Came here for lunch and left satisfied. Had goulash consisting of sour brisket over spatzle. The food here certainly tastes much better than it looks! Creative German theme and a unique place in the Ann Arbor restaurant scene. Why three stars though? Despite the food, there's something distinctly uncomfortable about the environment of this place. The eating spaces were clean, but it felt mildly claustrophobic, like a damp and mildew-y basement. Leaving the restaurant was like a breath of fresh air. Maybe I'm not too into the whole Bavarian inn feel so it threw me off, but not sure how else to describe it. read more

Heidelberg - House salad - German Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Currently: still in the restaurant waiting for my food. I came to eat here today in a large group with friends. Though I understand how stressful it can be on the staff and kitchen for large party walkins, this service was absolutely ridiculous. Everyone received their food about an hour before my boyfriend and I did. We did not get our food until I complained to a manager about it. We eventually got our food, and I was pleasantly surprised after the ridiculous wait and rude service. I will not be visiting here again. Update: I found a piece of shit on the bathroom floor. read more

I was very un happy with the service, The food looked really good, although it seems the service was ignoring tables to avoid serving food. Severely Understaffed... read more

One of my favorite things to do is go to the basement in Heidelberg and enjoy a big boot of Angry Orchard and play some darts! Such a fun experience and a favorite spot in Ann Arbor! read more

Been a regular at Heidelberg, the beer selection was great, prices were fair and the employees, especially Tony, are super nice and friendly. Sad to see the direction management has gone through recently, staff is gone, food menu has changed (and is very expensive now for bar food) and customers are given only the option of ordering through their cellphone. My friend ordered the chicken tenders which was tiny chicken strips (about 4-5) and some fries for $16. Note to management: I get that business was slow but I'm not going to sign up on a website with my personal information at a sit-down bar to order my food. read more

Great Service from our server Elena. The cook even accommodated us and kept the kitchen open late for our hockey team holiday party. Delicious food as well! read more

Don't go here. Ever. We used to love it. Last time -- almost everything German removed from menu. 40 minute wait for food. Schnitzel inedible. Lukewarm. Food served on paper plates. Just awful. read more

"I don't know if we have any german beer here", "Do you guys see the beer you want because I can't find it?", Asks for german lager, "we have Stella". I do admit this place was severely understaffed, but the menu was very confusing and the didn't have a lot of the beers we asked for. The atmosphere was great, and seemed like a very german style pub or something, but they basically has no german beer on tap and they did serve huge boots of beer. It was disappointing to order a beer and not really know if it was german or not while I was drinking it out of the boot. Overall, horrible service that night but the beer was cold and the atmosphere was fun. read more

Super yummy! Great authentic German food and beers from small German brew houses. Stopped by on a cold day while traveling from Cali and didn't regret it. read more

We went here for restaurant week and I'll definitely call this place a tasty bite! We went really early for dinner, so there wasn't really anyone there and the place was really quiet. We shared the bratwurst loaded potato skins, which were really tasty. He got the German Reuben, which he really enjoyed. It had so much meat on it! I got the potato pancakes, which I thought were made even more awesome because they used regular and sweet potatoes. For dessert we shared a perfect apple strudel. It was flaky with just the right amount of ice cream and cinnamon dusting. read more

Not the worse "German" restaurant in America, but definitely not the best. The schnitzel is just "OK" potato pancakes served burnt and the spatzle are just plain and dumped in a bowl--no butter or garnish. That said, if you are pining for something "German" it might fit the bill if you are in A2 anyway--however parking is a hassle. There are other places in the area that are just as good or better with free parking. Our waiter was absolutely clueless. Could answer no questions about the food or beer. And he mumbled--hate that! The place was empty when we arrived -- and they had the front door propped open, so it was freezing inside! One more table came in before we left--so wait on a Saturday early evening seems to be no problem! College town--think the bar is the profit center. Was hoping for acceptable food. Did not really find it here on the night of our visit! read more

After a bust at Agave, we walked to a table here at Heidelberg. Sadly experience was just as bad. There seemed to be more people "managing" than helping the one guy who was doing all the work. Opted for a pretzel which I was so disappointed by, it really should be called pretzel shaped French bread served with a side of bland cheese and generic mustard. Crunchy crust with a cold dough center. Will know next time to get my pretzel fix at Old German. read more

Heidelberg - "pretzel" i.e. French bread. disappointed. - German Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

We went to get the Heidelberg because a friend had suggested that we go there. I was excited because I had gone to UofM for undergrad and had always heard of the Heidelberg and really wanted to check it out. My buddies were talking about the "Das Boot". We got seated and decided on the 2L "Das Boot". The waiter was very courteous, but was a bit nervous. The waiter had to check to see if they had five 2L Das Boot's. He went and let us know that they only had four, so we changed the fifth order to 1L... We ordered food and the waiter had said that he had to charge us for water?!?!? He had said that the manager stated that if we wanted more water we would be charged $2 for bottled water. But the waiter was nice enough to bring us more water. The waiter was really nervous because he had mentioned how he had to sell us the bottled water for $2 or he would get fired. We asked to speak to the manager and the manager avoided us and avoided our table. I think the manager is racist b/c our table was the only table in the restaurant full of Asians. The manager is terrible and intimidates their employees. read more

This place is strange to me. The clientele is mostly a Jager and drinking-out-of-boot-glasses crowd. If that helps you. Also if it helps you, they have tons of Jager specials which completely drown out any taste of liquor. Me, I like my drinks booze-forward so I know what I'm drinking. (answer? bourbon, mostly) I've compromised here. Defaulting to my early 20s I sometimes get a PBR (Piss-water Beer Relapse?). Or a whiskey ginger (it was poured strong but somehow I still didn't like it - type of soda?). I've been taken here by some seriously cool cats on three separate occasions so the locals must have a history here ("It used to be cool!"). I really like the space. Dungeon-like without being oppressive. Besides the strong bleach smell that hits you with a great sickness to your stomach while coming down the stairs, the bar, even when mostly empty, doesn't wreak. Doesn't come up smelling like roses either. The jukebox, in so far as I can tell vis a vis songs chosen by fellow drinkers, is god awful. Kind of classic rock anthems from the 70s on through present day. By the end of the night there more than likely will be really loud Dudes yelling, "Yea BROOOOO!!!" Not really my pint of beer. Anyway. On off days/off hours there are some regulars that seem rad (but also out of place). During later evening times, I can't survive unless I bury myself in pleasant company en masse. With friends this place is a 3 star. But if my pull my head out of my tuchus and look around, it's a two. read more

OK, my experience with this place is pretty limited but I really enjoyed the time that I went here. Definitely a hole in the wall type place full of douches on the weekends, but that's OK with me as long as the beer is good and (somewhat) cheap. You can get a boot of beer or tons of Jagermeister. German-like feel for those of you who are feeling festive and in the mood for a little culture. I haven't had any of the food, but I'm sure it's OK. Definitely full of the college crowd during the evening, even during the summer hours, so watch out if that's not your sort of thing. I can see this place getting really annoying after awhile, but I had a lot of fun hanging out. Definitely go in sometime for one of those boots - it's super fun. read more

The Heidelberg (this review is only for the bar downstairs) is a place that I wanted to like so much more than I actually did. I love German beer, I love darts, and I had hoped that Heidelberg could be a comfortable place to enjoy some beer with friends. Boy was I wrong... The biggest problem for me was the rude attitude of the bartender from whom I ordered beers. Another reviewer mentioned that they felt "guilty" when ordering drinks, and that description is incredibly apt. When I ordered beers, I felt like I was bothering the bartender (who was doing nothing otherwise). This is a bar - I'm supposed to order drinks, what's the deal? The place is also ridiculously smoky, probably the function of low ceilings and poor ventilation. The darts area is actually great (high quality darts and board), but it can sometimes be very difficult to get a spot on one of the two boards. I can see how Heidelberg can be a fun bar for some, but I feel quite out of place when I'm there... read more

Word of mouth calls the food served at the family restaurant at ground level "authentic" (to Germany, I presume), reports that it arrives in "generous portions," and recommends the schnitzels. Me, I only eat sausage on my knees, so I'm an upstairs/ downstairs gal at the Heidelberg. Upstairs,the live entertainment is wildly hit-or-miss, but the venue is so peculiar it seems like a particular treat when it's a hit. Stand-up comedy every Tuesday is worth the $5 admission exactly once, because the same very funny guys are there every week (~10:30pm). If poetry slams are your thing, the soap box sets up on the first and third Tuesdays of the month around 8pm. Besides occasional rock shows, the "Club Above" is a dance club on most weekend nights with little to recommend it. That's when it's time to head downstairs, to the Rathskellar. Long wooden tables, cozy high-back dark wood booths, a familiar juke box and darts in the back, prompt and smart cocktail servers, and lots and lots of beer. Almost divey, almost hip, almost a townie bar, and mostly just German. People aren't nearly as interesting to look at or interested in looking at you as at they are further down Main St., which makes it a nice stop for a last call with few expectations. Oh, and slip a doodle or trinket under the glass on the tables for future drinkers' entertaiment. read more

Although the place looks very authentic German (it was, in fact, built by a German), the food selection is a mix of both German and American. If you match any of the heavy food with a BOOT (one liter of beer (yum!)), you'll be full. Appetizers -Cheese & Sausage Platter: this is no charcuterie platter by any means, but it's a good mix of what you would typically see atop a brötchen in Germany. Thickly cut, these meats and cheeses are great with or sans bread. -Wurst Sampler (3 sausages): the wurst sampler is good although I've had better wrapped meat elsewhere. Entrees -Rouladen (a mix of bacon, bell peppers, dill pickle, swiss cheese and mustard): these are either a hit or a miss. While they are very flavorful, sometimes they are just too dry, even if they still retain their fabulous flavor. FINAL VERDICT: I love the décor but the service is generally slow, the food is mediocre, and it's just not that authentic anymore with all of the burgers, nachos and fries on the menu. read more

I've lived in Ann Arbor for a little over 10 years, I've worked/played/eaten/drank at every single restaurant in this town. And yet, at the end of every night, I always end up at the berg. I've read previous posts and I'd like to comment/review for myself. First of all, the food at the Berg is pretty damn good. It's not catered to the posh ann arborite small portion, healthy eater, it's meat and potatoes and gravy. I've not visited Germany, but I know several Germans or those who have visited or lived overseas and they seem to think it's pretty on point. The more popular items on the menu are the sandwiches/appetizers. Classic bar food, perfect for when you want to snack while you're drinking. But make no mistake, this is a bar first. The only reason I am not giving the berg 5 stars is the upstairs club. But that will change once the renovations and clean up is complete. The acoustics are tough for bands, so some of the music sounds dreadful. Karaoke was a hit upstairs forever, but when they toughened up on underagers, the freshman and sophamores went back to ricks or scorekeepers or wherever they take their fake ids. The main dining room is the chill spot most of the time, it's usually more quiet, non-smoking during dining hours, and a great spot to just chill and hang out. Beware if it's your first few times, everyone there knows everyone else, so you may get a few glares, but keep at it, they'll warm up to you. Now the Rathskeller. This has been my church for almost 10 years. The basement offers whatever you want, you can get wasted for $10 or spend $200. The $2.50 beers are all top quality, flying dog and Hoffbrau, and the selection of bottles is A+. The berg sports the best dart boards in town, and usually the best players as well, Happy hour specials, drink specials, late night specials are solid. Jukebox is fun (although needs to be updated more frequently i feel), megatouch games always packed, and 6 televisions so u can catch whatever u want to see. just reach up there and turn on whatever you want. Oh, and that bartender who works downstairs? For every one of you that trash her, there is someone down there who will take a bullet for her. Every other bar where clowns are impatient, don't tip well or at all; Yeah, the bartender may smile at you, but I can tell you as one of those guys, we're plotting your death and dismemberment in our minds and we are telling every other person what jerks they are. She just skips the process and tells you right to your face. And having been down there for 10 years or so, I can tell you that about 80% of the time, she is dead on with her customers. If I can give anyone some help about downstairs, or any other bar for that matter, try this..... 1. Be patient, it's rare the bartender is just screwing off, most of the time they're talking to a regular, building business, or something catches their eye and they're paying attention and didn't see you. 2. Tip on the first round, even if you're running a tab...that lets your bartender know you're a good customer. And when the bartender turns around on a busy night, they always remember the good customer. 3. Be cool...we can always tell if you're fronting or trying to be somebody, just relax and order something easy. Slow nights are the nights to ask "can you make me a "good" shot", not when they're 3 deep. 4. Smile and say thank you Anyone who follows those four steps usually ends up with a pretty damn good bartender. They'll remember you, respect you, and even buy you a drink or two. If you want the bartender in the basement to be a good bartender, try being a good customer. Having said that, there are a lot of bartenders I go see because they take care of me and I have a good time, and that woman downstairs at the Heidelberg is #1 on my list. Enjoy your blogging..... Chris read more

The worst service I have ever had at a restaurant. They blamed it on lack of staff because someone quit Management seemed to treat their staff really bad. This place is a kitchen nightmare! read more

DAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS BOOOOOOOOOOOT!!! Ok, maybe I'm too childish, but I love this bar. I've actually never eaten any food at the Heidelberg before, but why would you, when you can indulge in a 2 liter boot of beer? Yes, it may be clique after beerfest the movie to drink beer out of a boot, but don't bash it til' you try it, cus its pretty darn fun! I often find myself there on the weekends on one of the middle stops of our drinking tours of A2, and it never disappoints. One thing that is totally amazing is the non-smoking ban. I went there one weekend night, and I'm pretty sure my susceptibility to acquiring lung cancer went up about 25%; it was really bad. Granted, you kind of have to expect a little bit of smoke when you go to a bar; well, at least used to, but this was ridankulous. I don't think it helped that we were in a brick lined basement that had zero ventilation. Other than the boots, the Heidelberg offers a change of pace from the other bars in A2; its really cool in the basement, and they usually always have tunes going on the juke box. If you plan to go check it out, you'll probably see me there; I'll probably be half-way to drunk and all the way to having an awesome fricken time. read more

I hardly write reviews unless I've had a really great experience, or a really bad experience. In this case, I had to voice about my awful customer experience with this restaurant. The older female bartender upstairs has a serious attitude problem. If you enjoy waiting 15-20 minutes for a beer when it isn't busy, and being treated like crap, this is the place for you. I'd recommend walking far out of your way to avoid at all costs. read more

Cool underground space equipped with your typical German beers, Spaten, and the boot! Good for large groups. Loud atmosphere, reminiscent of a Oktoberfest tent but in a basement. Don't forget your trading cards to immortalize yourself on one of their plexiglass tabletops. read more

I feel like Heidelberg should be GREAT--fun, original, quirky. But whenever I've ended up there with friends in the basement, I feel like I'm trapped underground with too-loud music, in a too-crowded place. The selection is okay, the prices are okay... but it's ultimately just a noisy bar. Disclaimer: Aside from lackluster happy hour chicken wings, I've never eaten here. read more

This place made me feel like I was in Germany. We got beer by the boots, veal, sauerkraut, and pretzels. The food and atmosphere were better than we expected. I highly recommend Heidelberg for a fun and tasteful dinner. The bartender, Tony, was full of recommendations and gave very energetic service to us, topping the cake! read more

Weird vibe in here, I think it's primarily because the staff/bartenders are not friendly and seemed like they didn't want to be bothered. Also very dark inside. I don't think I'll be back. read more

Outstanding lunches on Saturday. Haven't had the chance to dine at dinner but we have never been disappointed and the service & beer choices are terrific. We drive 45 minutes and it's worth it! read more

My friends and I always come back to see Alaina. She is very attentive and has a great attitude!

I am giving the Heidelberg 3 stars for a few reasons, but none of them include the quality of the food in the restaurant. I've never ordered anything off of the menu, and I probably never will. But I still feel that the Heidelberg deserves 3 stars from me for the reasons that I am about to list. 1) RIDICULOUS Happy Hour on Thursdays and Fridays (unless it's changed in the last year or so. I haven't been in awhile.) Thursdays 5 to 7, with the purchase of 2 drinks (beers count), FOR FREE you can eat all-you-can-eat tacos. Fridays 5 to 7, with the purchase of 2 drinks (and again, beers count), FOR FREE you can eat all-you-can-eat chips/salsa and chicken wings. IPA bottles of beer are $2 so in theory for a total of $5, you can have 2 beers and dinner (albeit an unhealthy one). 2) The Boot. I believe they have mini-boots now, but the true boot is about 100 oz of beer that you can fill up for $20 with any beer on tap. Yes, there's a deposit, but hopefully you (or a friend) can make sure you don't break the thing so you get your money back. I once thought that my friend was ridiculous for finishing 1 boot until I realized the table of large, construction-worker-esque looking men had each finished 2 and some were ordering a 3rd. That was ridiculous. 3) The Heidelberg is really busy for Happy Hour on Thurs/Fri, but otherwise, it's a pretty low-key place to go for some drinks before you really head out for the night. I also appreciate the fact that they have a jukebox. I ate many a meal during college at the Heidelberg Happy Hour and have a few fond memories so that makes the Heidelberg alright in my book. read more

I Love the Berg!! I feel like a lot of reviews for this place are for the bar downstairs, I almost never go to this part of the restaurant. This place has consistently good, affordable food. The lunch specials are great and they also have a lunch card that gets you free food after so many purchases. You have to try the potato skins they are addictive. The dining room is a good place for families. Our two daughters always enjoy eating here. read more

Honestly, depending on what you do and when you go, this can be the best place ever or the place you'd never want to come back to. The vast majority of beer they have are hefeweizens (from hefeweiss to dopplebock -- I don't remember seeing an eisbock there though). They also have a full bar, but I've only gotten beer there, especially when they had Scheneider Edel Weisse. And yes, you can order a boot. The pros and cons are basically split by levels for me. Going downstairs (which is where most people go) has been mostly a bad time in my book. The bartender can be very unprofessional: ignoring customers ("you guys are next to someone's sit and I don't care to serve you!"), kicking clients out for seemingly innocuous requests ("can we get some water and by the way we already asked 3 times?"). It also gets crowded on Fridays and Saturdays, the juke box gets pretty loud and if you're planning on talking to people be prepared to yell. On the other hand, the ground floor is mostly ignored. We've gone there with a big group (16 people) to grab a beer and maybe a late night snack and easily got a table immediately. The bartender has always been great ("Oh! It's your birthday?! Here is a round of shots on the house and I'll get you another one after you have some beer"). The food is decent and not terribly expensive. The biggest attraction for me has been the variety of German beer and the fact that it's a cool place to hang out and have a conversation. read more

What a mistake! We were looking for authentic German fare to celebrate our father's birthday and this place was a HUGE disappointment. First, it was extremely cold when we were seated, so we asked our server to turn down the fan. He pretty much ignored the request and suggested that we should just move to the other end of the table. We ordered several appetizers and they were passable, nothing special, but okay. The drink selection was also, just okay. We ordered our meals and it took FOREVER for them to come. When we were finally served the food was luke warm, at best, over salted and tasteless. I was looking forward to the pot roast, but it was so fatty I could have barely choked it down even if it was hot. The "Bavarian Pretzel", for which they charge $10 was clearly frozen and was served undercooked. The potato soup and the cheese soup were also bland, over salted and cold. Of the four desserts on the menu, only two were available. One that we ordered was a root beer float. It was served in a very large mug and was enough for at least 4 people. We asked our server for some additional mugs or cups, so that we could split it up and share. He said "no, that's too messy" and walked away. When the bill finally arrived it included an automatic 20% gratuity, which would be okay if we had received good service and edible food. There were 12 of us and not one of us ate their entire meal. Overall it was a pretty bad experience and we will never go back. read more

The first time my friends and I came we went immediately downstairs to the bar. It's fun atmosphere with a jukebox and "boot" beers, which I feel a lot of my male friends felt obligated to try. The second time we came, we stayed upstairs for dinner. Germany is not known for its culinary contributions to the world, but I've learned over the years to stick to the main offerings of a restaurant i.e. I got a brisket dish with sides of potato pancakes and sauerkraut which was decent, but my roommate's vegetable and rice mixture entree did not settle well with her. Our waiter's name was Fritz, which was a suspiciously perfect. read more

Heidelberg - Potato pancakes, brisket - German Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Let me start by saying this is based ONLY on the Rathskeller.. It was a weird night to begin with as my husband was drinking...he may have A whiskey after work every now and again but this night it was multiple whiskey's. He was on a Jameson kick and we had just left another bar after being told they didn't have any whiskey at all. We asked someone where to go and the Rathskeller was mentioned. He perked up right away as he'd been wanting to go there since we moved here. Well the first complaint was the heat/humidity...I seriously began wondering if the Rathskeller was a large humidor as we were all treated as human cigars. The bartender did end up burning us after all.... Which brings me to the worst part....My husband ordered the Jameson Gold (yes I know it's top shelf) but a 750ml is usually around $65. Patron Silver is around $40 and that's usually about a $10 margarita. So I figure the Jameson should have been around a $12 drink. (Still too much to pay for any liquor but apparently I married a whiskey snob). However, the bartender decided he wanted to charge us $18 for a drink! I think he was pissed that I ordered the Puerto Rican rum and coke they had on special for $2. read more

The food is hit and miss, the fried pickles were really good, but the chicken wings were just alright, not terrible but nothing special. Service was good, waiter always came by when our drinks were empty we did not need to wait around for anything. Pretty decent beer selection, not the most up to date beer menu a lot of stuff we wanted to get were out. Some good German beers on tap along with some other breweries and a pretty decent bottle selection. Really good prices we got 7 German beers, chicken wings and fried pickles and it was only 53 dollars so cant complain about that. The place has seen better days, its a little beat up, but if you are in the area and want some decent German food and beer I would say head on in. More of a good college bar then somewhere you would go on the weekend, kind of reminds me of Ashleys over by the campus. read more

Heidelberg can be very good, in a very limited way. When should you go? Friday happy hour (5-7). All-you-can-eat wings and chips with two drinks! And for the drinks, you can get the Hofbrau bottles for $2.50 (used to be $2), which is a pretty good deal for one of the most famous German breweries. Otherwise, stay away. The "German" plates are poor imitations of the real thing, and not particularly cheap. The crowd tend to be somewhat weird and sketchy. The music frankly sucks. Don't bother, unless it's Friday happy hour. read more

I have nothing good to say about Heidelberg's food. Nothing tastes fresh whatsoever. I tried the kaesespaetzle twice, and both times it was so greasy and heavy. I also tried a salad topped with salmon filet. The salmon was way over-seasoned with salt and pepper, pathetically unsuccessful at masking the lack of freshness and flavor of the fish. The cucumbers tasted mildewy, and the lettuce was wilted. The bread is both sweet and dry - not at all appetizing. Seriously, the only good thing about this place is the one cute waiter, Nick. read more

I'm only ever in the Rathskeller (basement area), and on busier nights, it's hard to seat a large group. It also gets difficult to flag down a waiter/waitress. But there's a decent selection of beer, and where else in Ann Arbor can you get DAS BOOT!!! ? read more

This review is strictly for the Rat Cellar, er Rathskellar, downstairs at the Heidelberg. It really is the perfect place to drink. Old, but not derelict. Cozy but not cloying. It has the best jukebox in Ann Arbor. There are both long tables and booths to sit at -- perfect for small or large groups. Get the Warsteiner Dunkel on draft and you will not be disappointed. It's an eminently drinkable beer and it is always fresh because they go through so many kegs of it. They have lovely German and bar snacks as well. The sausage and cheese plate is definitely a must-have. They would normally get 4 stars, but their service has gone a bit downhill in the last few years. They were kind of dicks to me when I left my wallet there, but at least they had it and kept it safe for me until I could pick it up. It's always a good stop on a pub crawl, and sometimes the crawls don't make it past there because it's such a good place to go drinking with friends. read more

I cannot rate zero stars. We made a reservation for 8 at 2p. I know there were at least 2 other large reservations, that also walked out. There was one server scheduled, she told us that. We sat there for 50 minutes after ordering beers and appetizers and received 2 apps the entire time we were there. After 1 hour and no apologies we left. It is clear management does not know how to schedule for an event. This was an extreme disappointment and a damper on a great day. read more