Laschet's Inn Reviews

My kind of place, good size portions, fair pricing, outstanding Beer And great service. I can’t even pronounce all the things on the menu but we ended up with was D licious.

Been wanting to try this place for quite some time. Met some friends here for dinner. The soups (Ghoulash and Split Pea) were very good. The pretzel was also good. The weiner schnitzel was okay, a little on the dry side. Service was very good.Worth a visit.

Excellent German food priced right. We were about 40 for a party and the two servers handled everything courteously, efficiently and smoothly. The décor some complained of was not relevant; this was not a date or night out; we don’t eat décor and the outdated motif suited me just fine. The restrooms were clean and on the same floor. Water, soda, drinks were taken care of promptly and correctly. Children got their special orders quickly, and the chicken fingers and fries smelled and looked great. The seating was in a long L-shaped configuration and was roomy enough. Pretzel appetizers were a big hit and the mustard was a perfect complement—not too much horse radish, not too little. Everyone could’ve eaten more pretzels. Pumpernickel was on the tables as well. Then, there was a choice of garden salad or cucumber salad; liver dumplings, split pea soup or a pineapple salad. The mains were served family style: chicken schnitzel, frikadellen, meat goulash and mushroom goulash with tons of red cabbage and sauerkraut. I chose the cucumber salad which was outrageously good; slight kick, not as sweet as some versions, and amazingly a good sized portion. The frickadellen was pan fried crisply and the ingredients were very fresh and in proper ratio. Both versions of goulash were hearty and tasty, sauce was rich and thick, meats were plenty and devoid of gristle or fat. The schnitzel was very plain and bland, but this was an order for those with simple tastes who might not want anything tart, saucy, spicy, sweet or too salty. The red cabbage was on the tart side but very edible, as was the sauerkraut. We might’ve overstayed our time but as no one was using the area, management never bothered us. The oodles of leftovers for the guests were placed on a table with stacks of takeout containers and plastic bags; still there were a week’s worth of food for the host and hostess. A truly fine dine.

If you like German food and friendly service - come here! Weiner schnitzel, potato pancakes, spaetzle, red cabbage, boiled potatoes! Yum-yum-yum! Make sure you come hungry because they'll feed you, and you'll enjoy every minute! The rye bread is wonderful, and even the side salad with dinner is quality. A small, local place with a strong following of repeat diners, make sure you book reservations. They have unique specials on different days of the week, so check them out in advance if you can. Or, simply enjoy their standard menu, you won't be disappointed!

Hard to find but this small restaurant behind the bar was pleasant but the food was average at best. Coming from a German background, their Rouladen were pretty good, but seemed like they’d been prepared some days prior…. They came apart/crumbled when trying to cut them. The veal schnitzel was way overdone. It was dark grey and clearly spent a few minutes too long in the fryer. Their spaetzle were burnt on one side…. Inattentive cook. The leberkase was average while the sauerkraut was great providing some zing to the meal. The strudel was difficult to cut but had a nice flavor. The pretzel was pretty lame but huge and the liver pate on Ritz crackers could’ve used nicer crackers for the price. The positives included a pleasant server, not being rushed, relatively quiet area in the back and an extensive list of German beer. I’m not sure if the cook was off on a Saturday night or this is the norm. Since the nearby Brauhaus closed we’ve searched for a top notch German restaurant and we will continue our search!

My friend and I were visiting Chicago and wanted to eat at a German restaurant. I do not care for the red cabbage at the Brauhaus, so I decided to try Laschet's since most of the reviews were so good. As for the atmosphere, this is a deep, narrow old neighborhood bar which was fine with us, but it is not as nice as it appears in the photos at this site. We both really enjoyed our meals; my friend had Wienerschnitzel and I had Sauerbraten. The red cabbage was not as good as my mom's, but it's probably the second-best restaurant red cabbage I've had. The beer selection was great as well. My only complaint is that less than 10 minutes after our plates were cleared, and both of us with half a beer left to drink, the hostess basically asked us to leave because there were people waiting for a table. I'm 48 years old so have had many, many experiences at crowded restaurants, even in Chicago, and have NEVER been blatantly asked to leave. There was no reason for it except that people were waiting (we weren't being loud or obnoxious, etc. . .). So, if you don't mind eating and running, try this place - the food WAS excellent!

Old time German restaurant and bar with a great beer selection and good selection of German favorites. Friendly, efficient staff makes for a good experience. The decor is a bit dated, maybe in need of an upgrade. Regardless, scope laschets out for as authentic German food you will find in Chicago.

The food was great, the service was acceptable. My wife had a Sunday special, the roast duck. It arrived hot, delicious, and with crispy skin. I had the beef rouladen which was perfectly roasted. The waitress was running ragged with taking care of a lot of tables, so she missed a few things at ours, but we just took it in stride.

I loved the food, the ambiance and the atmosphere. Very generous portions of down to earth real German food, well done!

Coming from Milwaukee I was weaned on charming German neighborhood taverns serving delicious German food, and this one made me feel right at home. We ate here on a Sunday, early in the evening and people arrived in a steady stream from the moment we sat down. Our waiter was friendly and explained the specials and the different beers we had questions about. We zeroed in on the veal schnitzel (hubby's) and chicken schnitzel plus two delicious German beers. While we enjoyed the cozy atmosphere, we couldn't help compare it to small restaurants we have dined at in Austria. Everything was top notch here. The rye bread was delicious, as were our meals. Portions are huge so we ended up dining on the schnitzels again the following night. We are looking forward to dining here again. Laschet's makes Chicago seem small.

Good German food and Spaten on draft!

No oompah music, that goodness. More of a neighborhood feel. While you can get just about any kind of food in Chicago, German has been on the wane for a long, long time. Heavy, right? Well, yes, but it is comfort food and if you've grown up on it like I did, this is the real deal. Notwithstanding the jalapeño poppers on the appetizer menu. Hackepeter - steak tartare, is stunningly good - simple, smooth, seasoned, a generous appetizer plate comes w/ DIY capers and onions. Enough for 4 to share. It was my birthday; I ate the whole thing. Potato pancake appetizer platter - enough for 4 to share - crispy, light pancakes served with applesauce and sour cream. Every dinner gets a soup or salad. 3 of us had the cucumber - refreshing and ever so lightly dressed with traditional white vinegar, sugar, and aromatic herbs. 1 had the clam chowder - dense, tender clams. Veal Roast, with spaetzle and red cabbage. Tender meat no knife needed somewhat drenched in a light brown gravy ( ask for it on the side if you want to be health conscious - really?). Spaetzle that is addictive, and red cabbage just sweet and tart the perfect soft texture. 1 guest had roulade - herbed thin sliced round rolled up around a pickle slow roasted and also served with the ubiquitous light brown gravy... knife optional. 2 had the shrimp dejonghe - garlic, buttery over spaetzle with side of the cabbage, jumbo 5 shrimp, perfectly cooked. And everything that was supposed to be hot came to the table hot. Then there is the beer menu, which is extensive or, for those who like German whites as much as I do, a good selection from liebfraumilch to gewurtztraminer. Schnapps anyone? Many on draft. They also serve a half loaf of home-made bread, serve warm, which is also dense but without heavy crust. But stop gorging, The German Chocolate cake is laden with coconut and is dense and moist and terrific. The strudel is a bit on the heavy side but comes piping hot, is not overly sweet, and comes with a light whipped milk. Skip the coffee but my sense is that everything else on the menu is probably as good as we enjoyed, and the daily specials may be worth coming in specially for - I'd love to try the duck on Sundays. And that's the only downer. They have a crab cake entree daily, but certain dishes only as a once a week special? Hmmm, I'd say that's a bit backwards. Service: once we got passed the rather young hostess who forgot to give us menus, it was very competent and if you're not good choosing beers, definitely rely on them to help. There's a small set of tables at the curb outside and it was a lovely early August evening, but we chose inside. Also, the place was clearly built before the ADA and I am not sure where their accessible entry is; the main front entry is small and there are steps. We'll be back, probably in the winter. After we finish up our leftovers......

Although I am a life long Chicago resident, I had never been to Laschet Inn. Why did I wait?! The food and deserts were homemade and just fabulous. It was a Wednesday evening and the special was beef stroganoff. Hands down the best stroganoff I have ever eaten. I didn't know when I made the reservations that it was the restaraunt’s annual Christmas party. It was such a lively and festive atmosphere! There was a singing accordion player and a group of college students singing Christmas carols. Santa was walking around handing out chocolates.

This German restaurant was very appealing and welcoming inside, the staff were pleasant, the hostess went the extra mile for me. But, because the food lacked enough flavor, the pork shank was very dry to me. When I put gravy on it, it tasted a little better, sauerkraut was ok, potatoes & cucumber salad were just bland. I would love to give this a 5 because the atmosphere and staff were just lovely but the food was very much lacking in taste.

Colorful, charming and a lot of character. The perfect German restaurant before a German Opera - Hansel & Gretel. Jojo our server was exemplary and extremely entertaining. The beer was 5 Star especially the dunkel. Food was crazy generous portions. My wife and I shared the goulash and still had leftovers to take home. Food was more good old fashioned German comfort food than gourmet. Overall an enjoyable evening for our opera group of ten. Free schnapps capped off a delightful evening.

This is a nice little restaurant with a wide variety of standard German dishes. Appetizers include sausages and huge soft pretzels with mustard. I love the vegetarian portobello mushroom goulash. Even the dark bread and butter are delish. After dinner, free generous shots of several types of schnapps are offered. The menu is ample, prices are reasonable, and the servers are friendly though harried, as the restaurant is generally very busy. We always eat too much and still have leftovers to take home and enjoy.

Dining here was a great and memorable experience! The server was courteous and attentive. The food was excellent. The atmosphere was very German, which is what I had in mind when selecting this place. Overall, I had a great dinner and would recommend.

We had to be in the general area for my son so I had to find a restaurant for us to go to. After doing a bit of searching I narrowed it down to a German restaurant. After looking at various ones in the area and reading reviews I decided upon Laschet's. We were all happy with the decision. The place is a neighbor establishment with a light atmosphere. My wife ordered the special of the night; pork shank which she said was very good and a large portion. I had the Sauerbraten which also was very good. It came with spaetzle and red cabbage. The red cabbage was excellent and the spaetzle was good as well. Dinners came with lentil soup which was good. Our server was friendly and efficient. We would say the one complaint would be that most of the food was under seasoned. Everything benefited from some extra salt so would recommend that this be addressed. For us the way we judge a new place is we ask ourselves if we would come back and in the case of Laschet's the answer easily would be yes.

Nothing particularly special about the food menu, presentation, or taste. Service was mediocre at best. Craft beer offered was about the only quality we found upon visiting this establishment.

Always nice place to eat real german food: nice ambiance and very good food. Huge portions and several choices

After reading a number of reviews both here and on yelp, my friends and I thought this would be THE place for German food in Chicago. An institution. We're still scratching our heads, wondering if we mistakenly stumbled into the wrong place. We called ahead for a reservation on the early side (6:45PM) and after a brief wait were seated uncomfortably beside a birthday party of about 20 in the back corner of the room. The saving grace was that the sensory overload caused by the over-served guests and the 5 watt bulbs in the lights almost, but not quite, distracted us from the shockingly sub-par food. Greasy Wiener Schnitzel, sickeningly sweet red cabbage, and tasteless potatoes...how could this restaurant have so many positive reviews? Before our waitress had a chance to ask if we wanted dessert or another drink, the less-than-professional hostess came in to tell us that if we were planning to stay more than a few more minutes, we would have to move to the bar. We had literally been there for a whopping 32 minutes. Come on... We unsuccessfully tried to find the hidden cameras. Really thought that this was some sort of Food Network reality show. So in a nutshell: if a 20 minute cab ride from downtown, 70s German pop annoying playing in the background, grease-stained wood paneling, timed dining, and truly bad, quasi-German food is your thing, you'll love this place. If you're looking for an establishment that takes pride in its history and the quality of its food, do yourself a favor and skip this. You'll thank me.

Good find. Make sure to reserve ahead. We didn’t but they were able to accommodate us. Ok for kids as well. They have some kid friendly entrees, but they are off menu, so be sure to ask.

We had a really nice time here! Truly a Chicago gem. The food and beer were great. Several authentic German beers on draft, Hirter Morchl was my favorite. I had veal meatballs (Königsberger Klopse) and my wife had Mushroom Goulash. Both were delicious. We sat at the bar however there is a dining room (family friendly) as well.

Not quite the last gasthaus standing, Lachet’s Inn is nevertheless one of the very few surviving Chicago restaurants with any remote resemblance to its German heritage. The heroic others have been lost forever to ethnic exodus, gentrification and changing tastes. Who can forget Zum Deutchen Eck, The Golden Ox and Heidelberger Fass? All long gone. But at Lachet’s their tradition survives. You can still find an authentic liver dumpling soup, a veal bratwurst mit kraut that tastes the way it is supposed to and a passing, if imperfect, slice of apple strudel. There is a rotating selection of a dozen beers on tap and three dozen or so by the bottle. The wine list brought a nostalgic smile. Remember those days of Liebfraumilch and Moselblumchen? I had the roast duck special (tough and dry the way it seems it's always meant to be!) with a half-litre of Hacker Pschor. My wife had the chicken schnitzel. The gemutlichkeit is palpable, authentic and no doubt addictive. The place has that true warmth with the glow of good feelings enhanced by a happy local contingent at the bar and a very delightful bar maid. (I almost ordered eight mugs just to relive an Oktoberfest memory.) They’ve obviously made some compromises to stay relevant (Buffalo wings, crab cakes and chicken tenders). But for the hard corps there is nothing like the delight in finding a place that still understands Kassler ribs and Rouladen, Spätzle and red cabbage on the side. No singing, but an echte echo is definitely there. If you’re longing for real German food, just go here, relax and scratch that itch! I came, drank the bier and bought the hat! Prost!

What a great find! Laschet's Inn has excellent German food. If I didn't see the two male chefs in the kitchen with my own eyes, I could have sworn Gramma was cooking. The place is small, with only about 10 tables in the restaurant section -- a few steps up from the bar. The walls are adorned with German memorabilia and some German newspaper headlines. I started off with a BBK Pilsner -- a light, delicious German beer, server-recommended. Next we ordered the goulash soup. Spicy but hearty, with small chunks of beef. Very tasty. The soup comes with a cucumber salad -- sliced cucumbers in white vinegar with a little sugar and some dill. It had a very mild taste and was very refreshing. My main course was smoked pork butt, served with potatoes and red cabbage. I substituted the red cabbage for the sauer kraut. It was a nice, hearty portion. The combination on the plate was delicious. My wife had the beef rouladen which was also excellent. Topping it all off was a warm slice of apple strudel with whipped cream served on the side. The place has nice, casual ambience. You can actually have a conversation with your table mate! The service was attentive and friendly. Can't wait to go back.

It may not sound German, but Laschet's Inn is a genuine neighborhood German bar that grew into a full-sized, yet comfortably small restaurant on Chicago's north side. While the bar, itself, may seem rowdy and noisy when you enter on a busy weekend night, keep on going to a table in the rear where it is actually quiet enough that you can chat with your dinner companion without having to yell at them. The food is mostly traditional German specialties such as sauerbraten and wiener schnitzel, and the sides of spaetzle and red cabbage are superb. There's usually plenty of street parking nearby, and it's a worthwhile alternative to the touristy restaurants off North Michigan Avenue. While you won't see anything about it on the menu, there's a pleasant surprise at the end of your meal when the waiter asks if you'd care for a complimentary schnapps.

If I crave German food, I come here. In the North Center neighborhood of Chicago near Irving Park Rd and Damen. I like the ambiance, the beer selection, and the authentic home cooking. If you require the kistchy oompah band, you will have to go to that "other German restaurant" on Lincoln Ave. This is the better choice if food, beer, and good conversation is needed.

My wife and I and two friends dined at Laschet's Inn a few days ago. I have been there a few times before and as always the atmosphere is festive and jovial - the way a german place should be. The bar was full and everyone had a great time. We found the food to be very good - especially the Hackepeter (Steak Tartar). I think it is the best in town. However, when it comes to the German Potato Pancakes, it was a big disappointment as they were deep fried. They were oily and as hard as a cookie. Well, I do not want to harp on this one item because the rest of the food is good.

We went to Laschet's based on the recommendation of a TA member in the forums. Thank you! After years of driving past this place, we are left wondering why we didn't visit sooner! The location is a little strange, but we found parking easily. You enter the restaurant in the bar area, and walk through to the 'host stand' which is really just a half wall. Regardless, we were greeted and seated promptly. The server approached us almost immediately and was totally on-the-ball the entire evening without being obtrusive. We ordered one of the appetizers that was on special--the pretzel with this AMAZING cheese dip. Naturally I don't remember the name of it, but it was delicious. Our entrees came with soup. One of us got the Goulash soup, which was very spicy but delicious, and the other got some sort of a cabbage soup, which was also very good. We ordered two entrees--the rouladen and the sauerbraten--and shared. The rouladen was phenomenal and the portion was huge. The sauerbraten was good, but nothing special and nothing we'd order again. We appreciated the variety of good german beer available, and were sad to not have room to enjoy dessert--until our server informed us that 'dessert' is on the house via a free shot of schnapps each. They had 3 or 4 unusual flavors to choose from. We chose two different ones and (you guessed it!) shared, and both were yummy. We found the portions to be very large, the recipes to be authentic and delicious, and the price to be modest vis-a-vis the quality and quantity of food we got. The service was personable and perceptive. We will most certainly return.

Birthday party at this bar/restaurant. The food is as you would expect, German. Everyone loved what they ordered. The portions are huge!!! I had the appetizer hot sausage plate for an entree and it was delicious along with the bacon sauerkraut. Yum! We started with a huge hot pretzel and beef tartare on rye. Everyone got the spaetzle and loved every buttery bite. The beer offerings were better in the bottle than tap. This restaurant is a local favorite with bar and restaurant. We got the beer boot. Make sure to ask about the rules.

Bratwurst, schnitzel, beer, strudel, schnapps, cucumber salad...what could be more inviting--a neighborhood tavern with charm to spare...

They had German music, great German Octoberfest beers on tap, great German food. We even enjoyed and split an apple crisp. A full house ( on a Tuesday-but we got a seat without a reservation). A great time was had by all

We go to Lachets 2/3 times a year for special occasions and have always enjoyed ourselves. Last week was a big letdown. The food was great. We were all excited to be together and celebrate my sons birthday. Greg the waiter put and end to that. He was very curt, short in all his interactions with us. He ignored everyone of us. He was very perturbed when we asked for a sample of one of their many beers. Even more perturbed when my wife asked him if he could please take a picture. He forgot to bring us table bread, forgot our pretzel, forgot our to-go bags. Argued with me when I asked how much longer our birthday strudel was taking. We had to ask other wait staff for help and they were all very pleasant with a smile. Greg was very openly surly and really put a damper on what was otherwise an enjoyable evening. Worst waiter I've ever had. Definitely go to Lachets for great food and atmosphere but know what your getting with Greg.

We've been going here for years. Good basic German food in a pleasant setting. Service is always good and friendly. A word of warning about parking. It can be tight since they don't have a parking lot.

We have never had a bad experience at Laschet's. ... the tastefulness and quality of food is unparalleled....the service is fantastic. ... ( ask for Jojo, she enjoys her job ...is very colorful and entertaining explaining the daily specials and how the food is made here. This is no fake franchise stuff. ... It is a neighborhood family joint, and well worth the effort of coming here.

Roast chicken looked as thought it had been run over by a truck also services is very poor and waiter is rude. Never visit this place again in my life

Great service and wonderful food! We stopped today for lunch and it did not disappoint. Husband loved the pork shank and my goulash was exceptional. So glad we stopped for Oktoberfest!

We always go into the city the day after Thanksgiving to shop and have such. The past few years we have had lunch at Laschet's. The potato pancakes are excellent - nice and crispy. My son and husband like the fired smelts. For lunch we had the Laschet's Rueben and brat sandwiches which were also excellent. Service is always efficient and the staff is friendly. It may get very crowded later in the day but we have never had a problem getting a table for lunch.

Went here on a Sunday afternoon before a concert at the Aragon Theatre. Very cozy but not cramped. Baily, our waitress, was very attentive and pleasant. I had the Wiener schnitzel which was excellent and plentiful. doesn't come with spatzle but order some on the side also excellent. A few in my party had the rulaten which they said was delicious. the beer was cold and served in very large mugs. A great German meal and nice atmosphere. Will definitely be back

How can you go wrong! I would return to Chicago if it is even just for this restaurant. I'm of German descent and I can guarantee you that the food was "echt". I had the Sauerbraten and Spaetzle...and so good, so generous and so authentic. Our server was Cara - so friendly and helpful. You could have knocked me over when she said there was complimentary schnapps after the meal. I nice strong Obstler was my pick! Thank you to the owners and staff at this restaurant. Thank you Cara. We will be back.

We had a variety of foods/drinks and everything was great. We have travelled half a dozen times in Germany and aside of going to the continent, this was some of the best fare we have had. We chose Laschet's over some landmark competitors and were not disappointed. I had the Thuringer dinner and the würstchen were every bit as good as any I have had. Other members of our party had the potato pancakes, the sauerbraten, and mushroom goulasch...all very good. The spätzle was probably the best I have had...nicely toasted. Was also happy to see a full assortment of Schneider, Stiegl, and Lindemann's in bottle and on tap. Service was attentive, thorough, and fun. Four people eating and drinking their hearts out...$140. Parking was not the problem mentioned in a prior review.

While the Inn is a little bit away from my hotel, I decided to give it a visit. First of all, Laschet's is not easy to enter and if you did not see the sign with the German Eagle outside, you would walk past it or just go to another place. The atmosphere was interesting with plenty of Oktoberfest/German decorations & pictures. It is however a "plastic German bar/restaurant" with nobody serving speaking German or having been to the country. German music was playing. Service initially was ok but after I ordered, I was give the soup (which was part of the main course) before the starter. The manager apologized. The main course was given just after I received the started which was ridiculous. I sent it straight back.The servers seemed more interested in talking to themselves rather than serving guest. I order white sausage and brown bread for starter and pork schnitzel, red cabbage and roast potatoes. The food at least was excellent which saved the experience!

We went to the restaurant for a St. Patrick's corned beef dinner. My partner made (unneeded) reservations but did not ask about the corned beef. They did not serve it. I have been to Germany a couple of times and familiar with the cuisine. The veal was quite good and tender but the sauce was so salty that we had to scrape it off. My leberkaese was nothing from what I remember in Munich, but then it was fried and not steamed. Similarly, the spaetzle were fried with several scorched pieces I have always had them steamed with butter and parsley. Our last hope, the strudel, was mushy and probably industrial. While the server was pleasant, she brought us drinks on the rocks when we specifically asked for the Manhattans up and we were charged for a call brand when we did not ask for one. We had to ask for water and bread and I never got the left overs of a salad (without dressing, just the greens) I think the busboy did not think anyone would take left over salad. There seems to be a renewed interest in old fashioned neighborhood restaurants, but we have better German options in Chicago

Another great family lunch after Thanksgiving! Every year we get together after Thanksgiving to shop at local neighborhood shops and then have lunch. Laschet’s is one of our favorites! It is a local place with good Trent I’ve service. Portions are large , served hot and very good. I had the Laschet’s Reuben with smoked pork and spaetzle which was excellent Other selections were the Frikadelein sandwich, and the chicken paprikash,k all of which was very good. Service was very good s usual. We will continue to return!

Have been here many times and have never been disappointed, except once when we couldn't get in. We had my brothers funeral luncheon here. Since they expanded seating area it is even better.

GREAT German food. Not a big area to eat, but if you want authentic food and beer, this is the place.

I ordered the large portion of Wienerschnitzel but didn't expect 2 large cutlets. Way more than I could eat and dry. It was accompanied by a good salad but so-so roast potatoes. Not sure why they were cooked so tasteless. One of us also ordered rouladen and loved it. Red cabbage is another winner. One issue we had is that it is very loud in the restaurant made almost unbearable by a band of drums and bagpipes that played for a wedding party. Kind of cute for one song but no one should have been subjected to 20 minutes of it without signing a waiver first.

It was truly strange to find pre-war German ambiance in Chicago. The German Reich eagle is rarely seen these days. Coats of arms from Silesia, Stettin and Pomerania are considered very irritating to today's Europeans. Anyway, this is about food. I was missing the Pork chop and the Kasseler on the every day menu. Looking forward to those, created a bit of a disappointment for me, and that's why I'm not rating it a 5. Nevertheless, we (my two sons and I) had a great evening, service was very forthcoming and the Wiener Schnitzel was very good.

One of the truly authentic German food places left in Chicago where true Bavarian Gemütlichkeit lives on! Great selection of food and drink and excellent service. I can't recommend highly enough! Prost!

All I have to say is WOW! I brought my parents here after they renewed their vows, they have been married 50 years October 2015, so we were celebrating both. I ordered 2 orders of the Hackepeter and one order of the lox rouladen. both were excellent! I ordered the Weiner Schnitzle with spatzel and red cabbage, squeezed lemon and had horseradish with the weiner schnitzle, The taste was out of this world. Other people ordered the Sausage Hot plate, the Duck and the Shrimp Scallop Dejonge. everyone was very happy with their selection. The Liters of beer the men had was great my husband said, they were $15.00 each for the Liter of Bayreuth Zwicki. My grandma and I had Raspberry Framboise a Raspberry Beer from Belgium, It was soooo good ! The hostess or waitress we had, Jojo, (Receipt says Lisa S) was phenomenal. she was happy, funny and very enthusiastic! We brought a cake with us and she put candles in it and came out and sang to my parents. She helped make our special evening even more special. Can't say enough. If I lived in the city still, I would be there every weekend.

We went with friends and all the locals knew each other. Service was fast and friendly. Food was great. I had the German hamburger and it had great taste and generous portions. Lots of German choices on the menu. Nice beer selection.

This old restaurant is a Chicago classic and I'm glad we finally tried it! The beer selection is great, the service is super, and the food is just fabulous. Our group had Wiener schnitzel, chicken schnitzel, sauerbraten, stroganoff, and sides of spaetzle, red cabbage, boiled potatoes, and salads. Everything was fabulous! We all had a wonderful meal in a great environment and highly recommend it!

Make a point to visit Laschet’s every time we’re in Chicago and are never disappointed. Can be busy at times, so generally call ahead to confirm reservations beforehand. Wait is not usually needed, but have been packed in when visiting over a holiday weekend. Food is great Americanized take on traditional German fare, that is to say a generalization of good German cooking and not specific regional cuisine being offered. Best rouladen anywhere we’ve been - for the uninitiated, order and enjoy, as you will never notice the dill slices and brown mustard unless we told you they were there. Schnitzels are great, as everything else we’ve tried, but prefer fried spatzel over potato side offered. Red cabbage also a surprise, nothing like its pales sauerkraut relative. The best indication of the effort to offer a taste of the old country is on the beer list - dozens of draft and bottled German beers and ales and ONE American one. Nearly perfect ratio.

This was a great German restaurant as a surprise when walking around the neighborhood. Good German beer selection and food

There is nothing fancy about this Restaurant. Basically a bar with tables and booths. The food is good and reasonably priced. Service was good. Strudel was very good. Wiener Schnitzel was just OK. Pork Shank was better. Really not bad- German restaurants are hard to find!

fabulous food, many German beers on tap, friendly knowledgeable barkeep and wait staff.....very extensive German menu but still has some good old American standbys.....very reasonably priced. Felt like I was back in my Grandmother's kitchen....

Laschets is a very nice place with simple food made from scratch. The choice of beers is very good and the choice of German foods is exceptional. I would suggest the potato pancakes, but you really can not go wrong with any choice.

As a previous reviewer said, this is the best German food in Chicago. German restaurants are not difficult to find in Chicago, especially not in the neighborhood where Laschet's is located. (The German heritage of the area can still be seen). But Laschet's does it the best and most authentic. Having lived in Germany and compared notes with other friends who are either German or have also lived in Germany or Austria, I can say this with confidence. They also have an amazing fish-and-chips (albeit not German). And you get a complimentary schnapps at the end of the meal! The only shortcoming is that sometimes the service can be a little slow. I also want to point out that this restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood and frequented by locals - you're not going to find a parking lot or any type of parking arrangement. While you do have to pay (meters) on Irving Park (like every other arterial street in the city), there is ample free parking on the side streets near the restaurant.

Our first visit to Laschet's Inn was delightful. You are greeted when you walk in the door. This place has a casual, comfortable, neighborhood vibe. Eat in the bar or the dining room. Our waiter was terrific—precise, punctual and attentive. They have many German beers on tap as well as German wines and liquors. But, let's talk food. We started with the Jumbo Bavarian Style Pretzel (with Dusseldorfer mustard). The Königsberger Klopse, Leberkäse and Wiener Schnitzel were hits at our table. Our meal ended with a customary shot of schnapps—a definite treat! Needless to say, we'll be back!

While visiting family in Chicago during the Christmas holiday we went to Laschet's Inn. My mother is from Germany and an excellent cook so I always hold any German food to her standards. We had the hackepeter for an appetizer (steak tartar). It was served on rye bread with raw onions and caraway on the side. It was a very good portion. I ordered a half portion of roladen that came with one "roll". Without a doubt this is the best I have had other than my Mom's. The dish came with red cabbage and spaetzle. My Mom and sister both had the roladen and my brother ordered the goulash. My nephew who is a picky eater had the potato pancakes. Everyone loved their food. For desert we all shared a hazelnut cake. It was DELICIOUS. The waitress said that is made at Dinkle's Bakery on Lincoln Ave. The cake was not overly sweet and had a fantastic buttercream frosting. This is not a fancy place but more of a restaurant for the neighborhood or regulars. We saw a group of men at a table by the bar order a gigantic pretzel and beer to watch the game. I highly recommend going to Laschet's Inn if you want to experience good German food in a casual neighborhhod setting. ENJOY!

Great German restaurant! It is a great neighborhood restaurant with many traditional German foods. I had the small size beef rouladen which was awesome. They also had a complimentary shot after our dinner. German hefeweizen on tap was great!

We enjoyed this place. The beer was good as well as the paddle of schnapps! We all eat and I enjoyed the herring in cream and the rolled meat. The portions on the main course were far too big!

Stopped in for a few authentic draft German Beers in this historic building. Beers are wonderful and the setting is quaint. Food smelled awesome and the decor is warm and comfortable. I will be back.

Typically I like to go on a Friday when they have the fish special with drawn butter, potatoes and steamed veg, it’s so good. The staples like red cabbage, spatzel and beer selection are always great. Just writing this makes me want to go back. It get busy on Friday and Saturday nights, but you can always make a reservation.

Wife and I were wandering in the area, found this. Cozy place. Well executed classics. Should go back to try something more native.

Came back to visit laschetts with several co workers. We met several friends from Chicago with whom we share work experiences. The place has the feel of a great German inn . Everyone was friendly. Our waiter had a great knowledge of the draft beer selections and steered us towards a great Weiss bier🍺. The food was both phenomenal and plentiful. The goulash suppe was excellent and had just enough spice. Our party of 9 had schnitzel , roulade. And chicken paprikash. All were excellent. I sampled the steak tar tar (hackpeter) which was very good. The owner Matt stopped by to introduce himself and check on everyone. I can certainly state that previous owners Franz und Ursula would be proud of his expansion of this restaraunt . If you want good service, great food and gemutlicheit then stop in at laschetts for a great German experience.

We had a delightful birthday dinner here. Some had the goulash and some had the Weiner Schnitzel. If you are super hungry or want food to take home get the large portion. It has two big cutlets. Otherwise get the smaller Weiner Schnitzel for dinner. You will love it.

The interesting thing about moving away from Chicago then moving back is getting to see how certain establishments change. I came to Laschet's a number of times in the early 2010's and I absolutely loved it. I was back recently and felt a little disappointed by the food. I was there with my cousin on our monthly dinners. I felt bad since it was my month to choose and I thought this would be a good pick, but we both agreed that the meal was underwhelming. Star of the show, definitely the Hackepeter (tartare) which is served with onions and capers and a wonderful dark bread. The potato pancakes were pretty average. Seems like the kind of frozen food you could pickup at a German specialty store. The Wienerschnitzel was very disappointing. There was no crispy exterior and it came looking kind of anaemic in color. The flavor was very plain. I know Wienerschnitzel is hit or miss, but I guess I should have known it wouldn't be as good as it is in Germany. My cousin got the sausage which was good, but basic. The regular daily specials might have been a better bet, or I should have gone with my gut and gotten something more uncommon. I just assumed the Schnitzel would've been the Schnitz.

You walk in through a bar. We went during October fest and even made reservations. They still put us at a table between the mens room and the kitchen. Not cool. Food was typical german fare but the schnitzel was served dry. Apple strudel had flaky layers and was obviously homemade. The octoberfest beer had little to no flavor and was very light in color not what we expected at all. Will try somewhere else next year

The food was excellent. The drinks were good. The service was awesome. The dessert was heavenly. The best German restaurants I've been to outside of Germany. Our waitress was really good. I'd come here a lot if I lived closeby.

When family showed up unexpectedly and wanted to go to a reasonably priced German restaurant, this is where we took them. Honestly, it never disappoints. The best, most reasonably priced appetizer in the city is here. A vestige of the almost extinct German blue collar neighborhood, the steak tartare or hakepeter, always brings us back( sometimes we even order it to go.) You can find hakepeter elsewhere in the city, but Laschet's spreads it on the bread for you. It's just too easy and a great companion to the German beers on tap, all poured in their "proper" glasses. Dining is European style, meaning feel content to linger and laugh longer. No one is pushing you out the door to refill the table.

They claim to be a German restaurant but only the beer they served was really great. We ordered appetizers but they had nothing to do with Germany. Could be any country. The deep fried snacks where not even that good. We where not even finished or they bring the soup. This was ok but when we just starting with the food the main dish arrived. They where really in a hurry and the small table was completely full. Imagine, for 3 people the drinks, the plate with the appetizers was still not empty, 3 small cups of soup and now 3 plates with the main dish. I've been many restaurant's but I've never seen one serving with this speed. All food served just over 30 minutes. Food was ok but if I drive to Germany next week I will not missing this food.

The food at Laschetts rates in our top four for German food, the other three are in Munich, Innsbruck and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, read my reviews if you want to find them. :-) The property is blue collar with a bar up front and restaurant in the rear. The bar has a lot of great German beers on tap and in bottle, the taps do run dry so your first choice may not be available. There was a wait of about 25 minutes on a Friday night but no big deal. The bar is full of locals as well as those of us that drove in. The bartender was not very attentive nor overly friendly but were got our beers and had fun watching the crowd. After being seated it took awhile to get our beers refilled and our order taken, I was starting to get grumpy by the lack of attentive service but let it go and fell into the same relaxed feeling I get when I am in Europe as the wait is typical there as well. Once I did I enjoyed myself much more. We started with the potato pancakes appetizer and the fresh pretzel. Both were off the hook good. The potato pancakes were huge and the apples sauce and sour cream were both seasoned perfectly to augment the pancakes. The pretzel was hot and fresh and chewy and salty with a perfect mustard side. I hate the super hard crunchy dry pretzels you sometimes get so this was perfect. For entrees we had the Rouladen with spetzel and red cabbage and the Leberkase with kraut and potato salad. The rouladen was amazing, covered in tasty seasoned gravy with just the right amount of onions and mustard. The red cabbage was the best I have had and the spetzel was perfectly cooked. The leberkase was seasoned perfectly and the fried egg on top added to the flavor. The potato salad and kraut were also perfect. The portions are enormous. We had enough for another dinner the next night and the food is just as good the next day. The bill was perfectly reasonable at around $60 for two with beers. The only thing I would warn you about is the service. By the standards the chain restaurants set it is terribly slow. By the standards of the "slow food" movement it is perfect. You just need to realize this going in. Relax, order food, put your smart phone down and enjoy the table conversation and the movement of the room. The food is more than worth it in the end.

My family has been coming to this restaurant since they opened.Wel ove the food, however I feel compelled to say that the service by one particular waitress is very off-putting and cheapens the whole experience for us. This starts by her addressing us as" Schatzis" which is a German expression limited to close family members or sweethearts not restaurant patrons. Next the pork shank was described as " two pounds of pure lust, baby" Seriously??????? We were not given napkins or silverware and were told that we could get the goulash soup "for an extra $3 with your meal when we were charged $4.95 for it on our bill. She smelled of alcohol and came off as very loud and patronizing and acted as if she was on drugs. The former owners would never have kept such a waitress as she is a detriment to an otherwise pleasant dining experience.

We were in Chicago for the Christkindlmarkt downtown and wanted to get away from the throngs of people and enjoy some German food. The popular downtown restaurants were over budget, and my smartphone apps weren't producing good results, so I called my sister who lives in Chicago for a recommendation. This little gem was near her home. It was 4pm on a Saturday and we were able to get a table for 8 on short notice. We shared the potato pancake, hot pretzel and hackepeter appetizers. There was enough for everyone to have a portion. I had the sauerbraten. It was a generous portion served with red cabbage and spaetzle. I took half of it home and it was also delicious the next day. No one was unhappy with their meal. We're not recreational drinkers, however the variety of beers available was impressive. As we were finishing our meal the restaurant began to fill up, if you're planning a Saturday night, call ahead or go early. We parked a block away and walked, didn't really try to park closer, street parking in neighborhoods can be hard to find.

Laschet's is a great value and a welcoming place. It's A cross between a low-key, unpretentious neighborhood sports bar with a full roster of German beers and an ethnic, family-friendly restaurant that feels like someone's mom or grandma is back in the kitchen turning out family specialties in hearty portions. Easy parking. Fun place. Free after dinner cordials.

Unfortunately, you won't find it at Laschet's Inn. The place is a charming neighborhood establishment. Based on reviews we read on this site as well as Yelp we decided to drive here on a Saturday night while staying at the Omni Hotel in Chicago. Although we live in South Carolina, we make at least two trips to Chicago a year for what I define as a "food fix". I'm a sucker for Italian Beef, Chicago Hot Dogs and THIN Crust Pizza. I also like to visit neighborhood ethnic establishments. I had the Wiener Schnitzel and my wife had the Goulash. I know neither of these are actually German, however I've eaten a lot of excellent Wiener Schnitzel in Germany and we've had great Goulash in many countries. Not here. The Goulash was flavored totally with paprika which made it far too hot with no underlying flavors and my Wiener Schnitzel was very heavy. The coating seemed to be made of a corn meal flour mix and I suspect the meat was not veal. The best part of my meal was the red cabbage which tasted pretty good. The roasted potatoes and spaetzle which accompanied our meals were throw aways. I read the history of this restaurant on their web site and apparently the place has changed hands in the last few years after successfully existing for decades. In my opinion, if people really go there for the food, it won't last long.

It's a $20 cab ride way from the "Mile" in Michigan Avenue. Worth every cent! Sauerbraten for me, need stroganoff for my wife. Delicious. Service was spectacular. BBK Pilsner is a different and a good pils to try. Priced very reasonably, altogether. Complimentary after dinner schnapps are a nice touch

I visited this German restaurant yesterday with a friend and, unfortunately, was very disappointed with the service. From the moment we arrived, the staff came across as unfriendly and, at times, outright disrespectful. We were asked to wait while our table was being prepared, which was perfectly fine. During the wait, we approached the bar to order a beer. However, the bartender seemed disinterested and unapproachable. Despite greeting him politely, he ignored me, turned away, and only returned after a while—still without saying a word. I had to repeat my order for a Stiegl beer multiple times before he reluctantly served it, all without a single word or acknowledgment. There was no courtesy, no apology, and no basic customer service. Once seated (at a table next to the kitchen), a server came to take our order. I briefly turned to my friend to check if he was ready, and when I looked back, the server had already walked away without saying anything. While the beer was tasty and the food was acceptable, the overall experience left a lot to be desired. I did not feel welcome and, regrettably, I do not plan to return.

After a recent trip to Germany I have had a terrible hankering for good German beer. Having been disappointed by what I could find in any store I set out to find German taverns that might satisfy my craving. What luck to find one nearby! My husband and I visited Laschet's on a recent Friday evening. I was beyond excited to see several of the beers I had sampled in Germany on the menu! We decided to have dinner as well. We had a marvelous pretzel to start. It had a wonderful flavor with the perfect texture. I had the weiner schnitzel and spatzel. Both were excellent. The schnitzel was the perfect thickness and oozing with flavor. I only knock off a bit in my review because the pork knuckle my husband had been dreaming of is only served on Saturdays. I promise we will be back though. The service was excellent! The old school atmosphere was a welcome change to all the hip places out there. We had a wonderful time and look forward to returnimg with friends and family.

Laschet's is one of those businesses that hasn't changed with the times -- Thank God! I remember coming here in the 80's when original owner, Karl owned the inn. Before the craft beer revolution, it was one of the few places to get an honest beer. Yes, we would have lunch or dinner, but I often took the meals for granted. That doesn't mean the food and preparations weren't good. No, not at all. The fact is that there were at least a half dozen German restaurants within a 15 minute drive from Karl Laschet's. Sadly, most of them are gone. The décor hasn't changed much in 30 years and that's fine with me. They've upped their beer game with 12 German beers on tap. No, you won't find local craft beers on tap but there are plenty of fine establishments nearby where you can. (Thank God for that as well.) I ordered the Goulash which came with spaetzle and red cabbage. My salad was a wonderful cucumber salad just like my Mom would make. No sour cream, just basically a delicious vinegar dressing that was perfect. The Goulash came with 5 golf ball sized pieces of beef, ample brown gravy and homemade spaetzle. I took one bite, closed my eyes and thought I had been transported back to the little German gasthaus that my parents took me when I was just a teenager. There are not many meals that actually take me back in time. It really was a perfect execution of this German and Hungarian standard. The spaetzle were cooked perfectly as well. Mom had the Wiener Schnitzel which was just right as well. The breading was light and with a little spritz of lemon was very flavorful. Served with red cabbage and pan-fried potatoes, she really enjoyed it. She really liked that you could order a small portion ($15.95) and it was plenty. Neither one of us walked away hungry. I ended the meal with a "kurze" (small shot) of pear brandy. My hope is that out-of-town visitors looking for true German food will make the trek to some of the longtime German restaurants in the city, like Laschet's Inn, and avoid faux German restaurant tourist traps like the one in Rosemont. It's been way too long since I have visited Laschet's and I need to make a point of returning soon. I'm delighted that the new owners have preserved these German recipes and that the Chef executes them so competently. For real German food and gemutlichkeit, make the trip to Laschet's.

Good food and great staff! They were extremely busy but the staff handled everything very well. Scott, the bartender/owner was extremely knowledgeable about German beer and made my visit to Chicago extra special when he gifted me an item from my favorite brewery in the world, Weihenstephan. He had been to the brewery and knows the head brewer. We were in town for the Steelers/Bears game.

Had out of town clients who wanted to indulge in German food. We'd been to other restaurants and wanted to try this one. First of all, you have to "pay to park" in front of the restaurant. OK, so whatever. Entered restaurant, told hostess we had reservations (weren't really necessary) and she never acknowledged us and didn't appear cordial. Mind you my clients were in their mid-50's and certainly not "unruly guests". Food was just ok-- mediocre. On the sandwich menu, there was a listing for liver sausage sandwiches and there was a mis-print. Said the cost was $0.00. We jokingly told the hostess just give us 20 of those sandwiches to go! She insultingly slammed back, "Well, obviously you think that's the price but it is an error in the print and I won't give you the sandwiches". DUH! YEAH! We were only kidding. She turned around and walked away. Our waitress was a nice young gal who was cordial but the hostess..... not so good! Try other German restaurants of your choosing. If you want to sit at their bar, fine. Nice locals... but avoid their restaurant mentality.

I love this place, food is soooo good! The best German food I have ever had. I always have veal when I go there and it's so tender it melts in your mouth! Never had a bad experience there