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    Himmel's

    4.0 (231 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, German, Buffets
    Closed 5:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Himmel's Takeout or Delivery

    Himmel's Photos

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    HIMMEL'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Himmel's

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    Hofbräu Draft Beer
    Rudy S.

    My favorite German Restaurant in Chicago. High quality food and most authentic. I enjoyed everything that I ordered including German draft beer and German schnapps. Himmel's serves by far the best Steak Tartare I've had in years. The flavor was amazing. Also amazing is the service by Harper behind the bar. Harper makes all guests feel at home. I highly recommend this restaurant.

    Liver Dumpling
    Briana L.

    Himmel's is one of the few surviving German restaurants in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood. A go-to establishment that people flock to for authentic German cuisine. - You'll find it hard not to fill up on their house made pretzel bread - One of the only places to make traditional liver dumpling soup. It tastes like a combination of a meatball and matzoh ball in a very comforting flavorful broth. - Any dish that comes with their housemade spatzel and red cabbage doesn't disappoint! Pork medallions are one of the best dishes! That sauce is to die for! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Live music most nights too![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Only detriment is the kitchen and service can be a bit slow. So as long as you're not in a rush and you like the people you're dining with, it's a pretty good night.

    Wurst Platte
    Lenny G.

    Amazing German food. Loved the sauerkraut, probably the best I've ever had. Service was exceptional. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance is fun, casual place with some live music and dancing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely recommend.

    Bavarian bar!
    Reba G.

    Wow! We are visiting from out of town and had a blast! Service was lovely, Rahm schnitzel was so good! Lynn for the win!! If we lived here we would be back every week!

    Chicken Parmigiano
    Hailey C.

    This place is the best - delicious food and drinks - [[HIGHLIGHT]]cozy, welcoming, fun atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] - and staff that makes you feel part of the family immediately!! We celebrated my step dads 63rd party here and by the end of the night he was best friends with 2 70 year old regulars at the bar and they exchanged numbers. The food - GREAT - I was nervous going to a german restaurant as a vegetarian but the mushroom stew was to die for. So fricken good. Like heaven on my tongue. My brother got the chicken parm - could have been enough food for 4 people HUGE. My little 10 year old sister got the kids schnitzel and loved it - she ate it in 5 minutes! We all loved our beers. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Combine that with some live german musicians playing acordians and a 85 year old couple dancing to it sweetly and I could not be happier.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Korinne J.

    We hosted our wedding here June 7th. We had a traveling wedding reception and Himmels was our first stop of the night. Carol and Diane created Oktoberfest in June for our guests. The food was delicious and the beer was flowing! Their hospitality was warm and Himmels is part of our family now.

    Chicken schnitzel
    Loretta F.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Old world, German atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Friendly service. Great made in house pretzel bread. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Music on weekends.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Authentic German menu. I recommend the chicken schnitzel. Pictured is one portion.

    Paula B.

    I feel terrible writing this review, a place that was close to our hearts and location of our first date, but I have never felt more awkward and uncomfortable at a restaurant in my life. We came in on a Saturday evening, excited to celebrate a milestone in our life. We walked in and had no clue where to stand, where to stand/check in, and waited for five minutes at the front. Multiple servers and people walked past us and nobody paid us any mind, even avoiding us when waved at. There were a decent amount of tables available and we thought maybe it's seat yourself. We walked up to the bartender and asked if it's seat yourself to which he replied, "NO," with no elaboration. No help on where to wait, nothing else, just no, and then went back to joking with the patrons. Hellbent on eating at the restaurant where we had our first date we waited five more minutes to which our server saw us and sat us down. Then we waited another five minutes, no water, no menus, and finally our server realized the issue and brought us menus. Promptly after we got the menu we were asked on what beer we wanted to order as well as food. Food did come out quickly, it was great, and our server apologized but it was the least inviting experience we've ever had. Multiple locals came into himmels after we were seated and were quickly greeted by the the bartender and other servers. I don't understand why we had to feel like new kids trying to find a place to sit in the cafeteria but that's how it felt and unfortunately has permanently tainted my feelings towards himmels. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Unfriendly and discourteous atmosphere, we won't be eating here again.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Pretzel bread
    Steve B.

    The last time I had really good German food was when I was in Ohio. I have to say Himmel's was spot on. The food was super fresh and well worth the wait. I will recommend the pizza rustica and the champignon rahm schnitzel! And the waiter we had recommended dishes and was very friendly to my friend and I! I will defiantly be coming back again. And on the weekend they have fresh pretzel bread for customers and live music!

    Artwork.
    Nina H.

    We took our dad here for Father's Day. We had a good time with food and ambiance that did not disappoint. We arrived at opening and got seated right away. The weekend we went, they had entertainment with a live accordion player. Despite staffing challenges, the host and owners did their best to keep things moving. Most things ordered were outstanding especially the following: * Steak Tartare * Lachs Toast * Bayerische Platte - A charcuterie of meats, spread, pretzels and cheese * Champignon Rahm Schnitzel *Cherry Strudel The house made bread was pretty good too. Parking in Lincoln Square is hit or miss but if you time it right and arrive at opening or off times, you can find a spot. Enjoy and Prost!

    Sauerbraten, Spatzle, Red Cabbage
    Barb B.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cozy atmosphere with a German flair;[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] delicious pretzel bread and authentic German cuisine. If you're a fan of spatzle, sausages, schnitzel, cabbage, etc. , this place will hit the spot!

    Good evening, welcome to Himmel's, how many?
    Eric B.

    Step inside and it's as though you've been transported to Old World Bavaria in December. The small dining room is adorned with all manner of knick-knacks and Christmas decorations. This place morphed from Pizza D.O.C. to Himmel's about 9 years ago but they kept the pizza and other Italian specialties on the menu. While not exactly fusion cuisine, Himmel's menu provides an opportunity to mix or match German and Italian classics. The mere thought of sauerkraut pizza makes my intestines frown. Our party dined here during Oktoberfest. We had the honor of being served by one of Himmel's co-owners. Their special Oktoberfest menu featured German classics (10 entrées, all sturdy, none 'light'). Of course, some apropos imported beers are offered on tap. I regaled my palate with a half-liter of Hirter, an Austrian dark beer dating back to 1270. All entrees include a basket of delectable pretzel bread and a choice of soup or house salad. The only salad dressing offered, red wine vinegar and olive oil, was so tart it made my mouth pucker. Substitutions are verboten, which certainly does not set well with anyone having a food aversion. I ordered sauerbraten. The meat should have been fork-tender, but I found it to be quite chewy and the flavor less savory than at other places where I've had this dish. The accompanying spätzle and red cabbage were superb. My Missus' chicken schnitzel was a much better entrée than mine. Boneless white meat was pounded thin, breaded, and fried to a juicy crisp. Others in our party gave high marks to the Wiener (veal) schnitzel, Champignon Rahm (mushroom & pork tenderloin) schnitzel, Schwammerl stew (mushroom stew with bread dumplings), and calzones. Portions were super-generous and our server Diana was great. Only two desserts were offered - apple strudel and cherry cheesecake. You couldn't have the former a la mode because there was no ice cream. Live music began around 6:30. A talented musician with a guitar forwent traditional Teutonic oom-pah-pah, crooning instead pop standards such as "Here Comes the Sun" and "Mrs. Robinson."

    Eric W.

    Himmel's might be the only restaurant that you can get authentic #German and #Italian cuisine in the same place . They have all the German favorites like schnitzel, bavarian pork shank and sauerbraten , but they also have been serving pizza that is hand crafted and baked in a wood burning oven that came from Rome, Italy. I love this family owned restaurant (two sisters) that sits on the Northside Chicago in Lincoln Square . Every time I think I feel like I've been waited on by a family member so it seems so homey. They also have a great selection of German beer on draft served in steins. This is a great place to have a family dinner and good times!

    Pear Salad

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    4 years ago

    The Easter meal is pure PERFECTION! Of course, everytime we have had anything here it is fabulous, but this was extraoridianry!

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    Went last week which was their Octoberfest Dinner was Great staff was extremely attentive and a fun place to be. Music was awesome as well.

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    Ask the Community - Himmel's

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    Quite a fun way to end our Chicago visit. Resi's is based on a less popular adaptation of a German…read moregaststätte or bar/restaurant. A ton of distraction on the walls. Plenty to get lost in. It's a small room but compensated by a nice outdoor patio. At the same time, eight folks is not a problem for these guys to handle. Eight is a most perfect number for us. The rules are simple. Divide up your entree. As each plate passes, drop a portion and pass it on. If you really don't like something, either give it back, find someone at the table who wants it or just finish it anyway. Now you know what to order next visit, when it's just the two of you. The food here is surprisingly good. Not a bad dish on the menu and no shortage of smiles from the staff. Our waitress started off a bit rocky, but really brought it around and rocked the place. Two words, BIG TIP (even though we made her job easier). The steins stayed full and the other drinks flowed very nicely. Everyone ate and drank like kings and enjoyed our last night together. The bill for the evening I'm told was only $300 for 8 guests. Factory in the heavy drinking, I'd say that was more than reasonable. 08/25

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    Schnitzel and potato pancakes (served with sour cream and apple sauce)
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    Edelweiss Restaurant

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    Edelweiss was a great German restaurant. My husband and I both order the Wienerschnitzel with…read morespaetzle and the German potatoes. This came with a cup of split pea soup. We started with an enormous pretzel with yummy cheese and mustard dips. All of the food was as absolutely delicious and nice big portions. I think we could have shared one plate but maybe next time. We were too full to get one of their very appealing desserts. Our server, Elizabeth, provided excellent service as she was friendly and very attentive It was a pleasure and we will be back when we come back to town. Thank you for the great experience. Danke schön

    We visited this restaurant after a wake nearby and enjoyed the bar atmosphere and pub grub. The…read moreAlpine Thunder band were playing on Sunday and added to a festive atmosphere. The good: The pretzel was amazing, hot and buttery, salty and soft. It's presented on a hanging wire and was at least two feet high. The cheese curds were light and cheesy and beers were everything you'd expect from a German restaurant (including a 2 liter boot of Spaten). People we were with enjoyed the cabbage soup and potato pancakes. The not so good: The jaegerschnizel pork meal was not good, it was hard and unflavorful (I've been to Oktoberfest in Munich where they fed 3000 people and it tasted better). The spaezel and red cabbage were good sides but a bit on the small side. We sat in the bar and service was fine, a bit slow but friendly. The final bill was not exorbitant for the amount of food and beer we had.

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    The oompa band roams and will come up to your table if it's your birthday!!
    The oompa band roams and will come up to your table if it's your birthday!!
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    Döner 97

    Döner 97

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    Knock me over with a feather! What I thought of myself as a…read moreworldly guy, who has eaten just about everything, had my first, ever "Döner" sandwich ever! What's a "Döner" you ask? It's an incredibly popular Turkish sandwich, loved and adored in the city of Berlin, Germany of all places. Our son, visiting us here in Chicago (from New York) was taunting the virtues of this rather large and tasty sandwich and of course, the city of Chicago has a restaurant making this; just right up the street. Döner 97 on Clark Street adjacent to Lincoln Park is serving up this delicious, sloppy (in a good way) sandwich with all of the fixings. I had their Combination Döner Sandwich a combination of both beef / lamb and chicken kebab sandwich with tender, seasoned meat, fresh veggies, and flavorful sauces in warm flatbread. I really liked it. We also bought a Chicken Döner Sandwich with delicious chicken döner kebab sandwich: tender, seasoned chicken, fresh veggies, and flavorful sauces in warm flatbread. Also very good. These Döner sandwiches are huge like a massive Mexican burrito, messy like a sloppy Joe sandwich, but fun like French Fondue. Döner 97 was a first for me and I was pleasantly surprised!

    My cousin Mickey and his wife, Minnie, drive from Skokie twice a month because of their love for…read morethe place. It's more fast food than dining room, even though there are tables and chairs, if you prefer. The döner sandwiches are something special. It's clear they use fresh ingredients and put a little tlc in every one they prepare. If you're into baked potato check out the build your own Kumpir. Butter drenched potato with your choice of veggies and proteins added. A meal in itself! I sampled and loved their Red Lentil soup and Bulgar dishes. The big winner this night was the Ćevapi sausages in their special flatbread. Pro Tip: consider splitting something. The portion size is impressive. If you like leftovers, ignore my tip and get two completely different dishes that you can share the next day. Actually, that's two tips in one. So Pro Tips! The cost was fairly reasonable and the waitstaff very efficient. Cousin Mickey (his name is Michael, her's is Amelia; they DID have the nicknames before meeting each other) spent two years traveling back and forth between Germany and Turkey and he claims this fare to be very authentic. 09/25

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    Basic open place and seating
    Basic open place and seating
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    Pleasant House Pub

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    Warm and lovely British pub with delicious pies and efficient service…read more My dining partner and I tried the mushroom and kale and the rocking vegan pies. The mushroom and kale pie was nice and cheesy and the rocking vegan pie was more savoury, with a variety of vegetables and chickpeas as stuffing. The crust was neither too soft nor too crunchy. The highlight of the meal was the curry chips: potato wedges lightly fried with masala and curry leaves. The dipping sauce that came with the chips reminded me of tikka masala sauce, and paired beautifully with the chips. Dessert was toffee pudding: the caramel sauce that came with the pudding was delectable - the pudding itself was excellent and not overly sweet. We tried a variety of NA beers, and I was pleased with how many options they had. Service was quick, and we were well looked after. The ambiance is warm, with dim-ish lighting and a lot of dark wood. The restrooms were gorgeous - special shoutout to the lovely floral wallpaper. Overall, I highly recommend Pleasant House - the vibe is chill and understated and the food is stellar.

    Everything I could ask for in a English pub. Great beer…read moremenu, enough different options but a clear focus on bitters, ales, pub ales, etc. Started with a scotch edge and it was delicious. The sausage was very tasty, the breading on the outside was incredibly crisp, light, and the egg inside was cooked well. Both the steak pie and the chicken pie were very good. The chicken pie I think really needed the chutney that you can get separately. But that made it so much better and made it my preferred pie. The steak and ale pie was better than the chicken pie as a standalone, but needed a bit more gravy I think to elevate it. Sticky toffee pudding again was delicious. Surprisingly light, not overly dense so I was glad it came with the custard which was very flavorful. Overall, will definitely return!

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    Staropolska Restaurant

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    4.6
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    Staropolska is a gem! The menu is affordable, the food is great and street parking was easily…read moreaffordable. We made a reservation as we were a group of 5 and it was not an issue, but it could be on a weekend. There was only one server, but she was on top of her game. The restaurant is European, so it's not designed to be the American rush to eat. We started with potato pierogi to share. They were so amazing! My entree was stuffed chick with dumplings and a lovely cucumber salad. Very good, decent portion. The only detractor could be the restroom which is down a flight of stairs, and could be a challenge for anyone with mobility issues. Def worth checking out.

    Chicago reportedly has a large Polish immigrant population, so I tried Polish food here for the…read morefirst time. It was quite unique and commendable. Sour Rye Soup: Not bad, but honestly, I wouldn't order it again... the fermented sourness was just too direct and intense. Polish Hunters Stew: Apparently a national dish of Poland. The first bite tasted like Italian meat sauce, with a rich tomato flavor and a slight smoky aroma; then I discovered the ingredients included sausage, cured beef brisket, minced meat, and sauerkraut, making it quite substantial and much more satisfying than Italian meat sauce. Overall, it was a rich, sweet and sour flavor, perfect with rice, pasta, or bread. Sauerkraut & Mushroom Pierogi: Dumplings, but the Polish version. The sauerkraut was only slightly sour, refreshing and delicious with the mushrooms, while the sour cream added a touch of creaminess and richness. Unfortunately, the skin was thick and sticky, as if it had been boiled for a long time. For better dumplings skin, please turn to a Northeastern Chinese. Half Duck: Strangely, it reminded me of confit de canard. The meat was incredibly tender, falling off the bone with a gentle pull; the melt-in-your-mouth texture was truly delightful. The cranberry sauce was perfectly balanced between sweet and sour, with a rich fruity and fermented aroma. The rosemary emerged in the aftertaste, enriching the flavors and cutting through the richness. The accompanying sauerkraut was even better than the duck, with a crunchy texture and a mild, pleasant sourness, enveloped in a rich buttery and creamy flavor. The accompanying fpotatoes were also soft and delicious, but the roasted pear was too overpowering in its softness and sweetness, not meeting my expectations for a palate cleanser. Table Bread: The bread itself was unremarkable, but the generous amount of butter was commendable. I cannot believe that there is only one server for all the tables.

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    Inside Staropolska(Old Polish Area Milwaukee Ave block from Belmont Ave) Highly Recommended! Great Polish Food!Super inside Decor! Cool!
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    Himmel's - italian - Updated August 2026

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