we've thoroughly enjoyed: * To start with, the Potato Pancake with applesauce for dipping is my appetizer of choice. * the German Potato Salad is a must-have side dish for my wife & I. We always order a bowl on the side and split it between us. If you aren't familiar with the 'German' variety, it has little similarity to the American picnic staple. This is a good-sized bowl of potatoes, bacon, onions and tart vinegar, mixed together and served warm. Mmmm. Good stuff! * One of my preferred entrees is the Jager Schnitzel (breaded and fried veal in brown mushroom gravy). It includes a bread dumpling, but I've been known to go the extra mile and add a side of spaetzel (sort of small lumpy egg noodle dumplings). I like them with the sauerbraten gravy. * The Geschnetzeltesis (sauteed veal strips in brown sauce with spaetzel) is another personal fave. * There are nightly and seasonal special offerings as well, to keep the menu variable. * Trying to do low-carb, at a "potatoes, breading & spaetzel" spot? Yes, it can be done! Get the wonderful Bratwurst with a side of Fried Cabbage! The brats are fabulous, and the cabbage is fried in butter. Delicious, and you won't be feeling like you're missing out. * And it just wouldn't be a proper meal, unless we wrapped it by splitting the absolutely wonderful Apfelstrudel: apples, raisins & almonds in a flakey pastry dough. What's not to like? Check out their website for details and full menus: blackforestinnmpls.com
(4)
Hillary R.
this place reeks. and not like german food. i dont know if that would be tasty, but the smell when i went on friday night was definitely not. the smell strikes you in the small entry area and then changes into a second equally foul smell inside. im not sure what exactly it was but sewer plus something stale comes to mind. i dont want to be mean here, but the waitress had the scariest face ever and peered into your soul when talking to you. i was happy about her bringing us free samples of wine. i love free wine. but maybe not the hungarian wine that tasted like it was given to us via free samples cause it had been in some dark basement for years and was about to go stanky stank. the woman playing whatever instrument that was had that genius face with lots of character, but a voice that was more like someones drunk grandma at some german karaoke. still amusing i guess. sitting outside is nice, though they went a little nutso with the lights, made me feel like i was in some fake italian scene restaurant in vegas, but still outside i guess. was also annoyed cause i was hoping for some giant pretzels and nope. not on the menu. sucky in all.
(2)
Paul B.
Here's the thing. Apparently, I've been going there since I was born. Legend in my family has my little brother once, at age four or so, putting down five bowls of spaetzel. Later, when they ran a deli around the corner (which has since closed), he was known to have a case of the stuff in his freezer. I don't know if the place really translates to take-out because I associate the place so strongly with a summer table in their lovely courtyard and, more recently, with a tall glass of weiss beer on a warm day. The big secret about the spaetzel now (courtesy of my brother) is to request the sauerbraten gravy otherwise, as we found to our disappointment recently, it comes slathered in something the right color but with virtually no flavor. Mysterious. The real thing, of course, has a rich tang infused with ginger snaps. I always get the same thing, partially because it's my favorite and partially because I find everything else on the menu, frankly, overpriced: bratwurst plate. Very simple: the wurst is good, the sauerkraut is awesome, the potato salad pretty darned good. If you're a fan of German beer, this is the place to drink it. Unless you have an aversion to very pleasant outdoor dining, this is the place to do it. A bit of lore: there's a black and white mural print of some royalty or other hanging on the wall facing the end of the bar. One day a quarter-century ago a guy, apparently a regular known to be off his nut, came into the place, uttered something inscrutable about whatever queen is there depicted, and unloaded a round from a rather large-caliber pistol into the photograph. Nobody was injured, he was carted away, and the photo hangs there today.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Tara W.
I love this place, because this is *precisely* the kind of German food my German grandmother made. I almost thought she may have been head chef. Luckily, BFI isn't one of those German restaurants that throws bratwurst on American junk food and calls it a day like Hessen Haus in Des Moines. This is authentic and unsullied by American tastes. The warm potato salad was dreamy. I thought the decor was charming, and the gated patio in back was nice and oasis-y. I can barely stand Uptown anymore, so this is a nice break from faux hipsters and their gentrifying ways.
(5)Sarah M.
I really wish I could say I love this place but I feel it's more out of nostalgia than any actually experience there. My spaetzle was so filling and just how it should be... You don't need a huge bowl of this to make it a more than adequate portion. The other food was decent, but nothing memorable. Any kitschy "vintage" charm this place had, is now just kind of sad. I kind of hope it gets nominated for a makeover on some reality show :)
(3)Kat A.
Two words: Hungarian Goulash! Best. Ever. (OK 4 words technically) Having grown up on many of the dishes the Black Forest Inn offers, even if I'm Slovak and my fiancé is Czech, this is as good as it gets. While they're considered a German restaurant, my family came to Minneapolis in the early 1900's from what was then Austria-Hungary. There is definitely a sense and appreciation of nearby Eastern European cuisine that's dished out just like (or even better) than my family has for generations. I mean technically we all eat the same things. We just have different names for them. Maybe they've changed the recipe or something but their Goulash was honestly the best I've ever had (hopefully my family isn't reading this!) This is what Hungarian Goulash is supposed to be. I've tasted at least 30 different Hungarian Goulash dishes in my time and this has been the best hands down no questions asked. It had the perfect kick of spice along with the perfect ratio of stew to spaetzel. I never thought I'd describe Goulash in such detail (nerd alert!) but they deserve it. I'll probably spend the next decade trying to recreate their recipe! As for the other food, my fellow Slavs know just how difficult it is to make the perfect spaetzel. Mad props to the Black Forest Inn for perfecting this delicacy that can easily be ruined in a hot sec. It wasn't clumpy or gooey and for that I am very thankful. Loved the ham and sauerkraut balls and that both spaetzel and sauerkraut are both side dish options. That's hard to come by! Depending on the day they have specials so make sure to check that out before your visit. As a true Slovak I love the special shots/libations menu and the variety of beer, including local brews. The service was awesome and overall no complaints about a single thing. I am so pleased this isn't a mere brat house. Even if I'm not German, thanks so very much to the Black Forest Inn for preserving the food our families brought to Minneapolis. You're the real deal. If my grandfather and great grandfather were still alive they'd visit every week and the shots would be on them!
(5)Jamie P.
I can't wait to take my parents here because it's the first time I've eaten at a German restaurant in America that isn't a complete disgrace to German food. The rouladen was superb, though pricey, and I can imagine my mom will have a happy cry when she eats something in a restaurant that she doesn't immediately send back. This is the real freaking deal, y'all. Also, no one in my family likes sauerbraten but my girlfriend got it and they kept it mild enough to be enjoyable, even desirable. So try that if you're into that sort of thing. Edit: I've found even better since, check out the Winzer Stube in Hudson if you want your socks knocked off.
(4)Clementine R.
Where did my original review go? I've been going here since 1983 and it's been consistently, well, consistent! Good German food. Fabulous brats and kraut and german potato salad made on site. The best I've had. The brat plate was my go-to meal for 2 1/2 decades, since I didn't really come that often so it was always sort of nostalgic for me. But last month I decided to venture to other areas of the menu and settled on a delicious dish of spaetzle, pork and a delicious paprika, bacon, sourcream, onion sauce and oh myyy gourde was it tasty. How tasty? I went back the next day and had it again! Pork Paprika Schnitzel. The pretzels and mustard are perfect when you really just want a good beer. Yum.
(5)Jonathan H.
I've been here a few times for their meals. I think the place has a pretty good Germanic feel to it. The menus and the walls have a lot of German words in them. The names of the meals are in German, mostly. Some of the titles can be hard to understand, but a few waiters there are more than happy to help out on clarifying anything. My favorite plate there is the steak. I've always had good quality meals here. The waiters do a pretty good job at what they do. Their wine selection is excellent. The only thing I'd complain about is the wait time. It can get a little long at times. Besides that, the overall quality of the place is consistent. I will continue to come back here for their delicious meals. Sometimes, it's nice eating a good meal just to sit in the middle of their nice ambiance.
(4)Kaitlyn F.
My grandma is very proud of her Polish heritage. So, for her birthday we deemed it appropriate to go some place that specializes in sausages, sauerkraut, and good beer. After a surprise at the airport and special guest in tow, we ventured to Black Forest Inn at the tail end of the Friday dinner rush. It was still warm out and they led us to an amazing patio. This is the type of patio dreams are made of. Fountains. Trees. Rope lights. The perfect ambiance for an 80 year old birthday. Our waiter was a bit slow at first but he made up for it in friendliness. I got the Reuben sandwich, which they boast to be the best in town. It was great! I have had better but I am definitely not complaining! Grandma and my Aunt had the Deutschburger Casserole (although Gma's pronunciation sounded more like douche-burger) It was basically meat and mushrooms over spaetzel (noodles) covered in cheese. Yummy! After dinner he asked if we needed dessert and we declined. He then went to get the birthday girl her "surprise." Instead of a free dessert as the birthday special, they give out awesome little beer steins. That was so cool! I'm so excited that she has a keepsake from her night!
(5)Felix H.
Prior to last Saturday, I had not been to the BFI in years. The good: Great selection of German beer, the Meh: the food. There were several of us at the table, our food came out lukewarm and all of us said "Woah, that food is SALTY!" Not sure what happened to this place but I won't come back for the food but would come back for a beer.
(2)Willian T.
Okay, having been here on multiple occasions, I've finally figured out their system. Go here when it's less busy, so Monday to Wednesday night for dinner and almost anytime for lunch. If you go when it's busy, you're pretty much guaranteed bad service and subpar food. Sad how that works for a business, but it is what it is. The last time we came, we came for lunch. I got the sauerbraten, which came with pickled red cabbage and spaetzle (which I love!!!) and my other half got the brat dinner.... That came with two brats, German potato salad and sauerkraut. This batch of German potato salad was amazing. Perfect combination of bacon, vinegar, and potato. Oh, before I forget, I ordered the small pitcher of apple wine for my drink.... Thinking it would be like mead..... sadly twas not. For some reason, I thought it was going to sweet, but was actually very dry. So, if you've never gotten it before and want to try it, I recommend the glass. If you're gutsy, go ahead and get the little pitcher. It's actually huge, Esp for 7$. I was able to get five full glasses of wine from that little pitcher. :P
(3)Shekinah S.
We ate dinner at Black Forest Inn last night to commemorate the year anniversary of my boyfriend's mother's passing. She was German and it was one of her favorite restaurants. Some of the reviews made me nervous about both the service and the food. At first, the reviews seemed to ring true. We stood at the hostess station for a couple minutes before being acknowledged. That always bothers me. Then after being seated, a perusal of the menu revealed that German fare may not be my thing. I don't like onions, mushrooms, or cooked cabbage, and I rarely eat sausage. My choices were extremely limited. Fortunately, both the service and the food proved to be better than I was expecting. I wish I could recall our server's name, as she was great! She was friendly, attentive, and significantly -- had knowledge and opinions about the menu. Including pork dishes -- even though she doesn't eat pork, and the Friday Night Special -- even though she doesn't work on Fridays! It irritates me when servers don't know about the food, and everyone appreciated that she could answer all of our questions and make recommendations. I didn't eat the appetizers but the table started with some enormous (and highly recommended) onion rings and some sort of fried balls filled with ham and sauerkraut. I eventually took a chance and decided on an entree that sounded odd: a lentil and spaetzel salad. The rest of the table went with more traditional German dishes: beef stroganoff, goulash, and jager schnitzel (all served with spaetzel). My salad, served over greens and with a vinaigrette, was shockingly good. It was a large serving, and I had the rest for lunch today. I also had a side of potato salad. I found it odd, being served warm and liquidy, but my boyfriend finished it and said it was the traditional German preparation. No one else had leftovers so I'd say everyone else enjoyed their meals. Many of the poor reviews also mention the dingy and outdated decor. Since we ate on the patio, I didn't see much of the interior. I guess it did seem a bit shabby inside, but the patio was lovely. Overall, unless I develop a fondness for onions, mushrooms, cabbage, and sausage, I can't really see myself coming back. But based on my experience I would recommend Black Forest Inn for the Germanophiles among us.
(4)Casey N.
What a fun little place. We came here to try a few Oktoberfest beers and to get out of the house. They had a really nice selection of Oktoberfest beers, and they were doing a deal where if you ordered a Summit, you could get a pint glass for $1. Sweet. We also got an order of the hand-cut fries, which were very tasty. Service was quick despite being packed. We'll go back.
(4)Simon W.
The pork schnitzel and the beers are very good. The waitress is attentive and the service is up to the lar. I would certainly come visit again if I am in Minneapolis. Sat at the patio garden and it is very nicely decorated and there is a water fountain that makes water noise so it creates a feeling of tranquility.
(5)Sarah M.
Why is this place so wonderful? Is it the massive, affordable German beers on tap? Is it the warm pretzels with homemade mustard? Is it the bullet holes in the wall? This place makes me happy. Sitting at the bar, as I always do, I am surrounded by every type of person. The grungy hippies, the hipsters, the nerdy guy drawing comics in the corner, the business men, the old men sharing a pitcher, a couple on a date... This place is wonderful because it welcomes everyone. Yes, the beers are wonderful, the appetizers and pretzels (yes, this is all I've tried) are super tasty, the patio is great- but its the feeling I get, sitting at the bar that I love the most. Snuggle up to the bar for a couple hours- you'll walk away with some new friends.
(5)Chris L.
Admittedly, this is a restaurant that absolutely screams for a significant facelift. I certainly understand from where the negative reviews come about ambiance and, being a shameless fan of heavy German food of almost any quality, where those who aren't would view the food negatively -- this is food definitely running against current dining trends. But I'll have to admit I've never had a bad meal here for myself (but others I've been with have disliked the heavy nature of the food). And the beer selection is awesome for a person who isn't obsessed with hops. The Franziskaner Dunkel Hefe-Weisse is out of this world and you just can't find it on tap anywhere else. Best bet is to go on a nice day, sit in the garden outside and give it a shot. If they'd only spend the money, lighten up the place and try to cater a bit to current tastes, I think they'd have something.
(4)Terri M.
Haven't been to this restaurant in many years. Went tonight and sat on the patio which was lovely. The food was wonderful German food. I had a salad and the stroganoff. It was delicious. Only problem was that the service was EXTREMELY slow.
(3)Paul D.
My family and I went there on a Thursday after a Guthrie show. We showed up at 11:30 PM and the waitress' first words were "we close at midnight, the kitchen is closed, you need to order now". Terrible welcome and with two tables only occupied, the bartender brings water but doesn't offer to take drink orders even though the waitress was busy sulking over how much she hates her job. We asked for a root-beer float for my 17 year old and she said the kitchen is CLOSED - how hard is a scoop of ice cream. All in all in pathetic service.
(1)Annie M.
This was by far the craziest experience I have ever had in a restaurant. This is Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares type stuff. So first walking into the restaurant was a huge disappointment. I expected some old school class and charm, but was greeted by a dark mess. My boyfriend and I stood at the doorway with waitresses to their backs to us for a couple minutes when we just decided to seat ourselves. It took nearly 10 minutes to receive our drinks and the cocktail I ordered ended up being a shot. On top of that I found a dead fruit fly in my drink. I ended up asking for a replacement drink which took another 10 minutes to get out. Then my boyfriend went to the bathrooms and said they were disgusting and smelled like 'everyone had peed on the floor'. We specifically came for the Beef Wellingtons and Sweetbreads, but they had been taken off of the menu even though it was still online. So eventually I ordered the rabbit and 10 minutes after we had ordered they informed me that it wasn't on the menu either. So on my fourth choice I ended up with Goulash. My boyfriend ordered the veal cutlets. Weirdest thing that happened that night...the waitress brought us bread and butter packets. When we went to open the butter packets they had already been opened and eaten out of! There was bread chunks still in the butter! How does that even happen?!? Finally, when we got our meal my goulash was bland and tasteless. Goulash is a thick Hungarian stew full of vegetables and chunks of meat. Literally, I had two chunks of meat and a couple chunks of peppers. I loaded it with salt and pepper and it still sucked. Now my boyfriend ordered $22 veal medallions with asparagus. When he started on the veal it was tough, fatty, and turns out not even veal. They served him a pork chop and tried to pass it off as veal. This was the last straw for us. I asked to speak to the manager. I told her about the bug in my drink, eaten butter packets, and the pork chops posing as veal. She said thats not possible because they would have no reason to serve pork chops, it doesn't benefit them at all. Well, ya it does, when you see a restaurant operating like that one wonders how they are cutting costs to remain open. I told her that I wanted the meal compt. She stood there for a minute before responding "Uhhhh....well whats wrong with yours?!?" Rude. I told her that I would pay for the two beers but that was as far as I would meet her. She eventually agreed. When the waitress came to the table to give us our bill she said "Thanks for all of that, now Im probably going to be fired. Thanks. Im going to be fired". Well, that was awkward and not appropriate. Looking at the bill I noticed that they also made me pay for the $6.5 drink that had a side of fruit fly. I ended up paying the bill and leaving as fast as possible. We had just talked a week before as to what our worst restaurant experience was and now I actually have my answer. Gross, gross, gross. They only way I would ever come back is if I saw it on Kitchen Nightmares.
(1)Jack H.
Would not come here for weekday lunch. Slow service and preparation, big crowd, only 2 waiter servicing 30-40 people. Food was alright.
(2)Fish D.
Only stopped for drinks. Haven't been to BF for many years. It has really gone downhill. Took 20 min to get our four drinks. We spotted five mice running around the trellis at the back of the patio. We pointed them out to the waitress who was uninterested. I don't recommend using the restroom either. Wow was that gross. A sad situation for such a local institution.
(1)Paula E.
My husband never passes up the opportunity to try a German Restaurant, being of German heritage. I go along with this as it is something we can experience together. For starters we shared the lentil soup with sausage. It was very tasty. For my entree I went with the deutschburger casserole. The Deutschburger is made with ground beef, onions and mushroom sauce served over spaetzel, rice or mashed potatoes and topped with mozzarella cheese. Served with a Brötchen. I of course had it the best way which is over spaetzel for $12.25 The portion was large and I enjoyed it. Hubby went with the Braised Pork Shank This large shank is served with mashed potatoes and a brown gravy. Meat and potato lover's food for $14.00. Sadly this was tough and chewy and my husband didn't enjoy it at all and wished he had gone with a different entree. For dessert I went with the Black forest torte: Our version of Schwartzwalder Kirschtorte is four layers of chocolate cake with cream cheese filling & kirsch-flavored cherries between the layers, topped with fresh whipped cream. $6.95 Hubby went with the strudel: Apple Strudel Our best-selling dessert! Sugared & spiced fresh apples, raisins, & sliced almonds are rolled in a crisp, handmade flaky strudel dough. Served with fresh Pride of Main Street whipped cream. A Black Forest Inn tradition. $6.95 The desserts were good but hubby definitely felt they were not made in house, and he felt also they tasted store bought. We asked our waiter and he states they are made in house, but hubby didn't feel he was being truthful. All in all parts decent, parts not so good. If we are ever in the area again we might try something else there, but then again maybe not.
(3)Scott E.
Years ago this was a tough table to get on most nights. The place was always busy, atmosphere was fun and the food was great. Fast forward twenty years, the place looks old, the staff looks old and the food tastes old. On my last visit we sat outside, it was a fall day. The homemade sausage were way over cooked and lacked taste other than the mustard I dipped them in. The prices have creeped up for the same food. The place looked dirty. Like other places, they have taken for granted what they once had and invested little money into keeping the place looking great. Parking can be a pain as it is on the street in a sketchy but improving area. For the quality, we paid way too much. There is a much better German restaurant on the NE side of the city.
(1)John C.
Eaten here many times, only had one thing that was off (a very strangely shaped burger). The food is always good, the beers are good. The staff is like any neighborhood place, they know their stuff but don't expect ingratiating service or to be always right. I especially enjoy the all-you-can-eat bratwurst night and drain-the-kegs night during Octoberfest. Sitting in the bar area is enjoyable, and of course the beer garden is fun. On a street where almost all the other restaurants are of third world origin, it's fun to go German sometimes (it is the largest ethnicity in Mpls).
(4)Robert B.
I really want to like this place... But after having eaten there twice, I realize, this place doesn't like me... First off, I should have known better than to try fish and chips at a German place. So, granted, I made a bad decision. But, I figured I was on "Eat Street" in a place that has been around for decades. I actually asked myself, "Can 'Germans" really screw up fried fish?" I highly doubt real Germans could, but these "Germans" sure did. Both the fish and the chips were absolutely fried to fuck. No amount of beer could save them. Please, trust your instincts folks, don't eat the fish and chips at this place. Earlier this evening I found myself back in the Black for their little "Beer and Chocolate" Mardi Gras thing. As The Black Forest Inn has no hand in crafting beer, the suds were fine. My vegetable pot pie however, was quite the hilarious prank. I nearly took a photo of it, just for the purpose of writing this review, but the whole thing just made me sad. While it was purported to be a part of their "Specials" menu, and even proudly proclaimed on the chalk board at the entrance, it was truly dreadful. The bottom crust of this pot pie was clearly a pre-made, frozen crust into which was dumped a slurry of lifeless, gray, vegetable goo. This delite was topped with yet another factory made, frozen crust topping. The top crust neither matched the bottom crust in color, consistency or even outer contours. It was literally a second frozen crust from a completely different supplier. If they can't be bothered to make one crust, why even consider trying to make two?! The spatzle was painfully bland. The pepper shaker had a cheerfully large black booger crusted to it's dented silver top. My fork was blessed with a yellow hunk of shit on the tongs as well. The table wobbled so badly, we almost lost our beers and "dinner" on the floor when I hilariously tried to rest my massive elbow. Oh, and our server was distracted, curt and just plain bad. At this point I wandered to the bathroom to take a piss and reconsider my German heritage. There I found a bathroom that would make a truck stop outside of Amarillo proud. Good lord, this place is filthy and sad. I shall never return to this forest again.
(1)Amy R.
Honestly, I was a little skeptical after reading the reviews and seeing the star rating, but was quite satisfied. All of us were in our party. I'm glad there was parking. After sitting in traffic for a ridiculous amount of time, we were in no mood to find parking. So their lot came in handy. A little lost as to where the front entrance for Black Forest was. We ended up going through the back door of Glam Doll Donuts. Felt bad for cutting through, but we got to catch a glimpse of their donuts. Well played Glam Doll. Our server was adorable, excellent and made sure we all had what we needed. Food Orders: - Reuben -Fish and Chips -Spaetzel & Cheese Casserole -Sausage Sampler -Curry Chicken Sausage -Stroganoff - (2) Pork Paprika Schnitzels w/ red cabbage and spaetzel. Everyone liked their meals and all the food looked pretty good. I ordered the Reuben. I'm always on the search for a really good Reuben. This one was pretty good. However, I didn't fall in love with their sauerkraut. It was a sweeter one, but still good. Their fries are the best. Hand cut fries with light seasoning. I can never appreciate the sysco-esque fries after having hand cut ones. All in all, it was a nice family dinner out. Good food. Good service Good company. Cute outdoor packed patio on our first warm day in a LONG time.
(4)Kurt M.
I've been frequenting the Black Forest since the early 1970's. When the weather cooperates it's hard to beat the patio. During inclement weather, the interior has just the right hearty, cozy, funky vibe. I've always enjoyed prompt, pleasant service whether dining alone, as a couple or with larger groups. The other day I met a friend and we sat outside. I ordered the Stroganoff. It was a very generous portion of the traditional dish, nicely seasoned sour cream/brown gravy over chunks of beef and onions accompanied by spaetzel and red cabbage. Admittedly comfort food but of a high level. My friend had the Königsberger Klops (meatballs in a caper cream sauce) which he found very much to his liking. The Bratwurst dinner is reliably satisfying. The Spaetzel & Cheese casserole is perfect on a cold winter night. The Kasseler Rippchen (smoked pork chop) is savory. The red cabbage is a favorite of mine (try stirring in a bit of Dijon mustard). The potato pancakes are top notch. I'm afraid that the onion rings are not as good as I remember them. They are still huge but are disappointingly lacking in flavor and texture. I don't know if the oil wasn't the right temp or if the batter was too heavy. They just didn't have the same appeal as when I first discovered them. In my experience the Weiner Schnitzel has always been a bit of a roll of the dice. Sometimes it's extraordinary. Tender, perfectly breaded and seasoned. Other times it's flat, overly dry and chewy. As the price has climbed ($24.25 for two, ala carte), I find that I'm less and less willing to take the risk of what I might get and stick to what I've found to be more consistent offerings. The apple strudel is outstanding. Flaky dough filled to the bursting point with crisp apples, raisins and sliced almonds. The Tortes (Black Forest, Sacher and Hazelnut) are all excellent. Free parking just south of the restaurant off of Nicollet.
(4)C S.
What a waste of my time and money. The schnitzel was greasy, and overcooked. The service sucked. The waitress was trying to be nice, but it just came off as creepy. She messed up the order and brought the pork schnitzel instead of the veal. She tried to make it right, by offering a free piece of struedel, and free is exactly the right price. We left that on the plate too. The place smells like a greasy grill, and it carries over to the food. The ONLY redeeming quality was the spaetzel, which was, at best, mediocher. Never again. This makes two places Guy Fieri has featured on his show we have gone to that have been horrible. Beginning to think having him visit is a death sentence for restaurants!!
(1)Bob B.
This place is way over priced. $24 for a jagerschnitzel? Really? This is like the most common easiest German dish to make at home. I lived in Germany for 8 years and it's pretty rare finding a german restaurant with reasonable prices in the US. Just because you throw sauerkraut on something that doesn't make it German. And for all the comments about how the place needs some fixing up. Trust me, if the dining room is outdated. So is the kitchen.
(1)Shawn W.
Had dinner out on the patio with dear friends. The patio was full and definitely the place to be. Perfect setting for a nice dinner and drinks. The lighting is romantic and the sound of the waterfall in the background is nice!
(4)Gael R.
I really don't like when people wrongfully assume that German food is bland. Sure, it doesn't have the complexity of Thai food, but really good German food has depth, richness, and earthyness to it. Is earthyness a real word? No1curr. I do find the food at BFI to be a little bland, though. Spaetzl is a warm memory for me, but I find their version here to be a little underwhelming. Where's the butter at?? I wouldn't call this place cheap, either. German food is also about generous portions which they seem to have also lost in translation. Overall, I wouldn't dissuade anyone from coming here, just realise that you're pretty much going to eat boiled potatoes and subpar schnitzel...which with our weather, sometimes is called for. ETA: Great waitstaff, they really try to be warm and welcoming but not annoying - a slippery slope.
(3)Bill H.
We headed to the Inn last night for a get-together with coworkers and their spouses. It was the first night of the Black Forest Inn Octoberfest celebration and it was an absolute blast. It was my first visit to this establishment and I'm not even sure where to begin... The building and beer garden set the stage for a real Bavarian treat. My wife and I arrived a bit early and sat in the bar. We ordered ourselves a few glasses of Ayinger Oktober Fest brews, fresh from the homeland. The bartender told us that the kegs came straight from Germany. The beer was so good, I want to follow those kegs back home. As the rest of our party arrived, we headed outside. The garden is cozy and beautiful. The Ayinger continued to flow while we feasted on a wide range of dishes: liver pate, ham and sauerkraut balls, sausages, stroganoff, spaetzle, schnitzel, smoked pork chops and numerous sausages. It was all accompanied by various cabbage dishes, pickles, potato salads (starch!) and veggies. Deserts didn't fail either - carrot cake, devils food, apple strudel, black forrest torte - by the time we finished, we all looked like the kegs were were drinking from. Oh so full. The festivities included live music, bavarian beer girls (serving free samples of Hacker Pschorr), and local news man Sven Sungard to tap the ceremonial keg. During our four hour visit, service was always quick and friendly - they took excellent care of our party. We will definitely be coming back!
(4)Jay E.
Paging Gordon Ramsey! We've got a kitchen nightmare on our hands. The food we had here was abysmal. Which is a shame, because this place has all the makings of being a prime hangout spot: beer garden out back; cool little bar inside; giant picture of the Queen on the wall with two bullet holes through the plastic frame. But we sampled a bunch of dishes and they were all so painfully bland. It was like chewing on construction paper. Unacceptable. It really hurts me to see such a nice space squandered. For what you're served, it's terribly overpriced. Thumbs down, middle fingers up.
(2)Marie C.
I generally lean more towards meaty hearty food, and so I do enjoy german. All that starch, breading and meat - um, pretty amazing. Black Forest is good. It's not fan-freakin-tastic, but a good German representation. We tried the sausage plate and pate for an appetizer and it was fresh and tasty. I ordered the cordon blue, the bf got weiner schnitzel, mom and dad had some shank. My parents have been to Germany and they said it compared but obvs wasn't the real deal. They wished the shank had a crispy skin and a little less chewy. I enjoyed the veal, and the spaetzel is so good! Buttery. The schnitzel was delicious, and the potato salad is really good as well. Dessert does taste like its been in a fridge for awhile, and someone else's fridge. Definitely not done in house. Good place to try, especially if you have never had german.
(4)Michael P.
This was my first time here. What a selection of beers and the food is good. Not a huge menu, but what they have is good.
(4)Kathleen R.
Will try it again but walked in, asking for a table for 3 got a table for 6 seated next to a huge, loud party. Had to yell to talk to the other person waaay across the table. Tried multiple times to flag down our waitress for a drink, some water and hopefully a new table. Never happened. We left. Will try it again when I can get a patio seat but damn I wanted to try the spaetzle. Boo, hostess and crappy waitress, BOO.
(1)Michael F.
I must do the BFI at least once per year. Sometimes it's a summer thing, where waiting for one of the best patios in the Twin Cities is worth the sometimes agonizing wait. But, showing up on a cold March night proves one is there for the food and not just a pleasant patio. The interior has not really been updated for as long as I've been going, which is a couple of decades. (And, would you really want them to change? It's like the Fair! Be sure to look for the bullet holes in the bar.) A Twin Cities classic. A moderate, yet tasty, beer list. I must, if at all possible, have some spaetzle and some red cabbage, and of course some brown gravy to sop it all up in. This last trip, it was some beef roulade for the main course. But it could be many things, including the rabbit (hasenfeffer of course). Not for the night you're dieting, and the service can be a bit spotty at times. But, one I must do from time to time.
(4)Rik O.
I visited the Black Forest about a week ago and was pretty pleased with the experience for the most part. The Good: The food was great and came out quick. We ordered the liver pate, which is admittedly hard to mess up, but the full order is the perfect size to split with someone if you're ordering something else in addition. My boyfriend ordered the goulash that was served over spatziel which was phenomenal. I can't remember what the name of the other dish we ordered was but it was cuts of beef in gravy over spatziel and served with red cabbage. The meat was tender and flavorful and went well with the red cabbage. The beer was also great, they have a great selection of German beers as well as Belgians and domestics. The Bad: We saw our server frequently, usually a good thing, but he was so crass and un-professional that it would have been better to see less of him. The Ugly: The bathrooms are pretty worse for wear and maintained poorly. Also, the portrait with the bullet holes is pretty sketchy.
(3)Terry Scott N.
The Black Forest Inn is to me what The Winchester is to Shaun of the Dead: My go to bar in any and all situations. This is a classic German bar: you get the ambiance, you get the exclusive German beer selection, and you get very traditional service. Classic bar, if you haven't been here you must check it out. The first time I went to the Black Forest Inn I was blown away; I had mistaken it for some other type of bar; I thought we were in Seward, so I expected it to be like the Blue Nile, or whatever that bar is, I was wrong. I was moderately drunk at the time and we had come from a crappier bar which exists across the street (The Icehouse). I walked in and the immediately noticed the decor. On the ceilings were frescos, I was surrounded by what seemed to be a German Ski lodge. I was impressed. I pulled up the bar and became more impressed. Their beer selection is incredible, they have an excellent, and exclusive, German Beer selection on tap. I knew I would be back. Been there a few times, had a few too many beers. Got wrecked. Been there a few more times, had some good conversations, and a few more beers. Got back. I love the beers here. I frequent this place every other week. I have eaten here a few times. The pretzels are great, and inexpensive. Their Entrees, I believe I had a sausage one with German potato salad, are extremely traditional and well done; however, I tend to not eat too much here, aside from the pretzel, because the price on entrees is a bit steep. The food quality is spot on, so I understand the pricing. To sum it up, the beer is where it is at ($5 for a half liter), and the pretzels are bomb. The style is relaxing, traditional, and interesting. I feel safe to say this is my default bar at this point in my life.
(4)Mark L.
One of the nicest treats on Niccollet Avenue. First, Black Forest has one of the best outdoor patio areas in all of Minneapolis. It is spacious with a fountain, statues and ease to move about. Very very inviting. Also, it is closed off by fence and ivy so it has a secluded feel as well. The wine selection is global. Though the menu is focused heavily on German Cuisine, they offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The restaurant is family owned for two generations and they have maintained a community feel with excellent food and an at home feel. PS - Their homemade chocolates....wow!
(4)Stace G.
If Black Forest were nudged into a neighborhood outside of Whittier, its own...German-ness would probably overpower it into stuffiness. Thanks to Whittier's vibrant weirdness and a spitting distance from an arts college, Black Forest is one-of-a-kind. There's a photo by Richard Avedon gifted to the restaurant retaining several bullet holes from where a patron in the 80s opened fire, saying the photo "always bugged the hell out of [him]." The entree list is decent, but sitting in the restaurant area isn't worth giving up on the strong personalities and gorgeous wood of the bar area. I loved coming here, ordering a few appetizers (such as... liver pate, sauerbraten and OMG the $1 pretzel with home mustard) and grabbing a bar table.
(5)Chris F.
My parents a friend and I sat outside. We shared one order of the sausage saukraut deep fried balls and had the beer sampler. Everything was so good! The grainy mustard that you dipped the food into was amazing! They make it right at the restaurant so we bought a small one to take home. Our waiter was very attentive and great at explaining all of the different beers. We had a great time!
(5)Kim R.
This is the second year in a row we have attended the Oktoberfest festivities at Black Forest. This year we went on socks and sandals night, and they were doing free pedal pub rides! Such a fun time, I've always wanted to ride on the pedal pub. I love the patio at Black Forest, it is so quaint and charming. Luckily we went on a warm night and were able to sit outside. I really enjoyed the big pretzel appetizer. This pretzel was big enough for 6 people to share. It came with really great cheese and mustard dipping sauces. As for the entrees, last year I had the hample pie and I think it was better than the cabbage roll I had this year. But, I really liked our desserts. We tried the sacher torte which is a dense flourless chocolate cake with tangy apricot glaze and chocolate ganache. The apple strudel is always a winner. They make all of their desserts in-house and get their apples from local orchards! I've heard the bratwurst dinner is the most popular entree. And they make their own sausage, if you like that sort of thing.
(4)Jeffery J.
Good German food, Good service! I will repeat
(4)Craig D.
Had a group meal here a few days ago, celebrating a graduation. This was our first experience here. We loved the patio seating on a perfect June day, though the service was pretty slow for the number of tables that were actually occupied. The beer selection was good, but I was expecting a bigger selection based on some of the reviews - I wonder if there are options that are only available at the bar... But we'll be back - for the food. Everything we tried was amazing, and brought back many memories of German food from my childhood. My grandmother immigrated from Germany, and the spaetzel reminded me of her noodles, and I can see her standing over the pot of boiling water cutting the dough and letting it fall in. The noodles were not uniform, so I'm pretty sure they're made just like my grandmother's, and were light and fluffy, absorbing all the flavors of the gravies and sauces. The German potato salad was another hit - warm and vinegary, with "just enough" bacon, served warm. That reminded me of my mother's potato salad, who learned it from my grandmother. The group had nieren (kidneys), fish and chips, pork paprika schnitzel, veal geschnitzeltes, and the liver-and-onions. All of the gravies/sauces were rich and flavorful, and the meats were cooked well. And for the non-meat lovers (a foreign concept to me), there are a few options on the menu. One in our group got the vegetable spaetzel and cheese, which was baked, served bubbling hot, and amazingly flavorful. And unlike a lot of "mac & cheese" type entrees, it didn't turn to lead as it cooled off on the table. If you love German food, or want to try something that you're not going to find in most Twin Cities restaurants, give the Black Forest Inn a try.
(4)Scott B.
The epitome of a once fine restaurant resting on it's laurels. An unforgettable meal to be sure, but not in a nice way. Uninspired Germanic cooking at its finest. Void of spices, meats either over cooked (schnitzels of every stripe) or tough (non braised pork shank totally devoid of flavor) . How can spaetzle be so poorly executed? Flavorless dough balls. Sloppy,bordering on slovenly service. Fire the pastry chef or find a different supplier.
(1)David S.
Love the food here, the beer selection is good and the service is great.
(4)Dede F.
One of the worst restaurant experiences of my life! We arrived and waited for at least 10 minutes before we were acknowledged. Once the waitress came by, we ordered drinks. The drinks came quickly and we immediately placed our food order. We watched as multiple tables that arrived much after us were not only seated, but received their food. We asked the waitress to check on our food, and she proceeded to go help other tables and not even head to the back. We started to ask someone else for a manager and was told "there is nobody here that fits that bill". We decided to just leave...... As we get up to leave, the waitress walks out with our food. We decide to go anyway and they proceed to charge us for our drinks. We were approached by a manager who told us that our drink order was only placed 47 minutes ago (mind you we ordered food within 5 minutes of that) and that is how long the food takes to prepare. If that is the case, it would have been nice for the waitress to maybe explain that when we were questioning what was taking so long. They were not terribly busy. This manager never said "I'm sorry you feel that way" or anything of the sort. He was accusatory only. My boyfriend told him that we were going to rate the restaurant so "fing" low (okay, he shouldn't have sworn) but the manager started yelling "get those people out of here" like we were criminals. It was shocking. We were then approached by a lovely waiter who explained to us that unfortunately since the children have taken over running the place and this "manager" is in charge, this is how people are treated. I believe this is why we were told there was nobody that fits that bill. He totally apologized to us and at least someone treated us kindly.
(1)Elizabeth X.
German food isn't usually my thing, but the husband likes it. The atmosphere here seems pretty authentic, and the food was surprisingly good. I don't think I'll go back often, but I will go back!
(3)Nate W.
Pretty tasty German food in a quaint, but lively, atmosphere. If you're looking for tasty German food and a casual place to have a meal with friends or family, this is your place. If you're looking to get rowdy, pound some schnapps, and watch some drunk guy in lederhosen stumble around, this is not the place. They have really tasty food and a good beer selection. The sauer kraut is amazing. A little on the sweeter side. I wouldn't eat there every chance I got, but I will be back.
(3)Andrew S.
Walking into the Black Forest Inn, I was not surprised by the decor or lighting. The old fashioned atmosphere and feeling was pleasing for a comfortable lunch. I sat at the bar and was thrilled to have a talkative bartender who listened as well as he spoke....not that I was full of hot air. I decided on the bratwurst dinner; the bartender confirmed I wouldn't be leaving hungry. My Lord, was he correct!! It was presented on a large oval plate, consisting of two house made brat's, German potato salad, sauerkraut and bread. I'm 100% German and felt like a I was eating at the grandparents house. The flavors meshed together perfectly. The only reason I didn't rate it higher with five stars is because I thought the prices were a tad too high, but I'm old-fashioned like that.
(4)Adam W.
Prior to last night, my last visit to this establishment was over a year ago. Had I written a review then, I'd have awarded a solid 4 star rating based upon food and overall dining experience. Sadly, my most recent visit has confirmed the rumors: The Black Forest has slipped. From my previous hypothetical four star rating, I am subtracting one star for the confused and rather lackluster service. Our server fluttered by on a number of occasions but could/would not stop at the table unless flagged down with a shout and an arm wave. The lone exception was when the check was suddenly and without request on our part plopped down on the table. Apparently we were done. Who knew? I'm also pulling one star for the decline in food quality. Both the Reuben and the onion rings--previously known as solid choices--were lackluster. One star remains for the very nice patio, one of the best in town. One star remains for the sauerkraut balls. I like them even if no one else does. I am thinking that The Glockenspiel in St. Paul is the better alternative at this point.
(2)Elisabeth A.
Didn't expect anything special but anyway it was quite disappointing. Service is slow and somewhat disorganized still not too much. Unfortunately main thing, the food is something truly below my standards. Cold and greasy food and that is basically it. It's a shame because in general place has some potential.
(2)Robert W.
My buddy was so excited to show me one of his favorite spots from when he lived here 20 years ago. What a disappointment and serious waste of money. The place was mostly empty, with no line waiting, but it still took forever for someone to acknowledge us and bother to find us a table. We sat unattended for another twenty minutes while servers who didn't want to be seated worked out who was stuck with us. When we were finally asked if we wanted to put in an order, the sauerbraten they call "one of our specialties" -- unavailable. All of which I would easily forgive, (yes, even the grubby silverware and plates) if when the food came, it was tasty. But it just wasn't. Bland, greazy, and mediocre at best. We had both planned our day to be hungry and ready to eat, so we were really let down. I'd have been better off at Taco John's (and at least 50 bucks richer.)
(1)Rob R.
Great German food! We went there to sample food prior to hosting an Oktoberfest party. The server (Wendy?) was awesome, steering us to delicious main courses, sides and deserts. We ended up getting most of our food here (they have a great "to go" menu). The brats have veal and are nothing like the void-filled Johnsonville variety. The sauerbraten (sp?) was our favorite as was the spatzel w/cheese. Don't forget the apple strudel...to die for. Of course, the beer selection is top notch if you like German beer. Highly recommend!
(5)Marilee A.
"Not German, not Swiss" Like Olive Garden & restaurants like it that are an Americanized version of Italian, this is not real German food.My deceased husband was from Zurich Switzerland and found the food offensively bad, & not authentic in representation, not a place you'd take our German Swiss relations by any means
(2)Steph L.
Mouse. Mouse running across the floor. Yes, I know there are mice out there, but seeing one in the restaurant you're eating at is another story. Odd thing was, no one cared. Not the staff, just a few of the tables. Yes, they noticed it. No, they didn't care. Some table even went on to say 'it's just a baby.' Is this some microcosm in the restaurant world where it's acceptable to dine with mice? Am I odd that I don't want to eat when I see a mouse running across the restaurant floor? Am I the only one whose mind who starts going into overtime wondering where else in the restaurant the mouse has explored? I envisioned the mouse running up and down the sausage links, tossing the flour used in my dish up in the air, and it just kept getting worse and worse but I'll spare you. We had already ordered when we first saw it. I tried to stick it out because no one else seemed alarmed (peer pressure at it's finest). But he came back again... and that was just too much for me, I couldn't eat. The server said sorry and seemed truly apologetic but no offer to refund our barely touched meals. She said it probably came in through the back door which they open and close a lot. News Flash: All restaurants have doors, not all restaurants have mice. We asked to have my meal taken off because I just took a bite, and they did, but you'd think they'd comp everyone's entire meal in this case. The mice issue is concerning, equally concerning was the staff's lackadaisical attitude about it and poor customer service. And, hardly important at this point, but it smelled really, really nasty. Needless to say, won't ever be going back there.
(1)S W.
I've had some mediocre food here all right. I know how sublime good German food can be - this sadly is not. I've also had some of the only service that ever caused me to complain. I am the hardest person to piss off in the world, possibly, but they managed to do it, where few have. Why do I like this place enough to return often? 1. The room. It's snow white's cottage plus an Avedon with a bullet hole. 'nuff said, the kitchmeister in me is sold. 2. The garden in summer. A little paradise. 3. Beer. Flights. My introduction to Kostritzer. THIS is what hops should be like. Yeah, um, sorry Surly, but no. 4. the Matjes Herring. Get the small plate unless you are a large sea bird. It's fresh and gooood. 5. The Lentil Soup. It's crazy how good this is, especially with the Polish sausage in it. (Which is better than the Bratwurst, believe it or not.) Seriously my favorite "soup of the western world" in Mpls unless you are talking $$$ big food places. I pretty much have given up on all the entrees save for the occasional weird special, and I just get these things. These add up to a very pleasing soft spot for a flawed restaurant.
(3)Marsha W.
I'm a vegetarian so my options here are limited. With that said, I love the spatzel casserole with veggies. I'm also a fan of the German beer and the Rumpelstiltskin drink. I also love the black forest torte for dessert. Decor is cute and I like to sit outside in the summer.
(4)Mollee F.
This is a pretty authentic German food experience. The menu reflects some real German specialties that you won't find at other restaurants which I appreciate. Almost everything comes with the spaetzle that's made in house and it's good. I ordered the polish sausage dinner that comes with sauerkraut and potato salad (and boy was I glad it wasn't a mayo-based potato salad). Super tasty and big sausages enhanced by the sauerkraut. I also ordered the potato pancake which I found to be a bit cold and bland. It came with sour cream and applesauce but I guess I prefer a latke with higher concentrations of onion in it. I was pretty excited to try a glass of Rheingau wine. I was too young when I visited the area to have wine before but I never forgot all the vineyards dotting the hillsides of the Rhine and finally got my chance to try it. Very good. Wait staff was pleasant and attentive, prices are reasonable and our party of seven seemed to enjoy their visit.
(3)Josh M.
I went here for lunch with a co worker today, and all in all it was a good experience. Until today it had been years since I'd eaten here, but I still remembered how awesome their patio seating is. It's still one of the nicest outdoor dining spots I've ever been, its a plaza type space, and the rain today made it even more wonderful since the weather was temperate and there were many spots on the patio that were protected from the rain. With the exception of potato recipes I'm more into americanized German food like what's served at Gluek's. I had the Potato Pancakes and my co worker the Spaetzel & Cheese. Food tasted good, and the prices for lunch are very affordable.The lunch menu lacked variety a bit though, and there was practically no other meat but pork. Out of the meat options the only things that appealed to me was their homemade bratwurst, and the fish, but since those can be found elsewhere I ended up ordering something unique to a German restaraunt. I think next time I'll give thier bratwurst a shot since it's homemade. The service was good, and at least when we were here there wasn't any sauerkraut smell. I'd definetely come here again for thier Potato Pancakes.
(4)Dan S.
I'll second Hillary's comment that the place has a funny smell. I stopped in for a beer, so I can't comment on much. They have a wide selection of predominantly German beers. They had several versions of Spaten on tap. They have a good outdoor patio. Most of the beers were $5 for a 1/2 litre. It sounded bigger than it really was, probably close to 20 oz.
(3)Meghann F.
Its a decent place although I can't say the prices and what you get for it are in vibe. I got the pot pie - that was good and worth it. This also comes with a nice side salad. The buns are excellent!! My brother got the rabbit, and it tasted pretty decent, but all that was served with it was Spaetzel and a little bit of gravy - the spaetzel on its own wasn't all that great. Others got the sauerkraut hotdish and then a veal with spaetzel - for $20+ for the veal and the rabbit - eh - not really worth it. The pretzels are served with a delcious mustard - definitely recommend that. I also got the hot spiced apple wine - it tasted like rotten apples to me, so I ended up with the gluhwein - the hot spiced red wine - that was much better. Its an okay place, not super impressed
(2)Ericka A.
Judging from the outside you would expect this to be the most delicious and magical restaurant in all of the Twin Cities area, but it falls flat and leaves you simply feeling indifferent to it. I want to like this place and I've come back a couple of times. Never again. Anyone who even knows a smidgen about Germany food can see that they have a long way to go. I've brought exchange students from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Croatia to this restaurant and they all said the same thing, "It's OK, but real German food is much better." At the very least you would expect to be able to get some decent dessert, but I found the Black Forest cake to be very dry. Don't see any reason to come back here unless someone else expects me to show for a special occasion.
(2)El Hombre G.
I had the pork Wiener schnitzel with paprika sauce and it was excellent, and the spaetzel was great as usual. Wife had the stroganoff and the meat was grey and bland and tough. Need to cook that beef low and slow! WWGB? Yes but no stroganoff.
(2)Brian J.
Having had the opportunity to spend some time in Germany for three years while I was stationed with the Army, I found this restaurant to be authentic as it can be - right here in the States, complete with the Bavarian blue checkered table cloths. On their menu, they indicate that they make all of their brats / sausages from scratch. I found their food to be very good, hot and very fast and also very filling. Their selection of beer is quite phenomenal. I loved the hot German potato salad and the authentic sauerkraut. Delicious!! The atmosphere is great, with an outdoor patio for the summer / spring and fall. Would return to this great establishment if I ever make it back to Minneapolis.
(4)Jackie G.
I made a reservation a few weeks ago for my office holiday party. I made the reservation for a Wednesday night in Dec on Open Table. The reservation was for 16 and I put a couple notes on it in addition. The night before our reservation I called to confirm the reservation and spoke to a woman who indeed confirmed our reservation and then just kept saying "yep" over and over. The reservation was for 6:30pm. When we arrived at 6:15pm we were told by the hostess that they didn't have our reservation. I checked my email and low-and-behold Black Forest cancelled our reservation at 6:04pm (24 minutes before it was set to happen). WTF?!? The hostess was not helpful - she and their whole communication/reservation system get one star from me or even zero stars if that was an option. When I make a reservation and confirm said reservation, I am not used to having it cancelled for no good reason right before it's set to happen. Nor am I used to having to pull my own tables and chairs together. Black Forest, get your act together. On the upside, our servers were fantastic and the food and drinks were great. Thank you to them for saving the evening.
(2)Tori M.
Once upon a time, Hansel and his Gretel decided they were hungry for some old Deutschland fare. As they wound their way through the city on a quest for sauerkraut, they happened to see a lovely German Cottage, promising the culinary delights of the Black Forest. Gretel had her misgivings, as this cottage happened to be near other places of ill repute, but Hansel was firm; they just had to try this place. Upon entering the rather charming establisment, they were greeted by a wicked witch. She seemed nice at first, but she brought the two back into the coldest part of the cottage where they sat shivering while they waited for their wine. They were concerned about the lack of other German children in the cottage, for it seemed like a big place and surely other people would want to eat there too. However, there were no other children at all! Shivering both from the cold and the abandoned-house feeling, Gretel had to put her coat back on to stave off a chill; when the wicked witch came back to ask what they wanted to eat, Hansel chivalrously asked if they could sit somewhere warmer. The witch made a big stink about having to switch their table number, but finally moved them nearer the radiator, where Gretel huddled close to it like a prisoner in a fairy tale. When the wicked witch finally brought their food, Hansel and Gretel were perplexed. What the heck was this stuff? They had never seen anything like it before. Gretel's rostbrauten, her favorite, was tougher than shoe leather. Her spaetzle was also gloppy and looked like sheep brains. Hansel's "special" schnitzel looked like it had been cooked in a lawn mower and tasted about as good. And unlike traditional German meals of grand size, there was hardly enough to cover the huge plate (nothing like the potatoes making the meat look small). After their initial horror abated, Gretel asked for some sauerkraut to liven things up. The witch angrily stomped off to get some and returned quickly. She then ignored Hansel and Gretel for the rest of the meal, even though both of them had run out of water. Hansel tasted the kraut and made a face; Gretel tasted it and could not even swallow. It tasted like fruit punch. Convinced that the witch was trying to poison them, they pushed the kraut away. They ate what they could from their plates and asked for the check. When the witch finally brought it, she glared angrily at their half-full plates and the untouched kraut, then seized it back to the kitchen. They could hear her talking loudly, probably to her goblin cook. When she returned, she slapped down the check and disappeared. Hansel was freaked out and just paid with some cash. They then escaped out the door, too glad to have made it out alive to ask to speak with a manager.
(1)Jessica S.
Tried this restaurant for the first time - the good was good, a little slow (ok, really slow). Wait staff was super confused about our reservation and still had to wait. While the food was good, (and I don't know a ton about German food) there were only one or two things on the menu I was even a little bit interested in - some more combos would have been nice. the little beer garden out back was enjoyable, very quiet considering it is in a busy area. The parking lot was a major bonus.
(3)Tim R.
Expensive food. Forgettable food quality.
(2)Ralph M.
I've always had rather mixed opinions of Black Forest Inn. I like the idea that I have a German restaurant within walking distance of me. I like that the place has been there for decades, even surviving the neighborhood's first transition to a destination for asian groceries and dining, and so far surviving the current transition to a trendy, hipsterish neighborhood. I like some effort they've been making (lately?) with some nice ideas: seasonal events/menus (a christmas craft fair, a special asparagus menu in spring, octoberfest, etc). So I wish actually going to Black Forest Inn could actually be an enjoyable experience. German food is not often noted for its quality. I have been to Germany, but I wouldn't describe myself as an expert on the cuisine. But I can say that I can't remember ever particularly enjoying a meal at Black Forest Inn. On my last visit, I went sacrilegious and ordered a burger. It wasn't that I gave up on their German food, but a couple years ago local food reviewing legend Dara listed their burger as among the best in the state. Best burger down the street from me? Well, what's taken me so long? Was it all that? Not in my book. Just a garden variety burger. Perhaps even sub-average. You let me down, Dara. But hey, it was a nice day. I was sitting on the patio drinking a nice German lager. The waitress was nice, for a change. Like other reviewers I've often had bad service. But on this visit, all was well. So I didn't find a great burger, but I had a better visit than I probably ever had, so I can't complain this time. But seriously, some good service shouldn't be a notable exception. Especially when you don't have much else going for you. Work on that, BFI.
(3)Rae Jo K.
Very good German food and a great selection. Service was great, bartender and waitstaff were very friendly. I definitely want to come back and try other menu selections.
(4)Mark S.
Can't compare to the other German restaurants in town, but Black Forest inn is terrific. Great food and service. The outdoor beer garden is a pretty good outdoor spot.
(4)Mike H.
What a treat! Fast and friendly service coupled with great food. The patio was perfect for a romantic evening.
(5)matt c.
Like my favorite places, dark and shadowy in the heat of day, empty as graveyard and delicious. Graveyard and delicious in the same sentence, weird.... I sat by the stained glass windows and enjoyed the wonderful sauerbraten and side of sptzle in gravy. Great selection of beers. This review lets you know about the feeling of daytime there!
(4)Sarah B.
Where do I begin? Arrived at 6:30 with a reservation to eat on the patio. The host told us it would be a few minutes, like five. Then he seated two large parties ahead of us. Then he told us it would be longer, maybe 15-20 minutes, even though we called ahead. We got seated, placed an order in about 15 minutes and then proceeded to wait a very long time for our food to come. We watched at least two other tables get their food before us even though they arrived after us. The server stopped by, apologized for the wait and then told us the food would be there very soon. Another 15 minutes went by and still no food. Then she stopped by and told us that was a "terrible mix-up" in the kitchen and the food would out ASAP. Another 10 minutes at least went by until the food arrived. Then only 3 of the 4 meals arrived. They asked me what I ordered and honestly it had been so long, I forgot! The server offered a free appetizer of ham balls (didn't ask us if we wanted something specific.) They arrived when the food arrived, so that didn't really make a difference. When we were walking out the door, we noticed other diners had red cabbage on their plates. We were supposed to have that too, but forgot because we waited so long! Long wait, lost reservation, orders screwed up big time. What a huge disappointment. I won't be back. What would have meant more to us is if they had offered to comp my meal since it arrived a good 10 minutes later than the rest of the dishes, which we had waited an hour for anyway. Our check for four people was $87. That's a lot of money for a very disappointing evening. Plenty of other good restaurants in the area.
(1)Geoffrey R.
I've been here twice over the past 6 months and I think it's a solid, if not sensational pick for good, hearty German and Central European food. The decor is a bit disney-fied but I kind of like the kitchsiness of a place like this (it doesn't feel like a Bavarian beer hall - it feels like the German pavilion at EPCOT Center but, then again, that doesn't really bug me). The service here has generally been congenial. I had a German beer that was quite good and reminiscent of a Guinness. My boyfriend particularly likes the sauerbraten and both of us enjoyed the spaetzle. My beef stroganoff was quite good. Again, nothing sensational, but it was decent and portions are large and filling (we brought plenty of leftovers home with us). The prices - given the portions and the relative quality - are a little high but not outrageously so. We also shared a Black Cherry torte for dessert that was just the right balance between chocolate, cream and fruit. My only quibble: our waitress was friendly and generally attentive...but since the restaurant was quiet, several of the waitstaff gathered at a nearby table where they read magazines. I'm not a fascist but I think this looks terrible and puts the customer in an awkward position ("I'm sure the recent edition of Vanity Fair is interesting but we really would like the check"). But, overall, it's a solid place to eat.
(3)Kelsey K.
My dad loves this place. So when he is in town we often hit it up. We went a few Sunday's ago and I was quite amused how the only people there were oldish couples who were probably German. Maybe we just hit a blue plate special time or something. I had the pot pie and gosh it was exactly what I wanted it to be. Perfect crust (buttery), lots of amazingly cooked chunky veggies (big chunks), all in creamy goodness. Plus it had a side salad that was dressed perfectly. They were rocking it. The spaetzle is good, so is the wienerschnitzel. Quality German food.
(4)Joseph W.
This restaurant is like a charicature of a German experience. It is more like the 12 Dwarfs interior than the Hofbrauhaus. I find that really charming, and I love the painted wood and dark stained glass windows. The beer was correct. They had the Franziskaner Dunkelweisse that I wanted. That was delicious and awesome! I tried the jager schnitzel. It was good, but no knock out. The bread dumplings were very tasty, but the gravy was kinda meh and the veal wasn't great by any stretch and wasn't tender. I hardly ever eat veal... but isn't it supposed to be tender? They played modern American music that a young person like me could appreciate, and that and beer goes a long way with me. This is a special little restaurant for Minneapolis. For one thing, it was started before the whole ethnic restaurants became so popular, and it has stood the test of time.
(4)Tara J.
This is one of my favorite drinking spots, especially in the summer. Their patio is lush and beautiful, and from time-to-time they have an accordion player to serenade the patrons. On one beer-filled evening last summer, he was playing the usual requests from the Sound of Music soundtrack, and when he found out that my boyfriend also plays accordion, he regaled us with a hilarious rendition of Del Shannon's "Runaway". The entire patio started singing along, and it was one of those priceless summer moments that you always remember. Being of the veggie persuasion, I don't tend to eat here, but their German beer selection, beautiful space and lively atmosphere are enough to keep me coming back.
(4)Nadine Y.
I had such high hopes for you, Black Forest Inn; I should have read these darn reviews first. Such disappointment... such disappointment. I ventured out of my comforts zone with mushroom soup with a half side of liver pate. Such disappointment... such disappointment. The only highlight came in a form of alcohol - a delicious $4 mug of strongbow. Other than that... wha wha wha.
(2)JC C.
I ate there with a party of 5 two weeks ago. No host/hostess to greet us. Reservation had been made for 7:00 PM. Table wasn't ready till 7:15PM, which is OK, cos we requested the patio. Waited over an hour for our entrees, to be fair the place was busy. Asked the waitress for an aditional bread basket and we were charged extra for that ($2.50), which I thought sucked. We finally got our food around 8:30PM. The appetizers we ordered were OK, the worst was the sauerkraut balls...a mushy mess you'd expect at a county fair. Onion rings were unseasoned..hey guys..there's a new ingredient out there called ..salt..please include in your batter.
(2)Mike H.
Having grown up with German grandparents who were first second-gen Americans and spoke German when they didn't want me to know what they were saying, needless to say I've eaten my share of German food. We found this place by chance and it was warm inside so we sat down. Not terribly wonderful food, and certainly not authentic German in the way that I know it (although my grandmother said her German was "low" whatever that meant) but the service was attentive and since the food wasn't great we didn't eat too much. Bonus? There's a German place out on the plains of Stillwater I think which is full on 'kraut the way I know it. If you're looking for a German restaurant and don't mind the drive ...
(2)Lena M.
I had heard good things about the Black Forest Inn and was eager to try it, but found that the food and service were both lacking. I love some good German food and sadly, did not find it here. The family and I hit it up for lunch on a Saturday. There were people in the dining room, but nobody to seat us. When we eventually did sit, it was in a lonely corner. It wasn't clear who our server was and took about 10 minutes just to get some water. I'm not sure who eventually took our order, but the guy who was supposed to be our server showed up about 5 minutes after our order was taken. I would like to say that he did have a large group, but it literally took him about 20 minutes just to get to us. As for the food, my dining partner ordered the viener schitzle, which was actually pork (we didn't feel like paying the extra for veal at lunch) and I had the saurbraten. We also split an order of saurkraut ham balls, which were actually very good. I loved the horseradish mustard they came with. Sadly, the rest of our food was only okay. The portions were pretty small, even for lunch portions. The schnitzle was a lonely piece of meat and small green salad. It was well cooked, but not very flavorful. It really did need the squeeze of lemon. My saurbraten was a bit bigger, served with spatzel. Everything was dying for salt, as well as being served a bit on the cool side. Frankly, I make better saurbraten. We didn't have any beer, as it was still early in the day and we had the kiddos with us. With our food, a Coke and my daughter's order of fries, the tab came to $38, which seemed steep, considering it was lunchtime. Maybe it's better at dinner, but I can't see us going back anytime soon.
(2)Lacey P.
Seriously terrible. We went here for my friend's birthday. When we came in we weren't greeted and finally the waitress said: Oh, do you want a table? Yeah. Without going over every detail that was horrific, I'll say this. It smelled like bleach in here, the service was horrendous-I think our waitress was on drugs. They served my quiche cold along with our scones, leaving us to realize they just popped things out of the cooler and microwaved them. There was ham in my friend's vegetarian quiche and we didn't get half the things we ordered. Not only did the clueless waitress look bad, but the restaurant did too. Who lets things go out of the kitchen ice cold? Who has such a problem being a waitress? Now I can see why no one I know goes here. I won't ever again.
(1)Megan K.
Honestly, I've never been really impressed by this restaurant. Most of the waitstaff is absent-minded or too busy to honestly assess the happiness and satisfaction of their diners. The last time I went, the waitress came by, asked how everything was and walked away from the table before we even had a chance to answer her. I ordered the Kaese Spaetzele, which is basically like mac 'n' cheese made with homemade noodles and fresh cheese, along with mixed veggies and caramelized onions. What I got was a plate that looked like a personal-sized pizza from pizza hut: 1" layer of cheese covering a meek serving of spaetzele. In my opinion, there should be at least even amounts of each. After eating this catastrophe as much as I could, I felt myself going into a cheese-induced coma. Don't get me wrong: I LOVE cheese. Always have. But this was a disgrace, because the cheese didn't taste any better than shredded Kraft mozzarella on top of some noodles. Not to mention, there were no veggies or onions. Never getting that dish again--I'll go to Glockenspiel instead (this is usually a better choice in any case, even if I have to drive an extra 10-15 minutes). In addition to this, the first time I ever went to BF was shortly after turning 21. I wanted a good, solid cocktail, one that I could blissfully (and legally) enjoy. When I asked the waitress for suggestions, she stared at me blankly and didn't seem to have much to say. So I asked her again. After asking about one of the drinks, she interpreted that as me asking for the drink, took my menu and walked away. This same waitress took 20 minutes to greet me at the table when I first walked in and an additional 20 minutes to come take my food order after taking my drink order. I guess Black Forest gets the additional star because the potato pancakes are probably the only thing I've enjoyed eating from this restaurant, and those were only OK.
(2)Kit K.
This place failed miserably for a weekend breakfast. Very limited menu, Food was poor (quiche was heavy, overcooked and the egg on the Benedict's was hard boiled!) We ate on the lovely patio but by the time our 9:30 AM food order arrived at 11:00(!) it was hot & humid). waited over an hour for food to arrive. The checks came at least a half hour after requesting. They put a 10% gratuity on our checks and stated we were a 'large group' .....we were a table of 6! The only reason I'd go back is for a cold beer on the patio in the evening. One wouldn't think they could flub that up....or could they?
(2)Maria J.
Ten days ago, I wrote this letter to the Black Forest, assuming I'd get a concerned response from some manager, or even an owner. As nobody's replied, I'm posting it here. We were there on a Tuesday. ========================================== Greetings-- I've been a fan of the Black Forest Inn since my own waitress days back in the early 80's, when we often came over after our shifts in other Minneapolis restaurants. I love the look of the place, and its longevity, which I've always attributed to a combination of great atmosphere, consistent food, and reliably good service. Tonight, I was performing a concert nearby, and made (very) tentative plans to meet some folks after the show... thought about not going, as I hadn't seen them there, but went with my husband, just in case. It ended up being just the two of us. As I didn't see a hostess, I guessed that it was self-seating (it was probably 9:15 when we arrived). The patio crowd was pretty thin, so we took the 6 top in the street-side corner, in case anyone else showed up. Then we watched two servers (one with orange & black hair, the other a blonde) pass our table... the first one four times, the other two, although she stood chatting pleasantly with the next table, actually facing us, and managing to imply we were invisible. The other one must have been really exerting special effort not to make eye contact with me, as she went to and fro! My husband was wondering if we'd actually been killed in an accident on the way there, and hadn't yet realized we were ghosts. After the 4th time, I actually called out (in my singerly voice), "Hell-OOOOOOOOOO!!!!" and waved my hand high above my head. There's no way she could have not heard that, yet she maintained that rigid discipline of ignoring us-- YOUR CUSTOMERS-- completely. Not a wink or a nod. Not an "I'll get someone right over to you," or "I'm sorry, we're closed at 9pm," or "You have to be seated by a hostess," or even "We hate you, and your money, so why not just leave?" Finally, the next time she walked past us while leaving another table, I called out, "Excuse me!!!" and she came over and said (in a sarcastic tone), "Did you want something?" "Yes," I replied. "We would like food and drink!" (I did not add,"Isn't this a restaurant?" but perhaps I should have.) Her reply wasn't, "Gosh, I'm sorry! I thought you were just sitting there enjoying the night air!," or, "We're terribly short-staffed-- I'll get someone right over," or "You are invisible, because I'm trying to get out of here," or "We don't serve your kind here, suburbanite scum," or whatever was on her mind. However, she did appear to be filled with rage. I do give her credit for not rolling her eyes while I could still see her, though. We again waited for some time... observing several servers passing our table, and not one meeting my eye. That's just WEIRD... and if I ran a restaurant, and my staff acted that way, I'd want to know about it. Finally a tall young guy came out and brought us menus and water-- probably close to 20 minutes after we''d sat down. He was very nice, and our food was excellent, as always in the 25+ years I've patronized the BFI. The bartender was charming on our exit. I'll return to the BFI, but I'd definitely suggest that some of the waitstaff could use some remedial work on basic hospitality-- not to mention common human courtesy. The goofball Republican gubernatorial candidate, Tom Emmer, was in the paper today, griping about the supposedly enormous amount of money servers make (he says there are waiters at the Eagle Grille in St. Paul who make $100K!!!), and how that amounts to stealing from consumers. I'm not an ignorant fool like he is... I was a waitress myself for 8 years of my life, and a baker, and a cook! I have put in hundreds of hours in the restaurant business, and I would never have IGNORED a couple sitting at a table with no menus or water (not to mention COCKTAILS!!!!) for 15 minutes, bringing them to the point of having to sing out, "Hell-OOOOOO!" and wave their arms in the air. Someone with that attitude should not be working in the front of the house, where a large part of a server's job is to imply that it's their pleasure to be there, even when it's not. It's a hard job, and I know the compensation is not enormous. Still, it's the job that woman (and the blonde woman, who, by the way, was utterly clueless in her pronunciation of several German beers-- I overheard that as she was ignoring us) was hired to do, and please believe me when I tell you that she certainly wasn't doing it for us tonight. She seemed fine with her other table. Still, that means she was a jerk to us, and nice to them-- a poor percentage, from the owner's or manager's perspective. This is just the kind of story people post on Yelp, of course. I have such a long history of enjoying the BFI that I don't want to tattle on you there. However, if it happened to me last night, it's undoubtedly happening to others.
(2)Traci A.
I really wanted to love this place. I really did. But we were not impressed. The food was decent (at best). I had the Sauerbraten and my husband had the Weiner Schnitzel. We also had the spaetzel. Nothing horrible (although there a few grizzly pieces of my Sauerbraten), but nothing great. No real reason to go back. The service was fine. Our waiter seemed a bit clueless but was pleasant. We went on a week night about 7 and we were the only folks in the except for one other party. Not a good sign. The place itself, the decor and ambiance, needs some help. It's dark, dank, and seems dirty. The sort of dirty where--had I seen the inside with some bright light--I don't know that I'd have wanted to eat there. I tried to imagine I was back in one of the century-or-two old Central European restaurants I've been in. It didn't work. The website says it's been open since 1965. It looks like it's not been redecorated since and perhaps not cleaned since then either. I'll go again and give it another try. Perhaps during the warmer months so we can sit outdoors. But, all in all, this just isn't the great place some folks had told me it used to be.
(2)Meggie G.
I read a lot of the reviews before I came here... There is another German restaurant in town that was featured on Man vs Food that I would have gone to, but I travel for business and would rather wait until my boyfriend can join me. Many people stated disappointing service and overall atmosphere, but I have to disagree. The patio is adorable, decent beer selection and fairly authentic menu. The brats are homemade and juicy. The kraut is creamy... Yeah, creamy and tangy. Different but really good. German potato salad is right on the money. I liked it, what can I say?
(4)rb l.
Came here twice in one week and had drastically different levels of wait service. The first time, the waiter didn't show, then kept forgetting our order even after reminding him, brought the wrong drinks, then disappeared again. Didn't get one of the side orders even though it was he who recommended it to us. Took us what seemed like forever to get our of there even though it wasn't busy that evening. Decided to give it one more try and this time our food appeared in a flash, got bread without having to ask for it, and our new waiter actually seemed to be paying attention even though the place was busier with a private party going on. I would give 4 stars for the food and patio, but had to drop it for the service.
(3)Peter G.
I only went here for some drinks with a large group, but I was happy with the good selection of beers (including some good sampling selections). Being able to order some really tasty appetizers made this a great place to just hang out and drink even though most people would probably just come here for a good sit-down meal.
(4)Thomas R.
German food at its best! From the fabulous patio to the European decor throughout the dining room, this is a unique restaurant. All of the food here is done in house including the butchery of the meats! They have an in house bakery that prepares everything from the brochen dinner rolls as well as all of the desserts! This is what dining should be :) Hand cut fries, fresh breads, fabulous beer and spirits this place really does have it all. in a world of US Foods and Sysco fodder that litters the American dining experience this is real food for real people! It truly is a one of a kind dining experience and is appropriate for all people no matter what time of day. I will be back and would recommend it to a stranger. It is that good!
(5)David S.
The atmosphere is excellent. Quaint, and what I would think rather authentic German decoration. I have not had much for German food, but what I had here was great. A Hacker-Pschorr Hefe-weizen is a must.
(4)Doug B.
A German Perkins!
(1)Michael W.
A word of warning: I haven't been to the Black Forest for a while, so this is based on my memory (which has been known to be unreliable!) In a nutshell, the Black Forest is a great place for German food. I've never sat inside, only in the enclosed beer garden, which is comfortable when the weather's warm. The bar inside is nice and dimly lit, full of dark wood - a place you'd want to be, in other words, when the weather turns chilly. Food-wise, I've had nothing but good dishes, although I agree with the previous post that they're probably a bit overpriced. But when you combine delicious German food with great atmosphere, you can't beat it with a stick.
(4)Barbara J.
I have been here about 3 or 4 times. I usually get the ruben, which is super good grubbin'!!
(4)Unemployed A.
I've spent a lot of time in Germany and this is close to real German food you can get in the Twin Cities. The breads are great. There are a few things on the menu that are not german but than you find that in all restaurants.
(4)Julie R.
I like the Black Forest. It's food is fine (nothing spectacular, but it's good), and their beer garden is really nice! Unfortunately, the wait staff totally varies.
(4)Dawn C.
I was so excited to finally go here, as I'm a huge fan of German food and I'd heard this place was great. My food was mediocre at best; the sauerbraten (which I am an expert on) tasted as if it had been reheated from the night before and lacked flavor, the spaetzle was ok, and the red cabbage (the best part) was also ok. The service was verrry poor...I actually think there was only one server for the entire restaurant (Sunday at 3 or 4). She brought us our food and then we didn't see her again for 30-45 minutes. Overall, the experience was very disappointing.
(1)Todd K.
We eat at The Black Forest Inn roughly 3-4 times per year. I'm not exactly an 'expert' on good German cuisine, but I know what I like, and I like what Black Forest has to offer: Good solid German comfort food. We're talking meats, sausages, noodles & dumplings, potatoes and the ubiquitous sauerkraut, in a variety of traditional sauces and preparation styles. In season they've even got an outdoor patio and a beer garden, and there is always a good selection of traditional german brews to go with your meal. Like the other reviews mention, they're a landmark. They'be been at their current location since 1965. That's over 40 years of popularity! Although the service can be slow, the staff is pleasant and the food is excellent! Just plan to go when you've got some time to properly enjoy your meal.:D Here's some dishes we've thoroughly enjoyed: * To start with, the Potato Pancake with applesauce for dipping is my appetizer of choice. * the German Potato Salad is a must-have side dish for my wife & I. We always order a bowl on the side and split it between us. If you aren't familiar with the 'German' variety, it has little similarity to the American picnic staple. This is a good-sized bowl of potatoes, bacon, onions and tart vinegar, mixed together and served warm. Mmmm. Good stuff! * One of my preferred entrees is the Jager Schnitzel (breaded and fried veal in brown mushroom gravy). It includes a bread dumpling, but I've been known to go the extra mile and add a side of spaetzel (sort of small lumpy egg noodle dumplings). I like them with the sauerbraten gravy. * The Geschnetzeltesis (sauteed veal strips in brown sauce with spaetzel) is another personal fave. * There are nightly and seasonal special offerings as well, to keep the menu variable. * Trying to do low-carb, at a "potatoes, breading & spaetzel" spot? Yes, it can be done! Get the wonderful Bratwurst with a side of Fried Cabbage! The brats are fabulous, and the cabbage is fried in butter. Delicious, and you won't be feeling like you're missing out. * And it just wouldn't be a proper meal, unless we wrapped it by splitting the absolutely wonderful Apfelstrudel: apples, raisins & almonds in a flakey pastry dough. What's not to like? Check out their website for details and full menus: blackforestinnmpls.com
(4)Hillary R.
this place reeks. and not like german food. i dont know if that would be tasty, but the smell when i went on friday night was definitely not. the smell strikes you in the small entry area and then changes into a second equally foul smell inside. im not sure what exactly it was but sewer plus something stale comes to mind. i dont want to be mean here, but the waitress had the scariest face ever and peered into your soul when talking to you. i was happy about her bringing us free samples of wine. i love free wine. but maybe not the hungarian wine that tasted like it was given to us via free samples cause it had been in some dark basement for years and was about to go stanky stank. the woman playing whatever instrument that was had that genius face with lots of character, but a voice that was more like someones drunk grandma at some german karaoke. still amusing i guess. sitting outside is nice, though they went a little nutso with the lights, made me feel like i was in some fake italian scene restaurant in vegas, but still outside i guess. was also annoyed cause i was hoping for some giant pretzels and nope. not on the menu. sucky in all.
(2)Paul B.
Here's the thing. Apparently, I've been going there since I was born. Legend in my family has my little brother once, at age four or so, putting down five bowls of spaetzel. Later, when they ran a deli around the corner (which has since closed), he was known to have a case of the stuff in his freezer. I don't know if the place really translates to take-out because I associate the place so strongly with a summer table in their lovely courtyard and, more recently, with a tall glass of weiss beer on a warm day. The big secret about the spaetzel now (courtesy of my brother) is to request the sauerbraten gravy otherwise, as we found to our disappointment recently, it comes slathered in something the right color but with virtually no flavor. Mysterious. The real thing, of course, has a rich tang infused with ginger snaps. I always get the same thing, partially because it's my favorite and partially because I find everything else on the menu, frankly, overpriced: bratwurst plate. Very simple: the wurst is good, the sauerkraut is awesome, the potato salad pretty darned good. If you're a fan of German beer, this is the place to drink it. Unless you have an aversion to very pleasant outdoor dining, this is the place to do it. A bit of lore: there's a black and white mural print of some royalty or other hanging on the wall facing the end of the bar. One day a quarter-century ago a guy, apparently a regular known to be off his nut, came into the place, uttered something inscrutable about whatever queen is there depicted, and unloaded a round from a rather large-caliber pistol into the photograph. Nobody was injured, he was carted away, and the photo hangs there today.
(4)