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    Zur Letzten Instanz

    3.7 (130 reviews)
    PriceyNorthern German
    Open 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

    Zur Letzten Instanz Photos

    ZUR LETZTEN INSTANZ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Zur Letzten Instanz

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    Reviews With Photos

    Onion tarte tatin | cheese from Blomeyer
    Helen H.

    It is the oldest restaurant in Berlin- 1621. We sat outside in the shade. The waiter went over the food and drink menu with us. He was more talkative and friendly then other waiters/ waitresses we've encountered in Germany. I came upon this place when I was trying to find a restaurant that serves schweinshaxe- pork knuckle. The pork knuckle is a big dish as there is a lot of meat. My favorite part of the pork knuckle is the crispy skin. It also came with a side of potatoes, either fried or mashed. I was very full after this meal and wasn't able to finish everything. I enjoyed my time here.

    Apple tart for pudding - first class.
    Nick H.

    Great place to go if you want authentic German cuisine. This can be heavy but if you choose wisely from the menu it can also be relatively light and delicious. Service is excellent. Ambiance is what you might expect from the oldest restaurant in Berlin: old-fashioned, not at all stylish, historical. A good evening out of you want to experience a straightforward German meal without any finickety 21st century pretentions. Sorry the pictures aren't of pristine plates of foods but I was very hungry.....

    Krys P.

    What do Beethoven, Napoleon, Charlie Chaplin, Angela Merkel, Jacques Chirac and I have in common? We had all enjoyed a fine meal and downed some delicious beer at this restaurant, the oldest in Berlin. More accurate to history, while this location has been serving food since 1621, the current restaurant name and ownership is relatively recent. Nonetheless, it's no hype, the delicious food it serves is worthy of its fame and line. Pork knuckle is a popular German dish. I was told that it's usually oven roasted in the south and boiled in the north. Here they offer both versions, though I suppose it's no surprise that eisbein, the boiled version, wins out here, with a melting soft skin and tender, juicy meat. The baked one is too dry and definitely does not measure up to the ones I've tried in southern Germany. Fried fish fillet is also delicious with a crunchy oatmeal coating. Special mention is worthy of the cucumber salad. Crunchy, fresh, buttery and loaded with dill, the best cucumber salad I've tried. On my second visit I asked the waiter to substitute my side with cucumber salad, but either he misunderstood or it couldn't be done, it came as an extra order. If you didn't make reservation, try coming off hours. The waitstaff seems to only take as many table as they and the kitchen can effectively serve. So even if the place is not full, they may tell the customer apologetically, in English or German, that they are full. But if 10 minutes later a group leaves, then the next customer who walks in may get seated. Nothing discriminatory, just how they operate, like it or not.

    Pig knuckles over red cabbage
    Caryl B.

    What can you say it's a 600 year old restaurant in Berlin. Many people famous people have been there. My husband and I went on our last day in Berlin and it's very quaint. My husband got the pig knuckle which was actually better than it sounds and I've got the classic stuffed cabbage rolls. They had a different flavor but they were good. The staff was very friendly very accommodating. Just a nice little restaurant to visit if you have the time while you're in Berlin.

    Hmmm might be interesting
    Robert G.

    Being the oldest restaurant in Berlin, you would imagine that the building would have that old world flare. Well, it definitely did. We first went on a late night hoping for a table but the man told us they were closed, so we went back the next day at 530pm. They were booked with reservations but he was nice enough to seat us outside on the patio which was absolutely lovely. We had a couple of beers before 6pm rolled around which was when food would start to be made. The first thing we ordered was a few appetizers, meatballs and pickled pork. I wasnt a fan of the pickled pork but the Meatballs were so delicious! I then ordered the stuffed cabbage which is filled with a meatloaf type meat made out of sausage and beef. It was brilliant! The last thing we did was share a apple streudel pie thingy with vanilla ice cream which was one of the best desserts I have ever had. There is absolutely a reason that this place has existed for over 400 years, and in that time they have perfected recipes. It was a memorable meal between 4 friends and a place I would definitely visit again if I make my way back to Berlin.

    remy Ryu A.

    Loved this place! Came in without reservations but they fit us in ( with a time limit, but totally understandable). Staff was very attentive, explained food well, made recommendations. Food was excellent. Pork knuckles is a staple and a must try. So tender, good abd delicious you would want to take it home and introduce to your mother! And then we had cheese dumplings.... Seriously, I craved them for the rest of my stay in Berlin. Meal was paired with some beer and schnapps and it was a delightful experience. Will visit this place every time we come to Berlin!

    Chris L.

    Read about this place and walked here one night for dinner, wanting to eat in the oldest restaurant in Berlin. Unfortunately they were booked, so we made reservations for the following night. Came back and had a great dinner experience. Our food was delicious, the staff were friendly, the ambiance was excellent. It was very authentic german and made us feel very native. We would definitely come back again.

    Outdoor Beer Garden
    Rudy S.

    The reviews are correct. Tasty Traditional German Food in a historic building away from all tourist activity. I loved their small outdoor garden under big trees. Definitely can recommend the Cabbage Rolls with German fried potatoes. YUM I'll be back

    königsberger klopse
    Rachel S.

    seriously amazing food, very nice ambiance inside the restaurant with everyone clearly having a good time. also the staff was super nice

    Apple pie
    Michael A.

    Wonderful food. Best we have had in Berlin and dare I say Germany. Service was perfect, prices were low for the quality. The lamb sausages were absolutelty amazing. Quaint decor and easy to get to. We will go back.

    deviled eggs
    Suki C.

    Wasn't sure if Napolean really dine here before but since I saw it online, it's worth a try. Although I was never a big fan of pork knuckle before, I decided to give it another shot. It is to my surprise that I actually liked it. Besides the pork knuckle, we also had deviled eggs as appetizer, a bowl of chicken/veggie soup, and the house special meatball. Everything was delicious but we just ordered a bit too much lol. P/S the service was a bit slow due to understaff but the waitresses were extremely nice regardless :)

    Grilled knuckle of pork

    Nice and cozy. Must have reservation or call first at least! I called before arrival so I went to a table shared with others but other people without reservation had to wait for the seats to be vacant. Nice place & food. Should visit at least 1 time.

    Chris F.

    Allegedly the oldest pub in Berlin and it definately delivers on the old style charm you might expect. Allegedly Napoleon used to hang out here, back in the day. The hearty food and drink were superb and the serving staff were very friendly too. Can get very busy so if you are planning a late evening visit you should book in advance.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Zur Letzten Instanz Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Zur Letzten Instanz

    For the main meal we had the pork knuckle, onion tart, poached eggs, and meatballs.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    Stadtklause

    Stadtklause

    4.3(202 reviews)
    2.6 kmKreuzberg

    Fantastic local place to get some low-frills eats and beer! Very friendly staff who accommodated us…read morewithout a hitch. We came here after having been turned away by an Indonesian restaurant that was "full for the night". We are so glad that fate brought us here instead of that Indonesian restaurant!! What were we even thinking anyway -- forget the Indonesian food, get the local specialities!! Ordered the schnitzel as well as the meatballs and both were executed perfectly. Schnitzel was hot and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside -- not overly salty either. Meatballs were juicy and packed with flavor from the minced onions that they had mixed in. The beer (we ordered a Pilsner) was the best that we had tried in all of the Berlin and Dresden restaurants that we visited. I believe it is from some small private brewery affiliated with the restaurant somehow. Whatever they are doing, they are doing it right, so definitely order the house beer. Super cozy seating (you'll probably be sharing a table with other guests) and packed all night long but amazing vibes and casual comfort food. Would come back if I ever visit Berlin again!

    They must have expanded as the menu seems the same and it was quite big and clean. Not a dive at…read moreall. Also they take credit cards. We tried to go to a nearby Greek place but they were full and kind of rude too. We walked over here and the place was empty at 6:30 pm so a bit worried. No need. The draft Pilsner was very excellent and the food was outstanding and reasonably priced. We got pork schnitzel and meatballs and it was really very tasty. Would recommend!

    Photos
    Stadtklause - Gastraumnische mit Bestuhlung aus der Bernburger Straße

    Gastraumnische mit Bestuhlung aus der Bernburger Straße

    Stadtklause - Scrambled eggs with bread, pickles, and sauerkraut :)

    Scrambled eggs with bread, pickles, and sauerkraut :)

    Stadtklause - Unfortunately not open according to Yelp's hours. Check the restaurant's website before you go.

    See all

    Unfortunately not open according to Yelp's hours. Check the restaurant's website before you go.

    Prater Garten

    Prater Garten

    4.0(303 reviews)
    2.5 kmPrenzlauer Berg
    €€

    German food can be hard to find in Berlin…read more You can find German food at Prater Garten. Prater Garten has a double distinction. Outdoors, it has the oldest biergarten in Berlin. Indoors, it has an upscale German restaurant of distinction. The biergarten is not my style. If I am going to spend all day sitting outside drinking beer, I want the location to be outstandingly beautiful. Prater Garten's Plain Jane courtyard doesn't cut it. The indoor restaurant though is a different story. This is the traditional German restaurant of your dreams. The Gaststatte was the culinary peak experience of a month of serious Berlin eating. * * * Prater Gaststatte looks just the way you would expect a German restaurant to look. Dark woods. Wainscotting. Cream walls. The menu for both food and drink are limited, although they do change seasonally. This means that they make the same dishes over and over and over again. They have brought them to a high level of perfection. They only serve three beers at Prater Gaststatte, beers they brew themselves. I have no doubt those beers are wonderful. However, Prater Gaststatte had the Holy Grail of what I had come to Germany looking for Artisanal German Schnapps and Artisanal German Distilled Spirits. Bars in Berlin just don't carry those. Prater Gaststatte had a curated selection of six. (Actually a curated selection of five. The sixth item was a traditional Czech rarity.) Indiana Jones had just found his treasure. German Spirits are strong. Judiciousness limited my consumption to three. I went with a Nordhauser Doppelkorn, a Dirker Hasselnussgeist and a Stahl Birnenschnaps. Doppelkorn is a German alternative to vodka. It is 76 proof, just slightly weaker than a traditional vodka. It can be made from any of five different grains, but the rye-malt combo is the most common. The Nordhauser is an eminently superior alt-vodka - consummately smooth yet full of taste. I could have done a string of those happily. The Dirker and Stahl were both schnapps: hazelnut and pear respectively. I have never had a beverage like the hazelnut schnapps. It was not a liqueur. It was a strong brandy. Nothing sweet or cloying here. It was commanding like a brandy but smooth like the Doppelkorn. The hazelnut taste was overwhelming. It was as baritone and nutty as an Amaretto. An utterly unforgettable beverage. I stuck my neck out by going with a pear brandy. Most pear brandies are awful. I had had one and only one in my life that was good, the Finnish product Xante. Nothing is as good as Xante. Xante tastes like the canned pears served in heaven. But the Stahl Birenschnapps impressed. Nothing cloying. A real fresh pear taste. I was a very happy guy. * * * Note that although my beverages were outstanding, The food was even better. Given the quality of my distilled spirits, that last sentence is saying quite a lot. Never mind the strawberries I had for dessert. It is the beginning of strawberry season in Germany, And my meal had been so substantial that anything other than fruit would have been a crime. Spring is asparagus season in Germany. German restaurants will have one third to one half of all the dishes be asparagus dishes. I ate my fair share of mediocre asparagus dishes elsewhere in Berlin. The cream of asparagus soup at Prater Gaststatte is utterly to die for. Nothing tastes more like asparagus than that cream soup. And good cream soups are one of the fundamental pleasures of life. However, the headliner act which blew me away was their Brandenburger Pork Chop. A Brandenburger Pork Chop is a thick double-cut pork chop. The only way to get a "good" pork chop in the United States is to go to a steak house and pay steak house prices. American steak houses typically cheat by cooking it in apple juice so the pork chop gets caramelized. You eat well, but you are still covering up a ho-hum pork chop. This was a we-don't-have-to-hide-under-anything superlative pork chop. Yes there was about a tablespoon of red cabbage on top of the pork chop. It was like a maraschino cherry on top of a huge slab of meat. That pork chop had nothing to apologize for. It was a magnificent piece of meat. Easily a third of it was outer fat - outer fat that had been broiled to perfection. The pork chop fat was the star ballerina. The pork chop meat was the male dancer holding up that ballerina in a romantic pas-de-deux. It was the absolutely perfect pairing. (Anyone who uses that pork chop and ballet to make a joke about "Swine Lake" will be thrown off Yelp permanently.) Suffice it to say, I liked the meat course. Accompanying that was the potatoes au gratin of your dreams, And the green beans with bacon of your dreams. I never wanted to wake up. * * * If you come to Berlin, Come to Prater. Skip the Biergarten. Eat at the Restaurant. Deutscheland, Deutscheland Uber Alles!

    Just noting that as of this review the hours are incorrect on Yelp so better check the website…read morebefore you go. It opens at noon, not 6pm on Saturdays. There are plenty of tables with communal seating. It wasn't super busy when I was there but admittedly the weather was pretty poor so I imagine it gets buzzier when the sun is out. I ordered a beer, some sauerkraut and a pretzel. Beer was nice, as was the food. Pretzel seemed stale upon initial inspection but was actually pretty good. They have mustard on the side. Overall, didn't wow me, but it was a nice stop and I'd recommend for someone wanting a chill biergarten to visit in Berlin.

    Photos
    Prater Garten - Plenty of outdoor seating

    Plenty of outdoor seating

    Prater Garten - Hefeweizen (€5.50)

    Hefeweizen (€5.50)

    Prater Garten

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    Zur Letzten Instanz - northerngerman - Updated May 2026

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