4. Restaurants

Karl Ratzsch’s Restaurant

320 E Mason St, Milwaukee, WI, 53202
  • (414) 276-2720
  • Store is closed

Karl Ratzsch’s Restaurant Menu

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  • Gretchen S.

    The hubs and I went here for our anniversary dinner on a Living Social ticket. It was a quiet Monday night and very relaxing. The food is German and very rich. It's hard not to compare Karl Ratzsch to Maders. Both are great places to take out-of-towners. It's not often you get to try authentic German food.

    (3)

  • Caren T.

    We had a lovely time--attentive service and authentic, tasty food. I had the sampler plate, and the red cabbage was especially delicious. My hubby had the Black Forest schnitzel--ham not veal. He liked it lots. We had enough to take home for dinner the next night. Yes, it was pricey, but we enjoyed ourselves.

    (5)

  • Jeffie J.

    OMG this place is old school. And heavy. Not that there's anything wrong with that!! The decor and muzak are Sound of Music. If you come from Chicago, I'd describe it as a cross between Edelweiss and Miller's Tavern, with tons of kitschy Black Forest paintings on the wood paneled walls.The waitress was so friendly I wanted to invite her to sit down and have dinner (except she was busy). The busboys were mostly absent when plates needed to be cleared, but they'll learn. I'm sure the beer is great but I ordered a Manhattan and it was greater. For dinner I had roast duck. It's the only reason I'm writing this review--it was the most delicious duck I've ever been served. Meaty, well seasoned, served with a tasty gravy, and the skin was perfect. I didn't like the smoked meat flavor infused into the red cabbage, which however was crunchy--where I come from, a veg is supposed to taste like a veg and not like smoked meat. Also below par was the apple strudel which was cloyingly sweet, almost like candied fruit. I should have stuck to my Frangelico--they have a nice selection of after dinner liqueurs. No matter, this place is a trip back in time--food and service. And that duck encourages me to come back and try other slow cooked meals in this Old World setting.

    (4)

  • Stephanie R.

    I've dined at Karl Ratzsch's many times. My husband and I tend to seek out German restaurants, and it's always a treat to find one that's been around as long as Karl's. Our first time there was December 31 of 2009, New Year's Eve with my parents. We were seated upstairs (where the restrooms are also located) and we had a great time, partially due to the restaurant experience but also due to great company. We've been back several times with friends since moving to Milwaukee, and also just for a nice dinner for the two of us. The restaurant is filled with antiques, paintings and lovely European light fixtures, and the service is professional from the minute you walk in and are greeted at the host stand to the gentleman who will refill your water many times throughout your stay all the way through to the server who will take your food and drink order and check back with you at your white linen cloth-topped table. The interior and the exterior have great character, and my only regret is that (being a fan of old neon signs) the neon sign we saw in one of the photographs displayed in the restaurant is no longer around. The music has generally been classical and soothing, or sometimes light German music. On some evenings our meal has been graced with live piano music. They also offer an early diner's menu until 6 p.m. where a selection of their specialties are available at a lower price. During our most recent visit to Karl Ratzsch's, our server Linda was delightful and witty. She dropped off our bread basket which included these homemade seasoned crouton/crusty bread pieces, and every time I find these to be deliciously addictive. I ordered the sauerbraten and it was indeed appropriately sour with a smooth gingersnap gravy, and the beef was the most tender meat I've ever eaten, moist and flakey through and through. This was paired with a dumpling and some red cabbage, which had a bit of smoked meat added in, and this contrasted nicely with the sauerbraten. I love their bread pudding with cream sauce dusted with cinnamon, but the torte is also a nice choice with its airy layers of chocolate cake interspersed with a light yet rich cream layer. Karl Ratzsch's has done a great job of retaining old European class and charm.

    (4)

  • Gregory C.

    Old school German restaurant. Huge portions of delicious German food. You will leave STUFFED..............

    (4)

  • Mike O.

    I want to see a Karl Ratzsch versus Mader's RAP BATTLE. I came here on a weeknight around 6:30pm and the place was pretty empty. Inside it was all ornate German style. Because that is the thing here. I ordered the sausage sampler, which came with knackwurst, bratwurst, Hungarian sausage, red cabbage, fries (because that is German?) and a cheesy dippin sauce. The sausages were all Usinger's obvi but the knackwurst was the best. Before the meal I ate the entire bread bowl by myself. Almost. What a way to fill up. I also down two tasty dark beers like I was a hobbit or something. The cheesy dippin sauce was a disappointment. AM I NOT IN WISCONSIN? Overall the place was pretty great (with Mader's winning by a nose).

    (4)

  • Andrea F.

    This is a small and cosy German restaurant. The decor is really old school, but I find this typical for German restaurants. They have tried very hard to maintain the history of the restaurant. Apparently, they have been open since 1904. The food definitely shows why they have been open for business for so long. They offer a very diverse bread basket. My favorite was the crunchy small crutons. The service is very good, the staff was friendly and courteous. I ordered the pork schnitzel which was amazing, I would totally recommend it. The only bad part is that their tables are so close to each other that is impossible to maintain a private conversation. Overall, a good place to have typical German food.

    (4)

  • Jeff M.

    Polite and efficient service. True German special--pretzel crusted pork chop, sauerkraut, potato salad and bratwurst--served piping hot. Consommé with liver dumplings a treat.

    (5)

  • Ben S.

    Eh, not much to be desired here. The place kind of felt a bit run down or the kind of place that was remodeled in the early 80s or something. The food was OK. Beer selection was OK. Service was so-so. Not really a place I'd go out of my way to go to.

    (2)

  • M B.

    Some co-workers and I went here for lunch and while the food was a solid 4 stars, the ambiance and friendliness of the staff compelled me to give them the highest rating. Truly a unique place from a decor standpoint; there is an old Bavarian charm to this place that has aged well and rather than looking worn provides a comfortable, well taken care of patina. Tom was our host (and one of the owners it seems) and Linda was our charming and very knowledgable waitress. One in our group had the prime rib sandwich which was very good. Two of us had the three course downtown lunch special. We both had our specials the same with Wild Rice Cream of Mushroom soup to start (excellent, I might return for this alone), Second course was the Black Forest Schnitzel - a Breaded Pork Cutlet layered with Smoked Ham, Swiss Cheese, Spinach and Mushroom Sauce with a side of Spätzle (schnitzel was very good, spätzle was okay) and for dessert bread pudding (served cold which was a turn off for me but fast was okay). We also got a side of red cabbage and while it was good it wasn't as flavorful as I've had previously elsewhere (not vinegary enough)? All in all a great place to visit while in Milwaukee - I would definitely recommend and for lunch the prices were quite reasonable!!

    (5)

  • Amy A.

    Sat at the bar and had excellent service! The sausage sampler was exactly what I was hoping for! I ordered spaetzle instead of dumplings which came with a delicious gravy on top. The saurkraut was perfect. I could only manage one sausage with mustard and a couple of bites of the other two...it was all super yummo and A LOT of food! I was extremely satisfied with this meal! If in Milwaukee, try Karl Ratzsch's!

    (5)

  • Dick G.

    When you need a "fix" of good German food, this is the place to go. I had the sausage, pork chop, schnitzel special. Had a taste of everything I wanted. Really hit the spot. Staff is friendly service great, prices very reasonable.

    (4)

  • Michael U.

    Items Selected: Bread Basket with Buttered Rolls and Garlic Crisps Potato Pancakes - Served with Apple Sauce and Sour Cream Duck & Goose in Combination - One Half Goose Shank and One Quarter Roast Duck served with spatzel, Red Cabbage, Old Fashioned Dressing , and Natural Gravy Viennese Apple Strudel Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce Returning to Milwaukee with my sights set on one of the city's most storied dining spaces it was just moments after 11:30 that I entered Karl Ratzsch's and quickly settled at a large table in a room beset on all sides with steins, antlers, porcelain, and painting from an era long past it would not be long before I was greeted by an elderly woman - a server potentially as old as the restaurant itself and as such a lovely historian, if not particularly exceptional in terms of expediting an order or keeping water glasses full. Unapologetically resting on a menu of German classics, many present on the menu for greater than 40 years, it was largely with my order pre-planned that I sat down with a mix of local businessmen and tourists alike and with a basket of soft rolls atop large croutons studded with garlic to whet my appetite it would not be long before my first course arrived, a duo of $8 potato pancakes proving thin and crisp, though admittedly a touch oily for such a steep tariff while applesauce proved no better than the stuff from a jar. Moving next to things more interesting, a dinner-only item prepared at my request during lunch, it was with wide eyes that I was greeted by the "Duck & Goose in Combination" and requesting buttery spatzel in place of wild rice I'd be remiss to say which of the plate's five parts was best - the crispy skinned shank proving moist yet lean while duck was gamey and rich, each tender morsel falling from the bone and melding perfectly with sage-tinged stuffing in a thick gravy that was savory but not 'salty' in the least. At this point already anticipating dessert despite the substantial day of eating ahead it was in a duo of items from the tableside platter that I decided to invest and with each item served piping hot from the kitchen suffice it to say that no matter how "famous" (and delicious) the flaky puff pastry surrounding apple and spice was it simply could not compare to the bourbon soaked 'bread,' a veritable poundcake already laced with butter yet more than capable of soaking up plenty of sauce...the rest eaten with a spoon while still warm on the plate.

    (3)

  • Bob H.

    Wonderful German food. In my opinion as good or better then Maders. The have a wonderful Roloden that is second to none. ZI also enjoy the beer selection that they keep on tap....at the right temp....making this a very real german dinner experience. As always the service is second to none, and they have a private room in the back that is great for organizational dinner meetings. I would say it hold 15 without feeling crowded (no additional charge for the separate room). Only thing that I would like is to see them bring back the early dinner menu. This gave great prices for slightly less food then dinner, but more then you would receive for lunch. My Masonic organization had dinner twice a year. One of my Milwaukee Favorites.

    (4)

  • David R.

    Tremendous service. Tremendous food. Fun, exotic, unique (an overused word, but applicable here) decor. Had wanted to eat here for decades, and I was not disappointed.

    (5)

  • Frank L.

    This place reminded me of Munich. Great service and I was treated like family. I ordered the pork shank which was roasted then deep fried. This dish will kill you if you finish half of it. It was at least 2 lbs of yummy crispy pork skin and savory, tender pork meat. The homemade sauerkraut was soft, not mushy, slight sourness but not overpowering. The mashed potatoes were done in traditional Bavarian way and topped with crispy ground pork skin. The gravy was rich, thick and absolutely complimented the pork. The applesauce was another great way to compliment the pork. The extra crispy pork pieces on the fringes were delightfully mouth watering. I can't wait to come back to try other dishes that'll kill me! What a way to die for!!!

    (5)

  • jess b.

    Such happy fun service, Danke!! I'll be going to Karls before Maders on any trips back to MKE. I went for lunch and they had the Pork Shank on special for in the 20's. It came with delicious potato pancakes, apple sauce, gravy and sour cream. Everything was great and all the german beer rocked my socks. Must go to.

    (5)

  • Dr. Fred L.

    Business took me to downtown Milwaukee and I decided to walk to Karl Ratzsch's for a German food fix. Most of the reviews of this place are spot on - it's a very old, very traditional German beer hall setting that looks like it could have come straight out of pre-WWII Germany. The staff are also old and traditional, but in a very enjoyable way. These are folks who are professional wait staff - they are genteel, courteous, knowledgable, and warm. Their age and professionalism means you won't see any ink or strange piercings, nor will you observe any aberrant behavior - THANK YOU!!!! I had the Spinach salad with warm bacon dressing as an appetizer and had "Trudy's Sampler" as an entree. The food quality was good, but not outstanding. The warm bacon dressing on my salad had grocery store bacon bits in it; the ginger snap gravy on the sauerbraten was too heavy and the pork schnitzel was thin and a bit dry. These are minor critiques of an overall very good meal, but it just wasn't 5 star, particularly for the price. My bill for appetizer, dinner, and one beer was $52. Overall, Ratzsch's is an excellent and memorable experience. I'm looking forward to trying Mader's on my next visit.

    (4)

  • Anisa S.

    Visited with nine colleagues after work. Decor and atmosphere are definitely German style. The menu has all the favorites you crave, except the beer list could be more substantial. Service was efficient and proper. Food was plentiful and tasted as expected. In conclusion when in mood for sausages with sauerkraut or schnitzel or similar I'll go back to Karl Ratzsch's Restaurant.

    (4)

  • Matthew N.

    A great time was had by all! Had dinner with 3 friends I had not seen since moving away from Milwaukee last year. Have to have German food when in Milwaukee and this is the place to go! I had the crackling pork shank. It was very tasty and cooked just right, not too crunchy. It was so big I could barely eat a third of it! A nicer restaurant and atmosphere but not stuffy. Felt comfortable wearing jeans and a sweater.

    (4)

  • Bruce K.

    I know people swear by Karl Ratzsch's and they insist that it's the best German food outside of Germany, but I'm just not convinced. It was good, but it wasn't great. I don't think that it was even four stars great. I think Mader's is better for food and I think the Old German Beer Hall is better for beer. Sorry, Karl. I know you've been around for over a century, but it just wasn't there for me. I was warmly greeted by the host and as there were several tables open, he let me lead the way to the one I preferred, a two-top against the wall. My waitress arrived a few moments later with the day's specials and she took my beer order. I opted to go with the beef rouladen, thinly sliced beef, wrapped around a center of vegetables of some sort. On the plate, a healthy serving of red cabbage and spätzle. Perhaps this is great grandmother's recipe for spätzle, but the breadcrumbs on top did it a disservice. It did do well at soaking up the great brown gravy though. I opted not to have dessert and instead ordered a second stein of the Pilsner. The inside of the restaurant is quite dimly lit, so much so that I didn't feel it appropriate to use my camera's flash to capture my dinner.

    (3)

  • Samantha Y.

    My very first visit of German Food place, a wonderful start indeed. Soup of the day was good enough to open your appetite, light flavored with meat ball laying on the bottom of nice little bowl. Table was set up nice too btw. No extra comments on salad, definitely need something fresh. About entries, first of all the serve very generous. I had Duch & Goose, simply because that I am such a fan of duck. Roast duck, peking duck, just name it. The meat was well seasoned, juicy, and in good shape. Worth trying, if you are in the mood of old fashion.. After all, this is quite a place. The table next to ours, a lovely old couple was dating here 20 years ago, and they drove a long way last night to refresh their memory I guess? But it's very cute, and I love places full of love. If you are looking for placed to reward yourself, a nice date, a special occasion celebration, or just a night out to enjoy life---come here.

    (4)

  • Dan M.

    This place was extremely good and almost no part of the experience fell short of wonderful. food: The food was extremely good. Had the Octoberfest Strudel as an appitizer which was seasoned just right and just delicious. I next had the Trudys Sampler. The sauerbraten was delicate full flavored while the pork schnitzel was perfectly breaded and tender. The red cabbage was not too vinegary or sweet and potato pancakeswere good. Finishing off with the bread pudding was the only slightly disappointing part. The bread passing was served cold and was very evenly textured and mild. Personally I like my bread pudding to be hot, have some variation in the texture and have a little more flavor. Service: The service was exceptional. The waitress was extremely friendly and make you feel like family. The rest of wait staff was also very attentive but not disruptive. IE:Our water never went below half empty. This was well-oiled and fine tuned machine. atmosphere: The atmosphere was certainly old german style and classy at that. There was fine woodwork and items with history everywhere. Even the waitstaff wore traditional clothing. Definitely a place to go if you want an authentic german experience.

    (4)

  • Dawn G.

    Excellent food, wonderful atmosphere. Our server Barb did a great job, helped us get our leftovers carefully wrapped to survive flight home. We ordered the EE cheese fondue appetizer, very tasty with a smattering of sauerkraut. In our group one person had the pork shank dinner, delicious! Sampler platter was a good selection of several of their dishes and makes a generous, sufficient meal for one or two, another had the schnitzel, very good, thin and crispy. I had Trudy's sampler, schnitzel and sauerbraten, wonderfully prepared, beef was very tender. The red cabbage was best we've had in the States. Good selection of beers, wine list was bit disappointing, only white German choices, could be amped up a bit in that area. German potato salad was just average and a bit overpriced. Definitely would eat here again.

    (4)

  • Robert L.

    This is a great find if you're ever in the Milwaukee area. The sauerbraten is one of the best dishes I've ever had at a German restaurant. Red cabbage and potato dumplings are equally as good. However, hot German potato salad is probably the best I've ever tasted. I love this place and will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Fahd A.

    I thought the food is bad, the service was bad, the host is so grumpy and the staff took forever to take our order, 40 minutes to be exact. I took one bite of my beef goulash and sent it back. The manager was very nice though and took it off the bill. The desert was so hard it bent the metal spoon as I was trying to cut it, yes it bent the metal spoon. I will never go back there again.

    (1)

  • Laura J.

    Have never like sauerkraut until today. Tried red cabbage, German potato salad and Hungarian sausage for the first time. Suggest getting the braised beef rouladen. To die for.

    (5)

  • Alan J.

    First off, the food. Traditional German fare, done very well. I had the Rouladen, my wife had the duck, both were excellent and very traditional. However, the service was hurting. First off, they need to hire another busboy. The hostess was running around like crazy, clearing tables and what not, our waitress looked pretty frazzled as well. We actually had to ask for bread after we got our first course. And we had to wait about 30 minutes to get seated, arriving at about 6 PM, simply waiting for a table to get cleared. So, great food, service needs work.

    (3)

  • Kay J.

    Love the decor - very German! Our waitress was not happy that we decided to split everything and informed us there was a plate charge - no problem. That said, she did warm up. The liver pate was the best I have ever had. Try it on the crispy fried bread in the bread basket. We shared a sausage platter which was excellent. The spinach salad with hot bacon dressing was very strong - not to my taste but Mom liked it. There were several guest beers and I asked for the strongest. Can't tell you what it was but it went well with the sausage. The desserts were tempting and we shared the chocolate and cream cake. The whipped cream was just right - not too sweet. All said, this is a great place for German cuisine if you don't care about warm and fuzzy wait staff and you don't mind dead stuff dotting the walls.

    (4)

  • Justin L.

    Review on this traditional German place based on Downtown Dining Week menu. I've had German food, but I've never had it at a traditional German restaurant. The outside and inside was very traditional/old-school German. It makes you think like you're at a small town inn...especially with the tacky christmas lightings hanging from the ceiling fixtures. The waitresses were all middle-aged German ladies and were interesting...to say the least. They also brought the food on plates with metal plate covers like how they do at banquets or cruise-ship...not a fan of that because it makes me think that they just prepare it ahead of time and just heat it up before serving...not sure if that's what they do...but the metal plate covers don't help that cause. Sooo...the food. 3 courses for $20 was the special...I think it would have been around $40 if we had dined outside of dining week. They're croutons in the bread basket were delish...or was I just starving? You judge... Food: Liver Dumpling Soup: I like the liver dumpling which was basically a liver meatball...but the broth tasted like it was just plain beef broth. Sauerbraten: This was sirloin roast with a gingersnap gravy served w/ pickled red cabbage and a potato dumpling. I didn't taste much of the gingersnap since, like most German food, it was pretty vinegar-y and I would say slightly over salted. The roast itself was good and was tender to the fork. Bread Pudding w/ Bourbon Sauce: This was my favorite on the menu because the pudding wasn't soggy with the creme sauce and it wasn't dense either..sort of like a tres leches cake. It also wasn't overly sweet...just the right amount of sweetness. Only critique would be that I could taste the egg in the pudding...must add a lot of eggs into it... Overall, it was a good dinner...service was ok...food was ok...I don't know if I would pay their original price for what I had, however...

    (3)

  • Gary N.

    We stopped at the restaurant prior to a show, the meal was good the wine and beer offered was horrible. The wine offered by the glass can be purchased for half the price by the bottle at any liquor store, this is an excessive markup by any restaurants in this area. For a German restaurant to offer such a poor selection of beer, which is usually the mainstay of German restaurants is unbelievable. In our dining experiences the wine particularly is an important part of the meal, we do not always buy a bottle, but even the bottles offered were overpriced and of very poor quality. Karl Ratzsch's gets a "no star " for their beer, wine selection and pricing. G.G.

    (2)

  • Kortney M.

    If you want to feel like a prisoner in the twilight zone, go here. The same loop of blue danube waltz played on repeat for the whole 45 minutes we were here. Don't let the $$ fool you, it should be $$$, $30-40 an entree. We understand the upkeep for a highly ornamental decor requires alot, but after about 10 minutes my allergies had the best of me. The German beer list was brief and more expensive than domestic craft brews, but the glassware was top notch. Overall, don't come here, the staff wears these awful outfits, with white reeboks, not mentioning they are (passively) rude. Stay away!

    (1)

  • Eric N.

    I am a huge fan of German food. This, along with Mader's is the absolute best German food around. Is it pricey? A bit. But the ambiance is authentic German, the food is consistently excellent, and the Schnitzel is the best that I have ever had. Great German beers round out the experince. Don't miss this spot.

    (5)

  • Jerry M.

    With 85 reviews of this wonderful restaurant before this one, there probably isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said. That's never stopped me before, so here goes. The restaurant is more than a landmark in Milwaukee, it was always one of the "big three" German restaurants in the downtown area, Ratzsch's, Mader's and the John Ernst Cafe. Only Ratzsch's and Mader's survive, carrying on the tradition of Milwaukee fine dining. It is a throwback to the days when being a waiter or bartender was a profession, over 100 years in the making. In fact, the restaurant was opened by Otto Hermann in 1904 as Hermann's Cafe. His step-daughter, Helen, came from Germany to work in the restaurant. Just before the outbreak of the World War, Karl Ratzsch was touring the United States, but decided to stay in Milwaukee. He began courting Helen, and after a long courtship, "Papa" and "Mama" Ratzsch bought the restaurant. They renamed it and began to build the reputation, the ambiance, and the collection of delightful artwork and antiques that is all part of the Ratzsch's dining experience. I was delighted to find the restaurant open for lunch on Saturday. My friend, John and I had just toured the Milwaukee Gas Light Company Building as part of Doors Open Milwaukee. John retired from the gas company and was reminiscing about working in the building and how he often dined at Ratzsch's. I ordered a special, Kasseler Rippchen, John ordered a schnitzel. I don't have to tell you that both were superb, and even though it was a luncheon size, it was more food that I could eat. (Yes, I took the rest of it home!) Our waitress was attentive without being intrusive. Her sparkling personality and pleasant smile enhanced an already pleasant dining experience. My friend is a retired professional photographer. The manager remembered him and even remarked that he wasn't used to seeing John without a camera! It was a pleasure to stand by and listen to the two of them reminisce about the old days. Karl Ratzsch's is more than a five-star restaurant. It's more than a dining experience. Karl Ratzsch's is special. It's all that wrapped up in a Milwaukee landmark. Karl Ratzsch's is a tradition that is to be savored.

    (5)

  • Emmy M.

    I ordered Sauerbraten and loved it! This was my first time trying German food at a German restaurant, and it was much better than I expected! Servers were dressed in traditional attire which I think was neat, and they were friendly. I would go back if I get a chance to visit Milwaukee again!

    (5)

  • Lisa A.

    Meh...you know, since I'm on a vegetarian/pescatarian kick, going to a place best known for pork shank, knackwurst, and liver dumpling soup might not have been the greatest idea. But that $40 groupon was burning a hole in the ole iPhone so what the hey. I'm German, this is classic Milwaukee, I've never been, etc. Inside its very old school german beer hall slightly bordering on kitsch but not quite. They brought out these crunchy bread ends to begin. We would have liked a softer bread option but it was alright. The lunch menu is light on vegetarian options although with the dinner menu there is a separate menu for vegetarian food. After $40 groupon, pretip, the bill was $36 something. Oh sure we had quite a few items we ordered but it just seemed high for what we got. On a side note, this explains where that dirndel clad women i saw one time was going at the bus stop on brady.

    (3)

  • Nicole H.

    Took advantage of Downtown Dining Week to head here for a $10 three-course lunch. The best thing I can say is that I enjoyed my plate of food. We walked in and had to wait a few minutes while the person at the host booth was on the phone. This wasn't a huge deal except then a server was rude to us because we were apparently standing in his way while waiting to be seated. It seems they keep trays in a cubby right there and he very loudly and rudely "excuse me!!!!"' -ed us so he could get to a tray. Not only is this a ridiculous place to store those, as this is where your waiting guests stand, but it certainly wasn't our fault we were standing there waiting to be seated. Had a Riesling Chicken Schnitzel that was moist and tasty. However, the same sauce was poured over the spaetzle, meaning the whole meal had one note. That sauce also had large pieces of mushrooms in it, despite the fact that there was no mention of mushrooms anywhere on the menu or in the dish description. Why do they do this? Boyfriend wasn't a fan of his meal, though to be fair we're not entirely sure that it wasn't correctly prepared for what it was and he just didn't like it. It was a good plate of food, the meat was tender, but he just didn't like the overall flavor. Fine - that's part of why we do DDW - to try things we wouldn't normally. Our waitress was rude, short, uninterested in us and generally made us feel like we were interrupting her afternoon. It was such an odd experience. We were there at 1 pm on a Saturday - they say lunch goes til 2 pm and we had our bill before that time, so I'm not sure what the issue was. She barely spoke to us, took our dishes before we were done with them, kept placing dishes in awkward places on the table so we kind of had to move our own stuff around to make room for them and then didn't give us the appropriate survey stuff at the end of the meal. Then, the bill comes and it turns out his Sprecher Root Beer (which they have on tap) was $5.75 and my cola, which she specifically told me came from the bar "gun" was $4.50 !!!! We have no idea if these are their normal prices or if they were raised for DDW to try to compensate for prices. Either way, they're disgustingly high drink prices - we could have had good beer for that price anywhere in the city. So seriously, each of our non-alcoholic drinks was half as much expensive as our meal. Overall, it was just such an awful experience and left me wondering why they participate in Downtown Dining Week if it's such a darn burden for them. We were left with such a "bad taste" in our mouth and will not hesitate to share that with others - The few dollars profit they "lost" in feeding us during DDW will surely be compounded in the bad word of mouth that comes from an experience like this. I cannot understand why they wouldn't see this as a chance to impress us and make us want to come back again and again at full price. A truly awful dining experience from start to finish.

    (1)

  • Michelle K.

    Service: fantastic. Black and white attire, formal, and attentive. Food: I'm not a biggest German food fan, but it is incredibly good. If you are unsure of something - just ask. Ambiance: Awesome. Lots to look at. Lot's of beautiful wood and frames and imagery. Very old fashioned in a very fancy way. A great place for out of towners to try. Exterior somewhat descreet. It's there!

    (4)

  • David D.

    We just renewed our 50 year relationship with Ratzsch's after about a 5 year interim. Sorry we stayed away so long. We grew disillusioned with the place years ago when the remains of the old family ownership turned two of our favorite places (this one and The Fox and Hounds) into two very mediocre ones. This one has been very nicely resurrected and continues to maintain the old Germany feel to it. We have spent a great deal of time in Deutschland, and Ratzsch's could hold its own there as well. We were pleasantly surprised, both by the offerings and the service (it was our good fortune to be served by Dennis, an employee of 41 years). Keeping the old traditions and maintaining such a lovely atmosphere is worth doing and highly appreciated by people like us. We will be back much sooner this time, and will try to have a family gathering. Keep up the food quality in this atmosphere and you will never go wrong. It is almost the last bastion of the old Milwaukee Gemuetlichkeit.

    (5)

  • Andrew B.

    Service was nice though a bit slow, but the entrees here are amazing while dinner remained quite affordable. The breadth of offerings (duck, goose, pork, beef, veal) and the quality of the cooking is just stunning. Old world stick to your ribs comfort food. Not to mention an excellent selection of imported German beers. The chef has been there since before I was born, the place is still family-owned and run, great atmosphere. The crackling pork shank blew me away. It's HUGE and it's DELICIOUS. Made me wish I hadn't scarfed couple buns earlier on, because I couldn't come anywhere close to devouring the shank. Had the Konigsberger Klopse appetizer. Pork, veal, something else, meatballs in a lemon cream sauce ... different. Not quite what I was expecting. Probably wouldn't order it again, especially since it took up space that my entree should have been filling in my stomach instead. Wasn't all that impressed with the German potato salad ... wasn't expecting it to be quite so liquid-y either. Might have been tastier if I hadn't already bacon'd up my taste buds with a wedge salad. The wedge salad could use some imagination -- it's a huge wedge of iceberg, drowned in bleu cheese dressing, bleu cheese chunks and bacon. Tasty, but boring. At $7.50 I'd like to see some extras ... maybe some tomatoes, possibly some peppers. Something more than just iceberg and dressing.

    (4)

  • Robert F.

    Fantastic food, great atmosphere, and super friendly staff. Truly authentic German dining. Great selection of German beers on tap. Had the Trudy's Sampler and wanted to swim in my Sauerbraten gravy. Delicious! Can't wait to come back!

    (4)

  • Rick B.

    Nice lunch/dinner venue in downtown Milwaukee on Mason Street. Easy to get to from Interstate ... and just a few miles from Miller Park baseball venue. Had the stuffed pork chop ... and it was very nice. Mates had shrimp dinner (nice) and roast duck shank (very nice). In the fashion of old-style German cuisine, every meal is a big one and quite filling. Excellent choice of deserts - each of which was tasty. A bit pricey, but a nice dining experience. Great beer selection. The restaurant is very old-fashioned ... so much so that you'd swear you were dining in a German museum. $5 valet parking is a treat.

    (3)

  • Joe P.

    Descriptive phrase: traditional German food in a cute setting. Karl Ratzsch's ("The Impressive German Restaurant") is one of those places you're glad to have as a Milwaukeean. Located right downtown, KR catches your eye outside by looking like a German home plopped right into the big modern buildings. And the inside transports you away from it all. The place is decorated to the teeth with German details. You'd never know you weren't in a lodge on the Rhine. It was very poorly-lit inside, and it was odd to have white table cloths topped with paper place-mats, but no matter. We were seated immediately for a Downtown Dining Week lunch. Three-course meal for $10 a piece? Ja bitte! I started with a cup of the soup of the day, chicken with dumplings. Very little chicken, and a pretty salty broth, but overall fine soup. Katie K. liked her chef's salad with the house dressing. My entree was the Saurbraten. The sirloin was tender as could be, but the gingersnap gravy was a bit too sweet for my tastes. The red cabbage was also sweet and tangy, but good. I was not a huge fan of my potato dumpling, finding it too dense. Overall, my meal had flavors I'd never experienced before, and while it wasn't bad I just was taken aback. Katie's Riesling Chicken Schnitzel was very good. We washed our meals down with Sprecher Cherry Cola and Orange Dream (separately) ice cream floats. While not traditional, still a neat treat. Our waitress was prompt, nice, and smiling. Overall I'd give Karl Ratzsch's a 3.5, but I'm upping to a 4 based on its uniqueness. If you want traditional German food, come here. Be prepared, though, to have your American-palate rocked.

    (4)

  • Tim W.

    Came here for Dining Week. Can't pass up an opportunity to get a 3 course meal for $20! I hadn't had much experience with German food prior to coming here so I wasn't sure what to expect. I opted for the salad, the Sauerbraten, and bread pudding. The salad was pretty normal, iceberg, cucumbers, thick creamy dressing. The Sauerbraten was covered in a dark brown gravy and was served with some pickled red cabbage and a potato dumpling. The meat itself was extremely tender and just sort of fell apart as you picked at it. Perfect texture and it wasn't soggy at all from the gravy. I know the dish is called Sauerbraten and it's supposed to be sour, but overall it still just a bit too sour for my taste. The gravy was sour and the cabbage was sour and the potato dumpling was too dense to cleanse my palate from the sour flavors. The bread pudding was a nice finisher for the meal. It was light and refreshing with a nice soft texture to the bread without being lumpy and mushy. They didn't go overboard with the sauce either. Overall it was a solid meal, but this place is definitely pricey on a normal day. I'm not sure that I could justify paying $40+ bucks for the meal.

    (3)

  • Greg B.

    German food isn't for everybody. But in a German-influenced city like Milwaukee, Karl Ratzsch's is as good as it gets. Superior to other German restaurants in the area like Mader's or Pandl's, Ratzsch's is the place to go. Very old fashioned, authentic German feel to it. The food is fantastic. Great German beer selection. I recommend the Liver Dumpling Soup as the premeal appatizer.

    (5)

  • Marty H.

    Just ate there tonight and it was wonderful. Very authentic German food and plenty of it. We had a fantastic waiter that has been there 40 years. I also love the decor.

    (5)

  • Nikita V.

    There's Karl's and then there's Mader's. Let me break it down for you. If you want a good deal, Karl's almost always has a groupon. You'll get the Bavarian vibe you crave, spaetzel, knackwurst, the whole authentic deal for a value if you use the coupon. While old school, the service is always wonderful. Now, Mader's is the place to go if you want the best German food in downtown Milwaukee. You'll pay a heftier price, and you won't find a Groupon, but there's great deals during downtown dining week so make sure to stop in. If you love potato pancakes, you won't find better anywhere else. I also recommend the hearty, homemade Hungarian goulash. Most importantly, save room for the complimentary pretzel rolls. They get their sweet, yeasty flavor from special ingredients found no where but the motherland.

    (4)

  • Erik W.

    Wonderful food, very authentic decor including the exterior menu, I felt like I was back in Germany. The manager (???) Seemed quite surprised we actually wanted to eat at his restaurant and the giant sheets of paper over the table cloths were very annoying. I can only assume they were trying to save a few dollars with the laundry service. Other than those two inconveniences everything else was top notch.

    (3)

  • Gretchen D.

    Still really good after all these years. Adorable German decor. But somehow all the steins and gee-gaws are clean, not dusty. The food is excellent. A great spaetzle. Good red cabbage. The rouladen is a favorite--the pickle is good in it--more pronounced than in many other place's versions. The pork shank is huge and popular. I liked it but found it a bit dry inside. Liver dumpling soup was a hit. The very friendly owner comes around and talks to customers. I'm amazed that after all these years, it is still great. Way better, I think, than Maders, where the menu really is only a bit German. Valet parking was reasonable ($5) and prompt.

    (4)

  • Sarah W.

    Sauerbraten was amazing! Service was astounding! Great ambience with piano player and German decor. The cheese beer dip was also delicious! We will definitely come next year when we visit. They also have a groupon currently.

    (5)

  • Bonnie L.

    I never liked German food. It just seems so heavy and the flavors weren't my cup of tea. So when my coworker picked this place for lunch, I figured I'd be a sport about it. This place has certainly changed my mind about German food. I had the Black Forest Schnitzel which was fabulous. Still not a huge fan of spatzle but I can see why people like it. Our server was fantastic, a real professional. She recommended a beer that was perfect for me and I'm hoping to find it here in Chicago. Hope to be back again!

    (4)

  • Elise E.

    Beat fish fry around! My cousin has eaten fish in many restaurants in Wisconsin and claims this was superior to most. The potato pancakes and coleslaw were delicious. Homemade apple strudel all a mode was worth a mention as well. The authentic German atmosphere is still beautiful after all these years. Looking forward to returning!

    (4)

  • Lisa S.

    Excellent Cracklin' Pork Shank. Huge portions. I'd come again when in town.

    (4)

  • Joanna T.

    When you say "Milwaukee German restaurant" most people think Maders - they really should be thinking Karl Ratzsch's. It's perfectly traditional inside, with dark wood, painted murals and retirement age clientele. Let's break it down, shall we? Starters: A Ever heard of Oktoberfest Strudel? Yeah, me either - but it was great! Ham, cheese and kraut baked in a flaky dough - I could have eaten a whole pan. Soup: B I love liver dumpling soup (to the great horror if my husband) and order it every chance I can. The KR version tastes just like what I had in Germany but was a bit on the salty side. Excellent liver dumplings though. Entrees: A Hubs had a giant pork hock with proper crispy skin and wonderfully tender meat. I had a chicken schnitzel which again, was just like the ones I'd eaten in Germany. Our dog went into ecstasies later over the leftover pork hock bone. Drinks: C- Ratzsch's falls short in this area with just Spaten, Radeberger and Dunkles on tap. Only three German biers on tap? Disappointing! It's time to bump the Miller Lite and expand the selection. Saving this from a D grade is the presence of a respectable sparkling wine by the glass. Service: A Ratzsch's has a (ahem) "experienced" dirndl clad staff. Our server was a whole lot of fun and was happy to recommend items. We probably hadn't been to Ratzch's in close to 10 years but I could definitely see myself hitting up the bar for a few drinks and more of that fabulous Oktoberfest Strudel. Ausgezeichnete!

    (4)

  • Adam J.

    I really debated on whether I wanted to come here or not last night, but I chose to do so. The decor is everything I remember and everything I want it to be. The waitress was very good and very good with banter and menu descriptions. Veal, pork meatball appetizer was very good although too swamped in sauce. Lamb Shank special was nothing short of glorious. It literally fell off the bone. The mashed potatoes that came with it may have been the best I've ever had. However, my girlfriend's natur schnitzel was slightly on the dry side, but still very good. I'm glad I went. Have the lamb shank if available

    (4)

  • Hion L.

    Get the pork shanken. If you don't like pork, you really shouldn't be in a German restaurant. It is basically a monstrosity of a pork dish where you get a huge slab of deep fried pork with skin and bone intact. It is like getting carnitas with pork rinds attached. They serve it to you no frills on a plate with the knife stabbed in it like, you had just hunted it yourself. This is my version of the Hunger Games. Other restaurants serve their version with skin-off, but that is such a travesty in my book, because it is often the best part. Few things bring about the sense of euphoria when you are cutting through that crispy skin to get to the juicy meat. Yes, you will probably get the worst heartburn in your life after this. But now that you have been warned, you can pre-empt it by taking a Pepcid AC before you go to bed. Better yet, don't sleep until you are certain that your meal has cleared your stomach. If you have to opt for something else, the wienerschnitzel is very good, as is the sausages, and potato dumplings.

    (4)

  • T A.

    Fantastic and authentic. One of the best spatzels I have ever had. Worth the trip down town.

    (5)

  • El V.

    Well with the price of the entrees averaging $27 I hope that we would not be disappointed. Well I am happy to say that the food quality and taste will not let you down. My wife had the Stuffed Pork Chop with Dumplings and Sauerkraut. Out came a thick portion of tasty pork with delicious stuffing that would make any grandmother proud. The dumplings kept drawing my fork back to them over and over. (Note they were on my wife's plate...sigh) I had the Sauerbraten that at first look had too much gravy. On the contrary, it was wonderful and mixed terrifically with my dressing and red cabbage. I gave everything 4 stars because I still believed the price was still a bit high. But considering there was Groupon available that took a bit of sting out of the check. The waitress was a real sweetheart and very hospitable...they also thanked us as we left. Good job!

    (4)

  • Liz K.

    I really did not know what I was getting myself into when I suggested this place for dinner with my boyfriend. To start, we were about 20 years younger than the average patron and it felt like we were sitting in the set for an old German movie. Our waitress was ok, but I wasn't overly impressed with her willingness to help when I needed some guidance on a drink - they only have a beer and wine menu (but also have a full bar) and I just wasn't sure what I wanted. For dinner, the man friend ended up with a giant piece of prime rib that even he couldn't finish - to be fair, it tasted good but he just didn't have the room. Unfortunately, my Chicken Schnitzel tasted like something that came out of a microwave dinner. And it gave me the opportunity to find out that I'm not a huge fan of spaetzel. If you're looking to spend $90 on an average dinner, then by all means, try this place. Otherwise maybe you can pass it up.

    (2)

  • Andy E.

    And my quest for authentic German food in the US.....continues. In my opinion anyone who rated this place over 3 stars has never been to Germany. If I had arrived earlier I would have had the pork shank, but seeing it was 9pm I opted for the bratwurst. It was OK, nothing special. It had some funky sauce on it, which did not add anything to the dish. The sauerkraut was pretty good and the do have a nice German beer selection on tap. Looking over the rest of the menu I was surprised with how expensive this place is with most entrees at $28 and above. Yelp should really list this place with $$$. I guess you are paying for the downtown location and the fancy decor.

    (3)

  • Roland B.

    Wonderful lunch -- took the booth in the corner of the bar which was very private but great views of all the colorful glasses along the bar. The waiter was outstanding, and the food was excellent. Lots of German beers of course too.

    (5)

  • Stan S.

    Very good German fare. Cool Bavarian atmosphere. Especially great duck and red cabbage. All other traditional German food very good. Did not like the Hungarian goulash though.

    (4)

  • Steff M.

    Delicious German food! The Black Forest schnitzel and beef roulades are my favorites. Service was a little slow but otherwise very good!

    (4)

  • Chad C.

    Groupon led to me this fine establishment. The inside of this restaurant is a trip. It's very old school and has a lot of interesting decor. The waitstaff is professional and the service was friendly and helpful. I ordered the stuffed porkchop and my associate ordered the veal meatballs. We also ordered a side of the German Potato Salad. Boy was I glad we got that, because it was the star of the show. I need to find a recipe for that, because it's just plain incredible. Our entrees were great, too. I'd love to go back, but unfortunately German food seems to be pretty expensive... so I may not be back until I can obtain another coupon of some type. I love Mader's as well, but I think that this experience was even better. Make sure you check them both out if you haven't yet. And get that potato salad if you know what's good for ya.

    (4)

  • Rick V.

    So Frustrating! I wanted to like Karl Ratzsch's restaurant. But I never had the chance. The Iron Horse Inn (a great Milwaukee hotel) suggested this be my "one and only stop" restaurant to try in Milwaukee for the taste of Milwaukee German Food. After my day long meeting, I jumped into the taxi - and headed over to Karl Ratzsch's place. The taxi dropped me off at 8:25, and pulled away. I walked up to the door, pulled on the handle - and it was locked. What? Yup - it was closed already. It was a Thursday night (should be a decent night for restaurants in downtown Milwaukee!). But they had decided to close. I asked to speak to the manager. He told me they just didn't have any customers and that some had canceled and so they decided to close the restaurant early. For so many reasons - that is just not cool or acceptable by a top restaurant in any city. Shame on you Karl Ratzsch or the manager of that restaurant. For that very inconsideration - I won't come back, and will discourage other's from trusting you as well.

    (1)

  • Georgie M.

    Karl Ratzsch's is not only one of the best German restaurants I have ever eaten in (both here and in Germany), but it's also one of the best restaurants period! I've been coming here for the last thirty years whenever I'm in town and always find myself looking forward to the trip. For me Schnitzel, and Weisse Sausage are high on my list, though I've tried almost everything on the menu. Karl Ratzschs is just one of those fun places to go and enjoy a meal. The wait staff add character to the place as does the atmosphere of the old world style Restaurant itself! It has to be the best in place to eat in Milwaukee, though I do like Mader's as well. Five Stars, no second thoughts. Just go and have a great time! Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Jaime G.

    This German place in the heart of Milwaukee is incredibly authentic and delicious. Sample their beer in large steins and the weinershnizels. Ambiance is old school German that's fun for everyone. Kid friendly but make reservations well ahead of time.

    (5)

  • L M.

    I guess it is good for German food. But...do you truly like German food?? There is so much better in this world. It's expensive, too!

    (3)

  • Andy D.

    By far, the bast German food I've ever tasted! Our server, Linda, was so great! I had the pork schnitzel and wow was it good. My wife ordered something from the lighter fare menu. It was wrapped in filo dough and it was incredible. We will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth J.

    This is more like a 3.5 star review. The meal started really well and went downhill. We dined with a party of eight, including two children. We came early (5pm) and had reservations for a Friday night. We got right in, and the service to start was fantastic. Our waitress was friendly with a great knowledge of both the food and the beer offered. Our main dishes arrived and all were excellent! Three of our party ordered vegetarian dishes, and these, too, were done very well and were very tasty. Then, however. The service slowed. Which I understand because it was Friday and the restaurant was getting busier. The frustrating part was that our waitress refused to bring the dessert tray until all of our party were seated. Now this may be ultimate service, but we were dining with small children. And having been there for an hour already, they needed to get up. Once grandma took one to the bathroom, and another time aunt was taking the other to walk around because he was getting antzy. So it took FOREVER for our waitress to bring the dessert tray, which just exacerbated the problem of trying to get the children to sit quiety in a restaurant. (They, by the way, did a good job despite our waitress's best efforts.) The desserts, too, were problematic. Our waitress enthused about how they were made in house, even the pastry, etc. etc. But they arrived, and they were seriously not worth the calories. The apple strudel was served cold (?!), and the pastry was extremely subpar. Now I've lived in and travled to Germany. I understand apple strudel. This is a German restaurant. I figured here, of any place in town, I should be able to get a decent one, right? Nope. Someone also got the bread pudding. And I love bread pudding. I am a connoisseur; I just had the most amazing example at a restaurant in Louisville. The one at Karl Ratzsch's, however, was heavy, tasteless, and, again, not worth the calories. We will probably try this restaurant again. We will again come early and make reservations. But we will definitely skip dessert.

    (3)

  • Katie P.

    My husband and I were meeting friends in Milwaukee and were told that Karl's was the place to go for German food. The restaurant did not disappoint. Two of us started with the spinach salad with bacon dressing and it was delicious! A little sparse on salad toppings (hard boiled egg and some onions on top of the spinach), but the dressing was fantastic. My husband had the house soup- I think it had something to do with liver and consumme? He enjoyed it. My husband and I both got specials of the day- I had ghoulash and he had a three sausage special. Our friends had the Black Forest snitzel and the bratwurst meal with the beer cheese fondue fries. All of our plates were completely cleaned by the end of the meal. In addition, the service was impeccable. Our waitress was awesome- describing the different beers in as much detail as one would descibe wine. She brought samples of beers she recommended based off of what we ordered the first time. We were highly impressed by her. Note that you probably should make a reservation- even for Saturday lunch!

    (4)

  • Valerie W.

    Dear Karl Ratzsch's, Thank you for being within walking distance of the Pfister. Thank you for your hilarious server, Peter, who kept our group of six entertained fully with his witty humor and quick comebacks. Thank you for spaetzle, but next time I'll ask for it with no gravy. Thank you for the heavy German beer, which filled my tummy, bringing me back to point 1, thank you for being within walking distance of the Pfister.

    (4)

  • Vikki B.

    I had family visiting this weekend and they mentioned going to Maders. I of course consulted my trusty Yelp friends before agreeing to go, and based on what I read it seemed to me the food would be better at Karl Ratzsch. I am a pretty big German food fan, and the food here did not disappoint. The restaurant and its decor were lovely and reminded me of time spent in Germany. I particularly liked the displayed glass collection of the owner (or former owner I can't remember). The bartender was very friendly and knowledgeable about the restaurant's history. He also mixed up a great gin martini and put crushed ice on the rim which I have never seen and my friend very much enjoyed.Their German beer selection on tap was not overly stellar, but they did have a pretty good by the glass wine selection. I think everyone at our table ordered schnitzel in some fashion. All were very good. I love the German sides, and am happy to report that their red cabbage, sauerkraut, and spaetzel were top notch. In summary, good German food and German ambiance. Rather pricey but good for special occasions like when your mom is in town and she brought along her new boyfriend who wants to impress you by paying for an expensive dinner that you might not normally spring for.

    (4)

  • Vanessa G.

    I've travelled to Germany twice and craving German food (bc it isn't in Los Angeles) Decor 4 star , Food (black forest schnitzel) would be a 3.5 star , beer (R ... Pilsner) 3 star, service 4 star. Serving size is typical dinner plate -not like the cheesecake factory size portions. I'm all bout the food taste but spaetzel & schnitzel flavor were a bit lacking.

    (3)

  • Warren J.

    Great German food, and one of my Favorite restaurants in Milwaukee (IMO much better than Maders). I have tried the majority of the menu, and have loved just about everything - the Bread Pudding is to die for, I know I will order it before I even get to the restaurant. {Downtown Dinning Week - one of the BEST values for this City Wide promotion at the beginning of summer - a full plate, and a choice of 3 actual menu items rather than a cheap menu special for the promotion.} The only downside it the room temperature - it's usually a little warm in there - dress light. (also the Bathrooms are not Handicap accessible - it's a VERY old business and grandfathered with the bathrooms upstairs, if this is a problem, the bar 'My Office' around the corner can accommodate a 'Toilet Break') Another awesome thing to mention is that all dinners are a 'full dinner' paired with all of your sides - you don't order your veggie and starch separately like at other local places. This makes your bill about 30% cheaper when factored in...

    (5)

  • Dave C.

    I used to visit Kart Ratzch when I lived in the area. I was looking forward to my return after 20+ years. What I found was extremely mediocre food at extremely high prices. I asked the server if I should have the Sauerbraten or the Weiner Schitzel. She suggest the combo plate which I ordered. ($32) I was accompanied with red cabbage which was a bit gloppy and a potato dumpling which was disgusting. The dumpling which should have been fluffy, crumbled into a pile of crumbs. The Sauerbraten was more like BBQ with a syrupy sauce/gravy. On the other hand, the Schitzel was good, fortunately. Service was extremely slow and spotty. I won't be returning.

    (2)

  • Sadie T.

    I was not as impressed as I expected to be. We had a deal from Living Social. The coupon was for a $50 value. We of course called ahead as they ask you to and we presented it to our server before ordering anything. In ordering, I started to say Kase Spaetzel. She said, oh no, you can only using the deal on entrees. I countered, I am a vegetarian! ALL entrees are meat. She spoke to the manager and they "made an exception". Frankly, I was disappointed in the menu options. The 3 vegetarian dishes were all cheese and heavy in the butter or oil. Not light fare, I'm sure. This place is really cute. Lots of decor. I was disappointed in the quality of the food and the price. I thought it was quite expensive and just not up to par in options and elegance. Each menu item should be rated as: 1. gut bomb 2. intense gut bomb, or 3. exploding gut. Nothing on that menu is under 2000 calories, that's for certain.

    (3)

  • Reid S.

    The place was dead. Like Berlin after the allied invasion. There were a few regulars but I was dissapointed for a downtown venue. The bartender Jesse (Shoutout) was very friendly and did a very good job of keeping me entertained. I ordered the black forest schnitzel. It was almost $30 which suprised me. Now, I am not a schnitzel expert but the ham ontop of the pork with a oozing mass of cheese on top sounds like a cholesterol bomb from hell, and it was. I felt my arteries hardening up as I ate. I wound up pulling the ham off and eating the meal without. The only saving grace to this Baverian dissapointment was the beer. The selection was unique compared to what I am used to. I enjoyed a few beers and got out of there. I see a bunch of good reviews so if you go, I hope your meal is better then mine. RS

    (2)

  • Dave M.

    As authentic as it gets in the USA. A wonderfully pleasant atmosphere, delicious German/Hungarian meals and nice tall, cold pilsner products. Gotta love it and if you get there before 6 pm for dinner, you can save $10 off by picking from the Early Diner menu. Plenty of food to say the least... if you walk out hungry (or polka out), there is something wrong with you.

    (4)

  • laura h.

    This is the best German Restaurant I have ever eaten at.The food, decor, atmosphere and staff make you feel like you stepped off of the street and landed in ol Germany. It was over the top and I loved it. We found this place by accident and was very lucky to get a table on a Saturday night. Anyways our server was extremely nice and friendly. She took the time to explain all of our food questions, as we had not had German food before. She also made some really good suggestion on what we should try that night. I ended up getting the Braised Stuffed Pork Chop, which was out of this world. I really enjoyed every bite. My boyfriend ordered the Sauerbraten, which was also wonderful. The roast beef was cooked perfectly and cut in the right direction. Both our meats were soo tender they melted in your mouth. The portions were generous and we had some left overs we enjoyed after a night on the town and some dancing. There were just as good as a late night snack then as dinner. if i ever make it back to Milwaukee i will be sure to eat here again.... but i have a feeling that i will make it to Germany first :) One thing i should mention is that it is that the food is a little pricey... so if you are concerned about that this is not the place for you.

    (5)

  • Tyler J.

    Went here for lunch during downtown dining week which is a fantastic thing if you haven't done it. $10 for a three-course lunch at a restaurant downtown is a great deal. I started off with the liver dumpling soup. It was delicious. A little salty, but otherwise delicious. If you have any reservations about liver I would highly recommend this. It does not have a strong "livery" flavor that most people negatively associate with liver, but it has the great liver taste/texture. I don't think you could not like this soup even if you don't like liver. Next I got the Swabian Pork Schnitzle which was a breaded pork loin with swabian sauce, spaetzel and saurkraut. It was delicious. A little hearty for lunch, but delicious. If you aren't in to fried food during the middle of the day, I wouldn't recommend it, but it is not as heavy as most fried food. Finally I got the orange dream float which is exactly what it sounds like and is as good as you'd expect. The food is good, the service was great, the decor is interesting and makes it feel like a true German restaurant. I will likely go back soon for dinner not during downtown dining week, but I would highly recommend getting there during downtown dining for lunch or dinner.

    (4)

  • Clif P.

    Karl Ratzsch's is a very old-school German restaurant in downtown Milwaukee. Our food was okay, and portion sizes were rather large. We had a Groupon, so we thought we would be able to this restaurant at an affordable cost. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a lot more expensive than we had initially thought. The food and beer was overpriced for what it was. I think this is the type of place that my grandparents would really like, but not a place for people in their 20's or 30's.

    (2)

  • Peter S.

    This place is amazing. It's just like a typical German pub. I came here last Friday with my dad just before we were going to see Aerosmith. We were seated quickly. I ordered the Black Forest schnitzel and a root beer. My dad ordered the same thing, minus the root beer. It ended up being the best German food I've ever had. My dad also enjoyed his schnitzel. For dessert, I had bread pudding. It was also delicious. The waitress was very nice. If my dad and I are ever in the area again, I'm sure we'll make sure to stop by.

    (5)

  • John S.

    We were referred to this restaurant by the concierge of the Pfister hotel. He waxed eloquently - e g best German restaurant in US. This was without question the worst restaurant I have ever been to. We each ate about one bite and decided the food was inedible. My wife ordered Weiner Schnitzel. It had to have been prepared hours before. The veal was invisible. It was just dried out fried breadcrumbs. I ordered a duck / goose combo. The duck was too dry and hard to cut with a knife. Never had goose before so hard for me to say anything other than I couldn't eat it. A total waste of $75.

    (1)

  • David W.

    Unfortunately took my better half here for dinner tonight, we each had about two bites of horrendously overpriced food and decided we were better to go elsewhere for a real dinner. Asked if we wanted to have dinner boxed to go (really? after one bite) then charged the full amount of the bill ($82, no apps, 1 beer each) as if there was nothing wrong. Please, please, please, save yourselves the agony and expense! We ended up having to go across the street to Mason St. Grill to get a real dinner afterwards.

    (1)

  • Brian E.

    Underwhelmed. The Ratzsch's Ripper was the item of choice. What is it? (copied from website) Deep Fried Knackwurst topped with Beer Cheese,Kraut Fondue, Sport Peppers, Onion, Tomato and PPickle with Fried Kraut Crunchies ($9.50) (PPickle?) Had this not told me it was deep fried I would have had no other way of telling how it was cooked. Ripper is definitely loaded with goodies as you can read. But it is overloaded to the point of being slightly a mess. That doesn't really bother me but some of you fancy pants foodies might get messy. The bun holding all this together isn't durable enough to contain the items and will end up splitting and making more of a mess. Overall flavor is "ok". Is it worth $9.50? Probably not. Yeah, you do get fries with your meal but fries are just filler. They were cooked well though. I ordered a Sprecher root beer and that was $5.25 alone. Before tip my total was $15 something. So lunch here is a bit expensive for what you get. The only way a higher price point is justified is by having product that is outstanding and/or having exceptional customer service. The product was neither outstanding nor was the service that great. I got my food before I got my beverage which is a "no no" in my book. I wonder if Karl Ratzsch's get a lot of unwarranted praise being that there isn't a lot of places serving up this fare. I'll finish this up with a quote from a coworker who was excited to try Ratzsch's for lunch during the downtown dining week: "Its tough because restaurants want you to come in and try their restaurants, but they aren't really putting their best foot forward. The dessert was just bad. It was really small, the cake was dry, and then they didn't even bother to use fresh fruit. So I made that comment on the questionnaire. I was so disappointed that they used bottled cherries for the filling. We didn't even finish it. I wouldn't go back to pay full price if that was the quality of food I would get."

    (2)

  • Dennis S.

    Authentic, comfortable, and delicious. I hadn't been to Karl Ratzsch's in about twenty years, so I was ready to be disappointed. My memories were of many wonderful dinners, enjoying Milwaukee's Finest - German food! For once, the great memories were matched. Ratzsch's has as authentic of German atmosphere as you can find. And authentic German food. With great German and local beers. And friendly slow-moving wait staff who have been there forever. And an extensive reasonably-priced wine list. For our meal we went with all traditional German foods. Everything we had was good. If you like German food, or just want to try it for the first time, stop here. They've been famous for a hundred years, and for good reason.

    (5)

  • The Decide R.

    The pork shank is unreal, like a Pork party in your mouth:) Service is top notch as well. I will be visiting this place again in the future.

    (5)

  • Mopsie B.

    My family has apparently been coming here for years but I've only "discovered" it in the last five or so years. It's a fun ambiance, but the food for someone like me, is tough. I don't eat meat but I do love spaetzle. I found out too late on this last visit that I could get it as an entree (it's not on the menu like that). I got it as a side and it was good but cold. Honestly, my favorite part was dessert- the apfel struedel is great! And they have a very nice selection of German wines and beers. We'll be back but I wish it could be just a little more contemporary in its offerings (my favorite German restaurant in Denver, Berlin, is a great example of what I'm talking about).

    (3)

  • Jeannette L.

    I like the year of ME so far :) my guest understands that I require more than what my little suburb has to offer in the way of fine food, wine and service and has made it his mission to take me everywhere but my little suburb to find it. We certainly found it at Ratzch's! Thank goodness for valet parking; parking has always been the bain of downtown dining. I won't patronize a establishment that doesn't feature valet parking. We were seated immediately, though at a table off the main dining room that just wasn't doing much for atmosphere because of the glaring white lighting. I regretted not bringing sunglasses. They quickly accomadated my request to move to the main dining room - with a tight smile - but it was a smile, nonetheless. I like a restaurant that sports more than four bare walls, especially enjoyed the awesome decor and collection of steins. The live background music was not too loud, not too soft - just right. My guest chose a very nice bottle of wine which we were able to enjoy at our leisure; not rushed to order. We were entertained with a brief history of Ratzch's and given a handout to take home. Upon order, I was excited to see that they featured a Roast Duck. It is an entree I rarely order because there's very few who can prepare it to my complete satisfaction. I decided to give it whirl. I am ever so glad that I did - to my complete satisfaction. Yum! My guest ordered their Veal Weiner Schnitzel with spaetzle - Yum, Yum! I'm gong to have a hard time choosing between the Roast Duck and Schnitzel on the next occasion that I'm able to dine here. Regrettably, we were already running late for a show and could not stay to enjoy an after-dinner drink and/or dessert. , It was a great to start to a great evening! Can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Jackie N.

    We wanted to try authentic German food since we were visiting Milwaukee. The city was accordingly over 35% German (my peeps) in the early 20th century. However, I realized that this meant as a vegetarian I may be eating salad. Yes, my ancestors are disappointed that their madchen is unusual, but what can you do. We checked out the reviews/menu for this place and decided to order takeout. The food was fresh, hot and oh yea the Spatzel was delicious! So delicious that I took the leftovers home to Chicago. Like so delicious in Chicago that I want to go back to Milwaukee and get more.

    (4)

  • Jen Y.

    I'm not a big fan of German cuisine (too heavy for me) but I do enjoy to bring a tourist friend/family here. It is my favorite of the German places when I want a meal (drinking is another story... see Old German Beer Hall!). They have a salad entree that isn't as filling as the traditional German fair.

    (4)

  • Carol S.

    Wonderful meal--really good food and exceptional service! Four of us celebrated two anniversaries, and made good use of a Groupon $40 coupon. Sauerbraten was superb, as was the Black Forest schnitzel and the apple strudel.

    (5)

  • Dori Z.

    I went here with my mom for the very first time for my birthday the first week of August. I have always heard good review, and really wanted a "nice" dinner for my birthday. I know the prices at this restaurant are higher than the normal casual restaurants I go to, but this would be considered in my "once or twice a year treat" ( esp since Mom paid for it.) We started with the beer, cheese and sauerkraut dip and bread - absoiutely delicious and had some left to take home to snack on later. Here I need to mention another postive characteristic of this restaurant...I actually appreciated the amount of time between courses. It gave me and my mom time to catch up with each other and talk without getting interrupted by a hasty waitress. Overall our visit lasted a little over an hour, maybe hour and half. This might not be an option if your running late for a show downtown. After narrowing down my entree choices, between the Chicken alfredo strudel and the Salmon and Shimp with capers sauce, I chose the latter. I make a pretty good chicken strudel at home so I decided to hold off until next time. My mom had the tenderloin and it just melted in my mouth after savoring a piece. Seems as though other reviewers had the same description of the meat being perfectly cooked. My salmon was extraordinarily tasteful with the addition of the caper sauce, delicious mashed potato, and vegatables. Had to indulge and finish my bday dinner with a dessert. We settled for the cheesecake. OMG it was heavenly. We also used my Entertainment Book card and with adequate adult drinks ( i had 2 or 3 rum and cokes, mom also 1 or 2 mixers) Our total bill was around $100 before tip. Waitress was wonderful, and I cannot wait until I can afford to go here again!! The decor was interesting to glance around at. Parking, we luckily captured a nearby street spot.

    (5)

  • Neil M.

    I drive here from the Chicago area because they are the only place I can find that serves goose and they do a damn good job with it. It is delicious and worth the drive. I cannot find any place in Chicago that serves goose.

    (4)

  • David Z.

    Karl Ratzsch's is expensive for dinner, but the "Light" menu at dinner and the lunches are reasonable, although the portions are smaller. Nevertheless, the quality is usually high. Four of us had a Saturday lunch. The wait staff was excellent and professional. The selections were extensive enough. The quality of the sauce with the Koenigsberger Klopse was high and the quality of the Apfelstrudel would be hard to match at any American-German restaurant. Most either serve a heated frozen strudel, one made with defrosted filo dough or something made with a totally different kind of pastry dough. My complaints about Ratzsch's have been mentioned in another review, but if you're looking for an intimate and upscale setting with well-prepared cuisine, this is always a good choice.

    (4)

  • Melissa S.

    Real deal German food in a fun atmosphere with attentive service. What's not to love at Karl Ratzsch's? Ordered the Black Forest Veal and a special (Chef's Choice or Combo) with polish sausage, Octoberfest streudel, goulash, warm potato salad, and red cabbage... whoo! What a meal! Veal dish delicious. Lightly breaded and pan fried golden brown, then topped with spinach, ham, and swiss cheese. A much, much, much, much, much, much tastier, German version of a chicken cordon bleu. All of the components of the special were also done very well. Delicious sausage, streudel was very good... kind of a fancy version of a reuben. (Even though our 2 year old son was offered a child's menu, he ended up eating a ton bread and bits and pieces from our meals.) Everything else on the platter tasted great, as well. We finished with a chocolate torte, with multiple layers of chocolate cake and custard and topped with whipped cream. Very rich, very good. Service was wonderful. Our waitress was very nice, though it did annoy me when we asked her for recommendations, she'd respond with something like, It's good... everything is good. But hey, she's not the first waitress to give us that response and won't be the last. They were very accomodating to us, which isn't always the case at 5pm on a Friday to a family with one toddler and one baby and no reservations. But they were more than happy to let us in, be patient with us, and not give us the stink eye. We'll be here again!

    (5)

  • Rohan D.

    It's strange, a little sad, that Milwaukee, once one of the most German cities in America, only has a couple of traditional German cuisine restaurants left. The food here is better than Mader's. Half the experience is the traditional, century old ambiance, the waitstaff also wears traditional German outfits. Your best bet here are any of the sausages or wienerschnitzel, and there's really nothing here for vegetarians, devout Muslims, orthodox Jews, Brahmin Hindus, or people following the advice of their cardiologists. Good selection of German and German style beers, which would seem to be a requirement. Service is good, the location is convenient for those staying in downtown hotels.

    (4)

  • David H.

    A colleague and I came for lunch. Very authentic decor and theme. Place was very classy and seemed to serve many VIP's as told to us by the waitress. Service was excellent. The breads they bring out first are excellent. I had a salmon reuben which was interesting, but didn't actually taste like a reuben. Was more healthy than a regular reuben, but should have used smoked salmon instead of fresh. My Colleague had the short ribs which he claimed were the best he'd had. Portions were adequate which left no room for dessert.

    (4)

  • B H.

    Stopped in for the early dining on a Friday evening. We started with the sampler which included sausage, red cabbage, sauerbraten, Oktoberfest strudel and meatballs. It was a nice sampling of the menu items served hot and fresh. I had the stuffed pork chop with spatzle. It was served with sauerkraut and applesauce. Th portion was enormous and delicious. I paired it with a local beer, I'm still full. The price for dinner for four at early dining with a shared dessert was $140 including tip. I would recommend this if you have a healthy appetite and a craving for good, authentic German food. Yum.

    (5)

  • David K.

    Well...I have a bit of a sad story to tell about Karl Ratzsch's which doesn't seem to be typical in terms of ratings, but I certainly do see other references to rude treatment of customers. First, I had purchased a Groupon - basically an online promotion that Karl Ratzsch's ran on March 28. I'm a business traveler and knew I'd be in Milwaukee on April 24 for work. The coupon cost $15 and provided $30 worth of food. There were some restrictions on it, but none that were problematic; for example only 1 Groupon per table could be used and it expired in October. All of the restrictions are printed on my Groupon. Yesterday afternoon I called the restaraunt and asked if there'd be a problem getting a seat for one or if I needed reservations. I was told verbatim "no problem - come on down." I drove to downtown Milwaukee, worked hard to find a parking spot, and walked into the restaraunt where I was greeted by the host and told I could be seated immediately. Along the way I notified him of my Groupon and he stated that it could only be used for TWO guests, not one. I showed him the Groupon and the lack of that restriction and he looked at me and immediately retorted "do you have a reservation?" Well, I nearly did a backflip since it was he that told me to come on down just an hour earlier, then I used the word "crap" in a sentence and I was chastised soundly for that. I told the host that I'd complain to Groupon (and they refunded my money today!) and let everyone know about how rudely I'd been treated. Word of mouth is always best...thank goodness for Yelp! Restaraunts make their reputation on threes bases; quality of the food, value for the food, and the way they take care of customers. I assume based on other reviews that their food quality is great and value is ok - but I'll never know as I'll never step foot in there again. As to customer service, well...they suck big time! To say they were rude would be an understatement by a factor of ten. The only saving grace is that on the Groupon website, I'm not the only one that's been stuck by this fraud - and it sounds like they'll hear more about it from others. Sorry about the sour grapes - I usually write reviews that are glowing...but every once in a while a bad-apple needs to be identified too.

    (1)

  • CARRIE G.

    Very, very disappointed. We were very happy to see the authentic, quaint atmosphere and we were excited to have a great experience. It was not a particularly busy night but the service was extremely slow and borderline rude. I agree with some of the other reviewers that it is way over priced to be labeled $$. The average dinner price was $30 and it seemed that only the daily specials came with a soup or salad. The food was mediocre at best with very little flavor. The only saving grace was the bread basket that was really good.

    (2)

  • Al B.

    Shank of pork was perfect, but huge. Trimmings also excellent. Nice ambiance with live pianist, but over the top decor. Shame the waitresses have to wear the awful German costumes! Altogether, a pleasant evening, and not bad value.

    (4)

  • Joe G.

    I finally got the opportunity to try out Karl Ratzsch's just recently. I've always wanted to go there just based on the awesome exterior decor, and was thrilled that I actually remembered about it when my father asked about a German restaurant. First off, you may want to dress up a little before you go here. They won't turn you away if you're wearing a t-shirt, but you will get funny looks from some of the other customers. Parking wasn't exactly easy in the area, but they have valet parking, or you can go to the lot two blocks east. Some of the food at Ratzsch's is expensive, but you can get out for a reasonable price, and you'll still be completely full. Make sure to check the back page of the menu. Also, it looks like the lunch menu is pretty good, if that's your style. The food is terrific. I had pork shnitzel with spatzle, and it was very good. My mother got the same thing, but hers could have used a little more gravy. My father got something a little different. It was a pork shnizel with spatzle, topped with ham and cheese. He seemed to like it quite a bit. It did seem a little expensive to me, but it would be good for a special occasion. Otherwise, the waitress was very friendly, and the beer selection had some good local beers. I was very pleased with the experience.

    (4)

  • Michael P.

    The décor, the atmosphere, the beer, the music - Old School German Restaurant, but classy in its own way with an upscale twist in regard to the menu selections. There are plenty of places in Milwaukee to get brats and beer and the food at Karl Ratzch's certainly includes the usual German suspects; you can get your red cabbage, pork knuckle, schnitzel, sauerbraten and sausages of course, but at Ratzch's the presentation and flavor combinations on some of these stalwarts may surprise you. Offhand, nothing groundbreaking or "fusion", but some originality shows up which offers something more than animal meat on a plate with sauerkraut. The Chambord Duck shank special uses the outstanding raspberry liquor sauce to elevate the tender, moist duck and home made wild rice dressing to something special. The Black Forest Veal comes cordon bleu style with swiss cheese, smoked pork, and spinach alternately layered with a mushroom sauce over all. The liver dumpling soup is really good and offers a true consommé (as opposed to the usual over salted beef bouillon) with liver dumplings that are very flavorful but not overpowering. Oktoberfest "Strudel" is smoked pork, swiss cheese and sauerkraut baked in a "light flaky pastry" - a reuben in a croissant ! This IS a German restaurant, but check out the Eggplant and Spinach Parmesan or the Chicken Alfredo Strudel - its like a calzone! Combinations like these make me think there is a German/Italian "mixed marriage" in the kitchen. It works for me. Good and attentive service. Portions are generous and that offsets what some may consider pricey but look and you will find that there are in fact, bargains on the menu. Decent beer and wine selection to complete your meal. Dining here is a pleasure. (I think Karl Ratzch's food has it over Mader's and I am sticking with that.) Make it a theme evening - have dinner here and then head over to 3rd Street (sneak passed Mader's) and drop in at the Old German Beer Hall to hoist some HB with the locals, do the chicken dance on a table and generally round out your Teutonic night !

    (5)

  • Jenn E.

    My family and I had been looking forward to some good German food on our trip to Wisconsin, and we couldn't decide between this place and Mader's. Ultimately, we chose Ratzch's because it was closer to our hotel. The interior is old world, which gives the place a nice ambiance, and the waitresses are all dressed like Heidi! The menu had lots of items to choose from, and we all decided to order a bunch of different things to share. We tried the goulash, sauerbraten, schnitzel, duck and the roast goose. The goulash was pretty good, but a bit too tomatoey for my tastes and missing some seasoning. The duck was nice and moist, and our first foray into the world of goose was delicious! It was smokey and hearty and had a really nice flavor. We were not a fan of the sauerbraten and the schnitzel was very, very dry; it really could have used some sort of sauce. Overall we enjoyed our experience, especially the root beer that they have on tap, but it is not somewhere that I would visit all the time. If I ever make it back to Milwaukee, I will have to give Mader's a try to compare!

    (3)

  • Vincent C.

    A definite must if you're ever in Milwaukee. I don't know what a German beer hall or restaurant is supposed to look like, but I think Karl Ratzsch's is a perfect encapsulation of that spirit. The decor and ambiance are somewhat reminiscent of a steakhouse, but without feeling too kitschy. I was in a party of 4, and we all ordered dishes from the lighter fare section of the menu, which were hugely portioned and reasonably priced. Hyper attentive service, our water glasses never got more than half empty the whole night. I definitely have to recommend the delicious spaetzle and schnitzel, so rich and so perfect with beer.

    (4)

  • Nick B.

    In a German influenced city such as Milwaukee, this is hands down the best restaurant in the City and probably the best German restaurant in the USA. Mader's is good, but it will always be 2nd to Karl Ratzch's. I've only had two dishes (the roast duck and the hungarian goulash) but they were both among the top 10 dishes I've ever had. For dessert, they are famous for their apple strudel, which is also amazing. If you're visiting Milwaukee and want to get the whole German experience, the only way to do it is by having dinner at Karl Ratzch's

    (5)

  • Kathryn G.

    I'm about a year late on this review. But if you are looking for a place to go on Xmas Eve or Xmas night, this is the place. Don't even bother looking elsewhere. It's so festive you won't want to leave and unlike a lot of places, they don't try and gouge you with a 'special' Christmas menu. Fantastic. Perfect. Thank you!

    (5)

  • Jimmy S.

    Although the food wasn't that bad, this place is a total rip off. The service was horrendous, everything took forever, they are inflexible and overpriced. I'm not sure how anyone gives this place a good rating. No wonder we were easily able to get a table at prime time on a Friday night.

    (1)

  • Larry P.

    Great Authentic German food. You'll feel like you're in Germany. All of the classic dishes - schnitzel, sauerbraten, sausage. Also great selection of German beer on tap. Big portions - you won't go home hungry. Attractive, comfortable dining rooms.

    (5)

  • Ling L.

    *Photos shot What started out as a trip to Madison had us arrive around dinner time in beautiful downtown Milwaukee instead. Not armed with any information about Milwaukee and restaurant recommendations, the GPS in our car thankfully had Zagat recommendations. But which category? We selected "All types" and we didn't have to scroll far before Karl Ratzsch's showed up. As the Midwest is heavily settled by Germans, we decided a highly-rated German restaurant that's "more than 100 years old" would be a good choice. We circled around looking for parking and ended up in a $3 garage less than a block away (most valets are $5 and another garage wanted $5 as well). We didn't have a reservation but waited only 15-20 minutes. At the bar, we decided to have a Riesling and a Piesporter each. It's a pity they didn't have more offerings by the glass. Service by the hosts and bartender were less than cordial, quite offputting. And our inexperienced waitress forgot our bread basket. However, she was kind enough to switch out my consomme with liver dumplings (I wasn't sure of it but wanted to try) for a house salad. Overall service was slowwww, not just for us, but everyone else, too. Don't go as a group, 15 minutes into our meal, a table of 8 was still engaged in typical group chitchat with their waiter. All entrees come with choice of soup of the day, consomme with liver dumplings or house salad. The husband went for the special that's the Porktoberfest ($21). The Hungarian Sausage starter was a delightful start. The sauerkraut was not dripping with vinegar, and the sausage (from Usinger) was moist and flavorful. I was surprised that the Dijon sauce that came with it was not spicy; instead it had a pleasant sweet creaminess to it. His soup of choice was the goose and sausage gumbo. Equally tasty. The thick slab of pork was salty but sumptuous. The potato and relish it came with was tender and well-seasoned, with salty and sweetness in fine balance. What is it about German restaurants that do potatoes so right!? The red cabbage on both our dishes were right on texture too -- not too crunchy and evenly pickled. With so many wonderful entrees to choose from, we decided for our second dish to encompass as much of their flavors as possible. We chose the Ratzsch's European Sampler ($31): the one-half goose shank was fall-off-the-bone tenderness and rich; the Octoberfest Strudel was my most favorite sample: the Swiss cheese was heavy and creamy, and coupled with a side of cranberry relish, made the entire sample heaven in my mouth. The crispy strudel crust was phyllo perfection; the Weiner schnitzel was pounded thin. A squeeze of the lemon wedge lifted the breaded veal cutlet's flavor; finally, the spatzle was ideal. If we should be in Milwaukee and nothing just seems our cup of tea, we will definitely return to Karl Ratzsch. Now, my hope is that I'll find equally good German fare in the burbs. I would give it 5 stars but have to shave one off for the slow service.

    (4)

  • DJ S.

    True German fare! My boyfriend wanted wienerschnitzel. He got it...served to him from a lady dressed up like a cross between Minnie Pearl and a character from Disney. Ladies in petticoats and velveteen corsets with little white bonnets! We got here late so I think they were winding down. Very heavy food like pork chops, sauerkraut, cabbage, spaetzle. All in very generous portions. My boyfriend also got profiteroles for dessert. Large puffs loaded with ice cream and chocolate. All that food was enough put us ino food comas. But it was delicious. Next time we will come earlier.

    (4)

  • John M.

    We accidentally found this restaurant one night before the symphony concert. What a great find. The wine selections are great (I recommend the Spatlese Piesporter), the atmosphere is authentic and warm and wonderful and the food is real German food prepared very well. Since moving from WI this year, this is one of the places I most miss going to.

    (5)

  • Mike R.

    I had an excellent German dinner! The Usingers sampler was a variety of the Milwaukee icons sausages and I now understand how they achieved that status. The ambiance had a warm old German tavern and the service was gracious and professional. Overall a great conclusion to my week in the city. I look forward to my next visit!

    (4)

  • S B.

    We ate there twice last week - in Milwaukee for a conference. We had eaten there once 35 years ago (our one year living in Milwaukee) and visual memories returned immediately. It's not the best restaurant I've ever experienced, but with ethnic restaurants dying out, finding good German fare (or Greek) is not that easy. Ratzsch's did not disappoint though, offering true traditional German dishes in an old-world, funky atmosphere. I'm sure they aren't going for funk, but most restaurants today have opted for that pretentious boring contemporary look. The food was enjoyable - roast duck, Black Forest Schnitzel, Trudy's sampler, and sauerbraten were tried and were good. I can't say that every bite was memorable, like I might say about Modo Mio in Philly, but for someone like myself, starved for decent German cuisine, it was satisfying. The apple strudel "mitt schlag" (whipped cream) was a very good dessert that we ordered again on the second night. If you are seeking an upscale "dining experience" where the server whispers every ingredient with absurd reverence, there are other Milwaukee restaurants that will be more to your liking, but if you want straight up, well prepared and good tasting German food, I'd have no difficulty recommending Karl Ratzsch's. Five stars? No, but four seems right by Yelp criteria.

    (4)

  • Jerry E.

    Excellent German food. The veal dish I had was excellent.

    (4)

  • Virginia L.

    5 stars for a non smoking bar with excellent beer. The food's not bad either. Fish fry was good, but nothing to write home about.

    (5)

  • Gerrit L.

    What a great spot. I plan on being back often. Old school style German restaurant. The menu has all of the claiics. Nice brea, great service. Enjoyable way to spend an evening after a hard days work.

    (5)

  • peter k.

    This place is the real deal. A complete experience - beautiful dining room, super-professional servers and fantastic food. You can literally feel the history in the dining room of one of Wisconsin's oldest restaurants. They have unique German beers as one would expect - and all around great food. Last time we ate at Ratzsch's, our server was super-enthusiastic and knowledgable about the beer. I could eat the spaetzel and sauerbraten every day. The duck is fantastic as well.

    (5)

  • Greg K.

    My fiancé (Mandi) and I went to Wisconsin this past weekend to visit her Grandparents. While there, Mandi's aunt and uncle took us into Milwaukee on Saturday night for a fine German meal at a local landmark, Karl Ratzsch's. Since Mandi and I started dating in 2007, I had heard stories from her dad about living in Wisconsin and going to eat at KR's. We had a 6 o'clock reservation and arrived promptly. Uncle Joel was carting us to dinner and opted for valet parking. The valet was very polite and friendly. Once in the restaurant we were quickly greeted by the hostess who seemed to recognize Mandi's uncle. We had requested a favorite server of the family - Dennis. We were obliged and escorted to our table in short order. The décor of the restaurant was very old world, including a live piano player. The piano player was very talented, playing Debussy and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The table bread included a wonderful salty rye which everyone seemed to love. For our entrees, Mandi ordered the Stuffed Pork Chops and I ordered the Wiener Schnitzel a la Holstein. The menu described my entrée as breaded veal cutlet topped with fried egg, anchovies and capers served with steamed vegetables and potato dumpling. I have a friend who worked as a chef in Germany, and I've had toned down versions of schnitzel before, but nothing like this. I was blown away by the textures and flavors of this dish. From start to finish, it was just as it should be. I should also mention that the salad that my entrée came with (I ordered the roasted garlic dressing) was outstanding too. Throughout dinner, Dennis was onsite, checking back, offering his advice on menu options, and making suggestions. Apparently, he is a career server at KR's and certainly displays the confidence and ownership you would expect from someone of his experience. After dinner, Mandi and I had a couple of cappuccinos and split a piece of Viennese chocolate torte. This was a one of a kind dining experience that was made all the better by the quality of the service and the quality of the company too. If you eat in Milwaukee and don't try Karl Ratzch's, it's your loss.

    (4)

  • Rich T.

    Stepping into Karl Ratzch's you get the feeling you're walking into an experience you won't soon forget. The place is old world classy head-to-toe. You should think about sitting at the bar for a drink before your meal for a relaxing, nostalgic experience. The bar room is adorned with authentic steins and a variety of cool goblets. Bartenders at Ratzch's are REAL bartenders, not the kind who can only make vodka tonics and jaegerbombs. After your drink, you will be led to your table by someone most certainly wearing traditional German garb. Sit back and don't fret too much over the words you see on the menu. Here's a quick tutorial for successfully navigating through their selections: If it's German, just order it, already! They have a couple Italian choices, but I can't think of any reason to order them aside from a cheap attempt at being ironic. Aside from their regular menu, they have one of my favorite fish fries on Fridays. On a sad note, I recently went to Ratzch's with my parents and the place was nearly dead. They told me it was once the most popular restaurant in Milwaukee and it was nearly impossible to walk to the bathroom without squeezing between packed tables. It is sad to think that people would rather go to a chain restaurant on Water St. and let this absolute TREASURE fall by the wayside like so many other fantastic restaurants. My advice to anyone would be to get to Ratzch's before it's too late. ps...take your kids, too!

    (4)

  • Kyle S.

    Only had a drink at the bar, but waitresses were in wal-mart looking Dirndls and White reeboks...uggh. If you are looking for the looks of a german beer hall without any of the gregariousness, this is your spot. The bar was rather gemütlich, the bartender was the saving grace of my visit.

    (3)

  • Tim M.

    Loved it!! Sauerbraten, potato dumpling, red cabbage, beer from big steins, endless playing of Blue Danube - what else could you ask for in a German restaurant? The food was yummy and served quickly. My only complaint about this place is that it was too cold outside, and I don't think there's much they can do about that!

    (5)

  • C S.

    Mmmm.... pig. Every pork product imaginable is available at Karl Ratzsch's. I'm partial to the stuffed pork chops and crispy potato pancakes--- my mom and I even made a special trip up from Chicago once just for the pork chops. This is my favorite German restaurant in the whole wide world. P.S. Even non-porkophiles will be fine here. My husband, who does not like German food, had the filet and potato pancakes and he said they were pretty good.

    (5)

  • Mark F.

    Great decor! I ordered the sausage sampler--which was pretty good, but not great. Strangely, it came with fries with cheese over them (not authentic). My girlfriend had the Black Forrest schnitzel. That was huge, but just so so. The desert was some meringue thing that tasted a lot like cardboard. I'd give this place another try though.

    (3)

  • Cardinal S.

    Delicious! And the price was more than reasonable with the livingsocial coupon I used. Our server Brian was very attentive and professional. We ordered the stuffed porkchop and duck and goose combo. All of the flavors were delicious. I especially liked the spatzle and red cabbage. My husband really liked their crouton-like bread (but I think Mader's pretzel rolls beats them on this front). The liver dumpling soup was OK--a bit too salty for me. The beef barley soup was very hearty and flavorful.

    (4)

  • Craig N.

    Best german food in Milwaukee. Very cozy atmosphere and great beer selection.

    (5)

  • Matt M.

    Great place in lots of ways: Food: German (of course) that stays true to its roots with subtle touches that took many dishes we had to the "best we've ever had"(potato pancakes, coleslaw, and traditional Friday fish fry). The fish was perfectly cooked and came with nice sauces too. Save room for desert--be warned that this is hard at this place ;-) Service: Valery took Great care of us. Friendly, great recommendations and knowledge of the menu and always there at just the right times. The rest of the staff welcomed us comparably and we noticed the other servers had great rapport with their tables too. The barman poured the beers and Valery got them to the table in less time than it took to order them. Whatever the management is doing to keep such good staff on hand and happy is definitely working. Beer: all three beers we had were stellar (the wife and I are both homebrewers too). Atmosphere--the German house decor is authentic (yes I've spent some time in Germany) and the restaurant was thankfully not at all loud. We're only here for another 7 days, but we're planning on coming by for one more round at Karl's.... 5 stars for it's category easily and as enjoyable a meal as we've had at more fancy/cuisine oriented places.

    (5)

  • Robert C.

    OK, I know I haven't given a 5 star rating yet. I expect perfection for a 5 star rating. Karl Ratzsch's came oh so close. This was a great meal with fast, friendly service. So, where did they go wrong??? I must give you a little background on myself first. In the early 80's I was stationed in Bitburg, Germany while serving in the USAF. For 3 years I read "Bitte Ein Bit" everywhere I went. When I opened the drink menu at Karl Ratzsch's there was the famous slogan right there on the inside cover (the menu said Bitburger on the cover). When the waiter came to take my drink order I said "Bitte Ein Bit" (please one Bit(burger)) he didn't have a clue what I said. Ok, maybe I'm expecting too much. The meal was One Bitburger Pils, this was an acquired taste for me back in 80 but I love this beer now. I had the house salad with the house dressing, it wasn't bad. The entree was the Black Forrest Veal, this was much better than I expected. It was kind of like a Veal version of a Cordon Bleu, a very this veal cutlet with pork, Swiss chess and cover with a mushroom gravy. It came with spaetzle and mashed sweet potatoes. Excellent meal, if they would have had Oxtail or Goulash Soup and spoke German they would have earned 5 stars. I highly recommend this place but don't go in there speaking German and expect to be understood!

    (4)

  • Michael W.

    A beautiful old German restaurant in downtown Milwaukee, Karl Ratzsch's was recommended by a friend who used to live in the city. We went for lunch and were a bit underdressed - I wasn't expecting linen! But the meal was excellent. I had sauerbraten which was very tender. My girlfriend had the Black Forest Schnitzel, which was also tasty. The service was a bit on the slow side, but fortunately there's plenty to look at. The restaurant has been open since 1904, and you can feel the history in the wood paneling and stained glass. Lunch for three with a few drinks and dessert was about $60. Not cheap, but certainly elegant. A step back to another time.

    (4)

  • Kate V.

    Really great menu options, wide range of german foods. The pork and the sausages were awesome. Great service, great dessert; bread pudding. Nice old, german-resturant atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Russ T.

    I'm sorry to be a naysayer here, but Karl Ratzsch's is just nasty. And SUPER overpriced. I met my German wife in Cologne and we go back to Germany every couple years, so I have eaten in many a brauhaus (the brewhouse restaurants where many of the dishes of Ratzsch's were made famous). Even though Ratzsch's decor is wonderful and the atmosphere is super cool, the food tastes like it was prepared by someone who never has actually tasted the dishes. I forget what they called it on the menu, but in Germany, it's call Schweinehaxe (a big pork shank) and I usually love it. But rather than being braised like it should be, this monster was deep fried in really old grease -- just terrible tasting. Very disappointing for a nearly $30 entree. And I'm sorry to say that the soup that opened the meal was tasteless and much reminiscent of dishwater. I REALLY wanted to like this place, but I must say the only thing that was good was the beer.

    (1)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :4:00 pm - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Classy
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Karl Ratzsch’s Restaurant

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