This is certainly the best gutbürgerliche (traditional German food) restaurant in central Hannover…read moreand may be one of the best of this increasingly rare type in all of Germany. The Schweinshaxe and Eisbein are especially fine, the former exploding with molten fat from perfectly crisped skin. I rate Max W. at five stars for doing what it does so well, but to enjoy it--indeed to eat there at all--you must adhere exactingly to its Unwritten Laws. Despite its working man's prices and an interior looking like a down-at-heel Studentenkneipe this is a feinschmeker (gourmet) restaurant and must be treated as such. You need to reserve by telephone at least several days in advance, and humbly offer them an appealing number of diners (ideally either four or six: they have only 25 places at tables and four stools at the bar and must be ruthless about maximizing their yield: do not even think of asking for a table for one; they will simply refuse (reserve--and you do still need to reserve--a seat at the bar). Persons wandering in without a reservation hoping for a table--and especially tourists without German--are treated with fine forthright traditional north-German rudeness: "Nein! Nein! Weg! Weg!" (Sometimes in chorus.) This is a performance--once one has actually received permission to eat there the staff are warm and charming in a rough, Hannover, sort of way--but, I guarantee you (having suffered this) that you will not recognize the tone of your expulsion as a jolly act when it occurs, nor will you notice the ironical pleasure the regulars are taking in your fate, because you have just become a familiar--three or four times an hour--and well-loved part of the evening's entertainment. This is the same particularly German form of quiet rejoycing at the artful humiliation of others that has made Sven, the cruel bouncer at Berlin's legendary Berghain dance club, a figure of national affection. Those refused entry at Max W. become a special German sauce on the already superb food. And whether you end up as a diner or back on the pavement with your head spinning, either way you have had a perfectly authentic Hannover experience.

Been traveling all over Eastern Europe and this has been the best German food. The food is…read moreauthentic and very reasonably priced.

A modern yet cosy African restaurant in one of the nicest areas of downtown Hannover. Pretty…read morecrowded, which is a good sign. We booked a table for 15 persons in advance (an informal business dinner) without any problems. Friendly and attentive personnel, good atmosphere. The African (Senegalese) meals are not completely authentic (they deliberately adapted the menu to the German/European taste, I was told), but still sufficiently 'exotic' to be convincingly African (at the same time, my colleagues had no problem finding a meal that they liked, probably because the meals are 'understandable' for us Europeans). My (vegetarian) thiéboudienne was - according to the waiter - one of the more authentic dishes and indeed it was nicely spiced (some hot sauce on the table made it complete) and really something that I hadn't eaten before. My colleagues were very enthusiastic as well. The restaurant was full and space was quite limited. One could consider that as a disadvantage, but actually it is a sign that this (relatively new) restaurant has become quite popular. The staff was very busy but at all time attentive. Definitely a good place for a business dinner, but also a good choice for a dinner for two. Eating out in Germany is almost always quite cheap and at least affordable. This restaurant is no exception. 10 to 15 euro for a main dish and decently priced beverages are no reason for staying away from Kilimanjaro.

It took us forever to get the drinks ordered. The restaurant was not very crowded at all. After…read moresome twenty minutes we were able to get our order for food in. Since there was a party of 8 ahead of us, the kitchen decided that they would finish off that table first before even getting started on our appetizers. After more than 40 minutes there was still nothing in terms of food on our table. We decided to cut our losses and leave the restaurant. I cannot recommend going to this restaurant.

I intensely regret having to leave a review for a restaurant at which I have not eaten, but I…read moretried. people, I tried! Others on Yelp have grumped about the curious plastic card system in use at the restaurants in the Vapiano chain, and my experience is no more than the logical extremity of theirs. When I entered, the cashier at the front wordlessly handed me a credit-card sized plastic card. I went into the restaurant--the smells were very good--and sat down. No one came to take my order. I examined the menu, in both German and English, but it did not describe any procedure. I waved my mysterious card at passing servers, but they just rushed by. I searched the restaurant carefully for a poster telling customers how to order or some kind of orifice into which to insert the card (like an ATM?) but found nothing. I sat back down and tried to go on the web to find instructions or consult Yelp but I could not get a strong enough signal. I finally went back to the door to ask the cashier what I was supposed to do, but he had a long line of people--all looking happily fed, I must report--wanting to pay their bills, so I returned to my seat. After half an hour of this frustration--and with the departure of my train approaching--I picked up my luggage and joined the line at the front. The cashier ran the card. "Vot? Have you ordered nozzing?" I nodded. He put my card away without another word and I left the restaurant none the wiser. [My rating of 3 is intended to be neutral because I was unable to try the food].