This was our first time visit to the restaurant. The food was beyond delicious!! I had the all-you-can eat cod dinner and my son had the bacon cheeseburger. Our server, Michael, was on his third day working here and he did an exceptional job!! He knew the menu and he was spot on in his recommendation for a liter of beer. What was most exceptional about him was his patience and professionalism as my son placed his own order. My son is 20 years old and has Down Syndrome. Michael took the order and made some suggestions to my son which were perfect. We will certainly be back as the food was tasty, hot and well presented!

I love the Essen Haus. They have good food, great beer, live music (usually the music is good and when Copper Box comes to town it is great)! Pre-pandemic I enjoyed sharing boots with friends, free peanuts, free popcorn, free tiny pretzels, and dancing to live music. If you didnt like the band at the Essen Haus you could walk through the building to the Come Back In and listen to there band. They had live music most nights of the week at one or both of the bars. They still have live music outside, outdoor seating, and sand volleyball. Its a blast. I highly recommend it. The outdoor day time festivals like Mai Fest are very kid and dog friendly.

Essen Haus goes out of their way to import all the good traditional German beers. Their food is outstanding. The vibe is fun. All around I really like this place. I’ve been coming for years, and will continue to keep going for years.

Got potato pancakes two desserts and a giant pretzel. The pretzel was fantastic. The potato pancakes were so so. But I absolutely love the dessert

Best German food Ive had in a restaurant, the only one better is Omas!

Live music on the patio, fast and courteous bar staff

Do not eat here it is unsanitary. Theres a mice infestation, no one cleans anything and during my employment I threw out expired sour cream which the owner then pulled from the garbage and said its still good. Also I never received my last paycheck and its been a year. Just close the place down already.

The steak was cooked perfectly, and beer was gooood. Now the German food... the red cabbage was under cooked, the German food came out cool ( not warm). Then the service... 15 minutes to get a beer, never stopped back to check on us. The steak however was awesome and that is the saving grace.

Kind and swift service, tasty food, and an endlessly entertaining interior space! There is also outdoor seating and a convenient parking lot.

This is a really cool place. I got some pork schnitzel which was really good. The beer was really good and well priced. The atmosphere was really fun. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. There was a live polka band which was cool but they were a little loud.

Cheese curd appetizer with Ranch dressing started us out on the right path for good food. Jagerschnitzel was very tasty. Wait staff kept our tea glasses filled. Live music was on tap in the outside eating area.

Decent food, depending on what you get. Beer is always great and the atmosphere is typically pretty fun. I dont live in Madison anymore, but I would suggest they have live music there more often.

Flipping best time ever! German food, outside dining, live music, outstanding service, ample parking and best staff...miss this place big time!A Madison must ❤️

My mom used to take me and my roommates here in college ten years ago. Glad its still here and as good as I remember.

Came with a tour group. Excellent food, great atmosphere if a little rough but we felt right at home. Very nice and attentive staff. Did I mention the beer? Spent two hours here and it went by too fast. On the way out we noticed a Polka band just getting started. We will be back...

Use to go in the 80s, hasnt changed. Which is a good thing, great beer. The big pretzels are gone though.

Fun Octoberfestparty today. Good band, beer and food.

Food was delicious....especially the German potato salad. Good beer too!

I go to this place quite often! This is my favorite spot to grab a bite. I visit this spot regularly. The meals are just great, the workers are helpful and the prices are reasonable. I enjoy being in this restaurant for a decent dinner.

I was really hoping this would be better. I was here years ago and it was great. Tonight was not the same experience. The server walked by our table 6 times and never took our order. Had to ask the manager to take our order. She did but then when we got the food, it was terrible. The spaetze tasted burned. The red cabbage tasted like a garbage can smells and the weinerschnitzel had no flavor at all. It was so disappointing.

I love this place! The food was amazing and they even had live polka music. Our waitress was very nice and did well to accommodate us despite the fact that they were packed the night we went.The Essen Haus also has Spaten Optimator on tap, which is my favorite beer.

Great German food, and friendly people working there. We had a wonderful time.

Come here to see Polka music and drink boots of beer. If you finish three boots you get a hat!!!

Beer is always good. Put back the popcorn machine ASAP please. Music was awful on July 31st 2021.

They dont have a overly kid friendly menu

Beer boots or bust!! Get a boot and share it with friends and abide by the Boot Game rules, conveniently placed on a card on the table. Good German food! Great polka band and dancing! Steve Meisner is the best band they have- check him out sometime!

The building looks pretty rough from outside if it would fall apart any second. However, people seem to enjoy very relaxed atmosphere. If you are looking for a classy place this is not the one. Centrally located and easy to access from John Nolan drive. If you like beer this is your place.

Worth a trip to patronize. Excellent authentic German food Great customer service and a very nice selection of beers. Plus a wonderful atmosphere and great location with views of the lake. Pricing is very good especially for the quality of everything. One of the last real German food and beer halls left All good here

All about the bier… and the fries. I’ve never had a bad meal here!

The aesthetic of this place is very German and it has a good selection of different Oktoberfests from München so its definitely a good place to drink for those of us who are sad we cant travel anywhere for Oktoberfest this year. The food is also very yummy - I was super happy with the selection of different mustards. My main disappointments were that the hostess was a bit dismissive of us as guests which the waitress definitely made up for and the bathroom seemed like it could use some TLC. I definitely recommend stopping in for a liter of beer and some pretzels though!

Nice atmosphere and good beer prices. Was not the most impressed with the foods flavor, I felt that it was lacking depth.

The food was wonderful and the atmosphere was spot on. We could not help but dance to the polka music!

Classic German fare, hearty beers, das boot!!! Visiting from out of town, the rouladen bests my hometown favorite. I look forward to another visit.

A very large group of guys were distracting and way too loud. Our waiter was not up to his job. I didnt get a second glass of wine nor extra water. My husband also did not get a second drink. Food only so so. I dont think Ill go back.

The food and beer are great. Nice atmosphere, especially when there is live music.

Great atmosphere, friendly bartenders, polka music on Friday and Saturday. Plan $15-18 a plate.

Delicious Friday fish fry, with German fried potatoes! Been back again & again! (All you can eat too)

Can I do 6 stars? Everything was incredible. Food, drink, atmosphere. Im definitely coming back.

There for beer on the patio. Its comfortable.

Soooooo accommodating! We wanted to sit outside due to COVID, and they do not have outdoor seating, but the staff cleared off an outdoor spot for table and carried one outside for us! Beer and pretzels good as always! We will be back!

Love this place! Great beer and Friday night perch. Kristina is the best!

Loved the authenticity of their food. Such distinct flavors. We tried the steak and apple strudel. Both the dishes were spectacular.

Oof. I came here with my fiancé who is a literal German from Germany. We were super excited to try this place, especially after reading so many rave reviews! But wow, y’all. The wiener schnitzel was seriously bad. I took one bite and absolutely did not want another. The beer was good and the bartender was sweet, but describing these dishes as authentic German food is laughable. Will probably be back for the beer, but yuck! I guarantee the people praising the food on this site have never had real German food before. Essen Haus? More like Kein Essen Haus. If you’re a homesick German or someone with a craving for Deutsche Küche, this ain’t it.

Fun lively atmosphere good beer and food options

Tasty food! Good beer! Great entertainment! Wonderful service! What else can be said!

Fun place. Good food and drinks.

Food was great and I enjoyed the atmosphere. Definitely plan on coming back!

A very fun spot, and while it may not be the most authentic German bierhall experience, its a unique visit. Good German beer selection, great service. Cant recall much about the food, but i generally visit for Liters of bier with friends.

Delicious, definitely try a Das Boot

Many different kinds of beers and great food along with entertainment.

The food is amazing and the portions are huge. Come really hungry so you can make the most of it. We had sampler plates to get a little taste of everything, and it was all good. You don’t need appetizers, but if you’re going to be too full to walk out under your own power either way, why not? We did cheese curds and potato pancakes. Add that to the free pretzels and it would have been a satisfying place to stop, but no, keep eating. We were there right at opening time on a week night, so we missed the music this time, but it’s always been enjoyable when we’ve gotten to see it.

Essen Haus isn’t 100% authentic German but it is a good take on German classics. My friend is from the Black Forest area, still has plenty of family there and knows authentic German dishes. All that said it’s good comfort food and we would definitely return. The wiener schnitzel is very good as is the German potatoes. Sauerkraut isn’t too sour like in other places.

Decent beer selection, fast and friendly service, great patio

Amazing time. Drinking, dancing, wonderful food and the best atmosphere for making merry. DONT. LET. THE. BOOT. TOUCH. THE. TABLE! I cant recommend Essen Haus enough.

Very nice atmosphere and awesome food and drinks for everyone 😀😊👌.

Always the Best in German Food and Beer!

Great selection of German beers. Live band was awesome! Had crowd engaged. Waitstaff knowledge of beers and food. Crystal was very helful

Good selection German beer in draft

Excellent food and friendly service.

This restaurant is SO much fun!!Our food was authentic DELICIOUS German food with all the delightful extras.Its hard to save room for dessert, but their Black Forest Chocolate cake is a dream cometrue! The service from our waitress was the very best Ive experienced in years!Dont miss this GREAT restaurant!!

Great food and lots of fun!

Was there for the fish, Which was very good. But the service wasnt any good. Waited a long time to get waited on, Waited a long time for the food and the check. We had the wrong server. But I would go back and hope to have a different server. Had some good music that night.

My was at The Essen Haus about 30 years ago when my brother went to UW @ Madison. We had a ball! I have never forgot this wonderful Deutsch Beir Hall.We loved the music,food,and the beer boot.Someday we will be back.Glad to see your rolling and in business. All my best to the Essen Haus!

Decent food and beer. Really nice staff.

Why is this so highly rated? Think twice before going for dinner! Food was both terrible and overpriced. Saurbraten was extremely dry and their potato salad is canned Read ready-to-eat.

Nice German style restaurant in Madison

We met with friends at this restaurant for dinner. we heard about this spot from a lot of people. Well, we were not disappointed. The staff were extremely nice and we felt good. The meal was yummy. We loved this restaurant very much and we will definitely return to this restaurant. We recommend this place to all.

Where the world’s issues are debated and solved over cold beer.

Onion rings. Tasty and salty

The pretzels brought out before our meal were delicious, especially with the mustard and horseradish cheese. The food was authentic, but it took awhile and Ive had better at other places. They offer a kids menu but dont bother bringing your family here. It was so loud and full of rowdy college kids drinking HUGE boots of beer and getting drunk. The wait staff is dressed in lederhosen or dirndl. The womens bathroom wasnt very clean. I wont be returning because the atmosphere isnt family friendly, but it would be ok for a young couple or a group of friends. Pictured below is the jaegerschnitzel.

This place is my first choice restaurant. Of all restaurants I know I favor it most. I never miss an opportunity to go to visit this restaurant. everytime I feel like having a special dinner, this place comes instantly to my mind. superb and diverse food and a rich menu.professional staff, and pleasant ambience. Also important, the tariff is good. I praise this place with pleasure.

Love the atmosphere and great food!

Floor is ready to fall through, tripping hazard. Bartender rude, screwed up my order. Not a real good German food restaurant or not a wide variety of German beer.

Food was amazing!

Thank you for serving an incredible Thanksgiving Day spread! My family was scattered due to weather delays this year but the few of us that could get together came to EH and it was a fantastic time. Rachel was our server and was so pleasant! The whole staff was just great and my family appreciated yall working on a holiday. Also, the stuffing...woah perfect!!

Last week was our first time we came to that excellent restaurant. But It is no doubt not the last. We had great time with the courteous service, with the superb food and booze and with the comfortable pay. We will definitely come back again.

Beer was great! I ordered the Jäger Schnitzel with Spätzle, and it was great! 😎

This spot offers awesome service as well as tasty menu. One of the best spot in the city. The meals came out quickly and the rates are reasonable. I recommend this place.

My sauerbraten entree was ok but not remarkable, but the beer list is an oasis in a city where most bars consider Grain Belt and Pabst to be imports. Better apfel strudel than what you might get in Bavaria, best Ive ever had. I went back a second time just to be sure. Yup.

This is a great place to kick back and have a few boots of amazing German Beer with your friends and co-workers! I did say boot...you order a giant glass boot of beer...think of it as Cinderella for men! I also believe it is 5L of beer too. There are some rules like: Remember to keep passing it around and to never let it touch the table. I think they made this rule, so you drink more. This is a dangerous rule!

Great food. We ate on the deck and they had great entertainment!

Food and beer are quite awesome

Wiener Schnitzel was awesome

This place was packed tonight on Thanksgiving, a little wait time to get through the door but hands down you guys had an amazing staff and even better food. A shout out to Tina, (the host?) who managed to keep everything and everyone in check up front with all the chaos and did it with a great attitude and a few jokes too.Been here a few other times and always a great atmosphere

An amazing German bar! The style is aesthetically unique and inviting. The staff are awesome and friendly. The food is good. There is always an event happening, be it small or large. Recommend going with friends.

Service was quick and friendly and the food was so delicious and filling. The beers were also a highlight and my glass was never empty

I remember when this place was awsome, great atmosphere, great food and service. We were there a friday night and the place was empty. The place looked old and not unkempt not the way I remember it. The food was just ok not great like I remember. I was very disapointed with it and probably will not be returning. One bright spot was the cherry strudel it was good.

Awesome food, quick service, great live music. Loved the ambience.

Rowdy, hoppy, and over-indulgent Joy. We took the family for a polka night (ages10-15). It was so fun. I hope Madison finds a way to retain this and other quirky, unique, and authentic places. The food is old fashioned German kitsch, but that is part of the experience. Have a boot, dance a polka, and sing along.

Warm place

Heaven on earth. Friendly staff, totally reasonable pricing, an atmosphere that can not be beat.Now, the food. I dont think I stopped crying the entire meal, this was so good. Absolutely authentic flavors I remember from my childhood with a Polish grandmother and German grandfather. While it is not Grandmas cooking it is the closest I have had in 15 years.This is a place that I will remmeber for a long, long time and will be a visit every single time I come to Madison.

Great beer and an awesome German bar atmosphere.

I come by every time Im in town. Great food every time!

This place lost his German flavor on to many levels. Music, and events not so much related to German heritage any more! Food is still good, well come back for it! (hours are limited ??? - 10PM week days)

Good atmosphere, great food

Would certainly recommend trying this place. Great ambience, tasty dishes, great service. Keep up the good work.

Never before have I been so blindsided by a lack of hospitality. The building smelt of mold as soon as we opened the door. Upon entering the lack of communication between the staff was apparent. Staff took forever to get back to you despite it being less than busy. Would not recommend going here. We will not be back

Our waitress was fantastic!

Went out of business...

Awesome service and food. Had a banquet here and Essen Haus was awesome. Food was great as were the drinks!