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- Nearest Transit:
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Irving Park-Brown (Brown Line)
- Hours:
Mon 4 pm - 2 am
Tue-Thu 2 pm - 2 am
Fri, Sun 12 pm - 2 am
Sat 12 pm - 3 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
180 reviews for Laschet's Inn Restaurant
Review Highlights
"excellent spaetzel and red cabbage."
(in 39 reviews)
"Your beer selection makes me burst with joy."
(in 33 reviews)
"Please try the potato pancakes."
(in 18 reviews)
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180 reviews in English
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Review from Dave G.
Chicago, IL
1/30/2012
i love good beer and Laschets has GREAT beer!!
so amazing - great bar - great little place - I try not to tell people about it.
Solid German offerings -
BUT the BEER is KING here! you cant even begin to realize how GREAT the BEER is
BEER BEER BEER
Great spot for a couple of beers on the north side- !! pop in talk to the knowledgeable staff and sit for a little while!! you will not be disappointed! -
Review from Liz M.
1/2/2012
Took my very German Dad here for dinner. He's got some high standards, so I picked only the best German restaurant I know in the city.
Parking is easy enough on the metered street spots.
Enter through the door into the cozy bar area. Its always full of regulars who enjoy their German beer. Also, they sing the traditional German drinking song Ein Prosit at least every hour (rough estimate on my part) which is AWESOME! I love when they start singing and the whole place joins in!
Great Beer selection. There always seems to be some new draft that I haven't had yet.
Food is delicious!
Crispy rolls- deep friend cabbage and pork rolls. Something different and yummy
Cucumber Salad- great light tasty starter
Sausage plate- no brainer. Of course its amazing.
Wiener Schnitzel- perfection. I order the large portion just so I can have some leftovers.
Sauerbraten- tender beef, tasty gravy. Hearty meal.
Spatzel- great
Red Cabbage- I can't get enough!
Service is always fantastic. Helpful staff are willing to explain anything you might have a question about. Very knowledgeable. They never rush you out after your meal, I've stayed and enjoyed a couple beers after me meal and never left bad about staying.
Wonderful atmosphere. Cozy and friendly.
Oh, and my Dad LOVED everything. -
Review from Jack P.
Updated - 12/18/2011
Returning for an annual Christmas meal with a friend, I have the following observations:
A) the food quality has declined. Our red cabbage was overcooked and gloppy like caaned fruit you would use for pies. Spicy , sour and sweet, but gloppy. The Rouladen was tough and dry, and the spaetzle rubbery like cheese curds. Since the cabbage and spaetzle are my primary Teutonic Love dishes, that was disappointing. The redeeming food items were Doug's Goulash Soup, deliciuosly spicy with lots of beef, and the large shrimp in my Shrimp de Jonghe which were tender and flavorful.
B) The new back room where we were seated by a very grumpy hostess had all the charm of a banquet hall in Elk Grove Village. While it does proviide more dining space, it really detracts from the intimacy of sitting up front near the bar.
C) Prices have gone up, I guess, with its popularity. What I liked about Laschet's was the $8-10.00 entrees, which are now In the $17-20.00 range. And I'm not so sure it's worth it.
D) Our server Cookie was fantastic. She wa funny, outgoing and very efficient and attentive.
E) The beer choices are still great.
So I am not as wild as I used to be about the place; and I think success, expansion and popularity may have spoiled it a bit. But I know I'll be back for beer and Cookie.Listed in: Real Chicago, Lone Ranger Dining, Old Chicago Standby's, Friday Night Neighborhood…, Regional Hops
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/8/2011
Coming here on a Friday night for an early dinner was both a convenient escape from a frigid January… Read more »
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Review from Jennifer R.
Chicago, IL
11/20/2011
Had the in-laws in town and everyone felt in the mood for German food. Choose Laschet's based on positive Yelp reviews. Big mistake.
1) Food was average at best. Ordered the clam chowder and was presented with chicken noodle soup. No heads up, just announced as it placed in front of us. wiener schnitzel was average at best.
2) was sat at the very back of the restaurant where it too dark to read the menu. Floors were dirty with food.
3) worst of all was the server. Loud, and inattentive. Kept touching our backs and shoulders and calling us, "sweetie," "darling," and "honey." When my father-in-law hesitated on ordering (based on her recommendations) she told him to hurry up because she had other tables to get to. Aside from being totally rude, it wasn't that busy.
Total fail. Don't go. -
Review from Chris S.
Chicago, IL
12/31/2011
Lunch with my parents: Five star experience and five star food! Peter greeted us and guided my dad in the right direction regarding beer (Hirter). Already we were off to a great start. Friendly people, music appropriate and volume appropriate.
Simply the food was really wonderful. There is no reason for my family to ever go downtown to the Berghoff again.
Thanks Peter, we will be back soon.
Hey, have you ever heard of Goulash Soup? Oh, my! Fantastic and with a kick!
Chris S. -
Review from Vince V.
Chicago, IL
11/13/2011
Easily my favorite German restaurant in Chicago.
Everything has already been said about this place - but you can be assured that this is authentic and incredibly delicious German cuisine.
The beer list is also out of this world.
Notable items if you're not familiar with German food: the Hackpeter, Spätzel, Gulasch and Thüringer are my favorite things.
Also the Apfelstrudel. I don't care if you don't normally get dessert, for the love of god get the Apfelstrudel. You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Peter W.
Chicago, IL
8/22/2011
All I can say is LECKER, LECKER, LECKER!
I was born in Germany and my parents owned a traditional restaurant back home in Bavaria, so I have very high standards for German food and this place is my favorite restaurant for German food in the city!
My recommendation is to start with "Hackepeter" as an appetizer. It can be shared easily and is best with onions and capers on top. Many of my friends were very skeptical about eating raw meat, but whenever I asked them to try just a little piece, they were convinced and it became their favorite.
As an entrée I always order the Rouladen, since they taste just like my father made them at the restaurant at home. They come with Spätzle and Red Cabbage and the portion is so large that you can take half of it home for a second meal (Tip: ask for an extra ladle of gravy when they're packing the to-go bag). You get soup or salad with the entrée and I recommend the cucumber salad.
The front part of the restaurant reminds me of a typical German "Kneipe" (a traditional Bar) and they recently expanded the restaurant part, which gives allows for a lot more available tables (although the "Stammtisch" is the best table in the house).
The beer list is very good and they get a lot of seasonal brews from Germany. Pick your beer based on the season i.e. in summer a refreshing Kölsch, in fall a nice Wiesn Bier (Oktoberfest Beer), etc.
Most of the staff doesn't speak German anymore and that's the only part of the experience that's no longer authentic, but I can live with that.
Guten Appetit! -
Review from Jacqueline M.
Chicago, IL
12/19/2011
This place was a pleasant surprise, and a sort-of hidden gem! I always drove by this and wondered about it, so my husband and I went. The food was great! We ate so, so much! The steak tar-tar was good, but it was HUGE portion, you would need at least six people to eat the much raw meat! The hot sausage plate was great, it had all my favorites! We had the wiener schnitzel which was good, but it was out shined by the delicious spaetzle! We also complimentary schnapps with our dessert.. We ordered the very yummy hazelnut cake. The only downsides are that they do not make their own sausage, and the waitress was a little bit kooky. She was very nice, but scatterbrained it seemed. They also get their cake from Lutz, which is OK because I love Lutz!
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Review from Sara B.
Chicago, IL
10/24/2011
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!
Steak tartar, shrimp de jonge for appetizers, entrees of chicken paprikas and beef rouladen--with wonderful cucumber salad--warm homemade rye bread... We all thought we had died and gone to heaven...
Exceptional hospitality, great German atmosphere. Hate to give a five star review, but just had to do it! A truly GREAT experience! BRAVO! -
Review from Robert C.
Chicago, IL
12/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is my favorite restaurant in the city of Chicago!
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Review from Ethan L.
9/2/2011
This is it. This is the real deal folks.
Just about five blocks away from the brown line stop of Irving is a very non descript restaurant serving fantastic food and great beer to go with it. When you enter you are first in a bar then proceed upstairs to the restaurant. The place is just dimly lit enough to feel cozy but not too dark. Ethnic music is played inside surrounded by wooden beams and a few simple rustic items that don't make the place look too kitschy.
Super quality is obvious right after ordering just appetizers. Potato pancakes crackle with delight. The potato salad is loaded with great flavors of savory bacon and wurst, mixed with classic seasonings
Roulade doesn't even need a knife to cut it, the chicken paprikash is DEVINE as is the thick stewed beefy ghoulash loaded with black pepper. Red cabbage sides and the spatzle will not dissapoint.
Then there is the beer...
I have never been to a German restaurant that had ever served a distinct piece of glassware for EVERY BEER! I thought I was in Belgium for a moment. Ok well one glass was a Spaten that held my Altbier but of the eight different brews served each one had its own distinct glass complete with lettering too. About twelve German beers on tap, and several bottles.
Service is extemely pleasant, makes great recommendations, and even let us have substitutes on some sides. Not only that with all the beer and food the four of us drank it was quite reasonable in my opinion.
I come from a German family and didn't even really grow up liking German food and I LOVED the food at this place. This is a place every body needs to visit if you love good food and beer to go with it. JUST GO! -
Review from Sheila J.
Jenison, MI
12/1/2011
A friend who had been going here for years brought me here two years ago when I visited. Having lived in Germany I felt like I was home again. Everything is amazing and authentic. The service is incredible. I can't visit Chicago now with out coming here.
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Review from Kristi D.
Chicago, IL
11/17/2011
Laschet's is the best German restaurant we've tried in Chicago, better than the better known Chicago Brauhaus over in Lincoln Square, better than Mirabell's, much better than Resi's on the next block. And I haven't been to Berghoff's since their big "we're closing" hooplah and subsequent reopening, I'll let the tourists keep that one afloat.
On our most recent visit in November 2011 on a Thursday evening was our 4th time here, the restaurant was pretty busy for a Thursday night. It doesn't have the year round Oktoberfest atmosphere of the Chicago Brauhaus, this is more like a neighborhood family run establishment, decorated like a German beerhall that's not designed for tourists. The ownership has changed from the 1st time we visited and the dining room has expanded but the food is still terrific. Our servers on all of our visits have been quite pleasant and service prompt. At the end of the meal they gave us a complimentary shot of schnapps
The sauerbraten, wiener schnitzel, chicken schnitzel and the special smoked pork butt are all delicious, make sure you try the spatzel as one of the sides. Mine didn't come with spatzel but they substituted it for the cabbage that I didn't want. -
Review from Christina L.
Berkeley, CA
5/4/2011
This is my kind of restaurant. Went on a Tuesday and got the Kassler Ribs for their special. It was deeelicious and the portions are huge. I can't eat that much, so I asked them to split the dish with my mom. When the dishes came, I was handed my plate and thought I would have to split that with my mom (which I was fine with), but it turns out they split it for us and what I thought I had to split was actually my share!! My party switched dishes to try other flavors, and I liked most of the food that was at our table. My dad ordered the Marinated Beef,
We went with a couple of people who had a baby and knew our waiter. The waiter brought the baby crackers and bread while we waited for food. It was such a genuine gesture, and the waiter was really personable. It was amazing how many tables he had to serve, and he was able to be attentive toward everyone.
We came on a special night, there were German people drinking alcohol and singing music. It was such an exciting environment.
5 stars - great food, ambiance, service, and experience. :) -
Review from Aaron F.
Collinsville, IL
11/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
The best dive bar ever. I'm a huge fan of German foods and this place is beyond reproach. The beer selection is excellent for both bottled and drought selections. The food is extremely filling and reminds you of dining at home if you're from a German household. Please try the potato pancakes!
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Review from Malana W.
Oak Forest, IL
6/5/2011
I'm a big fan of Laschets. The food portions are huge and my favorite *must have's* include the potato pancakes, a giant pretzel (w/ mustard), and a pint. Those things combined are yummy for my tummy! The server that my date and I had on our most recent visit was extremely knowledgeable of the food and libations on the menu. This made us want to order much more but neither of our stomachs had any room left. In fact, for that reason I'd highly recommend Laschet's.
Unfortunately, I think that my overall experience was compromised this visit and would've been better had it not been for a few things. Firstly, where we were seated (right next to the kitchen) caused us to hear things we shouldn't (apparently a new server was complaining and our server was trying to keep him in line). Secondly, there were these little gnats that kept flying around our table. Which my date and I believe came from the fact that they just recently finished remodeling the bathroom (sewer fly's?). That part didn't make for a very pleasurable eating experience on this occasion because tiny little gnats make one think things are very dirty, no?
On the plus side, the newly remodeled ladies bathroom is fantastic and if you are going with a large party there is this gorgeous handmade wooden table in the back that apparently the grandfather of the owner made for the restaurant which you can reserve especially if you are going on a Friday/Saturday night.Listed in: German/Bavarian Food and…
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Review from John T.
Chicago, IL
11/6/2011
My suggestion? Disregard all reviews concerning bad food.
I went here with two others about 2 weeks ago, and all of our food (and drinks) were spectacular. The goulash in particular is amazing.
I have nothing bad to say about this place. Try it now! -
Review from Joe W.
Evanston, IL
10/21/2011
My wife and I's favorite place to eat! Hungarian Goulash with red cabbage and spätzle is phenomenal! This place is the only one where I will use that word. Dense bread before the meal is also great along with a Julius Echterweiss. If I could, I'd rate it 6 stars, it is that good!
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Review from William L.
Chicago, IL
3/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Go here on a Tuesday night, one of the specials is Kassler ribs which are smoked pork chops according to the menu. But I think there is more to this than just smoked pork chops.
Now imagine if a sexy little Ms. Ham went out one night and met Mr. Bacon, a corporate lawyer with a spicy side. They quite fancied each other and Ms. Ham took Mr. Bacon home and gave him the night of his life. Needless to say, nine months later there was a new addition to the world and Ms. Ham called him Kassler.
That's what the Kassler ribs are like. Delicious, juicy, ham/bacon, smoked goodness. The spaetzel is awesome as are the potato pancakes. If you go on a not Tuesday, get the goulash (or really anything else on the menu, it's all fantastic). -
Review from Benjamin H.
Chicago, IL
11/11/2010
I'll be honest, I've never been a huge fan of German food to begin with. Nonetheless, ever once in a while i'll have a hankering for a pile of Kraut and a gigantic glass of Doppelbock. This is what brought me to Lachett's inn.
We stopped by here on Sunday night and were totally excited once pushing throught the front door to discover we'd be dining in a tiny german cottage! Really cool atmosphere. The food was outstanding. The roast pork dinner was just excellent and the Spaetzl was like dumpling-crack! And the potato pancakes? Believe it. Insanely good. All in all, THIS is the place you wanna go for German food...don't even waste your time in the "Square". -
Review from Yaeko M.
Chicago, IL
8/23/2011
This is one of my favorite bar in the city! I am not a German and I have never been to Germany and I don't drink beer much but I like this place. This place offer great home made food, nice volume in reasonable price. They have nice selection of beer, nice bartenders. It seems most of customers are regulars.
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Review from Jason R.
12/1/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Go. Now.
Well when they are open.
Everyone is so hospitable and the food is so good. It takes a lot to get 5 stars outta me. This is the next best thing to sitting in the homeland itself, so if you can't afford to go to Germany for a meal, go to Lachet's -
Review from Gareth D.
Chicago, IL
Ugh, I found the food here amazing ... oh the gluttony. Actually, it could've been worse--I shared the steak tartare appetizer with a friend (thank you for the diced onion and the generous tin of briney caperberries), which comes pre-applied to about 8 slices of their rye bread--reasonably substantial in and of itself. We also split a chicken schnitzel (along with the standard, included side of home-style potatoes and the red cabbage), which they were nice enough to separate onto two dinner plates for us. We skipped the salad and ordered the rich and delicious cup of goulash to accompany the dish; it was flavorful enough to stand on its own, particularly if it were paired with some of their amazing spaetzel. I was glad to see it offered as a soup option, which gave me the opportunity to sample it without ordering a third dish between the two of us.
The beer selection is great and unique, and the server was very knowledgeable about the options. The litre (if you will) size is enormous, so unless you know you really like that beer, I'd stick to the half litre. They seem to have the appropriate glass-ware for every beer on the menu, which is a nice touch. The weight of that litre mug has to be truly satisfying, though. :)
I did have the opportunity to sample my friend's beef rolls (I didn't catch the exact name, regrettably--ah, rouladen), which are covered in the most decadent gravy I think I've ever sampled. Pretty f'ing great. The apple crisp, while not as sizeable as the entrees, was truly crispy and as butter-laden as I could have ever asked for.
The atmosphere is great too -- super old world, and very Chicago of yesteryear. The service, thankfully, is friendlier than the decor initally led me to believe it might be. Despite those of us that were there more towards the time the dining room closed (10:30?) not having received the apparently complimentary schnapps, I would still say the service was excellent. I will be back in the winter for sure, but I think there is a good chance I will be back even before the fall has really kicked in. -
Review from Mark A.
Chicago, IL
1/31/2011
As if this place needs another review confirming its German authenticity, but I'm really bored at work right now and need a little distraction, so here goes.
First, I give it five stars not because it's a five-star dining experience like one would expect at Alinea, Nomi, etc.; rather, Laschet's delivers the German experience in Chicago to perfection, and for that they are a five-star operation based on what they've set out to accomplish on the Chicago dining (drinking?) scene.
Scene? Well, maybe there is no scene per se because walking in the place, it's obvious redecoration hasn't occurred here since the 80s (although they recently knocked down a wall to add more dining space -- hooray!). There are mismatched woods, restaurant supply house tables, some taxidermy treasures hanging from the walls, sounds of steins landing on bar/table surfaces, a constant murmur of conversation and a relatively inoffensive smell of cooking cabbage.
It's a cozy little spot that screams of home cookin', and boy do they serve it up.
My favorite is the schnitzel, except I order it with spatzle and red cabbage. They're cool with substitutions. I can put away the potato pancakes with sour cream like whoa. When dining with a large group, there's a sausage platter that has to be one of the best deals in the city.
I just realized I haven't addressed the beer, shame on me. The waiters know what's up, they are knowledgeable about what's on tap at the moment and will help you make your selection. Be a (wo)man and get a big stein because, if you don't, people might think you're an American. :)
They have apple strudel and German chocolate cake for dessert (shocker!). Both are good, but I'm usually so full by then that I prefer to waddle myself out of the restaurant.
Make no mistake, all of this German goodness doesn't come without penalties in the weight department. As such, I like to make my visits here during the winter when I can be a little more careless in the belly department.
Who knew Germany was surrounded by Chicago? :) -
Review from Matt G.
9/12/2010
How do I add to the previous reviews??? Tough to do so. But undoubtedly as good as it gets here in Chicago for German food. Having worked for a German company, I have done my tour over there and this is a pretty good match. The portions are more than generous, beer is cold and plentiful (man up and get the litre) and service is great. The place is packed with locals, not tourists, so it still has a very nice neighborhood feel to it.
Decor is old school and might need an update, but I don't want the place closing down for remodeling any time soon, so they can keep it this way. Not many 5 stars handed out randomly by me, but this place gets one. -
Review from Dora V.
5/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
Need a casual, homey, dimly lit atmosphere with delicious beers, affable bartenders and a free shot of schnapps ? You're golden.
The beers are great, and have specifically-shaped glasses. As always when you're not drinking bland American brands, ask for a taste of any beer you seriously consider. The bartender is your friend.
The goulash is fantastic. I model my own on it. I'd love to know which paprika they use. Potato pancakes are also great.
Laschet's has been one of my standbys for years: it deserves all five of these stars. What do I love about them? They are consistent. You won't "oops!" have a bad experience there. In business school speak: their service offering is well-targeted, well-suited to the niche they have chosen, and impressively dedicated to improving upon the areas that they have identified as their strengths.
Walk in the door, and you'll see what I mean. Have a beer, check out the menu, and assess the place. Please let me know if your experience differs from mine!Listed in: Lincoln Square, Y'all
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Review from andy m.
Elmhurst, IL
7/25/2011
A great German bar and resteraunt...if you like that awful food. I was very impressed with the interior decor of this pub and actually felt like I was in Germany..for a second. The German beers made me want to barf and the place is a bit 19th century and cramped.
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Review from Tamira K.
Camarillo, CA
6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
The schnitzel was amazing! The beer was enormous! The spatzle was delicious! Great ambience and authentic to the hilt! Split pea soup was the best I've ever had!
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Review from Veronica V.
Chicago, IL
7/31/2011
Fantastic Place!! Our server was very knowledgable on their beer selection, which was some of the best beer I've ever had! The chicken schnitzel was absolutely delicious, and the goulash was fantastic! By far though the most delicious thing on the menu was the Portobello appetizer! It was flavored so deliciously, and so meaty and savory I was in love! Great place, check it out for great German food, or if you just like great food!
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Review from Brian S.
Chicago, IL
11/11/2010
Easily one of the finest places for German food and beer. The atmosphere is great. The servers are great. The food is spectacular.
If you do visit this place on the weekend, it helps to place a reservation ahead of time.
Love Love Love this place. -
Review from Jon O.
Chicago, IL
4/16/2011
I lived in Germany for a number of years and one of many things I really miss is the food. Finding truly authentic german food is actually pretty difficult, even in a city the size of Chicago. Let me tell you this: Laschet's is the real deal (please stay away from embarrassing establishments like Uberstein if you desire an accurate representation of german food and hospitality.) Here's what I recommend: get the Rouladen with Spaetzle and Red Cabbage. You will not find a better Rouladen anywhere in the city. Also, it is worth mentioning that Laschet's has a large number of excellent beers on tap. If you are planning a german themed evening, grab dinner at Laschet's and then walk across the street to Resi's Bierstube for a weissbier in their beer garden.
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Review from Christina R.
Forest Park, IL
5/2/2010 2 photos
Don't be afraid of a little raw meat, cowards, or you'll be missing out! Hackepeter=steak tartar=delicious! Who knew? Served on rye bread with some diced pickles and onions, and a little maggi (bouillion sauce) it's truly mouthwatering!
Loved the three bean salad with pineapple, and the potato pancakes with sour cream and apple sauce. The Chicken Schnitzel (breaded chicken, pounded flat) and Spatzel (pan fried pebbly pasta) were good, but mixed with the red cabbage (similar to cranberry sauce) it was perfect! Same with the Rouladen (rolled beef stuffed with onions and pickles), a little peculiar on it's own, but super yummy paired with the red cabbage. The roasted potatoes were good too, and I heard great things about the goulash from the end of the table.
We rounded off dinner with a "Boot" of beer, which took a couple rounds even in our party of 14+ to finish off. My favorite though, was the raspberry Lindeman Frambois on draft. The ladies agreed that next time we will fill the boot with it!
Stay away from the apple/pear brandy offered as an aperitif, it will burn the lining off your throat. The food is a little heavy, but really really good, fairly priced and portioned large. The bar/restaurant is small and filled with German steins and chatchkes, but the service was great and although the meal probably takes a couple hours from appetizer to schnapps, our server was attentive and we never ran low on drinks.
The lowdown: try the Limbric, and avoid the brandy, ask for the giant mug and go for the boot! Prost! -
Review from Gretchen D.
Chicago, IL
8/13/2010
Yelp you did it again. We were heading for Hot Doug's which turned out to be closed. I fired up my Droid and Yelp and started looking for what was good and nearby. When I said "German" the whole crew said "yes."
This place is perfect. It's an old German bar which has added a restaurant (our server said they added it about 10 years ago).
Everything was good; pretzel, potato pancakes, a GREAT cucumber salad, wiener schnitzel, roladen, a superb goulash, great spaetzel, and the best red cabbage ever.
Great beer selection.
Our server was great and friendly.
We were in Germany a few months ago and this is as good as any we had there. -
Review from Meredith T.
Chicago, IL
9/24/2010
I had a great dinner here once following a cubs game and walked out thinking..."this is the best German food in the entire city!" Part of that assessment may have had something to do with the amount of beer I had taken in throughout the day (the liter beers they serve at Laschet's Inn didn't help any either). Regardless...I was truly impressed.
Fast forward to earlier this week when I got a real craving for some comforting stick-to-your-ribs food to celebrate fall. I decided to give this place another (and more sober) shot. Once again...I was completely satisfied. The food is outstanding...the service is friendly and knowledgeable...the beer hits the spot. The place itself is a total throwback to old Chicago. Except this is the real deal...not some cheap attempt to make you think they've been here forever. This place really has been around forever, and it shows.
My date and I sat in a cozy corner sipping our beer, sharing each others food. When we got up to leave everyone who was sitting at the bar (most of them seemed like regulars) turned to us to say goodnight. Where can you find that kind of love in this city? Awesome place. Check it out. If you don't love it...great...more spaetzle for me! -
Review from linda g.
Updated - 4/2/2011
Alright they get another star for adding a whole new back area so we can all be seated. MAKE RESERVATIONS. This place is on our habit-repeat list. The prices are inching up... it used to be dive bar cheap but I guess since we have all of this Yelp exposure you can charge what the market will bear. It doesn't matter... after your 3rd liter of German beer and your after dinner schnapps you won't remember paying the bill anyway.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/15/2009
I'd like to give this only one star so people won't fill it up with too much business (it's a very… Read more »
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Review from Aline S.
Chicago, IL
1/11/2009 ROTD 5/29/2009
I am a native Austrian who just moved to Chicago from Europe. I am making it my goal to try all the German and Austrian restaurants in the city.
Laschet's has been recommended to me by many people - on and off Yelp. I finally went last night and had a great time.
Minus points for not having many German starters - Buffalo wings and New England Clam Chowder, while tasty, are NOT German! Ask a German from Oberpullendorf if they ever had clam chowder - they won't even know what you are talking about!
Having said that - I tried the clam chowder and it was delicious. Everything I had was delicious. I had the Sauerbraten and it was absolutely scrumptious. The meat was so tender it fell apart just by looking at it. The sauce was yummy and the spaetzle were perfection. The food in this restaurant is not just good for "German food outside of Germany" - it would even be one of the better places if it was in Germany.
Ambiance - I am a bit torn here. When we first walked in, it reminded me of my local Italian pizza place when I was living in Delft/The Netherlands. It's a bit cheesy. But after sitting down and taking in the scenery for a bit I really enjoyed it. The place is bustling and you just feel welcome there.
Big plus: This place is the first German restaurant I went to that actually played German music. Cheesy, folky, German polka music which my generation of Krauts usually does not listen to but German nonetheless.
Much better than Glunz Bavaria Haus which actually played an English version of a Falco (he is Austrian) song while I was dining there (Blasphemy!).
So, to sum it up - if you want a good time with wonderful German food - go to Laschet's Inn!
(And please don't order a sandwich)
I'll be back. -
Review from Katie H.
Chicago, IL
5/20/2008
Confession: I rewrite a lot of Yelp reviews.
Most of my early reviews are really subpar. They're all about two sentences long, don't really tell you anything you need to know, aren't even vaguely amusing and only ever won me moderator compliments like "Thanks for sharing. Keep on truckin." I'm a work in progress.
My review of Laschet's, though 5 stars, did not do it any justice. So let's start afresh.
Mr. Man and I used to be all nice and trim. Then we met each other and started eating at places like Laschet's on a regular basis. Now I perpetually have to wear an undershirt so when my t-shirt rolls up, no one sees my ample tummy. Hawt.
Laschet's food is ricockulously good. Like special occasion (without the crazy prices) good. We've spent Valentine's Day and his birthday here and it always leaves us blabbing about how awesome it was weeks after. They take reservations - even for parties of 15 despite the fact that they're a very small restaurant - and you always get seated immediately.
If you're not a beer person then get fucked because Laschet's beer list is freakin' awesome. You won't have heard of any of it (unless you're super Deutsch) but everything is great, particularly the dark beers like the Spaten Optimator and the Hirter Morchl. Servers are always more than glad to explain everything to you.
Things to try if you're not familiar with German food
1. Goulash. Best thing on the menu
2. Sauerbraten. Delicioulsy tangy and satisfying.
3. Thuringers. For fans of encased meat.
4. Anything involving spaetzle...or red cabbage...or sauerkraut.
5. Hackpeter (steak tartar). Sounds like dare...tastes like dream. No you won't get the shits. I assure you.
6. Apple strudel.
7. At least three different types of beer.
8. Salad with house dressing. Mmmm hot bacon.
Things to avoid
1. Anything off their bar apps menu. Come on, you can get jalapeno poppers anywhere.
Without a doubt the best German food in the city. Yeah, The Brauhaus may have an Oompah-pah Band on the weekends but their food and drink just doesn't touch Laschet's.
FREE SHOTS!Listed in: Besties
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Review from molly c.
2/19/2008
YUM!
that's about it.
to start, i had some pate. yum. smooth and creamy...just like it should be. i also got a taste of the steak tartar and the herring. thumbs up for the tartar, thumbs down for the herring, but that's ME! john b. said the herring was really good!
for dinner, i had the sauerbraten, which is marinated beef with gravy, kind of like a pot roast. it was amazing! and the soup for the starter was a delicious split pea!
great food, great beer and a great group of yelpers...i'll be back for sure! -
Review from Carol K.
2/18/2008
Das ist gut! If you love German food- then Laschet's is your place. Even though I am not a German food lover- the food was tasty, the atmosphere fun and the service was good.
The beer list is chock full of German beers that rotate by season- most of which I had never heard of. But the server recommended the BBK Pilsner and I was a happy camper! Kept thinking about that old drinking song, "Eins, zwei, drei, vier, lift your stein and drink your beer"!
For an appetizer- you must try the authentic hackepeter. My grandma used to make this but I haven't had it in years- instead opting at restaurants for its counterpart which is steak tartar. The hackepeter is served on little wedges of rye bread and comes with capers and raw onions for seasoning. Very good!
For my entree- since I am not a big sausage fan, I chose to go with the Wiener Schnitzel- which is pounded veal that has been breaded and fried. Served with lemon wedges to squeeze over it all and simple potatoes, there was enough food for two. You also get a choice of soup or salad. I am so glad that I asked the server what his recco was as I got some of the best homemade pea soup I have had since I lived at home! Go for the soup!
The place was packed, the volume was loud and the ambiance is like being in a neighborhood bar in Germany (right down to the local pictures on the walls!) But for this Frau- if I ever get a craving for German food, you'll find me at Laschet's. -
Review from John B.
3/6/2008
Mark S and Patrick W recommended this place, and that was good enough for me. My only complaint was that I ate like a pig and didn't save room for the German chocolate cake. Harrumph.
We came with a group of 11, so we got the whole front banquette to ourselves. Sweet! I showed up a little early and bellied up to the bar to order a beer. When I ordered a pint, I was told -- not unkindly -- that I had a choice between a liter and a half liter. "Because we're metric here." Half liter please. There's a good selection of beers, as you would expect, and the tap beers are rotated seasonally, which you might not. I had a Kutscher Alt, which I had not had before, and which comes to us from a brewer in Frankfurt. Very tasty, malty, and not too dark. I was ready to eat!
I had a taste for herring, which comes pickled or creamed. I had the pickled -- nice strips of fish served with onion. Mmmm. Luckily, someone else in the group got the Hackepeter -- a chopped steak tartare served on rye bread -- so I was able to snitch some of that. Served with capers and onions, how can you lose? Dinner was the Rouladen, which I had never had before, but which is a house specialty. Beef rolled around bacon, onion, and pickles. Sounds a little dicey, but it was excellent. Served with spaetzle and red cabbage, because what's a German dinner without spaetzle and red cabbage. And a hearty homemade split pea soup to start off with. Can you see why I didn't have room for dessert?
We had a large group, so of course I made a reservation. But on a Saturday night, even groups of two were told there was a wait, so be sure to make resos! It's just a little neighborhood joint, but it gets busy. Oh, and apparently everyone in the world goes here. I ran into an old friend I hadn't seen in literally 20 years. And someone else in our group ran into a friend as well. So don't be surprised if your past comes to haunt you just as you're snarfing down a big hunk of Wiener Schnitzel.Listed in: My LTH
